Martes, 30 de Abril de 2013
Lake Found in Sierra Nevada with the Oldest Remains of Atmospheric Contamination in Southern Europe
A team of scientists find in the Laguna de Rio Seco lagoon, at an altitude of 3,020 m., evidence of atmospheric pollution caused by lead and linked to metallurgical activities from 3,900 years ago (Early Bronze Age)
Lead pollution increased gradually during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, coinciding with the development and expansion of metallurgy in southern Europe
Atmospheric contamination due to heavy metals is currently a severe problem of global proportions, with important (...)
Jueves, 14 de Marzo de 2013
A New Method Has Been Patented to Measure the Flow of Traffic a Street Has To Bear by Measuring Atmospheric Noise
Researchers from the University of Granada and the Carlos III University of Madrid have developed a pioneer system, unique in the world, which is more efficient and accurate than any other currently-used method
The system is able to distinguish between the flow of cars, LGVs, HGVs or motorbikes/scooters travelling along a certain road
Researchers from the University of Granada and the Carlos III University of Madrid have patented a new method to measure the flow of motorized (...)
Miércoles, 13 de Junio de 2012
New Software Forecasts Noise Levels in a Street
University of Granada researchers are working on the application of neural networks to develop a urban noise forecasting model, which would be very useful to people who is interested in buying a new house.
This application yields a prediction of urban noise levels using a dataset (street type, road conditions, average speed of the vehicles passing by, road works, etc), with a reliability of 95%.
University of Granada researchers have designed a new software solution to determine (...)
Miércoles, 25 de Abril de 2012
Global Warming has driven Europe’s Mountain Plants to Migrate 2.7 m Upwards in 7 Years
Vascular plants have moved 2.7 m upwards, which might lead to the extinction of high-mountain species.
While species diversity in summits of temperate-boreal regions has increased, it has declined in Mediterranean regions.
Such are the results obtained from a study published in Science, where University of Granada researchers participated.
Researchers at the University of Granada Department of Botanic have participated in an international study that has confirmed that global warming is causing plants to migrate to higher altitudes. (...)
Martes, 15 de Diciembre de 2009
New afforestation techniques increase tree growth in Mediterranean farmlands
This research focused on the relationship between land and plant, and analysed the effect of afforestation projects on biodiversity at the landscape scale. This study will ensure successful implementation of the farmland afforestation program within EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (PAC)
Researchers from the University of Granada have developed new farmland afforestation techniques based on the relationship between land and plant that enhance young plant survival and development in Mediterranean environments. Their work will ensure successful implementation (...)
Miércoles, 18 de Marzo de 2009
Scientists use olive industry waste, such as olive pits, pomace and pruning remains, to decontaminate sewage
The waste obtained from olive during the oil extraction process can be used to eliminate heavy metals from sewage or waste waters of productive activities. Olive pits, pomace and remains (from olive tree pruning) present an outstanding capacity to retain the lead present in this water, which confirms their capacity as biosorbents for their application in the depuration of effluents on an industrial scale.This is one of the main conclusions of the doctoral thesis "Characterization (...)
Lunes, 16 de Marzo de 2009
A research work of the University of Granada will be the reference to characterize the climatic impact of desert dust
In the context of the climatic change of the planet, those research works that throw light on global warming are of great interest. That is the case of the studies on atmospheric aerosol, a suspension of solid or liquid particles on a gaseous environment that can contribute to the warming or cooling of the atmosphere.Juan Luis Guerrero Rascado developed his doctoral thesis “Lidar Technique for atmospheric characterization by elastic and Raman dispersion” precisely in this (...)
Martes, 09 de Diciembre de 2008
Sea bed provides information about present climatic change
Lately, every drought, flood or hurricane which happens in the planet is connected with climatic change, and therefore the interest of society and scientists is getting to know this phenomenon better.Climatic change is connected at present with the phenomenon of global warming. This is characterized by the increase of carbon dioxide (CO2 gas), which produces the reduction of heat emission to the space and provokes a higher global warming.Although gases in the atmosphere tell us (...)
Jueves, 27 de Noviembre de 2008
An essay proves that vegetation could recover in the ski resort of Sierra Nevada
The conditioning Works of Sierra Nevada’s ski runs have destroyed a great amount of vegetable species. The researchers of the University of Granada (Spain) have already managed to grow in the laboratory two native bushy species in order to suggest new mechanisms for vegetable cover restoration. They will try to use them to preserve the biodiversity in the National Park of Sierra Nevada.The vegetable species of Sierra Nevada are the 30% of Spain’s floral richness (...)
Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008
Exposure to organochlorate pollutants and lead weakens animals bones, according to a study
A new methodology developed by a researcher of the University of Granada will permit to determine the toxicological effects caused in animals which have been exposed to organochlorate pollutants and lead analysing their bones. This work has studied the effects of lead toxicity in the long term in wild birds populations, determining how this heavy metal causes bone weakening and fracture, provoking therefore a fall in the individual survival of the affected species.This work has (...)