Research Explores Ways to Mitigate the Environmental Toxicity of Ubiquitous Silver Nanoparticles

Silver has long been used to thwart the spread of illness and in recent years silver nanoparticles have been incorporated into products ranging from sanitizers, odor-resistant clothes and washing machines to makeup, food packaging and sports equipment.

Researchers Identify Fastest Rate of Natural Carbon Dioxide Rise Over the Last 50,000 Years

Today’s rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide increase is 10 times faster than at any other point in the past 50,000 years, researchers have found through a detailed chemical analysis of ancient Antarctic ice.

Soil Testing Time Saver Predicts Key Soil Health Characteristics

Farmers in a time crunch have a new, speedier option for analyzing the texture and organic matter content of the soil on their fields.

Gerson Drescher, assistant professor of soil fertility for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, led a study to create prediction models for these key soil health indicators based on standard tests already being used to analyze soil samples.

“We want to provide people with the maximal amount of information that they can get from samples they are already submitting without the additional cost and time of analysis,” Drescher said.

The newly developed prediction model can help add information about the soil’s properties, which can guide fertilization, irrigation, and herbicide decisions, Drescher added. Standard soil testing evaluates plant-available nutrient content and soil pH. However, these properties are also affected by soil texture and organic matter in the soil, which require additional expensive and time-consuming tests.

Read more at: University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

Soil samples at the Marianna Soil Test Lab are prepared for testing. (Photo Credit: U of A System Division of Agriculture)

Image of the Day: Hurricanes Have Left their Mark on Louisiana’s Wetlands

Exactly 16 years after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in southern Louisiana, another major hurricane blew into the state. 

Name That Odor

Our brains process odors differently depending on the names assigned to them, according to new research. 

How Climate Change Will Affect Malaria Transmission

A new model for predicting the effects of climate change on malaria transmission in Africa could lead to more targeted interventions to control the disease according to a new study.

In Wet Winter, LA Captured Enough Stormwater to Supply One in Four People

Since October, Los Angeles County has gathered enough stormwater to meet the demand of one in four residents for a year. 

Armstrong Helping Strengthen Impact of Severe Weather Alerts

Research by Nebraska’s Cory Armstrong is defining the effectiveness of the alerts, warnings and advisories that swirl around extreme weather events.

NOAA Expands Availability of New Heat Forecast Tool Ahead of Summer

NOAA is expanding the availability of a new experimental heat tool called HeatRisk ahead of the hot summer months.

NASA Is Helping Protect Tigers, Jaguars, and Elephants. Here’s How.

As human populations grow, habitat loss threatens many creatures.