Birch trees remove microplastics from the soil
With the help of trees, microplastic-polluted soils could be remediated. For the first time, researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) have shown that birch trees absorb microplastics through their roots du.....»»
How harmful are microplastics to human health?
Microplastics have been found throughout the human body -- including inside lungs, blood and brains -- and while it is not yet clear how harmful they are to our health, some researchers are sounding the alarm......»»
Invasive plants drive homogenization of soil microbial communities across US, new study finds
Invasive plants are doing more than just taking over landscapes—they're also changing the soil beneath them. A new study co-authored by Matthew McCary, assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University, reveals that these species are reshaping.....»»
Is it true that trees pollute the air?
Methane is the most famous volatile organic compound (VOC) in our atmosphere. This week, our host George Zaidan follows up on a Reactions subscriber's question about the 600 teragrams of a less famous VOC released every year: isoprene......»»
Council admits medical case to remove baby from parents was ‘not very firm’
Council admits medical case to remove baby from parents was ‘not very firm’.....»»
Researchers discover revolutionary method to rid farm soils of microplastics — here"s how it could transform food supply
Researchers discover revolutionary method to rid farm soils of microplastics — here"s how it could transform food supply.....»»
Removal of Russian coders spurs debate about Linux kernel’s politics
Torvalds defends move, says "Russian troll factories" won't deter him. "Remove some entries due to various compliance requirements. They can come back in the future if sufficient.....»»
Marri trees are a lifeline for many native bee species in a biodiversity hotspot
New Curtin University-led research has revealed that Marri trees are critical to the survival of more than 80 species of native bee in Western Australia's South West region, which is one of the world's most biologically rich but threatened biodiversi.....»»
Compost produced from organic solid waste could replace 21% of industrial fertilizers in urban agriculture
The organic solid waste that citizens deposit in brown recycling bins could currently produce the amount of compost needed to satisfy 8% of the nutrients demanded by urban and peri-urban agriculture, reducing environmental impacts such as soil eutrop.....»»
The Abrams tank built to fight the Soviets appears to be at war on Russian soil
The Abrams tank built to fight the Soviets appears to be at war on Russian soil.....»»
Biodegradable microplastics study helps quantify their climate change and ecotoxicity impacts
Over 20 million tons of plastic are estimated to end up in the environment every year, with much of it breaking down into microplastics that are harmful to the health of humans and wildlife. Biodegradable and bio-based plastics made from organic mate.....»»
Microplastics and PFAS: Daphnia study finds combined impact results in greater environmental harm
The combined impact of so-called "forever chemicals" is more harmful to the environment than single chemicals in isolation, a new study shows. Researchers at the University of Birmingham investigated the environmental effects of microplastics and PFA.....»»
Study evaluates overall soil arthropod diversity at different geographic scales
Soil arthropods contribute to terrestrial ecosystem functions and services. Previous studies have mainly focused on specific arthropod and non-arthropod taxonomic groups at various geographic scales. However, the patterns of overall soil arthropod co.....»»
Dolphins Are Exhaling Microplastics
New research highlights how extensive plastic pollution is—and how nonhuman species, including dolphins, are exposed......»»
Five surprising ways that trees help prevent flooding
Think of flood prevention and you might imagine huge concrete dams, levees or the shiny Thames barrier. But some of the most powerful tools for reducing flood risk are far more natural and widely recognizable: woodlands and green spaces. Trees offer.....»»
AI finds racial restrictions in millions of property records
California law requires counties to remove racially restrictive language—constitutionally unenforceable since 1948—from property deeds. Researchers trained a large language model to help......»»
Lignin molecular property discovery could help turn trees into affordable, greener industrial chemicals
Trees are the most abundant natural resource living on Earth's land masses, and North Carolina State University scientists and engineers are making headway in finding ways to use them as sustainable, environmentally benign alternatives to producing i.....»»
Bumblebee queens choose to hibernate in pesticide-contaminated soil, scientists discover
An alarming discovery from University of Guelph researchers raises concerns for bumblebee health, survival and reproduction. U of G environmental sciences researchers Drs. Nigel Raine and Sabrina Rondeau have found that bumblebee queens are more like.....»»
City microbes surviving on disinfectants, research reveals
New research shows microbes in our cities are evolving to resist the very cleaners we use to eliminate them. It also identifies novel strains living in Hong Kong that were previously only found in Antarctic desert soil......»»
X’s depressing ad revenue helps Musk avoid EU’s strictest antitrust law
X invoked tanking ad revenue to remove threat of DMA gatekeeper designation. Following an investigation, Elon Musk's X has won its fight to avoid gatekeeper status under the Europ.....»»
Study suggests dolphins could be exposed to potentially harmful microplastics through inhalation
U.S. researchers have detected microplastic particles in air exhaled by wild bottlenose dolphins, suggesting that inhalation may be a relevant route of exposure to these potentially harmful contaminants. Miranda Dziobak of the College of Charleston i.....»»