New type of plastic made from reclaimed waste

by Claudia Engel, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Compounded and granulated polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

A new type of plastic made of reclaimed waste readily degrades in less than a year. The substance that will soon serve to manufacture and break down mainly disposable products in an ecofriendly way goes by the name of polyhydroxybutyrate. This innovative material can be produced on an industrial scale in a new process developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK and its partners.


Everyday life devoid of plastics—that would be hard to imagine. They figure prominently in packaging and consumer goods, and are indispensable to industry applications such as automotive and medical engineering. Reuse and recycling of plastics from fossil resources is hardly common practice. On top of that, they degrade at a glacial pace and pollute the environment for a long time to come. The great patches of plastic waste floating on our oceans attest to their power to pollute. Plastic bottles and bags despoil beaches and, in many places, entire stretches of land.

The Bioeconomy International research initiative

The need for global recycling strategies is urgent, given plastics' heavy use all over the world. More and more governments are resorting to bans to curb the swelling tide of plastic waste. A viable option to replace fossil-based plastics on a large scale has yet to be found. This is why the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) launched the "Bioökonomie International" (Bioeconomy International) research initiative in close cooperation with Fraunhofer IPK, the Department of Bioprocess Technology of the Technical University of Berlin, regional industrial partners and international research partners from Malaysia, Columbia and the U.S.. These researchers are developing a method of manufacturing polymers without drawing on premium resources such as mineral, palm and rapeseed oils, the production of which is very detrimental to the environment.

The Fraunhofer IPK team developed this injection molding tool to replicate prototype components made of polyhydroxybutyrate. Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

A new plastic much like polypropylene

This new process turn industrial leftovers such as waste fats that contain a lot of mineral residue into polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Microorganisms can metabolize these residues in special fermentation processes. They deposit the PHB in their cells to store energy. "Once the plastic has been dissolved from the cell, it is still not ready for industrial use, because the hardening process takes far too long," says Christoph Hein, head of the Microproduction Technology department at Fraunhofer IPK. The raw material has to be mixed with chemical additives downstream in post-production stages. For example, the research team adjusted the plasticizing and processing parameters to trim the recrystallization time to fit the timing of industrial processing. The resultung biopolymer's properties resemble those of polypropylene. But unlike PP, this plastic degrades fully in six to twelve months.


In this method of producing plastic, microorganisms synthesize the entire polymer in a biotechnical process. "To this end, we convert biogenic residues such as waste fats into polyesters that can be put to technical use," says Hein. The researcher and his team opted for microorganisms, genetically modified with molecular methods, to serve as biocatalysts. With the help of chemical purification processes and an extensively optimized material, they have been able to develop a novel family of materials that satisfy the demands of technical plastics.

No petroleum-based synthetic components needed

The new process not only dispenses with petroleum-based synthetic components altogether; it also enables green plastic alternatives. Naturally occurring microorganisms can break down these newly developed plastics, so they need not be subjected to the special conditions that serve to degrade matter in industrial composting plants. They offer an ecofriendly alternative to making and degrading single-use products and other disposable items.

The process also lends itself to producing high-quality plastic parts for certain technical applications and periods of use. The specifications for this sort of product are more demanding. They may have to exhibit specific geometric tolerances and surface qualities or be reproducible with great precision. The researchers developed highly specialized replication processes to meet these requirements.

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Provided by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Transforming waste into bio-based chemicals

by Emily Scott, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers at Berkeley Lab have transformed lignin, a waste product of the paper industry, into a precursor for a useful chemical with a wide range of potential applications.

Lignin is a complex material found in plant cell walls that is notoriously difficult to break down and turn into something useful. Typically, lignin is burned for energy, but scientists are focusing on ways to repurpose it.

In a recent study, researchers demonstrated their ability to convert lignin into a chemical compound that is a building block of bio-based ionic liquids. The research was a collaboration between the Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit, the Joint BioEnergy Institute (both established by the Department of Energy and based at Berkeley Lab), and the Queens University of Charlotte.

Ionic liquids are powerful solvents/catalysts used in many important industrial processes, including the production of sustainable biofuels and biopolymers. However, traditional ionic liquids are petroleum-based and costly. Bio-based ionic liquids made with lignin, an inexpensive organic waste product, would be cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

"This research brings us one step closer to creating bio-based ionic liquids," said Ning Sun, the study's co-corresponding author. "Now we just need to optimize and scale up the technology."

According to Sun, bio-based ionic liquids also have a broad range of potential uses outside of industry. "We now have the platform to synthesize bio-based ionic liquids with different structures that have different applications, such as antivirals," Sun said.

Explore further Making biodiesel with green solvents

More information: Shihong Liu et al. Statistical design of experiments for production and purification of vanillin and aminophenols from commercial lignin, Green Chemistry (2020). DOI: 10.1039/D0GC01234C

Journal information: Green Chemistry

Provided by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Bacteria fed on a customized diet produce biodegradable polymers for alternative packaging in the cosmetics industry

by Claudia Vorbeck, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Freeze-dried bacteria (Cupriavidus necator) before cell disruption. Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Germany generates around 38 kilograms of plastic waste per capita each year. In a joint project with the University of Stuttgart and LCS Life Cycle Simulation, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB and the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV are now working to establish a holistic concept for the sustainable use of biologically degradable packaging materials in the cosmetics industry. The project is focusing on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), which have similar properties to conventional plastics but are produced from microorganisms and without the use of fossil-based raw materials.


To date, the bacteria in Dr. Susanne Zibek's lab at Fraunhofer IGB in Stuttgart have been fed on a whole variety of waste materials, ranging from wood waste and oil and sugar residues to glycerol from biodiesel production. Each of these carbon-based feed sources causes the bacteria to produce specific intracellular storage granules. These so-called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are the focus of SusPackaging, a research project that is being conducted in cooperation with Fraunhofer IVV in Freising, the University of Stuttgart and LCS Life Cycle Simulation, which is located in the town of Backnang. Researchers from Fraunhofer IGB are seeking to create biologically based, biodegradable polymers as a replacement for plastic packaging in the cosmetics industry. What sets the project apart is its attempt to establish a wholly green value chain. As Dr. Ana Lucía Vásquez-Caicedo from Fraunhofer IGB explains, a holistic concept with a focus on sustainability is new: "A lot of studies concentrate on individual aspects, but it's rare to see a consideration of the entire process chain all the way up to an evaluation of the quality of materials."

The process begins with cultivation of the bacteria. Dr. Susanne Zibek, group manager of the Food Processing Technology Group, and her colleague Dr. Thomas Hahn are investigating how specific microorganisms can be used to produce different PHAs with different structures, and how the choice of feed influences their characteristics. "Basically, we're trying to create new structural variants, so that we can then see whether the polymer produced is suitable as a packaging material," Zibek explains. The working group has support from researchers at the University of Stuttgart, who are taking a closer look at various characteristics of the microorganisms, including the extent to which they can adapt to toxic substances that might be contained in the natural feed sources.

Replacing harmful solvents with pressure change technology

Before the PHAs can be processed and tested, they must first be extracted from the microorganisms. This is the specialist field of Vásquez-Caicedo, group manager of the Food Processing Technology Group at Fraunhofer IGB. As a rule, this so-called purification process uses solvents such as chloroform. However, as she explains, the aim is to move away from environmentally harmful solvents. Instead, she has developed a purely mechanical/physical method of cell disruption. Known as pressure change technology (PCT), this involves the addition of a process gas to the fermentation broth containing the microorganisms. The broth is then pressurized, with the result that the gas penetrates the cytoplasm of the cells. A rapid lowering of pressure in the broth destroys the cells and releases the PHA.

Lab equipment for cell disruption and extraction of functional materials at Fraunhofer IGB. Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Following purification, the PHA is sent in the form of a white powder to Fraunhofer IVV in Freising. Here, it is turned first into granules and then into a polymer film. Initial testing on small sheets of this polymer has examined material characteristics such as thermal stability, plasticity and various barrier properties—essential if future packaging is to provide cosmetic ingredients with, for example, effective protection against desiccation.


Dr. Cornelia Stramm from Fraunhofer IVV is happy with the results so far: "In terms of their mechanical properties, some PHA types are still proving somewhat difficult to process. We need to make a few adjustments there. But in terms of their barrier properties, PHAs show great potential compared to other biopolymers." At the end of each testing cycle, she sends the results back to Stuttgart along with recommendations for further action, and then the process begins again.

Based on this feedback from Fraunhofer IVV, Zibek's working group at Fraunhofer IGB has modified its feed strategy. The bacteria are now given an additional cosubstrate, which increases the PHA's valerate content, thereby making the end product more pliable.

Further enhancement with every feedback loop

While volumes are still very low and production takes a lot of time, the process is steadily improving with each feedback loop.

Once the various steps have been finalized, a life cycle analysis conducted by external project partner LCS Life Cycle Simulation will evaluate the energy efficiency and sustainability of the entire process in order to compare it with existing processes. All three researchers from Fraunhofer see big potential for PHAs. In the future, particularly for small items of disposable packaging, they could offer a genuine alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics.


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Provided by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

New process turns paper manufacturing waste into valuable chemicals

by Ames Laboratory

Credit: Ames Laboratory

A group of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory has discovered a way to convert a common byproduct of the paper manufacturing process into valuable chemical precursors for making nylon. The process is much more environmentally friendly in terms of the solvent(s) used and the energy inputs than other methods and provides a useful alternative to burning waste products of pulping.

Kraft (from the German meaning strength) lignin is a major waste product of the paper industry, amounting to about 50 million tons annually. This waste lignin is typically burned for heat, however, that process also releases carbon dioxide into the environment.

Ames Laboratory researchers discovered that treating this lignin with aqueous sodium hydroxide at reasonable temperatures (200 °C) produces guaiacol. Guaiacol can then be converted into nylon precursors under even milder conditions using suitable catalysts—creating a new, viable two-step process for producing important chemicals from lignin.

"We found that Kraft lignin was depolymerized in dilute alkaline solution at relatively low temperature (200 °C) under an ambient nitrogen pressure environment," said Igor Slowing, Ames Laboratory scientist and lead investigator. "We were able to produce guaiacol with high selectivity (>80%) in a total monomer amount of 13% based on the lignin input.

The team used a series of techniques including a suite of advanced solution and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments, mass spectrometry and model reactions to determine that guaiacol was generated mainly through cleavage of β-O-4 bonds in the original lignin structure. Cleaving this type of bond often requires severe reaction conditions, which many times lead to undesirable side reactions that result in formation of intractable chars."

The Kraft lignin-derived guaiacol was then converted to the nylon precursor Ketone Alcohol or KA oil, using Ru/C catalyst under 1 bar H2. The use of low H2 pressure proved critical to ensure full selectivity to KA oil, without formation of the undesired methoxy-cyclohexanol byproduct. Importantly, the deactivation of the Ru/C catalyst observed in the direct treatment of lignin, was avoided in the two-step procedure.

"This two-step process provides a new option for lignin utilization in the production of high-demand value-added chemicals," said Slowing. "We envision this process as a low-energy path that leaves the remaining oligomers available for downstream processing into other chemical commodities in an integrated refinery for waste Kraft lignin."

The research has been detailed in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal Green Chemistry, Two-step conversion of Kraft lignin to nylon precursors under mild conditions.

Explore further  Transforming waste into bio-based chemicals

More information: Hui Zhou et al. Two-step conversion of Kraft lignin to nylon precursors under mild conditions, Green Chemistry (2020). 

DOI: 10.1039/D0GC01220C

Journal information: Green Chemistry

Provided by Ames Laboratory

Doll play activates brain regions associated with empathy and social skills

by Cardiff University

Credit: Cardiff University

A team of researchers from Cardiff University has used neuroscience for the first time to explore the impact doll play has on children.

In an 18-month study, the team monitored the brain activity of 33 children, aged between four and eight, as they played with dolls.

They found that doll play activated parts of the brain that allow children to develop empathy and social information processing skills, even when they were playing alone. Furthermore, they saw far less activation of this part of the brain when the children played with tablet computers on their own.

The findings of the study are published today in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

Lead author Dr. Sarah Gerson, a senior lecturer at Cardiff University's Center for Human Developmental Science, said: "This is a completely new finding. The fact that we saw the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) to be active in our study shows that playing with dolls is helping them rehearse some of the social skills they will need in later life. Because this brain region has been shown to play a similar role in supporting empathy and social processing across six continents, these findings are likely to be country agnostic."

Dr. Gerson and colleagues used an emerging neuroimaging technology—functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) - to scan brain activity while the children moved freely around.

They found that the pSTS, a region of the brain associated with social information processing such as empathy, was activated even when children played with dolls on their own, regardless of gender.

"We use this area of the brain when we think about other people, especially when we think about another person's thoughts or feelings," said Dr. Gerson.

"Dolls encourage them to create their own little imaginary worlds, as opposed to say, problem-solving or building games. They encourage children to think about other people and how they might interact with each other."

The study, conducted with Mattel, the makers of Barbie, is the first time neuroimaging data has been used to highlight how the brain is activated during natural doll play. As such, the researchers say it is a step forward in developmental science's understanding of this type of play.

In the study the play was split into different sections so the Cardiff team could capture the brain activity relating to each kind of play separately—playing with the dolls on their own; playing with the dolls together with another person (a research assistant); playing with the tablet game on their own and playing with the tablet game along with another person (a research assistant).

The dolls used included a diverse range of Barbies and sets. Tablet play was carried out using games that allow children to engage with open and creative play (rather than a rule or goal-based games) to provide a similar play experience to doll play.

The study found that when children played alone with dolls, they showed the same levels of activation of the pSTS as they do when playing with others. When the children were left to play tablet games on their own there was far less activation of the pSTS, even though the games involved a considerable creative element.

The researchers say the study is the first step toward understanding the impact of doll play and further work is required to build on these initial findings. Dr. Gerson and the Cardiff University team, along with Mattel, have committed to further neuroscience studies in 2021.


Explore further

Child's play in the time of COVID: Screen games are still 'real' play

More information: Salim Hashmi et al. Exploring the Benefits of Doll Play Through Neuroscience, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2020). 

DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.560176

Provided by Cardiff University

Electronic collars less effective than reward-based training, research finds

by Alistair Berry, University of Lincoln

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Training dogs with electronic collars is no more effective than traditional training methods, according to new research.


Animal behavior researchers at the University of Lincoln conducted a study looking at the efficacy of training with electronic or "E-collars," which deliver a small electric shock to dissuade unwanted behavior, such as ignoring commands.

Researchers analyzed video footage of training sessions where "come" and "sit" commands were given. Training with an E-collar was found to be no more effective than training without, with positive reinforcement found to be the most effective method. The dogs learned to obey commands most quickly when trainers gave consistent signals and rewarded correct responses.

These findings refute claims by some dog trainers that E-collars are a good alternative to reward based training to address highly motivated activities such as wildlife chasing, particularly considering potential risks to the dog's wellbeing, and that their use can lead to unnecessary suffering during dog training.

Professor Jonathan Cooper from the Animal Behavior, Cognition and Welfare Research Group, said: "The Reward-Based Control Group had a higher proportion of obeys after first command to both 'Come' and 'Sit' commands and required fewer multiple commands to initiate a recall or complete a sit response. This suggests that the reward-based training was the most effective approach not only for recall, which was the target behavior in training, but also for other commands. Given the additional potential risks to the animal's well being associated with use of an E-collar, we conclude that dog training with these devices causes unnecessary suffering and increased risk to a dog's wellbeing, without good evidence of improved outcomes."

The work published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science supports legislation against the use of these devices in pet training in place in Wales and Scotland, provides further evidence to support the end of their sale, possession and use across the whole of the UK.


Explore furtherBest way to train farm dogs has lessons for all dog training

More information: Lucy China et al. Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive Reinforcement, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2020). DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00508

Provided by University of Lincoln

Radar developed for rapid rescue of buried people

E A POE APPROVED

by Jens Fiege, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Testing the radar-based detection of the vital parameters of a group of people as they move naturally in an environment at Fraunhofer FHR (from left to right: Siying Wang, Alexander Bauer, Manjunath Thindlu Rudrappa and Reinhold Herschel). Credit: Patrick Wallrath/Fraunhofer FHR

When someone is buried by an avalanche, earthquake or other disaster, a rapid rescue can make the difference between life and death. The Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR has developed a new kind of mobile radar device that can search hectare-sized areas quickly and thoroughly. The new technology combines greater mobility with accurate detection of vital signs.

Some regions of the world record hundreds of earth tremors a day. Most of these are of a minor nature—but occasionally an earthquake strikes of such destructive power that it destroys buildings and triggers tsunamis that lay waste to huge areas. Faced with this kind of disaster, rescue crews often struggle to locate and dig out injured people quickly enough to save them. Although radar devices can provide useful assistance, current systems are limited to stationary operation. Set up in a fixed spot, they can only search up to a distance of twenty to thirty meters, depending on the radar specifications. In disasters involving large-scale destruction, this distance is simply too short.

Based in Wachtberg, Germany, Fraunhofer FHR offers a technology that aims to significantly increase the search radius. "What we've developed is a mobile radar system that locates people buried under rubble by detecting their pulse and breathing," says Reinhold Herschel, a team leader at Fraunhofer FHR. "Our longer-term goal is to mount this radar device on a drone and fly it over the disaster site. This would make searches faster and more effective even in areas extending over various hectares."

Multiple transmitters and receivers enable different vantage points

In basic terms, the radar device works by emitting waves. Part of each wave is reflected by the debris, but some of the wave passes through the rubble and is reflected by people and anything else buried underneath it. The distance to an object is calculated by measuring how long the signal takes to return to the detector in the radar system. If that object is moving—even if it is just a buried person's skin rising and falling by a few hundred micrometers with each heartbeat—this changes the phase of the signal. The same applies to the tiny movements caused by their breathing. People typically take a breath no more than 10 to 12 times a minute, while the heart beats an average of 60 times a minute, so it is relatively simple to distinguish between these different signal changes using algorithms. The researchers can also determine exactly where the buried person is located.


This is made possible by a special type of radar known as MIMO, which stands for multiple input, multiple output. MIMO radars use multiple transmitters and receivers to set up different "vantage points" which can then be used to identify the exact location where paramedics should dig for survivors.

Algorithm detects irregular heartbeats

What is unique about this technology is its combination of mobility and accurate detection of people's vital signs. The mobility advantage generally refers to examples such as mounting the device on a drone and flying it over the disaster site, but it is also possible to turn this principle on its head. Set up the system in a fixed spot, for example, and it can be used to detect the vital signs of people moving around close to the radar. There are a number of situations where this could be useful, such as providing first aid to large numbers of casualties in a sports hall following an earthquake. In this case, the radar device could be used to record vital signs and assign them to each individual to determine who is in most urgent need of assistance. In this example, the algorithm focuses primarily on detecting changes such as whether someone's heart is beating irregularly or a patient is breathing very rapidly. The radar system can distinguish the individual signals and display them separately. Accuracy is also high, with the device measuring pulse rates with 99 percent accuracy as compared to readings taken using portable heart rate monitors. More research is still needed on using the radar to find people buried under rubble, but researchers have already made significant progress in detecting vital signs close to the stationary radar system, successfully putting it to the test at distances of up to 15 meters. The next step towards a viable product would be to conduct a verification study with a partner in the medical arena.

Once the radar system has obtained a positive evaluation based on sufficient data, it can then move into a certification process with interested industry partners. It will probably take around two more years before the developers create a product that is accurate enough to detect buried casualties reliably in tricky scenarios such as soil or concrete and suitable for UAV-based applications. Fraunhofer FHR will be continuing its research in this area to meet this ambitious goal.


Explore further Tiny, fast, accurate technology on the radar

Provided by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

America's innovation edge now in peril, says report

by Jeff Falk, Rice University

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A sweeping new report urges significant policy and funding action to ensure the United States does not lose the preeminent position in discovery and innovation it has built since the end of World War II.

"The Perils of Complacency: America at a Tipping Point in Science and Engineering" was released today by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

"The United States became a world power—economically, militarily and culturally—in significant part by placing a high priority on innovation, fueled by advances in science and technology," the report's authors write. "This priority, in turn, required investing in R&D, especially fundamental research conducted in universities and national laboratories across the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine."

China is projected to become the world's largest economy when measured by gross domestic product by 2030, according to the report. "By 2026, the 250th anniversary of the United States, China's strategic plan calls for it to be well on its way to becoming the unchallenged world leader in science, technology and innovation. These developments are perilous for America, which today, 50 years after the Apollo 11 moon landing, is at a tipping point in R&D," the authors wrote.

The report assesses progress and setbacks in the five years since an earlier report, "Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream."

It will be discussed in a virtual presentation this afternoon, titled "Inadequate Investment: America, China and the Future of Innovation," which will feature remarks from Norman Augustine, retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin; Neal Lane, senior fellow in science and technology policy at the Baker Institute and former director of the National Science Foundation; and Jeanette Wing, the Avanessians Director of the Data Science Institute at Columbia University and a professor of computer science.

"Recent developments are placing additional stress on the U.S. research system even as they underscore its indispensability in providing the fuel for American innovation and competitiveness as well as the know-how required to address the nation's many societal challenges," the authors write. "As this report was being prepared, a major coronavirus outbreak was impacting thousands of lives in China, America and other parts of the world. Meanwhile, security concerns have led some policymakers to propose draconian restrictions on the very same foreign researchers on whom we have come to rely to fill the persistent domestic talent gap in science and engineering."


One result of recent and proposed immigration restrictions is that other countries have become more competitive at attracting workers, the authors write. The report also says U.S. corporations are now more inclined to move R&D laboratories to other countries. "Compounding this problem is a continued weakness in U.S. support for basic and applied research; the fiscal year 2021 Presidential Budget Request would cut federal support for these categories by $7.9 billion, or just over 9%," the authors wrote.

2020 priorities

The authors expand on the recommendations outlined in the 2014 report, which focused on R&D priorities, and urge action to strengthen STEM education and the American workforce.

"The nation's pre-K–12 public education system has been in crisis for decades, and the urgent need to improve student achievement was one of the seven priorities listed in the 'Innovation: An American Imperative' call to action that was supported by over 500 organizations across the country," the authors wrote. "The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, in its 'Gathering Storm' report, laid out a strategy to address this crisis."

The report also recommends states return to providing sustained public university funding to the levels per student, in real dollars, that were in place prior to the 2008 recession.

"Restoring state funding for universities will enable those institutions to better serve the educational needs of the state's citizens, raise the skill level of the workforce, support full employment, form stronger partnerships with local companies and contribute to the country's overall science and technology enterprise," the authors write.

"The recent tax placed on the earnings of endowments of (private) universities represents an altogether counterproductive trend and should be repealed promptly," the authors write. "Repealing this punitive tax will help universities control tuition, provide more financial aid and maintain modern research and teaching facilities. Doing so will also, hopefully, discourage further such narrowly targeted, counterproductive approaches."


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More information: Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream: www.amacad.org/publication/res … rving-american-dream

Provided by Rice University

Existing political tensions intensify during pandemic: A 'glocal' observation

by Jonatan A Lassa, Ermi Ndoen, Rudi Rohi, Victoria Fanggidae, The Conversation

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Tensions have been rising between the Indonesian central government and the Jakarta administration over differences in dealing with the pandemic, leading to confusion and concerns about scattered strategies in mitigating the crisis.

In September, when hospitals in the country's capital were nearly full, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan made a critical and justified decision to reactivate the lockdown policy—known locally as large-scale social restriction, or PSBB.

Anies claimed the central government fully supported his decision.

The next day, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, said he was concerned Anies' decision to limit public mobility and business operations in the capital could worsen the economic downturn.

In saying this, Jokowi contradicted his previous statement that putting the economy before health was dangerous.

Why do jurisdiction tensions—in this Indonesian case, between the president and Jakarta governor—happen in such a crisis?

We argue that existing political tensions (either latent or open) are often intensified during crises and disasters.

Worsening gaps

Anies—Jokowi's former education minister turned political opponent – is a potential candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

The pandemic can intensify prior political divides. The amplifying of existing relational gaps between jurisdictions sometimes reveals deeper layers of conflict.

Political economic variables, such as rent-seeking and power interests, might explain the tension between central and local governments.


However, we argue that a genuine conflict can also arise based on a clash of crisis management imperatives. Each leader at a different level of jurisdiction understands the crisis and responds differently according to their own biases.

At least three types of biases can be observed during this pandemic: border bias, projection bias, and normalcy bias.

Border bias is an illusion that administrative boundaries can physically limit the spread of disasters.

This territorialism approach is often inadequate when facing large-scale catastrophes and crises that are trans-boundary in nature.

Projection bias prompts leaders to project their current mindsets and assumptions into an uncertain future.

For example, seeking to leave an economic legacy in his last term, Jokowi has become indecisive throughout the pandemic. He is reluctant to put "human first, economy second."

Public leaders in disaster and crisis settings often adopt normalcy bias—a habit of underestimating the probability of disruptions. They tend to accept interpretations that favor their interests and biases.

The interplay of the above biases compromises crisis-management decision-making during COVID-19.

Existing political divides are amplified during disasters when public leaders from different parties at different jurisdictions get involved.

In the United States, a similar conflict exists between President Donald Trump (a Republican politician) and New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (a Democrat) over the issue of quarantine.

In Australia, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (of the Labor Party) adopted a strict lockdown policy. This went against the policies of Prime Minister Scott Morrison (of the Liberal Party) who favors "re-opening the economy faster by improving COVID-19 contact tracing."

A debate about which level of government was responsible for the high death toll at aged-care facilities locked the Australian federal and Victorian state governments into a feud. In Australia, the pandemic also induces state rivalries and parochialism.

Conflicts like these occur around the world, from Europe to Latin America, with variations in complexity and intensity.

In Indonesia, we can also see such tension between lower-level governments.

In the province of East Nusa Tenggara, the municipal administration of Kupang recently decided to restrict movements out of concern that it didn't have enough capacity to handle an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

Within hours, the provincial administration overruled the policy. It allowed mass gathering and parties as long as they complied with COVID-19 protocols, arguing that economic activities have to continue.

In East Java, the provincial administration and the municipal administration of the province's capital city, Surabaya, disagree on COVID-19 management issues such as allocation of mobile test labs, lockdown timeframe, hospital admission and transparency about new clusters.

Leaders of these administrations come from different political parties. While they are part of the same national coalition, they have different interests in the upcoming local election.

What is the public to do

There is no "one size fits all approach" to contain virus transmission. Even so, we can attribute a certain level of success to measures such as safe distancing, high testing rates, adequate contact tracing and quarantine, listening to experts and strategic border controls.

Whatever political parties or ideologies are in power, the public must pressure their governments to adopt those measures.

The public must scrutinize decisions made by any democratically elected government.

How a policy is made (whether it is scientifically based) and its objectives (to contain, to suppress, or to "live with" the virus) are more important than who made it and which parties they are from.

Some encouraging evidence has shown that at the community level this approach works.

Villagers of Panggungharjo in Bantul, Yogyakarta, established a collaborative response model where they developed their own measures to protect themselves from the pandemic.

These include monitoring movements of people in and out of the village and allocating rooms for village-level quarantine. They also encouraged community trading via an e-commerce platform.

The challenge is to upscale such collective consciousness and solidarity to the municipal, provincial and higher levels.


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Provided by The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Revamped MIT Climate Portal aims to inform and empower the public

by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A graphic from the revamped MIT Climate Portal illustrates the section of the website on What Can Be Done About Climate Change? Credit: Rick Pinchera

Stepping up its ongoing efforts to inform and empower the public on the issue of climate change, MIT today announced a dramatic overhaul of the MIT Climate Portal, climate.mit.edu, which provides timely, science-based information about the causes and consequences of climate change—and what can be done to address it.

"From vast wildfires to an unusually active hurricane season, we are already getting a glimpse of what our climate-changed future looks like," says Maria T. Zuber, MIT's vice president for research. "With this website, we aim to communicate in rigorous but accessible ways what the science tells us: Yes, human-caused climate change is an urgent, serious problem; and yes, we can do something about it. Addressing climate change is an institutional priority, and this kind of public engagement is one way we hope to accelerate solutions."

Survey research shows that increasing numbers of people, both in the United States and around the world, are concerned about climate change. But in the U.S., research also shows that members of the public rarely hear about or discuss the issue. Researchers at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication have suggested that there might exist a climate change "spiral of silence," in which "even people who care about the issue shy away from discussing it because they so infrequently hear other people talking about it."

MIT's efforts at public engagement on climate change are intended to help break this "spiral"—encouraging people to discuss climate change while also providing them with resources to discuss it in a way informed by the latest science and research. These engagement efforts are part of a commitment the Institute made in its 2015 Plan for Action on Climate Change "to offer the public a trusted source of climate change information, to engage leaders and citizens in the effort for solutions, and to use MIT's expertise in online education to dramatically expand our reach."

"We often talk about reaching people whom we call the 'climate curious' –— people who want to learn more about what climate change means for them and their communities and, of course, what they can do about it," says John Fernández, the director of the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative and a professor in the Department of Architecture. "Our goal is for this website to become a dependable resource for people across the U.S. and all over the world, so that they can have effective conversations about the urgency of the climate problem and our ability, even now, to reduce the grave risks it presents."

A graphic from the revamped MIT Climate Portal illustrating the section of the website on What We Know About Climate Change? Credit: Rick Pinchera

Managed by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, the MIT Climate Portal features a range of content, including a comprehensive climate change primer and climate-related news from all corners of the Institute. New features launched today include brief "explainers," written by faculty and scientists at MIT, that provide high-level overviews of important topics like wildfires, carbon pricing, renewable energy, and ocean acidification. Also new to the website is an "Ask MIT Climate" feature, where members of the public can get answers to their own questions about climate change. (If you have a question about climate change that you would like the MIT Climate Portal to answer, email climate@mit.edu.)


The site also offers a clearinghouse of everything climate-related happening at MIT, from events to course offerings, to keep interested students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff members up to date. Just as importantly, it creates a digital meeting place for members of the MIT community to share their latest work on climate change. Faculty, students, and staff across the Institute for years have made significant contributions to improving public understanding of and engagement with climate change, with tools like the climate simulators created by the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative; the Climate CoLab platform; and a number of public events, contests, and educational materials. The site will make these resources accessible in one place.

In addition to the MIT Climate Portal, MIT had previously launched two other digital resources for the public: an online, Webby Award-winning interactive primer on climate change, and a podcast series, TILclimate (short for "Today I Learned: Climate"). Both of these resources are accessible through the portal.

By enlisting MIT students in editorial aspects of the new website, the project is also proving to be a valuable hands-on educational tool. For example, for the "Ask MIT Climate" feature, students take questions about climate change submitted by users and then, under the guidance of MIT faculty members, research the answers and write responses.

"We see this as a powerful learning opportunity, a way for MIT students to strengthen their content knowledge about climate change, energy, and sustainability, but also to improve their ability to effectively communicate complex science and engineering topics to diverse audiences, a critical skill that will serve them well after they leave MIT," says Fernández.

The new website is not static: New content will be developed and added over time, and all departments, labs, and centers at MIT that work on climate change are invited to contribute to it. Members of the MIT community who want to learn more about getting involved, or who have ideas for subjects to cover, are encouraged to contact the Climate Portal team.


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More information: MIT Climate Portal: climate.mit.edu/

Provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Danish King enshrined in his own clothes, but appeared with his brothers' when examined

by Birgitte Svennevig, University of Southern Denmark

The motif is birds, probably peacocks, flanking a stylized tree or cross. It consists of several silk pieces sewn together. One piece, 30x40 cm, covers the front of the pillow and about a third of the back, while the rest consists of strips about 5 cm wide, cut off without regard to the pattern. The colors are golden and two light blue shades. Credit: Nationalmuseet/The National Museum of Denmark

The cathedral in Odense, Denmark, has for nine centuries held the relics of the Danish King St. Canute the Holy and his brother Benedikt. They were both murdered here in AD 1086, and just a few years later, in AD 1100, King Canute was sanctified.


The history of the relics has been that of turmoil at times, varying from initial worship of the Catholic believers to being walled up and hidden after the protestant reformation in AD 1536.

Since the 19th century the brothers' wooden shrines have been on display in the cathedral as heritage objects of national importance.

How old are the silks?

The shrines of Canute and Benedikt have long been a puzzle in Danish history. They both contain several well-preserved textiles of silk and linen and the question is: How old are the textiles and what is their historical context?

Now, researchers have examined some of the textiles in the two shrines. They conclude that King Canute's shrine no longer holds the precious silk textiles placed in it at his enshrinement.

Instead it is likely that the textiles from his brother's shrine at some point were moved to King Canute's shrine.

According to historical sources, both brothers were covered in valuable textiles when enshrined. Sources have described how Canute's shrine in AD 1536 was lined with beautiful and rare silk.

Decades later, both shrines were walled up in the cathedral, placed vertically so that the bones and textiles lay in a heap at the bottom of each shrine, and hereafter there are no reportings of the precious textiles in King Canute's shrine when it was re-examined in AD 1694 and AD 1833.

The Eagle Silk blanket was originally 195-230 cm wide, but today the remains measure 110 cm high and 133 cm wide. It is woven as samite, a fine weaving technique developed in Sasanid Persia (AD 226-661). The original colors were dark blue, dyed with woad and indigo, and red, dyed with madder and sappanwood. Credit: Nationalmuseet/The National Museum of Denmark

"It is tempting to suggest that the king's precious textiles have been stolen at some point after AD 1582, says professor and an expert in archaeometry," says Kaare Lund Rasmussen from University of Southern Denmark.

When the two shrines were removed from their walled up hiding places and prepared to be put on display in 1874, researchers at the time were puzzled by the absence of valuable textiles in King Canute's shrine—his brother Benedikt had the more valuable textiles—and they declared themselves unable to judge in which of the shrines the found fabrics belonged.

They decided to move the best textiles from Benedikt's shrine to King Canute's shrine, so that he could be presented with the most beautiful, most precious textiles when on display under a glass lid. Professor Kaare Lund Rasmussen and colleagues have performed chemical analysis of the textiles in both shrines and conclude that they are of the same age, and that their age fit with AD 1086, when the two brothers were enshrined.

Birds and eagle motif

"Together with historical sources this convinces us that today, King Canute lies in his shrine with what is actually his brother's burial textiles, says," professor Kaare Lund Rasmussen.

Among the textiles, intended for Benedikt but later placed with Canute, are a pillow with birds and a textile called the Eagle Silk.

"They are exquisite and beautiful, but King Canute's textiles must have been even more exquisite," says Kaare Lund Rasmussen.

According to senior researchers at the Danish National Museum, Ulla Kjær and Poul Grinder-Hansen, the luxurious silks may have been sent from South Italy to the shrines in Denmark by King Canute's widow, Edel, possibly brought home by Canute's half-brother, King Erik I, Ejegod.

At the time of Canute's canonization and enshrinement, silk weaving in Europe was not yet established outside the boundaries of the Byzantine Empire and silk was both a precious and much-coveted import article.

Explore further  How textiles undergo fossilization via mineralization

Provided by University of Southern Denmark

Spider home invasion season: why the media may be to blame for your arachnophobia

by Mike Jeffries, The Conversation

Credit: LukasPich/Shutterstock

Spiders have an unfortunate media presence. No number of studies emphasising their ecological value or the potential of their silks to inspire wonder materials can overcome the negative press. The more emotive and sensational the coverage, the more likely it is to travel.

Although the proportion of spider species capable of giving humans a bad bite is very small, and no known deaths have occurred in recent decades, we retain a fear. We tend to exaggerate the risk from spider bites, even in countries with no indigenous dangerous spiders, such as the UK. There is always the apocryphal arachnid lurking under the toilet seat, or panic over false widow spiders whose infestations have closed schools.

With the arrival of autumn comes lurid news stories of amorous house spiders "the size of your hand" invading homes to find somewhere warm and dry to mate and die. It happens every year, but the media's insistence on turning this small arachnid's breeding season into an annual spectacle could be doing more than selling papers. A new study from Italy suggests it could be stoking arachnophobia where it may otherwise not have existed.

House spiders 'the size of your hand' invading UK homes looking for love https://t.co/qDmkpDFZXI— The Independent (@Independent) September 4, 2020

A web of lies

Mediterranean recluse spiders have a (perhaps unwarranted) bad reputation in Italy. Credit: Antonio Serrano/Wikipedia

The researchers scoured the digital archives of Italian newspapers, looking for the use of "bite", "spider" and "sting" (not that spiders do sting, but don't let that spoil a good story) in stories published during the last ten years about four spider species thought of as dangerous: the yellow sac spider, the Mediterranean black widow, the Mediterranean recluse and the false wolf spider.

They found 314 media reports of spider encounters in Italy between 2010 and 2020—the majority being Mediterranean black widows or recluses. The reach of each article was measured by the number of shares on social media, along with any errors such as species misidentification or incorrect medical advice. The team counted the use of certain words, such as "devil, "terror" or "panic", to rate how each story sensationalised the encounter.

They found that media reports of spider attacks have increased in recent years, especially for the Mediterranean recluse. The rise coincided with a single report of loxoscelism – the deep ulcerations and necrosis of skin resulting from a spider bite—in Europe, and an Italian murder mystery novel in which the venom of the Mediterranean recluse is the murder weapon.

The spider species in the loxoscelism case was never definitively identified, but newspaper coverage of the Mediterranean recluse spiked nonetheless after the case was reported. Both the mysterious bite and the murder novel featured often in the increasing number of newspaper reports about these spiders. The press had found a compelling narrative to weave between a rare medical event and a well-timed work of fiction. Suddenly, recluse spiders weren't so reclusive.

Stories that shared more recent and startling encounters travelled further. This isn't surprising, the viral spread of content is greater if it provokes intense delight, fear or anxiety. But the emotional contagion, as the team put it, helps drive up the perceived risk from spider attack, creating unreasonable hostility towards arachnids.

Jumping spiders to the rescue

Spiders are often overlooked in conservation, despite controlling insect pests on farms and having important roles in food webs as both predators and prey. It won't help if their media profile is largely driven by overhyped stories about "devilish" attacks and life-threatening venom. The researchers go so far as to accuse some journalists of sensationalising their stories at the expense of blameless wildlife.

Spiders are easy targets for scaremongering, but there are ways to improve their reputation. After all, some lovable spiders are cherished in popular culture. I defy anyone to watch Charlotte's Web without sobbing.

Natural history documentaries seem to have seized on a candidate for improving the public image of spiders. If you see a cute spider feature on TV, it's almost always a jumping spider. Furry, not so long-legged and with a large pair of eyes, it's as if they're designed to dispel the idea that all spiders are sinister.

Incidentally, I'm a jumping spider, according to a BBC children's service quiz that reveals what kind of spider you are.

On the whole, spiders in films terrorise small American towns, but seldom trouble Italy. Nonetheless, Italian spiders suffering at the hands of hype enjoy some revenge in 2014's Arachnicide. A "truly joyous" spectacle of "bad Italian cinema", reads one review.

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Recluse or not? Scientists use Twitter to tackle spider questions

Provided by The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Spooky spiderweb found in Missouri looks big enough to 'catch' a human, social media users say

By Lauren M. Johnson, CNN

A Missouri Department of Conservation employee snapped a photograph of a huge spiderweb, and the department's social media followers couldn't help but comment on its spooky appearance.

© Missouri Department of Conservation/Facebook A Missouri Department of Conservation employee photographed a large orb weaver spiderweb while out on a trail near Springfield.

Media specialist Francis Skalicky shot the photo on a trail near Springfield recently, according to the department, which posted the image on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

The intricate, circular web was constructed between two trees, and the photo's perspective makes it look massive.

The web was made by an orb weaver spider, an arachnid known for its intricate web designs. They are large in size -- approximately a half-inch for females -- and are usually hairy or furry, according to the department's website. The spiders help to control the population of flies and other annoying bugs, but that's not the first thing that comes to mind.

Facebook users commented on how appropriate it was to see an orb web of this size in October, and one even mentioned it was "the kind that literally 'catch' people if they walk through them at night."

Others made their feelings on the spider known, while appreciating its beautiful work. Several comments mentioned finding a new place to live, while many joked that the photo should have had a disclaimer for those terrified of spiders.

But others found beauty in the spiderweb, with one user saying it reminded her a lace doily. Another user said it was reincarnation at work: "Christo has returned as an orbweaver spider!" referring to the conceptual artist who passed away earlier this year.

While these spiders are quite common, it definitely gets Halloween fans in the mood for the season.

The world's southernmost tree grows in one of the windiest places on Earth, but climate change is shifting those winds

by Brian Buma, The Conversation

The world's southernmost tree grows in one of the windiest places on Earth – but climate change is shifting those winds

On Isla Hornos, Magellan’s beech trees grow in wind-protected nooks and crannies. Credit: Andres Holz, CC BY-ND

In 2019, my research team and I found the world's southernmost tree on an island at the edge of South America. The diminutive tree is 42 years old, stretches several meters along the ground but is only half a meter, or about a foot and a half, tall. In some other place, this tree would grow tall and upright, but here, incredible winds warp and constrain the tree both in height and in where it grows. And due to climate change, those winds are changing.

Standing on the southern side of that wind-battered tree means all trees in the world are to your north, with nothing behind you but some grasses, ocean and Antarctica. Isla Hornos, also known as Cape Horn, supports a small population of Nothofagus betuloides – the Magellan's beech or coigüe. Wind is omnipresent. Cape Horn is one of the windiest places on the planet, and during the expedition, our team faced hurricane-force winds of 75 mph for days at a time.

This wind appears to be the main constraint for arboreal life on the island—trees are found only in sheltered locations behind cliffs and hills. While the area hasn't warmed dramatically, climate change is intensifying the westerly winds that rake the region. Evidence from the nearby Falkland Islands also indicates that the wind direction is shifting too. Because of this, forests on Cape Horn that were previously growing in sheltered areas are now exposed to wind. We found long stretches of dead trees along the edges of the small forests, suggesting that shifting winds caused by climate change may be killing off trees even as new sheltered areas emerge.

Credit: The Conversation

Species must either migrate, adapt or die in response to climate change. By monitoring the geographic edges of where a species lives—like the southernmost tree our team found—scientists can get a handle on the migration ability of various species. This is important for prioritizing conservation plans or when considering more extreme measures, like assisted migration, to help species keep pace with climate change.

Wind has received relatively little attention in regards to setting the limits of species, but it is quite important on mountains, oceanic islands and, as we now know, the overall global extent of trees. Changes in temperature and precipitation are often discussed as worries on a changing planet, but in places like Isla Hornos, climate change's effect on wind matters just as much.

Additionally, this area is relatively pristine—we didn't find a single invasive species, and there has been little human presence in the island, ever. As the climate changes, documenting this location so that scientists can know what is there and how it is changing is critical for future conservation.

Isla Hornos is remote, inhospitable and nearly untouched by humanity. Credit: Brian Buma, CC BY-ND

IslaThe researchers stand tall over the shrunken tree in the foreground during a rare break from the relentless, often hurricane-force winds. Credit: Andres Holz, CC BY-ND

Researchers still know relatively little about the southernmost forests of the world. While there is evidence that the winds have changed, the specific cause of death for forests can be determined only with long-term research.

Further, there are only short climatic records from the island. Even basic information—like the length of the growing season—is still unknown. Repeat studies will need to be done if scientists really want to learn how life is changing in this remote but globally significant locale.

Revisiting this landscape to set up long-term research is important given the unique nature of this global signpost—the world's southernmost tree. More than that, however, I hope this expedition can rally people to study range edges around their own homes.

Together with National Geographic, ESRI and iNaturalist, on Sept. 26, I launched an interactive exploration challenge called The Edges of (All) Life exploration project. Anybody can look up the edges of species ranges in their own neighborhood and go searching for an individual that will push those boundaries out farther. I may have found the world's southernmost tree, but you could find the northernmost dogwood, the northernmost Douglas fir or the southernmost maidenhair fern. No matter where you live, there is likely a unique edge nearby, and finding these ranges is critically important for the conservation of that particular species.


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Study: Populations of widely spread tree species respond differently to climate change

Provided by The Conversation

Research links soil nitrogen levels to corn yield and nitrogen losses

by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

What exactly is the relationship between soil nitrogen, corn yield, and nitrogen loss? Most farmers would be forgiven for assuming a straightforward linear relationship: more nitrogen, more grain yield, and maybe, more loss. That's the assumption many nitrogen management models are based on, but it turns out there's very little published science to back up that assumption.

In a recent paper leveraging a multi-year dataset from 11 experimental plots and on-farm trials around the state, University of Illinois scientists definitively established the relationship between soil nitrogen at different growth stages and corn yield. The results provide more precise ways to manage nitrogen for grain yield while lowering nitrogen losses.

"Technology nowadays moves very fast. There's a lot of modeling tools out there to help growers match nitrogen to crop needs, but very little published data showing the relationship," says Giovani Preza-Fontes, doctoral researcher in the Department of Crop Sciences at Illinois and lead author on the paper. "Our work shows soil nitrogen explains the majority (46-61%) of the variation in grain yield. It is a good predictor."

This information could complement crop modeling efforts, but it should also help farmers feel more confident in their nitrogen management decisions at critical moments.

"When we get a lot of rain, people often guess that some nitrogen was lost from the soil, and may be inclined to put more on. We did this study to try to show how much the crop needs to have in the soil at different stages of growth," says Emerson Nafziger, emeritus professor in crop sciences and co-author on the study.

Researchers applied nitrogen at different rates, times, and forms, then measured the amount of soil mineral nitrogen (SMN) to see how much nitrogen was available to the plant over time. They measured SMN several times during the first half of the growing season, beginning when corn was about a foot tall and ending as the crop approached pollination.

Interestingly, they found the amount of SMN needed to maximize grain yield changed over time as the crop developed.

"In early June, with plants about a foot tall, we found that corn needed more nitrogen in the soil than it needed later. Ten to 14 days later, the SMN level needed for best yields had dropped by about one-third, and it stayed at that level for two more sampling periods, into early July. That's probably our most surprising finding," Nafziger says. "It's some of the first data that's been published on how soil nitrogen actually changes."

"We know the plant's taking up its nitrogen most rapidly during that period, and the fact that soil nitrogen isn't changing very much shows that the nitrogen is coming from soil organic matter through the process of mineralization. Mineralization is a microbial process favored by the same conditions that favor rapid crop growth, so it's at its maximum rate during this period," he adds.

In other words, adding more nitrogen during rapid growth may end up causing an excess of soil nitrogen that could lead to losses.

To better estimate potential losses, the researchers calculated a simple nitrogen balance (input as nitrogen fertilizer minus output, removed in grain) for each site and year.

"We confirmed there's a tradeoff between productivity and environmental impact. We found a 22% yield increase when SMN increased from deficient to optimal levels, but adding enough nitrogen also increased the probability of environmental nitrogen losses," Preza-Fontes says. "It's important to not only focus on increasing productivity when developing new tools for nitrogen management. We also need to account for potential nitrogen losses to meet sustainability goals in the region."

The article, "Relationship of in-season soil nitrogen concentration with corn yield and potential nitrogen losses," is published in the Soil Science Society of America Journal.


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Soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization after the initial flush of CO2
More information: Giovani Preza‐Fontes et al. Relationship of in‐season soil nitrogen concentration with corn yield and potential nitrogen losses, Soil Science Society of America Journal (2020). DOI: 10.1002/saj2.20117

Journal information: Soil Science Society of America Journal

Provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

A brutal war and rivers poisoned with every rainfall: How one mine destroyed an island

This week, 156 people from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, in Papua New Guinea, petitioned the Australian government to investigate Rio Tinto over a copper mine that devastated their homeland.

by Matthew G. Allen, The Conversation

Locals living downstream of the abandoned mine pan for gold in mine waste. Credit: Matthew Allen, Author provided

In 1988, disputes around the notorious Panguna mine sparked a lengthy civil war in Bougainville, leading to the deaths of up to 20,000 people. The war is long over and the mine has been closed for 30 years, but its brutal legacy continues.

When I conducted research in Bougainville in 2015, I estimated the deposit of the mine's waste rock (tailings) downstream from the mine to be at least a kilometer wide at its greatest point. Local residents informed me it was tens of meters deep in places.

I spent several nights in a large two-story house built entirely from a single tree dragged out of the tailings—dragged upright, with a tractor. Every new rainfall brought more tailings downstream and changed the course of the waterways, making life especially challenging for the hundreds of people who eke out a precarious existence panning the tailings for remnants of gold.

The petition has brought the plight of these communities back into the media, but calls for Rio Tinto to clean up its mess have been made for decades. Let's examine what led to the ongoing crisis.

Triggering a civil war

The Panguna mine was developed in the 1960s, when PNG was still an Australian colony, and operated between 1972 and 1989. It was, at the time, one of the world's largest copper and gold mines.

It was operated by Bougainville Copper Limited, a subsidiary of what is now Rio Tinto, until 2016 when Rio handed its shares to the governments of Bougainville and PNG.

When a large-scale mining project reaches the end of its commercial life, a comprehensive mine closure and rehabilitation plan is usually put in place.

But Bougainville Copper simply abandoned the site in the face of a landowner rebellion. This was largely triggered by the mine's environmental and social impacts, including disputes over the sharing of its economic benefits and the impacts of those benefits on predominantly cashless societies.


Following PNG security forces' heavy-handed intervention—allegedly under strong political pressure from Bougainville Copper—the rebellion quickly escalated into a full-blown separatist conflict that eventually engulfed all parts of the province.

By the time the hostilities ended in 1997, thousands of Bougainvilleans had lost their lives, including from an air and sea blockade the PNG military had imposed, which prevented essential medical supplies reaching the island.

The mine's gigantic footprint

The Panguna mine's footprint was gigantic, stretching across the full breadth of the central part of the island.

The disposal of hundreds of millions of tons of tailings into the Kawerong-Jaba river system created enormous problems.

Rivers and streams became filled with silt and significantly widened. Water flows were blocked in many places, creating large areas of swampland and disrupting the livelihoods of hundreds of people in communities downstream of the mine. These communities used the rivers for drinking water and the adjacent lands for subsistence food gardening.

Several villages had to be relocated to make way for the mining operations, with around 200 households resettled between 1969 and 1989.

In the absence of any sort of mine closure or "mothballing" arrangements, the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Panguna mine have only been compounded.

Since the end of mining activities 30 years ago, tailings have continued to move down the rivers and the waterways have never been treated for suspected chemical contamination.

Long-suffering communities

The 156 complainants live in communities around and downstream of the mine. Many are from the long-suffering village of Dapera.

In 1975, the people of Dapera were relocated to make way for mining activities. Today, it's in the immediate vicinity of the abandoned mine pit. As one woman from Dapera told me in 2015: "I have traveled all over Bougainville, and I can say that they [in Dapera] are the poorest of the poor."

They, and others, sent the complaint to the Australian OECD National Contact Point after lodging it with Melbourne's Human Rights Law Center.

The complainants say by not ensuring its operations didn't infringe on the local people's human rights, Rio Tinto breached OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises.

The Conversation contacted Rio Tinto for comment. A spokesperson said: "We believe the 2016 arrangement provided a platform for the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and PNG to work together on future options for the resource with all stakeholders."

While it is our belief that from 1990 to 2016 no Rio Tinto personnel had access to the mine site due to on-going security concerns, we are aware of the deterioration of mining infrastructure at the site and surrounding areas, and claims of resulting adverse environmental and social, including human rights, impacts.

We are ready to enter into discussions with the communities that have filed the complaint, along with other relevant parties such as BCL and the governments of ABG and PNG.

A long time coming

This week's petition comes after a long succession of calls for Rio Tinto to be held to account for the Panguna mine's legacies and the resulting conflict.

A recent example is when, after Rio Tinto divested from Bougainville Copper in 2016, former Bougainville President John Momis said Rio must take full responsibility for an environmental clean-up.

And in an unsuccessful class action, launched by Bougainvilleans in the United States in 2000, Rio was accused of collaborating with the PNG state to commit human rights abuses during the conflict and was also sued for environmental damages. The case ultimately foundered on jurisdictional grounds.

Taking social responsibility

This highlights the enormous challenges in seeking redress from mining companies for their operations in foreign jurisdictions, and, in this case, for "historical" impacts.

The colonial-era approach to mining when Panguna was developed in the 1960s stands in stark contrast to the corporate social responsibility paradigm supposedly governing the global mining industry today.

Indeed, Panguna—along with the socially and environmentally disastrous Ok Tedi mine in the western highlands of PNG—are widely credited with forcing the industry to reassess its "social license to operate."

It's clear the time has come for Rio to finally take responsibility for cleaning up the mess on Bougainville.


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Mining pollution limits access to clean water in Papua New Guinea

Provided by The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.