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  Hong Kong (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 In a new study published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, an international team led by Professor Baoyu Jiang of Nanjing University and including Dr Michael Pittman of the Department of Earth Sciences, the University of Hong Kong, shows that pterosaurs had at least four types of feathers in common with their close relatives the dinosaurs, pushing back the origin of feathers by some 70 million years. Pterosaurs and dinosaurs are closely related reptiles that lived from about 230 to 66 mi ... read more |
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Fossils suggest flowers originated 50 million years earlier than thoughtWashington DC (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 Scientists have described a fossil plant species that suggests flowers bloomed in the Early Jurassic, more than 174 million years ago, according to new research in the open-access journal eLife. ... more 
Explaining differences in rates of evolutionZurich, Switzerland (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 The rate at which evolution produces new species of plants and animals, or at which existing species die out, is a subject of much interest - and not only to scientists. That's because the rates of ... more  
Russia says will build up Arctic military presenceMoscow (AFP) Dec 18, 2018 Russia will build up its military presence in the Arctic over the next year, the defence minister said Tuesday, as Moscow seeks to assert its influence in the strategic region. ... more 
A new model of ice friction helps scientists understand how glaciers flowWashington DC (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 Since the early 20th century, nearly all of Earth's glaciers have been retreating or melting. Glaciers cover 10 percent of the planet's land area and contain 75 percent of our fresh water. Mor ... more |
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| Previous Issues | Dec 18 | Dec 17 | Dec 14 | Dec 13 | Dec 12 |
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Dutch to ban raw ivory sales from 2019The Hague (AFP) Dec 17, 2018 The Netherlands said Monday it will ban all raw ivory sales from next year, as it unveiled the results of a major operation to combat trafficking in endangered animals and plants. ... more 
Three generations, 1,000s of miles: Scientists unlock mystery of a dragonfly's migrationBaltimore MD (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 Thanks to photos and films featuring clouds of stunning orange and black monarch butterflies flying across North America, many people today are familiar with how monarchs migrate. The migration patt ... more  
Peering into Little Foot's 3.67 million-year-old brainJohannesburg, South Africa (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 First ever endocast reconstruction of the nearly complete brain of the hominin known as Little Foot reveals a small brain combining ape-like and human-like features. MicroCT scans of the Austr ... more 
Brazil conservation plan could save three times the species for half the moneyWashington (UPI) Dec 17, 2018 A new restoration plan for Brazil's Atlantic Forest could save three times as many species for significantly less money than previous conservation plans. ... more  
Warning over deep-sea 'gold rush'Exeter UK (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 A "gold rush" of seabed mining could lead to unprecedented damage to fragile deep-sea ecosystems, researchers have warned. With major decisions on the future of seabed mining expected in 2019- ... more |
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 Climate change leading to water shortage in Andes, Himalayas 
Cambodia hails opening of country's largest dam despite oppositionStung Treng, Cambodia (AFP) Dec 17, 2018 Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Monday opened the country's largest hydropower scheme, swatting aside dire warnings about the environmental impact of the $780 million project and its effect on local communities. ... more  |
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Seismic study reveals huge amount of water dragged into Earth's interiorWashington DC (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 Slow-motion collisions of tectonic plates under the ocean drag about three times more water down into the deep Earth than previously estimated, according to a first-of-its-kind seismic study that sp ... more  
The environmental cost of packing our favorite fast-foodsManchester UK (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 Scientists say more should be done to tackle the growing environmental impact of takeaway food containers. A new study estimates there are 2025 million takeaway containers per year being used in the ... more  
Global warming did not pause as researchers disentangle hiatus confusionPotsdam, Germany (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 The reality of ongoing climate warming might seem plainly obvious today, after the four warmest years on record and a summer of weather extremes in the whole northern hemisphere. A few years back ho ... more 
Optimizing restoration can deliver an eightfold increase in cost-effectivenessNew York NY (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 A new study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution presents a novel approach to identify optimal priority areas for restoration, considering multiple criteria such as biodiversity conservation, c ... more  
EU to cut new car emissions by 37.5 percent by 2030Brussels (AFP) Dec 18, 2018 The European Union forged ahead Tuesday with plans to slash carbon dioxide emissions from new cars and vans by 2030 despite industry concerns the targets are for now "totally unrealistic." ... more |
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 Washington (UPI) Dec 17, 2018 
Pedestrians require a 30-inch buffer to avoid collisions, according to a new survey of foot traffic inside a Dutch train station.
Using overheard sensors installed in a train station in Eindhoven, Netherlands, researchers analyzed more than 5 million pedestrian movements. Their analysis revealed 9,000 pedestrian pairs on collision courses.
"About 40 pairs of these actually bumped ... more |
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 London, UK (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 
Harwell based Celestia Technologies Group UK Ltd (CTG UK) has signed an 8m euro contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for the development of the next generation of Gateway ground stations.
The three-year programme will create a fully electronic scanning (eScan) ground station, capable of tracking and communicating simultaneously with multi satellites. Initial development activity w ... more |
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 Exeter UK (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 
A "gold rush" of seabed mining could lead to unprecedented damage to fragile deep-sea ecosystems, researchers have warned.
With major decisions on the future of seabed mining expected in 2019-20, scientists and policy experts from the University of Exeter and Greenpeace have recommended a range of measures to prevent environmental damage.
They say deep-sea ecosystems currently need m ... more |
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 Moscow (AFP) Dec 18, 2018 
Russia will build up its military presence in the Arctic over the next year, the defence minister said Tuesday, as Moscow seeks to assert its influence in the strategic region.
The announcement comes after years of increased activity in the Arctic, which Moscow has declared a top priority due to its mineral riches and military importance.
"We'll finish building infrastructure in 2019 to ... more |
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 University Park PA (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 
Harvester ants that eat weed seeds on the soil's surface can help farmers manage weeds on their farms, according to an international team of researchers, who found that tilling less to preserve the ants could save farmers fuel and labor costs, as well as preserve water and improve soil quality.
"These ants are naturally present in the fields," said Barbara Baraibar Padro, a postdoctoral sc ... more |
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 Corvallis OR (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 
Researchers, including two Oregon State University scientists, argue in a new study that a paradigm shift is needed for assessing bridges' tsunami risk.
The study, motivated in part by hundreds of bridges being destroyed during recent tsunamis off the coast of Japan and in the Indian Ocean, advances the understanding of the physics at work when a tsunami slams into a bridge - opening the d ... more |
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 Washington (UPI) Dec 14, 2018 
National Security Advisor John Bolton said during a speech at the Heritage Foundation that the U.S. has to readjust it's strategy for Africa regarding military and civilian aid with Chinese and Russian encroachment on the continent.
"ISIS, al-Qaida, and their affiliates all operate and recruit on the African continent, plotting attacks against American citizens and targets. Any sound U. ... more |
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 Johannesburg, South Africa (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 
First ever endocast reconstruction of the nearly complete brain of the hominin known as Little Foot reveals a small brain combining ape-like and human-like features.
MicroCT scans of the Australopithecus fossil known as Little Foot shows that the brain of this ancient human relative was small and shows features that are similar to our own brain and others that are closer to our ancestor sh ... more |
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 Katowice, Poland (AFP) Dec 16, 2018  Nations on Sunday struck a deal to breathe life into the landmark 2015 Paris climate treaty after marathon UN talks that failed to match the ambition the world's most vulnerable countries need to avert dangerous global warming.
Delegates from nearly 200 states finalised a common rule book designed to deliver the Paris goals of limiting global temperature rises to well below two degrees Celsi ... more |
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 Sao Jose Dos Campos, Brazil (AFP) Dec 13, 2018 
The vast Amazon forest may be hard to penetrate, posing a problem for authorities trying to stop illegal logging - but there are still eyes in the sky keeping track of the destruction.
For three decades, a group of researchers have been monitoring forest clearing, agriculture and land use thanks to satellites orbiting the Earth and beaming images to Brazil's National Institute for Space Res ... more |
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 Washington (UPI) Dec 13, 2018  Some 252 million years ago, nearly all live on Earth vanished. The fossil record suggests some 96 percent of all marine life disappeared, and scientists suspect the magnitude of losses on land was similar.
But until now, scientists weren't sure what exactly caused the massive Permian Period extinction, an even known as the Great Dying.
Researchers knew a series of volcanic erupti ... more |
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 Behror, India (AFP) Dec 4, 2018 
Ratan Kumar once battled India's brutal summers with damp bedsheets and midnight baths. Now he is among millions upon millions of Indians using air conditioning - helping make the world hotter still.
With India's AC market expected to explode from 30 million to a billion units by 2050, the world's second-most populous country could become the planet's top user of electricity for cooling. ... more |
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 Osaka, Japan (SPX) Dec 19, 2018 
A team of researchers led by Osaka University developed an inexpensive large-scale flexible thermoelectric generator (FlexTEG) module with high mechanical reliability for highly efficient power generation.
Through a change in direction of the top electrodes at the two sides of the module and the use of high density packaging of semiconductor chips, the FlexTEG module has more flexibility i ... more |
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 Washington (UPI) Dec 17, 2018 
A new restoration plan for Brazil's Atlantic Forest could save three times as many species for significantly less money than previous conservation plans.
In coordination with the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, researchers in Brazil and Britain designed a new computer model to identify the most effective and cost efficient forest restoration strategies.
If adopted, simulat ... more |
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 Beijing (AFP) Dec 14, 2018 
China on Friday rebuked the US Congress over legislation seeking greater access to Tibet, saying American lawmakers "grossly interfered" in Beijing's domestic affairs.
The bill, which passed this week with bipartisan support, demands access to the region for US diplomats, journalists and tourists, threatening to bar Chinese officials responsible for the policy from the US if barriers remain ... more |
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 Washington DC (SPX) Dec 14, 2018 
Find related stories on NSF's Critical Zone Observatories Sites. Find related stories on NSF's Long-Term Ecological Research Sites.
With fierce winds and flooding rains, hurricanes can be disasters for people - and for ecosystems. These devastating storms have major effects on tropical forests, demolishing tree canopies and leaving behind debris that piles up in watershed streams and on fo ... more |
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