Mexico – Page 2 – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

New Study Outlines ‘Water World’ Theory of Life’s Origins

By Guest PostApril 17, 2014Scienceabby arvanitidis, black smokers, cellular structure, earth, electrical energy, food growing system, forschungsprojek, Galaxy, hydroponics, hypothesis, kenji yamaguchi, kirgisistan, laurie barge, life, lost city, Mexico, mitochondria, molybdenum, moos, naryn syr darya, nelly horst, nir ohad, origin, ralf reski, sea floor, seema chandrasekharan, team bell1, technical interview, technical job

Life took root more than four billion years ago on our nascent Earth, a wetter and harsher place than now, bathed in sizzling ultraviolet rays. What started out as simple cells ultimately transformed into slime molds, frogs, elephants, humans and the rest of our planet’s living kingdoms. How did it all begin?

A new study from researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and the Icy Worlds team at NASA’s Astrobiology Institute, based at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., describes how electrical energy naturally produced at the sea floor might have given rise to life. While the scientists had already proposed this hypothesis — called “submarine alkaline hydrothermal emergence of life” — the new report assembles decades of field, laboratory and theoretical research into a grand, unified picture. (more…)

Drug Trafficking Leads to Deforestation in Central America

By Guest PostFebruary 10, 2014Environmentcentral america, david wrathall, deforestation, drug trafficking, ecological devastation, erik neilsen, guatemala, honduras, kendra mcsweeney, Mexico, nicaragua, ophelia wang, spencer plumb, united states

‘Drug policy is conservation policy,’ researchers say

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Add yet another threat to the list of problems facing the rapidly disappearing rainforests of Central America: drug trafficking.

In an article in the journal Science, seven researchers who have done work in Central America point to growing evidence that drug trafficking threatens forests in remote areas of Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and nearby countries. (more…)

With Fewer Hard Frosts, Tropical Mangroves Push North

By Guest PostJanuary 4, 2014Environmentatlantic coast, australia, biodiversity, birds, brazil, climate change, coastal insects, daniel s gruner, evolutionary biology, florida, florida atlantic coast, landsat 5, mangrove forests, Mexico, miami, NASA, new zealand, palm beach county, peru, rising sea levels, salt marshes, temperature, tropical mangroves, university of maryland

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Cold-sensitive mangrove forests have expanded dramatically along Florida’s Atlantic Coast as the frequency of killing frosts has declined, according to a new study based on 28 years of satellite data from the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md.

Between 1984 and 2011, the Florida Atlantic coast from the Miami area northward gained more than 3,000 acres (1,240 hectares) of mangroves. All the increase occurred north of Palm Beach County. Between Cape Canaveral National Seashore and Saint Augustine, mangroves doubled in area. Meanwhile between the study’s first five years and its last five years, nearby Daytona Beach recorded 1.4 fewer days per year when temperatures fell below 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 degrees Celsius). The number of killing frosts in southern Florida was unchanged. (more…)

If a tree falls in Brazil…? Amazon deforestation could mean droughts for western U.S.

By Guest PostNovember 10, 2013Environment50 percent reduction, amazon deforestation, Amazon rainforest, andes mountains, atmospheric modeling, brazil, california, climate model, climate pattern, david medvigy, drought, el niño, journal of climate, martin otte, medvigy, Mexico, pacific northwest, rainfall, robert walko, sierra nevada snowpack, study deforestation, tree fall, typical model, university of miami, weather cycle, western us

In research meant to highlight how the destruction of the Amazon rainforest could affect climate elsewhere, Princeton University-led researchers report that the total deforestation of the Amazon may significantly reduce rain and snowfall in the western United States, resulting in water and food shortages, and a greater risk of forest fires.

The researchers report in the Journal of Climate that an Amazon stripped bare could mean 20 percent less rain for the coastal Northwest and a 50 percent reduction in the Sierra Nevada snowpack, a crucial source of water for cities and farms in California. Previous research has shown that deforestation will likely produce dry air over the Amazon. Using high-resolution climate simulations, the researchers are the first to find that the atmosphere’s normal weather-moving mechanics would create a ripple effect that would move that dry air directly over the western United States from December to February. (more…)

The People’s Choice: Americans Would Pay to Help Monarch Butterflies

By Guest PostOctober 31, 2013Natureamericans would pay, california, caterpillars, corn, economic valuation survey, genetically modified, herbicide tolerant crops, iconic butterfly, jay diffendorfer, karen oberhauser, Mexico, migratory species, monarch butterflies, North America, pollinators, soybeans, united states, university of minnesota, us households, usgs scientist

Americans place high value on butterfly royalty. A recent study suggests they are willing to support monarch butterfly conservation at high levels, up to about 6 ½ billion dollars if extrapolated to all U.S. households.

If even a small percentage of the population acted upon this reported willingness, the cumulative effort would likely translate into a large, untapped potential for conservation of the iconic butterfly. (more…)

UA Researchers Investigating How Oceans Function Without Oxygen

By Guest PostOctober 14, 2013Environment, Sciencecoast, complex ecosystem, ecology, evolutionary biology, function, infect bacteria, interface, jennifer brum, manzanillo, marine phage lab, matthew sullivan, Mexico, ocean, photosynthesis, photosynthetic cells, sarah schwenck, sequence the dna, tucson, virus, without oxygen

Studying phages, viruses that infect bacteria, can help researchers to better understand how portions of the world’s oceans function without oxygen.

Though small, viruses could hold the secrets of how vast portions of the world’s oceans function without oxygen.

University of Arizona undergraduate researcher Sarah Schwenck and postdoctoral associate Jennifer Brum are conducting a research project in the Tucson Marine Phage Lab, which is headed by assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology Matthew Sullivan. (more…)

Schleppender Start für den Meeresschutz: UN-Treffen zur biologischen Vielfalt der Meere

By Guest PostAugust 30, 2013Environmentaustralien, biodiversity beyond areas, biologischen vielfalt, China, europaeische union, g77, Greenpeace, high seas alliance, hsa, meeresschutz, Mexico, nanna zimmermann, national jursidiction, neuseeland, rio, sofia tsenikli, un, un generealversammlung

Die erste Meereschutzkonferenz nach Rio+20 ist vorbei. Und das Schiff scheint Segel gesetzt zu haben, zwar langsam und gehemmt von eisigem Gegenwind, aber es ist in See gestochen. Zu diesem Ergebnis kommt das Bündnis „High Seas Alliance“ (HSA), an dem sich neben anderen Meeresschutzorganisationen auch Greenpeace beteiligt.

Im Zentrum der Verhandlungen stand ein neues Durchführungsabkommen im Sinne des Seerechtsübereinkommens der Vereinten Nationen (SRÜ). Dieses erhielt von vielen Staaten starke Unterstützung, darunter die G77 und China, die Europäische Union, Australien, Mexico und Neuseeland. Trotzdem verlangsamten die Blockadeversuche einer kleinen Minderheit dieses Prozess deutlich. (more…)

Over-Confident CEOs Can Put Companies at Risk, MU Study Finds

By Guest PostJuly 13, 2013Economyarlington, brazil, decision making skills, france, georgia tech university, Germany, Japan, long term orientation, Mexico, narayanan jayaraman, over confident ceos, sanjiv sabherwal, stephen ferris, united kingdom, university of missouri, university of texas

COLUMBIA, Mo. — CEOs need to demonstrate strong leadership and good decision-making skills, but CEOs with over-confidence can involve their companies in riskier ventures and put investors’ funds at risk, according to a new study from the University of Missouri, Georgia Tech University and the University of Texas-Arlington.

“Over-confident CEOs feel they have superior decision-making abilities and are more capable than their peers,” said Stephen Ferris, professor of finance in the MU Trulaske College of Business. “Unfortunately, they tend to make decisions about mergers or acquisitions that can be viewed as risky. For example, CEOs who are over-confident tend to target companies that do not focus on their core line of business. Generally speaking, mergers that diversify companies don’t work.” (more…)

Tag Archives: Mexico