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SOI Collaborating With WHOI On Construction of World’s Most Advanced Deep-diving Robotic Vehicle

By Guest PostDecember 6, 2013Environment, Scienceadvanced, andy bowen, autonomous mode, challenger deep, chemical data, conventional rov cable, deep submergence laboratory, eric king, Eric Schmidt, hrov, james cameron, mariana trench, marine operations, marine robotics, nereus, oceanographic institution, research vehicle, robotic undersea, san francisco, schmidt ocean institute, ship falkor, soi, unols, victor zykov, whoi, woods hole

Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) has begun working with the Deep Submergence Laboratory at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to design and build the world’s most advanced robotic undersea research vehicle for use on SOI’s ship Falkor. The new vehicle will be capable of operating in the deepest known trenches on the planet, including the nearly 11,000-meter-deep Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench. The design will capitalize on lessons learned from past WHOI vehicle designs, as well as advanced technologies developed for DEEPSEA CHALLENGER, the submersible and science platform that explorer and director James Cameron piloted to Challenger Deep in 2012 and donated to WHOI in 2013.

On Sunday, December 8th, Victor Zykov, SOI’s director of research, will publicly discuss the project for the first time at a University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System’s (UNOLS) Deep Submergence Science Committee meeting in San Francisco. (more…)

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria turns immune system against itself

By Guest PostDecember 6, 2013Healthadenosine synthase a, adsa gene, antibiotic resistant strain, bloodstream, dado, deoxyadenosine, destroy, DNA, dominique m missiakas, human function, immune defense mechanism, immune system, kevin jiang, macrophage, mrsa, mutation, nets, neutrophil extracellular traps, nuc, olaf schneewind, protein, s. aureus, staphylococcal nuclease, staphylococcus aureus bacteria, university of chicago, vilasack thammavongsa, white blood cells

Around 20 percent of all humans are persistently colonized with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, a leading cause of skin infections and one of the major sources of hospital-acquired infections, including the antibiotic-resistant strain MRSA.

University of Chicago scientists have recently discovered one of the keys to the immense success of S. aureus—the ability to hijack a primary human immune defense mechanism and use it to destroy white blood cells. The study was published Nov. 15 in Science. (more…)

NASA iPad App Shows Earth Changing Before Your Eyes

By Guest PostDecember 5, 2013Sciencealaska, amber jenkins, changing climate, climate action plan, dam building, earth changing, gallery, gallery project, human activities, images of change, ipad application, john grunsfeld, nasa ipad app, natural disaster, pedersen glacier, President Obama, receding glaciers, retreat, satellite views, urban growth

Human activities, a changing climate and natural disasters are rapidly altering the face of our planet. Now, with NASA’s Images of Change iPad application, users can get an interactive before-and-after view of these changes.

The app presents pairs or sets of images of places around the world that have changed dramatically. Some of these locations have suffered a disaster, such as a fire or tsunami, or illustrate the effects of human activities, such as dam building or urban growth. Others document impacts of climate change such as persistent drought and rapidly receding glaciers. (more…)

Imperiled Mussels May be Further Harmed by Climate Change

By Guest PostDecember 5, 2013Environment, Natureaquatic food web, climate change, danger of extinction, freshwater mussels, freshwater science, global climate change, good water, habitat alteration, indicator, native mussel populations, North America, potential effect, rising water temperatures, river studies center, sediment quality, species, teresa newton, U.S. Geological Survey, us river, usgs scientists, washboard mussels

Rising water temperatures as a result of climate change may harm already endangered or threatened native freshwater mussels in North America, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report.

During laboratory tests, USGS scientists and partners found that the heart and growth rates of some species of young freshwater mussels declined as a result of elevated water temperatures, and many died. Freshwater mussels have been compared to the “canary in the coal mine” in that they are indicators of good water and sediment quality in U.S. rivers. They are also important in the aquatic food web, filter large amounts of water and suspended particles, and serve as food for other organisms. The study is published in the December issue of the journal Freshwater Science. (more…)

Anhörung des «Guardian»-Chefredaktors

By Guest PostDecember 5, 2013Media, Politicsalan rusbridger, ausschuss, britischen unterhauses, chefredaktor, edward snowden, guardian, infosperber, londoner tageszeitung, nsa mitarbeiter

«Guardian»-Chefredaktor Alan Rusbridger wurde gestern vom britischen Unterhaus zur Publikation von Snowdens Dokumenten befragt. (more…)

Elefantengipfel geht zu Ende

By Guest PostDecember 5, 2013Natureafrikanischen elefanten, afrikanischen staaten, China, elefanten in zimbabwe, elefantengipfel, elefantengipfels in botswana, michael poliza, schutz, Thailand, volker homes, wwf deutschland

WWF: Deklaration ist Schritt in richtige Richtung

Zum Abschluss des Elefantengipfels in Botswana sagt Volker Homes, Leiter Artenschutz beim WWF Deutschland:

„Die Botswana-Deklaration zur Bekämpfung der Wilderei und dem Schutz der Afrikanischen Elefanten geht grundsätzlich in die richtige Richtung. Damit die dringend notwenigen Sofortmaßnahmen kein reiner Papiertiger werden, muss die Deklaration schnellstmöglich von allen afrikanischen Staaten mit Elefantenvorkommen und von den asiatischen Abnehmerländern für illegales Elfenbein unterzeichnet und umgesetzt werden. (more…)

For metals of the smartphone age, no Plan B

By Guest PostDecember 5, 2013Science, Technologybarbara reck, best substitute materials, cardiovascular imaging, catalyst, chromium, comprehensive analysis, copper, dysprosium, ermelinda harper, europium, flat panel displays, laser technologies, lead, lifecycle of metals, manganese, metals, modern products, no plan b, numerical rating, periodic table, permanent magnets, platinum group metal, rare earth elements, rees, rhodium, smartphone age, solar energy systems, solar panels, thallium, thomas e graedel, thulium, vehicle emissions, yale study, ytterbium, yttrium

Many of the metals needed to feed the surging global demand for high-tech products, from smart phones to solar panels, cannot be replaced, leaving some markets vulnerable if resources become scarce, according to a new Yale study.

In a comprehensive analysis, a team of researchers from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES) evaluated how all 62 metals or metalloids on the periodic table of elements are used in consumer products, and the extent to which each of those metals could be replaced if reserves dwindle or supplies become unreliable. (more…)

Culling vampire bats to stem rabies in Latin America can backfire

By Guest PostDecember 5, 2013Nature, Sciencebat transmitted rabies, blood feeding bats, culling vampire bats, disturbance mediated dispersal, latin america, livestock mortality, vampire bat colony, vampire bat control, vampire bats

ANN ARBOR — Culling vampire bat colonies to stem the transmission of rabies in Latin America does little to slow the spread of the virus and could even have the reverse effect, according to University of Michigan researchers and their colleagues. (more…)

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