AI and Google Street View have created 'digital twins' of living trees in North American cities – part of a huge simulation that could help make urban tree planting and trimming decisions

Ancient humans are said to have evolved to leave the trees, where our primate ancestors lived, in favour of open grassy savannahs – but we may have this idea wrong

Title: California Trees Harbor Fungus Deadly to People With HIV
Category: Health News
Created: 8/28/2014 9:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2014 12:00:00 AM

Got an email about this. Looks cool. Is free. “I’ll write about that,” I thought. “I’ll write about that for Rock Paper Shotgun, a place that semi-regularly posts articles about cool and free games.” So here we are. If you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, assuming the only reason I’d open an article in a superfluous and straightforward manner is because I’m about to deliver some sort of third sentence twist, you’re completely wrong! There’s no twist at all. I’m simply going to deliver some information about the game in a neutral tone. You can find VED: Purification, a free prologue demo to RPG VED, here.

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AI and Google Street View have created 'digital twins' of living trees in North American cities – part of a huge simulation that could help make urban tree planting and trimming decisions

AI and Google Street View have created 'digital twins' of living trees in North American cities – part of a huge simulation that could help make urban tree planting and trimming decisions

medlinkHimalaya/medlink Wellness Company, a prominent wellness brand in India, proudly announces its landmark achievement of planting over one million trees across the country.

Hart, Caryl, author

Johnson, Robin (Robin R.), author

Hong Kong : Chinese University Press, [1984]

Copenhagen-based Empirical Spirits is on a mission to bring new flavour to alcoholic spirits. Having previously worked at famed restaurant Noma, Lars Williams is eagerly leading an investigation into brewing and distilling, looking at flavours, traditions, technologies and techniques to see if things could be done differently. Why can’t spirits be seasonal, as food can, or have vintages, as wine does? Why should spirits be required to have an ABV of 40 per cent when they could taste far better at 20 per cent? WIRED went to Copenhagen to meet the team and see how they produce experimental drinks out of hacked-together machinery.

Once viewed as worthless, the humble croton nut of East Africa has proven to be a valuable source of biofuel, fertilizer and even chicken feed

The adoption of agroforestry at scale in India by smallholders is currently stymied by ecological and socio-economic factors

Palm, fig and olive trees are significant during Lent, says Pauline Deborah R.

There are trees with small root systems that can grow even in 1 ft of soil, says Hema Vijay

Dwarf trees are a great addition to your terrace garden

Existing trees should be pruned at frequent intervals to have the required crown shape and to enhance the aesthetics of the roadscape

They are easy to care for, thrive in ordinary garden soil, and need minimal watering once established, says Vrinda Kumble

The world No. 20 Indian pair was brushed aside 16-21, 16-21 by Hsu Yin-Hui and Lin Yin-Hui, ranked 24, in just 36 minutes in their women's doubles round 32 of clash of the Super 500 tournament

Hema Vijay meets D. Ravindran, whose bonsai garden in Kanyakumari is the largest in Tamil Nadu

Two aboriginal scarred trees, photographed today near Stanhope in Victoria.

Just a few towering white fir, sugar pine and incense cedars per acre at Yosemite National Park are disproportionately responsible for photosynthesis, converting carbon dioxide into plant tissue and sequestering that carbon in the forest, sometimes for centuries,

The post Heavyweight trees are forest champs at sequestering carbon appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

These opportunistic plants quickly fill-in the gap taking advantage of the increased light coming through the tree canopy and the fresh soil at the fallen tree’s turned-up roots.

The post Falling trees help invasive wineberry move into deciduous forests in North America appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Introducing Leafsnap, an electronic field guide to North America trees run on a mobile phone app appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

A new genetic analysis has revealed that many Amazon tree species are likely to survive human-caused climate warming in the coming century, contrary to previous findings that temperature increases would cause them to die out.

The post Warming climate unlikely to cause near-term extinction of ancient Amazon trees, study says appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Soon after a dirt road through the forests of Lambir Hills National Park in Borneo was improved in 1987, local markets selling the meat of […]

The post Loss of animals spells doom for diversity of rainforest trees appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Trees put on weight faster and faster as they grow older, according to a new study in the journal Nature. The finding that most trees’ […]

The post Trees grow faster and store more carbon as they age appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

On March 26, 1912, a donation from Japan arrived in Washington, D.C.―3,020 ornamental cherry trees, sparking one of the biggest springtime annual attractions in the […]

The post Washington, D.C.’s Cherry Trees are Very Good at Planning for the Future appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

How more than 1,000 tree species may occur in a small area of forest in Amazonia or Borneo is an unsolved mystery. Their ability to […]

The post Trees employ similar strategies to outcompete their neighbors appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Living trees can rot from the inside out, leaving only a hollowed trunk. Wood rot in living trees can cause overestimates of global carbon pools, […]

The post Measuring trees with the speed of sound appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

How specific fungi interact with seeds in tropical forest soils may be the ultimate arbiter in the struggle for survival among tropical trees. “Depending on […]

The post Study reveals soil fungi has final say in survival of seeds from tropical trees appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Each year from summer into fall, ornamental crape myrtle trees in the southern and central U.S. lay out a visual feast of vibrant flowers in […]

The post Crape myrtle trees aren’t native to the US, but hungry native birds still find them tasty appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The impact of polluted urban soil on trees is highlighted in a recent study from Latvia. The researchers found that high salt levels from de-icing chemicals and nutrient imbalance in soil damaged lime trees growing in the city of Riga.

The impact of polluted urban soil on trees is highlighted in a recent study from Latvia. The researchers found that high salt levels from de-icing chemicals and nutrient imbalance in soil damaged lime trees growing in the city of Riga.

Trees form a valuable part of green infrastructure in cities by helping reduce surface water runoff, recent research finds. Together with grassy areas, significant reductions in surface water flows can be achieved by planting trees, reducing the risk of floods.

An early-warning system developed by researchers could help forest managers in Europe predict which trees are at greatest risk of bark- beetle infestation. The study looked at the probability of bark-beetle outbreaks on two important conifer-tree species in Slovenia: the Norway spruce (Picea abies) and silver fir (Abies alba). It found that high temperatures, and extreme weather linked to climate change — including droughts and ice storms — weakened trees, making them more vulnerable to attack by bark beetles.

The discomfort associated with hot, dry summers in some urban areas can be reduced by planting the most appropriate trees in open city spaces, according to a recent study. The researchers identified the Indian laurel fig as the most effective tree for this purpose in the Greek city of Chania.

Doctors prescribe fewer antidepressants in urban areas with more trees on the street, according to recent UK research. The study examined the link between mental health and wellbeing and the presence of trees in London neighbourhoods. Its findings support the idea that maintaining a link to nature, even in an urban area, may help provide a healthy living environment.

A recent study has assessed how the choice and cultivation of native and introduced pine tree species affects the impact of insect pests and fungal diseases in Spanish plantations. Native maritime pine trees appeared to be more susceptible to insect attack, whilst non-native Monterey pines were more likely to suffer from fungal attacks. Thinning trees also had differing effects on reducing the effects of pests, depending on the tree species.

Research suggests that climate change could alter the structure and function of temperate peat bogs and that these changes are primarily driven by rising temperatures, rather than periods of temporary drought. An average temperature rise above 1??C could permanently shift moss-covered peat bogs into bogs predominately covered with trees, affecting their ability to store carbon and the existing carbon stocks in them.

Managing urban green spaces to ensure that they have a good mix of tree species, including some older and larger trees, can enhance species diversity of woodland birds, a new study has shown. The study, carried out in Prague, Czech Republic, also showed that the presence of water bodies increased the number of species of woodland birds.

It may be possible to use trees to monitor levels of air pollution in cities, new research suggests. A Belgian study found evidence that leaves of urban trees change both chemically and physiologically when exposed to different levels of air pollution. If these changes are carefully quantified, trees could provide cheap and widespread ‘bio-indicators’, the study’s authors suggest.

SALEM – The gusty winds and heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Michael yesterday created flooded roads, downed trees and power lines in western Virginia. As of 11 a.m., approximately 140 roads are closed or affected in the 12 counties of VDOT’s Salem District.   Crews are currently clearing debris and assessing roads throughout the region, coordinating with emergency and utility crews and making or scheduling repairs where possible. In some areas, water will need to recede before a road can be investigated or repaired. Their focus today will be to make roads safe and passable for traffic. If extensive repairs are needed, they will be coordinated and scheduled at a later date.  Drivers are encouraged to continue to monitor road conditions in your area prior to traveling.   The most up-to-date information about flooded roads is available at www.511Virginia.org . For information on specific roads, citizens can access the Road Table under the text views section of the site.  To report downed trees or debris on state maintained roads, citizens can contact VDOT’s customer service center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD.  Drivers who are traveling today are reminded of the following: Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Never drive through water flowing across a road. It takes only six to 12 inches of water to float a small vehicle. Never drive around barricades. Remember, the road has been closed for your safety. Avoid flood-prone areas, especially along creeks and other low-lying areas. Be alert for tree limbs and other debris in the roadway. Even small branches and other debris can damage a car or cause the driver to lose control. If you come across a downed power line, do not try to move it. Contact your local authorities. For updates throughout the day, follow us on Twitter at @VaDOTSalem and @511southwestva  for the latest updates on road conditions.

German tree-planting advocate brings his Stop talking. Start planting message to the United Nations.