8legs: Proceedings of the national academy of sciences

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#1 out of 5

23h ago

A new study finds Earth's land carbon sink may be weaker than many climate models predict due to nitrogen limits.
Researchers show higher model fixation values correlate with stronger projected plant productivity under rising CO2.
The authors call for updating model parameterizations to align with newer nitrogen-fixation estimates.
Natural nitrogen fixation on terrestrial lands may be significantly lower than inventories previously suggested.
The study emphasizes that CO2 fertilization is smaller but not absent.
Earth system models underpin IPCC assessments and national planning.
Lead author Sian Kou-Giesbrecht and co-authors frame the work as a refinement, not a repudiation, of model-based climate science.
The findings call for a more realistic nitrogen balance to improve projection accuracy.
The study reinforces that nature-based climate solutions remain vital but require nutrient-aware planning.
The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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#2 out of 5

20h ago

New research shows coral reefs may have increased atmospheric CO2 by producing calcium carbonate in Earth's past.
The study models coral–plankton balance over 250 million years to explain past climate shifts.
Periods of extensive reef growth may have disrupted the carbon cycle and warmed oceans in the deep past.
When reef coverage declines, deeper-sea carbonate burial can lower CO2 and cool the climate over long timescales.
The researchers caution that deep-time feedbacks operate over long timescales and may not apply to today’s rapid changes.
Experts say reef–plankton interactions illustrate a co-evolving feedback between life and climate.
The study highlights potential reef contributions to climate feedbacks beyond corals, including ancient microbial communities.
The research emphasizes the need to consider historical carbon-cycle dynamics when modeling future climate.
Carbon cycling disruptions in the past were linked to shifts in reef extent and nutrient dynamics.
The article notes the implications for understanding how life interacts with climate over geological timescales.

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#3 out of 5

19h ago

New study models Earth’s prebiotic atmosphere generating sulfur biomolecules before life began.
Simulated UV exposure yielded cysteine, taurine, and coenzyme M in a prebiotic atmosphere.
The study estimates enough cysteine for a substantial early global ecosystem.
Rain could have delivered sulfur compounds to oceans, aiding chemical evolution.
The findings could influence interpretations of biosignatures on other worlds.
Publication details: study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers used a simulated early atmosphere to test sulfur chemistry.
The work broadens the timeline for when life’s chemical building blocks could appear.
The study highlights sulfur’s central role in biology and origin-of-life models.
Findings may affect how scientists search for life on exoplanets.

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#4 out of 521.9K est. views

17h ago

New analysis of Bennu samples detects tryptophan, a precursor for serotonin, in multiple portions of the material.
Researchers confirm the presence of 14 amino acids and the five common nucleobases in Bennu samples.
The discovery supports theories that prebiotic ingredients could form in primitive solar system bodies and be delivered to early Earth.
The researchers caution that finding tryptophan alone cannot prove life originated from space.
Bennu’s composition is brecciated and non-homogeneous, indicating multiple processes likely produced the observed molecules.
The study highlights water-involved processes as a driver of prebiotic chemistry in Bennu material.
Sample return missions from various planetary bodies are crucial for advancing cosmochemistry knowledge.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission provided Bennu samples that enabled this analysis.

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#5 out of 5

7h ago

New research shows coral reefs shifted Earth’s carbon cycle for over 250 million years, affecting climate recovery.
Shallow-water reef growth reduced deep-ocean exchange, slowing the planet’s CO₂ rebound after disturbances.
When reef space collapsed, deep-sea carbonate burial rose, boosting plankton productivity and speeding recovery.
Study portrays reefs as active climate modulators, not just passive recorders of change.
Researchers used plate tectonics, climate simulations, and ecological modeling to trace past carbonate production.
Today’s reefs face rapid decline from warming and acidification, potentially limiting stabilizing effects on carbon.
The study warns that ecological losses would delay any geological-scale recovery.
Shallow-reef dynamics influenced marine plankton evolution and long-term ocean chemistry.
Researchers emphasize learning from the deep past to understand modern carbon dynamics.
Authors warn that stabilizing effects depend on preserving reef ecosystems.

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