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Science

Submission + - Giant crab invasion looms in Antarctica (mongabay.com) 4

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: A 0.12 degree C rise in temperature will spur giant King Crabs to invade the Antarctic continental shelf, causing havoc for its unique ecosystem, reports a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Temperatures are currently rising 0.01-0.02 per year, meaning it could be less than a decade before the crabs chow down on the soft-bodied invertebrates that currently rule the shelf. “It's much more reminiscent of the Paleozoic era before all those shell-crushing crabs and bony fish and bottom-feeding sharks and rays evolved," said marine biologist Richard Aronson. “The bottom communities in Antarctica are anachronisms. They're a window to the past. They're going to get modernized when these crabs show up.”
Communications

Submission + - 15 years in jail for clicking "Like" (smh.com.au) 2

Submitted by
patiwat
patiwat writes: "Thailand has warned Facebook users that they could face 3 to 15 years in jail for if they press ''share'' or ''like'' on images or articles considered unflattering to the Thai monarchy. And it doesn't just apply to Thai subjects: a US citizen was arrested and convicted while visiting Thailand for posting a link to an unauthorized biography of King Bhumibol on his blog. Convictions for virtual lese majeste have sky-rocketed in recent years as efforts to defend the widely revered royal family from criticism have ramped up."
Science

Submission + - Paul Allen lent personal ROV to study old fish (mongabay.com)

Submitted by crudmonkey
crudmonkey writes: It took a custom-made submarine, billionaire Paul Allen, and a tenacious desire lasting well beyond two decades to unveil enigmatic details about the life of the coelacanth—the primitive fish that invariably hooks researchers. A study published earlier this year in the journal Marine Biology summarizes 21 years of coelacanth population research.
Science

Submission + - Sensor enables 3D mapping of rainforests, tree by (mongabay.com) 1

Submitted by rhettb
rhettb writes: High above the Amazon rainforest in Peru, a team of scientists is conducting an ambitious experiment: a biological survey of a never-before-explored tract of remote and inaccessible cloud forest. They are doing so using an advanced system that enables them to map the three-dimensional physical structure of the forest as well as its chemical and optical properties. This sensor—built by engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory—is the first of its kind. The spectrometer can detect dozens of signals such as photosynthetic pigment concentrations, water content of leaves, defense compounds like phenols, and structural compounds such as lignin and cellulose. These signals can build signatures to distinguish individual plant species as well as other measures of forest condition.
Idle

Submission + - With Yeti sighting in doubt, will cameratraps help (mongabay.com) 1

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: This week a Yeti conference in Russia announced 'indisputable proof' of the legendary hairy ape in the wilds of Southern Siberia. What did this proof consist of? Not DNA, photographs, video, or the Yeti itself (dead or alive) as one would expect from the word 'indisputable', but a few alleged Yeti hairs, an alleged bed, and alleged footprints. Cryptozoologists, those who are fascinated by hidden species such as the proposed Bigfoot, don't serve their cause by stating the reality of a species without the evidence long-deemed necessary by scientific community to prove it instead they make themselves easy targets of scorn and ridicule.
Science

Submission + - Rat uses 'poison arrow' toxin from tree (mongabay.com) 1

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: The African crested rat, a rodent from East Africa, applies a toxin from tree bark to make itself poisonous, reports a new study published in Proceedings of The Royal Society B. The discovery is the first known instance of a mammal acquiring its poison from a plant. All other known poisonous mammals — including the duck-billed platypus, shrews and the solenodon — produce their toxins themselves.
Google

Submission + - Google Earth used to track fish behavior (mongabay.com)

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: A new study published in Scientific Reports has discovered visible evidence on Google Earth of the interactions between marine predators and prey in the Great Barrier Reef. Studying the satellite imagery of lagoons around remote and protected Heron Island in the Great Barrier Reef, researchers found that they could easily identify a phenomenon known as 'grazing halos'. Scientists believe these 'grazing halos' are created by hungry herbivorous fish and sea urchins who pick a region clean of seaweed, revealing the substrate beneath. Seeking protection from predators in a reef, these herbivores venture out to feed only so far, creating a halo-shape around their refuge.
Science

Submission + - Google offers $280M to help businesses go solar (networkworld.com)

Submitted by
coondoggie
coondoggie writes: "Continuing its love of all things green, Google today said it was building a $280 million fund to help businesses and home owners finance solar panels. Specifically, Google said it was investing $280 million to create a fund that will help SolarCity finance solar installations across the country. Google added that the investment was its largest clean energy project investment to date and brings our total invested in the clean energy sector to more than $680 million."
Facebook

Submission + - Barbie's Facebook a casualty of Greenpeace war (mongabay.com) 1

Submitted by terrancem
terrancem writes: Mattel shut down the comment function on the Barbie Facebook fan page after Greenpeace supporters barraged the page with complaints about the company's use of packaging materials linked to destruction of rainforests in Indonesia. The Barbie Facebook page has 2.3 million fans.
Science

Submission + - New sensor x-rays forests, creates 3D species maps (mongabay.com) 2

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: A new airplane-based remote-sensing and analysis system will enable scientists to catalog tree species as they create three-dimensional maps of tropical forests. The system uses the most advanced airborne imaging spectrometer ever developed to detect small changes in forest canopy structure from selective logging and distinguish between plant species.
Idle

Submission + - Rodent thought extinct for 113 years reappears (mongabay.com)

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: The red-crested tree rat had not been recorded since 1898 and was thought possibly extinct—that is until one showed up at 9:30 PM on May 4th at a lodge in El Dorado Nature Reserve in northern Colombia. About the size of a guinea pig, the red-crested tree rat had only been known from two skins previously.
Science

Submission + - Escaped Bronx Zoo cobra recpatured (mongabay.com) 1

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: The missing Bronx Zoo cobra that quickly became a pop culture sensation has been found in the zoo's Reptile House. The escaped serpent was found in a non-public, off-exhibit area in the Reptile House, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs the zoo. The Egyptian cobra was said to be in good condition, but it will be placed under observation and evaluated.
Republicans

Submission + - Republicans believe in climate change, not warming (mongabay.com)

Submitted by Damien1972
Damien1972 writes: A new study finds that self-described Republicans are less skeptical of "climate change" than "global warming". The research, conducted by psychologists at the University of Michigan, found that 44 percent of Republicans endorsed the idea that "global warming" is real, whereas 60 percent believed in "climate change." Among self-described Democrats the difference in wording was negligible: 86.9 percent vs. 86.4 percent.

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