Zero to hero: Overlooked material could help reduce our carbon footprint
It is now well known that carbon dioxide is the biggest contributor to climate change and originates primarily from burning of fossil fuels. While there are ongoing efforts around the world to end our dependence on fossil fuels as energy sources, the.....»»
Novel material supercharges innovation in electrostatic energy storage
Electrostatic capacitors play a crucial role in modern electronics. They enable ultrafast charging and discharging, providing energy storage and power for devices ranging from smartphones, laptops and routers to medical devices, automotive electronic.....»»
A third of China"s urban population at risk of city sinking, new satellite data shows
Land subsidence is overlooked as a hazard in cities, according to scientists from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Virginia Tech. Writing in the journal Science, Prof Robert Nicholls of the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research at UEA and.....»»
Effects of organic matter input and temperature change on soil aggregate-associated respiration and microbial carbon use
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is one of the most dramatically affected regions by global warming. For a long time, the region has been exposed by low temperature and soil moisture, which led to the severe inhibition of the soil biological activities and.....»»
Scientists explore the strategies of defects and nanostructure fabrication for promoting piezocatalytic activity
As an important chemical raw material, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is widely applied in various aspects of industry and life. The industrial anthraquinone method for H2O2 production has the serious flaws, such as high pollution and energy consumption. B.....»»
Mobile genetic elements can inadvertently suppress bacterial immune systems, research reveals
Bacterial restriction-modification systems are responsible for protecting cells from foreign genetic material, for example, bacteriophages and plasmids. Immune systems require strict regulation, as bacteria, like humans, can have autoimmune reactions.....»»
Apple touts halving emissions and increased recycling rates in 2024 environmental progress report
Apple has an ambitious goal to create a fully carbon neutral value chain for its products by 2030, and every year it charts its progress in its annual Environmental Progress Report. The 2024 report published today highlights a milestone achievement f.....»»
The Rise of the Carbon Farmer
Farmers around the world are reigniting the less intensive agricultural practices of yesteryear—to improve soil health, raise yields, and trap carbon in the atmosphere back down in the soil......»»
Soil bacteria link their life strategies to soil conditions: Study
Soil bacteria help regulate the cycling of carbon and nutrients on Earth. Over time, these bacteria have evolved strategies that determine where they live, what they do, and how they deal with a changing environment. However, microbiologists do not f.....»»
Study shows copper beads in pig feed reshape swine gut microbiome
Copper is a natural antimicrobial material that, when added to pig feed, may promote the growth and health of the animals. Since pigs can tolerate high levels of the metal, researchers at Texas Tech University in Amarillo recently investigated whethe.....»»
Unique field study shows how climate change affects fire-impacted forests
During the unusually dry year of 2018, Sweden was hit by numerous forest fires. A research team led from Lund University in Sweden has investigated how climate change affects recently burned boreal forests and their ability to absorb carbon dioxide......»»
Understanding climate warming impacts on carbon release from the tundra
The warming climate shifts the dynamics of tundra environments and makes them release trapped carbon, according to a new study published in Nature. These changes could transform tundras from carbon sinks into carbon sources, exacerbating the effects.....»»
Light pollution affects coastal ecosystems, too—this underwater "canary" is warning of the impacts
In the early 20th century, canaries were used as early warning systems in coal mines to alert miners to rising levels of carbon monoxide......»»
Sink to source: Does what we put into our plumbing end up back in the water supply?
When you see an advertisement for a detergent promising to brighten your clothes, something called a fluorescent whitening compound, or optical brightener, is probably involved. Such material absorbs UV light and emits visible blue light via fluoresc.....»»
Plant sensors could act as an early warning system for farmers
Using a pair of sensors made from carbon nanotubes, researchers from MIT and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) have discovered signals that reveal when plans are experiencing stresses such as heat, light, or attack from i.....»»
Apple 2030 environmental goals: 95% of suppliers now using clean energy
We’ve today received an update on Apple’s 2030 environmental goals, one of which is for the company’s entire supply-chain to be carbon neutral by that date. The company says more than 320 suppliers – representing 95% of the company’s “.....»»
Spectator boats at large sailing events could be impacting marine wildlife with noise pollution
New research led by Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, suggests that international sailing events should try to reduce the underwater noise they create to avoid impacting marine wildlife......»»
CO₂ worsens wildfires by helping plants grow, model experiments show
By fueling the growth of plants that become kindling, carbon dioxide is driving an increase in the severity and frequency of wildfires, according to a UC Riverside study......»»
Scientists develop framework to measure plastic emissions and bolster U.N. efforts to reduce pollution
University of Toronto (U of T) scientists have developed a framework for measuring plastic pollution emissions akin to the global standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers say the approach will boost identification of the bigge.....»»
Researchers reveal oceanic black carbon sink effect driven by seawater microdroplets
Pyrogenic carbon is widely produced during the incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels on land. About one-third of pyrogenic carbon is exported to the ocean by rivers, and thereinto, the refractory fraction becomes the source of oceanic bla.....»»
Novel method developed for phosphorescent multi-color carbon dots
A research team has devised a novel method to prepare carbonized polymer nanodots capable of emitting multi-color ultra-long room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) from blue to green......»»