Category Archives:Environment

Arctic-ice
Apr. 15.

Nearly Ice-Free Summers in the Arctic Within the Next Decade or Two

By rebecca | Posted in Environment |

Arctic-ice
NOAA scientists explore the Arctic during a 2005 mission (Credit: NOAA)

Nearly ice-free summers in the Arctic are predicted to occur before 2050, possibly within the next decade or two, according to James Overland of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and Muyin Wang of the NOAA Joint Institute for the Study of Atmosphere and Ocean at the University of Washington. Their work was published online in the American Geophysical Union publication Geophysical Research Letters.

“Rapid Arctic sea ice loss is probably the most visible indicator of global climate change; it leads to shifts in ecosystems and economic access, and potentially impacts weather throughout the northern hemisphere,” said Overland. “Increased physical understanding of rapid Arctic climate shifts and improved models are needed that give a more detailed picture and timing of what to expect so we can better prepare and adapt to such changes. Early loss of Arctic sea ice gives immediacy to the issue of climate change.”

Arctic nearly free of summer sea ice during first half of 21st century, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

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Revolution-life-cycle-water-pop-up-book-animation
Mar. 07.

Life-cycle of water in a stop-motion video of pop-up book

By rebecca | Posted in Environment, Photography/Film |


Revolution ( Life Cycle of a Drop of Water). from chris turner on Vimeo.

This is a beautiful stop-motion video (by  photographer Chris Turner, paper engineer Helen Friel, and animator Jess Deacon) of an elaborate pop-up book illustrating the life-cycle of water. It’s brilliant. I love pop-up books. Wish they would sell it; will grab it in an instant.

(via Faith is Torment)

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black-marble-earth-at-night
Dec. 11.

Black Marble: Earth at night

By rebecca | Posted in Astronomy & Physics, Environment, Nature |

Scientists unveiled [...] an unprecedented new look at our planet at night. A global composite image, constructed using cloud-free night images from a new NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite, shows the glow of natural and human-built phenomena across the planet in greater detail than ever before.

See more awe-inspiring photos: NASA-NOAA Satellite Reveals New Views of Earth at Night

(Credits: NASA Earth Observatory; NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center)

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lake-vida
Dec. 04.

Community of bacteria discovered in salty, ice-sealed Antarctic lake

By rebecca | Posted in Environment, Nature |

A community of bacteria has been discovered in one of the most distant lakes of Antarctica, about 65 feet below the icy surface. This significant discovery of life in one of Earth’s darkest, coldest, and saltiest environments helps widen our knowledge on the maintenance of life in these extreme surroundings on Earth and beyond. 

Lake Vida, the biggest of the lakes discovered in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, has no oxygen, mostly frozen, and contains the highest levels of nitrous oxide in any natural body of water on Earth. A liquid that is six times saltier than seawater permeates the icy environment that has an average temperature of minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit. The briny liquid is a haven for unexpectedly abundant and diverse bacteria that survive without a source of solar energy. Past studies of Lake Vida show that the salty liquid and its residents have been cut off from outside influences for over 3,000 years.

“This study provides a window into one of the most unique ecosystems on Earth,” said Alison Murray, a molecular microbial ecologist and polar researcher at the DRI and the report’s lead author. “Our knowledge of geochemical and microbial processes in lightless icy environments, especially at subzero temperatures, has been mostly unknown up until now. This work expands our understanding of the types of life that can survive in these isolated, cryoecosystems and how different strategies may be used to exist in such challenging environments.”

The scientists that made the discovery are from NASA, the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Reno, Nevada, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and nine other institutions.  Their findings were published online Nov. 26, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition. 

 

NASA researchers discovered ancient microbes in Antarctic lake, NASA

Image credit: NASA Ames/Chris McKay

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mine-kafon
Nov. 22.

Mine Kafon: The landmine destroyer

By rebecca | Posted in Environment, Technology |

Mine Kafon is a tumbleweed made of bamboo and biodegradable plastic materials meant to roll over (powered by the wind) and clear out landmines. It is also integrated with GPS to track its movement and map out  the destroyed land mines and the safest paths to walk on. It’s a graduation project for the Design Academy Eindhoven (2011) by Massoud Hassani who grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan but later relocated to Netherlands due to persistent armed conflicts. According to Hassani, “Afghanistan is said to have 10 million land mines. In truth there are far, far more. Every destroyed land mine means a saved life and every life counts.” 

Mine Kafon | Callum Cooper from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo.

(via boingboing)

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Svina_by_James_Balog-Extreme_Ice_Survey
Nov. 13.

Preview of Chasing Ice

By rebecca | Posted in Environment, Nature |

Film shows the devastating awe of the crumbling Arctic, New Scientist

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global-hawk-aircraft
Oct. 03.

The Global Hawk

By rebecca | Posted in Astronomy & Physics, Environment, Technology |

This is NASA’s Global Hawk unmanned aircraft sitting at the aircraft hangar of NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia.

The month-long Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3), which began in early September, is currently deploying one instrument-laden Global Hawk from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore to look at the environment of tropical storms. In 2013 and 2014, a second Global Hawk will be added that will focus on getting detailed measurements of the inner core of hurricanes.

The Global Hawk’s ability to fly for a much longer period of time than manned aircraft will allow it to obtain previously difficult-to-get data. Scientists hope to use that data to gain new insights into how tropical storms form, and more importantly, how they intensify into major Atlantic hurricanes — information that forecasters need to make better storm predictions, save lives, and ultimately prevent costly coastal evacuations if a storm doesn’t warrant them.

Credit/Copyright: NASA

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underwater-google-maps
Sep. 27.

Explore the oceans with Google Maps

By rebecca | Posted in Environment, Nature, Science, Technology |

Google just added a new feature to its Maps — a view underwater:

We’ve added the very first underwater panoramic images to Google Maps, the next step in our quest to provide people with the most comprehensive, accurate and usable map of the world. With these vibrant and stunning photos you don’t have to be a scuba diver—or even know how to swim—to explore and experience six of the ocean’s most incredible living coral reefs. Now, anyone can become the next virtual Jacques Cousteau and dive with sea turtles, fish and manta rays in Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii.

View the collection at maps.google.com/ocean

Google Maps, via Boingboing; Blame it on the Voices

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space-based-view-ozone-hole
Sep. 26.

Space-based view of the Antarctic ozone hole

By rebecca | Posted in Astronomy & Physics, Environment |

At an August 1985 meeting in Prague, atmospheric scientist Pawan Bhartia presented this satellite-based image that revealed for the first time the size and magnitude of the Antarctic ozone hole. The discovery ultimately led to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, a landmark international treaty designed to phase out ozone-depleting substances. Yesterday, Sept. 16,2012, marked 25 years since the treaty was opened for signatures.

NASA satellites continue to provide clear snapshots of a generally stabilized Antarctic ozone hole as it cycles toward and away from its annual maximum depth by late September or early October.

Read Discovering the Ozone Hole: Q&A With Pawan Bhartia at NASA

Credit/Copyright: NASA

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waldo_canyon_fire_burn_scar
Jul. 11.

Burn scar

By rebecca | Posted in Environment |

This is a view of the burn scar from Waldo Canyon Fire. First reported on June 23, 2012 at Pike National Forest, it had burned 18, 247 acres by July 5, destroying 346 homes with a combined value of $110 million. It is considered as the most destructive fire in Colorado history.

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on the Terra satellite acquired this view of the burn scar on July 4, 2012, when the fire was still burning but was 90 percent contained. Vegetation-covered land is red in the false-color image, which includes both visible and infrared light. Patches of unburned forest are bright red, in contrast with areas where flecks of light brown indicate some burning. The darkest brown areas are the most severely burned. Buildings, roads, and other developed areas appear light gray and white. The bright red patches of vegetation near Colorado Springs are golf courses, parks, or other irrigated land.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon using data from the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. Caption by Adam Voiland.

Instrument: Terra – ASTER

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