Last summer the Arctic sea ice melted to a record low. At the same time, a freak cyclone over the Arctic hung out for a record 13 days in August. Was the cyclone the key driver of the record ice melt? Researchers from UW’s Polar Science Center say that no. Read more here!
Read more »Seedling investments produce big rewards - Florida Today
An outreach center in Florida has turned the dirt around its buildings into a flourishing garden. According to research by SEFS’ Kathleen Wolf, green spaces in urban areas can promote a sense of community and self-esteem, increase coping and learning capacity, and help reduce ailments such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The gardeners in this Florida plot seem to agree.
Read more »App Feeds Scientists Atmospheric Data from Thousands of Smartphones - MIT Tech Review
An Android app that measures atmospheric pressure is now feeding that distributed data to scientists working on better ways to predict the weather. The app, called Pressure Net, highlights the potential of distributed sensing using mobile devices and shows how the sophisticated sensors found in modern smartphones could be harnessed for research. It was launched in late 2011 By Jacob Sheehy, a software developer for Flighthub.com,
Read more »Antarctic warming raises sea level concerns - PRI
New research suggests that a key part of Antarctica is warming up fast; the finding could help change the outlook for sea level rise this century. ESS‘ Eric Steig is included in this interview; check out the audio, video, and transcript here!
Read more »Arboretum gets $7.8 million to remove "ramps to nowhere", improve grounds - KOMO News
As part of an agreement between the Washington Department of Transportation, the Arboretum and Botanical Garden Committee, Seattle Parks and Recreation is receiving $7.8 million from the state to make improvements at the Arboretum as part of the 520 Bridge replacement project. Read more about this historic agreement!
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