Scientists recently revisited the site of a deep-sea mining test performed over four decades ago to see how well the seafloor had recovered. Their research highlights the persistent impact of deep-sea mining on the physical and biological environment of the deep ocean’s abyssal plains.
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Climate change, specifically rising levels of carbon dioxide, can have different ecological impacts. A new study shows how elevated levels of carbon dioxide can confuse some moths when they look for sites to lay eggs.
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AI models have a huge water footprint that most people do not even consider when they use generative AI. Behind every chatbot response or image generated lies the hidden cost of fresh water. Training and running large AI models like GPT-3 can consume millions of liters of freshwater, from cooling servers to producing electricity. This ‘thirst’ is often overlooked on multiple fronts, by consumers as well as industries because companies rarely report their full water use across data centers, electricity generation, and hardware manufacturing. Without greater transparency and sustainable practices, the rapid growth of generative AI challenges global water scarcity at a time access to clean water is already under threat.
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Featured Image Caption: The Water hyacinth is a floating plant that has clusters of leaves, lavender spiked flowers, and feathery
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Wildlife watching is a booming industry worth millions of dollars, but will tourists in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks pay to save species?
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An ever-expanding human population means more roads, more cars, and more traffic noise. But how does all this racket affect the animals living alongside us, like bees? A recent study examines whether increasing noise pollution affects the pollination behavior of bumblebees, and outline implications for the future of urban agriculture.
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Light pollution can negatively affect animals’ sleep, behavior, and physiology. A recent study in crows suggests that social interactions can reduce the adverse effects of light pollution.
Read MoreSource article: Wieczorek, K., Szczęsna, D., Radwan, M. et al. Exposure to air pollution and ovarian reserve parameters. Sci Rep
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In a new study published in Nature Geoscience, researchers investigate the underlying geography of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and identify fragments of a coastal plain that inform how these ice shelves could respond to warming global temperatures.
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Wildfires significantly impact water quality for up to 8 years post-burn, according to a new study that analyzes data from 500 watersheds across the western continental United States. This effort is the most extensive synthesis to date of large-scale, long-term trends in water quality in response to fires.
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