New technologies can revolutionise insect research and environmental monitoring. By using DNA, images, sounds and flight patterns analysed by AI, it’s possible to gain new insights into the world of insects. Recent fears of major declines among insects have sent researchers scrambling for data on how they are actually doing. “So far, such data are only available for a few insect groups and for selected regions. To improve on the status quo, we need urgent assessments of all types of…

Drones monitoring fields for weeds and robots targeting and treating crop diseases may sound like science fiction but is actually happening already, at least on some experimental farms. Researchers from the PhenoRob Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bonn are working on driving forward the smart digitalization of agriculture and have now published a list of the research questions that will need to be tackled as a priority in the future. Their paper has appeared in the “European Journal…

New Approaches in Ocean Observation… Scientific research – not only confined to dedicated research vessels but also from non-scientific vessels and marine infrastructures. This is one of the ideas promoted by the Helmholtz Innovation Platform “Shaping an Ocean Of Possibilities” (SOOP). SOOP aims to develop new technologies and structures for ocean observation and has recently initiated a cooperation with HX Hurtigruten Expeditions. During cruise voyages to remote regions, ocean data will be collected for scientific purposes. The first expedition with…

… is shifting the ecological balance of Caribbean reefs. The outbreak of a deadly disease called stony coral tissue loss disease is destroying susceptible species of coral in the Caribbean while helping other, “weedier” organisms thrive — at least for now — according to a new study published today in Science Advances. Researchers say the drastic change in the region’s population of corals is sure to disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem and threaten marine biodiversity and coastal economies….

The Center for Digital Agriculture showcased the many advancements in digital agriculture during its annual conference. When the Center for Digital Agriculture (CDA) launched in 2018, they were looking forward to the future. Like many other areas of commerce and big tech, agriculture is a rapidly changing industry. Advancements in technology have transformed farming. In the five-plus years since its launch, CDA has risen to meet those needs by creating adaptable, interdisciplinary curriculums, research programs, industry partnerships and training opportunities for…

Machine-trained algorithms assess the current avalanche situation in a similar way to humans – with different approaches, strengths and weaknesses. This text has been translated automatically. Forecast for Saturday, February 10, 2024, for southern Switzerland, issued by a forecast model developed with a lot of data and the machine learning (ML) method: Avalanche warning level 3 (significant) with a tendency towards 4 (large). After three years of testing, a model is sitting at the table for the first time this…

Over the course of hundreds of millions of years, Earth has lived through a series of climatic shifts, shaping the planet as we know it today. Past changes in CO2 levels and temperature can help us understand the planet‘s response to global warming today. As part of a growing field called biogeodynamics, researchers are racing to understand how such changes have impacted life on the planet in the past. “We’re trying to understand processes relevant to the present using the…

The 3.7 billion-year-old rocks may extend the magnetic field’s age by 200 million years. Geologists at MIT and Oxford University have uncovered ancient rocks in Greenland that bear the oldest remnants of Earth’s early magnetic field. The rocks appear to be exceptionally pristine, having preserved their properties for billions of years. The researchers determined that the rocks are about 3.7 billion years old and retain signatures of a magnetic field with a strength of at least 15 microtesla. The ancient…

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) researchers expect an elevated wildfire danger in the Alpine Foreland from 2040 onwards due to changing meteorological conditions. The danger currently remains very low in that region, but there is likely to be a shift in this regard as a result of climate change. There is likely to be a significant increase in the danger of wildfires through the 21st century. Indeed, the expectation is that by 2100 the danger will be…

HKU ecologists revolutionize ecosystem monitoring with novel field-satellite integration. An international team of researchers, led by Professor Jin WU from the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), has made a promising advancement in mapping plant functional traits from space using time-series satellite data. The study, published in Remote Sensing of Environment, showcases the innovative combination of the Sentinel-2 satellite mission and its dynamic time-series capabilities. This innovative approach not only unlocks a deeper understanding of essential…

Adaptation as a strategy for survival: A new study from Jena University shows how microorganisms deal with environmental changes. Environmental changes influence microbial communities, which are crucial for the health of the earth and humans. For instance, altered eating habits with heavily processed foods can lead to disrupted gut flora, or intensive agricultural practices can disturb the carbon cycle in the soil, respectively. A research team from the Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse” at Friedrich Schiller University Jena…

ZMT researcher observes the state of reefs in the eastern tropical Pacific. According to scientists from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), the world’s coral reefs are currently experiencing another global coral bleaching event. Events like this used to be infrequent, but this is now the second of this magnitude in the last 10 years and the fourth since 1982. Dr Sonia Bejarano from the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research…

GAME 2024 begins its experiments in eight countries. Can artificial light at night harm marine algae and impair their important functions for coastal ecosystems? This year’s project of the training programme “Global Approach through Modular Experiments” (GAME) of GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel addresses this question, which has not yet been investigated scientifically. 16 students will be working in eight countries around the world, made possible through funding from the Klaus Tschira Foundation. They are building on previous…

A new study shows that ocean acidification is changing the mix of microbes in coral reef systems, which can be used to assess ecosystem health. The study, published today in Microbiome, looked at coral reefs specifically, but the researchers say it could be widely applicable as a method for measuring how ecosystems are responding to human activities. Understanding how ecosystems are changing in response to human activity allows predictions of their future, and how to conserve them. Although microbes are…

Experts investigate the role of clouds in the Arctic. The role of clouds and warm air masses from the open ocean for the rapid warming of the Arctic is at the heart of a recent Alfred Wegener Institute project on Svalbard. The researchers are applying a new perspective and tracking how individual air masses cool above the sea ice, form clouds, and lose moisture through precipitation. To do so, they’re using specially designed weather balloons capable of continually measuring the…

Fish and invertebrate animals are far more affected by warmer and more acidic seawater than was previously known. This is the conclusion of a study co-led by NIOZ marine biologist Katharina Alter, based on a new analysis method and published in the scientific journal Nature Communications. Lead author Katharina Alter of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) explains why it is essential to summarize and analyze the results of published studies addressing the effects of climate change: “To…