Making Headlines

Tech Explorist, April 9, 2019

Now, a new study by Ohio State University has discovered a new solution. They found that combining natural rubber with bioplastic in a novel way results in a much stronger replacement for plastic, one that is already capturing the interest of companies looking to shrink their environmental footprints. ...

WOSU All Sides, April 8, 2019

Plastic in the oceans. Plastic on the beaches, berms and ditches that line the roadways.  A lot of that plastic has been used just once. In fact, geologists estimate that the entire earth could be covered with discarded single-use plastic such as straws, cups, plates and bags. And that plastic isn’t going away.  In response, some cities want to ban single-use plastics. Today on All Sides,  the shift away from plastic and toward zero waste.  ...

Business First, April 8, 2019

For Ohio State University President Michael Drake, the thing that excites him most about the emerging west campus innovation district isn't what buildings are already planned, but what is still left unknown. "One of the most exciting parts of all of this are things we haven't envisioned yet," Drake told me. "Things that will come up and create the future." ...

The Conversation, March 27, 2019

The year 2018 brought particularly devastating natural disasters, including hurricanes, droughts, floods and fires – just the kinds of extreme weather events scientists predict will be exacerbated by climate change. ...

The STEAM Factory-OSU, March 28, 2019

The STEAM Factory, in partnership with the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State, Ohio State Energy Partners and Honda Research, announces the inaugural STEAM Factory Interdisciplinary Post-Doctoral Research Program. Application review begins April 15. The program offers a postdoctoral opportunity in the Future of Mobility and Smart Cities or in Sustainable Urban Systems. ...

Scientific American, March 26, 2019

With global carbon emissions hitting an all-time high in 2018, the world is on a trajectory that climate experts believe will lead to catastrophic warming by 2100 or before. Some of those experts say that to combat the threat, it is now imperative for society to use carbon farming techniques that extract carbon dioxide from the air and store it in soils. ...

Richland Source, March 26, 2019

An announcement regarding "significant funding" of the microfarm project being coordinated through The Ohio State University-Mansfield is expected in the next several days. In fact, Kent "Kip" Curtis and Brian Snyder from the local campus had hoped to be able to provide the good news when they attended the Richland County commissioners meeting on Tuesday morning. ...

Mashable, March 25, 2019

Greenland's lengthy Jakobshavn glacier has retreated over 25 miles since the 19th century. And for the last two decades, this warming river of ice has purged more ice into to sea than any other Greenland glacier. But since 2016, Jakobshavn's rapid retreat has slowed down considerably and the glacier has even grown bigger. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory discovered that Jakobshavn's stagnated melt is only a temporary blip brought on by cooler ocean currents. Though worryingly, the recent slowing also carries ominous news for the thawing landmass. The research, published Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience, reveals that the Jakobshavn glacier — whose ice reaches some 2,600 feet under the sea — is extremely sensitive to changes in ocean temperature. That's a big problem because the dynamic ocean currents off western Greenland will naturally warm up again — on top of the reality that Earth's absorbent seas soak up over 90 percent of the planet's accumulating heat. These incessantly warming waters spell a grimmer future for both Jakobshavn and Earth's rising seas. ...

Earth.com, 10-Jan-19

Researchers at The Ohio State University are investigating a new disease that is killing beech trees. The experts report that the cause of “beech leaf disease” needs to be identified as soon as possible to stop it from continuing to spread. The disease has already made its way into 11 Ohio counties, eight Pennsylvania counties, and five counties in Ontario, Canada. The first sign of the disease is the appearance of dark-green bands between the veins of the leaves. In later stages, the leaves become crinkly, leathery, and darker all over. Ultimately, the tree limbs fail to form new buds and the tree dies. ALSO: EcoWatch: A Mysterious Leaf Disease Is Killing Beech Trees—and It's Spreading ...

Ohio’s Country Journal & Ag Net, 10-Jan-19

The Ohio egg production industry is a significant economic sector in the state and is responsible for creation of 12,503 jobs and $438 million in annual earnings. Technology advances in egg production facilities over the past decades have enabled very efficient operations of large-scale layer houses, that can typically host 100,000 to 250,000 hens with stacked cages, automated manure-belts, feed and water delivery, egg transport, and mechanical ventilation systems. In these larger layer houses, ventilation plays a crucial role in maintaining a proper indoor air conditions and for disease control for hen health and efficient egg production. However, it has been a challenge to achieve the comfort and health standards with existing ventilation systems. At The Ohio State University, an innovative ventilation system has been designed at the air quality and bioenvironmental lab, which can potentially improve indoor environment and limit disease outbreaks in layer houses.   ...