StonAlchemistMay 19
Ada Palmer
Chinese researchers sprayed cyanobacteria onto desert sand and turned it into stable soil in just 10 months. Cyanobacteria oozes sticky sugars that glue loose grains of sand into a crust that’s tough enough to cut wind erosion and trap water — and then those bacteria photosynthesize, leaving behind organic matter, and pull nitrogen from the air, converting it into fertilizer. Drop seeds into the soil 10-16 months later and they’re very happy. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/chinese-researchers-turn-desert-sand-into-fertile-soil-in-just-10-months-using-cyanobacteria/articleshow/130391558.cms
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Chinese Researchers Soil Innovation: Chinese researchers turn desert sand into fertile soil in just 10 months using cyanobacteria | - The Times of India

Science News: The researchers at the Shapotou Desert Experimental Research Station in China have developed a revolutionary approach for reversing desertification an.

The Times of India
May 19 at 4:03pmWeb
Show threadJudy AndersonMay 19
@adapalmer But what about the cyanobacteria toxin? Does it get taken up by the new crops?
Show threadsusMay 19

@nosrednayduj @adapalmer this is the first step in soil crust formation, which happens naturally in arid ecosystems and is the first step towards colonizing soil with life! Biological soil crust is super ecologically important, but fragile and easily damaged.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_soil_crust

Scientists have been working really hard on trying to figure out how to start restoring soil crusts and it’s cool to see them come so far that it can be used like this.

This is my favourite lab doing soil crust work

https://dirtlab.weebly.com/who-we-are

Re: cyanotoxins: Cyanobacteria growing in soil are different kinds of cyanobacteria than the ones in water, different Cyanobacteria make different toxins, and they make those toxins in response to different environmental conditions. I don’t think all cyanobacteria even make toxins?

Soil crusts aren’t my area of expertise, but soil scientists do study how different conditions affect toxin production and the role of those toxins in the (ecological) community.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259017102400016X

As far as I’m aware, any health risks to humans from cyanotoxins in soil crust come from disturbing or harming the soil crust so that it aerosolizes and blows around.

If this technique is used to restore degraded areas, then it’s more likely to reduce exposure to cyanotoxins by stabilizing the soil surface.

Biological soil crust - Wikipedia

Show threadRustyFreewheelMay 20
@nosrednayduj @adapalmer
That is also how my brain works 👍
Show threadAlbert BorneoMay 19
@adapalmer
Fixer nos dunes !!
Des gens de l' ONF ou de la Sepanso pour lire cet article ?
Show thread<10%May 19
@adapalmer The stuff that causes algal bloom in lakes?
Wow.
Show threadDavid Penfold May 19
@adapalmer The image is AI generated though 🫩
Show threadAlexanderVIMay 19
@adapalmer I wish Frank Herbert were alive to see this
Show threadWish the sun to stand still 🌞May 20

@AlexanderVI He hated the idea, which is why he portrayed it negatively from GEoD onward (green Arrakis produced people like Siona who were too soft and complacent and concerned for frivolities like civil liberties). Herbert venerated people suffering in harsh environments because in his mind that is how superior people were produced.

Democracy is ultimately about stakeholding; which walks of life are considered to have legitimate concerns in society (i.e. all walks of life). That there isn't a drop of democracy in 20k years of Dune's timeline should be a big red flag for fans. Herbert revered mafia-like and despotic social structures like the Bene Gesserit and the throne.

Show threadRossMadnessMay 19
@adapalmer I've got plenty of this stuff in my aquarium every few months if any researchers need some fresh cyanobacteria for these experiments 🤣
Show threadkupac^ESC:wqMay 20
@adapalmer
It's there a more authoritative source than timesofindia? Also, there must be a reason why the area became a desert. As long as it's not resolved, it will become desert again. I'm quite sceptical for now.
Show threadLogicalErzorMay 20

@adapalmer anyone have a link to the research article?

closest i could find is https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0038071719303293 and it seems to be from 2020

Show thread65dBnoiseMay 20
@adapalmer
No reference and a machine generated image? Hm… 🤔
Show threadGin KangarooMay 20
@adapalmer
This is FANTASTIC!!!