A new report outlines how ERCOT’s transformation, increased load growth and extreme weather risks challenge Texas’ grid reliability. By Arcelia Martin Texas’ independent electric grid has transformed in recent years with the significant addition of wind, solar and battery storage facilities, and faces new risks as large load users likeContinue Reading
This semester, MIT D-Lab students built prototype solutions to help farmers in Afghanistan, people living in informal settlements in Argentina, and rural poultry farmers in Cameroon. The projects span continents and collectively stand to improve thousands of lives — and they all trace back to two longstanding MIT D-Lab classes.Continue Reading
The time-honored tradition of humans looking to the natural world can help us survive difficult times. The post In stressful times, what do the plants and animals have to say? appeared first on High Country News.Continue Reading
Auditors are failing in their role as third-party guarantors of the quality of carbon offsets, according to new academic research.Continue Reading
In the wake of the deadly flash floods in Texas, state leaders are exploring whether to install more flood warning sirens. Such sirens can save lives if they’re part of a larger warning system. (Image credit: Brandon Bell)Continue Reading
People can intuitively sense how biodiverse a forest is just by looking at photos or listening to sounds, and their gut feelings surprisingly line up with what scientists measure., Read MoreContinue Reading
The state’s vast farmlands sit atop an underground basin of rock that is ideal for some carbon dioxide storage, but legislators want to protect a valuable aquifer that provides water to hundreds of thousands of people. By Susan Cosier A bill passed by the Illinois legislature could slow the growthContinue Reading
Batteries are nearing their limits in terms of how much power they can store for a given weight. That’s a serious obstacle for energy innovation and the search for new ways to power airplanes, trains, and ships. Now, researchers at MIT and elsewhere have come up with a solution thatContinue Reading
MIT today launched its Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM), an Institute-wide effort to reinfuse U.S. industrial production with leading-edge technologies, bolster crucial U.S. economic sectors, and ignite job creation. The initiative will encompass advanced research, innovative education programs, and partnership with companies across many sectors, in a bid to helpContinue Reading
Such extreme variability is consistent with a warming climate that amplifies wet and dry air, intensifying both rain and drought—often in communities in close proximity to one another, as in the Texas Hill Country. By Dylan Baddour Long-term drought persists in Texas despite catastrophic flooding that hit parts of theContinue Reading
Changing weather patterns and higher temperatures are affecting some of the most prized tea-growing regions in China and Taiwan.Continue Reading
In fantasy worlds, trees like the Lord of the Rings’ Ents are agile and mobile. In the real world, they’re slow., Read MoreContinue Reading
Male guppies that glow with more orange aren’t just fashion-forward — they’re also significantly more sexually active. A UBC study reveals that brighter coloration is linked to virility and is genetically tied to brain development, suggesting a deeper evolutionary function. Researchers found that these bold hues aren’t just for attractingContinue Reading