To battle climate change, scientists tap into carbon-hungry microorganisms
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have demonstrated a new technique, modeled after a metabolic process found in some bacteria, to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into liquid acetate, a key ingredient in producing "liquid.....»»
Advances in plate tectonics research provide a new view of deep Earth"s carbon emissions
From time to time, when Earth's tectonic plates shift, the planet emits a long, slow belch of carbon dioxide. In a new modeling study published in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, R. Dietmar Müller and colleagues show how this gas released from.....»»
How prisons fall short in protecting the incarcerated from climate disasters
Blistering heat, freezing cold, and overflowing sewage water: These were the living conditions that formerly incarcerated people in Colorado said they suffered inside the state's prisons and jails......»»
Battling air pollution may contribute to climate change by impacting soil carbon storage
Decades-old policies aimed at improving air quality may also be accelerating global climate change, warns a recent study published in the journal Ecology......»»
Airborne microplastics aid in cloud formation
It turns out microplastics have an effect on the weather and climate. Clouds form when water vapor—an invisible gas in the atmosphere—sticks to tiny floating particles, such.....»»
Scientists reveal strigolactone perception mechanism and role in tillering responses to nitrogen
"How is plant growth controlled?" and "What is the basis of variation in stress tolerance in plants?" were among the 125 most challenging scientific questions, according to the journal Science in 2016......»»
How do brains coordinate activity? From fruit flies to monkeys, scientists discover a universal principle
The brain is a marvel of efficiency, honed by thousands of years of evolution so it can adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Yet, despite decades of research, the mystery of how the brain achieves this has remained elusive......»»
More wet, less dry: How climate change will affect the avalanche situation in Switzerland by the end of the century
Less snow does not mean fewer avalanches. This is the result of a study published in Snow/Seasonal Snow by SLF researcher Stephanie Mayer......»»
Computational chemistry promises to upset traditional methods of chemical synthesis
The process of discovering and designing new chemicals has always been arduous—Sijia Dong wants to change that. As an assistant professor in the department of chemistry and chemical biology, with affiliations in physics and chemical engineering, Do.....»»
Calcite: The versatile mineral shaping the future of carbon removal
Found all over the world, calcite is the most stable form of calcium carbonate and is the main mineral found in limestone......»»
I tried to beat UFO 50’s hardest game. It turned into a fight for my soul
A quest to defeat UFO 50's hardest game became an existential battle to keep fighting in the face of real world hopelessness......»»
The natural environment is declining—are companies doing their part to save it?
The natural environment across the globe is deteriorating, leading to crises like climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity. Companies and industries play a major role in this decline, and they are expected to take responsibility for thei.....»»
2024 "virtually certain" to be hottest year on record: EU monitor
This year is "virtually certain" to be the hottest in recorded history with warming above 1.5C, EU climate monitor Copernicus said Thursday, days before nations are due to gather for crunch UN climate talks......»»
Mysterious Sydney beach blobs: Scientists uncover their complex composition
A multi-disciplinary team of scientists have made significant progress in understanding the origins of the mysterious black balls washing ashore on Sydney beaches......»»
Researcher highlights the combined effects of climate change and chemical pollution
Traditionally, research has focused on either climate change or chemical pollution in isolation, overlooking their combined effects. This oversight creates a blind spot in understanding the full scope of risks to ecosystems and human health......»»
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......»»
Asset owners could drive investment in climate change mitigation, research suggests
Asset owners who control substantial capital in the financial system through pension funds, endowments, foundations, and individual holdings can play a crucial role in driving investments in climate change mitigation, according to a new Yale School o.....»»
Scientists calculate predictions for meson measurements
Nuclear physics theorists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have demonstrated that complex calculations run on supercomputers can accurately predict the distribution of electric charges in mesons, particles made.....»»
Climate change is contributing to drought in the American West even without rainfall deficits, scientists find
Higher temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change made an ordinary drought into an exceptional drought that parched the American West from 2020–2022. A study by UCLA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate scientists ha.....»»
Biologists discover how plants evolved multiple ways to override genetic instructions
Biologists at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered the origin of a curious duplication that gives plants multiple ways to override instructions that are coded into their DNA. This research could help scientists exploit a plant's existin.....»»
Making "stressed" potatoes more climate-resilient
Heat, dry spells and flooding—the whole of nature is under stress, and potatoes are no exception. As a food staple, there is particular interest in getting potatoes fit for the new climate reality. As part of the EU's four-year ADAPT project, an in.....»»