Category: Nature

Newly-created artificial leaves are made from simple ingredients and have the potential to reduce levels of carbon dioxide in atmosphere

Climate change is one of the biggest threats to this world, and scientists struggle to find the right mechanism and stop the process before it’s too late. The ice cover is melting, causing a dangerous increase in global temperatures. Climate changes may cause greater damage than any other catastrophe. The most recent invention brings us artificial leaves that look and function like real leaves.

Plants and trees have an important role in nature. They remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, giving us clean and fresh air.

Sadly, deforestation has led to an environmental crisis. We need to plant more trees to protect our health and the planet in general. Planet Earth is screaming for help. First, we need to strengthen the root system, and second, we need to boost the photosynthesis process.

Experts have come up with an incredible idea!

The artificial leaf

“We call it an artificial leaf because it mimics real leaves and the process of photosynthesis,” explained Yimin Wu, the lead research engineer at the University of Waterloo. “A leaf produces glucose and oxygen. We produce methanol and oxygen.”

Wu is a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering and an honored member of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology.

The artificial leave uses cuprous oxide to remove carbon dioxide from the air. It’s a simple combo of glucose, copper acetate, sodium hydroxide, and sodium dodecyl sulfate. Experts add these to water and heat up the mixture to a particular temperature. That’s how they make cuprous oxide.

Cuprous oxide is used in the next stage. It acts as a catalyst and experts combine it with carbon dioxide and a beam of light. This provides a synthetic photosynthesis process. It mimics the naturally occurring photosynthesis in plants and also makes for an excellent substitute for fossil fuels.

Great success

In the next stage, the artificial leaf has to be patented and scaled up to commercial-grade use. This chemical process is of great importance in the fight against pollution. If used in every country in the world, these leaves can even reduce the negative impact of climate change.

Professor Wu is confident about the success of this invention. According to him, we are going in the right direction.

“I’m extremely excited about the potential of this discovery to change the game,” explains Professor Wu. “Climate change is an urgent problem and we can help reduce CO2 emissions while also creating an alternative fuel.”

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Goldfish turn into pests after being flushed down the toilet and straight into local waters, causing too much damage to the ecosystem.

What happens when you flush a “dead” goldfish down the toilet? It finds its way into local lakes and water systems, causing damage.

Yes, you read it right. Owners flush dead golden fish without even thinking of the possible consequences. Believe it or not, the cuties aren’t always dead.

Goldfish invasions

If the goldfish isn’t “dead yet” it will definitely make its way into local waters. Experts at the Department of Fish and Wildlife flushed fish can easily turn into an eco-disaster that destroys local fish population. That’s exactly what happened in Washington state. Thousands of pet goldfish invaded West Medical Lake. Authorities will have to spend $150,000 to contain the feral fish.

Goldfish invasions have been noticed in Epping Forest, London, waters in Alberta, Canada, and Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Goldfish is the most invasive species

Biologists explain that goldfish are one of the most invasive fish in the world’s waters. They threaten hundreds of other species, causing an uncontrollable disaster.

Goldfish don’t grow too much in their fishbowls. But, once they hit open waters, they turn into giants, and yes, they eat a lot. Goldfish eats fish, plants, insects, and even crustaceans.

This species kick up mud and sediment, sending harmful algae blooms straight into the ecosystem.

“Once you introduce something into a new environment — even if it’s a cute, cuddly aquarium fish — it can have quite unexpected, serious biological consequences,” said Stephen Beatty, a researcher at Murdoch University.

Stop the invasion

How can you prevent an invasion? Stop flushing fish down the toilet! First, confirm whether your goldfish is really dead.

Here are some helpful tips:

• Poke the fish to see if it changes position and moves
• Look for movement around the gills or eyes
• Is there any gray discoloration around the eyes? Look for changes in color
• Are their eyes sunken?

Instead of flushing goldfish down the toilet, bury It deep in the soil and place a rock so cats don’t put their claws on it. Throwing fish in the garbage is evil. That thing was thriving in your home for a long time. You can at least say the last ‘goodbye’ in a decent way.

Source: www.nytimes.com

An ultra-rare ginger seal pup was born in Russia, and biologist plan to transport it to the nearest dolphinarium.

Locals noticed a rare “ginger-haired” seal pup on the coastline of the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia. It’s a  really rare occurrence, and things don’t look too bright for the poor animal. It looks like the herd of seals hasn’t accepted the pup. Do you know that the likelihood of a baby seal born with these albino traits goes at 1-to-100,000?

Dr. Vladimir Burkanov, a biologist, was the first to share the photos of the albino seal. Some of the seals aren’t happy to see “The Ugly Duck” around the herd located on the small Tyuleny Island.

“This pup looks well-fed and was very active, so its mother clearly gave it plenty of milk. Other seals don’t pay too much attention to it in a somewhat worrying manner, so something is not quite right with it.”

Burkanov believes that the seals will start biting and chasing the seal in the near future.

Albino seals have unique genetics which also includes a bad vision. The ginger seal may not be able to breed, so wildlife specialists are thinking of transporting it to a dolphinarium.

Here’s a picture of another ginger seal thriving on Bering Island in the Severo-Zapadnoe rookery. Experts believe it was 2 or 3 years old back then. The photo was taken in 2017 by photographer Sergey Fomin.

“The animal was 2 or 3 years old and physically in good shape, even though it was clear it had poor sight,” Burkanov explained in his post. “The albino is now a mature bull of 5-6 years old.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Альбинос-хромист – продолжение: Фотография котика альбиноса, или более правильно будет сказать – хромиста, вызвала интерес у и вопросы у посетителей. Я помню осенью 2017 года на лежбище Северо-Западном острова Беринга мой бывший студент, а теперь коллега, работающий на Командорских островах, Сергей Фомин фотографировал самца-холостяка такой же необычной окраски. Он был хорошо упитан, хотя имел явные проблемы со зрением. Я обратился к нему за уточнением возраста того альбиноса, и Сергей сообщил мне, что видел и снял этого же самца в этом году! И на том же самом месте Северо-Западного лежбища, где он его фотографировал осенью 2017 года. Теперь он уже секач, достиг половой зрелости и ему 5-6 лет. Но находился на нерепродуктивной части лежбища. Т.е. в размножение в этом сезоне не вступал. Пожалуй, это первый документально зафиксированный случай дожития котика аномальной окраски до половозрелого возраста. Albino fur seal – continued: A photo of an albino (partial albino or chromist) fur seal pup aroused the interest of visitors to my page. I tried to find information on the age of similar unusual color of young fur seal, my former student, and now a colleague Sergey Fomin photographed at the Severo-Zapadnoe rookery on the Bering Island in fall 2017. The animal was 2 or 3 years old and physically in good shape, even it was clear it had poor sight. I turned to him to clarify the age of that albino, and Sergeн replayed me that he had seen and photographed the same male this summer again! In the exact location of the Severo-Zapadnoe rookery, where he photographed the animal in the fall of 2017. The albino is now matured bull 5-6 years old. He did not participate in reproduction this season and was seen on the bachelor section of the rookery only. Perhaps, this is the first documented case of the survival of a northern fur seal of an abnormal color to adulthood.

A post shared by Vladimir Burkanov (@bigdaddivladi) on Sep 8, 2020 at 11:06am PDT

He did not participate in reproduction this season and was seen on the bachelor section of the rookery only. Perhaps this is the first documented case of the survival of a northern fur seal of an abnormal color to adulthood.”

In 2011, another ginger fur seal called Nafanya was rescued and taken to Sochi Dolphinarium on the Black Sea.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

“Гадкий утенок” – изредка у котиков рождаются альбиносы. Но в действительности они больше выглядят рыжим! Хотя тёмный пигмент отсутствует даже на радужный оболочке глаз. “Ugly duck” – albino fur seal is rare event. They more looks red than white. This is a clear albino without any pigmentation even in eyes.

A post shared by Vladimir Burkanov (@bigdaddivladi) on Sep 5, 2020 at 10:47pm PDT

Source: www.boredpanda.com

The legalization of hemp in the United States may be the best solution to the disappearance of bee colonies in the country.

Experts at Cornell University conducted a study to show that cannabis is used by many different species, including bees. The results of the study were published in Environmental Entomology. These results only confirm the results obtained through another similar study published last year at Colorado State University.

It turns out that bees actually love cannabis. The legalization of cannabis in the United States is expected to affect the population of bees in a positive way.

Experts confirmed that hemp supports 16 different bee species. Landscape simplification had a negative impact on the abundance of bees hovering over cannabis flowers. However, it didn’t affect the richness of species in the community. Unlike landscape simplification, plant height had a strong impact on the richness of bee species.

Hemp can provide an excellent nutrition resource to a diverse community of bees. This will support the agroecosystem-wide pollination for other crops in the area.

The cultivation of cannabis has increased, so growers, land managers, and policymakers should take into consideration its value in supporting the population of bees.

“Bees provide essential pollination services in both natural and agricultural systems; yet, both wild and managed bees have been adversely impacted by numerous characteristics of large-scale, intensified agriculture, including the widespread use of chemical pesticides and insecticides, persistent pathogens and parasites, and the loss of seminatural nesting habitat and plant diversity (Goulson et al. 2015, Dicks et al. 2016).

Experts have confirmed the link between hemp pollen and the population of bees

Experts have covered many different topics, and hopefully, the findings of the study will increase the number of bee colonies.

“Landscape-scale loss of natural areas and plant diversity, a defining characteristic of intensive agriculture, occurs as a consequence of the increased size and connectivity of areas devoted to agricultural production (Meehan et al. 2011). Habitat loss associated with agricultural land-use change imposes nutritional stress on bee communities (Naug 2009) by reducing the diversity of floral resources and imposing temporal gaps in resource availability (Di Pasquale et al. 2016).

Changing land-use patterns, therefore, threaten the sustainability of the pollination services that our agricultural systems rely upon.”

The legalization of cannabis in the country will increase the cultivation of the plant, thus providing more pollen sources for bees. This is more than encouraging possibility. The population of bees has marked a drastic decline in the past few years. The new discovery brings hopes to beekeepers across the country.

“Hemp flowers late in the summer releasing an abundance of pollen during a period of native and agricultural floral dearth (Dalio 2012, Koh et al. 2016). As a result, hemp pollen may offer a vital subsistence resource to bees at a point in the season when they are resource-limited.”

The study also leads us to many different studies that have confirmed the link between hemp pollen and the population of bees.

Experts confirm that hemp produces a high concentration of pollen, and this is more than beneficial in times of floral resource scarcity. Hemp is an important crop in the northeastern US landscape.

“The potential for hemp to serve as a floral resource for bees is influenced by landscape composition, the height of hemp plants, and temporal factors. Growers, extension agents, and policymakers should consider risks to bees as pest management practices are developed for this crop (Cranshaw et al. 2019).”

Final words

Bee colonies have seen a terrible decline in the past decade due to the excessive use of insecticides and other pesticides and herbicides. The reduced number of bee colonies has disturbing consequences for the supply of food in every corner of the world.

These studies open a brand new opportunity, offering a simple solution to the problem. It’s time to stop using pesticides and focus on using hemp pollen to support bee colonies.

Source: hempgazette.com

Rare Blue Moon will decorate the night sky on October 31st. Spotting a rare celestial phenomenon is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween.

We don’t really get to see a blue moon that often. The blue-tinged beauty has been impressing people since ancient times. It may occur once in many decades and that’s what makes it even more impressive.

A Blue Moon is a celestial phenomenon in which the full moon appears within a given period. Of course, the name has nothing to do with the blue color. Well, the moon may turn blue at some point due to some rare atmospheric conditions.

People are confused. Astrologists recognize a seasonal Blue Moon and monthly Blue Moon. The seasonal Blue Moon was long thought to be the true definition of a Blue Moon.

It’s actually the third of four full moons in one astronomical season. It appears between each solstice and equinox. The Maine Farmer’s Almanac released in August 1937 has an old definition of the Blue Moon. It’s still acceptable.

The days in a calendar month affect the monthly Blue Moon. The lunar month lasts 29.5 days. We all know that most months of the year have a couple of extra days.

This affects the lunar cycle and there’s a 13th full moon in one calendar year. That’s how the monthly Blue Moon was determined. Experts have accepted both definitions of the Blue Moon. It’s up to you to decide what works best for your criteria.

The 2020 Blue Moon

This year the Blue Moon will occur on October 31st, 2020. The perfect way to celebrate Halloween, right?

The last Blue Moons were spotted on the night sky in January and March of 2018. Two Blue Moons? This phenomenon is referred to as a double Blue Moon.  We will probably have this again in 2037.

The first full moon in October will occur on the first day of the month. This is the Harvest Moon or the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. The second full moon will happen on the last day of the month. It’s the Blue Moon itself. Experts always say that the second full moon in the month takes the title of the Blue Moon.

Blue Moons take place every two and a half years. We will have a blue moon on Halloween in 20139. Meteorologist Brian Lada explains that “after the blue Moon on October 31, 2020, trick-or-treaters will need to wait until 2039 to see the next Blue Moon on Halloween.”

The seasonal blue moon

It’s another amazing phenomenon. We won’t be seeing it in 2020. It will pop up in the night sky on August 22, 2021.

Is the Blue moon actually blue?

The moon is silver, white, or cream-shaded. Some people say that the moon is sometimes blue. Well, this hue is actually a result of some dust particles and smoke. One of these faux blue moons was nothing but a result of a volcanic eruption. The moon was blue for a couple of years.

In 1883, the Krakatoa volcano in Indonesia shocked natives with a violent explosion. The ash clouds were full of particles that were one micron wide. The particles scattered red light and filtered other colors. What happened next? The moonlight shone through the magical clouds and people thought it was blue.

Source: www.marthastewart.com

Waterspouts are natural phenomena representing the real power of nature and storms near the Gulf Coast.

The Gulf Coast has been making headlines for quite some time, and things got really heated this summer. The area was under a constant hurricane threat, and one video footage shows six gigantic water tornadoes dancing on the surface of the ocean.

Frank LeDay took the incredible video featuring the tornado-like phenomena southwest of Galliano, Louisiana. The breath-taking scene caught the attention of the entire nation. A perfect occurrence in 2020, right?

Someone took another video showing the incredible water tornado!

According to Ed Piotrowski, a meteorologist at WPDE, this phenomenon is “the most picturesque sprouts I’ve ever seen. It almost looks like War of the Worlds out there!”

Locals of the Gulf Coast and coastal Louisiana were evacuating ahead of Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura when the natural phenomenon occurred. Some parishes have ordered mandatory evacuations of residents. People in Orleans Parish had to evacuate immediately.

Tropical Storm Laura was expected to turn into a hurricane by the time it hits the land.

National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott explained that Laura could turn into a Category 3 storm. Experts at the National Hurricane Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have warned that “life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds” were about to slam areas of the Gulf Coast.

Residents don’t remember seeing two back-to-back hurricanes hitting the same area in such a short time.

“The unprecedented kind of thing here is that it’s the same state within 48 hours of each other,” Schott said. “In modern meteorological history … there’s never been anything like this before where you could have possibly two hurricanes hitting within miles of each other over a 48 hour period.”

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards requested that the federal government declares a state of emergency.

“This is unlike anything we have seen, with two hurricanes expected to impact our state nearly back to back,” Edwards said at the time. “This may mean that people will have to shelter in place for more than 72 hours and that there may not be time to do things like restoring lost power between the two storms.”

In exactly three days from now, here’s what the HWRF model says a Hurricane Laura could look like as it’s approaching the Gulf Coast.

I’ll say it very simply: Laura poses a potentially catastrophic threat to the Texas and Louisiana coast.

Watch this storm very closely. pic.twitter.com/o7RKwH0mpl

— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) August 24, 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

World’s top physicists bring up a few mind-blowing theories on parallel universes, supporting Stephen Hawking’s claims.

Theoretical physicist Sean Carroll suggests that some clues in the “small-scale structure” of our universe lead to the existence of another parallel universe. These claims were brought up on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

According to Carroll, the fact that electrons, photons, and other particles don’t have one set location in this world, suggests that there are other parallel universes.

In a follow-up interview with News.com.au, Carroll spoke about these claims. “But there’s a lot more going on,” he said. “Not every world you imagine actually comes true.”

We have accepted common sense rules of physics in this world, but truth is, common sense breaks down at very minuscule scales. At the quantum level, space is comprised of small particles that pop in and out of existence.

Bell’s theorem may provide the answers we’ve been looking for. It is focused on situations where small particles have contact and then take separate ways.

“There are still equations, physical rules, patterns that must be obeyed. Some possible alternate worlds can come true. But not all of them,” Carroll said.

Carroll has shared some jaw-dropping theories on the Big Bang theories and the nature of time. These theories are definitely controversial. His claims suggest that the universe didn’t start through a huge explosion as we are told.

Carroll is convinced that the university is an infinitely old entity that inflates constantly. He also suggests that time goes forward and backward in this university.

There are no simple words to explain quantum physics.

“As far as we currently know,” he writes. “Quantum mechanics isn’t just an approximation to the truth; it is the truth. Physics is stuck trying to understand the fundamentals of nature and the Big Bang. It’s time to take a step back and understand its foundations. It’s time to tackle our understanding of the quantum world.”

In 2011, physicist Brian Greene wrote a rather mind-blowing book. “The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos” made people ask questions.

“You almost can’t avoid having some version of the multiverse in your studies if you push deeply enough in the mathematical descriptions of the physical universe,” Greene told NPR.

“There are many of us thinking of one version of parallel universe theory or another. If it’s all a lot of nonsense, then it’s a lot of wasted effort going into this far-out idea. But if this idea is correct, it is a fantastic upheaval in our understanding.”

Stephen Hawking said that the Big Bang theory opened the possibility for many other universes.

People were long unable to understand quantum physics. However, Carroll believes that this will change in the near future. We are living in an era of advanced technology and impossible is nothing.

“Now we’re getting better at that,” Carroll says. “Technology has improved. Maybe things are going to change.”

Green, Carroll, and Hawking have made a point. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee will try to determine whether we’re surrounded by other multiverses. Maybe there are just mirror images of this reality.

Experts send a beam of subatomic particles down a 50-foot tunnel, past a strong magnet, and into an impenetrable wall.

“If it exists, it would form a bubble of reality nestling within the fabric of space and time alongside our own familiar universe, with some particles capable of switching between the two,” lead researcher Leah Broussard said in an interview with New Scientist.

Sources: www.businessinsider.com