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......»»
New maps show high-risk zones for whale-ship collisions—vessel speed limits and rerouting can reduce the toll
Imagine you are a blue whale swimming up the California coast, as you do every spring. You are searching for krill in the Santa Barbara Channel, a zone that teems with fish, kelp forests, seagrass beds and other undersea life, but also vibrates with.....»»
In Patagonia, more snow could protect glaciers from melt—but only if greenhouse gas are curbed emissions soon
In an era of dwindling glaciers, Southern Patagonia has managed to hold on to a surprising amount of its ice. But, a new study in Scientific Reports from INSTAAR postdoc Matthias Troch suggests that this protective effect might be pushed up against i.....»»
Exploring new liquid organic hydrogen carrier materials for a safer, more transportable energy source
To reduce CO2 emissions, the energy transition from a carbon-based energy system to a more sustainable system based on hydrogen energy is urgently needed. However, the nature of hydrogen (such as low volumetric density, flammability, and embrittlemen.....»»
AI and genus-conditioned algorithms create precise simulation-ready models of 600,000 existing urban trees
The Irish philosopher George Berkely, best known for his theory of immaterialism, once famously mused, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" What about AI-generated trees? They probably wouldn't make a s.....»»
Upskilling: An interview with Steph Piper
What maker skills do you have? What maker skills would you like to acquire? Steph Piper has been thinking about upskilling, and inspired by video games, she began to identify sets of skills as tiles that form trees. She created an online repository.....»»
Smarter city planning: Researchers use brain activity to predict visits to urban areas
Urbanization, the process by which cities and towns expand in size and population, is rapidly advancing globally, and the percentage of people living in urban environments has increased from 33% in 1960 to 57% in 2023......»»
Math-selective US universities reduce gender gap in STEM fields, analysis finds
Nationally, men in colleges and universities currently outpace women in earning physics, engineering, and computer science (PECS) degrees by an approximate ratio of 4:1. To better understand the factors driving these gaps, NYU researchers analyzed ba.....»»
Red squirrels are very flexible in shifting their daily routines to avoid urban threats, researchers find
Scientific investigations before and during the COVID-19 lockdown in Berlin in 2020 show that urban red squirrels are extremely flexible in adjusting their diurnal activities to the presence of humans, domestic dogs, domestic cats, and predators such.....»»
Support for carbon pricing higher than expected, finds study
Viewed by many experts as one of the most effective tools of climate policy, carbon pricing seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Currently, however, only 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions are subject to this climate tax, as it is seen as un.....»»
Apple brings hearing tests to AirPods Pro 2 in France but holds back key feature
Apple's AirPods Pro 2 now let users in France test their hearing and reduce loud noises, but the hearing aid feature is stuck in regulatory limbo.AirPods ProApple has introduced new health-focused capabilities for the AirPods Pro 2, including a heari.....»»
Plastic reduces krill"s ability to remove carbon in the deep ocean, marine ecologists find
New research shows that increased levels of plastic pollution in the Southern Ocean could reduce the ability of Antarctic krill, a tiny shrimp-like crustacean, to help take CO2 from the atmosphere. The results are published this month in the journal.....»»
Low-cost phenotyping system unveils key insights into quantitative disease resistance in wild tomatoes
Quantitative disease resistance (QDR) is a complex but durable form of plant disease resistance that provides partial protection against a broad range of pathogens. Unlike qualitative resistance, driven by major resistance (R) genes, QDR is polygenic.....»»
Mixed forests can reduce the risk of forest damage in a warmer climate
Forests with few tree species pose a considerably higher risk of being damaged, and the introduced lodgepole pine is especially vulnerable. This is the finding of a new study published in Ecosphere by researchers from Umeå University and the Swedish.....»»
Sugar-like nanoparticle covering could boost cancer drug delivery
A spoonful of sugar might actually help medicine go down, according to recent research from the University of Mississippi. And it could reduce the harmful side effects of cancer treatment. Instead of a literal spoonful of sugar, however, the research.....»»
"Will you buy fewer plastic bottles?" A simple question can change our behavior
The bottled water market has seen explosive growth—up 73% over the last decade—making it one of the fastest-growing industries globally. However, this growth comes at a significant environmental cost. Plastic waste, greenhouse gas emissions from.....»»
Companies are still committing to net-zero emissions, even if it"s a bumpy road. Here"s what the data show
Companies around the world are increasingly committed to cutting their greenhouse gas emissions to slow and ultimately reverse climate change......»»
Carbon credits scheme failing threatened species, says study
New research shows that most areas under a federal government scheme designed to reduce carbon emissions or store carbon don't protect the habitat of threatened species......»»
Turning carbon emissions into methane fuel: New method offers potential for abundant energy savings
Chemists have developed a novel way to capture and convert carbon dioxide into methane, suggesting that future gas emissions could be converted into an alternative fuel using electricity from renewable sources......»»
Compound weather events found to have greater effect on wetland methane emissions than discrete weather extremes do
Human-caused climate change is driving an increase in extreme weather. Heat waves, droughts, and extreme precipitation are occurring more frequently, growing more intense, and directly affecting ecosystem function. For instance, the 2003 European hea.....»»
US, China must collaborate on carbon dioxide removal, report finds
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone might not be enough to reach climate action goals: The world's two biggest emitters—the United States and China—must cooperate to accelerate the development of methods that actively remove carbon dioxide fr.....»»