New study suggests tropical forests are efficient at cooling the planet due to their ability to store large amounts of carbon and produce reflective clouds. In contrast, forests in snowy areas can warm the Earth by absorbing sunlight that would otherwise be reflected back into space.
A new study by Carnegie Institution and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory reveals that global warming has already affected global food supply, with average yield drops of 3-5% for every 1 degree F increase in temperature. The study estimates annual losses of $5 billion for major food crops.
Astronomers have observed Z Cam binary system exhibiting a massive shell of gas and dust surrounding the white dwarf, indicating a classical nova explosion. The discovery supports a 20-year-old theory suggesting double-star systems cycle between blast types.
Researchers found that pressure and oxygen isotopes have a similar effect on electronic properties of high-temperature superconductors, with vibrations in the lattice structure playing a crucial role in their superconductivity. The study reveals new insights into the behavior of these mysterious materials.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory found a unique phase transition in vanadium crystals under high pressure, changing shape but not volume. This discovery has significant implications for superconducting materials and challenges previous theories on element stability.
Stem cells in fruit fly gut use Notch signaling to replenish specific cell types, with Delta protein controlling cell fate and division. This finding transforms basic understanding of stem cells and could prove valuable in cancer research.
Biologists at Carnegie Institution discover a new way plant cells regulate nutrient uptake through physical interaction between neighboring molecules, applicable across species. The discovery has potential applications from understanding human diseases like kidney function to engineering better crops.
Researchers analyze comet Wild 2 samples, finding evidence of material formed at both cold and hot temperatures, and unusual organic molecules with oxygen and nitrogen content. The discovery raises questions about how these fragile materials survived capture and formed in the early solar system.
Scientists have found that an ancient global warming event, the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, was caused by a massive release of carbon, which heated the planet by 9°F in less than 10,000 years. The research suggests that the climate is even more sensitive to added CO2 than previously thought.
The Carnegie Institution has been granted a patent for the manufacture of hard, single-crystal diamonds through a Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) process. The inventors' work has led to diamonds with increased hardness and enhanced optical characteristics.
Researchers develop protocols to identify promising molecule/mineral pairs, building on previous findings that many biomolecules can adhere to mineral surfaces. The study uses DNA microarrays and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry to discover which molecules stick to specific mineral surfaces.
Scientists have successfully dissociated water at high pressure to form a solid mixture of molecular oxygen and molecular hydrogen, creating an alloy. The researchers used x-rays to cleave the O-H bonds in water, resulting in a stable alloy that withstood various tests.
Researchers have taken deep pictures of two ancient galaxies, weighing them for the first time. The galaxies are estimated to be around 50-300 million years old, with masses similar to our Milky Way's, but were much lighter when they formed.
Researchers found an isolated bacterial community thriving in rock fracture water two miles beneath the surface. The unique microbes depend solely on geologically produced sulfur and hydrogen for energy, challenging the notion of life's reliance on sunlight.
Microbes adapted to living with oxygen around 2.7 billion years ago, as indicated by changes in fossil isotopes of carbon in rocks from the late Archean period in Western Australia. This finding supports the idea that oxygen-producing photosynthesis evolved and enriched the atmosphere over time.
A team of astronomers has measured the temperature variation across the surface of a giant gas planet, Upsilon Andromeda b, for the first time. The study reveals that the planet's hot side reaches temperatures of 2,550 degrees Fahrenheit, while its dark side is frigid.
Scientists found that global warming accelerates springtime flowering, but CO2 and nitrogen deposition have opposing effects on wildflowers and grasses. The overall timing of plant growth is delayed under elevated CO2.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution for Science have developed a new technology to monitor glucose levels in leaf and root tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana, revealing extremely low sugar levels in roots. The breakthrough enables studies on sugar metabolism in plants and has potential applications for engineering higher crop yields.
A team of scientists led by Greg Asner discovered a strong link between selective logging and clear-cutting in the Brazilian Amazon. They found that areas within 15 miles of major roads are more likely to be cleared, with 32% of logged areas cleared within four years.
Carnegie Institution's Marilyn Fogel receives Fulbright grant for astrobiology research, tracing phenomena and exploring life on Mars. The grant supports her work with the AMASE team in Svalbard, a Norwegian island similar to Martian geology.
Astronomers have found four stable groups of asteroids around the Sun: Kuiper Belt, Jupiter Trojans, main asteroid belt, and now Neptune Trojans. The new discoveries suggest a large population of high-inclination Neptune Trojans, which may have formed after giant planets settled into their orbits.
Researchers have discovered a surprising amount of carbon in the gas surrounding a young star, Beta Pictoris. The findings may indicate that asteroids and comets in this system could contain large amounts of organic material, which could have delivered building blocks of life to early Earth.
Astronomers propose that super-Earths can form around red dwarf stars via ultraviolet stripping, a process previously thought to only create gas giant planets. The new theory suggests that the mass of the central star determines whether a planet forms as a gas giant or a super-Earth.
Researchers found that magnesiowüstite, a common mineral in the lower mantle, absorbs infrared light when compressed to extreme pressures. This suggests that radiation may not play a significant role in heat flow near Earth's core.
Researchers have discovered that meteorites contain isotopes of nitrogen and hydrogen that are similar to those found in interplanetary dust particles. This suggests that the parent bodies of these meteorites, such as comets, formed in the interstellar medium and were not severely processed by the inner solar system.
Researchers have discovered a new property of the very deep Earth, which challenges the prevailing thought that ultralow velocity zones contain liquid. The study found that iron-rich post-perosvkite can explain these zones' properties, suggesting an alternative explanation to partial melting.
For the first time, researchers have tracked cellulose fiber formation in real-time, providing evidence of a functional connection between cellulose synthase and microtubules. This breakthrough discovery has significant implications for designing energy-rich biofuel crops and improved fiber crops.
Researchers discovered a gene mutation in zebrafish that leads to impaired fat and cholesterol absorption, causing lethal effects. The study provides valuable insights into the process of lipid digestion and metabolism, potentially leading to treatment for human diseases.
Researchers have devised a method to catch the early stages of gas-giant core accretion, suggesting that young intermediate-sized cores could be a clear indicator of core accretion. The existence of these cores would likely yield gas-giant planets in as little as 1,000 years around small, gravitationally weak stars.
Researchers are analyzing Stardust samples to study the structure and chemistry of cometary material, providing clues about the solar system's history. The team is using advanced spectroscopic techniques to identify organic compounds and isotopic signatures in the ancient grains.
Scientists have found that macromolecular carbon in Martian meteorites is always associated with magnetite, a mineral catalyst for its formation. This association raises hopes that the meteorite's carbon complexes could be evidence of non-biological synthesis of organic molecules on Mars.
Researchers are searching for signs of life on Mars by analyzing the distribution of a specific type of nitrogen in Martian rocks, soil, and water. They found that organisms leave behind unique nitrogen 'fingerprints' on rocks, which could be used to detect biosignatures of past or present life.
Researchers analyze sulfur isotopes in rocks to track oxygen levels, revealing a raucous period of intense volcanic activity that pushed the atmosphere towards an oxygen-rich state. This breakthrough provides new insights into the emergence of oxygen on Earth and its impact on climate.
Researchers have created iridium and platinum nitrides, which exhibit strong bonds that contribute to hardness and durability. These compounds may be used in durable coatings, substrates, conductors, and optoelectronic devices.
Ocean acidification could lead to extinction of many marine species due to increased acidity and dissolution of calcium carbonate shells. The last time oceans endured such a drastic change in chemistry was 65 million years ago, at the same time dinosaurs went extinct.
Researchers discovered that single-celled cyanobacterium Synechococcus fixes nitrogen gas at night, converting it into biologically useful compounds. This finding sheds light on how hot-spring microbial communities obtain essential nutrients, and highlights the complex metabolic strategies of these microorganisms.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution found that Earth's mantle separated into chemically distinct layers faster and earlier than previously believed. The layering happened within 30 million years of the solar system's formation, revising the standard model of the geochemical evolution of the Earth.
Researchers have pinpointed a population of old neutron stars as the sources of short gamma-ray bursts, which are fainter and more difficult to localize than long bursts. The discovery sheds new light on these enigmatic cosmic explosions.
Researchers have discovered that adult fruitflies have the same stem cells controlling cell regulation in their gut as humans do. This finding is significant for understanding digestive disorders, including some cancers, and developing cures. The similarity between insect and human gut stem cells suggests a common evolutionary origin.
A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters found that northern temperate forests can contribute to global warming by absorbing a lot of sunlight without losing much moisture. In contrast, tropical forests help keep the Earth cool by evaporating large amounts of water. The research suggests that planting forests at certain la...
Researchers have discovered how plants use genes to fight off powdery mildew disease, a common fungal infection that affects over 9,000 species of plants. By disabling protective genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, the researchers found that a complex gene system can signal cell death and spare healthy cells from infection.
A recent study using high-resolution satellite data found that selective logging in the Brazilian Amazon has been underestimated by half, with an annual extent of around 4,685 to 7,973 square miles. This has significant ecological implications for the region and beyond, including increased carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.
Researchers found a sudden shift in plant type after humans arrived in Australia, leading to extinctions of large birds like Genyornis. The study used ancient wombat teeth and bird eggshells to analyze carbon isotopes, showing that human-induced vegetation change was the best explanation for the ecological transition.
Researchers find high levels of 142Nd in terrestrial rocks, contradicting earlier theories on Earth's formation. This discovery suggests that the planet underwent a violent history of collisions and radioactive heat release, leading to its chemical differentiation.
Researchers developed a new fluorescent imaging technique using FRET (Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer) to track glutamate production in individual brain cells. This breakthrough technology will help better understand disease processes and construct new drugs.
Scientists have successfully produced 10-carat, half-inch thick single-crystal diamonds at a rapid growth rate of 100 micrometers per hour using CVD. This achievement is approximately five times that of commercially available diamonds and marks a major breakthrough in diamond production.
Researchers studied isotope anomalies in rocks, ice cores, and atmospheric samples to understand the rise of oxygen in the atmosphere. They found that ultraviolet light from the Sun drove atmospheric evolution, leading to the formation of ozone that shields life on Earth.
Researchers used high-altitude airborne imaging spectroscopy to identify two invading plant species, Myrica faya and Kahili ginger, in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The study found that these invaders are altering the forest ecosystem by changing leaf nitrogen and water content, with potential domino effects on native species.
Researchers discovered a key protein, BZR1, that regulates plant growth by binding to a specific DNA sequence and stopping the production of an enzyme needed for BR synthesis. This feedback loop helps maintain optimal steroid levels for plant growth.
Scientists used NASA Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) to analyze vegetation and soil changes in response to rain variation over large areas. They found that long-term decrease in litter cover is the most evident sign of desertification, with significant changes in green vegetation and bare soil areas.