Environment

Secretary Moniz Announces San Francisco As Site Of Seventh Clean Energy Ministerial

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U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz
 
DOE News:
 
PARIS – U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that the United States will host the seventh Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM7) in San Francisco, California in June 2016.
 
The announcement was made at an event in Paris during the COP21 UN Climate Negotiations.
 
The annual meeting of energy ministers and other high-level delegates from the 23 CEM member countries and the European Commission, taking place June 1-2, will provide an opportunity for the major economies
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SFI: Mutualism – What Do We Know… Dec. 14

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Judie Bronstein, University of Arizona
 
SFI News:
 
The Santa Fe Institute (SFI) seminar, “Mutualism: What Do We Know, and Where Do We Go From Here?” is 12:15 p.m., Monday Dec. 14, at Collins Conference Room in Santa Fe.
 
Abstract: In this talk, I review the checkered history of the study of mutualism, a field that has only coalesced in the past 20 years.
 
I will identify six major research directions, then present our own recent work on hawkmoth-plant relationships to show how they can be integrated to move our understanding forward.
 
I conclude by discussing
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WIPP Workers Perform Filter Replacement

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Radiological workers ready used filters for off–site disposal. Courtesy/WIPP
 
WIPP News:
 
As recovery operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant continue, increased work activity in the underground results in higher levels of airborne salt dust, increasing the frequency with which filters are replaced. Last week, workers performed a filter replacement on WIPP’s Underground Ventilation System.
 
WIPP’s ventilation system has two filter units. Each unit has 84 separate filters arranges in four layers— moderate efficiency filters, high efficiency filters,
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Rain, Snow, Wind And Colder Weather Returning

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NWS News:

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a weather advisory for northern and central New Mexico favoring the northern mountains, northeast highlands and maybe far northeast plains.

Strong to potentially damaging winds are expected, followed by wintry weather beginning late tonight through Saturday night. Key Impacts:

  • Significant cool down from near record highs Thursday–Friday to 5 to 15 degree below normal temperatures during the weekend.
  • Snow accumulations Friday night through Saturday night favoring the Colorado border area with secondary impacts
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PEEC Amateur Naturalist: Insect Camouflage

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By ROBERT DRYJA
Los Alamos

Insects have different kinds of camouflage to hide themselves. A praying mantis may grow to be up to six inches long, but how many people have seen such a large one?

A praying mantis may be so well camouflaged that it can capture a hummingbird that is coming to a flower for nectar.

A praying mantis selects plants that match its color rather than changing its color to match a plant.

Brown praying mantis. Courtesy photos

 

 

 

 

 

Rosy praying mantis. Courtesy photos

 

 

 

 

 

Green praying mantis. Photo by Sally King/Bandelier Read More

Ceres’ Bright Spots Likely Brine Deposits

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This image, made using images taken by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, shows Occator crater on Ceres, home to a collection of intriguing bright spots. The bright spots are much brighter than the rest of Ceres’ surface, and tend to appear overexposed in most images. This view is a composite of two images of Occator: one using a short exposure that captures the detail in the bright spots, and one where the background surface is captured at normal exposure. The images were obtained by Dawn during the mission’s High Altitude Mapping Orbit (HAMO) phase, from which the spacecraft imaged Read More

Planetarium Showing ‘Exoplanets’ Film This Weekend

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Exoplanets poster. Courtesy/PEEC

PEEC News:

Pajarito Environmental Education Center is bringing Exoplanets back to the Los Alamos Nature Center Planetarium at 2 p.m., Dec. 12 and Dec. 13.

Exoplanets takes audiences on a journey to observeplanets beyond our solar systemand uncover the science and astronomy behind their discovery. This full-dome film was produced by Casper Planetarium.

Tickets may be purchased by phone or at the nature center for $6 for adults and $4 for children. This movie is recommended for ages four and up. The movie starts promptly at 2 p.m. and seating is limited.

For Read More

Learn About The Sun At Planetarium Show Friday

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Solar filaments through a telescope. Courtesy photo

PEEC News:

Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is holding a special show in the Los Alamos Nature Center Planetarium 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11.

Rick Wallace will explore the sun and its effects on our planet, moon, astronauts, and future colonies on other planets.

This special planetarium show is $6 for adults and $4 for children. Tickets are available by calling or stopping by the nature center. Seating is limited.  Planetarium shows are suitable for ages four and up. For more information about this and other PEEC programs, Read More

LANL’s Science In 60 seconds: The Hunt For Antarctic Meteorites

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LANL scientist Nina Lanza has signed up to spend nearly six weeks in a tent on the Antarctic ice sheet. ScreenShot/LANL

LANL News:

She’s the “coolest” thing in science, searching the ice sheets of Antarctica for meteorites from outer space.

Los Alamos National Laboratory scientist Nina Lanza has signed up to spend nearly six weeks in a tent on the Antarctic ice sheet. Why would anyone do such a thing? For science, obviously!

In the premiere episode of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s “Science in 60” video series, Lanza gives us the low-down in 60 seconds on the why and how of hunting meteorites on Read More

Santa Fe National Forest Closes El Cajete Mine Area

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SFNF News:

The Santa Fe National Forest today issued a temporary closure order for the El Cajete pumice mine in the Jemez Ranger District. 

The restricted area, a total of 87 acres, runs north along N.M. 4 between the Sierra Los Pinos subdivision and mile post 34. 

The closure will allow reclamation efforts on the site, including erosion control and revegetation, to stabilize. The order will stay in effect until Oct. 31, 2017, unless it is rescinded earlier.

All activities are prohibited within the closure area. The closure area is fenced on all four sides, and closure signs will be Read More