environment

Dec 21, 2010

Trivial Pursuits: The Abstract’s 2010 Quiz

The Abstract staff will be taking off for a couple of weeks to prepare for 2011. In an attempt to amuse and entertain ourselves you, we’ve pulled together a quick quiz on some of the research we’ve written about in 2010. See how you do! Answers are below the photo, and include links to the… 

Dec 16, 2010

Undersea Methane Could be a Source of Ancient Carbon in Oceans

A North Carolina State University researcher is part of a team that has found methane is converted into dissolved organic matter within “cold seeps” – undersea areas where fluids bubble up through sediments at the bottom of the ocean.  This material could be a significant source of ancient organic matter in the oceans and may… 

Dec 8, 2010

Milk, Bread, Researchers: Stocking Up On Disaster Experts

September 11. The Gulf oil spill. Earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. The 2004 tsunami. Given the stakes involved, you would think that research into hazards and disasters (H&D) would be teeming with hordes of young scholars, trying to improve our understanding of how people prepare for (and respond to) catastrophic events. And you’d be wrong.… 

Nov 15, 2010

Lower Part of Earth’s Atmosphere is Warming, Data Review Concludes

The troposphere, the lower part of the atmosphere closest to the Earth, is warming in ways that are broadly consistent with both theoretical expectations and climate models, according to a new scientific study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the NOAA-North Carolina State University Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites (CICS). Since… 

Nov 12, 2010

Putting Education into Practice

Running for public office is not for the faint of heart of any age. But what if you're 21 years old, and a full-time, double-major, Dean's-list student? Meet NC State junior - and newly elected Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor - Jenna Wadsworth. 

Nov 11, 2010

Trampled Underfoot

Most New Yorkers think of medians – islands in the middle of busy streets – as not much more than temporary respites from taxi- or bus-induced death. (I’m speaking from experience – I crossed Park Avenue at least twice every school day while attending high school.) So it stands to reason that as they move… 

Nov 5, 2010

Extreme Makeover

Inside a makeshift garage, a team of NC State students moves hurriedly around a stripped-down SUV, working diligently under the watchful eye of three Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering graduate students. It's a race against the clock - as well as teams from 15 other universities across North America - to retool their ride into an energy-efficient, EcoCAR Challenge award winner. 

Nov 1, 2010

Researchers Developing Real-Time Electronic Monitoring For Coastal Waters

Researchers from North Carolina State University are developing a cost-effective electronic monitoring system that will enable researchers to advance our understanding of critical coastal ecosystems by allowing users to track water-quality data from these waters in real time, thanks to support from a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. 

Oct 6, 2010

Study: Fish Near Coal-Fired Power Plants Have Lower Levels Of Mercury

A new study from North Carolina State University finds that fish located near coal-fired power plants have lower levels of mercury than fish that live much further away. The surprising finding appears to be linked to high levels of another chemical, selenium, found near such facilities, which unfortunately poses problems of its own. 

Sep 24, 2010

Mimicking Nature, Water-Based ‘Artificial Leaf’ Produces Electricity

A team led by a North Carolina State University researcher has shown that water-gel-based solar devices – “artificial leaves” – can act like solar cells to produce electricity. The findings prove the concept for making solar cells that more closely mimic nature. They also have the potential to be less expensive and more environmentally friendly… 

Sep 23, 2010

NC State Named Southeast Climate Science Hub

North Carolina State University will lead the U.S. Department of the Interior’s new Southeast Climate Science Center. The regional center will  provide scientific research needed to understand more about climate change and use the research to work with natural- and cultural-resource managers to plan for climate-change impacts. 

Sep 16, 2010

Pristine Rainforests are “Biogeochemical Reactors;” Produce Fuel for Rainclouds

A multinational team that includes a North Carolina State University researcher has found another piece of the atmospheric puzzle surrounding the effects of aerosol particles on climate change. Their findings will contribute to our ability to more accurately measure human impact on climate, and to determine how much pollution may “mask” the actual rate of… 

Sep 1, 2010

Fertilizer Chemicals Linked To Animal Developmental Woes

Fertilizer chemicals may pose a bigger hazard to the environment – specifically to creatures that live in water – than originally foreseen, according to new research from North Carolina State University toxicologists. 

Aug 31, 2010

Archaeological Study Shows Human Activity May Have Boosted Shellfish Size

In a counter-intuitive finding, new research from North Carolina State University shows that a species of shellfish widely consumed in the Pacific over the past 3,000 years has actually increased in size, despite – and possibly because of – increased human activity in the area. 

Aug 19, 2010

NSF Grant Funds NC State Research On Predicting Effects Of Climate Change

North Carolina State University researchers are part of a major new research initiative from the National Science Foundation (NSF) aiming at improving climate scientists’ ability to predict potential consequences of climate change. The work being done at NC State will focus on improving our ability to predict hurricanes and precipitation patterns.