Day: August 21, 2019

Environmental health, Environmental justice, Water

New Report Says Only Running Chicago Taps For 3 Minutes Can Make Lead Problem Worse

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Read the full story from WBEZ.

Virginia Tech researchers are sounding new alarms about lead in Chicago’s water.

Tests they performed this summer on the South Side show that about a third of the tested homes delivered water with more lead than would be allowed in bottled water, according to results announced Monday at Nat King Cole Park in the Chatham neighborhood.

But the tests also showed another disturbing trend: Lead levels in many homes got higheras the water ran for up to three minutes.

In fact, the study found that after three minutes of running water, Chicago has more lead on average than Flint, Mich., during its 2015 water crisis.

Climate change, Natural resources, Publications

Global change is triggering an identity switch in grasslands

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Read the full story from Smithsonian.

Since the first Homo sapiens emerged in Africa roughly 300,000 years ago, grasslands have sustained humanity and thousands of other species. But today, those grasslands are shifting beneath our feet. Global change — which includes climate change, pollution and other widespread environmental alterations — is transforming the plant species growing in them, and not always in the ways scientists expected, a new study has revealed.

Biomimicry, Materials science, Publications

Drawing inspiration from natural marvels to make new materials

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Read the full story from the University of Delaware.

The shape-shifting bristle worm has the unique ability to extend its jaw outside of its mouth and ensnare surprised prey. The metal coordination chemistry that makes this natural wonder possible can also be the key to creating new materials for use in sensors, healthcare applications, and much more.

Scientific publishing

Hundreds of extreme self-citing scientists revealed in new database

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Read the full story in Nature.

Some highly cited academics seem to be heavy self-promoters — but researchers warn against policing self-citation.

Food and beverage manufacturing

Dasani’s new water vending machine is BYOB (bring your own bottle)

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Read the full story in Fast Company.

As part of a plan to reduce its plastic waste footprint, bottled water giant Dasani is rolling out a new way to pay to hydrate yourself: a machine that dispenses water (or seltzer), but only if you already have a bottle.

Recycling, Regulation

Enforcing Recycling: Does it Work?

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Read the full story in Waste360.

A look at how Westchester County, N.Y., and two other jurisdictions are enforcing stringent recycling measures.

Invasive species

Fighting back against the emerald ash borer

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Read the full story from Bowling Green State University.

The public health, social, environmental and economic benefits of trees are well known – and continue to expand with current trends like forest bathing. But since 2003, a little green beetle has been threatening trees in Ohio and beyond.

The emerald ash borer, an invasive, exotic beetle discovered in southeastern Michigan in 2002, has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America. In Ohio, where at one time one in every 10 trees was an ash tree, the ½-inch long bug seemed to have won its war.

But Bowling Green State University postdoctoral researcher Dr. Rachel Kappler says all may not be lost.

Air quality, Environmental health, Publications

Air pollution can accelerate lung disease as much as a pack a day of cigarettes

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Read the full story from the University of Washington.

Air pollution — especially ozone air pollution which is increasing with climate change — accelerates the progression of emphysema of the lung, according to a new study.

Wildlife

Fishing leads to investigation of environmental changes in waterways

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Read the full story from Penn State University.

A fisherman’s curiosity led to identification of the correlation between microbial communities in recreational freshwater locales and seasonal environmental changes, according to researchers.

Invasive species, Publications

DNA tests of UK waters could help catch invasive species early

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Read the full story from the University of Southampton.

Scientists have discovered several artificially introduced species in the coastal waters of southern England, using a technique that could help the early detection of non-native species if adopted more widely.

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