How microorganisms can help us get to net negative emissions
Many of the common items we use in our everyday lives—from building materials to plastics to pharmaceuticals—are manufactured from fossil fuels. To reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, society has increasingly.....»»
Uranium-immobilizing bacteria in clay rock: Exploring how microorganisms can influence the behavior of radioactive waste
When designing repositories for high-level radioactive waste in deep geological layers, various factors must be carefully considered to ensure their long-term safety. Among other things, natural communities of microorganisms can influence the behavio.....»»
Apple ad touts eliminating leather in accessories, but is FineWoven next to go?
Apple stopped offering leather cases and watch bands last fall as part of its environmental efforts. The idea is that pushing leather specifically at Apple’s scale is a net negative for the planet. Ahead of Earth Day this weekend, Apple is marketin.....»»
How to keep Earth from being cooked by the ever-hotter Sun
Here are two options for future humans to keep us in the habitable zone. I’d wager a guess that we are, as a species, rather fond of our home planet (our wanton carbon emissions notwithstanding). But the ugly truth is that the Eart.....»»
Most countries are struggling to meet climate pledges from 2009, emissions tracking study shows
Nineteen out of 34 countries surveyed failed to fully meet their 2020 climate commitments set 15 years ago in Copenhagen, according to a new study led by UCL researchers......»»
Unraveling differences in temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition under various oxygen conditions
Soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition is a key process that affects soil carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions. Investigating the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of SOM decomposition and its regulating mechanisms is important for improving pred.....»»
Switch to green wastewater infrastructure could reduce emissions and provide huge savings, new research finds
University researchers have shown that a transition to green wastewater-treatment approaches in the U.S. that leverages the potential of carbon-financing could save a staggering $15.6 billion and just under 30 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent em.....»»
Study finds link between ecosystem multifunctionality and microbial community features
Ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) is the ability of an ecosystem to provide multiple functions simultaneously. Microorganisms are proxies for soil communities and possess diverse functional traits that support multiple ecosystem functions. However,.....»»
T-Mobile’s “Broadband Facts” Tell You Everything About Plans, Including Fees and Speeds
It was April Fools Day, and so I wasn’t paying attention to many announcements, because the days of companies trolling us all have ground my brain into the most negative state on April 1 each year, but T-Mobile had real news to share. Last week.....»»
From negative results to new discoveries in chloroplast biochemistry
Photosynthesis is a complex process, involving many pathways and puzzle pieces working together to keep the organism alive......»»
Climate change has positive and negative effects on invasive mountain pine beetles
Climate change is hampering mountain pine beetle reproduction but also appears to slightly benefit the invasive insect in other ways, new University of Alberta research shows......»»
Military veterans say extremism was preceded by negative service experiences
Interviews with military veterans who expressed support for extremist groups or related beliefs on a prior survey show that many experienced a significant negative event during their military service, according to a new RAND report titled "Veteran N.....»»
Climate pledges of big firms "critically insufficient": Report
From carmakers to fast fashion, dozens of major international companies are failing to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions at the pace required to slow climate change, a report said Tuesday......»»
Public transit agencies may need to adapt to the rise of remote work, says new study
Remote work could cut hundreds of millions of tons of carbon emissions from car travel—but at the cost of billions lost in public transit revenues, according to a new study......»»
Replacing plastics with alternatives is worse for greenhouse gas emissions in most cases, study finds
Substituting plastics with alternative materials is likely to result in increased GHG emissions, according to research from the University of Sheffield......»»
Study identifies atmospheric and economic drivers of global air pollution
Carbon monoxide emissions from industrial production have serious consequences for human health and are a strong indicator of overall air pollution levels. Many countries aim to reduce their emissions, but they cannot control air flows originating in.....»»
Kids and "bad" news: How can parents safely introduce their children to news and current affairs?
While much attention has been drawn to the detrimental impact of violent video games on children's developing brains, there has been relatively little discussion regarding the negative effects of news and current affair programs children are exposed.....»»
Scientists agree, the media is biased against wasps
Wasp scientists around the globe agree that media coverage of wasps skews negative and almost entirely overlooks their beneficial attributes, reports a team led by UCL researchers......»»
Study presents evidence that recent reductions in aerosol emissions create an additional warming effect
Recent reductions in emissions of tiny particles, the major cause of air pollution globally, have led to more heat in the Earth's climate system. This is shown in a new international study led by CICERO and published in Communications Earth & Environ.....»»
eDNA methods give a real-time look at coral reef health
The human gut is full of microbes. Some microbes can make people sick, while others are responsible for balancing gut health. But humans aren't the only species whose health depends on these microorganisms. Coral reef ecosystems rely on microorganism.....»»
Study reports that people and environment both benefit from diversified farming, while bottom lines also thrive
A massive new global study led by the University of Copenhagen and University of Hohenheim has examined the effects of diversified agriculture. The conclusion is abundantly clear—positive effects increase with every measure, while negative effects.....»»