Earth News, Earth Science, Energy Technology, Environment News

May 09, 2016

The Venus flytrap: From prey to predator
Wurzburg, Germany (SPX) May 09, 2016
The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) feeds on insects. It attracts a meal with its flower-like reddish color and ripe fruity smell on leaves converted to ambush traps. Seeking nectar, an insect will inevitably touch the highly sensitive sensory hairs on the leaves. This causes the trap to snap shut at lightning speed, imprisoning the prey. Dionaea must then decide how much energy to invest in the capture and consumption. It estimates the size of the prey by counting how often it touches the senso ... read more

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Senegal's child beggars show limits of 'apptivism' Mamadou is a child beggar wandering the streets of Dakar, perilously darting in and out of traffic as he tries to gather enough money for his Islamic teacher to feed him. ... more		Continental drift to thank for coral reef biodiversity A new study suggests both the fragmentation and convergence of continents 100 million years ago explains the rich biodiversity found among the coral reefs of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. ... more		World's shallowest slow-motion earthquakes detected offshore of NZ Research published in the May 6 edition of Science indicates that slow-motion earthquakes or "slow-slip events" can rupture the shallow portion of a fault that also moves in large, tsunami-generatin ... more
				New evidence connects dung beetle evolution to dinosaurs Researchers have found an evolutionary connection between dinosaurs and dung beetles. An international team of scientists uncovered the first molecular evidence indicating that dung beetles evolved ... more		Drawing the genetic history of Ice Age Eurasian populations Not much is known about the genetics of Eurasian history before the introduction of farming. One of the major questions is how climatic fluctuations influenced the population history of Eurasia and ... more

Space Tech Expo - Design - Build - Test - Pasadena CA - May 24-26, 2016

A filter that shaped evolution of primates in Asia By studying fossils from southern China, scientists have gained insights into how primates in Asia evolved to resemble the array seen today. The results suggest that a distinct period marked by cool ... more		Landslides kill nearly 50 in Rwanda At least 49 people were killed this weekend in landslides caused by torrential rains in rural Rwanda, the government said on Monday. ... more		Collaborative Agreement to Advance Solar Arrays for Satellite Power Systems Diraq progresses to new stage in DARPA drive for practical quantum computers FSU physicists discover new state of matter in electrons, platform to study quantum phenomena		Indonesia frees vessel captured by suspected pirates: navy Indonesia on Monday freed a Singapore-flagged vessel captured by pirates off the coast of Borneo island, and detained nine suspects involved in the hijacking, a navy spokesman said. ... more
				S.Africa may re-consider regulated rhino horn trade in future South Africa does not rule out a future call for regulated international trade in rhino horn trade, despite its decision not to push for legalisation at an upcoming CITES conference, a cabinet minister said Sunday. ... more		Effect of ocean acidification on shellfish depends on other stressors On the dinner table, acid and shellfish pair nicely - in the ocean, not so much. ... more

Human 2 Mars Conference May 17-19 2016 - Washington DC

Transition from Operations to Decommissioning by Preparing a Safe, Cost-Effective Shut Down and Waste Management Strategy

The World's Largest Commercial Drone Conference and Expo - Sept 7-9 - Las Vegas

Directed Energy And Next Generation Munitions - 20-22 June - Washington DC

Mexican military vet defends torture he oversaw The Mexican military veteran recalls overseeing interrogations during which his men beat suspects, wrapped their faces in plastic bags to cut off their oxygen and jolted them with electric shocks. ... more		Religion goes green in Taiwan pollution battle Smoke billows daily from temples across Taiwan as visitors burn incense and paper money to bring luck and prosperity - but that familiar fragrant haze could be a thing of the past as concerns grow over ritual pollutants. ... more		Arrival of US aircraft carrier fuels Venezuelan fears of attack Russia offers US nuclear talks in bid to ease tensions US-China tensions weigh on Lisbon's Web Summit		Haiti preparing for major earthquake, tsunami A school gymnasium fills with hundreds of students seeking shelter from an earthquake and tsunami, with whistles at the ready in case they are trapped by rubble and need to be rescued. ... more
Study reveals genetic origins of carrots' orange color In sequencing the genome of the lowly carrot, researchers have revealed several of the vegetable's secrets - including the genetic origins of its orange color. ... more		UN warns of 'bleak' outlook for drought-hit Zimbabwe Zimbabwe faces a growing food supply crisis, with a $290 million shortfall in funding desperately required to feed up to 4.5 million people in need by next year, the United Nations warned Monday. ... more		Chile fishing crisis traps tourists, empties markets A fishing ban sparked by mass deaths of sea creatures in Chile has left tourists stranded and markets empty on an island cut off by protest blockades. ... more		China landslide death toll rises to 31 The number of bodies recovered from a landslide that engulfed workers at a Chinese construction site rose to 31 on Monday with seven people still missing, authorities said. ... more

	Weather aids firefighters battling blaze in Canada oil region Authorities battling a forest fire in Canada looked to Mother Nature for more help Monday, as cooling temperatures and rain slowed the spread of the blaze that had forced the evacuation of an entire city. ... more		Scientists identify oldest herbivorous filter-feeding marine reptile When scientists first unearthed the fossil remains of Atopodentatus unicus in 2014, they described the ancient creature as possessing a flamingo-like beak. ... more

New Structures Could Keep Astronauts Fit During Long Missions

Solar flares pause Blue Origin-NASA Mars probe launch

Staying Connected: How to Upgrade Your Satellite Internet Setup

Discovery of a fundamental limit to the evolution of the genetic code		The genetic history of Ice Age Europe		Indiana University researchers find Earth may be home to 1 trillion species		Advance could help grow stem cells more safely		Endangered venomous mammal predates dinosaurs' extinction
A climate warming warning		How much does groundwater contribute to sea level rise?		Influence of sea-ice loss on Arctic warming shaped by Pacific temps		Hurricanes key to carbon uptake by forests		Rising Carbon Dioxide Levels Will Help and Hurt Crops

Earth's New Lightning Capital Revealed

NASA Researchers Improve Hazardous Weather Forecasts

Traumatized, Canada wildfire evacuees reach safety

Climate-exodus expected in the Middle East and North Africa

Canada fire 'out of control,' may double in size

Kenya demolishes 78 risky buildings after deadly collapse

17 missing 2 dead after collision in East China Sea

Desert antelope faces 'imminent extinction'

Edible silk coating keeps fruit fresh for a week, scientists find

Insulating layer of air above the Greenland ice sheet reduces precipitation

EU won't sacrifice food safety for US trade deal: German minister

Study finds ice isn't being lost from Greenland's interior

Unmanned cloud-seeding aircraft takes flight in Nevada

A Cautionary Tale From Planet Earth

What lies beneath West Antarctica

Methane production reduced in ruminants

New study found ocean acidification may be impacting Florida keys

Californian sudden oak death epidemic 'unstoppable'

A cleansing rain falls; a soil-filled mist arises

Oil-eating bacteria came to the rescue after BP spill

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