#SOEST

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa atmospheric scientists found that the century-old yardstick used across many industries to estimate air-conditioning and refrigeration energy demand—called cooling degree days—is missing something fundamental. 

The research team discovered that 25 contaminants from agricultural, industrial and pharmaceutical sources accumulated in the soft tissues of coral around Maui. Additionally, in areas impacted by human activities, the energy and nutrient availability within the coral’s tissue decreases, making them significantly less resilient to environmental stressors such as warmer or acidic waters.

In the study, scientists used drone photography to measure the body length of free-swimming dolphins, which revealed a decline in the number of calves.

Researchers from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa published a study showing that they can skillfully predict El Niño and La Niña 15 months ahead of time using only observations of the ocean surface temperature and height—no complex climate model needed.

The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has identified a large-scale tropical disturbance called the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) as a significant driver of the islands’ climate, including extreme events, such as the extraordinary rainfall Hawaiʻi experienced in March and April.

The lyrics of traditional Okinawan songs were found to record past climate and geological history of the Ryukyu Islands (now called Okinawa Prefecture, Japan), according to a new study by a University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Earth scientist and fellow Ryukyuan music practitioners.

A study by oceanographers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa provided the first in-depth look at this habitat, revealing a dynamic community that may be more sensitive to seasonal changes than previously understood.

A new study reveals a wide variety of approaches across the US for establishing building elevation guidelines that account for future sea level rise, highlighting a need for more standardized methods. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research, published in Water, provides a critical resource for policymakers and designers in coastal communities such as Hawaiʻi who are planning for the impacts of climate change.

The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Statement for portions of Kahoʻolawe, Kauaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, Niʻihau, Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island. The statement is in effect through Thursday afternoon with isolated minor coastal flooding expected.

By 2080 rising sea levels could cause seasonal waves to reach Ahu Tongariki, the iconic ceremonial platform that is part of the Rapa Nui National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site, according to a study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage by a team of researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. This coastal flooding also threatens 51 cultural assets in the area, including Rapa Nui’s world-renowned moai statues. 

A researcher-keiki collaboration aims to foster a deep connection to the land and community through storytelling. The Coastal Research Collaborative (CRC) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa developed The Sand Dance, a storybook that was inspired by a play researchers co-created with students at Ka‘a‘awa Elementary. 

While most people know about El Niño and how it impacts the weather, a new study from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa shows another climate pattern influences rainfall across the Islands, particularly during the spring season.

A rare and large summertime phytoplankton bloom in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre in summer 2018 was prompted by ash from Kīlauea falling on the ocean surface approximately 1,200 miles west of the volcano.

Emily Costello, a planetary scientist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, was selected by NASA as one of eight participating scientists to join its Lucy mission to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. These asteroids are remnants of the early solar system trapped on stable orbits associated with, but not close to, the planet Jupiter.

Children ages 2 to 8 across 11 Pacific jurisdictions—including Hawaiʻi—are not meeting daily recommendations for key micronutrients, consuming either too much or too little, according to a recent study led by University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa scientists.

Researchers at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa have made an exciting discovery: a virus found in the ocean called FloV-SA2 carries the genetic instructions for making part of a ribosome—a crucial component in cells that turns genetic information into proteins. This is the first time a virus that infects eukaryotic organisms (such as plants, animals, and fungi) has been found to have this capability, according to UH researchers.

It is estimated that scientists have discovered only 1% of the yeast species thought to exist on Earth. A professor in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), hopes to change this by shedding light on what is known as a “dark area” of the fungal tree of life using a $1 million award over the next four years, funded by the National Science Foundation.

The University of Hawaiʻi has reached a milestone in the US Department of Defense funded project that aims to create a living breakwater system to protect coastlines from erosion and create ecosystems where resilient corals and other ocean life can grow and thrive.

A team led by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers aims to use a $4.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to tackle clean energy needs on multiple fronts from sustainable solutions and integrating Native Hawaiian knowledge to engaging with high school students.

The County of Maui Office of Innovation & Sustainability (OIS) invites the public to join the Mayor Sustainability Series today, April 30, at 5 p.m., featuring Dr. Charles “Chip” Fletcher, Interim University of Hawaiʻi SOEST Special Advisor for Climate and Resilience.