The new standards will reduce amounts of 12 toxic or cancer-linked pollutants in Alabama waterways, according to clean water advocacy groups that petitioned for the changes. By Dennis Pillion Alabama environmental regulators have agreed to update standards used to limit the amounts of 12 toxic and carcinogenic substances in theContinue Reading
A Rice University team discovered that bubbling CO₂ through a mild acid dramatically improves the lifespan and efficiency of electrochemical devices that convert CO₂ into useful fuels. This simple trick prevents salt buildup—a major barrier to commercialization—by altering local chemistry just enough to keep salts dissolved and flowing. The result?Continue Reading
Neighborhood-scale decarbonization is an efficient way to electrify neighborhoods that might otherwise be left behind. By Twilight Greenaway In Richmond, California, Zenaida Gomez is ready to say goodbye to the gas stove in the apartment she has rented for over a decade. She has a hunch that the pollution itContinue Reading
Newsom has called for a future free of plastic waste, yet a single-use plastic bottle is usually by his side during his podcasts.Continue Reading
Mycorrhizal fungi are vital to ecosystems around the world, but remain largely understudied, especially in arid regions. They may prove critical to the survival of fragile deserts stressed by climate change. By Wyatt Myskow SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK, Ariz.—As the sprawl of homes begins to dissipate on the outskirts of Tucson,Continue Reading
Beneath the forest floor lies an overlooked secret: many plants grow a second set of roots far deeper than expected sometimes over three feet down tapping into hidden nutrient stores and potentially locking away carbon. A new study using deep-soil data from NEON reveals that these “bimodal” rooting systems areContinue Reading
The urgent message was delivered to Brazilian officials during annual U.N. climate talks in Bonn, Germany, and includes new warnings about an Amazon rainforest tipping point. By Bob Berwyn Citing the global increase of heatwaves, mega-fires, floods and mass climate-driven displacement, a group of 250 scientists this week asked BrazilianContinue Reading
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed an astonishing new material: a printable gel that’s alive. Infused with ancient cyanobacteria, this “photosynthetic living material” not only grows but also removes CO₂ from the air, twice over. The bacteria use sunlight to produce biomass and simultaneously trigger mineral formation, which locks carbonContinue Reading
More women are connecting environmental degradation with attacks on women’s rights, seeing both as rooted in similar values. They’re drawing on personal experiences and reams of research to make their case. By Katie Surma It was an audacious moment. During a recent government hearing, allies of former President Jair BolsonaroContinue Reading
High humidity can make it tough for your body to cool down. As most of the country braces for extreme temperatures, a doctor shares advice on how to cool down when the humidity is working against you. (Image credit: Ross D. Franklin)Continue Reading
Humans are the only animal that lives in virtually every possible environment, from rainforests to deserts to tundra. That allowed for global migration, new research finds.Continue Reading
Researchers in South Korea have developed a powerful and affordable new material for producing hydrogen, a clean energy source key to fighting climate change. By fine-tuning boron-doping and phosphorus levels in cobalt phosphide nanosheets, the team dramatically boosted the efficiency of both sides of water-splitting reactions. This advancement could unlockContinue Reading
Listing pangolins under the Endangered Species Act is unlikely to slow the animals’ population decline, some experts say. By Kiley Price Earlier this week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing seven species of pangolins—scaly, armadillo-like creatures found in Asia and Africa—as endangered. Continue Reading