Quick recovery of coral reefs possible

Coral reefGood news for coral reefs around the world. New research on the state of Hawaiian coral reefs and their relation to human activity over a 700 year time span shows that even strongly degraded reefs can recover, with the right conservation efforts.

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Nobel Prize in Physics again goes to US (with touch of Australia) for accelerating expansion Universe

The 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to (1st half) Saul Perlmutter of Berkeley and (2nd half) to Adam Riess and Brian Schmidt for their discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae – which ended the believe implosions would follow after Big Bang-like cosmic explosions. What’s more dramatic, from the accelerating expansion measurements we learn everything will end up in nothingness, as even atoms will dissolve when space consumes all gravity. Hurrah!*

The Science Olympics

Apart from another nice occasion to cheer at an always well-deserved winner and an annual public attention for science boost, we are also happy to add some extra colour to the below map of the world of ultimate achievers in Physics.

Because we should not forget that what the Olympics are to sports fanatics, the Nobel Prizes are to the nerds: an honourable chance to carry your country’s flag to the battlefield.

Although all three 2011 winners are born in the US, Mr Schmidt works for the Australian National University. [Riess has a position at Johns Hopkins University.]

Nobel Prize Physics infographic
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Arctic ozone hole is larger than ever

Sun and cloudsThe Antarctic ozone hole was big news in the eighties. It was a clear sign of man’s detrimental influence on our planet.

Now the ozone layer over the Arctic is so thin that for the first time it can be called an ozone hole as well, according to new research in Nature.

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Today’s paradox: Indian monsoon may recover at price of climate change

Ganges monsoon drought not caused by climate changeOver the second half of the 20th century the monsoon rains in the Ganges Valley in north and northeast India decreased by 10 percent. Meanwhile monsoon rains in the south and the Indus Valley [remember 2010 Pakistan floods] increased.

Burning of fossil fuels and wood fires is causing the Indian monsoon disturbance, but not in the way most people think, show Princeton researchers.

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Scientists redefine SI Units – using graphene

You may not be aware of the fact, but physicists express your waistline in volumes of platinum with iridium. Does that make you feel uncomfortable? They agree!

SI units kilogrammes & amperes redefined using grapheneRelating you to the Planck constant h is a much better idea. Unfortunately weight will be fixed from then on…

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Early warning system for coral reef collapse found

coralGlobal warming, overfishing and ocean acidification form a major threat to ocean ecosystems, possibly even leading to an oceanic Holocene mass extinction. We might even have to say goodbye to the planet’s last coral reef by 2050 if we’re not careful.

A new study however shows that the currently most used measure to determine reef health, coral cover, is but the last change a reef undergoes before its final collapse, making the first observed sign of degradation too late in the process to stop it.

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The next best thing for solar cells: carbon nanotubes

Solar cellsCarbon in its wide range of shapes and variations seems to be the new material to work with no matter what sector you’re in. Especially the possibilities of carbon in its numerous nano forms seem limitless.

While yesterday it was copper nanowires that were set to change the solar cell industry by making solar energy more affordable and easier to implement. Today carbon nanotubes seem to do an even better job at it.

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