Beautiful.

Beautiful.

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1WVHh4n

materialsscienceandengineering: Highly efficient heavy metal...

materialsscienceandengineering:

Highly efficient heavy metal ions filter

In November 2015, Brazil experienced an unparalleled environmental disaster. When two dams broke at an iron ore mine, a poisonous cocktail of heavy metals was sent pouring into the Rio Doce, reaching the Atlantic some days later. The consequences were devastating for nature and humans alike: countless fish, birds and animals died, and a quarter of a million people were left without drinking water.

This case demonstrates that water pollution is one of today’s most serious global problems. No satisfactory technical solution has been found for the treatment of water contaminated with heavy metals or radioactive substances. Existing methods used to remove water from heavy metals, for example, have several disadvantages: either they are too targeted at a specific element or their filter capacity is too small; additionally, they are often too expensive.

Effective filtration of heavy metals

Now, a solution may have been found in a new type of hybrid filter membrane developed in the laboratory of Raffaele Mezzenga, Professor of Food and Soft Materials at ETH Zurich. This technology not only has an extremely simple structure, but also comprises low-cost raw materials, such as whey protein fibres and activated charcoal. Heavy metal ions can be almost completely removed from water in just a single pass through the filter membrane.

Read more.

Flint?

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/21Dvq1y

thebeakerblog: nevver: Winners, Royal Society Some winners...

IMAGE CREDIT: "GOING WITH THE FLOW: SCHOOLING TO AVOID A PREDATOR," CLAUDIA POGOREUTZ, GERMANY. CATEGORY WINNER: BEHAVIOUR. // ROYAL SOCIETY PUBLISHING




"Tadpoles overhead," Bert Willaert, Belgium Overall winner Category winner: Ecology and Environmental Science Royal Society Publishing


"A baboon gets lost in his thoughts,"Davide Gaglio, South Africa Special commendation Royal Society Publishing


"Sand has scales," Fabio Pupin, Italy Runner up: Evolutionary Biology Royal Society Publishing


"Fish louse,"Steve Gschmeissner, UK Special commendation Royal Society Publishing

thebeakerblog:

nevver:

Winners, Royal Society

Some winners from the first-ever photography contest held by the Royal Society. Overall winner is the shot filled with tadpoles that’s pictured above, but I think my favorite is the pensive gorilla with the little baby. -Patrick

Some great photography.

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1PRya42

Up Late? Looks Like Our Paleo Ancestors Didn't Sleep Much Either

Up Late? Looks Like Our Paleo Ancestors Didn't Sleep Much Either:

Hey, you’re normal: humans naturally don’t sleep much.

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1QAQUpk

npr: skunkbear: On April 26, 1986, a power surge caused an...

npr:

skunkbear:

On April 26, 1986, a power surge caused an explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine. A large quantity of radioactive material was released.

On May 2, 1986, the Soviet government established a “Zone of Alienation” or “Exclusion Zone” around Chernobyl – a thousand square miles of “radioactive wasteland.” All humans were evacuated. The town of Pripyat was completely abandoned.

But the animals didn’t leave. And a new study, published this month in Current Biology, suggests they are doing fine. “None of our three hypotheses postulating radiation damage to large mammal populations at Chernobyl were supported by the empirical evidence,” says Jim Beasley, one of the researchers.

In fact, some of the populations have grown. These photos (mostly taken by Valeriy Yurko) come from the Belarusian side of the Exclusion Zone, and area called the Polessye State Radioecological Reserve. Kingfisher, elk, boar, baby spotted eagles, wild ponies, moose, rabbits, and wolves all make their home in the park. In some ways, human presence is worse for wildlife than a nuclear disaster.

---

Image credits:

• 1986 Chernobyl - ZUFAROV/AFP/Getty Images
  
• Wildlife photos - Valeriy Yurko/Polessye State Radioecological Reserve
  
• Ponies in winter - SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images
  

An interesting look at how wildlife has returned to a place humans have abandoned. -Emily

This is really cool. When humans go extinct, the other animals will take over and thrive.

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1lvAIJ3