Category: Plants

NASA: HIGHER CO2 LEVELS REPONSIBLE FOR ‘GREENING’ EARTH


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Greening is evidence of accelerated plant growth and heightened rates of photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is a main source of fuel for plants — and thus, all life on Earth — and previous studies show a rise in CO2 results in plant growth.

But other sources of nutrients and external factors can accelerate photosynthesis and greening, including changes in nitrogen levels, land usage, temperature and weather.

An international team of researchers isolated each of these factors and ran them through a series of computer models. The results suggest rising CO2 levels best explain the increase in leaf cover, or greening, measured by NASA and NOAA satellites.

http://www.infowars.com/nasa-higher-co2-levels-reponsible-for-greening-earth/

 

Belgium ‘beefs up security’ at nuclear plants


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Belgium security forces tightened security at nuclear plants across the country after deadly attacks in the capital city of Brussels, the Belga news agency said.

“Surveillance is stepped up with added security measures at nuclear plants,” the agency reported.

“Vehicles are being checked with police and army on site,” the agency added.

http://news.yahoo.com/belgium-beefs-security-nuclear-plants-105258441.html;_ylt=AwrXgiKUN_FW9W4AilbQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjR0MTVzBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwM3BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg–

Here’s why the surface of Mercury is so dark


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For years, scientists have wondered why Mercury is so dark. It doesn’t have as much iron and titanium as the Moon, so it should be brighter. A team at Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Laboratory finally has the answer, though. Thanks to a spectral analysis of color images from NASA’s Messenger probe, they’ve determined that carbon (specifically, graphite) is the probable culprit behind Mercury’s dim look. Most likely, what you’re seeing is the aftermath of the tiny planet growing up. As the young Mercury’s magma ocean cooled 4.6 billion years ago, the graphite would have floated to the top and formed the original crust — there just happens to be enough of it left to affect visibility.

The data might not just solve one riddle. Besides explaining some of Mercury’s early history, it could also give a sense of the materials that were swirling close to the Sun as the solar system formed. The exact blend of minerals still isn’t known, but this one insight could easily pay dividends. And given that Messenger collected much more data, it won’t be shocking if there are more answers in the near future.

http://www.engadget.com/2016/03/08/scientists-explain-why-mercury-is-dark/

Tag:  astronomy, carbon, graphite, johns hopkins, mercury, messenger, planet, science,space, spectrometer