Earth News, Earth Science, Energy Technology, Environment News

May 20, 2015

Google backs farm-focused startup as 'AgTech' blooms
San Francisco (AFP) May 19, 2015
Google on Tuesday pumped $15 million into a farming-focused technology startup, the latest in a surge of investment applying Internet innovations to growing food. The funding round led by Google's investment arm brings to nearly $28 million the total amount of money pumped into Farmers Business Network (FBN) by backers including powerhouse Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. "Farmers are quintessential entrepreneurs; they are on their own and are mechanics, hack ... read more

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Study attributes varying explosivity to gaseous state within volcanic conduits The varying scale and force of certain volcanic eruptions are directly influenced by the distribution of gases within magma inside a volcano's conduit, according to a new study. Using state of the a ... more		Study reveals how rivers regulate global carbon cycle Humans concerned about climate change are working to find ways of capturing excess carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and sequestering it in the Earth. But Nature has its own methods for the r ... more		Revealing the ocean's hidden fertilizer Phosphorus is one of the most common substances on Earth. An essential nutrient for every living organism--humans require approximately 700 milligrams per day--we are rarely concerned about consumin ... more
				'Hydrogels' boost ability of stem cells to restore eyesight and heal brains Toronto scientists and engineers have made a breakthrough in cell transplantation using a gel-like biomaterial that keeps cells alive and helps them integrate better into tissue. In two early lab tr ... more		Do flies have fear or something like it When fruit flies respond to the threat of an overhead shadow, are they afraid? That's a hard question to answer, say researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 14. Howeve ... more

The World's Largest Commercial Drone Conference and Expo - Sept 9 - Las Vegas

Next Generation Integrated ISR 2015 - Washington DC - July 27-29

Russia to Receive Hundreds of New Drones Over Next Decade Having realized the strategic and military benefits of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Russian military will focus on the production of hundreds of new drones over the next 10 years. The ... more		Burmese long-tailed macaque stone-tool use catalogued Eighty percent of a population of Burmese long-tailed macaques on an island in southern Thailand use stone and shell tools to crack open seafood, and do so using 17 different action patterns, accord ... more		Mechanical power by linking Earth's warmth to space AI energy demand in US proves minor climate impact COP30 climate pledges favour land-based carbon removal over emission cuts		Climate change boosts a migratory insect pest The potato leafhopper is a tiny insect--barely half the size of a grain of rice--with a bright lime green color that helps it blend in against plant leaves. Despite its unassuming appearance, this l ... more
				A bucketful of new Eugenia plant species from Madagascar The spigot for plant discoveries in Madagascar continues to flow steadily, with no signs of slowing down in the near future. "The number of new plant species from Madagascar continues to be amazingl ... more		Single low-magnitude electric pulse successfully fights inflammation The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, the research arm of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, and SetPoint Medical Inc., a biomedical technology company, has released the results of research ... more

Army Network Modernization 2015 - Washington DC June 23-25

Servosila Introduces a Disaster Response Robot "Engineer" Servosila introduces a new product, a disaster response robot called Servosila "Engineer", equipped with a robotic arm manipulator. The robot is designed for use by disaster response services as a b ... more		How used coffee grounds could make some food more healthful Coffee has gone from dietary foe to friend in recent years, partly due to the revelation that it's rich in antioxidants. Now even spent coffee-grounds are gaining attention for being chock-full of t ... more		Europe commercial satellite life extension mission set for 2027 Atlas 5 rocket launches U.S. communications satellite USS Ford in Caribbean; Maduro blasts US-T&T drills		Spores for thought Researchers at the Institute of Food Research have established how clostridia bacteria emerge from spores. This could help them understand how these bacteria germinate and go on to produce the deadl ... more
US beekeepers lost 40 percent of bees in 2014-15 Beekeepers across the United States lost more than 40 percent of their honey bee colonies during the year spanning April 2014 to April 2015, according to the latest results of an annual nationwide s ... more		Fading hope, long clean-up after Colombia landslide Rescue workers in Colombia resumed the increasingly hopeless search for the missing Tuesday after a massive landslide, as the death toll rose to 64 and residents began a difficult clean-up. ... more		Merkel and Hollande push for 'ambitious' climate deal German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande jointly pledged Tuesday to do their utmost to ensure an "ambitious" UN deal to combat climate change is reached this year. ... more		Students develop mobile hybrid power system for disaster relief When disaster strikes - whether it's a devastating earthquake, a massive flood or a violent volcanic eruption - electricity is one of the most immediate needs, both for local populations and relief providers. ... more

	Singapore nets biggest ivory seizure in decade Singapore authorities seized the biggest illegal shipment of ivory and other exotic animal parts in more than a decade Tuesday, with the haul from Kenya worth an estimated Sg$8 million ($6 million). ... more		Canada police launch criminal wildfire investigation Hundreds of firefighters battled a massive wildfire in western Canada for a 10th straight day Tuesday as federal police launched a criminal investigation into the cause of the blaze. ... more

Can America Beat China Back to the Moon?

Record doubleheader: SpaceX launches 2 Falcon 9 rockets from Florida

Space Systems Command advances New Glenn certification after latest launch

Wetlands continue to reduce nitrates		New national database of coastal flooding launched		New research will help forecast bad ozone days over the western US		Mining pollution alters fish genetics in southwest England		The mighty seed
Antarctic ice shelf is thinning from above and below		Brazilian beef industry moves to reduce its destruction of rain forests		Using microbial communities to assess environmental contamination		Bacteria the newest tool in detecting environmental damage		Retracing the bird's beak to its dinosaur origins, in the laboratory

Britain 'turning grey' as gardens paved over

Drought face-lift: California paints lawns green

Volcanic ash disrupts Costa Rica flights

Nepal PM appeals for $2bn to rebuild country after quakes

US Senate's climate sentry on lonely mission

S.Sudan army advances as UN warns over 650,000 at risk

At least 52 dead in Colombia landslide: officials

China police on trial for woman's beating death: report

Pakistan gets green loan from ADP

Bad memories drive rats to rescue peers more quickly

Photosynthesis has unique isotopic signature

World population-food supply balance is becoming increasingly unstable

A climate signal in the global distribution of copper deposits

Solving corrosive ocean mystery reveals future climate

Long-term study on ticks reveals shifting migration patterns, disease risks

Vineyard habitats help butterflies return

Origins and future of Lake Eyre and the Murray-Darling Basin

A new chapter in Earth history

Damming and damning hemorrhagic diseases

Can virtual drivers resembling the user increase trust in smart cars

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