Opinion: We should ban all new oil and gas fields
As a professor of geophysics, I have spent 36 years training young geologists destined to work in the fossil fuel industry how to look for oil and gas. But now I believe it's time to stop fossil-fuel exploration and halt the development of all new oi.....»»
Opinion: Huge Cadia gold mine ordered to reduce polluting dust. Is it safe to live near a mine like this?
For the past 15 months, I have been helping residents living near the massive Cadia gold and copper mine in NSW to verify their concerns about pollution from the mine. The findings of alarming levels of heavy metals in their water tanks, as well as i.....»»
Using electric fields to control the movement of defects in crystals
An international team of researchers, led by University of Toronto Engineering Professor Yu Zou, is using electric fields to control the motion of material defects. This work has important implications for improving the properties and manufacturing p.....»»
Scientists describe a novel way to manipulate exotic materials
An advance in a topological insulator material—whose interior behaves like an electrical insulator but whose surface behaves like a conductor—could revolutionize the fields of next-generation electronics and quantum computing, according to scient.....»»
Opinion: The silence around unwanted sexual attention in LGBTQ+ venues is making safe spaces less safe
In many parts of the world, unwanted sexual attention has become a normal, though disturbing, part of a night out. In bars, pubs and clubs, sexual harassment and assault happens regularly to people of all genders and orientations. But the way it is u.....»»
Opinion: Conspiracy theories aren"t on the rise—we need to stop panicking
Several polls in the past couple of years (including from Ipsos, YouGov and most recently Savanta on behalf of Kings College Policy Institute and the BBC) have been examining the kinds of conspiratorial beliefs people have. The findings have led to a.....»»
Fast magnetic imaging with diamond-based quantum sensor technology
Microscopic imaging of magnetic fields, enabled by quantum sensing, allows the measurement of the unique magnetic fingerprint of objects. This opens the door for fundamentally new applications in various fields such as materials testing or biomedicin.....»»
Opinion: To achieve climate neutrality in the chemical industry, we must also cut demand
Chemical products, such as plastics, fertilizers and solvents pervade our modern lifestyle. The vast majority are derived from crude oil or natural gas—and producing them generates around 5% of global CO2 emissions. To transition the chemical indus.....»»
Opinion: Abortion prison sentence shows the law is focused on fetuses—why that"s dangerous for women
The imprisonment of a woman in the UK for taking abortion pills at 32-34 weeks of pregnancy has shocked many. Most people are still unaware that abortion at any stage of pregnancy is illegal in England and Wales, unless authorized by two doctors......»»
Opinion: The US will send depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine—despite military, health and environmental effects
The Biden administration has agreed to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium shells to equip M1A1 Abrams tanks that the U.S. is sending there. Britain has already delivered tanks to Ukraine equipped with depleted-uranium shells......»»
Opinion: The massive dam removal on the Klamath may save salmon but can"t solve the West"s water crisis
Sheldon SmilingCoyote locked his eyes on the push and pull of the waves in front of him, suddenly slashing the tip of his handheld hook through the water, pulling out a slimy prehistoric fish......»»
New study maps impact of interprovincial trade on pollution-related mortality in China
In a new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, researchers from Beijing Normal University bring together five state-of-the-art models from the fields of physics, economics, and epidemiology, tracing the intricate web.....»»
Study finds that cliffhangers keep audiences... [to be continued]
Are cliffhangers a maddening way for writers to end an otherwise great story? Every audience member is likely to have an opinion, but despite the long history of cliffhangers, there has been little research done to study how audiences respond to the.....»»
Scientists report "benchmarks" for extreme space weather
High-energy 'relativistic' electrons—so-called "killer" electrons—are a major source of radiation damage to satellites and so understanding their patterns of activity is crucial. Bursts of charged particles and magnetic fields from the sun can te.....»»
Holistic management is key to increase carbon sequestration in soils, say researchers
Increased carbon sequestration in soil to help mitigate climate change can only be achieved by a more holistic management. This is the conclusion from an opinion paper conceptualized by a team led by researchers from the German Centre for Integrative.....»»
Researchers succeed in arranging nanoscale quantum sensors on desired targets
University of Tokyo scientists have achieved the delicate task of arranging quantum sensors at a nanoscale, allowing them to detect extremely small variations in magnetic fields. The high-resolution quantum sensors will have potential uses in quantum.....»»
Opinion: How should we teach climate change in schools? It starts with "turbo charging" teacher education
The case for action on climate change no longer needs to be laid out......»»
Opinion: Virgin Galactic"s use of the "Overview Effect" to promote space tourism is a terrible irony
Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company founded in 2004 by Richard Branson, promotes its flights as offering "a brand new perspective: Deepen your connection to Earth and to humanity with the transformational experience known as the Overview Effec.....»»
Novel single crystals show promising electric field control of magnetism
A research team led by associate Prof. Yin Lihua from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has demonstrated a clear control of magnetism at low electric fields (E) at room temperature. The E-induced phase transf.....»»
Canadian Prairies farmers try to adapt to a warming world
Following repeated droughts, Canadian farmers are trying to adapt to a new era in agriculture marked by a warming world—including by trapping snow in their fields, planting heat-resistant crops and seeding earlier in the season......»»
Opinion: The fire this time—facing the reality of climate change
COVID-19, invasive species, and the spread of persistent chemicals and plastics provide one form of evidence that we live on a planet with an interconnected biosphere. Dangers from one part of the planet find their way to other parts of the planet. O.....»»