Cheap, scalable carbon capture method also rejuvenates rivers

A technique originally developed to combat acid rain has the potential to pull an enormous amount of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere – while helping to deacidify oceans, restore rivers and boost biodiversity and fish populations.Continue ReadingCa… Continue reading Cheap, scalable carbon capture method also rejuvenates rivers

Cheap, scalable carbon capture method also rejuvenates rivers

A technique originally developed to combat acid rain has the potential to pull an enormous amount of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere – while helping to deacidify oceans, restore rivers and boost biodiversity and fish populations.Continue ReadingCa… Continue reading Cheap, scalable carbon capture method also rejuvenates rivers

Geologists drill 1.2 km into rare rocks from Earth’s mantle

Geologists have drilled deeper than ever into material from the Earth’s mantle – more than three quarters of a mile (1.2 km). The sample gives a glimpse into the geology and even life in a deep world normally beyond our reach.Continue ReadingCategory: … Continue reading Geologists drill 1.2 km into rare rocks from Earth’s mantle

Water-skimming Ocean-of-Things bugbots run on bacteria-powered fuel cells

Researchers have prototyped sensor-packed robot bugs that mimic biological digestive systems to meet energy needs, employ a Janus interface for a steady supply of nutrients and move on the water’s surface like a water strider.Continue ReadingCategory: … Continue reading Water-skimming Ocean-of-Things bugbots run on bacteria-powered fuel cells

Rogue wave prediction system gives ships a five-minute warning

Unpredictable monster waves at sea can severely damage ships and offshore platforms, putting the lives of those who work on them at risk. A new system out of the University of Maryland uses a neural network to provide valuable early-warning alerts.Cont… Continue reading Rogue wave prediction system gives ships a five-minute warning

US leads the world in shark attacks, which are happening more often

While you’re more likely to win the lottery, or be bitten by another person, than become a tasty snack for a great white, shark attacks live rent-free in the human psyche, alongside quicksand, nuclear war and aliens. However, reports of shark attacks h… Continue reading US leads the world in shark attacks, which are happening more often

Ribbontail rays produce their dazzling blue spots without pigments

The Disney-esque hues on bluespotted ribbontail rays come from a unique arrangement of nanostructures, say researchers. The findings, along with those gleaned from studying blue sharks, could help lead to new chemical-free color techniques.Continue Rea… Continue reading Ribbontail rays produce their dazzling blue spots without pigments

246-million-year-old giant sea lizard is oldest to be found in the region

A single vertebra dug out of a boulder in a stream below a mountain in New Zealand in 1978 has now been found to have belonged to the oldest known sea reptile in the Southern Hemisphere, where no record of these huge beasts had existed until now. It da… Continue reading 246-million-year-old giant sea lizard is oldest to be found in the region

Coordinated jet propulsion corkscrews these odd creatures through the water

A strange sea creature known as the salp reproduces asexually, building long chains of clones. Researchers have now decoded the way these long salp chains propel themselves, a finding that could lead to better propulsion systems for underwater vehicles… Continue reading Coordinated jet propulsion corkscrews these odd creatures through the water

Pedal-powered propeller accelerates swimmers through the water

I can’t say I’ve seen anything like this “underwater mobility device” before. The idea is simple enough; you extend the Seabike’s pole to the appropriate length, then strap it to your waist with a belt. Then you find the pedals with your feet, and star… Continue reading Pedal-powered propeller accelerates swimmers through the water