Do volcanoes add more carbon than they take away?
In a new study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Zhong and colleagues discovered that a volcano in northeast China emits a small net amount of carbon each year. Over geological timescales, that could have a significant.....»»
Natural gas flare samples collected by aircraft reveal high variation in nitrogen oxides emission estimates
Natural gas flaring, or burning, is commonly used in parts of the United States to dispose of the gas byproduct from oil extraction. The flare's combustion converts hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water, which lessens the climate impact and reduce.....»»
Curved carbon nanotubes enhance electrocatalysts for carbon neutrality
Electrocatalysis plays a vital role in developing clean energy, greenhouse gas removal and energy storage technologies. A study co-led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) researchers found that single-walled carbon nanotubes are excellent substra.....»»
Replacing animal-based foods with alternative proteins would unlock land for carbon removal, say researchers
Researchers report that replacing 50% of animal products with alternative proteins by 2050 could free up enough agricultural land to generate renewable energy equivalent in volume to today's coal-generated power while simultaneously removing substant.....»»
Newly discovered carbon monoxide-runaway gap can help identify habitable exoplanets
The search for habitable exoplanets involves looking for planets with similar conditions to the Earth, such as liquid water, a suitable temperature range and atmospheric conditions. One crucial factor is the planet's position in the habitable zone, t.....»»
Researchers reveal elusive bottleneck holding back global effort to convert carbon dioxide waste into usable products
Think of it as recycling on the nanoscale: a tantalizing electrochemical process that can harvest carbon before it becomes air pollution and restructure it into the components of everyday products......»»
Guanine synthesis yields new insights into nitrogen"s role in nanocarbon catalysis
Recently, carbon-based catalysts—especially nitrogen-doped nanocarbons—have emerged as sustainable, reliable alternatives to the metal catalysts traditionally used to support chemical reactions......»»
Biotrickling filter supports efficient hydrogen-methane conversion for biological biogas upgrading
Biological hydrogen-methane conversion refers to the production of methane through the action of microorganisms using hydrogen generated by electrolysis of water with residual power and carbon dioxide present in biogas. This approach promises to over.....»»
Climate models often miss how plants respond to drought, research suggests
Plants both absorb carbon dioxide and release water vapor through their stomata, or pores on their leaves. In drought conditions, plants close these pores to conserve water, and this reduces their carbon dioxide uptake as well......»»
New findings explain how soil traps plant-based carbon
When carbon molecules from plants enter the soil, they hit a definitive fork in the road. Either the carbon gets trapped in the soil for days or even years, where it is effectively sequestered from immediately entering the atmosphere. Or it feeds mic.....»»
Research reveals minerals in soil shield microbial remains to aid carbon storage
A new study by Chinese researchers has revealed that soil minerals play a critical role in protecting the remains of dead microbes, thereby promoting carbon and nitrogen storage in the soil......»»
Improving climate predictions by unlocking the secrets of soil microbes
Climate models are essential to predicting and addressing climate change, but can fail to adequately represent soil microbes, a critical player in ecosystem soil carbon sequestration that affects the global carbon cycle......»»
The jump in global temperatures in September 2023 is difficult to explain by natural climate variability alone
September 2023 broke the global mean temperature record by a staggering 0.5° C difference from the previous record. A new study calls for further analysis of the impact of volcanoes and anthropogenic climate forcing on the new record......»»
Brexit-induced spatial restrictions reveal alarming increase of fishing fleet"s carbon footprint
In a study published in Marine Policy, researchers have unveiled striking evidence that fisheries management decisions such as spatial fisheries restrictions can increase greenhouse gas emissions......»»
Bifunctional electrocatalysts for efficient hydrogen production via overall hydrazine splitting
Hydrogen is widely recognized as a promising clean energy source, primarily due to its high energy density and the absence of carbon emissions during its utilization. This characteristic makes hydrogen an ideal candidate for addressing the growing en.....»»
Shifts in lake carbon dynamics on the Qingzang Plateau: From predominant carbon sources to emerging carbon sinks
A new study shows that annual carbon emissions from lakes in the Qingzang Plateau (QZP)—a vast elevated plateau at the intersection of Central, South, and East Asia—have declined, with some lakes shifting from carbon sources between 1970–2000 t.....»»
Re-estimating China"s lake CO₂ flux considering spatiotemporal variability
The variability of lake partial carbon dioxide pressure (pCO2) introduces uncertainty into CO2 flux estimates. Knowing the variation pattern of pCO2 is important for obtaining an accurate global estimation......»»
Strategies for enhancing the performance of nickel single-atom catalysts for the electroreduction of CO₂ to CO
Electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) is considered as an effective strategy for mitigating the energy crisis and the greenhouse effect. Among the multiple reduction products, CO is regarded as having the highest market value as it is a.....»»
Researchers realize photo-driven nitrogen fixation and ammonia synthesis mediated by lithium hydride
Ammonia is essential for food and future energy supply. In the industry, it is mainly produced by the Haber-Bosch process, which operates at high temperatures and pressures. Due to the high energy consumption and carbon emissions of ammonia industry,.....»»
Permafrost alone holds back Arctic rivers—and a lot of carbon
New research from Dartmouth College provides the first evidence that the Arctic's frozen soil is the dominant force shaping Earth's northernmost rivers. Permafrost, the thick layer of soil that stays frozen for two or more years at a time, is the rea.....»»
Comparing carbon-trapping capacities of anoxic basins
Humans will need to both drastically reduce emissions and remove at least 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year to avoid the worst effects of climate change, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2023 synthes.....»»