Researchers identified ammonium salts as a substantial source of nitrogen in comets like 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This discovery resolves the long-standing N/C ratio discrepancy between comets and the Sun.
A cross-sectional study of El Algar society in the Iberian Peninsula reveals similar diets but different management of livestock among communities, with a larger share of animal protein restricted to elite members. The analysis also shows a strong reliance on cereal farming and animal manure use.
Researchers find freeze-drying method yields more accurate results for measuring soil N reactive gas fluxes and total emissions. This approach could lead to revised understanding of global nitrogen cycle mechanisms.
A new study led by University of Michigan researchers found that highly active gray and cubera snappers in a Bahamian mangrove estuary spread the highest levels of essential nutrient nitrogen through their urine, nearly doubling its presence. This fertilizer supports more plant growth and food at the base of the food web.
A study found that local nitrogen pollution enhances coral bleaching severity, even at low heat stress levels. High nitrogen levels increased the severity of bleaching up to two-fold, while heat stress primarily drove colony proportions affected.
A study by UC Santa Barbara researchers found that high levels of nitrogen pollution lower the temperature at which coral begins to bleach and increases its severity. The team surveyed over 10,000 corals around Moorea and found that both types of branching corals showed identical responses to nutrient pollution.
The Rice University team has introduced an inexpensive organic synthesis technique that catalyzes the transfer of nitrogen atoms to olefins, making valuable pharmaceutical precursors. The process combines nitrogen and hydrogen atoms in triangular aziridine products, which are readily available to react with other agents.
A new AI algorithm developed by University of Illinois researchers accurately predicts corn yield using deep learning and convolutional neural networks. The approach incorporates various topographic variables, soil electroconductivity, nitrogen treatment rates, and seed application to optimize crop management decisions.
A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that nitrogen-fixing trees can double the amount of carbon stored in a forest's first 30 years of regrowth. Forests with these trees also take up 10% more carbon at maturity. Planting fixers as part of reforestation efforts could boost forest development and carbon accumulation.
Researchers have solved the mystery of marine nitrogen cycling, discovering that abundant nitrite oxidizing bacteria, Nitrospinae, are more active and efficient than previously thought. This reveals a key to their low abundance despite being crucial in the process.
A new study reveals a never-before described natural process in soil that converts nitrogen gases into nitrates through the action of visible and ultraviolet radiation. This finding is crucial for understanding the nitrogen cycle in soil, which affects global sustainability, productivity, and air quality.
A novel bacteria effectively removes nitrogen from salty wastewater, suggesting a potential solution for sewage treatment from seawater-based toilets. This finding could help alleviate pressure on freshwater resources as the world's population is expected to grow to 10 billion by 2050.
A new study reveals that rapid urbanization and poor waste management are the primary causes of coral reef loss in the South China Sea. The research, led by HKU marine ecologists, used geochemical techniques to analyze coral skeletons and found a significant increase in nitrogen pollution coinciding with Hong Kong's rapid development.
Researchers discovered that nitrogen fertilizers shape the composition of individual members of the tomato microbiota, with Actinobacteria colonizing root tissues. The diet represented by different nitrogen treatments determines the plant microbiota, highlighting potential targets for optimizing plant nutrition and global food security.
Ants cultivate plants in full sun to obtain more floral food, but this condition also leads to increased plant damage and fewer plant numbers. In contrast, shade-cultivated plants produce less food for the ants but receive more nitrogen fertilizer input.
Researchers have discovered traces of five different ammonium salts on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, shedding light on the presence of nitrogen on comets and its potential link to the emergence of life on Earth. The study found high concentrations of ammonia in the form of these salts.
Satellite data reveals significant increases in nitrogen dioxide pollution from oil and gas production sites in the US, particularly in the Permian, Bakken, and Eagle Ford basins. The study uses a new inventory to confirm trends and provides valuable insights for addressing emissions in a cost-efficient manner.
A team of researchers discovered that soil can capture NOx gases from the atmosphere and transform them into nitrate through a process called
Researchers discovered that fungi associated with shallow-rooted tundra shrubs can access deep nitrogen stores from thawing permafrost, regardless of the plant's root system. This finding has implications for understanding the fate of nitrogen in a warming Arctic and potentially offsetting carbon losses.
Scientists at the University of Illinois have developed nanosatellite technology that can detect nitrogen stress in corn early in the season. This allows farmers to plan in-season nitrogen fertilizer applications and alleviate nutrient stress for crops, potentially increasing yield and reducing environmental impact.
Researchers discovered that corals and sea anemones control algal population size by limiting nitrogen availability. This balance is crucial for reef survival in a changing climate.
Researchers have identified three mechanisms by which nitrogen oxides affect sulfate production, revealing that both low and high NOx levels can promote sulfate formation. The study highlights the need for policymakers to control NOx emissions in a way that balances reductions in both SO2 and NOx.
Researchers at PPPL have developed a novel design that could increase the efficiency of gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines while reducing toxic emissions. The patented method rapidly spins gas inside cylinders to operate at lower temperatures, resulting in lower Nitrogen Oxide emissions and improved fuel economy.
Scientists discovered that soil mites alter their diet based on the environment they inhabit, with some species switching from saprophagy to predation. The study focused on oribatid mites and found significant differences in nitrogen isotope content depending on land use systems.
A new Illinois study found that fall-applied anhydrous ammonia may not meet corn's nitrogen needs. The study showed varying uptake efficiency depending on soil type and crop rotation, with richest soils being lower in nitrogen recovery.
Researchers have identified the source of nitrogen in host blood cells that enables TB to grow and spread. Preventing access to this nitrogen could halt the disease in humans.
Soil nitrogen levels drive plant growth for food production and ecosystem health. The global field study provides a more detailed baseline of worldwide nitrogen levels, improving understanding of natural cycles and the effects of over-fertilization.
Researchers discovered that lower dissolved oxygen levels trigger a shift in the marine nitrogen cycle, with ammonium replacing nitrate as the main fixed nitrogen component. This change indicates a significant biogeochemical vulnerability to ocean deoxygenation, potentially affecting nutrient availability.
Researchers found that a decline in ocean oxygen can break down feedback mechanisms controlling the marine nitrogen cycle, which is essential for all forms of life. The team used a data-constrained earth system model to show that extreme deoxygenation can lead to a collapse of the ocean's bioavailable nitrogen inventory.
A new MOF material, MFM-520, has been developed to capture and convert nitrogen dioxide into nitric acid. The material can be regenerated multiple times and is suitable for use in air pollution control, with potential applications in the production of agricultural fertilizers, rocket propellants, and textiles.
A metal-organic framework material has been developed that can capture nitrogen dioxide from the air and convert it into nitric acid for industrial use. The material requires only water and air to achieve this conversion, making it a promising solution for cost-effectively removing toxic pollutants from the atmosphere.
A recent study found that a fungus containing N2-fixing endobacteria improves rice nitrogen nutrition, increasing biomass and ammonium in treated plants. The three-kingdom interaction among the fungus, bacteria, and plant may hold the key to improving nitrogen nutrition in crop plants.
A new study found that nitrous oxide emissions have risen steadily since the mid-20th century, linked to increased nitrogen substrates released into the environment. The global rate of increase has been underestimated by current methods, and a global effort is needed to solve this problem.
Researchers used moss (Haplocladium microphyllum) to monitor N deposition rates and sources in the Yangtze River Delta. They found a significant linear relationship between moss N content and wet N deposition rate, with decreasing trends from urban to rural areas.
A new study reveals that nitrous oxide emissions have increased significantly over the past two decades, with a faster rate of increase in the last decade. The authors estimate that global N2O emissions have increased by 1.6 TgN y-1 between 2000-2005 and 2010-2015.
Researchers successfully produce pure polynitrogen by zapping sodium azide with a jet of plasma in liquid nitrogen, opening a new avenue for stable production. The substance is stable at atmospheric pressure and temperatures up to -50 Celsius.
Researchers found that typhoons and eutrophic surface sea waters may be significant sources of dissolved organic nitrogen (ON) in wet deposition. Approximately one-third of total ON wet deposition was attributed to the co-occurrence of intense events like typhoons and strong rainfall.
A recent study found that the Tianjin Port explosion significantly increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Bohai Sea, with a 308.49 micromole N increase per square meter per day. The study suggests that the impact area of the explosion on the Bohai Sea is approximately 1/5 of its total area.
Scientists at Princeton University found that vanadium can facilitate nitrogen fixation when molybdenum is scarce, suggesting the process may be more resilient than previously thought. This discovery has significant implications for understanding nutrient budgets and biodiversity in ecosystems.
Daily satellite observations show that NOx lifetime decreases even as concentrations increase in 34 cities from 2005-2014. Accounting for these changes is crucial to accurately estimating NOx emissions and understanding the relationship between emissions and concentrations.
Ari Deibert Palczewski, a staff scientist at Jefferson Lab, has been awarded a DOE Early Career Research Program grant to develop a theoretical model of accelerator preparation. He aims to build on previous discoveries about doping niobium with nitrogen and create a mathematical model of the process.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals new bonding configurations for nitrogen and oxygen atoms in graphene. Researchers found that oxygen atoms can form three bonds with carbon neighbors, contradicting the traditional understanding of their bonding behavior.
A new study from University of Illinois researchers used computer modeling to estimate how land management practices may be affected by climate changes. The study found that redistribution of land uses and certain management practices can help reduce nitrogen loss without changing fertilizer application rates.
A new study reveals that phytoplankton in the tropics absorbed high levels of CO2 during Ice Ages due to iron-rich dust. This discovery explains almost all of the additional CO2 transported into oceans via the biological pump, improving climate models and understanding ocean processes.
Under climate warming up to 1.7 °C, sedge plants prioritize root growth over shoot growth due to nitrogen supply limitations; however, as warming intensifies, shoots become more prominent, indicating nitrogen supply now outpaces plant demand.
Marsh plants produce more stems that are noticeably smaller under high carbon dioxide, but adding nitrogen reverses this effect. This adaptation may help marshes absorb energy from storms and build soil, providing a defensive power against sea level rise.
A Cornell University collaboration has developed a reactive copper-nitrene catalyst that breaks C-H bonds and forms C-N bonds, crucial for pharmaceutical manufacturing. The catalyst's reactivity is due to the absence of two electrons in the nitrogen atom, making it highly reactive.
Researchers have discovered a new reaction that enables the production of indoline scaffolds, which are crucial for developing new medicines. By using nitrogen as a catalyst, the reaction can create complex assemblies more easily and efficiently.
Researchers at the University of Bradford have found a link between the diet of Roman Britons and their mortality rates using stable isotope data from bone collagen. Higher nitrogen isotope ratios were associated with a higher risk of mortality, while higher carbon isotope ratios were linked to a lower risk. The study provides new insi...
On Saturn's moon Titan, nitrogen explosions create craters that fill with liquid methane, forming distinctive lakes. The research suggests a pressurized explosion model as the best explanation for these geological features.
A 2018 Kilauea eruption led to an unusual algae super bloom that stretched for miles, fueled by the perfect cocktail of nutrients from the ocean, including nitrate, silicic acid, iron, and phosphate. The bloom, which was hundreds of miles wide, was an unexpected outcome of the volcanic event.
Scientists analyzed China's crop production and trade over 1986-2015, finding that imports can relieve nitrogen pollution but also expose China to market risks. The study proposes 'alternative' nitrogen and land concepts to mitigate environmental damage.
Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology found that corals use organic carbon to recycle waste ammonium, revealing new insights into coral-algae symbiosis. This process allows corals to control algal growth by regulating nitrogen flow.
Researchers developed a new process to form high-value chemicals called amides by coupling carbon and nitrogen bonds in an electrochemical reaction. This breakthrough enables the production of useful substances in various industries, including pharmaceuticals.
Researchers found that wet basins are more effective at removing nitrate from the water by converting it to gaseous nitrogen. Designing basins to hold water from the beginning could decrease production of nitrous oxides and mitigate eutrophication in bodies of water.
Rice University chemists have developed a fast and inexpensive synthetic route to azetidines, a class of molecules that can be used as building blocks in drug design. The new method allows for the creation of NH-azetidines, which contain unprotected nitrogen atoms, making them more accessible for further reactions.
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a new synthesis method for producing high-performance n-type semiconducting polymers using the DArP method. The resulting polymers, P1 and P2, exhibit significant improvements in electron mobility and stability compared to existing materials.
A UC Davis study highlights the need for a coordinated international policy to address the global nitrogen problem. The research suggests that applying fertilizers more precisely, removing pollution from the environment, and empowering consumers to think about sustainable food options can help alleviate the issue.
A 30-year study reveals that coral bleaching is not just caused by climate change, but also by reactive nitrogen from human activities. Nitrogen levels from sewage and fertilizers are causing phosphorus starvation in corals, leading to reduced temperature thresholds for 'bleaching'.
A new study from the University at Buffalo found a significant association between long-term exposure to air pollution and the severity of coronary artery calcium, or plaque buildup in artery walls. The study suggests that China may need to revise its standard for nitrogen dioxide limits to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.