science news 11.12.2019

Today's selection of science news. Links are normally to press releases on EurekAlert (at the bottom end I may also add a couple of newspaper stories). I include quotes from the summary in italics in cases where the title alone doesn't reveal what the story is about. My own thoughts appear without italics if I have any.



astrobiology

Breathing new life into the rise of oxygen debate
researchers modified a well-established conceptual model of marine biogeochemistry so that it could be run over the whole of Earth history, and found that it produced the three oxygenation events all by itself.


conservation

Spying on hippos with drones to help conservation efforts



A new UNSW study has shown that using a drone to film hippos in Africa is an effective, affordable tool for conservationists to monitor the threatened species' population from a safe distance, particularly in remote and aquatic areas.
Credit: Victoria Inman


light and life

Oxygen [requirement] shaped the evolution of the eye


bio-inspired

Insects' drag-based flight mechanism could improve tiny flying robots


environment

Floral foam adds to microplastic pollution problem: Study


climate change

Greenland ice losses rising faster than expected

Could we cool the Earth with an ice-free Arctic?


citizen science

School citizen science project dramatically improves children's knowledge of UK mammals





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From the news media:

bird flu comeback in the UK, reports the Guardian