Degradable polyethylene plastics from the nonalternating terpolymerization of ethylene, CO, and polar monomers
In a study published in the journal National Science Review and led by Dr. Zhongbao Jian (State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, CAS), E/CO/PM terpolymerizations were carried out with seven p.....»»
AI predicts the influence of microplastics on soil properties
Plastic waste and its buildup in nature has become a major environmental concern in recent times. While plastic pollution in the oceans is undoubtedly a problem, the presence of plastics in soils around the world is also known to cause severe environ.....»»
Apple preharvest drop not linked to xylem functionality
Heat stress induces and accelerates leaf senescence, which is characterized by a loss of chlorophyll and cellular membrane deterioration, as well as oxidative damage). Leaf senescence can be exacerbated by the hormone ethylene, which acts as a signal.....»»
Reusing plastic waste to kickstart radical chain reactions, improving process safety and efficiency
Single-use plastics are a major environmental concern, but now, rather than being disposed of as garbage, used plastic bags from the grocery store could be utilized to carry out a reaction that can detoxify hazardous chemicals......»»
Permafrost: A ticking time bomb beneath our feet
Nearly a quarter of the Earth's land surface is permanently frozen. These areas, known as permafrost, are found in northern polar regions and at high altitudes. But the permafrost is now starting to thaw—with potentially disastrous consequences for.....»»
Mollusks from polar expeditions reveal new details about the ocean
In the early hours of 30 October 1961, a Russian bomber took off and flew north. The plane was headed for the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Russian part of the Arctic. When the pilot saw the islands far below, he released the cargo—a bomb the si.....»»
Image: Ice flows on Mars
On Aug. 18, 2023, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured ridged lines carved onto Mars' landscape by the gradual movement of ice. While surface ice deposits are mostly limited to Mars' polar caps, these patterns appear in many non-polar Marti.....»»
Webb rings in holidays with ringed planet Uranus
The James Webb Space Telescope recently trained its sights on unusual and enigmatic Uranus, an ice giant that spins on its side. Webb captured this dynamic world with rings, moons, storms, and other atmospheric features—including a seasonal polar c.....»»
Challenging assumptions: The 8.5-year rhythm of Earth"s inner core
Researchers from China have confirmed the existence of an approximately 8.5-year Inner Core Wobble (ICW) in both polar motion and length-of-day variations, revealing a static tilt of about 0.17 degrees between the Earth's inner core and mantle, chall.....»»
Q&A: Finding more sustainable ways to use plastics in agriculture
Every year, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, some 12.5 million tonnes of plastic are used in agricultural production worldwide. Plastic is a boon to farmers, but leads to large quantities of macro-, micro- and nanopl.....»»
Research finds marine bacteria, atmospheric rivers can contribute to formation of ice clouds
Understanding cloud formation in polar regions is essential to discern the influence of solar radiation on the polar ice caps. Existing numerical models, however, struggle to replicate ice clouds accurately. Now, using real-world observations and cli.....»»
Polyethylene waste could be a thing of the past
An international team of experts undertaking fundamental research has developed a way of using polyethylene waste (PE) as a feedstock and converted it into valuable chemicals, via light-driven photocatalysis......»»
Potentially harmful chemical byproducts left behind when sunlight breaks down ocean plastics
Northeastern researchers found in 2021 that an estimated 4 million to 10 million tons of plastic carbon enter the ocean each year. Much of it ends up floating in subtropical currents......»»
British research ship crosses paths with world"s largest iceberg as it drifts out of Antarctica
Britain's polar research ship has crossed paths with the largest iceberg in the world—a "lucky" encounter that enabled scientists to collect seawater samples around the colossal berg as it drifts out of Antarctic waters, the British Antarctic Surve.....»»
Following in polar bears" footprints: DNA from snow tracks could help monitor threatened animals
Polar bears are icons of the Arctic, elusive and vulnerable. Detailed monitoring of their populations is crucial for their conservation—but because polar bears are so difficult to find, we are missing critical data about population size and how wel.....»»
The best Christmas movies on Max (December 2023)
The best Christmas movies on Max include A Hollywood Christmas, Elf, The Polar Express, Holiday Affair, A Christmas Story Christmas, and more......»»
One of the largest magnetic storms in history quantified: Aurorae from the tropics to the polar regions
In early November of this year, aurora borealis were observed at surprisingly low latitudes, as far south as Italy and Texas. Such phenomena indicate the impacts of a solar coronal mass ejection on the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere. Far more.....»»
River floods and plastics: Where did the litter go when the Meuse flooded?
Plastic pollution is a global problem and Dutch rivers are no exception. Anyone who has ever walked along their banks will know the sight of bottles, caps and food packaging. But some of that litter may originate from elsewhere. How much plastic wast.....»»
Plastic waste in the water might be stopping, or interrupting, some shrimp-like creatures from reproducing
In a unique study, published in the journal Environmental Pollution,the ability of "shrimp-like" creatures to reproduce successfully was found to be compromised by chemicals found in everyday plastics......»»
Researchers describe a more sustainable process to recycle biobased polycarbonates
A month ago, the European Union banned glitter. This action was part of an effort that aims to reduce the presence of microplastics in our environment by 30%. Waste plastics are a serious problem for our ecosystems, and the push for recycling plastic.....»»
Protecting delicate polar ecosystems by mapping biodiversity
Polar regions contain vast, undiscovered biodiversity but are both the most threatened and least-understood areas of the world......»»