Heavens

An international team of researchers in Colombia, the UK, USA and Switzerland have developed the first ever system to monitor deforestation across Latin America in near real-time using satellite data. Preliminary results from the new system reveal that in parts of Colombia, deforestation has increased by 340 per cent since 2004; and over a million hectares of forest have been lost in the Gran Chaco region of Paraguay.

Los Angeles, CA (19 June 2012) Providing evidence of value remains an elusive goal for academic libraries across geographic borders, according to a new report published today. The findings are the results of a six-month research project commissioned by SAGE, which sets out recommendations for academic libraries to enhance their working relationship with academic teaching and research staff.

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2012 — Just in time for the first day of summer tomorrow, the American Chemical Society's (ACS') award-winning Bytesize Science video series is offering a new episode on the chemistry of the sunscreen products that millions of people will slather on their skin during the warm months ahead. The video, produced by the ACS Office of Public Affairs, is available at www.BytesizeScience.com.

Vast differences in cycling cultures have been found in UK cities; for some cycling is a traditional transport accessible to all while for others it is a new edgy, urban subculture according to recent findings from a research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). "We wanted to find out what British cycling cultures were like, what supported them, and what local and national factors continue to exist as barriers", says Dr Rachel Aldred from the University of East London.

NASA's Earth-observing fleet of satellites provides a worldwide and unbiased view with standardized scientific data -- information crucial for tracking the health of the world's forests.

Countries like Brazil are using data from NASA satellites to track and measure their forests in advance of a United Nations effort to reduce climate change by providing "carbon credits" for protected land.

All hatches should be battened down at Kadena Air Base, Japan as NASA satellite imagery today, June 18, revealed the northern quadrant of Typhoon Guchol as already affecting the island.

Tropical Storm Talim was born today in the South China Sea, and NASA's TRMM satellite noticed the heaviest rainfall in the storm is occurring in the south and western quadrants of the storm. NASA's Aqua Satellite noticed that some of Talim's rainfall is reaching Vietnam.

(Edmonton) Teen mothers are far more likely to suffer abuse and postpartum depression than older moms, according to a study of Canadian women's maternity experiences by a University of Alberta researcher.

Dawn Kingston, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Nursing, analyzed data from the Maternity Experiences Survey, which asked more than 6,400 new mothers about their experiences with stress, violence, pre- and postnatal care, breastfeeding and risky behaviour like smoking and drug use before, during and after pregnancy.

WASHINGTON, June 18—When restoring damaged and faded works of art, artists often employ lasers and other sophisticated imaging techniques to study intricate details, analyze pigments, and search for subtle defects not visible to the naked eye. To refine what can be seen during the restoration process even further, a team of Italian researchers has developed a new imaging tool that can capture features not otherwise detectable with the naked eye or current imaging techniques.

The prototype system, which was mounted on a trailer, consists of a stereo camera, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of two different colors, and an assembly to provide a continuous supply of sealant to longitudinal and transverse sealant distribution systems. The operation required only one worker to drive the vehicle pulling the trailer.

NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over Carlotta when it was a tropical storm and found areas of heavy rain throughout and powerful high thunderstorms almost 10 miles high, hinting the storm would strengthen into a hurricane. By 8 a.m. EDT on June 15, Carlotta became the first hurricane of the eastern Pacific Ocean season.

Typhoon Guchol has spawned alerts in the Philippines as it is forecast to skirt the eastern part of Luzon this weekend, and will likely spawn warnings in Okinawa and western Japan over the next couple of days as it tracks in that direction. NASA's TRMM satellite analyzed rainfall within the storm and found heavy rainfall around the center of circulation, falling at a rate of over 2 inches/50 mm per hour and there were hot towering thunderstorms.

Designing machines that can be driven by thermal noise is a dream for scientists. In 1912, Smoluchowski presented a gedankenexperiment consisting of an asymmetric ratchet with a pawl that could harness work from thermal noise but the concept was disproved. In 1997, Kelly et al. experimentally designed a molecule and observed spontaneous unidirectional rotations of the molecule (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 36, 1866 (1997)). Later, in a paper entitled "Tilting at Windmills?

Soaring numbers of older, sicker prisoners are causing an unprecedented health care challenge for the nation's criminal justice system, according to a new UCSF report.

As the American penal system confronts a costly demographic shift toward older prisoners, the authors call for an overhaul in health care practices for elderly inmates who disproportionately account for escalating medical expenses behind bars. The recommendations include screening for dementia among prisoners, improved palliative care, and standard policies for geriatric housing units for infirm inmates.

Tropical Storm Guchol intensified into a typhoon and is a compact system. It appears as a strong, small typhoon in infrared NASA satellite imagery today.