Reviewing and evaluating recent electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction with ionic liquids
The increasing CO2 emission as the chief culprit causing many environmental problems could be addressed via electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2R) to the added-value carbon-based chemicals. Due to the unique advantages, ionic liquids (ILs) have been wi.....»»
From chaos to structure: How a bunch of seemingly disorganized cells go on to form a robust embryo
Pipetting liquids into tiny test tubes, analyzing huge datasets, poring over research publications—all these tasks are part of being a scientist. But breaking this routine is essential. Time away from the usual work environment can spark creative i.....»»
How the "social cost of carbon" measurement can hide economic inequalities and mask climate suffering
The social cost of carbon (SCC) is an essential tool for climate decision-making around the world. SCC is essentially a large cost-benefit calculation that helps policymakers compare the benefits of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the soci.....»»
Increasing plant diversity in agriculture can promote soil carbon sequestration
A study carried out at the University of Helsinki demonstrates that boosting plant diversity in agriculture can increase plant biomass and improve plant–microbe interactions, both of which promote the storage of carbon in the soil......»»
Declines in plant resilience threaten carbon storage in the Arctic
Rapid warming has impacted the northern ecosystem so significantly that scientists are concerned the region's vegetation is losing the ability to recover from climate shocks, suggests a new study......»»
Theoretical study demonstrates existence of giant photocaloric effects in ferroelectric perovskites
Solid-state cooling is a promising alternative cooling technique that does not rely on the use of gases or liquids, like conventional refrigeration systems, but instead utilizes the properties of solid materials to refrigerate. This alternative cooli.....»»
Unveiling a new technique for preparing ionic liquid-based membranes for mixture separation
Separating mixtures into their constituent substances is essential in many fields. For example, mixture separation plays a key role in the petrochemical industry, as well as in chemical purification and synthesis plants. Moreover, separating mixtures.....»»
Toyota chief scientist wants industry to fight the "real common enemy"
Gill Pratt says cutting global carbon emissions should be the goal and that a mix of powertrains will be needed to achieve success......»»
Can carbon credits help close coal plants?
A few dozen kilometers from the Philippine capital Manila sits a coal plant that some hope could be a model for how developing countries can quit the polluting fossil fuel......»»
SpaceX’s next Starship launch—and first catch—could happen this weekend
The FAA is still reviewing plans for the fifth Starship test flight, but could approve it soon. We may not have to wait as long as we thought for the next test flight of SpaceX's.....»»
New research shows legal challenges to climate action on the rise
As the global push towards low-carbon societies accelerates, a new study reveals that justice concerns are increasingly surfacing in legal disputes over climate policies and projects. This phenomenon, described as "just transition litigation," emphas.....»»
New insights into bubble interference could enhance electrode design
Industrial electrochemical processes that use electrodes to produce fuels and chemical products are hampered by the formation of bubbles that block parts of the electrode surface, reducing the area available for the active reaction. Such blockage red.....»»
The other greenhouse gases warming the planet
While carbon dioxide, or CO2, is the best known greenhouse gas, several others, including methane and nitrous oxide, are also driving global warming and altering the Earth's climate......»»
Efficient way to hydrogenate nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds developed
Successful reduction of the chemical manufacturing industry's environmental impact relies on finding a greener way to make the chemical building blocks for common and massively consumed compounds......»»
Meet the microbes that transform toxic carbon monoxide into valuable biofuel
Microbes are hungry, all the time. They live everywhere, in enormous numbers. We might not see them with the naked eye, but they are in soils, lakes, oceans, hydrothermal vents, our homes, and even in and on our own bodies. And they don't just hang o.....»»
Cutting emissions the smart way: How an intensity-based approach drives real change
Investors' consideration of a firm's environmental performance, along with concerns about future impacts on profit, have led many firms to start trying to reduce their carbon footprint. But such environmental pressure—if not calibrated correctly—.....»»
Survey experiment reveals celebrities and politicians could be the "missing link" to mitigate climate change
Psychologists from Cardiff University have uncovered new insights into the role of celebrities and politicians in influencing public opinion on low-carbon lifestyles. The paper is published in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.....»»
Electricity-driven catalyst offers climate-neutral methane production
Researchers at the University of Bonn and University of Montreal have developed a new type of catalyst and used it in their study to produce methane out of carbon dioxide and water in a highly efficient way using electricity. Methane can be used, for.....»»
Liquefied natural gas carbon footprint is worse than coal, study finds
Liquified natural gas leaves a greenhouse gas footprint that is 33% worse than coal, when processing and shipping are taken into account, according to a new Cornell study......»»
Study: Wildfires will make the land absorb much less carbon, even if warming is kept below 1.5°C
One of the aims of the Paris Agreement was to "pursue efforts" to keep global warming below 1.5°C, but even this ambitious target would not stop the land's ability to absorb carbon weakening as wildfires become fiercer and more frequent, according t.....»»
Decades-long research reveals new understanding of how climate change may impact caches of Arctic soil carbon
Utilizing one of the longest-running ecosystem experiments in the Arctic, a Colorado State University-led team of researchers has developed a better understanding of the interplay among plants, microbes and soil nutrients—findings that offer new in.....»»