https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd en-us 2017-01-23 02:26:22 UTC 2017-05-17 11:42:03 UTC hello@padlet.com 18hockk https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148700315 New research done by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science shows that tsunamis could occur in Cuba and Florida. Researchers used multibeam bathymetry and seismic reflection to identify margin collapses and submarine landslides in the Caribbean that could cause potential problems. They also discovered an incipient failure scar of seventy miles long that could be a potential landslide is triggered by an earthquake. These submarine landslides and marginal collapses can cause dangerous ocean currents and generate tsunami waves that are several meters high off the coasts of Cuba and Florida. One lead professor on this study wraps up his thoughts by saying that residents of this area should be aware that tsunamis don't have to be triggered by large earthquakes, but rather can also be triggered by submarine landslides caused by small earthquakes.]]> 2017-01-23 13:44:07 UTC https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148700315 18hockk https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148706847 The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 is being linked to shoreline loss in states like Louisiana. Since the spill, the shoreline has receded thirteen feet per year, four times the rate at which it had receded prior to the spill.  A research team from USGS used remote sensing imagery to observe shoreline loss across Barataria Bay. The pre-spill shoreline was largely stable until the spill occurred and the erosion increased significantly in areas with moderate to large oil coverage. In order to determine whether or not the erosion could be linked to the spill, researchers compared it to shoreline loss due to Hurricane Isaac, which happened 26 months after the spill. Erosion rates that were measured during the four months after the hurricane were higher than those measured after the spill, however; the areas that experienced high erosion post-hurricane were found to have experienced heightened erosion prior to the spill. There was loss of wetlands due to shoreline erosion and island fragmentation.]]> 2017-01-23 14:02:04 UTC https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148706847 18hockk https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148869974 A study done by PHO (Public Heath Ontario) and ICES (Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences) have found that people who live in close proximity to highly traveled roads have a greater chance of developing dementia. They found that those who live within 50 meters of a busy road are seven percent more likely to develop dementia than those who live at least 300 meters away. The scientists identified 243,611 cases of dementia and mapped their proximity to major roadways according to their postal address. Dr. Hong Chen believes that with more people living in the cities and the widespread exposure to traffic, there are serious public health implications. It is known that if pollutants get into the blood stream it can lead to cardiovascular and diabetic issues, but with the research from this paper, scientists are beginning to believe that pollutants could enter the brain through the blood stream and cause serious neurological problems such as dementia.    ]]> 2017-01-23 20:43:25 UTC https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148869974 18hockk https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148874041 The Venus flytrap grows in areas with nutrient-depleted soil. When the plant traps and eats other insects to compensate for its environmental limitations, it also takes in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. In an experiment, researchers discovered that these plants actually do extract energy from their pray. In order to prove their theory, scientists placed an artificial nutrient, made up of amino acid glutamine, into the plant. They then used 13C-isotopes to label the glutamine. They used an infrared laser to prove that the 13C-isotopes were occurring in the carbon-dioxide that the plant was emitting later. They concluded that the plant uses the energy it receives during photosynthesis to to begin the digestive process. Then, in order to maintain this process, the plant gains additional energy by oxidizing the amino acids that it attains from it prey. ]]> 2017-01-23 21:01:50 UTC https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148874041 18hockk https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148876342 When the Suez Canal was expanded in 2015, it gave way for more non-indigenous species (NIS) to enter the Mediterranean Sea. The number of NIS in the Mediterranean has increased significantly between 1970 and 2015. These species, coming from the Red Sea have been raising concerns as the reason for the degradation and loss of native populations, habitats, and ecosystems services in the Mediterranean. Programs have tried to create policies to deal with this issue but so far, nothing has been implemented. In the eastern Mediterranean, there are places known as bioinvasion "hot-spots". These are places where NIS have come (to areas already hindered by human-made stressors, and redistributed nutritional resources and makes the native species more susceptible to extinction. Researchers are currently observing pollution and other NIS-factors in hopes to create better management in the future. ]]> 2017-01-23 21:14:29 UTC https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/148876342 18hockk https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/149041557 Cities and countries around the world have problems when it come to air pollution. Researchers have a growing concern for children living in China, as they commute by foot or bike. Also, their playgrounds and sports fields are often located near highly-traveled roads and interstates. Researchers found that in 2010, 1.2 million deaths resulted from air pollution. Despite this, very few Chinese children are participating in physical activity outside of school. The number of obese and overweight children in China has nearly doubled in the past twenty-five years. Children are very prone to being affected by air pollution because they have higher rates of respiration. The air pollution can be linked to increases in asthma, chronic cough, and other respiratory issues in children. These issues are often heightened by vigorous exercise and therefore this is leading to the obesity problem that the country is facing. Researchers believe that one way to help solve this problem is by monitoring the air quality and then adjusting the physical activity for the schools according to that number. They have also recommended designing clothing accessories and fitness equipment to help protect children from pollution during their physical activities. ]]> 2017-01-24 15:18:45 UTC https://padlet.com/18hockk/bg8ttvymkbkd/wish/149041557