141 articles from WEDNESDAY 23.11.2022

A radical new approach in synthetic chemistry

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory helped measure how unpaired electrons in atoms at one end of a molecule can drive chemical reactivity on the molecule's opposite side. As described in a paper recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, this work, in collaboration with Princeton University, shows how molecules containing...

Tracking explosions with toughened-up tracers

What happens in an explosion? Where do the products of that explosion go following the blast? These questions are often difficult to solve. New rugged tracer particles, developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers, can provide some answers.

Gully erosion prediction tools can lead to better land management

Soil erosion is a significant problem for agricultural production, impacting soil quality and causing pollutants to enter waterways. Among all stages of soil erosion, gully erosion is the most severe phase, where large channels are carved through the field. Once gullies develop, they are challenging to manage through tiling; they require a more comprehensive approach along the impacted area.

Low-cost sensor records the level of rivers

Researchers at the University of Bonn have developed a method that allows the water level of rivers to be monitored around the clock. The cost-effective sensor is for instance suitable for area-wide flood warning systems. The study has been published in the journal Water Resources Research.

Can we protect Earth from space weather?

In early September 1859, the Northern Lights could suddenly be seen as far south as the Caribbean. The cause was a geomagnetic solar storm—specifically a coronal mass ejection, now dubbed the Carrington Event, after the astronomer who recorded it.

NET locus regulates both flavor quality and nutrient metabolite accumulation in rice

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide, providing much of the calorific needs for half of the global population. Economic development and rising living standards have led to the demand for rice gradually shifting from satisfying the need to "be full" to satisfying the need to "eat well," and combining flavor with nutrition is essential for the latter. Much research has...

Synthetic fibers discovered in Antarctic air, seawater, sediment and sea ice

As nations meet in Uruguay to negotiate a new Global Plastics Treaty, marine and forensic scientists publish new results this week that reveal the discovery of synthetic plastic fibers in air, seawater, sediment and sea ice sampled in the Antarctic Weddell Sea. The field research was undertaken during an expedition to discover Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship, the Endurance. The results are published...

Old World flycatchers' family tree mapped

The European robin's closest relatives are found in tropical Africa. The European robin is therefore not closely related to the Japanese robin, despite their close similarity in appearance. This is confirmed by a new study of the Old World flycatcher family, to which these birds belong. The study comprises 92 percent of the more than 300 species in this family.