Experts try to keep Georgia O'Keeffe paintings from fading
Chemical reactions are gradually darkening many of Georgia O'Keeffe's famously vibrant paintings, and art conservation experts are hoping new digital imaging tools can help them slow the damage.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-experts-georgia-okeeffe.html
Methane still leaking from the ground at site of gas explosion decades ago
A team with members from several institutions in the Netherlands has found that the area around a site where a gas explosion occurred in 1965 is still emitting methane gas from the ground into the air. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their study of the area and the degree of hazard the gas leak poses.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-methane-leaking-ground-site-gas.html
Ancient jumping genes may give corals a new lease on life
A particular gene is shown by KAUST researchers to help the heat tolerance of an alga that lives symbiotically with coral, which could potentially help Red Sea corals adapt to some warming.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-ancient-genes-corals-lease-life.html
AI is learning from our encounters with nature – and that's a concern
The idea seems wonderful—a phone app that allows you to take a photo of a plant or animal and receive immediate species identification and other information about it. A "Shazam for nature" so to speak.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-ai-encounters-nature.html
The day zero was banned from British roulette – how times have changed
On December 30, 1967, senior detectives from Scotland Yard sent owners of gambling clubs into a proverbial spin. Anyone operating a roulette wheel that contained the number zero would be prosecuted, they warned. From now on the whirl of numbers would all be reds and blacks – starting with the number one.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-day-british-roulette.html
Video: The diet that helps fight climate change
You don't have to go vegan to fight climate change. Research shows that small changes to our diets can make big differences.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-video-diet-climate.html
Droughts and ecosystems are determined by the interaction of two climate phenomena
What is causing the droughts that the Iberian Peninsula regularly endures? Why are the winters sometimes mild and rainy and other times cold and dry or cold and damp? Is climate change of anthropogenic origin exerting an influence on these processes? How are these cycles affecting the productivity of terrestrial ecosystems? And finally, can these cycles be predicted and the economy thus adjusted to them? The work, published this week in Nature Communications, was led by the University of Alcal de Henares. It was conducted in collaboration with the UPV/EHU, the University of Geneva and the University of Castilla-La Mancha and offers important keys for answering some of these questions.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-droughts-ecosystems-interaction-climate-phenomena.html
Chemists provide theoretical interpretation to understand chemical reactions
In a lot of ways, understanding quantum mechanical equations in an effort to predict what will happen between reactants such as atoms and molecules resulting in complex phenomena in chemistry can be exhausting, and mind boggling to many. Yet, without the theoretical insights, experimental chemists would largely be unable to understand what they are observing.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-chemists-theoretical-chemical-reactions.html
The wave power farm off Mutriku could improve its efficiency
The study by the UPV/EHU's EOLO (Meteorology, Climate and Environment) research group reveals that the technology used at the farm off Mutriku—a global pioneer in generating wave power—needs to improve its output to be on a par with the values of other renewable energy sources, and to facilitate the marketing of its power.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-power-farm-mutriku-efficiency.html
Carving out circuits that click into place
A strategy for assembly of electronic systems-especially the flexible structures needed for high-performance devices of the future-uses integrated circuits as Lego-like building blocks. "This plug-and-play approach is absolutely disruptive," says Ph.D. candidate Sohail Shaikh from KAUST: this unique method of assembly creates completely new options for manufacturing processes of these systems.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-circuits-click.html
Apple apologizes for slowing iPhones, offers discounted batteries
Apple on Thursday apologized to its customers for slowing down performance of older iPhone models and said it would discount replacement batteries for some of its handsets.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-apple-iphones-discounted-batteries.html
Source: https://phys.org/