Human-generated noise can reduce the foraging activity of wildlife and should be taken into account during conservation planning, a new study suggests. The test showed that traffic noise decreased the foraging activity of Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii) by inducing an avoidance response. The new experimental approach could be used to identify how noise disturbs any species capable of detecting noise.

As the sources and severity of noise pollution continue to grow, there is a need for new approaches to reduce exposure. This Future Brief looks at the complex and pervasive problem of noise pollution: a problem with no single solution, requiring a combination of short-, medium- and long-term approaches and careful consideration of the nature of the noise source.

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) and other regulatory influences are essential to battery recycling in Finland, a new study finds. The researchers compare this with the situation in Chile, where a lack of appropriate legislation prevents recycling companies from overcoming the technical and financial challenges of battery recycling. The study helps policymakers understand how political, social, and cultural factors can support companies in their move towards circular-economy business models.

Climate change may increase the amount of pathogens entering bathing waters in some areas, finds a new study. The research, carried out in a lagoon in the Baltic Sea, found that, although higher temperatures can reduce microorganism populations, this is likely to be outweighed by contamination due to runoff caused by increased rainfall. The authors are currently developing a system for alerting local authorities and the public to potentially hazardous bathing water.

Policies to manage marine ecological quality can be improved by combining economic and ecological concerns, finds a new study. Using this integrated perspective, researchers developed a model which identified the most cost-effective options for reducing nutrient pollution in the Baltic Sea within a 40-year time-span. The total cost of meeting the commonly agreed targets is estimated to be €1,487 million annually.

Bat populations are showing signs of recovery in the UK, according to a citizen science programme. The authors of a recent study which reports the programme’s findings say that this shows volunteers can successfully monitor wild species and produce robust data suitable for policy purposes.

Urban waterways can provide foraging opportunities for a range of bat species. However researchers have found that bats in the UK are negatively affected by high levels of invasive plant species and urban development near waterways. The researchers highlight the value these often disregarded urban spaces can have for ecosystems, and suggest ways to improve the biodiversity of waterways.

Insect-eating bats are estimated to be worth US$ 1 billion (€0.91 billion) a year to maize farmers around the world, a new study has revealed. Not only do bats reduce crop damage by eating adult corn earworm crop pests, they also suppress fungal infections in maize ears. Bats and their habitats need to be better protected for their ecological and economic contributions, say the study’s authors.

The effect on bats of the replacement of mercury lamps with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in street lighting has been investigated in a recent study. Artificial light affects bat species differently and the activity of species normally more sensitive to light were affected less by the new LED street lamps than by traditional mercury lamps. Use of LEDs may, therefore, help to reduce the impacts of outdoor lighting on light-sensitive bats, if used at an appropriate level.

Levels of toxic metals in batteries were not immediately reduced in line with new limits imposed by EU regulations, according to a survey from Germany. The study focuses on concentrations of toxic metals contained in batteries sold in Germany in 2010 and 2011, but its authors say the results are relevant to other EU countries.

Mercury and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) reduce albatrosses’ chances of successfully breeding, a recent study finds. These pollutants add to the list of environmental pressures, including climate change, disease and fishery bycatch, affecting this highly threatened species.

How does the law protect the environment? The responsibility for the legal protection of the environment rests largely with public authorities such as the police, local authorities or specialised regulatory agencies. However, more recently, attention has been focused on the enforcement of environmental law — how it should most effectively be implemented, how best to ensure compliance, and how best to deal with breaches of environmental law where they occur. This Thematic Issue presents recent research into the value of emerging networks of enforcement bodies, the need to exploit new technologies and strategies, the use of appropriate sanctions and the added value of a compliance assurance conceptual framework.

High-quality and innovative batteries are imperative for the EU in the context of its move towards a low-carbon, climate-friendly and more circular economy. However, manufacturing and using batteries, as well as the way they are treated at the end of their life, also has environmental impacts. This Future Brief from Science for Environment Policy provides an overview of technical aspects of battery design and production which enable the environmental footprint of batteries to be lowered. It also highlights how battery technologies are evolving to deliver better performance.

Innovatively designed batteries offer a way for vehicles to move away from their dependence on fossil fuels. There has been little mass-market uptake of new battery design, however. In the last century, only four types of battery have been used: manganese oxide; lead acid; nickel; and lithium ion, which is a relative newcomer, introduced in 1991. To understand how innovation moves from research and development (R&D) to application and the mass market, scientists perform technology lifecycle (TLC) analyses, often focusing on R&D and basic research. This study adds an additional indicator — start-up companies — to explore the early phases of how batteries transition from science into industry.

The post Finish him: Mortal Kombat post-production work to be centred in Adelaide appeared first on The Lead SA.

A COLLECTION of work exploring artists’ responses to the Battle of Britain and the Blitz is set to go on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London next month.

You’ve probably heard the term “flattening the curve” more times than you can count over the past couple of weeks. But if we’re being totally honest with each other, there’s a good chance there’s something else that needs flattening, too.

Novità president Christine Abbate joins The PR Week to discuss her work in the design and architecture comms space and the latest industry news.

Armed with a husky voice and a $10 mask, BatDad has a cult following on Twitter Vine.

Scientists can only guess at how they have avoided extinction for so long.

Thanks in part to shows like 'Modern Family,' a majority of Americans are now in favor of same-sex marriage.

Mommy blogger's confession sparks controversy over the necessity of the daily baby bath.

Although essentially a giant advert for Kohler, a two-parter from SpacesTV's 'Built Green' series provides a look at a water-conserving bathroom renovation.

The Kennedy Space Center hideaway sustained significant damage from Hurricane Matthew.

These creatures of the night could be the models for future aircraft.

The pontiff's sweeping new encyclical is meant not just for Earth's 1.2 billion Catholics, but for 'every person living on this planet.'

The Bats and Churches Partnership aims to ease the sometimes fraught relationship between bats and the houses of worship they roost in.

After a slow start, sales of the Nissan Leaf are picking up and the competition between the Leaf and the Volt is heating up.

They might sound a little pricey, but these might be the longest lasting batteries ever created.

Here are 7 images of countries from space and the water concern that each nation faces.

This gorgeous salt plain may be the key to keeping our electronics charged up.

The Tesla Roadster always looked good on paper, but there's no substitute for actually driving one. Waiting for the electric future? It's here!

The technology allows motorists to take out the old battery and put in a newly charged one in about one and a half minutes.

Make its debut at the Ideal Home Show in London, the Quiet Treehouse includes an array of features that drown out modern life's most irritating noises.

Would you hop (no diving allowed!) into a chlorine-free urban swimming hole that's open to the public?

Manchester's City of Trees scheme will plant one leafy specimen for every resident.

Interested in canning jam but feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the process? This video shows you how to make a small batch without special equipment.

Pipeline spills aren't good for the environment and they aren't good for politics. They are especially bad for business.

Here are some arguments to consider if we plant to get more oil from our neighbors to the North.

Researchers have developed an interactive tool that uses bat calls and local environmental conditions to help wind farms reduce bat fatalities while still runni

He may not have won an Oscar, but the director of "Gasland" isn’t backing off the natural gas industry.

While activists against mountaintop removal grow, miners of the region defend their practices as a way of life.

If you're looking for a way to de-stress and relax, bath in the forest — or more specifically, take a walk through the woods.

The remote Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the setting for a pivotal moment in the latest episode of the 'Star Wars' franchise.

After using the bathroom, 95 percent of people fail to wash their hands long enough to kill harmful bacteria.

You might be surprised at the one thing that can make the task much more bearable.

From cleaning your tub with fruit to organizing towels, try these quick tricks for the loo.