Africa"s carbon sink capacity is shrinking
The population of Africa, the second-largest continent in the world, currently sits at about 1.4 billion, but is set to exceed 2 billion by 2040. This means greater swaths of land than ever before are being used for agriculture, and livestock numbers.....»»
Battling air pollution may contribute to climate change by impacting soil carbon storage
Decades-old policies aimed at improving air quality may also be accelerating global climate change, warns a recent study published in the journal Ecology......»»
Calcite: The versatile mineral shaping the future of carbon removal
Found all over the world, calcite is the most stable form of calcium carbonate and is the main mineral found in limestone......»»
Locally optimized urban form can reduce carbon dioxide emissions
Research suggests that urban areas could reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by optimizing their urban form. However, the relationship between urban form and emissions is highly context-dependent and generalizations cannot be made......»»
Microbial slime: The ultimate system to understand our planet
Billions of years ago, Earth was home to extreme environments, including intense UV radiation, frequent volcanic eruptions, and very high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Yet, under these conditions, biofilms formed and within thes.....»»
Direct synthesis method uses recovered carbon dioxide and hydrogen to produce formic acid
With the goal of achieving a carbon-neutral society and eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, efforts are accelerating to utilize hydrogen as a key energy source. To achieve this goal, the technologies for hydrogen storage, transportation, an.....»»
Food security in Africa: Managing water will be vital in a rapidly growing region
Sub-Saharan Africa's population is growing at 2.7% per year and is expected to reach two billion by the year 2050. The region's urban population is growing even faster: it was at 533 million in 2023, a 3.85% increase from 2022......»»
The frozen carbon of the northern permafrost is on the move—we estimated by how much
Among the most rapidly changing parts of our planet are the coldest landscapes near the top of the globe, just south of the Arctic. This region is warming two to four times faster than the global average......»»
Apple in talks with Foxconn to build Apple Intelligence servers in Taiwan
Apple wants to tap the talent at Foxconn to power its Apple Intelligence servers, though the supplier may already be at capacity.Apple IntelligenceApple has been ramping up efforts for Apple Intelligence, its user-centric suite of artificial intellig.....»»
New policy aims to introduce bilingual education in South Africa
Language has always been used as a political football in South Africa. This can be traced back to the competing English and Dutch colonizers, from the 17th to the early 20th centuries, each group trying to assert linguistic as well as economic and so.....»»
African countries shouldn"t have to borrow money to fix climate damage they never caused, says economist
As we approach the global annual climate change conference, COP29, the need for increased public finance from the global north to address climate adaptation in Africa has become more urgent than ever......»»
Africa"s cities are growing chaotically fast, but there"s still time to get things right, say experts
Cities are vital engines of economic growth, innovation and social progress. They shape the futures of nations and the lives of millions......»»
Ensuring a bright future for diamond electronics and sensors by perfecting the growth process
Researchers are developing new ideas about the best ways to make lab-grown diamonds while minimizing other forms of carbon, such as soot. These diamonds aren't destined for rings and necklaces, though. These are the kinds that are needed for the comp.....»»
Study finds 30% of regions worldwide achieve economic growth while reducing carbon emissions
More and more regions around the globe combine economic growth with reducing carbon emissions, researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the University of Potsdam found......»»
Women"s education influences fertility rates in sub-Saharan Africa, forecasting model finds
New research reveals a strong link between higher female education and lower fertility rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Educated women are driving a shift toward smaller families and even influencing less educated peers. This new forecasting model offers.....»»
Study explores how Rwanda and Ethiopia tried to shape the future of development in Africa
Contemporary economic challenges in Africa appear to be shifting the continent into a new era of development. From COVID-19 to war-induced inflation, many countries in Africa are facing significant economic challenges. The crises of recent years come.....»»
Portal to the past: Geologist identifies metamorphic rock as a crucial feature of the ancient Earth"s carbon cycle
If Earth's history were a calendar year, humans would not appear until the last few minutes before midnight on Dec. 31. During the Proterozoic Eon—2.5 billion years to 543 million years ago—the sun was still a young star, much dimmer than today,.....»»
Artificial intelligence: A double-edged sword for the environment?
As AI technology progresses, the energy demands of training complex AI models have surged, raising widespread concerns about associated carbon emissions. This rapid growth is fueled by global demand across industries and academia, leading to exponent.....»»
Rubber plantations increase leaching of dissolved organic carbon in soil, study finds
Rubber planting brings huge economic benefits, but large-scale rubber plantations have a great impact on the ecological environment, especially in terms of the soil's physical and chemical properties......»»
New research estimates carbon emissions from 22 million stream reaches across the US
Using a sophisticated new modeling approach, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have estimated carbon dioxide emissions from inland waters to 22 million U.S. lakes, rivers and reservoirs. It marks the first time this approach has.....»»
Study examines effects of Atlantic circulation on the Amazon rainforest
The Amazon region is a global hotspot of biodiversity and plays a key role in the climate system because of its ability to store large amounts of carbon and its influence on the global water cycle. The rain forest is threatened, however, by climate c.....»»