• Permafrost Thaw and Wildfires Are Raising CO2 Emissions in Arctic Tundras
    www.discovermagazine.com
    Climate change has already begun to instigate environment-altering effects around the world, and the latest evidence is cropping up in arctic regions that are emitting increasing amounts of carbon dioxide. Researchers in a new study published in Nature Climate Change, have measured the flow of carbon in the Arctic-boreal zone (ABZ) consisting of the treeless tundra, boreal forests, and wetlands in northern latitudes and found that a shifting dynamic is underway.These environments were once mostly carbon dioxide sinks, meaning they absorbed more atmospheric CO2 than they released. The majority of the ABZ still acts as a sink, but now, some spots have started to become significant carbon sources.A Change in the Earth's BreathingIn the new study, an international research team led by the Woodwell Climate Research Center assessed a collection of carbon flux data spanning from 1990 to 2020, taken from 200 sites in the ABZ. They found that 34 percent of the ABZ is now a source of carbon to the atmosphere, and this percentage goes up to 40 percent when considering emissions from wildfires.The researchers wanted to know how the constant breathing of the Earth in other words, the cycle of CO2 uptake and release that is largely driven by plant photosynthesis and decomposition has changed in northern latitudes. From 2001 to 2020, the ABZ has generally been increasing as a carbon sink due to increased carbon uptake during summers. This serves the important role of maintaining a balance in the atmospheres CO2 levels.However, more spots in the ABZ especially in tundras are also turning into carbon sources, mainly due to rising emissions during non-summer seasons. Other reasons may include vegetation dieback (the gradual death of plant tissue) and the growing frequency of permafrost thaw. In tundra regions, average annual soil temperatures are trending toward above freezing, leading to a greater incidence of organic decomposition, which contributes CO2 to the atmosphere. In addition, introducing fire emissions further augments the CO2 levels reviewed in the study.While we found many northern ecosystems are still acting as carbon dioxide sinks, source regions and fires are now canceling out much of that net uptake and reversing long-standing trends, said Anna Virkkala, a research scientist at the Permafrost Pathways initiative at Woodwell Climate and lead author of the study, in a statement.Unlike tundras, the somewhat milder boreal forests are more often experiencing strong carbon uptake due to longer summers, offsetting the non-summer emissions. These regions, though, are still seeing the appearance of more carbon sources as well.Read More: Debunking 3 Common Climate Change MythsCarbon Source HotspotsResearchers upscaled the CO2 data, which combined individual site-level readings with climate, soil, and vegetation records to create living maps that showed the fluctuations of atmospheric carbon. The upscaling revealed where this changing dynamic is occurring; the researchers note that it is certain hotspots within the ABZ that are greatly impacting trends in carbon flux.Growing carbon sources have been showing up primarily in northern Europe, Canada, Siberia, and central Alaska. Carbon sources are becoming especially prevalent in tundra and boreal environments in Alaska. The researchers say this may be a result of Alaska having rapidly warming autumns and declining autumn snow cover. Accelerated permafrost thaw in the state has also been observed in recent decades.Keeping an Eye on SiberiaSiberia presents an interesting case, as the regions boreal environments represent some of the strongest net sources and sinks according to data. On the whole, Siberia tundras and boreal forests are experiencing escalating sink trends; this may be influenced by factors like earlier starts to the growing season, increased carbon uptake from declining spring snow cover, and increased tree distribution. Siberia will be a crucial area to watch since it stores more than half of the permafrost regions carbon stocks and is warming quicker than other parts of the ABZ.Although data from the past three decades has shown patterns of both rising sink and source trends, researchers say more data is needed in places like Siberia and the Canadian Arctic. Studying the entire ABZ region, particularly areas where permafrost is melting, will be a pivotal step in the future as climate change intensifies.Carbon cycling in the permafrost region is really starting to change, Virkkala said. Our study may act as a warning sign of bigger changes ahead, and offers a map of places well need to better monitor in the coming decades.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Nature Climate Change. Wildfires offset the increasing but spatially heterogeneous Arcticboreal CO2 uptake UNU EHS. 5 Things You Need to Know About Forest Die-backNational Park Service. Fire in Ecosystems: Arctic TundraJack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine.
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  • Fieldparticle energy transfer during chorus emissions in space
    www.nature.com
    Nature, Published online: 22 January 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08402-zWhistler-mode chorus waves have been observed in the tail region of the terrestrial magnetosphere, where the magnetic field is not dipolar so that chorus waves were not expected, and their generation mechanisms have been tested with state-of-the-art observations.
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  • Experience-dependent dopamine modulation of male aggression
    www.nature.com
    Nature, Published online: 22 January 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08459-wDopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area have a role in modulating aggression in adult male mice, and this effect of dopamine depends strongly on fighting experience.
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  • Faster brain aging tied to X chromosome inherited from Mom
    www.livescience.com
    Female mammals typically carry two X chromosomes one from each parent and a new study suggests that the maternal X is linked to faster brain aging.
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  • Short Blender Movie about Creativity Struggles That Artists Will Understand
    cgshares.com
    Gurgen Aloian poured his soul and artistic experience into a short Blender-made movie about creativity and self-imposed limitations.The video tells the story of an artist stuck in his boundless 3D world and then realizing how finite it is when he is the only one inside.I made this almost as a reminder to myself: to fill my creative space with experiences, because what else can there be!? I was also thinking that I am definitely not alone, and so many artists struggle with this. We like to be comfortable, forgetting how comfort can be a detriment to creativity, Aloian said.Creativity is wonderful stimulating and infinite. But at the same time, we are ourselves finite creatures, and have needs bound to reality, he added. I call myself (and the viewer) to gather experiences so I (we) can fill the boundless canvas of creation. Otherwise it will be only filled with myself and my past in a vacuum.Many other artists could relate to the message, and maybe Aloians other works might speak to you, too, so visit his Instagram and YouTubefor more. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gurgen Aloian (@gurgen_aloian) View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gurgen Aloian (@gurgen_aloian) View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gurgen Aloian (@gurgen_aloian) View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gurgen Aloian (@gurgen_aloian)Also, join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Short Blender Movie about Creativity Struggles That Artists Will Understand appeared first on CG SHARES.
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  • Check Out Shading Modes Available In Unitys Poiyomi Shaders
    cgshares.com
    Poiyomi Shaders are powerful and versatile shaders for Unitys Built-In Rendering Pipeline, specifically tailored for VRChat. Offering a variety of shading modes and advanced light handling, theyre free, open-source, and prioritizes ease of use and performance.In the past, weve showcased some of these shaders impressive capabilities through stunning animated dragon tails created for a VRChat avatar by SirMango. You can see more of it in action in this reel by Teeh, who utilized effects from both the free and paid versions of Poiyomi Shaders, offering extra features.Heres what youll find in the standard free version of Poiyomi Shaders:Multiple shading models: Realistic, Toon, Flat, and more, with deep customization and robust handling of adverse lighting conditions;Multiple rendering modes: Opaque, Cutout, Transparent, and more;Physically-based Reflections and Specular;Stylized rendering functionality: Matcaps, Outlines, Rim Lighting;Special effects: Glitter, Sparkle, Emission, Iridescence, etc.Powerful global masking system;Extensive control over rendering options: Culling, ZWrite, ZTest, Stencils, etc.Also, check out these videos by Teeh, who will help you get accustomed to some of the main features:Get Poiyomi Shaders on GitHub and follow its official page on X/Twitter for the latest updates andcreations from the VRChat community. To get access to Poiyomi Pro, support the developers on Patreon.Also,join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us on Instagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Check Out Shading Modes Available In Unitys Poiyomi Shaders appeared first on CG SHARES.
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  • Fortnite Festival Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller Gets Rare Discount
    www.gamespot.com
    PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller for PS5 & PS4 $114.71 (was $130) See at Amazon PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller for Xbox & PC $119 (was $130) See at Amazon The officially licensed PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller has received a rare discount at Amazon. The PS5 and PS4 edition is available for $114.71, while the Xbox and PC version is slightly more expensive at $119. Released last March to support Fortnite Festival, the Riffmaster is the only guitar controller currently being produced that's licensed by PlayStation and Xbox. PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller for PS5 & PS4 $114.71 (was $130) To be clear, this is technically a Rock Band 4 controller, but Epic Games added support for a variety of guitar controllers last April, including Rock Band 4 guitars.By default, the Riffmaster is configured for right-handed players, but left-handed players can use it by removing a single screw and reversing the neck. The Riffmaster has five upper and lower frets as well as a D-pad on the pick guard and an analog stick on the back of the headstock.The controller offers a 30-foot wireless range via the included USB dongle and can run for up to 36 hours on a full charge. It has a built-in 3.5mm audio jack and comes with a shoulder strap.As an officially licensed controller, the Riffmaster also has the PS button to open up the PS5's control center or return to the home screen.Unlike many PlayStation controllers, the Riffmaster wasn't designed with PlayStation console compatibility in mind. That said, some users have been able to get the PlayStation Riffmaster working on PC with unofficial third-party drivers. See at Amazon PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller for Xbox & PC $119 (was $130) If you primarily play Fortnite Festival on PC, however, you'll want to opt for the Xbox version of the Riffmaster. The Xbox model has the same features as the PlayStation edition. It has the Xbox button that opens the Guide.Both models have a sleek black and gray color scheme and are made of sturdy plastic. A collapsible design makes it easy to store the guitar or take it with you when traveling. Once taken apart, the the controller can be tossed in a backpack and then reassembled in a minute or two. See at Amazon Unfortunately, neither model is compatible with Nintendo Switch. But if you're looking for an alternative to a traditional controller for Switch or PC, CRKD recently launched a unique version of its great Neo S Wireless Controller. The Neo S Fortnite Festival Edition has a five-fret detachable module reminiscent of the accessory for Guitar Hero games on Nintendo DS. It's available now at Amazon for $60. CRKD Neo S Fortnite Festival Edition Controller for PC & Switch $60 See at Amazon
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  • Celeste Devs Next Project Earthblade Officially Canceled
    www.gamespot.com
    Celeste developer Extremely Ok Games has announced that its next project, Earthblade, has been canceled. The decision was made back in December, but the the team said it needed to process the news before announcing it publicly.Director Maddy Thorson provided more details in a final blog post. One of the main reasons for the cancelation revolved around disagreements over the Celeste IP rights, the details of which the studio has decided not to disclose. While a resolution was reached, founding member Pedro Medeiros parted ways with Earthblade in November and is now working on his own game, Neverway.Medeiros's departure led Thorson and programmer Noel Berry to reevaluate Earthblade, which was still promising but not as far along considering its long development period.Continue Reading at GameSpot
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  • Elden Ring: All Daggers, Ranked
    gamerant.com
    In a title like Elden Ring, where bosses are enormous and their attacks tend to have absurd range, it takes a special kind of player to willingly choose a dagger. In truth, based solely on their short reach alone, daggers are probably one of the most difficult weapons to use in all of Elden Ring. However, when paired with a lighter equipment load, the right Ash of War choice, and a bit of cunning, daggers can actually be one of the most rewarding weapons to use.
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  • Leaker Addresses Resident Evil 9 Jill Rumors
    gamerant.com
    A popular leaker tells fans to lower their expectations for a Jill Valentine comeback in Resident Evil 9, saying that she won't have nearly as big of a part in the game as others have claimed. Fans are eagerly waiting for official updates on the next Resident Evil title, many hoping to see something that stays true to the series, with some wishing to see beloved characters more active than ever.
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