Research News
The Research news feed includes stories about new climate change and energy research from research press releases, Nature Publishing Group, and ScienceDaily.
Americans using less energy, more renewables
(DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) Americans are using less energy overall and making more use of renewable energy resources. The United States used significantly less coal and petroleum in 2009 than in 2008, and significantly more wind power.
Tropically speaking, NASA investigates precipitation shapes, sizes for severity
Rain drops are fat and snowflakes are fluffy, but why does it matter in terms of predicting severe storms?
Historic buildings may be better protected from climate change with new forecast method
Some of the nation's most historic buildings and monuments may be better protected from decay in future, following a development by engineers. Researchers have devised a method of forecasting damage caused by the weather to stone buildings -- including statues, monuments and other historic sites, as well as modern masonry buildings.
200-fold boost in fuel cell efficiency advances 'personalized energy systems'
(American Chemical Society) The era of personalized energy systems -- in which individual homes and small businesses produce their own energy for heating, cooling and powering cars -- took another step toward reality today as scientists reported discovery of a powerful new catalyst that is a key element in such a system.
Is the ice in the Arctic Ocean getting thinner?
The extent of the sea ice in the Arctic will reach its annual minimum in September. Forecasts indicate that it will not be as low as in 2007, the year of the smallest area covered by sea ice since satellites started recording such data. Nevertheless, sea ice physicists are concerned about the long-term equilibrium in the Arctic Ocean.
Limiting ocean acidification under global change
(National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (UK)) Emissions of carbon dioxide are causing ocean acidification as well as global warming. Scientists have previously used computer simulations to quantify how curbing of carbon dioxide emissions would mitigate climate impacts. New computer simulations have now examined the likely effects of mitigation scenarios on ocean acidification trends.
Limiting ocean acidification under global change
Emissions of carbon dioxide are causing ocean acidification as well as global warming. Scientists have previously used computer simulations to quantify how curbing of carbon dioxide emissions would mitigate climate impacts. New computer simulations have now examined the likely effects of mitigation scenarios on ocean acidification trends.
September 2010 Geology and GSA Today highlights
(Geological Society of America) From biofilms to carbon burial, the September Geology covers science all over the map.
Creation of the first frozen repository for Hawaiian coral
Scientists have created the first frozen bank for Hawaiian corals in an attempt to protect them from extinction and to preserve their diversity in Hawaii.
New computer model advances climate change research
Scientists can now study climate change in far more detail with powerful new computer software released by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The Community Earth System Model will be one of the primary climate models used for the next assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.