Research News
The Research news feed includes stories about new climate change and energy research from research press releases, Nature Publishing Group, and ScienceDaily.
Ancient seagrass holds secrets of the oldest living organism on Earth
It's big, it's old and it lives under the sea -- and now an international research collaboration has confirmed that an ancient seagrass holds the secrets of the oldest living organism on Earth. Ancient giant Posidonia oceanica reproduces asexually, generating clones of itself.
Americans' knowledge of polar regions up, but not their concern
Americans’ knowledge of facts about the polar regions of the globe has increased since 2006, but this increase in knowledge has not translated into more concern about changing polar environments, according to new research.
Quantifying climate impacts: New comprehensive model comparison launched
(Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)) Climate change has impacts on forests, fields, rivers -- and thereby on humans that breathe, eat and drink. To assess these impacts more accurately, a comprehensive comparison of computer-based simulations from all over the world will start this week.
Energy department to launch new energy innovation hub focused on advanced batteries and energy storage
(DOE/US Department of Energy) Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today plans to launch a new Energy Innovation Hub for advanced research on batteries and energy storage with an investment of up to $120 million over five years.
Planet Under Pressure conference (London, UK, March 26-29)
(Earth System Science Partnership) More than 2,500 leading thinkers in a wide range of global change research areas will present new findings in climate change, environmental geo-engineering, international governance, the future of the oceans and biodiversity, global trade, development, poverty alleviation, food security and more.
Political leaders play key role in how worried Americans are by climate change
(Ohio State University) More than extreme weather events and the work of scientists, it is national political leaders who influence how much Americans worry about the threat of climate change, new research finds.
What drives public opinion on climate change?
(Springer) The researchers reveal that the driving factor that most influences public opinion on climate change is the mobilizing efforts of advocacy groups and elites. The study conducted an empirical analysis of the factors affecting US public concern about the threat of climate change between January 2002 and December 2010.
Penn researchers uncover a mechanism to explain dune field patterns
(University of Pennsylvania) In a study of the harsh but beautiful White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, University of Pennsylvania researchers have uncovered a unifying mechanism to explain dune patterns.
Land-cover changes do not impact glacier loss
A new study shows that land-cover changes, in particular deforestation, in the vicinity of glaciers do not have an impact on glacier loss. However, the study also shows that deforestation decreases precipitation in mid elevation zones, which affects the quality of life of the population living in the surrounding areas.
Tree rings may underestimate climate response to volcanic eruptions
(Penn State) Some climate cooling caused by past volcanic eruptions may not be evident in tree-ring reconstructions of temperature change because large enough temperature drops lead to greatly shortened or even absent growing seasons, according to climate researchers, who compared tree-ring temperature reconstructions with model simulations of past temperature changes.