A reforestation project has revitalised its surroundings just 80 years after its inception. In the late 1920s, the Saldaña badlands in northern Spain were a barren region, with a thin layer of intensely weathered soil, and only 5% vegetation cover. Now that cover has increased dramatically to 87%, the soil quality is improving, and the water flow in the area has stabilised, bringing greater environmental security to the local community.

Environmental changes in the future, such as an increase in floods, land degradation and drought could result in changes in migration patterns in Europe, researchers write in a recent analysis. It is difficult to predict these exact migration patterns, however, as they are determined by a complex interplay of economic, political and social factors with environmental change, as well as adaptive capacity.

Past economic activity is more likely to explain the current pattern of biological invasions across Europe than recent human activities, according to a new study. It can take several decades before a newly introduced species becomes established and spreads, which may mean that recent invasions caused by current economic activities could create an 'invasion debt' for future generations.

As global temperatures continue to warm, sea-levels are expected to rise, increasing the risk of saltwater inundating wetlands in low-lying coastal areas. A study in Wales, UK, describes how rising sea levels will result in a shift from a wetland rich in plant diversity to one dominated by saltwater and mud in 200 years’ time.

Micropollutants — small, persistent and biologically active substances — are found in aquatic environments all over the world and can have negative effects on plants, animals and humans. The EU recently adopted a ‘watch list’ of potential priority substances, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products that need to be monitored to determine their environmental risk. A new study reviews data on their worldwide occurrence and options for their removal from wastewater, and from surface and groundwater used to produce drinking water.

Maps of the risk of griffon vultures’ exposure to lead in north-eastern Spain have been produced in a new study. High-risk places are mountainous areas where there are high levels of bioavailable sources of lead in the soil, but also where game hunting is prevalent, and carcasses scavenged by the birds may contain lead ammunition.

Silver nanoparticles are used in a range of household products. This study investigated the risk to plants of these nanoparticles in soil, showing that risk was overall low but increased when soils contained high levels of chlorine. The researchers, therefore, suggest that the risk of silver nanoparticles to plants may increase in salty soils or those irrigated with poor-quality water. These findings could be important for future risk assessments.

Contamination of the aquatic environment by pharmaceutical drugs used in human and veterinary medicine is an emerging issue, as it can cause toxic effects in biological systems. This study explored how the marine organism Hediste diversicolor, a polychaete worm, responded to exposure to salicylic acid, a key component of aspirin. They found the species to adapt and respond in a way that minimised the effects of metabolising the contaminating compound, suggesting that the acid does not currently pose a threat to marine polychaetes.

The presence and accumulation of micropollutants1 (anthropogenic trace contaminants) in aquatic environments is an area of policy concern for the EU. In order to better understand how these chemicals enter and are transported within water systems, this study investigated the occurrence and concentration of a broad spectrum of micropollutants across Austria’s water system. Municipal waste-water effluents were found to be the emission pathway with the highest concentrations of some micropollutants. The study also demonstrated that levels of other micropollutants are higher in rivers, atmospheric deposition and groundwater than in waste-water effluents and that these sometimes exceeded environmental quality standards for surface waters.

Due to regulation on sulphur emissions, liquefied natural gas (LNG) has increased in use as a maritime fuel. This study measured exhaust gases from a ship with dual-fuel engines running on LNG and marine gas oil (MGO). Although NOX and CO2 emissions were lower for LNG compared to MGO, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions were higher. The authors say future work should reconsider the climate impact of LNG.

A new study has, for the first time, estimated total anthropogenic releases of mercury over the last 4 000 years, up to 2010. Overall, the study estimates that a total of 1 540 000 tonnes of mercury have been released; three-quarters of this since 1850, and 78 times more than was released through natural causes over this period. Therefore, human activity has been responsible for a significant level of contamination, and this inventory can be used to inform and assess mitigation measures. The publication coincides with the ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and the new EU Mercury Regulation1, which prohibits the export, import and manufacturing of mercury-added products, among other measures.

It is important to understand the extent to which atmospheric (air) pollution damages plants (i.e. its phytotoxicity) as well as the wider ecosystem (i.e. its ecotoxicity). For this reason, researchers have adapted the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Vegetative Vigour Test1 for the assessment of the ecotoxicity of samples of aerosol (suspensions of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air). Typically, the test involves spraying the trial liquid on above-ground portions of the plant, such as the leaves. The adapted protocol involves extracting water-soluble aerosol compounds from aerosol samples to spray on the plant. The new protocol is sensitive enough to determine phytotoxicity and establish a clear cause–effect relationship, and as such has the potential to serve as a useful tool for the assessment of the effects of air pollution on environmental and human health.

Conventional municipal waste-water treatment processes are based on aeration, which is energy intensive. Now, researchers have developed an alternative waste-water treatment process. In addition to avoiding the use of aeration in favour of filtration/biofiltration and encapsulated denitrification (the application of capsules containing nitrifiers, which convert ammonium into nitrate), the process also uses waste biosolids to generate electrical energy. The process has been tested in a pilot facility and found to require just 15% of the energy required for conventional approaches. Moreover, the process is energy positive, as the biosolids are able to generate more than enough energy to power the treatment plant. If this technology could be scaled up to the municipal level, it could significantly reduce the energy use and environmental impacts of waste-water treatment.

Three men have been arrested as a result of coordinated operations conducted across NSW in two days, targeting purchasers of child-like sex dolls.

70 percent of Americans surveyed by Zillow Mortgages said they would not abandon their home buying plans should interest rates rise to 4.5%

CULPEPER — The Route 29 New Baltimore Advisory Group will hold its second meeting in Warrenton on Thursday to continue its discussions about improvements to improve safety and efficient movement of traffic on the Route 29 corridor between Warrenton and Prince William County.

CULPEPER — The Virginia Department of Transportation invites the public to attend a citizen information meeting to learn about the upcoming project...

Steven Finn feels Middlesex’s Vitality Blast side possess similar qualities to the team that clinched the county’s first and only T20 triumph 11 years ago.

000
WTPZ63 KNHC 150036 CCA
TCUEP3

Hurricane Kiko Tropical Cyclone Update...Corrected
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL EP132019
530 PM PDT Sat Sep 14 2019

Corrected location coordinates

...HURRICANE KIKO NEAR MAJOR HURRICANE STRENGTH...

Recent satellite-based intensity estimates indicate that Hurricane
Kiko has rapidly strengthened since the last advisory. The maximum
sustained winds have increased to 110 mph (175 km/h). The higher
intensity will be reflected in the next forecast advisory, which
will be issued before 800 PM PDT.


SUMMARY OF 530 PM AST...0030 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...17.0N 119.7W
ABOUT 760 MI...1225 KM WSW OF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF BAJA CALIFORNIA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH...175 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 270 DEGREES AT 12 MPH...19 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...970 MB...28.64 INCHES

$$
Forecaster Zelinsky

000
WTNT21 KNHC 192059 CCA
TCMAT1

POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE NESTOR
FORECAST/ADVISORY NUMBER 10...CORRECTED
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL162019
2100 UTC SAT OCT 19 2019

CORRECTED 12 FT SEAS RADII

CHANGES IN WATCHES AND WARNINGS WITH THIS ADVISORY...

THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR THE GULF COAST
OF FLORIDA.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

THERE ARE NO TROPICAL CYCLONE COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.

POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTER LOCATED NEAR 30.4N 84.1W AT 19/2100Z
POSITION ACCURATE WITHIN 30 NM

PRESENT MOVEMENT TOWARD THE NORTHEAST OR 55 DEGREES AT 20 KT

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 999 MB
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 35 KT WITH GUSTS TO 45 KT.
34 KT.......210NE 0SE 0SW 0NW.
12 FT SEAS..240NE 180SE 0SW 0NW.
WINDS AND SEAS VARY GREATLY IN EACH QUADRANT. RADII IN NAUTICAL
MILES ARE THE LARGEST RADII EXPECTED ANYWHERE IN THAT QUADRANT.

REPEAT...CENTER LOCATED NEAR 30.4N 84.1W AT 19/2100Z
AT 19/1800Z CENTER WAS LOCATED NEAR 29.8N 85.0W

FORECAST VALID 20/0600Z 32.3N 81.4W...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
MAX WIND 40 KT...GUSTS 50 KT.
34 KT...200NE 200SE 0SW 0NW.

FORECAST VALID 20/1800Z 35.0N 76.7W...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
MAX WIND 40 KT...GUSTS 50 KT.
34 KT...200NE 200SE 0SW 0NW.

FORECAST VALID 21/0600Z 36.8N 72.0W...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
MAX WIND 45 KT...GUSTS 55 KT.
34 KT...200NE 200SE 0SW 150NW.

FORECAST VALID 21/1800Z 36.8N 68.0W...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
MAX WIND 40 KT...GUSTS 50 KT.
34 KT...120NE 120SE 150SW 150NW.

FORECAST VALID 22/1800Z 36.5N 65.5W...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
MAX WIND 35 KT...GUSTS 45 KT.
34 KT...120NE 0SE 0SW 120NW.

EXTENDED OUTLOOK. NOTE...ERRORS FOR TRACK HAVE AVERAGED NEAR 150 NM
ON DAY 4 AND 175 NM ON DAY 5...AND FOR INTENSITY NEAR 15 KT EACH DAY

OUTLOOK VALID 23/1800Z...DISSIPATED

REQUEST FOR 3 HOURLY SHIP REPORTS WITHIN 300 MILES OF 30.4N 84.1W

THIS IS THE LAST FORECAST/ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER ON NESTOR. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS SYSTEM CAN BE
FOUND IN HIGH SEAS FORECASTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...UNDER AWIPS HEADER NFDHSFAT1 AND WMO HEADER FZNT01 KWBC.


$$
FORECASTER STEWART

A geothermal loop will keep a fancy new elephant house toasty with the captured heat generated by the cooling system in the polar bear habitat.

Minnesota educator develops multimedia tools to share and preserve Ojibwe language and culture.

Climate scientist James Hansen was arrested on Feb. 13 outside the White House while protesting the Keystone Pipeline.

A freak summer hailstorm covers Mexico's Guadalajara in at least 5 feet of ice.

Actress one of 100 people detained today while protesting the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Daryl Hannah landed in jail Tuesday while protesting a planned oil pipeline that would stretch from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast. The actress has been released

Actress Daryl Hannah and landowner Eleanor Fairchild were taken into custody after standing in the way of heavy equipment being used to build the southern porti

Meanwhile, increasing domestic oil production (and shipping it by rail) is expected to spur the billionaire's profits.

Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has agreed to acquire NV Energy, and Sen. Harry Reid wants to help.

Architect Zaha Hadid is "touring around" a prefab concept with musician/design dabbler extraordinaire Pharrell Williams.

This surprising discovery won't be enough to stop climate change, but it will help, researchers say.

The risk of 'severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts' is quickly rising worldwide, the draft report warns.

While beautiful, the surface of Venus is as hostile as the deepest recesses of space. Despite its nearness to Earth, the planet remains largely a mystery.

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

Check out this wonderfully strange music about the Bagger 288, one of the largest mining excavators in the world.

Dubbed the "Jacuzzi of Despair," this lake on the ocean floor is made of heavy water rich with toxins.

NASA's far-reaching space probe is still within the sun's sphere of influence, but soon will leave into prediscovered areas.

Why aren't women counted in most exercise studies? Their periods tend to mess up the data.

New study from Australia suggests resurrection of extinct species could lead to a loss in overall biodiversity.

Can lost species ever become un-extinct? Many scientists believe it's only a matter of time before many extinct animals again walk the Earth through cloning.

Almost everything we use runs on direct current, so why are our houses still wired for alternating current?

When you set up a rain barrel system at your house, you can save water and save money on your utilities.

State legislators in Colorado are working to make it legal for residents to harvest rainwater for irrigation.

The Santa Cruz River, nearly dry for almost a century, may soon flow once more through downtown Tucson.

The search giant has trained neural networks to interpret photos, but they can also be coaxed to create monsters.

It's been 5 years since the West Virginia northern flying squirrel came off the Endangered Species List, and the recovery rate is encouraging.

Pierre Calleja sees big things in microalgae – microscopic, single-cell plants with the potential to clean the air.

Engineering students tackle two problems with one clever project — how to transport water and purify it at the same time.

Actress helped create wells in third-world countries.