General — Environment — August 13th, 2026

A Farmer Trusted AI's Advice. It Cost Him 25 Acres of Crops
A Chinese farmer reportedly lost nearly 25 acres of sesame after following AI pesticide advice, highlighting the risks of trusting chatbot recommendations.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

A Green Oasis Grows in North Philadelphia's Heat Island
As cities heat up, a beloved community garden holds a key to a cooler, safer future.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

AI Applications for Oil and Gas Companies Worsen Climate Pollution
A new peer-reviewed study suggests that productivity for fossil fuel companies boosted by AI tools will increase global emissions by nearly 5 percent.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

Europe's drought is shutting down nuclear reactors
Europe's drought has become an energy problem. Romania is disconnecting its only working reactor and France has lost three to jellyfish. One Dutch bank puts the cost of this summer at the whole of the EU's expected growth.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

German Firefighting Robots Are Now Battling Blazes in Ukraine
The robots are designed to protect Ukrainian firefighters and enable navigation in dangerous terrain.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

'Imposing ignorance': US climate science under siege
A benchmark U.S. report on the fast-changing state of the Arctic has been canceled. The nation's top research body has removed a chapter on global warming from a reference manual for judges.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

Learning Hub Research Grantee Spotlight: I&P Ecosystems
The CC Facility Learning Hub supports institutions in emerging markets to conduct research on locally driven climate finance solutions. By supporting organizations with deep regional expertise, the Learning Hub helps elevate local perspectives and strengthen climate finance ecosystems. One of its research grantees, Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) Ecosystems, published a report exploring how blended finance has become a critical enabler for gender- and climate-focused funds under USD 100 million in Sub-Saharan Africa.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

Marine heat waves are cooking our ocean ecosystems—and will only become more common
Marine heat waves happen when the ocean remains abnormally hot for an extended period. While they may be invisible from the shore, their impacts can wreak havoc underwater—killing various kinds of coral, seagrass and fish.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

Rapid warming may tip Atlantic circulation at 2°C, while slower warming may avert collapse
For several years, climate scientists have shown that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could come to a halt if the world warms too much. New research from Utrecht University shows that this picture is incomplete: The pace of warming also determines whether the AMOC stays stable.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

So Much Solar: Digging Into the List of Every US Power Plant That Went Online This Year
Utility-scale solar leads by a mile, followed by batteries. Fossil fuels, not so much.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

Understanding nature's 'dimmer switch': Study sheds new light on how algae regulate photosynthesis with pH
A new joint study from Constructor University and Princeton University in the Journal of the American Chemical Society focuses on PC645, a protein complex that contributes to cryptophyte algae's ability to photosynthesize efficiently using specialized light-harvesting pigments that can capture energy from dim, blue-green underwater light. During photosynthesis, the pH inside the algae can fluctuate significantly, affecting how they manage light energy.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

Why heat waves can hit residents of cooler states especially hard
People often aren't acclimated or equipped for extreme temperatures.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

Wildfires and Extreme Heat Challenge Water Activist's Attempt to Run the Length of the Colorado River
Australian ultrarunner Mina Guli has run thousands of miles around the world to witness the water crisis on the ground and campaign for solutions.
August 13th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — August 12th, 2026

An energy storage device designed to be recycled
Smartwatches, phones and even some drones rely on lightweight, rechargeable energy storage systems. Once those devices wear out, many end up as electronic waste. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Energy Letters have developed a compact supercapacitor that can be quickly disassembled into reusable components. They used the devices to power a glider's propeller and then took apart one supercapacitor and sequentially reused parts in two new ones that performed as well as the original device.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

A review of rescued climate data
The Trump administration has shut down websites like climate.gov and other climate data projects. Academics, journalists, and nonprofit organizations are working to rebuild what has been lost.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

A transferable framework for evaluating the potential for forecast-informed reservoir operations in watersheds
With extreme weather increasing around the world, scientists are working to help critical infrastructure, such as water management systems, adapt. On the U.S. West Coast, where both periods of prolonged drought and intense atmospheric river storms are common, effective water management can be particularly tricky.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Agricultural data helping develop tools for crop disease management
The North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network—known as NDAWN—isn't just measuring precipitation amounts and temperatures across the state. It's also playing a role in developing tools for crop disease management.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) Cooling Beats Traditional AC Efficiency by 10 Times
Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) is a new approach to energy management that uses natural underground aquifers to store thermal energy for seasonal heating and cooling. As explained by Undecided with Matt Ferrell, this system captures excess heat during summer and stores it underground, retrieving it in winter to warm buildings. While ATES has been widely adopted in countries like the Netherlands, where over 3,000 systems are operational, its implementation in the United States has been limited due to high upfront costs, regulatory hurdles and technical challenges.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Arctic cyclone clusters batter sea ice, leaving coasts more exposed to storms
In the Arctic, weather plays a key role in determining how much ice covers the ocean. Arctic cyclones are one weather phenomenon with a significant influence, causing unusually warm and stormy conditions that typically lead to significant ice loss. These conditions last particularly long when several cyclones rapidly follow one another.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

California Officials Scrambled as Spring Wildfire Neared Former Nuclear Reactor Site, Emails Show
As the Sandy Fire approached the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in May, state and local officials had to move quickly to assess how safe the air was amid radiation concerns as the fire burned a quarter mile from the contaminated area.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Community involvement essential for local decarbonization schemes to work, researchers say
Place-based decarbonization schemes designed to help communities become more sustainable must involve local people earlier and consider the range of different community responses in their development if they are to be successful and gain fuller community support, researchers have said.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Could AI Increase Fossil Fuel Emissions in APAC Oil and Gas?
AI is expanding across APAC oil and gas operations, but new research suggests productivity gains could undermine emissions reductions even as operators deploy technology to improve efficiency.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Green hydrogen goldmine: Discovery of a hidden energy source
As the world searches for sources of low-emission energy, researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) have uncovered a potential clean energy game-changer beneath Western Australia's red soil. The new study has revealed a way to generate naturally occurring hydrogen that ECU experts say could help power Australia's future—and create a major export industry.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

How an Atlanta ordinance could help the city cool off
It requires new construction and major renovations to use reflective roofs that can cool neighborhoods by as much as six degrees.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

How cement plants can remove CO² from the atmosphere
Cement is one of the most in-demand building materials of our time. Every year, around 4 billion tonnes are produced. Cement production is energy-intensive, and greenhouse gases are emitted during the process—particularly during the thermal decomposition of limestone, the most important natural raw material for cement.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

How drought is reshaping the spread of infectious diseases
From the American West to Europe, droughts are drying up rivers, fueling destructive fires and reshaping ecosystems. They are also changing the spread of infectious diseases, leading to surges in illnesses like cholera and West Nile virus around the world.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Hurricane Hunter data reveal early signs of strengthening tropical cyclones
Before tropical cyclones can significantly strengthen, they generally must first become vertically aligned, with their rotating centers stacked through the atmosphere. New research using nearly three decades of NOAA Hurricane Hunter observations identifies four features that can help a tilted storm become aligned and more capable of intensifying.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

New wildfire research system follows ecosystems from controlled burns through long-term recovery
On a perfect, crisp fall day with blue skies, scientists in yellow safety coats gather in the sprawling desert north of Reno. They watch as flames consume a burning bush and quickly spread through the surrounding grass. The fire is completely controlled and monitored by dozens of sensors as three enormous drones buzz directly overhead, following the curl of smoke as it dances in the light breeze.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Q&A: Flesh-eating screwworms have returned. Which new technologies could stop them?
They may look like any ordinary species of flies buzzing around on any given day, but the New World screwworm is quite extraordinary. Screwworm flies are highly destructive parasitic flies that feed on the tissue of warm-blooded animals, including humans (though the risk to humans is low). They burrow in a spiral (screw) pattern into wounds and bodily openings such as the ears, nose and mouth, laying hundreds of eggs.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Reservoir raises $8M to make water heaters that people — and the grid — will actually want
It's hard to imagine a home appliance more forgotten — yet more consequential — than the water heater. Most people only think of water heaters when their shower runs cold, but they represent about 18% of a household's total energy budget and are one of the main causes of residential water damage.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

River shipping emits nearly one-quarter of global shipping CO², analysis finds
River and canal ships generate roughly a quarter of the world's shipping carbon dioxide emissions, according to new research published in Nature Climate Change. And that's despite the fact that these bodies of water make up less than 1% of Earth's total navigable waterways.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Scientists turn Starlink into a giant scanner for Earth's upper atmosphere
A new way to "see” Earth's elusive upper atmosphere could help make increasingly crowded orbits safer.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

The way trees sway may communicate water stress
The Western U.S. is experiencing periods of increasingly intense drought, and higher temperatures are exacerbating the issue by drawing even more moisture from plants and soils into the atmosphere. The results can be seen in the ever-expanding wildfire footprint, with many of the region's largest recorded wildfires occurring over the past decade. One DRI scientist is innovating a new way to monitor water stress in trees—one that may help monitor wildfire risk across the region.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Wildfires can leave surviving homes and their water unsafe—safety tips for residents as they return
When fire evacuation orders are lifted and residents start returning to burned neighborhoods, many people assume "cleared to return" means "safe." It rarely does.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

Wind farms need smarter, site-specific strategies to protect birds and bats, review finds
A major review of current mitigation strategies to prevent bird and bat collisions with wind turbines concludes that future wildlife-safe wind energy will depend on smarter, combined approaches that balance biodiversity protection with renewable energy production.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

With Federal Environmental Justice Programs Gutted, a Scholar Makes the Case for a More Confrontational Path
Lemir Teron argues in a new book that the current moment calls for resistance, not reform.
August 12th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — August 9th, 2026

A Very American Invention, Pushed to an Extreme
In Nebraska, Blackshirt Feeders LP is building the country's largest feedlot for 200,000 beef cattle on a square-mile slab of concrete.
August 9th, 2026 — Source

As US Offshore Wind Disappears, a Generation of Workers Is Left Behind
Building trades spent the past five years preparing for an offshore wind boom that went bust. Now, U.S. workers mourn the well-paying careers they don't see coming back.
August 9th, 2026 — Source

Mount Toba eruption doesn't seem like it could nearly kill our species
Mount Toba was the biggest volcanic eruption in the last 2.6 million years, and some have suggested it nearly wiped out humanity. Around 74,000 years ago, a caldera on what is now Sumatra emptied thousands of cubic kilometers of magma in about two weeks, roughly a thousand times more than Mount Pinatubo spewed out in 1991. "People thought it might have caused massive cooling of the planet, and hence threatened the survival of our ancestors,” says Jinheum Park, a geoscientist at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany.
August 9th, 2026 — Source

Oldest known giant rock scallop bead suggests California coastal trade began millennia earlier
Archaeologists have discovered two giant rock scallop beads that push back the clock on the first appearance of these high-status ornaments. The discovery shows that these prized marine beads were traded hundreds of miles from the California coast thousands of years earlier than previously thought.
August 9th, 2026 — Source

Over half of people are unaware of the environmental effects of sunscreen
This summer, millions of people across the country have been digging out sunscreen to protect themselves from a record-breaking series of heat waves.
August 9th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — August 8th, 2026

Alfalfa derived nanomaterials help break down polyethylene plastic while supporting plant growth
Alfalfa derived nanomaterials accelerated polyethylene breakdown while supporting plant growth, suggesting plastic remediation may combine catalytic performance with better biological compatibility in controlled soil systems.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

Alabama Seeks to Lower Gas Utility Profits for the First Time in 40 Years
Feeling the heat on high energy prices, Alabama regulators are looking to cut profits for the state's largest gas utility.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

Canada tries to adapt to a future of wildfires
Faced with another summer when wildfires have scorched millions of hectares of land and blankets of smoke have disrupted daily life nationwide, Canada is trying to limit the annual devastation.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

DeepMind's hurricane breakthrough has surprised weather scientists
Open source WeatherNext model can make accurate predictions with lower-resolution weather data.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

Electrolyzer enables hydrogen and sustainable plastics production
Keele scientists have developed a new kind of electrolyzer that produces both hydrogen and the base materials for sustainable plastic production, opening avenues for a range of applications in green technology and sustainable development.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

How winter canola could profit Illinois farmers, improve sustainability
A new simulation study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests winter canola could be profitable and environmentally beneficial if added to a conventional corn-soy rotation in the U.S. Midwest.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

Massive Wildfires Test the Limits of International Cooperation
Countries increasingly need each other's assistance to fight fires. But as global warming amps up fire weather across continents, help is getting harder to find.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

Natural Gas Dominates PJM's First Reformed Grid Queue, Driven by Data-Center Demand
Gas makes up nearly half of the 200-plus gigawatts lined up for a grid-connection study. But PJM's own record shows most projects that enter its queue never get built.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

Swarms of tiny robots remove microplastics from soil and water
Microplastics, which are plastic particles under 5 millimeters, are a major and growing threat in both soil and water. They damage soil fertility, disrupt nutrient cycling, harm aquatic and terrestrial life, and can move through the food chain. That makes cleaning them up an urgent priority.
August 8th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — August 7th, 2026

Earth's molten core suddenly reversed direction — and scientists don't know wh
Earth's molten iron core unexpectedly reversed direction beneath the Pacific, revealing a dramatic change in the hidden engine that creates our planet's magnetic field. Satellite data suggest the surge is already weakening, raising the possibility that the deep-Earth upheaval is part of a mysterious natural cycle.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

First full zoysia grass genetic blueprint opens doors for drought-tolerant turf
A new genomic resource from the Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant genomics team is providing a powerful new foundation for faster, more precise turfgrass genetics and breeding. The team discovered a breakthrough genome that finally reveals the full genetic blueprint of zoysia grass.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

From mountain peaks to microclimates, new maps bring satellite big data down to Earth
Zooming from her office, Michigan State University researcher Kelly Kapsar showed satellite images from across the United States. In some, different colors revealed the precise heights of the forested ridges in the Sierra Nevada or the craggy peaks of the Rockies and the valleys between them. Others showed the pine flatwoods of southern Florida or the smooth, rolling grasslands of the Kansas prairie.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Mobile fungal 'Starship' carries protein that triggers crop leaf loss
An international research team led by plant scientist Professor Dr. Bart Thomma of the Institute of Plant Sciences at the University of Cologne, the MiBiNet Collaborative Research Center and the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence for Plant Sciences has identified the region of the genome in the pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae responsible for producing a specific protein that the pathogen secretes during infection.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

New study shows urban growers rely on accessible educational resources to adopt pollinator-friendly farming practices
A recent study by MSU entomologists Jen Roedel, Karma Thomas and Zsofia Szendrei found that urban growers' use of pollinator management practices is driven more by access to educational resources, labor and other farming support than by demographics or the pollination needs of their crops.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Not all clean power cuts emissions equally: Timing and location determine impact
On paper, a megawatt-hour is just a megawatt-hour; it will charge your phone or run your dishwasher the same way, regardless of the source. However, its value to, or impact on, the environment is not fixed. It depends almost entirely on what power plant it replaces. A new wind turbine only helps the climate and local air quality to the extent that it pushes a more polluting plant offline. If instead it is just competing with another clean energy source, the environmental benefit effectively disappears.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Officials will not release cool water from a Colorado River reservoir to protect threatened fish
Federal officials said Thursday they will not release cool water this year from one of the Colorado River's major reservoirs, which would have protected a threatened native fish downstream but put more strain on already struggling hydropower production.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Oil dispersants reshape Arctic sea-ice microbes but do not markedly accelerate oil breakdown
By making the Arctic less ice-covered, climate warming has increased both shipping traffic and the risk of oil spills in the region. Changing ice conditions may, however, affect the effectiveness of currently available oil spill response measures, according to a recent study by researchers from Estonia and Norway.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Some San Antonio neighborhoods are getting cool makeovers
Reflective pavement and new trees are lowering the temperature in heat-stressed communities.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

SpaceX's Terafab will rely on natural gas power plants, not Tesla solar panels
SpaceX said this week that it will build natural gas power plants to supply electricity to the Terafab semiconductor factory it plans to build in Texas, according to a report from Bloomberg.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

The creatures born from code: Generative AI threatens to upend citizen science records
You need to tread carefully among the leaf litter of the Indonesian scrubland and its tropical rainforests. The dead leaves might seem caught in a gentle breeze, but there's more here than meets the eye. Try plucking one from the ground and you'll find an insect caught in the act of prayer.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

The floods of the future won't come one at a time
A dangerous collision of storm surge, torrential rain, and sea level rise threatens to overwhelm communities from Texas to Maine.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Trump administration has spent nearly $4B to cancel offshore wind farms
The Trump administration is paying another $1.2 billion to cancel an offshore wind lease, this time to German utility RWE.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Trump administration spends another $1.2 billion to kill offshore wind farm projects
This is the fifth such deal in which the president and his team has paid big to cancel a green energy contract.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Trump is losing his war on wind power
A court rules that a hold on all wind projects clearly violates the law.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

Trump Promotes Commercial Fishing in Protected Pacific Marine National Monuments
Scientists and other environmental advocates warn such activity would threaten coral reefs and other marine life.
August 7th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — August 5th, 2026

9 million U.S. students lost school time for weather in the 2024-2025 school year
Extreme heat, smoke, floods, and storms are disrupting education across the country.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

A colossal magma system has been hiding beneath Tuscany
A massive, unsuspected magma reservoir has been hiding beneath Tuscany.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

AI makes weather prediction better. Can WindBorne make it lucrative?
The new deep learning techniques behind LLMs have also given us weather simulations that can run on laptops instead of supercomputers, changing meteorology. But the bigger task for AI may be making it easier for people and organizations to put those forecasts to work.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

As More New Yorkers Use the City's Waterways for Recreation, Officials Fight Sewage Notification Order
City agencies are appealing a court order that requires them to notify New Yorkers whenever sewage may be discharged into local waterways.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Astronaut Snaps Photo of Super Typhoon on His iPhone
Astronaut Anil Menon has only been in space for less than one month, but he has already captured a mind-boggling photo showing a super typhoon brooding above the Pacific Ocean.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Can wind be harnessed to capture and convert atmospheric water into freshwater?
Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting captures water vapor from the air using specialized materials, or sorbents, and thermal energy to produce freshwater.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Coming to Some of Pennsylvania's Most Picturesque Places: Data Centers
In the Pocono Mountains, residents fear planned data centers could ruin beloved landscapes and pristine waterways.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Drought-hardy ryegrass raises new weed management challenge
A study by La Trobe University researchers has found annual ryegrass, the most damaging weed in Australian grain systems, can adjust its growth and reproduction to survive under drought stress, making it potentially harder to manage as climate conditions become more variable.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Iron Nitride Magnets Could End China's 80% Rare Earth Grip
China's dominance over rare earth magnets has long posed challenges for industries reliant on these critical materials, from electric vehicles to renewable energy systems. Rare earth elements like neodymium and samarium cobalt are essential for producing high-performance magnets, yet over 80% of the global supply is controlled by China. In a recent explainer by Undecided with Matt Ferrell, emerging alternatives such as iron nitride and manganese-bismuth magnets are explored as potential solutions to reduce this dependency. These materials, made from more abundant and environmentally friendly resources, aim to address both supply chain vulnerabilities and ecological concerns, though hurdles like scalability and performance remain.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Melting sea ice combines with Arctic sea to make clouds
Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown natural process that dramatically increases the number of cloud-forming particles in the Arctic atmosphere—potentially altering cloud cover, sunlight reflection and future climate change.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

New study highlights the weather-driven costs of 24/7 clean power matching
As demand for electricity surges from artificial intelligence, data centers and other new technologies, companies are increasingly pledging to procure carbon-free electricity to mitigate emissions associated with their electricity use. While quantifying systemwide emissions is relatively straightforward, the complex nature of power grid operations makes it more challenging to ascertain the emissions impacts of a single consumer that also procures its own clean energy. This challenge is further compounded by clean energy sources like solar and wind, whose hour-to-hour generation can vary drastically depending on weather patterns.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Saudi Aramco backs India's Mitti Labs to make Asia's rice farming more water-resilient
As rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns put Asia's water-intensive rice farming under pressure, Mitti Labs, a New York- and Bengaluru-headquartered climate-tech startup, has raised $9.5 million in an investment led by Aramco Ventures, Saudi Aramco's venture arm, to expand across Asia with a platform that combines satellite imagery, AI, and field operations to help farmers cut water use and methane emissions.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Single-atom-based electrode significantly expands operating voltage window of aqueous supercapacitors
A research team led by Jung Kyu Kim, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) (co-first authors: Ph.D. candidates Dong Zhang and Jong Hun Kim), in collaboration with Min-Cheol Kim, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University, announced the development of a novel electrode material that overcomes the chronic limitation of low operating voltage in aqueous electrolyte-based supercapacitors and significantly improves their energy density.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Soilless farming system design can determine microbial growth, impact on crops
The team studied bacteria in five soilless farming systems and found that hydroponic system design strongly affects microbes in nutrient solution; the growing cycle strongly affects microbial community structure; each system may require different microbial management strategies; and leaf contamination is less affected than microbes in the water.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Study finds climate-driven greening is reshaping East Asia's air pollution
The effects of climate change extend far beyond rising temperatures. As forests and other vegetation respond to a warming world, they also change the amount of biogenic emissions released into the atmosphere, influencing the formation of ozone (O3) and fine particulate pollution. Yet many atmospheric chemistry models still estimate these emissions using vegetation data from 2003, despite major ecological changes across East Asia over the past two decades.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

This Photo Makes London Look Like California Amid the Summer Drought
It looks like an image taken on the semi-arid landscape of southern California, but this remarkable news photo, showing scorched grass, was actually taken in London.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

Waste heat becomes cooling energy: Research team develops next-generation heat pump system
A next-generation heat pump system that can provide cooling using low-temperature waste heat of approximately 40°C (104°F) from factories and data centers has been developed. Unlike conventional air conditioning systems, which use electricity to compress refrigerant, the newly developed system uses waste heat as its energy source. It has also achieved world-leading adsorption-bed performance, paving the way for lower electricity consumption and greater energy efficiency.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

What's working in climate tech (and what's not): 4 big ideas from a rooftop full of investors and founders
Most climate news these days is grim. But at a rooftop happy hour during Pacific Northwest Climate Week, the mood in Seattle was upbeat — and not out of wishful thinking or environmental altruism. The hope was rooted in business fundamentals.
August 5th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — August 3rd, 2026

Ancient Arctic carbon is pouring into the sea, but the seabed captures most of it
Thawing Arctic permafrost is releasing ancient carbon into the ocean, raising fears that microbes could turn it into greenhouse gases and accelerate climate change. But sediment cores collected near Canada's Herschel Island reveal a more reassuring twist: most of this land-based carbon becomes buried in the seafloor, while only about 10 percent is converted into gases.
August 3rd, 2026 — Source

Catalyzing Centre of Excellence for Energy Transition -- A Strategic Enabler for Andhra Pradesh to Achieve Energy Transition Goals
India's power sector is undergoing a transition driven by its ambitious targets. India has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2070. In alignment with this net zero target, the country's latest Nationally Determined Contribution aims to achieve 60% (638 GW) cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil-fuel-based energy resources by 2035 and to reduce the emissions intensity of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 47% from the 2005 level (PIB 2026).
August 3rd, 2026 — Source

Learning Hub Research Grantee Spotlight: Genesis Analytics
The CC Facility Learning Hub supports institutions in emerging markets to conduct research on locally driven blended climate finance solutions. By supporting organizations with deep regional expertise, the Learning Hub helps elevate local perspectives and strengthen climate finance ecosystems. One of its research grantees, Genesis Analytics, is examining how domestic institutional capital can play a greater role in financing climate investments across Kenya, Nigeria, and Namibia.
August 3rd, 2026 — Source

Living Underwater in 2026: New Ocean Habitat Just Dropped
Take a closer look at Deep's subsea habitat Vanguard, the first new subsea habitat for humans designed, built and deployed in the US in decades.
August 3rd, 2026 — Source

Meet America's first new subsea habitat in 40 years
DEEP's Vanguard aims to bring humans back underwater with a new generation of subsea living.
August 3rd, 2026 — Source

Revealing Europe's Most Critical Wetlands
The new study seeks to help countries across the European Union determine the most important wetlands to restore.
August 3rd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 31st, 2026

Can pumping groundwater really flip Earth's poles? An expert explains
Recently, a government minister in the Northern Territory, pitching a plan to make Darwin "the data center capital of the globe," suggested it might be a good idea to pump out groundwater to keep Earth's spin steady. If we don't, she said, we might risk "flipping the poles again."
July 31th, 2026 — Source

Georgia's First 'Pop-Up' Power Plant for Data Centers Faces Scrutiny
The project is under investigation for allegedly beginning construction before obtaining required air permits as regulators consider whether privately operated power plants can legally serve data centers.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

Glass-ceramic method locks sulfate-rich radioactive waste into durable solids
ANSTO researchers have developed a novel wasteform capable of safely immobilizing sulfate-bearing radioactive wastes, addressing a long-standing challenge in radioactive waste management and opening new opportunities for treating similar wastes internationally.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

Ion pumping platform simultaneously cleans salty wastewater and recovers valuable metals
Industrial wastewater from electronics manufacturing, metal processing and other sectors often contains two difficult pollutants at once: high levels of salt and toxic heavy metals. Current treatment methods typically address those problems separately, creating costly, complex systems that can produce hazardous brines or metal-laden sludge. Now, a group of researchers at Rice University and Vanderbilt University has created an electrochemical platform that could do both jobs at once.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

It's getting more dangerous for kids to play summer sports
As the climate warms, young athletes face growing risks of heat illness -- especially in communities without air-conditioned practice spaces.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

Latest woodchip bioreactor sites reducing fertilizer pollution in local waterways by up to 99%
High nitrogen levels entering downstream waterways can harm fragile ecosystems. Across the world, excess nutrients commonly trigger algae blooms and fish kills in enclosed waterways near intensive horticulture.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

New method flags hurricane rapid intensification up to five days ahead
The rapid intensification of a hurricane ranks among the most dangerous weather events on Earth. Storms such as Hurricane Michael, which crashed ashore in the Florida Panhandle with winds of 160 mph (about 257 km/h), and Hurricane Otis, the costliest hurricane to strike Mexico's Pacific coast, caught communities unawares when they intensified at a rate that computer models failed to anticipate.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

New Mexico's clean energy success story
In just five years, solar, wind, and batteries overtook fossil fuels, keeping air conditioners running while slashing pollution.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

Randomly mixed atoms arranged in rows and columns for sustainable catalysis
The energy system of the future will require sustainable catalysts that, for example, enable the efficient production of green hydrogen. Materials consisting of mixtures of five chemical elements show great promise for enabling ideal catalysts in the future.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

Revisiting a forest experiment that lay forgotten for 30 years
What's the best way to manage a forest? Australians have argued about this for decades. The debate is often framed as binary: Do we protect forests entirely, or harvest trees to support local economies and communities?
July 31th, 2026 — Source

Solar-powered membrane cleans oily seawater and produces freshwater
A two-sided design prevents fouling and maintains efficient evaporation, helping address a key barrier to treating complex water sources.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

SpaceX won't remove all of xAI's unpermitted turbines for another year
SpaceX said on Thursday that it will remove the unpermitted turbines powering its xAI data centers near Memphis as it transitions to a permanent, 1.2 gigawatt natural gas power plant.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

Tree cover is key to cooling cities
Weather measurements in Leeds have shown that many green spaces, such as parks, gardens and forests, were cooler than surrounding urban environments, also known as gray spaces.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

The Arctic Ocean keeps permafrost carbon firmly locked
Permafrost in the Arctic stores large quantities of organic carbon. When frozen ground thaws or coastal sections erode, this carbon can enter the sea, where microorganisms can break it down and convert it into climate-damaging greenhouse gases. The extent to which this carbon actually enters the atmosphere, however, and how much remains in the ocean have hardly been quantified to date.
July 31th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 29th, 2026

6.5 million Americans face landslide risks—a new database shows where they live
Landslides cause an estimated $3 billion to $6 billion in damage and multiple fatalities annually in the United States. Those numbers could easily increase as housing needs spur development in landslide-prone areas and climate change increases the severity and frequency of heavy rains, which often trigger landslides. Despite the threat, there has never been a systematic, nationwide accounting of who is most at risk from landslides.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

A New Oregon Permit for Industrial Farms Violates the Clean Water Act, Advocates Allege
Four organizations filed a lawsuit against the state over what plaintiffs say is a failure to adequately monitor and prevent CAFOs from illegally discharging waste into ground and surface water.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Antarctic storms are becoming more frequent and intense, affecting sea ice
Winters in Antarctica's Ross Sea have become stormier in recent decades, affecting sea-ice conditions and field operations, new University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka research shows.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Better guacamole? How avocado import rules helped cut Mexico's water pollution
At picnics and World Cup watch parties across the United States this summer, people have been reaching for bowls of chips and guacamole. Most of that guacamole is made from avocados grown in Mexico—on orchards that, in what might come as a surprise, contribute less water pollution today than they did a decade ago.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Captured carbon dioxide could yield strong, flexible plastics designed for recycling
Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a process to transform naturally occurring, highly stable carbon dioxide into recyclable, high-performance materials that could replace today's plastics in many situations. Their catalytic process, described in the journal Nature, is another step toward a circular economy that reduces plastic waste and supports environmental sustainability.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Climate change causes the ocean's waters to expand
It's one of the reasons global sea levels are rising.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Fast Metals is treating waste with more waste to extract critical minerals
Aluminum has left an indelible mark on the world — more than 3 billion tons of red mud, a waste product of the refining process, are currently stored in open-air ponds or mounds. But to Sumedh Gostu, co-founder and CEO of Fast Metals, there's treasure in the caustic waste.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Game-engine forests train drone AI to count trees with far less labeling
A drone swoops low over an alpine forest. It climbs suddenly to follow the contours of the sharply rising landscape. Pulses from its lidar—a laser mapping instrument—rapidly scan the trees below.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Gene discovery could shave years off avocado breeding
Scientists have found a genetic switch that could shave years off avocado breeding by allowing researchers to identify one of a young tree's most important traits long before it flowers.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

High-efficiency 'nano-defect catalyst' converts carbon dioxide into eco-friendly fuel
Researchers created a cerium engineered bismuth nanosheet catalyst that converts carbon dioxide to formate with high efficiency and 115 hour stability.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

How ancient red algae power extreme ecosystems and offer clues to life's evolution
Ancient single-celled red algae that thrive in scalding, acidic waters are emerging as far more than specialized survivors.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

In seconds, fiber optic cables detect earthquake size
Scientists have discovered a new way to determine how big an earthquake may become just seconds after it begins. In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Cal Poly Humboldt used signals picked up by fiber-optic cables—the same ones that deliver high-speed internet—to accurately estimate when a moderate to large earthquake is underway using data from the first four seconds of seismic wave arrivals.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Maryland Faces Criticism Over Scaled-Back Energy Efficiency Program and Proposed Building Code Changes
Gov. Wes Moore's administration said cuts to the EmPOWER program will provide consumers "immediate relief” but critics warn changes to it and the state's building codes could threaten long-term affordability goals.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Mexican Cenotes Are in Danger
Researchers found microplastics, chemicals like PFAS and other potentially toxic elements in these sinkholes, the primary source of drinking water in the Yucatan Peninsula.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

More than half of England 'officially in drought': UK govt
Just over half of England has been declared to be in drought after "record-low rainfall and exceptionally high temperatures," the U.K. government said Wednesday.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Researchers examine mosquitoes' resistance mechanisms to common insecticide
Traditionally, public health programs have relied on chemicals for mosquito management, and this may be why combating them is becoming more difficult. Over time, insecticides trigger biochemical and genetic variations that confer a survival advantage on certain mosquito populations.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Scientists repair damaged plastics at the molecular level, boosting recycling potential
Plastic recycling could become far more effective thanks to a new technique that restores the strength of damaged engineering plastics by repairing them at the molecular level.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Spain's three worst wildfires since 1961 happened in last two years
The wildfire that engulfed Spain's Ávila region, northwest of the capital, Madrid, is now considered the largest in the country's modern history, with around 50,000 hectares (193 square miles) burned, the government said this week.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

US to loosen environmental safeguards on space industry
The United States on Tuesday said it plans to exempt its private space sector from numerous environmental regulations to accelerate the pace of space launches and ramp up competition with China.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

What's the deal with agrovoltaics?
Research and practical examples of growing food on solar farms are everywhere, despite federal funding cuts.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Who says pollution clean-up has to pay for itself?
In a world searching for more sustainable ways to manage waste, the promise of turning "trash into treasure" is hard to ignore. Take nitrate pollution, for example. Every year, nitrogen fertilizers help feed billions of people. But not all of that nitrogen stays where it is needed. Some is washed from farms into rivers, streams and groundwater, where it can contribute to environmental problems, including harmful algal blooms.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Wildfires are more extreme in Europe and North America, but global burning is oddly decreasing
It seems as if the world is afire this summer. But even as wildfires in Europe and North America grow more extreme, key worldwide burning statistics are at a record low largely because Africa and Asia are controlling fire more.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

Wood-based foam designed by student offers safer, less wasteful alternative to plastic insulation in coolers
To keep drinks cold on a hot summer day, beverage cooler manufacturers rely on polyurethane foam, which is made from raw chemicals that are hazardous to handle before processing. To reduce health and environmental risks associated with this material, a University of Maine graduate student is designing an insulation component for coolers from an unexpected material: wood.
July 29th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 27th, 2026

5 Unexpected Ways Recycled Wind Turbines Are Being Used
Like any piece of technology, wind turbines (not to be confused with windmills) aren't functional forever. With time and use, they break down, often requiring deconstruction after just seven to 10 years of service. Wind turbines can be up to 750 feet tall, and given their immense size, figuring out what to do with the massive turbine blades becomes an important issue, lest they end up taking over landfills. Many have taken on the challenge, ensuring that these blades receive a new lease on life and don't end up tossed in an ever-expanding landfill somewhere.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Are gas turbines ready for the hydrogen economy?
Can we fuel gas turbines with hydrogen instead of fossil fuels and cut 15% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions? Gas turbines generate around 22% of the world's electricity. Replacing fossil fuels is a key step toward more sustainable power generation. Hydrogen is widely considered a promising alternative fuel for gas turbines in both power generation and aviation. However, before hydrogen can be used safely on a large scale, researchers need to better understand how it affects the materials exposed to the extreme operating conditions inside turbines.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

California Marine Sanctuaries Face Threats of New Trump-Backed Offshore Oil Leases
With the federal government trying to jumpstart California's oil production, environmental advocates and Indigenous organizations are concerned about what new leasing could do to their habitat and community.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Cows' diets influence omega-3s and other fatty acids, study shows
When you pick up a gallon (3.8 liters) of milk at the store, the nutrients it contains may depend on both what's on the label and the time of year. A new study reports that omega-3 fatty acids are highest in milk labeled as organic grass-fed and lowest in conventionally produced milk. Other fatty acids varied by dairy production method and season.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

European Fish Are Adapting to Climate Change in Unexpected Ways
As waters warm and industrial fishing expands, fish populations are heading for the depths of the European continental shelf.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Faster fracture tests offer path to more sustainable material choices
Recycled materials promise a cleaner future, but recycled content alone does not necessarily make a product sustainable. At Georgia Tech's Daedalus Lab, assistant professor Christos Athanasiou and postdoctoral researcher Danqi Sun are working to provide greater certainty to designers and engineers by rethinking how materials are tested for their fracture characteristics.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

French firefighters face 'pyrocumulonimbus' for first time
The gigantic wildfire ravaging southwestern France has created an extremely dangerous "pyrocumulonimbus"—a phenomenon never before seen in the country—the spokesman for the country's National Firefighters Federation of France (FNSPF) told AFP.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

How do scientists know if climate change made a heat wave, extreme storm or wildfire worse?
When a devastating heat wave, hurricane, flood or wildfire strikes, people often want to know: How much did human-caused climate change influence this event, if at all?
July 27th, 2026 — Source

How next‑generation photovoltaics could contribute to electricity storage
Due to the falling price and manageable size of silicon solar cells, the sight of solar panels on household rooftops has become familiar. However, solar energy, like many other sustainable forms of energy, is intermittent. At peak times, such as on sunny summer days, the grid is flooded with solar energy, while during the evening and winter, when energy tends to be most in demand, supply is lower. To secure energy availability on demand, storage needs to be integrated into the grid.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Incinerator bottom ash could be used as a filler in cement without material strength loss
The researchers studied micronized powder recycled from bottom ash, a finely ground residue from waste incineration. They tested its chemical composition and performance as a component of mortar, a cement, sand and water mixture used in construction.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Low-level cloud loss amplifies global warming, simulations suggest
Low-level clouds over Earth's oceans play a prominent role in keeping our planet cool by reflecting sunlight away from the surface. But their response to climate change has been hard to model. Now, researchers at Caltech and Google have uncovered important insights into how clouds might respond to warming sea-surface temperatures and rising CO2 levels using a large dataset of simulations developed by the group.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Moth wings reveal an unexpected ability to smell plant chemicals
Insect wings are bristling with senses, feeling the wind blowing and even tasting potential mates, but little was known about whether moth wings are equipped with a sense of smell. Sonja Bisch-Knaden and Bill Hansson from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Germany, had a hunch that moth wings might be able to sniff out certain aromas.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

People are mailing bloodthirsty ticks to a New York lab
The lab is testing thousands of ticks for the pathogens that cause Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, babesiosis, and other dangerous infections.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Plants know when to grow—and when to hold back, study finds
Researchers have uncovered a surprising mechanism that allows plants to carefully coordinate the formation and growth of new leaf parts. The study shows that the hormone auxin regulates different phases in organ formation by oppositely affecting the activity of another hormone, gibberellin, to trigger the formation of new leaf structures before reversing course and boosting gibberellin to drive their expansion. The findings offer new insight into how plants build complex organs and could eventually help scientists develop crops with improved growth and architecture.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Study reveals how single-atom Cu-TiO² photocatalysts promote CO²-to-CO conversion
Photocatalytic reduction of CO² offers a promising approach to storing energy from intermittent sunlight in carbon-containing fuels and chemicals, thereby enabling carbon recycling. Single-atom Cu catalysts have attracted attention because they enhance CO² photoreduction. However, the roles of single-atom active sites and adjacent atoms in these catalysts have not been well understood.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

The dangerous climate driving California's wildfires—and a warning for Australia
California is once again confronting a rapidly escalating wildfire season fueled by extreme heat, drying vegetation, drought and strong winds.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Trimming rice genes boosts yields up to 25% and improves drought tolerance
The way to make a plant grow more may be to take something away. Trimming a section off a plant gene raised rice harvests by up to 25% in new tests by University of Chicago scientists. The plants also showed a better tolerance for drought and heat.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

This $470mn nuclear startup is racing a presidential deadline, not the AI boom
Antares has raised $470mn to build nuclear reactors the size of a shipping container for US military bases. Its reactor makes one megawatt, about a thousandth of a conventional plant. The deadline it is racing is not a market opportunity but a presidential order, and it falls in September 2028.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Virtual reality fish platform offers insights into the impact of artificial light on aquatic life
A virtual reality (VR) platform has given researchers new insights into how artificial light at night alters the way coral reef fish respond to predators. The study brings together, for the first time, the metabolic expertise of the University of Glasgow with an innovative immersive virtual reality (VR) platform designed at the Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone and implemented at CRIOBE (Center de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l'Environnement).
July 27th, 2026 — Source

Why the future of fashion might involve wearing live fungi
The idea of having living fungi cover your body might not be the most appealing thing in the world. But what if it was part of a clothing fabric that could change color, protect you from UV rays and even repair its own tears? Those are just some of the possibilities of a new material described in a paper published in the journal Science.
July 27th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 24th, 2026

A simple idea to bring clean drinking water to U.S. homes at a lower cost
Stanford engineer Khalid Osman and collaborators are building modeling tools to help water system managers find the most cost-effective option for improving their community's drinking water.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

An old Atlanta railway is becoming a cool escape
When complete, the Atlanta Beltline will form a 22-mile loop that links parks, housing, art, businesses, and public transit.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Can ocean chemistry be altered to absorb carbon? The pros and cons
To achieve this, we must collectively curb our net greenhouse gas emissions. These gases—with carbon dioxide the largest contributor—act as a cosmic blanket by trapping heat in Earth's atmosphere.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Colorado prepares for screwworms, as the pest that was eradicated in 1966 returns to the US
New World screwworm, a concerning pest that mainly affects livestock and wildlife, was detected in South Texas in June 2026. It has since expanded northward in Texas, and there was one case in New Mexico as of July 23, 2026.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Federal Judge Orders EPA to Administer Environmental Justice Grants
The judge rejected the Trump administration's interpretation of a recent court ruling and ordered officials to release funds for a $2.8 billion federal program.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Help us cover hurricanes; become a sustaining donor
We want to make this our most successful season of hurricane reporting to date, and that's why we're asking for your help today.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Mapping project helps protect coastal world heritage sites from climate threats
A major new digital mapping project could help safeguard some of the world's most important and well-known heritage sites from rising seas, flooding and coastal erosion. Researchers led by scientists from the University of East Anglia (UEA), Durham University and the University of Cape Town have created the Global Coastal Heritage (Glo-CoH) dataset, the first comprehensive digital map of UNESCO World Heritage sites located along coastlines less than 20 meters (66 feet) above sea level.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Meta leaves RE100 clean energy pact after a decade as its gas buildout for AI outpaces renewables
The Climate Group confirmed Meta can no longer meet RE100's technical criteria after committing to 10 natural gas plants for its Hyperion data centre campus in Louisiana
July 24th, 2026 — Source

More than 80,000 flee forest infernos in France and Spain
Europe's wildfire crisis forced more than 80,000 people to flee for safety Friday, as vacationers boarded boats to escape fires on a French peninsula and Spanish officials ordered mass evacuations in towns near Madrid.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Native fine-flavor cacao can match commercial varieties in yield, study finds
A study carried out on smallholder farms in northern Peru shows that Blanco de Piura, a native fine-flavor cacao variety, can achieve productivity levels comparable to those of commercial varieties widely grown across Latin America. The research, led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the University of Göttingen in collaboration with Cooperativa Agraria Norandino, shows that Blanco de Piura—renowned for its exceptional flavor and aroma—can produce an average of 1,200 to 1,500 kilograms of dry beans per hectare. Achieving such high productivity, however, depends on good tree management.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Navajo Mine Applied for a Huge Expansion, but Tribal Members Say They're Cut Out of the Permitting Process
The coal mine would disturb more than 10,000 more acres, pollute the region for more than a century and force some residents of the Navajo Nation out of their homes.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

New methods for removing harmful nitrates from drinking water identified
Nitrate contamination of drinking water poses a major health concern, particularly in agricultural communities where fertilizers, livestock manure and septic systems can leach nitrates into groundwater. Many rural households rely on private water wells, which may not be routinely tested, leading some to consume contaminated water without realizing it.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

OSHA Proposed Heat Protections for Workers. Two Years Later, They're Still Not Final.
In Florida, where the state has banned adoption of local laws intended to protect outdoor workers, the lack of federal rules leaves individuals particularly vulnerable.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Researchers develop AI-driven method to improve forecasts weeks in advance
Haonan Chen, a CSU associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and his team have published research that could improve the accuracy of precipitation forecasts up to two weeks in advance.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Review finds lack of evidence as to whether planting around our homes reduces the pollution we breathe
A new review led by the University of East London (UEL) has uncovered a major blind spot in air pollution research. Despite domestic gardens covering vast areas of Britain's towns and cities, researchers found no direct evidence showing whether they reduce pollution levels or improve the air people breathe at home. There is a huge gap in understanding the role of domestic gardens in air quality.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Small tropical islands face dangerous humid heat by end of the century
Millions of people living on tropical islands could face a future of increasingly dangerous heat as climate change drives longer and more intense periods of humid conditions. While rising temperatures are often discussed as the main consequence of climate change, humidity plays a crucial role in determining how much heat the human body can tolerate. When the air is already full of moisture, sweat evaporates less effectively, making it harder for people to cool down.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

The government canceled this nature study. Scientists kept going anyway.
When the National Nature Assessment was shut down, the scientists who worked on it found another way. In this Q&A, one author explains what the research reveals about nature's powerful, underused role in supporting health.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Thousands flee wildfires in southern Europe
Luggage-clad residents and tourists fled a French peninsula by boat, and the smell of smoke drifted into parts of Madrid on Friday as wildfires swept through parts of Western Europe, triggering states of emergency and calls for EU help.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Trump Administration Eyes Massive Coal Reserves Under Federal Lands
The Western U.S. is sitting on billions of tons of unmined coal, a new report from the Department of the Interior finds.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Trust among farmers is key to scaling climate-smart innovations
As the climate becomes increasingly variable and extreme events become more frequent, accelerating the use of innovations that can strengthen agricultural resilience has become a priority for agrifood systems. Science has made progress in developing solutions with the potential to help farmers address these challenges. However, ensuring that knowledge about these innovations reaches more farmers and is understood, adapted and scaled remains one of the major challenges in research for development.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Unraveling the climate behind the collapse of Bronze Age civilizations
The most severe droughts in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean arose when multiple natural climate cycles coincided, according to a new study from Stockholm University published in Science Advances. The findings shed new light on the climate conditions surrounding the Late Bronze Age collapse and may help improve understanding of future drought risks in a warming world.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Virginia's Long-Awaited Return to RGGI Comes With New Challenges
Increasing energy demands and emissions from data centers raise questions about how to speed up decarbonization.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Who is the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the us?
The effort to utilize clean energy is increasing at a rapid rate, and onshore and offshore wind turbines are generating more and more energy around the world. Many of these massive structures are constructed by GE Vernova, the biggest wind turbine manufacturer in the United States. With a 58% market share in the U.S., GE is far ahead of its nearest competitor Vestas, which has a 30% market share.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

Wildfires: What can the UK and other nations learn from Australia's world‑leading fire response systems?
Wildfires are becoming a feature of the UK's hotter, drier climate. In July 2026, major fires swept through parts of the UK in a matter of days—notably setting Arthur's Seat, the extinct volcano in the center of Edinburgh, alight. The Scottish Greens labeled wildfires a "national emergency" after that fire.
July 24th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 23rd, 2026

A better future rather than faster robots: 'Sustainable Robotics' as a new academic field
Professor Sukho Song of the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at DGIST has proposed "Sustainability Robotics," a new academic field that evaluates robots not only in terms of their technical performance but also their contributions to environmental, social and economic sustainability.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

A healthier global diet could cut farm emissions by 85%
A global shift toward healthier diets could sharply reduce livestock farming, free up agricultural land, and cut emissions from land-use change by 85% by 2050. At the same time, fruit, vegetable, nut, and legume production could soar, creating a sweeping transformation of what the world grows and eats.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

AI study reveals the biodiversity cost of green energy minerals
Mining for lithium, cobalt and nickel may cause less forest loss than coal or gold, yet poses severe risks to biodiversity in fragile ecosystems.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Antarctica may give the world decades to prepare for rising seas
The next 30 years may be humanity's best chance to prepare for Antarctica's increasingly unpredictable impact on rising seas.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Britain isn't considering datacenters' thirst for water in its 'AI superpower' ambitions
Grand compute push could end up as dry as England's reservoirs unless ministers act fast
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

California Biofuel Refinery Workers Say Understaffing and Fatigue Threaten Their Safety and the Community
After a catastrophic fire at a Bay Area renewable fuel refinery nearly killed a worker, his union colleagues fought for stronger protections. Now they're locked out.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Cambridge built a planet-scale AI model, and skipped Nvidia to do it
A Cambridge team has built an AI foundation model for the whole planet. It turns years of satellite data into a reusable "fingerprint" for every 10-metre patch of land on Earth, cutting the data needed for environmental monitoring by up to 30 times. And it was trained and run entirely on AMD chips, not Nvidia.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Can artificial intelligence help detect contaminants in water?
Generative AI creates realistic synthetic spectra, helping limited training data improve reliable detection of antibiotic residues in water.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Chasing subseasonal forecasts with AI
Subseasonal forecasting, or the ability to predict weather trends two weeks to two months in advance, is a capability highly sought after in various economic sectors, including energy, water management and agriculture. Reliable forecasts on this scale have thus far been largely out of reach, but researchers at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) are leveraging AI to see whether it can help them grasp this elusive capability.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Climate change making Europe drought 'more severe': study
Human-caused climate change has intensified a drought across Europe, with extreme heat rather than low rainfall driving the exceptionally dry conditions, a team of international scientists said Thursday.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Closed-loop AI framework could shorten clean energy materials development by years
Developing the materials needed for cleaner energy technologies has traditionally been a slow and expensive process, often relying on years of trial and error. Now, researchers have outlined a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered framework that could dramatically accelerate the discovery of advanced energy materials while reducing development costs.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Coal-fired power generation rising globally on Mideast war: IEA
Coal-fired power generation is set to increase in 2026, driven by supply difficulties and soaring natural gas prices linked to the war in the Middle East, the International Energy Agency said Thursday.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Data Center Forecasts Keep Climbing and So Does Public Opposition. Something Has to Give.
AI companies face serious challenges in community acceptance, energy supply and business fundamentals.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Drought, water shortages and crop failures: How does the medieval warm period compare with today?
A heat wave lasting four months, followed by water shortages and crop failures. This is England in the 13th century, not the 21st. What is often called the Medieval Warm Period saw elevated temperatures in many parts of the world between the 10th and 13th centuries.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Fig-leaf enzyme turns tannery waste into high-value collagen
Tanneries generate large quantities of skin trimmings before hides are tanned. These trimmings contain collagen but are commonly treated as low-value waste. An international research team has developed a method that uses ficin, a protein-digesting enzyme obtained from fig leaves, to recover type I collagen from lambskin trimming waste.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Florida researchers bring endangered elkhorn coral ashore to protect them
Scientists working to save a coral species from extinction transported 30 pieces from nurseries off the Florida coast to a hatchery on land Wednesday, fearing that warming waters could trigger a mass bleaching event this summer that could wipe them out.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Heat is coming for Hawaiian corals, but study finds there may be time to adapt
Since the first major bleaching event in 1996, Hawaiian corals have been subject to increasing heat stress and more frequent bleaching events. New research from oceanographers at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa used high-resolution modeling that includes small-scale processes to examine projected heat stress on coral reefs over the 21st century.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Hidden risks in AI data centers spark new battery safety research
As lithium-ion systems scale up globally, Waterloo researchers are investigating fire hazards and solutions to protect critical infrastructure.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Human impacts rewrite the rules of island biodiversity around the globe
A new study reveals that human activities have fundamentally reshaped biodiversity patterns on islands across the globe, with important implications for how scientists understand ecology, evolution and conservation.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Hundreds hospitalized in Japan heat wave 'disaster'
More than 450 people received hospital treatment for heat-related issues in a single day in Tokyo—the highest number since records began 16 years ago, emergency services said Thursday.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

In Ghana, one man's race to save critically endangered fish
As dawn breaks over Ghana's Atlantic coast, artisanal fishing boats return to shore with last night's catch—baskets of snapper, crabs, rays and a distinct-looking fish locals call "esene."
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

In Philadelphia's Chinatown, a Fight to Restore Funding for a Critical Highway Cap
The project would lower noise and air pollution and help combat increasing temperatures. After losing federal backing under Trump, local lawmakers are working to save it.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

June heat wave cost UK economy more than £1bn: Study
Britain's record-breaking June heat wave resulted in some 24 million lost hours of work, costing the economy £1.15 billion ($1.5 billion), according to an estimate released Thursday by the London School of Economics (LSE).
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Most powerful Northern Lights in a generation expose weaknesses in UK infrastructure
Millions of people across the UK marveled at the spectacular northern lights that lit up the night sky in May 2024. But while the display captivated skywatchers, the geomagnetic storm behind it also served as the biggest test in a generation of the UK's preparedness for severe space weather. So did it pass?
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

National food waste recycling promises major climate gains but comes with microplastic risks
Keeping food waste out of landfills provides climate and other environmental benefits, and Vermont requires residents to divert these materials to better management pathways. With other states considering similar policies, UVM researchers studied the potential outcomes of bringing these efforts to a national scale.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Portugal's ancient giant bears shrank over thousands of years and humans may be to blame
About 22,000 years ago, a giant brown bear lumbered across what is now Portugal. The creature weighed around 385 kg (about 850 pounds), making it one of the largest of its kind ever found, towering over the Iberian brown bears that live there today.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Predicting where wildfire smoke will go next
In recent summers, wildfire smoke has been inescapable across Wisconsin, drifting south from Canada and leading to long stretches of poor air quality. Whether that smoke clears or lingers is often influenced in part by the atmospheric boundary layer—the lowest part of the atmosphere, where airborne particles mix and move.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Recycling does not weaken support for broader climate action, survey finds
In research published in npj Climate Action, UNSW Sydney behavioral scientists, in collaboration with researchers from Griffith University, say they found no evidence for claims that climate action at the individual level distracted from support for meaningful action on climate change.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Researchers find college-educated population more likely to shelter during dangerous wildfire smoke
American adults with college degrees now outlive those without degrees by more than eight years, in part because graduates appear to be more proactive about protecting their health. For example, they smoke cigarettes at far lower rates and follow cancer screening advice more often, especially after a relative is diagnosed. Even as studies documented such disparities, the health gap widened.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Simple tweaks can make wastewater treatment less polluting
When mixed with oxygen, nitrogen in wastewater creates nitrous oxide, a powerful global warming gas. But there are ways to reduce the harm.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Soil organic carbon increases crop yield but can't help with extreme drought
In cases of extreme drought, soil organic carbon does not improve crop yields, Colorado State University research has found. The finding contradicts the commonly held belief that soil organic carbon benefits yields most during drought.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Sweden to ban 'forever chemicals' in clothing
Sweden said Thursday it plans to ban so-called "forever chemicals" in consumer products such as clothing and kitchenware as early as 2028, before expected European Union regulations come into force.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Tracking ion movement in porous carbon electrodes to boost energy storage and water desalination
A new study by researchers from Leipzig University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the University of Cambridge has revealed how ions move and exchange within complex porous carbon electrodes. These electrodes play a key role in high-performance energy storage, water desalination, gas storage and other electrochemical technologies.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Training microbes to prepare soils for the impacts of climate change
Scientists at the University of Lincoln have discovered a promising new way to help protect crops from one of climate change's growing threats to global food production—increasing soil salinity.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

US eyes offshore nuclear reactors
The United States on Wednesday announced it had created a "clear framework" for the eventual deployment of offshore nuclear reactors as part of the Trump administration's push to drastically ramp up atomic energy output.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

Ziroth Electric Jet Heater Hits 2,000°C to Cut Steel Emissions
The industrial sector is undergoing a significant shift with the introduction of a fully electric jet heater capable of reaching temperatures up to 2,000°C. Designed to replace fossil fuel-based systems, this technology is particularly impactful for industries like steel production, where high-temperature processes are essential. By using advanced oxide ceramic elements, the electric jet heater achieves exceptional efficiency and durability, addressing challenges such as thermal shock and material brittleness. As Ziroth explains, this innovation represents a critical step toward reducing emissions in heavy industries and aligning with global decarbonization goals.
July 23rd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 22nd, 2026

A strange quantum effect dramatically boosts energy transfer
Researchers discovered a proton-assisted mechanism that greatly improves how triplet energy moves between quantum dots and nearby molecules. The proton briefly shifts position, helps coordinate electron movement, and then returns to where it started. This quantum-driven shuttle could offer a powerful new way to tune solar cells, lasers, and catalytic reactions.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Ancient ferns turned Triassic Europe into a wildfire inferno
Ancient fern savannahs may have transformed parts of Europe into a wildfire-prone inferno during the end-Triassic mass extinction. New fossil evidence suggests the ferns repeatedly regrew after fires, creating fresh fuel that helped prolong the devastation.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Apple Fixes Hide My Email Bug That Exposed Real Email Addresses
Apple has fixed a security bug in its Hide My Email feature that allowed attackers to uncover the real email address linked to an Apple account. The company says it deployed a patch on July 3 and has fully resolved the issue.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Black coral shapes influence how microscopic cilia move food and oxygen
An international research team led by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) investigated how the shape of black corals influences the functions of their cilia.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Carbon footprint of metal production could be more than 10 times higher than estimated
New research from the University of St Andrews has found that metal production carbon footprints could be more than 10 times higher than previously estimated, with serious implications for the ambition to reach net zero.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Children become 'climate detectives' to help cool overheating schools
Elementary school children equipped with thermal cameras are helping redesign their schools to cope with hotter summers, thanks to a University of Surrey program that gives pupils the tools to spot dangerous heat hotspots and develop their own cooling solutions.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Colorado thinks it found the answer to EV battery recycling's biggest challenge
The state is shifting responsibility to someone new.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Creating the largest-ever database on floating ocean plastic using smart cameras
ADIS is part of a larger strategy aimed at identifying plastic hotspots and tracking their movements to support The Ocean Cleanup's efforts to remove plastic from the world's ocean gyres. Satellite-based methods have proven challenging for the open ocean, where floating marine debris is too dispersed.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Data centers forecast to use 20% of US power by 2035 — analysts estimate usage will rocket to 194 gigawatts, 83% more than forecast seven months ago
The research firm's 2035 projection has risen roughly 2.5 times in 15 months.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Elephant-inspired cement tiles cool buildings without electricity
Inspired by the cracked, water-trapping skin of elephants, Penn researchers have developed a low-cost cement tile that cools buildings by capturing and slowly evaporating water—turning a structural flaw into a climate solution.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

EU watchdog reduces safe level of exposure to 'forever chemical' TFA
The EU's food safety agency said Wednesday it has dramatically reduced the acceptable daily intake level of the so-called forever chemical TFA, following new evidence of its effect on a key hormone that regulates the body's metabolism.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Factors that affect the spininess of plants in different locations
In the study of 2,686 ecologically diverse plants, including both spiny and non-spiny species, and 368 mammalian herbivores, investigators found that current and extinct large herbivores are key predictors of the prevalence of spiny species.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

France recorded 5,700 more deaths than usual during its historic June heat wave
France recorded at least 5,700 more deaths than usual during a historic heat wave last month, the public health agency said Wednesday, sharply increasing its estimates of the feared toll from record-shattering temperatures.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Fruit flies turn fleeting scent puffs into directional memories, study finds
When a fruit fly catches a whiff of a ripe peach, it quickly heads toward it. Time after time, it finds the fruit—even from many feet away and even if the scent arrives only as a few drifting, disconnected puffs. How do they home in with such unerring accuracy?
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Genetically distinct avocados discovered in Nicaragua
A team of scientists led by researchers at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and Texas A&M University recently uncovered genetic traces of ancient migration in DNA from avocados growing in Nicaragua. They found evidence that, around 5,000 years ago, people migrating north from South America carried the oversized seeds of one of their favorite fruits—avocados.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Global analysis reveals age as overlooked driver of food-related climate emissions
A new international study published in Nature Food reveals that age plays an important but often overlooked role in shaping global food-related greenhouse gas emissions. The study shows that dietary emissions can vary substantially across people's life stages, reflecting differences in nutritional needs, demographic change and evolving dietary patterns. Effective mitigation of dietary emissions therefore requires age-sensitive approaches.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Global Warming Unmakes Winter in the US West
A new climate attribution study shows that heating from greenhouse gases could drive extreme snow droughts in the region every third year by 2050.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Great Barrier Reef microbiome map reveals more than 500 new bacterial species
In 2012, Nature revealed that humans provide a home to thousands of different species of microbes in a series of papers that opened a path to understanding the impact of the human microbiome on our health.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Greece broils on year's warmest day as three-day heat wave peaks
Greece is expected to experience its hottest day of the year Wednesday, with temperatures reaching up to 43°C (109°F), according to meteorologists. Several regions have been placed on alert because of the risk of wildfires.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Green LED light could help keep leafy greens fresher longer, study suggests
Low-intensity green lighting in refrigerated storage can slow spoilage in leafy greens, helping maintain their appearance and nutritional value, according to a new study from McGill University. The research, published in the Journal of Food Science, tested how different lighting conditions affect fresh spinach and lettuce during cold storage. The team compared green LED light with white light and complete darkness. Green light stood out.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

How 'super' enzymes can transform recycling
From microplastics clogging up our oceans to landfills leaching dangerous chemicals, plastic waste is a serious and growing problem for human health and the environment. We need to recycle more and, crucially, recycle better.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

How to Get Rid of Old Tech Without Paying Anything or Throwing It in the Trash
Getting rid of old computers and printers responsibly is free, accessible and considerably simpler than most people assume.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Hydra rebuilds the body by restoring its internal cellular map
Before a hydra can regrow a head or foot, its cells appear to rebuild the internal map that tells them where they are and what they should become next, FMI researchers report. The work suggests that cells need to interpret not only where they are in the body, but also what stage of regeneration they are in—a finding that could help explain how tissues regenerate after injury.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Japan suffers heat 'disaster' as cities hit by 'cruelly hot' days
Japanese cities are experiencing "cruelly hot days," a new meteorological term devised this year to warn people of intense heat above 40°C (104°F). Emergency officials described the soaring temperatures on Wednesday as "a disaster."
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Left or right? Moths use a preferred side to inspect flowers for nectar
Just as humans exhibit right- or left-handedness, moths also have a preferred side on which they place their proboscis when inspecting a flower for nectar. This observation was made by Konstanz-based biologists in their latest study. The researchers see this as an example of nature efficiently coping with the limited computational capacity of the insect brain.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Machine learning accelerates search for longer-lasting materials for solar cells
Perovskite solar cells have gained considerable momentum in the search for cheaper, more efficient solar energy. However, the materials degrade over time, limiting their widespread commercial use. To overcome one of the biggest barriers to commercializing perovskite solar cells, Marina Leite, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Davis, and an interdisciplinary team of researchers are harnessing AI.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Magnetic MOF removes 95% of microplastics and nanoplastics from wastewater
A reusable magnetic MOF removes over 95% of microplastics and nanoplastics, plus some PFAS and other pollutants, from wastewater within an hour.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

More Snow Is Falling as Rain in Washington, Leading to Increased Drought in Key Agricultural Areas
Climate models show warmer winters, with precipitation rates staying about the same but producing more rain and less snowpack, which leads to summer drought.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

New genetic approaches raise hopes for restoring the American chestnut to its former glory
A majestic forest tree, an American chestnut was typically 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 meters) in height but could grow as tall as 150 feet (45 meters) over its several-hundred-year lifespan. Its leafy canopy provided shade and beauty from Maine to Mississippi. The chestnuts it produced helped nourish wildlife, Indigenous peoples and European settlers alike. Its rot-resistant wood was also prized for lumber.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Ordinary moss generates surprisingly complex electrical activity
Moss may well be something that most of us barely give a second thought, but there is far more to this small nonvascular plant than meets the eye. A new study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science reports that it displays a surprising amount of electrical activity.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Q&A: Listening with light—an innovative new technology for studying the seafloor
The seafloor plays an important ecological and societal role. Understanding the processes that shape this environment will help guide conservation policy and decision-making about underwater infrastructure and geohazards.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Q&A: What happens when producers are responsible for recycling their products and packaging?
Who should pay when a product becomes waste—the company that made it or the public? That question sits at the center of extended producer responsibility (EPR), a policy strategy that shifts recycling costs onto manufacturers to reduce waste and promote more eco-friendly design. Used in more than 100 countries for packaging, electronics, mattresses and batteries, EPR is gaining traction in the U.S. Seven states have passed legislation requiring producers to cover the costs of recycling their packaging.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Removing 'forever chemicals' from farmlands—at a fraction of the cost
A Yale-led research team has proposed a less expensive—and more environmentally friendly—method for removing certain "forever chemicals" from millions of acres of farmland in the United States and around the world.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Researchers develop new AI system for highly accurate mapping and modeling of orchards
In precision agriculture, where data is used to automate and optimize agricultural tasks for maximum yield, large-scale mapping and digital modeling of the land of interest are essential. This digital backbone enables tasks such as yield estimation, targeted spraying and phenotyping while also providing the foundation for autonomous navigation, perception and robotic operation. However, in modern commercial orchards, with their large scale, high tree density and structured layouts, achieving consistent mapping and accurate 3D modeling remains challenging.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Reversing soil degradation by 10% could feed 70 million more, global analysis finds
Factors such as erosion, dehydration and soil compaction are jeopardizing food supplies for broad swaths of the world's population, according to a study by the University of Bonn, the University of Minnesota, the University of Basel and Hamburg University of Technology. If human-made soil degradation were reversed by 10%, Earth's arable land could feed an extra 70 million or so people in purely mathematical terms.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Scientists warn of potential global marine invasive species event linked to idle ships in the Strait of Hormuz
New research from an international team of 24 marine scientists, led by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) and including the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), cautions that thousands of commercial vessels stranded for months in the Persian/Arabian Gulf following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could unintentionally trigger a massive marine invasive species event.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Soft plastic recycling laws have been delayed. An expert explains why
Mandatory curbside collection of soft plastic (chip bags, bread bags, plastic wrap) has just been pushed back from 2027 to 2030.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Solar-powered process turns carbon dioxide into protein building blocks
A modular enzyme platform converts carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen into seven amino acids, pointing toward more sustainable feed and food production.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source or Source

The coffee shop and barber shop that stay open when the power goes out
Solar panels and batteries allow two Salt Lake City businesses to serve as a community hub during outages.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Texas' Grid Operator Prepares for More Demand Than Ever This Week
Amid triple-digit temperatures, solar and storage have created far more breathing room than in the last stretch of record energy demand.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Tracking a flight path to a green aviation future
Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, generating around 14% of transport emissions—second only to road transport. It is also one of the world's hardest-to-decarbonize industries. Unlike conventional jet fuel, hydrogen produces no direct carbon dioxide emissions during operation and, when generated from renewable energy sources, has the potential to transform the sector.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Transmissible cancer cells discovered in fish act more like parasites than traditional tumors
A team of Vermont researchers has discovered that mysterious black skin lesions afflicting catfish in Lake Memphremagog and other New England and Canadian lakes are caused by a transmissible cancer—the first identified in a freshwater fish species. The cancer cells behave more like parasites than conventional tumors, moving from fish to fish.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Tropical Storm Bertha makes its second U.S. landfall, degenerates into a trough
The wind shear-battered storm has kept the highest rainfall away from land, but also triggered dangerous heat across the South.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

Why river management is so crucial to protecting one of world's most important wetlands
A major new study led by Swansea University has shown that upstream river management, rather than local rainfall, is the primary driver of one of the world's most important wetlands. According to the research published in Scientific Reports, which analyzed more than two decades of satellite observations, the future of Iraq's Mesopotamian Marshes depends far more on the water flowing from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers than on rainfall.
July 22nd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 16th, 2026

A Shark-Feeding Ban Exposes a Deeper Fight Over Florida's Changing Seas
A federal bill would ban Florida shark dive operators from feeding sharks. Its sponsors say the ban is about safety. People who know the water, including fishers, doubt it would change much.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

A volcano in the Philippines erupted 2 weeks ago: Why scientists are still watching it closely
Two weeks ago, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded three distinct, short-lived explosions in less than five minutes at Taal Volcano. The eruption sent a column of ash and steam up to 1.2 km (0.75 miles) into the air.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Agri-food, trade, national security leaders call for food security to become a national security priority
Hosted by the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM), The Simpson Center for Food & Agricultural Policy, Canadian Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Pork Council, the two-day workshop brought together representatives from organizations including the Canadian Cattle Association, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Farm Credit Canada, TELUS Agriculture, Royal Military College of Canada and the University of Guelph to examine how geopolitical tensions, biological threats, trade disruptions and supply chain vulnerabilities are reshaping Canada's food system.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Air from Greenland snow shows industrialization's impact on atmospheric methane
An international team of researchers, including scientists from Utrecht University and the University of Maryland, has reconstructed the concentration of clumped isotopes of methane in air from the past for the first time. This provides new insights into how atmospheric methane concentrations have changed since the start of the industrial era, around 1850. For the study, the scientists used air that was roughly 40 years old, preserved in compacted snow (firn) in Greenland.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

As Climate Change Expands Mosquito Ranges, Better Monitoring Is Key to Preventing Disease
Monitoring is expensive and labor intensive. But it helps public health officials stop outbreaks.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Bacterial cellulose offers sustainable path for high-performance energy storage, highlights study
As energy storage technologies continue to evolve, applications—from portable electronics to wearable devices and electric vehicles—require systems that can charge rapidly, deliver bursts of power on demand and withstand millions of charge--discharge cycles. Supercapacitors have emerged as an attractive complement to conventional energy storage devices because they recharge faster, deliver high power density and offer long cycle life. Their performance, however, depends largely on the electrode materials that store and release electric charge. Driven by growing demand for high-performance, sustainable energy storage, researchers are increasingly turning to biomass-derived carbon materials as renewable alternatives to conventional electrodes.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Black Sea waters reshaped Eastern Mediterranean circulation 11,000 years ago
A new study led by the University of Barcelona reveals that freshwater exported from the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea triggered major environmental changes across the Eastern Mediterranean.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Climate change, urban growth fuel Lagos flooding
After hours of torrential overnight rain lashed Lagos recently, church pastor Samuel Akpan spent most of the next day bailing water from his flooded parsonage in an upscale district of Nigeria's commercial capital.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Climate change makes extreme West Africa rainfall five times likelier, study finds
Climate change has made extreme rainfall in West Africa five times more likely than in the late 19th century, scientists said Thursday, after regional floods killed nearly 100 people last month.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Could tiny water droplets hold the key to dissolving the global plastic waste crisis?
International team of scientists develop catalyst-free plastic recycling process with just water and oxygen.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Devastating Asian beetle detected in EU for first time
A tiny Asian-origin beetle that has devastated ash forests in North America has been detected in the European Union for the first time, in Hungary and Slovakia, authorities said.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Disrupting single enzyme gene in herb red perilla produces green plants with enriched health-promoting molecules
Hiroshima University researchers have used genome editing to transform red perilla into a green look-alike and simultaneously restructured the plant's chemistry to boost levels of compounds prized for their potential health benefits. The findings point to a new strategy for developing high-value crops for the food and pharmaceutical industries.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Driving the speed limit could slash fuel use and emissions at the cost of only 54 extra seconds a day
Speeding in your car to work, to pick up your children from school, or go from one errand to the next not only wastes money in gas and sends harmful emissions into the air, it barely saves you time, new research says.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

For energy systems that power a reliable grid and avoid blackouts, the future is all about location
Will a warming climate and changing weather patterns lead to more grid blackouts and other energy disruptions? Answering that question requires studying both regional climate forecasts and local energy systems, including emerging renewable generation, storage, transmission lines and demand forecasts. The lack of such studies is one reason energy developers and grid operators rarely consider climate change when deciding where to build their next project.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Frog protein could become first antidote to deadly red tide toxin
The "red tide" algal blooms that are becoming more frequent along the Pacific coast produce one of the most potent neurotoxins known: saxitoxin, or STX. The toxin accumulates in shellfish and causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) when consumed.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Hazardous AQI Plunges 17 States Into Code Red As Smoke Swallows I-75, I-94, and I-95
A thick wall of wildfire smoke has turned skies over the eastern half of the country a milky orange, and it is now a driving hazard as much as a health one. Smoke from dozens of out-of-control fires in western Ontario and a cluster of intensifying blazes in northern Minnesota has flooded the Great Lakes and slammed into the Interstate 95 corridor, dropping air quality to hazardous levels from the Upper Midwest to New England. Officials are urging drivers to expect hazy, low-contrast conditions on major routes and to treat the smoke like any other visibility threat.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Heavy smoke from wildfires blankets the US Midwest and Northeast, prompting evacuations
More than 100 wildfires are burning in Canada, where a train crew in northern Ontario filmed themselves surrounded by flames before being safely evacuated. Winds are carrying the smoke southeast.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Hourly data reveal Alpine 100-year floods could arrive every 45 to 80 years
Heavy precipitation becomes more intense with every degree Earth warms. This affects flooding. Using hourly data from 384 rivers in the Alps, researchers from the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF modeled how flooding will change by the end of the century. Their projections are significantly bleaker than earlier ones.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

New science report could boost climate suits against oil giants
Climate lawsuits seeking massive damages from fossil fuel companies increasingly hinge on this question: How reliably can scientists link specific extreme weather events to human-caused climate change?
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Risks of solar storms may be underestimated warn researchers
New evidence suggests Earth's response to solar storms has no upper limit, raising the risk of severe satellite, power and communication failures.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Small but mighty dung beetles take a big bite out of farm methane
Dung beetles are quietly performing a vital climate change mitigation service for Australia's livestock sector, slashing methane emissions from cattle manure by 85%, a new Southern Cross University study has found.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Sun-tracking solar panels fold away from hail while lifting output nearly 40%
Researchers led by Armin Buchroithner from the Institute of Electrical Measurement and Sensor Systems at TU Graz have developed an innovative photovoltaic system that combines significantly higher output with protection from storms, hail and snow. The system, known as FLAPTrack (Face-to-Face Lay-Down Anti-Degradation Protection), continuously aligns the PV modules with the sun's position both horizontally and vertically.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

The Eastern Pacific is a tropical storm factory, and the Atlantic Basin shows signs of life
The Eastern Pacific is roaring ahead. Now the Atlantic is waking up—and the season's peak could pack a bigger punch closer to land.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

They were offered free flood protection. So why are so few homeowners saying yes?
A government program elevates some Louisiana homes at no cost, but skepticism and unanswered questions are slowing participation.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Toronto air ranked among world's worst as wildfire smoke billows south
Toronto had the worst air quality of any major city in the world Wednesday, the Swiss firm IQAir said, as Canadian authorities urged people to stay indoors.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

UK launches hi-tech mission to study Greenland ice melt
A team of international scientists sets sail Thursday from Britain for Greenland to study its rapidly melting ice using drones, mini-submarines and autonomous swimming robots.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

What Exactly Is A Nuclear Reactor Used For And How Does One Work?
The US has the most nuclear power plants in the world. However, despite this, it remains a divisive subject that people seem to either embrace or shun in equal measure. We won't go into this argument here, but what we will do is break down the relatively simple science behind nuclear reactors, how they work, and what they can be used for.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

Without Tax Credits, EV Sales Are Searching for a Spark
U.S. electric vehicle sales tanked in the first half of 2026, but there are signs the industry will rebound.
July 16th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 12th, 2026

Climate oscillations shape nature's coral refuges in a warming ocean
Why do some coral reefs weather marine heat waves better than others? A new study published in Scientific Reports shows that the answer may lie not only in local ocean conditions, but also in climate patterns that span entire ocean basins. By combining long-term ocean observations with chemical records preserved in coral skeletons, the researchers reveal how large-scale climate oscillations regulate the natural cooling that can help protect coral reefs during marine heat waves. First author Dr. Hana Camelia and Dr. Thomas Felis from MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen led the study.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

Deep-sea life has a secret food source scientists never expected
Scientists discovered that extreme deep-sea pressure squeezes valuable nutrients out of sinking organic particles, providing an unexpected food source for ocean microbes. The finding could rewrite our understanding of both deep-ocean ecosystems and how carbon is stored on Earth.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

Firefighters gain upper hand on deadly Spain wildfire
Firefighters battling a wildfire in southern Spain that killed 12 people began to contain the blaze Saturday as the hardest-hit village remained deserted, with charred vegetation and blackened homes a grim reminder of the inferno that sent terrified people fleeing their homes.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

In deep oceans, evolution is supercharged. This diversity could help unlock humanity's greatest challenges
Far beneath the surface of the ocean lies the largest and least explored habitat on Earth. The deep sea is cold, dark, highly pressurized—and home to a huge amount of undiscovered life.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

In Gambia, Salt Water Intrusion Is the Leading Edge of Climate Change
Salt water from the Atlantic Ocean used to stop 150 kilometers from the mouth of The Gambia River. But now, with sea level rise, it intrudes 300 kilometers or more, triggering an agricultural crisis.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

In Sicily, drones at work to predict volcanic eruptions
Hovering over the volcano, a buzzing drone pauses in front of a laser beam on the crater's edge as researchers test whether the devices can measure gases to predict eruptions.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

New catalyst could enable safer electrolyzers for clean hydrogen production
Hydrogen could serve as a clean alternative to fossil fuels because, when used as a fuel, it produces water vapor instead of carbon dioxide (CO2). This cleaner fuel has proved particularly promising for the creation of so-called fuel cells, energy storage devices that could power heavy-duty vehicles, airplanes, trains and energy-intensive manufacturing machinery.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

New heat wave blasts US, could break records
Some 44 million Americans were under a heat wave warning Saturday as temperatures in the Rocky Mountains and northern Plains of the United States were expected to hit 43°C (110°F) over the weekend.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

Patterned frozen soils get their shape from gravity and funky physics
Hillslopes in Arctic regions with frozen soils can host a suite of geometric patterns, from circles and stripes to polygonal patterned ground. They can also have solifluction patterns, or markings left behind when partially thawed permafrost slips and flows down a slope. Solifluction patterns look like pairings of flat, terraced soil—like a big staircase—and rounded lobes of soil at the terrace's base.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

Typhoon makes landfall in China, downgraded to severe tropical storm
Typhoon Bavi was downgraded to a severe tropical storm Sunday after making landfall in eastern China, where authorities had evacuated nearly 2 million people in its path.
July 12th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 11th, 2026

Machine learning frees freshwater toxin sensors from repeated calibration
Machine learning boosts nanostructured biosensors to detect toxic algal compounds accurately across diverse freshwater conditions without repeated calibration, enabling reliable field testing.
July 11th, 2026 — Source

Microsoft struggles to fulfill its 2030 sustainability promise amid carbon-heavy AI expansions — the company's chief sustainability officer claims the target is still feasible
The company's AI ambition appears to be stifling its sustainability promise
July 11th, 2026 — Source

Overhaul of public lands grazing regulations seeks to cut public involvement
For the first time since 1995, the Bureau of Land Management is rewriting its grazing regulations.
July 11th, 2026 — Source

Recent Earthquakes Expose Problems with Venezuela's Disaster Preparedness and Response, Scientists Say
Two weeks after a pair of earthquakes decimated cities in the nation's north, experts are still trying to understand the seismic activity that led to the deaths of more than 3,500 people.
July 11th, 2026 — Source

The Case of the (France-Sized) Missing Antarctic Ice
"It's just a question of whether we're fast enough to stretch out that loss to several thousand years versus dumb enough to keep warming the planet and seeing it collapse very quickly in a century or two," says a research scientist of what's happening in Antarctica.
July 11th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 10th, 2026

A Chemical Plant Mishandled Hazardous Waste for Years, Then Quietly Shuttered
Questions remain about cleanup at the North Carolina site, which had been hailed as a solution for dealing with plastic waste.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Airbus Is Making An Engine That Could Bring Aircraft Emissions Down To Zero
It's easy to be skeptical about finding flights with below average carbon dioxide (C02) emissions. That's because the aviation industry is responsible for about 2.5% of global C02 emissions. However, there may be some positive changes on the horizon as Airbus is working on a new fuel cell engine that could eventually eliminate in-flight C02 and nitrogen oxide emissions.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Arizona Regulators Are Raising Contaminant Limits for a Uranium Mine With an Arsenic Problem
Federal and state governments are helping Energy Fuels boost its processing of uranium and rare earth elements, but the company has a checkered past with tribes and communities in the Four Corners region.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

As national drought deepens, a new AI model helps balance water demands
As drought strains water supplies across much of the United States, Virginia Tech researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to help policymakers manage growing competition between agriculture and semiconductor manufacturing. Feras Batarseh, associate professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering and the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative and the project's lead researcher, said the recent explosion of AI queries via language learning models and the increased need for chip production are increasing pressure on already-strained water systems in many parts of the country.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Bacteria turn dissolved uranium into stable compound in 130 days, study finds
Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), together with Wismut GmbH and scientists from the University of Granada in Spain, have demonstrated for the first time that bacteria can convert uranium dissolved in water into a stable chemical compound when they have access to glycerol as a food source.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Boston's first public housing project gets a climate-friendly makeover
The redevelopment includes all-electric energy-efficient units, mature shade trees, and rain gardens.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

China's Skyscrapers Shower Cities With 'Rooftop Rain' Tech To Combat Extreme Heat
Summers are getting hotter, and people around the world are looking for new ways to stay cool. Prototypes such as a passive cooling system developed by Saudi Arabian researchers have potential, but have yet to make it to the real world. One example of a large-scale way to keep temperatures down, however, can be found in China — more specifically, the Xijian Tianmao Guobinfu community in Yuncheng, Shanxi province. There, a handful of skyscraper rooftops have been equipped with an artificial rain system to alleviate uncomfortably hot temperatures.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Compostable circuit boards from citric acid waste could cut carbon dioxide footprint
Worldwide, discarded electronic toys, computers and smartphones are becoming an increasingly significant source of electronic waste. Electronic circuits are based on printed circuit boards (PCBs), which are typically made of glass fiber-reinforced fossil epoxy resin, making them difficult to recycle, let alone biodegrade.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Europe's most active volcano may have a secret origin
Mount Etna has long puzzled geologists because it doesn't fit any of the three classic ways volcanoes are thought to form. A new study suggests it may instead be fueled by ancient pockets of magma that are pushed upward through cracks created by shifting tectonic plates. If confirmed, Etna could belong to a rare fourth category of volcano, revealing that much larger volcanoes can form through processes previously associated only with small submarine eruptions.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

FCC approves giant mirror satellite designed to beam sunlight to Earth after dark
Astronomers warn the massive reflector could become one of the brightest objects in orbit
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Grassroots Justice Group Challenges Trump Administration Order to Keep Florida Coal Plant Running
Advocacy groups said the order failed to establish an energy emergency. The Department of Energy partly attributed one to anticipated demand associated with data centers.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Home batteries could become the next must-have household appliance
An energy expert explains how batteries can lower electric bills, keep homes running during outages, and ease pressure on an increasingly strained grid.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Is an air-conditioning revolution coming to Europe
The AC culture wars may be solved by advances in environmentally friendly technology.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Microsoft's AI drive saw its carbon emissions grow by 25 percent in 2025
The company said it wanted to be carbon negative by 2030.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

New model maps solar storms across 1 million miles around Earth
A team at the Applied Physics Lab is working to understand the complex science behind predicting invisible threats that can quickly cripple electric grid infrastructure on Earth.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Rising tides, rising tensions: New research calls for rethink of coastal law
As sea levels rise and coastlines erode, Australia's legal system is struggling to keep up. Longstanding assumptions about who owns the coast—and who should pay when it disappears—are now at the center of growing disputes.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Study finds politically salient immigration issues can lead to higher industrial pollution
A joint research team led by Professor Narae Lee from the School of Business and Technology Management at KAIST, in collaboration with Professor Heli Wang from Singapore Management University (SMU), analyzed immigration-related legislation and environmental data across the United States and found that when immigration becomes a central political agenda, government environmental oversight weakens and firms' toxic chemical releases increase. The research team describes this phenomenon as "institutional crowding."
July 10th, 2026 — Source

Tiny mountain lakes pose big, overlooked flood risks, new study warns
A new international study involving scientists from the University of Aberdeen has revealed a critical blind spot in global climate risk assessments—the growing danger posed by small alpine lakes formed by glacier retreat and permafrost thaw. Published in Nature Sustainability, the research highlights how these lakes, which are often too small to appear in conventional hazard databases, can still unleash sudden and destructive floods with little warning.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

What happened to Australia's snow season? A climate expert explains
There's nothing like gliding down a snow-covered slope. That is, if you ask the thousands of people who make an annual pilgrimage to our alpine resorts during the Australian winter. But this year, the start to the snow season has been far from spectacular.
July 10th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 9th, 2026

40.7 C heat shatters Barcelona record amid Spain's latest heat wave
Barcelona registered a maximum temperature of 40.7°C (105.3°F) on Wednesday, its highest figure in 112 years of records, weather agencies said as another heat wave struck Spain.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

A Court Ruling Leaves Some of New York's Most Important Wetlands Unprotected
The decision opened gaps in state protections at the same time that federal wetland regulations were weakened.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

Hidden deep-sea turbulence could alter climate and fisheries within one lifetime
Tiny, invisible swirls and twirls—not much bigger than a coin—deep below the ocean's surface are silently shaping some of the biggest forces shaping our climate: sea level rise, fisheries collapse, extreme flooding and how much carbon dioxide the ocean absorbs.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

New research warns of risks of bias as AI shapes decision-making on offshore energy development
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly common in deciding where offshore energy projects such as wind farms, oil platforms and pipelines should be placed in the ocean.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

Nonprofit encourages Latinos to get politically involved amid rising energy costs
Poder Latinx created a bilingual website to help people understand how policy decisions influence electricity bills.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

NYC Invests in Air Quality, but the Bronx Still Can't Breathe Easy
Highways, peaker plants and commercial and industrial activity cluster in the borough. Despite projects and policies designed to help, pollution remains a problem.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

Researchers develop low-cost AI tool to help cities map urban tree canopy
As a heat dome drives dangerous temperatures across much of the United States and renews concerns about extreme heat, USC researchers have developed a new, freely available AI tool that could help cities better understand one of their best defenses against rising temperatures: trees.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

Smaller homes could cut Europe's CO² building emissions
Buildings are responsible for around 40% of CO² emissions in the European Union. This means the building sector has a central role to play in achieving the EU's climate targets by 2050. An EU research project involving Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) has analyzed CO² emissions from the European building stock over its entire life cycle and identified ways to reduce them.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

Taiwan warns of 'destructive' winds as typhoon nears
Taiwan's weather forecaster warned on Thursday of "destructive" winds as the biggest typhoon in years swept toward the island after pounding U.S. Pacific territories.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

Western Europe records its hottest June as heat waves surge: EU monitor
Western Europe this year experienced its hottest June on record as a searing heat wave swept across a continent facing increasingly frequent and intense heat extremes, the European Union's climate monitor said Thursday.
July 9th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 8th, 2026

Ancient atmospheric oxygen found in iron ore deposits
How do some of geology's most mysterious iron ore deposits form? This question has preoccupied the geosciences for more than a century. An international research team led by Dr. Stefan Peters from the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB) has discovered that major iron ore deposits contain traces of oxygen inherited from Earth's ancient atmosphere.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Brain in a chip: Biocomputing infrastructure raises questions for urban planning
The world's first biological computers, powered by living human brain cells, are moving from laboratories into commercial data centers. While most attention has focused on their technical potential, cities will have to decide where these facilities are built, how they are governed, and whether existing planning and regulatory systems are equipped for this entirely new kind of infrastructure.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Cambodia wants to bring tigers back, but should it?
Pan Sok still remembers his relative screaming as a tiger dragged him away one night, deep inside the Cambodian rainforest where they were tapping trees for resin.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Cheaper catalyst turns captured carbon dioxide, methanol and hydrogen into ethanol
An international team of researchers has developed a homogeneous catalytic process that converts methanol, carbon dioxide and hydrogen into ethanol using inexpensive and stable catalyst precursors.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Cleaning up clean energy
Researchers develop a green recycling process that recovers valuable metals from fuel cells and other hydrogen technologies.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Climate Change Is Helping an Invasive Predator Wreak Havoc on Iconic Alaskan Fish
Warming rivers and the uncanny ability of northern pike to navigate saltwater have enabled the freshwater invaders to lay siege to Southcentral Alaska's salmon and trout.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Hotter, drier weather could double water bills in some US cities, study finds
"Climate change stresses water supplies and forces utilities to build expensive new infrastructure to maintain reliability," said study lead author Jennifer Skerker, a Ph.D. student in civil and environmental engineering at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the Stanford School of Engineering while working on the study.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

How cheap clean energy can spark a fairer energy sector
Policies aimed at expanding energy infrastructure are more effective, and can remain cost-neutral, when they take community and environmental impacts into account, a new analysis suggests.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Is the state of nature fair? Researchers measure how biomass is distributed in microbial communities
The distribution of income and growing inequality are central themes in public debate. Far less attention has been paid to how resources are distributed in ecological communities, in the so-called state of nature, without any social contract. Species abundance distributions have been studied extensively in ecology, but descriptively. They largely follow a distribution similar to human wealth. Yet the fairness of that distribution has rarely been examined.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Large language model guides discovery of catalysts for clean energy tech
Designing high-performance catalysts is essential for cleaner energy technologies, but the behavior of multi-element modern catalyst materials is difficult to predict. In a new study, researchers at Tohoku University with international collaborators developed a collaborative framework that combines large language models with lab experiments to accelerate the discovery of high-entropy alloy catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction, a key process in fuel cells.
July 8th, 2026 — Source or Source

More than 90% of key nutrients degrading the Mar Menor lagoon come from recirculated underground flows
More than 90% of the key nutrients degrading the Mar Menor, such as ammonium, phosphorus and silica, do not come from streams or continental groundwater, but rather through a mechanism that has so far been overlooked: Water from the lagoon itself infiltrates the sediments and re-emerges loaded with nutrients that have accumulated over years. This is the conclusion of a recent study carried out by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), Spain, which questions the current restoration strategies for the Mar Menor because they do not take this pathway of contamination into account.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Nanoplastics found in Antarctic soils for first time, suggesting long-range atmospheric transport
Microplastic contamination has been a much-discussed topic over the last several years, but contamination from even smaller plastic particles represents another pressing issue. Nanoplastics—defined as being under a micrometer in diameter—may pose an even higher ecological risk because they can travel more easily, cross cellular membranes and easily adsorb other pollutants.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

New analysis framework for developing stronger foundations during urban redevelopment
Urban redevelopment in densely populated areas often requires demolition and replacement of aging buildings. As buildings are replaced, existing foundation piles must be removed, leaving cylindrical voids that must be backfilled before the installation of new cast-in piles. However, with backfilled soil, it is difficult to achieve the same ground properties as the undisturbed original ground because of limited space, depth constraints and compaction issues. Strict construction schedules further limit sufficient backfill consolidation.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Ocean acidification may be shrinking the brains of the world's most intelligent invertebrates
An ongoing research project exploring the effects of rising levels of oceanic CO2 on squid neurology reveals that exposure to future levels of ocean acidification could shrink their brain volume by around 50%. This severe brain shrinkage appears to be most pronounced in the areas that interpret visual information, correlating with significant reductions in normal feeding behaviors and suggesting serious consequences for the future of squid and other cephalopods.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Quiet, please: Hatchery salmon raised amid noise are less likely to return to spawn
Fish hatcheries are a critical part of the effort to restore salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest. But hatchery fish are less likely than wild ones to return from the ocean to spawn—and one reason may be hatchery noise.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Replacement 'climate-friendly' car refrigerant linked to rising forever chemical pollution in EU
A newer "climate-friendly" refrigerant used in car air conditioning systems may already be a significant, and possibly dominant, source of a "forever chemical" pollutant across Europe, according to a new University of Bristol-led study.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Researchers uncover the inside story on plant organ growth
Research has shed intriguing new light on the genetics underlying the diverse plant organ shapes seen in agriculture and nature. Despite more than a century of scientific investigation into the role of inner and outer tissues, there is still much to learn about how leaves, stems, fruits and grains get their genetically determined shapes.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Robin study suggests fleeing isn't necessarily wildlife's first response to wildfire smoke
Research by Oregon State University biologists suggests that toxic air stemming from wildfires won't necessarily prompt animals to flee in search of better breathing conditions. The study of American robins led by OSU's Jamie Cornelius is one of the few to examine how wildfire smoke, an increasingly common phenomenon as annual fire seasons become longer and more intense, affects animal behavior. OSU research associate Alex Jahn and graduate students Dorothy Zahor and Ken Glynn also worked on the study.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Rust-to-iron cycle may unlock long-term storage for renewable energy
In the future, iron might be used as a chemical energy storage material, making large quantities of renewable energy available in the long term. Iron powder is combusted in a cyclic process that is carbon neutral and then reconverted to its original state using energy input. Scientists at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) were the first to conduct an extensive study to evaluate the potential of this technology for power generation. Their results show that iron, while not superseding hydrogen, may usefully complement it in a climate-neutral energy system. The findings have been published in Chem Circularity.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Sand could be key to safer, stronger structures
Engineers have been working for centuries to protect buildings, bridges and other structures from damage caused by severe weather and natural hazards, but one of the best methods may begin with sand, according to a newly published study.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Scavenger animals are the missing link in Australia's bird flu response. Three experts explain
Australia is racing to contain the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which is now believed to have infected seven seabirds.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

SeaTwirl's IKEA-Style Turbines Cut Deep-Water Energy Costs
SeaTwirl, a Swedish company, is exploring a bold new path in offshore wind energy with its floating vertical axis wind turbines (VATs). Unlike conventional horizontal axis turbines (HATs), which are limited by their reliance on pitch and yaw mechanisms, VATs feature a simplified design that eliminates these complex systems. This approach not only reduces maintenance demands but also enables deployment in deep-water environments exceeding 100 meters in depth. As highlighted by Undecided with Matt Ferrell, SeaTwirl's flat-pack assembly concept, inspired by IKEA's modular design philosophy, further enhances the practicality of VATs by streamlining transportation and installation.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Sensors, early starts: How Spain keeps working when heat hits
The morning sun beats down on Antonio Reina as he tends a public garden in Barcelona, but he works reassured that a simple wristband protects him in the summer heat.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Social norms can accelerate or undermine climate action, new model finds
A new mathematical model suggests that social norms may be just as important as economics in determining how the world responds to climate change. The research shows that efforts to reduce emissions in one region can unintentionally influence climate action elsewhere, with consequences that could either strengthen or weaken global progress.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Study examines Miami-Dade County resilience plans
A University of Miami study has developed a new approach to evaluate how multiple climate resilience plans work together—or fail to do so—in addressing the growing risks posed by climate-related hazards. The researchers analyzed 37 resilience plans developed at the regional, county, municipal and neighborhood levels. These plans outlined actions and investments to address flooding, sea level change, hurricanes, extreme heat, infrastructure, transportation and land-use issues.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Study explores social media's role in tornado disaster communication
When a powerful EF-4 tornado tore through Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on March 24, 2023, social media became a critical tool for sharing weather warnings, damage reports and recovery information. But a new study from University of Nebraska--Lincoln media scholar Cory Armstrong found that the same disaster also exposed persistent communication gaps facing rural and underserved communities.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

Study: Biodiversity hotspots in American West face extinction
A comprehensive study of more than 1,100 springs in the American West warns that critical biodiversity hot spots are facing a mounting extinction crisis.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

UK museums at 'sharp end' of climate change challenge
As visitors peered at skeletons and preserved animals in a London zoological museum during a UK heat wave, staff focused on a different attraction: a computer screen glowing with red and green temperature indicators.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

What powers the Everglades? Study tracks how algae and plant matter fuel the food web
Scientists have long known that both algae and decaying plant material help sustain the Everglades. But by tracking the sources of energy supporting fish and other aquatic organisms across the ecosystem, researchers found that algae often contributed more than expected. The findings offer a clearer picture of how one of the world's largest wetlands functions and may help scientists predict how it responds to restoration and environmental change. The study was led by James Sturges, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Earth and Environment, and a team of researchers from FIU's Institute of Environment.
July 8th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 4th, 2026

BC and Alberta fall behind on fracking safety distances for residents
In May, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to double the capacity of Canada's electricity grid by 2050, using natural gas in the name of "powering Canada strong." Almost all Canadian natural gas these days is derived from hydraulic fracturing—known as fracking—an industrial process involving large amounts of water laced with chemicals pumped long distances underground.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

Dangerous heat wave roasts America's big birthday party
A punishing heat wave threatened America's July Fourth celebrations, World Cup matches and power grids as near-record temperatures scorched the eastern United States on Friday.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

El Nino set to be 'strong', UN warns
El Nino is here and will quickly develop into a strong event between July and September, fueling the likelihood of extreme weather, the United Nations' climate agency warned Friday.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

Greenland meltwater adds to AMOC weakening, but updated model finds no tipping point in sight
The state of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) has been a hot topic among climate scientists in recent years. The AMOC is crucial for climate regulation because it pulls warm surface water from the tropics north and sends colder, deeper water south, redistributing large amounts of heat, helping to sustain marine ecosystems and keeping global weather patterns steady. However, most standard AMOC-focused climate models may be missing an important piece of the puzzle—they don't include the growing pulse of freshwater from Greenland ice melt, which could further disrupt the AMOC.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

How Do Windmills Pump Water From Underground?
When it comes to machines, a lot of them have simply been replaced by something with a motor at this point. The problem with those is that they also consume energy and have a lot more parts to break. Perhaps that's why it's almost refreshing to see classic water-pumping windmills, which do their work using nothing but a breeze, still in operation.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

New Gold Exploration Revives Old Fears for Montana's Blackfoot River
State regulators have approved exploratory drilling near the headwaters of the rugged flow that inspired "A River Runs Through It," which is still recovering from a mining disaster more than 50 years ago.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

One for the history books: What we know about the European heat wave
Europe is still taking stock of a powerful heat wave in late June, but experts are already confident it ranks among the worst ever recorded—even rivaling a freak 2003 episode.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

Rising seas make once-rare coastal floods 12 times more likely
Extreme floods that once swamped coastal communities only rarely are becoming far more common as climate change caused by humans pushes sea levels higher, according to new research published Wednesday. Experts say the findings are crucial for making plans about floods and coastal infrastructure as the planet warms.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

The Spectacular Regrowth of New England's Forests
The rebound of forests in the northeast U.S. is the "greatest forest recovery in the history of the world." This is how it happened.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

White House deletes thousands of webpages about energy conservation as heatwave slams US
It follows Republican outrage over Mamdani offering the same heatwave advice as everyone else.
July 4th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — July 2nd, 2026

Abandoned farmland restored to wildflower meadow without sowing seeds
Abandoned farmland can be transformed into wildflower-rich grassland habitat without the need for expensive and labor-intensive seeding, a new study by UCL researchers finds.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

AI analysis of data from multiple sensors can improve earthquake detection
One seismometer is often not enough to reliably detect earthquakes or human activity such as underground nuclear tests. Rather, researchers combine readings from seismometers distributed across a small geographic area to gain confidence in their analysis. Artificial intelligence (AI) can combine readings from multiple sensors more effectively than classic technology, enabling more reliable detection of weak seismic signals, a new study by A. Köhler and colleagues shows.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

AI could bring satellite crop monitoring to the world's most vulnerable farms
Small farms grow much of the world's food, but from space they are nearly invisible. Their fields are tiny and ill-defined, and the satellite tools built to track crops were designed for the large, uniform fields of industrial agriculture, not the sub-hectare plots that feed many of the world's poorest people.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Austin neighborhood tap water tests uncover lead and arsenic in homes
For more than a decade, residents of Austin's Colony, a neighborhood in an unincorporated area of southeast Austin outside the city service area, have voiced concern about their tap water's intermittent discoloration and extreme hardness.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Beyond the dust: Families describe daily health challenges near the Salton Sea
A study examining air quality and respiratory health in communities surrounding the Salton Sea in Southern California shows how environmental conditions, poor housing quality and structural inequities combine to place children at greater risk for respiratory illness.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Climate change may prop up urban plant growth in the face of development—provided cities build slowly enough
Worsened drought stress, changing rainfall patterns, flowers and pollinators thrown out of sync: These only scratch the surface of the ways climate change challenges plant life. But warmer air and higher carbon dioxide levels can also fuel faster plant growth, limit plants' water loss and extend growing seasons—enough so, in some cases, to offset the paving over of green spaces in cities.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Deliberate slow growth could explain bacteria survival strategies
Escherichia coli (E. coli) are mostly harmless bacteria that live in the intestines of animals and humans. They are the most well-studied bacteria and, often, when scientists discover something about E. coli, they extrapolate that discovery across all bacteria. So when scientists learned that E. coli allocates its resources to grow as fast as the environment allows, it was assumed all bacteria behaved similarly.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Echoes of the Past in Pennsylvania Coal Towns' Fight Against Data Centers
As the data center buildout escalates, rural Pennsylvanians urge lawmakers not to repeat past mistakes.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

El Niño is shaping up for a hot summer—could recycled water be part of the solution?
It's January 2020, and Penrith has just been declared the hottest place on Earth. The streets lie empty beneath a relentless sun. Melted tar glimmers in the heat, and air conditioners strain, while those without access search for any relief they can find. Even after sunset, temperatures remain stubbornly high, offering little respite from the scorching day.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Hidden role of garnet reveals how Earth's 660-km seismic boundary forms
Nearly 660 kilometers (410 miles) beneath Earth's surface lies one of the planet's most important internal boundaries. Known as the 660-km seismic discontinuity, it separates the mantle transition zone from the lower mantle and plays a central role in controlling how heat and materials circulate through Earth's interior. This circulation helps drive mantle convection, plate tectonics, volcanic activity and the long-term evolution of the planet. Although scientists have generally attributed this boundary to the breakdown of the mineral ringwoodite into bridgmanite and ferropericlase, that explanation has struggled to account for the complex structures detected by seismic observations beneath subduction zones and mantle plumes.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Hot spell roasts eastern US ahead of holiday weekend
Millions of Americans sweltered in stifling heat and humidity Thursday, with dangerous temperatures expected to hit major cities through the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

How giant tropical trees transport water 70 meters to stay as drought-resilient as smaller trees
The giant trees of tropical forests are important allies in the fight against climate change because of their ability to store carbon, yet they are still poorly understood by science. However, a study published in the journal Science reveals a crucial survival mechanism: These trees, which exceed 70 meters (230 feet) in height, have no difficulty transporting water to their tops and are no more vulnerable than smaller trees.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

How heat stress triggers emergency programs in plants
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have found how plant cells respond to stress. If their energy supply is disrupted by heat, drought or saline soils, chloroplasts—the cells' powerhouses—send an intracellular distress signal by forming tiny, finger-like projections. This signal specifically activates protection programs that help limit damage.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Image: Mediterranean Sea breaks June surface heat record
This image shows the sea surface temperature anomaly detected in the Mediterranean Sea on June 29, 2026, compared with the average for the period 1991--2020, with dark red indicating temperatures that exceed the average by up to 8°C (14.4°F).
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Initiative in North Carolina and Georgia helps residents lower their electricity bills
It helps people make their homes more energy efficient.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Massive sturgeon once bred in Britain's rivers, boosting reintroduction hopes
Atlantic and European sturgeon once called Britain's rivers home and could do so again, following research using Natural History Museum specimens. These fish are among the biggest found in Europe and undertake epic migrations from the rivers where they hatch to the ocean. The impact of dam and weir construction, pollution, and overfishing has caused populations of these fish to crash in the U.K. and across the continent.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Mission documents ecosystem interactions of radioactive waste dumped in the Atlantic between 1950 and 1990
Between 1950 and 1990, more than 200,000 barrels filled with radioactive waste were dumped in the depths of the North-East Atlantic. Following an initial mission carried out between June 15 and July 11, 2025, to map the area where the barrels were dumped, the Nodssum project, led by the CNRS, set sail again at the end of May 2026. The aim was to explore the areas of interest identified during the first campaign.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

More gray seals counted in the Wadden Sea
This year's surveys of gray seals in the Wadden Sea and on Helgoland once again show an upward trend. During the 2025--2026 survey year, 3,385 pups and 12,497 gray seals were recorded during the molting period. The results have been published in the report "Grey Seal Numbers of the Wadden Sea and Helgoland 2025--2026," available on Zenodo.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Plant DNA harbors virus 'fossils' that reflect 300 million years of evolution
Is it possible to study the history of viruses that emerged several hundred million years ago? An international team of INRAE and CIRAD researchers answered this question by exploring plant genomes to find the molecular fossils of viruses. The work is published in the journal PLOS Pathogens.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Prescribed burns may generate over 20% of fine particle pollution in southeastern US
Prescribed fires are vital for reducing wildfire risk and sustaining forest biodiversity. But they also contribute significantly to air pollution and smoke exposure, according to new research from the University of Georgia. The issue is especially pertinent to the southeastern United States, where 60% of all prescribed fires in the country occur. More than 20% of the fine-particle pollution in the southeastern U.S. can be attributed to prescribed burns, the study found.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Rights of Nature Laws Are Coming Up Against Legal Systems Designed for Destruction
Landmark court rulings in Colombia and Bangladesh gave rivers a voice, but a new report says deep-seated issues are blocking transformational change.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Scientists uncover why Antarctica became engulfed by ice millions of years before the Arctic
Triggered when Antarctica and Africa began to break apart during the Jurassic Period 201--143 million years ago, powerful processes deep within the Earth drove much of East Antarctica's land surface to be uplifted over 100 million years, initiating ice sheet formation 34 million years ago.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Smart Thermostats Will Soon Come to the Rescue During Heatwaves
An Illinois virtual power plant program shows how networks of home appliances can reduce strain on the grid.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

The broader a fungus's diet, the better it kills insects and helps plants
Many fungi lead triple lives—acting as deadly insect pathogens, decomposers in the soil, and helpful partners living inside and transferring insect-derived nitrogen to plant roots. Scientists have long wondered what allows a single species to pull off these very different roles.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

These glaciers are becoming critical climate havens as America's iconic mountain glaciers and their water diminish
If you have ever hiked in the high peaks of Colorado, the Wasatch Range in Utah or the Tetons in Wyoming, you've almost certainly seen a rock glacier, perhaps without even knowing it.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Typhoon-battered U.S. Northern Mariana Islands brace for a potential super typhoon
Bavi is expected to undergo rapid intensification before bringing super typhoon conditions to the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands this weekend.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

We can't air-condition our way out of a hotter future, says expert
As temperatures rise around the world, air conditioning is saving lives. But a growing reliance on it is also placing unprecedented pressure on electricity grids, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and making cities even hotter.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

Widely used pandemic pharmaceuticals harm marine aquatic ecosystems
A new study published in New Contaminants suggests that several drugs widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic can be toxic to marine organisms, even at relatively low concentrations. The research tested five pharmaceuticals, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, nitazoxanide, loratadine, and betamethasone, on nauplii of the brine shrimp Artemia salina, a small crustacean commonly used in marine ecotoxicology.
July 2nd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 28th, 2026

Ancient algal defenses against UV may have helped plants conquer land
A new study sheds light on how the ancestors of modern land plants survived one of the most challenging aspects of life outside water: exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. By examining a microscopic alga closely related to the earliest land plants, researchers have uncovered a sophisticated and dynamic system for coping with sunburn—one that likely helped plants colonize land more than 500 million years ago.
June 28th, 2026 — Source

Climate change to blame for intensity of Europe heat wave: Scientists
Human-caused climate change is "unequivocally" responsible for the intensity of a record-breaking heat wave scorching Europe, scientists said Friday.
June 28th, 2026 — Source

Heat Wave Safety: Track Your Risk With This Online Tool
Summer heat waves are on their way. To keep yourself and loved ones safe, it's important to know your heat risk.
June 28th, 2026 — Source

More than 1,300 excess deaths recorded in Europe heat wave: WHO
The World Health Organization said Sunday that more than 1,300 excess deaths had been recorded in Europe since June 21 in connection with the record-breaking heat wave roasting much of the continent.
June 28th, 2026 — Source

Oxygen atoms in 15‑million‑year‑old giant eggshells reveal how plants reacted to a hotter Earth
Some periods in Earth's history are so different from our own that they may as well belong to another planet. Many people are interested in the age of dinosaurs or the Ice Ages, but it is an intermediate world, the Miocene Epoch—a sort of "in-between" world, geologically speaking: less recent than mammoths and stone tools, but not the deep past of dinosaurs—that many scientists find interesting.
June 28th, 2026 — Source

Scientists uncover evolutionary edge behind plant invasions
Plants that become invasive may owe their success to an advantage shaped long before they arrive, according to new research led by King's College London.
June 28th, 2026 — Source

The sun's outbursts may briefly weaken rain and snow events across North America
For decades, scientists have searched for a clear link between the sun's explosive storms and the weather that occurs on Earth. A breakthrough study from the University of New Hampshire reveals that in the hours and days following a solar storm, parts of North America can see sharp changes in the weather—such as declines in precipitation—and the more powerful the storm, the more dramatic the shift.
June 28th, 2026 — Source

What Happened When an LNG Giant Came to Town
The nation's fastest-growing gas exporter has leveraged the Iran war and permissive regulations to earn bumper profits. But people in tiny Cameron, Louisiana, say the firm's operations have upended their lives.
June 28th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 27th, 2026

Can Clusters of Human-Constructed Ponds in the Arizona Desert Save a Threatened Frog?
Drought, wildfires, invasive species and a deadly fungal disease isolated the once-abundant Chiricahua leopard frog to fewer than 80 Southwestern sites. The state, a nonprofit and volunteers are collaborating to build them new homes.
June 27th, 2026 — Source

How 'Mother Trees' Nurture Our Forests
New research documents how older trees support younger saplings, and offers a different way to think about logging and maintaining important carbon sinks.
June 27th, 2026 — Source

Plastic bottles could find new life in batteries as graphite
Graphene oxide helps turn PET plastic waste into synthetic graphite for lithium-ion battery anodes, offering a recycling route for battery materials.
June 27th, 2026 — Source

SpaceX is reportedly planning to build its own natural gas pipeline in Texas
The 8-mile pipeline would bring fuel for Starship to the company's Starbase.
June 27th, 2026 — Source

The Future of Duxbury Reef
Changes may be coming for California's Marine Protected Areas, and fishers, scientists and coastal communities are all grappling, nervously, with what it means.
June 27th, 2026 — Source

The Tires On Your Lawn Mower Could Be Ruining Your Lawn - Here's How
In the world of ride-on mowers, certain parts of the machine get all of the attention. Debates continue on aspects like Kawasaki versus Kohler engines, deck size, and the effectiveness of each unit's cutting system. However, even if you have the latest and greatest equipment, in terms of yard health, you might be overlooking something basic on your machine, your tires.
June 27th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 26th, 2026

A beautiful way to reduce flooding in your neighborhood
Replacing lawn grass with native plants can reduce runoff and erosion.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

A New Book Tells the Story of Albuquerque Through the Rio Grande
In "Ribbons of Green," John Fleck and Robert Berrens examine the institutions that turned a rural valley into modern Albuquerque. Their new history comes as the city contends with a drying Rio Grande.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

An iron-driven chain reaction may trigger mass death of harmful algae blooms
Over recent decades, harmful algal blooms have become increasingly common. These blooms often consist of bacteria called "cyanobacteria" in freshwater ecosystems. They can produce debilitating toxins, suffocate marine life by depleting oxygen in the water, and make water unsafe for drinking.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Ancient ocean circulation reversed Atlantic and Pacific oxygen patterns 15 million years ago
The eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is known for its large low-oxygen zones that are increasing in size, putting marine life at risk. New research shows that 15 million years ago, the opposite was true.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

By saving ecosystems, environmental regulations help prevent biodiversity loss
Long-term conservation policies may help restore freshwater ecosystems and prevent extreme species loss, new research suggests.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

California's unidentified coastal species get a DNA library of their own
The closest thing marine taxonomists have to the Olympics is now underway in San Diego. But instead of racing for medals, leading scientists are spending two weeks working together to catalog the extraordinary diversity of life along the California coast.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Europe heat wave shattering temperature records
Europe's heat wave has smashed several temperature records, the U.N.'s weather and climate agency said Friday, adding that it would determine the full impact once the phenomenon has ended.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

European heatwave's unlikely accomplice: An ocean 'cold blob'
The heat wave battering Europe may have an unlikely partner in crime: a patch of cold ocean water south of Iceland and Greenland that can influence weather patterns over the continent.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Europe's extreme heat would be impossible without climate change, scientists say
The World Weather Attribution rapid study released Friday found that the heat would have been virtually impossible just five decades ago, and is 200 times more likely today than it would have been 20 years ago.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Feedbacks upon feedbacks: Rock weathering and the climate
Rock weathering may release or draw down carbon dioxide—it depends on the rock.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

First Nations women in fire: A vital opportunity to boost the workforce and increase community safety
A groundbreaking report has revealed that supporting First Nations women in fire and land management is a critical, yet untapped, strategy for protecting Australian communities from escalating climate disasters.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Flooding rains, ocean gains: How a huge Murray flood gave the sea a feast
For decades, the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin have been heavily regulated by dams and irrigation networks. As a result, the volume of water entering the ocean is about 60% smaller than 100 years ago. But nature broke through during massive floods over the summer of 2022--23, when heavy rains filled the basin's waterways.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Floods kill two in Taiwan as twin storms approach Japan
Japan advised more than a million people to leave their homes as two tropical storms swept toward the archipelago Friday, with torrential rain also pounding Taiwan, where at least two people have been killed.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

French Oil Major Failed to Fulfill 'Vigilance' Duty on Climate, Paris Court Rules
In a landmark climate case against TotalEnergies, the court said the company could not hide behind consumers and needs to account for the full range of its emissions, including those from the use of its products.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Genomics study reveals how endangered island oaks exhibit contrasting evolutionary paths
Researchers have conducted a conservation genomics study on two critically endangered island oaks—Quercus bawanglingensis and Quercus pseudosetulosa. They assembled high-quality chromosome-level genomes and revealed how natural selection and demographic history have shaped their markedly different genomic architectures. The study, led by Prof. Wang Baosheng at the South China Botanical Garden (SCBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was recently published in The Plant Journal.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Global rice paddy greenhouse gas emissions have doubled during the past six decades, study shows
Rice paddy greenhouse gas emissions have doubled during the past 60 years—but practical farm changes could cut methane emissions and support global climate targets without reducing food production, a team led by Boston College scientists reports in the journal Nature Food.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Impact of climate change on pollen levels is already being felt - Nutritionist shares simple kitchen remedies to ease symptoms
Hay fever sufferers across the UK are facing longer and more intense allergy seasons, as new research reveals the impact of climate change on pollen levels is already being felt.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Interim Fish and Wildlife Assistant Secretary's Lack of Experience Concerns Senators at Confirmation Hearings
Kevin Lilly, a Trump-appointed wealth manager, has been on the job in an acting capacity for almost a year despite no prior confirmation.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Marine heat waves pose significant threat to seagrass restoration efforts
A marine heat wave has undermined the success of seagrass restoration efforts at a site in north Wales, new research has found. More than 1.1 million seagrass seeds were planted at sites in two bays in north Wales between 2023 and 2024 as part of Seagrass Ocean Rescue: North Wales, the U.K.'s largest active seagrass restoration program. Despite being located less than 50 kilometers (31 miles) apart, the planting efforts in Bae Caergybi saw seedling establishment and overwinter survival, while planting at Bae Tremadog failed.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Moderate harmful algal bloom predicted for western Lake Erie. Could impact coastal recreation by mid-July
NOAA and its research partners are forecasting a moderate harmful algal bloom (HAB) in western Lake Erie this summer. This year's bloom is expected to measure 3.5 on the HAB severity index, with a potential range of 3 to 4.5. Experts from NOAA and their government and academic partners discussed the 2026 Seasonal Forecast of Harmful Algal Blooms for Lake Erie during a free public webinar on June 25 hosted by Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Most bees are solitary and don't live in hives: How climate change risks them starving
When we think of bees, we often think of flowers. The more flowers, the better, right? Well, not exactly. Like us, bees need to consume specific nutrients in suitable amounts and combinations.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

New electrocatalyst helps clean polluted waters and industrial chemical production
A new electrochemical system simultaneously converts plant-derived materials and nitrate pollutants into valuable industrial chemicals.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Pacific plate's rotation gave Alaska's Aleutian Islands a later-life lift
New research by Brown University geologists confirms that the Aleutian Islands, the archipelago stretching from Alaska to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, experienced a massive geological uplift between 5 million and 7 million years ago. The researchers conclude that the uplift—a rising of the Earth's crust that pushed the islands upward and transformed their topography—was driven by an ancient rotation of the Pacific tectonic plate, which subducts beneath the North American plate near the Alaska Peninsula and the North Pacific.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Sea anemones reveal antiviral defense that reverses human immune playbook
A new study has uncovered a previously unknown antiviral defense mechanism in sea anemones, revealing that animals may have evolved more than one way to fight viral infections. Researchers discovered that a protein resembling a key component of the human immune system actually plays the opposite role, yet remains essential for effective antiviral protection.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Swiss glaciers have exhausted their snow reserves
From June 29 onward, Switzerland's glaciers will have exhausted their snow reserves. Every liter of meltwater now causes them to lose mass—this is Glacier Loss Day. Between the extreme years of 2003 and 2022 alone, 200 square kilometers of ice—an area almost as large as the canton of Zug—have disappeared. This is reflected in the volume of meltwater, as analyses show: Although ice loss was more severe in the summer of 2022 than in 2003, less water flowed off the glaciers.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

Wastewater management reverses widespread freshwater deoxygenation in China
Freshwater ecosystems worldwide have been suffering from declining oxygen levels—a trend known as deoxygenation—that threatens biodiversity, fisheries and ecosystem stability. However, a new study published in Nature Geoscience offers hope: targeted nutrient management via wastewater control can reverse this trajectory, even in the face of rapid climate warming.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

What to know about earthquake early warning systems
As earthquakes struck from California to Venezuela to Japan, millions of people received warnings on their mobile phones, providing critical seconds to seek protection.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

When a pool or pond turns green with algae, don't reach for chemicals—nature has better solutions
Trying to kill algae with chemicals is a common response when community ponds or other water features go green. But as a scientist who studies freshwater ecology, I can tell you there are better solutions that cost far less, last longer and carry less risk of harm to pets and wildlife.
June 26th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 23rd, 2026

A new strategy can improve safety in poultry processing
Salmonella is a common source of food poisoning that leads to potentially life-threatening illnesses, widespread food recalls and a consistent challenge for poultry producers. UConn Department of Animal Science associate professor Mary Anne Amalaradjou and her research team study ways to improve processing strategies to prevent foodborne illnesses by using probiotic bacteria. In a new study published in Poultry Science, they describe a method to use postbiotic compounds produced by probiotic species of Lacticaseibacillus to take the benefits one step further.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Airflow mystery solved: Heavy rain reshaped airflow through miles of underground tunnels
Successfully operating in a deep underground space requires mitigating two factors: air and water.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Australia's echidnas reveal a prickly scientific puzzle
An echidna in Tasmania looks very different from one in Western Australia. But the differences run much deeper than appearance. A new review published in Australian Zoologist by University of Tasmania zoologist Stewart Nicol, an associate professor from the School of Natural Sciences, has found echidnas across Australia differ widely in diet, breeding, behavior and physiology, challenging long-held assumptions that they are the same.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Bold move, Cotton: Trump administration tells US techies it expects American quantum computer by 2028
Ahem. National effort required to kick-start the era of quantum-enabled scientific discovery and keep America ahead of the game
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Everyone pays the price as patent holders on seeds stifle innovation
The US is one of a handful of countries that allow patents on plant varieties.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Gaps in wildfire smoke education highlight need to better protect vulnerable populations
Wildfire smoke negatively affects air quality across the United States and is a leading cause of pollution. It is especially dangerous for people with COPD, often triggering breathing difficulties and exacerbations. COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, affects more than 30 million Americans and is the fourth-leading cause of death worldwide.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

'Green' home features can earn developers 18% more, then save homeowners money in the long term
The result is predictable. Homeowners move in, receive high energy bills, feel uncomfortable temperatures and eventually pay to retrofit the same features the builder skipped. But that often costs much more than it would have to include them during construction.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Hidden seismicity patterns before large earthquakes uncovered
When and where the next large earthquake will strike remains one of the most difficult questions in geoscience. Researchers from the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences led by Dr. Sadegh Karimpouli and Prof. Dr. Patricia Martínez-Garzón have now—together with international partners—developed a new data-driven approach that can identify characteristic changes in seismic activity before some major earthquakes occur.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

High gas prices boost interest in EV-sharing project
California's Míocar program helps low-income residents find affordable rides that don't contribute to smog or carbon pollution.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

How long can plants survive on Earth? New model suggests up to 2 billion more years
Vegetarians need not worry yet—plants will be on Earth for a long time to come. But not forever. The sun will ultimately determine the long-term existence of life on Earth. Its total energy output, called luminosity, has been increasing over epochs and eons by about 10% every billion years—determining much of Earth's surface temperature. This will continue for billions of years in the future.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Infrared filter could help detect pollution and disease
Researchers have developed a tiny, electrically tunable infrared filter that could help shrink bulky thermal sensing systems onto portable chips—a technology that could lead to handheld pollution detectors, compact multispectral cameras and next-generation chemical sensing devices.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Local species trends may flag global extinction risk, global study finds
New research from the University of St. Andrews has shown that higher extinction risk is associated with a higher frequency of decreasing local prevalence of species, in an analysis of one of the most comprehensive long-term databases ever created, BioTIME—a major tool to study biodiversity change also developed at the University of St. Andrews.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Natural symbiosis: How plants and microbes share vital nutrients in fragile ecosystems
Nitrogen is essential for all living organisms, but in many ecosystems it is in short supply. Plants and soil microbes both rely on nitrogen to grow, leading to intense competition below ground. Researchers at The University of Manchester have uncovered how plants and soil microbes divide up nitrogen in alpine ecosystems, helping explain how these communities coexist in nutrient limited environments. Their new study is published in Soil Biology and Biochemistry.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

One Indigenous man's mission to change how the Forest Service thinks about fire
Ryan Reed says restoring cultural burning practices can help prevent catastrophic wildfires.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

One of the world's most popular weedkillers may be fueling deadly superbugs
A widely used weedkiller may be giving dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria an unexpected advantage in the fight for survival.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Restoring African landscapes with indigenous food-bearing trees
Deforestation is a major problem across Africa. It is widely recognized that deforestation harms biodiversity, but tree loss also harms dietary quality, as nutritious fruits, nuts, seeds and leaves disappear from the landscape. More than $1 billion has been pledged for landscape restoration in Africa, but Emilie C. Vansant and colleagues report in a Perspective that many projects tend to focus on planting fast-growing, exotic tree species rather than native species. Such low-diversity plantations are vulnerable to pests, wildfires, drought and other extreme weather events, and introduced species can sometimes outcompete local vegetation.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Scientists create optical skyrmions using a two-century-old light phenomenon
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have used a classic optical phenomenon known as the Poisson spot to create stable patterns of light called optical skyrmions, which are tiny, swirling configurations in the properties of light—akin to the spikes of a hedgehog.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Scientists finally solved how H5N1 bird flu hid in dairy cows
Scientists cracked the mystery of bird flu's strange behavior in cattle—and the answer could help predict the virus's next move.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Scientists open a million-year-old time capsule hidden beneath New Zealand
Million-year-old fossils from a New Zealand cave reveal a lost world of birds and frogs transformed by volcanic cataclysms and climate change long before human history began.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Seaweed-based ingredient helps turn dirt into 3D-printed walls
An ingredient that gives ice cream a creamier texture could make natural earthen materials like clay and sand easier to 3D print into durable structures, according to new research led by scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Solid-state material turns visible light into high-energy UV at sunlight intensity, expanding solar energy potential
Two cups of warm water don't make one cup of boiling water. But in the quantum world, multiple low-energy photons can combine to produce a single, higher-energy photon.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

Study shows the good state of Garraf's fishery resources
A scientific project launched by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in direct collaboration with fishermen in the region has evaluated the state of fishery resources and ecological quality in the Garraf and Plana de Foix Marine Area. The species were found to be in good biological and health condition, with low levels of contaminants and an overall healthy state.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

'Super fungi' offer greener path to recovery of critical minerals
A "superpowered" fungus engineered at The University of Queensland could be used to extract critical minerals from toxic mining waste while also helping to remediate sites. Environmental engineers at UQ's new Biosustainability Hub are growing the unique fungal strains that can be used to detoxify mining tailings and capture traces of important rare earths without the need for harsh chemicals.
June 23rd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 22nd, 2026

A dirty farm problem could be a climate solution
Biodigesters capture methane from manure. The methane can then be refined into fuel.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Ancient mud drilled from Antarctic ice holds clues to future sea-level rise
"What goes on in Antarctica doesn't stay in Antarctica—it has global implications," Geology tauira Natalie-Jane Reid says. Reid is one of two Otago Ph.D. candidates who contributed to an Antarctic sediment core workshop at the Otago Repository for Core Analysis (ORCA) held during the first two weeks of June. The pair joined 30 top scientists who split, scanned, described and analyzed 228 meters (748 feet) of ancient mud and rock retrieved from under the ice sheet at Crary Ice Rise in Antarctica's Ross Sea.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Can we predict how fast a bioplastic breaks down? A new AI tool says 'yes'
Plastic production has exploded over the past 70 years, growing from 1.5 million metric tons in 1950 to 359 million metric tons in 2018. More than 60% of the plastic waste from our homes is single-use food packaging made from petroleum-based plastics. On top of that, the world now uses up to 400 million metric tons more plastic per year than it produces. Together, these trends put real pressure on the environment.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

China's green-power target for AI data centres runs into the grid
Beijing has set a target for renewables to supply four-fifths of its AI data centres' electricity by 2030. The hard part is making the numbers behave.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Does climate change lead to more migration? Here's why researchers can't agree on the evidence
Images of families displaced by floods, prolonged droughts or extreme storms have become a distressingly regular feature of the daily news. As the impact of climate change intensifies, so does concern over its effects on human mobility. Ongoing changes to the world's climate now raise a salient, apparently simple question: To what extent does climate change cause migration?
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Environmental Defenders Remain Among World's Most Targeted Activists
A new report found that environmental defenders are increasingly encountering overlapping networks of government officials, corporations, criminal groups and private security forces.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

EU Commission's draft legislation on pesticides: European researchers highlight the risks
The European Commission has presented a new legislative package. It is intended to reform key provisions that have hitherto governed the approval of pesticides. The "Food and Feed Safety simplification package" is part of a comprehensive strategy through which the Commission aims to simplify legislation in the European Union (EU) and reduce the administrative burden.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Europe scorched by latest heat wave
Thirteen people died by drowning in searing temperatures in France over the weekend, with the heat wave set to intensify from Monday across much of Europe, forcing warnings and special measures.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Europe sweats through new heat wave, with worse to come
France banned alcohol in red-alert areas Sunday, Spain and Germany canceled or postponed sports events, and Britain warned of "tropical nights" as Europe sweltered through a heat wave threatening to break June temperature records.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Heat stress exposure climbed from 16% to 22% worldwide over 50 years, study shows
The number of people exposed to dangerous heat stress worldwide has risen sharply over the past half-century, propelled by climate change, according to a study released Monday as Europe sweltered through a punishing heat wave.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

High-severity fires burn 30 times more acreage than 40 years ago, researchers find
Forest fires now burn 10 times more acreage annually than in 1985, while wildfire severity has gotten even worse. In California, 30 times more acreage burned from high-severity, forest-killing fires, according to new UCLA research.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Housing, race, income linked to soil lead exposure in two northeast cities
A new study published in the journal GeoHealth by UVM researchers lays out a fairly straightforward method for pinpointing pollution. When tested, the scientists found that patterns of soil lead contamination in two Northeastern cities, Springfield, Massachusetts, and Hartford, Connecticut, closely mirrored neighborhood demographics, with income, housing type, age and race emerging as key predictors.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

How a Tiny Texas River Agency Plans to Build the Largest Desalination Plant in the Country
Officials from the Nueces River Authority collected millions of dollars from cities and utility districts near San Antonio and Austin before they partnered with an Israeli desalination giant.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Ink-based thermoelectric technology could be solution for replacing problematic refrigerants
Today's refrigerants, which are specialized working fluids used in air conditioners, refrigerators and heat pumps, come with a host of issues, including leakage, emissions concerns, flammability and limited reclamation of used refrigerants. However, a recent study by University of Notre Dame researchers published in Materials Horizons describes a promising alternative for next-generation cooling using thermoelectric technology, which has no moving parts and no gaseous refrigerants, allowing for zero leaks.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Interface layer drives quantum dot tandem solar cells to record efficiency
Researchers used an ultrathin chlorinated polymer layer to cut charge losses and set efficiency records for all-PbS quantum dot tandem solar cells.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Mapping cotton bacterial blight resistance
Spoorti Gandhadmath carefully placed 3.5-inch (8.9-centimeter) pots on a shelf in a growth chamber. Within seven days of sowing, newly sprouted leaves had fully emerged from each of the carefully selected seeds, representing diverse cotton genotypes.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

New research advances amaranth as a nutritious and high-performing leafy green crop
Two complementary studies, appearing in HortScience, from Rutgers University are advancing the potential of amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) as a valuable leafy green by combining detailed morphological characterization with evaluations of horticultural performance and nutritional quality. Amaranth is gaining attention as a versatile crop with strong adaptability, rapid growth and high nutritional value.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Newly described Australian ballista spider builds a spring-loaded snare to catch a single ant species
An international team of researchers has discovered a remarkable new spider species in the rainforest of North Queensland that spins an ingenious and powerful spring-actuated snare to catch a single species of ant—one ant at a time—in what they describe as "the ultimate specialization."
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

One-step toxic lead recovery from flexible perovskite solar cells closes the loop
Researchers from Kanazawa University have developed a one-step recycling method that recovers toxic lead (Pb) and valuable metals including gold (Au) and indium (In) from flexible perovskite solar cells, supporting sustainable solar energy technologies.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Riding the clean energy waves: How Sila's Gene Berdichevsky built a next-gen battery powerhouse
Sila raised its first round of funding in September 2011 — the same month solar power manufacturer Solyndra went bankrupt, sullying the sustainability sector.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

The Caspian Sea has lost an area nearly the size of Sicily: Human activities are a major reason why
The Caspian Sea, the largest inland body of water on Earth, is shrinking. Not fluctuating, not entering another natural cycle, but shrinking.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

The Next Solar Eclipse Is Delivering a Rare Treat: Totality at Sunset
The only thing cooler than an eclipse or a sunset is when both happen at once.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

The Water Is Rising in Chesapeake Bay. Can Tangier Island Be Saved?
As the barrier island loses land and residents, engineered efforts could combat the rising sea water that surrounds it.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Underwater expedition charts seaweed forests in the remote waters of southern Patagonia
At the icy, wind-swept tip of South America lies Inútil Bay, a remote marine environment in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago that has long guarded its underwater secrets because of severe logistical and meteorological challenges. A multi-institutional team of researchers has successfully conducted the first comprehensive exploration of the intertidal and subtidal rocky ecosystems of Inútil Bay.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Unprecedented June heat grips Europe this week
Climate change is making extremely dangerous heat waves like this one more common.
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

Watch Duty, the fire tracking app used by millions, expands to help monitor dangerous floods
When a fire broke out a few miles from his Altadena, California, home the evening of Jan. 7, 2025, Matt Blea and his family needed to make a crucial decision: Should they stay home, or evacuate?
June 22nd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 20th, 2026

Antarctica is offering 30 to 50 years' worth of warning on sea level rise, models suggest
Scientists predict that the next three to five decades provide a critical window to anticipate and plan for Antarctic ice loss and its contribution to sea level rise. Research published in Nature, led by Monash University researcher Dr. Felicity McCormack from Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future (SAEF), looks at the predictability of Antarctic ice loss and what this means for sea level rise projections.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

Australian farmers are desperate to escape the latest mouse plague—and may soon get relief
For months, a flood of mice has engulfed Western Australia's agricultural regions. For people living through it, this latest mouse plague is all-consuming. Houses, sheds, paddocks and roads are blanketed with mice. And the smell of mice, both dead and alive, is impossible to escape.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

El Niño Is Here and Will Have 'Big Consequences' for Global Weather
A deep pool of warm water that forms in the Western Pacific could bring strong storms to Southern California and throughout the South while increasing the risks of Western wildfires.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

Hidden geological process offsets carbon emissions from thawing permafrost
Scientists found that thawing permafrost can trigger increased rock weathering, a natural process that absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere. In some regions, this carbon uptake was strong enough to fully offset — or even surpass — river greenhouse gas emissions.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

How much clothing is too much? The math behind having a sustainable wardrobe
Most people suspect they own too many clothes, but they aren't sure exactly what the "right amount" is. Recent wardrobe studies, in which researchers literally peek inside people's closets, show the scale of the problem is far greater than most of us imagine.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

Landback returns of Indigenous lands happening across country, can lead public planning
Land acknowledgments, or statements in which planners, residents or organizations recognize that the land they exist and operate on originally belonged to Indigenous nations, have become increasingly common in recent years. New research from the University of Kansas has found that the landback movement, in which land is returned to its original occupants, has grown rapidly across the country as well.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

New nanotube membranes reveal unusually fast lithium-ion transport
Researchers have developed a novel class of nanotube membranes that enable ultrafast ion transport. The findings open new pathways for high-efficiency clean energy generation, lithium recovery and molecular separation.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

Planning for Life After Coal Cost a Montana County Commissioner His Seat
The fiscal future of Musselshell County is uncertain after the coal mine that anchors its economy helped defeat the official working to diversify the area's revenue streams.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

Pumice rafts encroach on Admiralty Islands
On May 8, 2026, satellites detected signs of an unexpected submarine volcanic eruption in the Bismarck Sea near the islands of Papua New Guinea. Over the next several weeks, plumes of steam and ash streamed over the sea, and areas of discolored water surrounded the eruption site. Relatively little is known about the ocean floor in this area or the volcanic feature that is presently erupting. But experts think the new activity, ongoing as of mid-June, might be occurring along the Titan Ridge and has the potential to form an ephemeral new island.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

Shake-powered capsule tests and disinfects unsafe drinking water
It is a sobering fact that in the 21st century, 1 in 4 people still lack access to safe, clean drinking water, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The figures increase slightly during natural disasters, when infrastructure or supplies are damaged.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

Sunday is the longest day of the year for half the planet. A guide to the summer solstice
This is the sun's time to shine: Sunday is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

Wet coffee grounds turned into high-grade solid fuel in just 90 seconds
A world-first flame plasma pyrolysis technology eliminates the need for pre-drying, turning moisture-laden organic waste into anthracite-grade biochar with industrial potential.
June 20th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 19th, 2026

17 fusion startups have now raised over $100M each, and the total keeps climbing
The industry that was always a decade away has attracted more than $13 billion in private capital, with two major rounds closing in June 2026 alone, but commercial breakeven remains unproven
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Arabidopsis meristem map uncovers 18 cell clusters shaping stems and flowers
Researchers have produced the most detailed map yet of how stem cells in the growing tip of a plant begin their journey to form the many cell types that shape flowers and stems. They identified 18 distinct cell type clusters in the inflorescence meristem (the stem cell niche at the tip of the flowering shoot) that generates a plant's above-ground organs, such as stems and flowers.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

As global warming threatens corals, scientists search for reefs that can take the heat
Researchers say these coral strongholds may help repopulate more degraded reefs.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

As the World Claims Tech Sovereignty, Where Does Australia Stand?
Australian enterprises remain dependent on foreign technology infrastructure, while major economies treat that dependency as a strategic liability.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Climate fiction envisions the future of hurricanes and sea level rise
Three excellent cli-fi novels envision a plausible future where sea level rise and climate change-intensified hurricanes cause massive economic disruption in the U.S.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Competition from Chinese imports is causing CO² emissions to rise globally, research reveals
Danish companies emit less CO² when they relocate certain tasks abroad. At the same time, emissions rise correspondingly in those countries. However, global emissions increase when companies are under pressure from cheap imports from China. This is shown by new research from the University of Copenhagen.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Deadly Philippines quake turns seabed into shore
Arsenio Butil Jr. fell to his knees and began to pray when last week's deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake began shaking his home on the coast of the southern Philippines.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Every fusion startup that has raised over $100M
Over the last several years, fusion power has gone from the butt of jokes — always a decade away! — to an increasingly tangible and tantalizing technology that has drawn investors off the sidelines.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Green Economy Hits $10 Trillion in Market Value
If the green economy—defined as the group of companies heavily involved in environmental business—were its own industry, it would be the third-largest in the world.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Hidden underground, fungi drive carbon storage, crop health and ecosystem stability
Fungi are key constituents of the soil microbial community, playing a major role in moving carbon and energy through the soil food web. A recent analysis carried out by Professor Matthias C. Rillig from Freie Universität Berlin highlights the importance of soil fungal communities for ecosystem stability, agricultural productivity and carbon storage.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

How H5N1 bird flu hid unrecognized for weeks in dairy cattle
When H5N1 bird flu first began infecting U.S. cattle in early 2024, diagnosis was elusive because, in cows, the disease looked completely different. Instead of affecting the lungs, as H5N1 does in other mammalian species, it caused severe infection in the cows' udders, largely sparing the lungs.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

James Bruggers, Who Brought Passion and Kindness to Environmental Reporting, Dies at 68
Bruggers was known to colleagues as a dogged reporter and a generous coworker, and to sources as an honest watchdog.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Microbial partners may help maize and sorghum respond to higher temperatures
New research suggests the microbiome near the surface of a plant's roots, known as the rhizosphere microbiome, may play a role in helping crops respond to heat stress.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Microbes destroyed an ancient pterosaur's wingbone, then preserved it for 100 million years
More than 100 million years ago, a flying reptile called a pterosaur flew over the oceans hunting squid and fish.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

New research finds major gaps between EU anti-deforestation rules and realities on the ground in Brazil
The U.K. could face significant challenges if it follows the European Union's lead and introduces tougher restrictions on imports linked to deforestation, according to new research from The University of Manchester. The study examines how the EU's landmark Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) is likely to work in practice in Brazil's beef sector, which is one of the world's largest sources of beef exports and a major driver of tropical deforestation.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Observed high vapor supersaturation provides crucial evidence for aerosol convective cloud invigoration
Can tiny aerosol particles make tropical convective clouds grow stronger? For decades, scientists have debated this question because aerosols can change how cloud droplets form, grow and release latent heat. One proposed pathway, known as condensational aerosol convective invigoration, requires clouds to contain high water-vapor supersaturation. Under such conditions, adding aerosol particles can create many new droplets, enhance condensation, release additional latent heat and potentially strengthen convective updrafts.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Palm oil, coconut and soybean drive more species extinction than previously thought
Oils from crops such as coconut, palm oil and soybean are used in a range of applications, from cosmetics and makeup to margarine and spreads, and from medicines to animal feed. These oil crops, as they are known, are increasingly consumed and cultivated. This has an impact on the environment. But what exactly is that impact?
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Plant hormones in mammals challenge view of cytokinins as purely botanical
In biology, cytokinins were long considered regulators exclusive to the plant kingdom, where they control, among other things, growth and responses to stress. Until now, little research has been conducted into whether these substances might also play a significant role in the human body.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Powerful seismic waves from Japan's 2011 earthquake struck Earth's core and bounced back up, moving the island eastward
In 2011, Japan reeled from the effects of a devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake. But unnoticed in the chaos resulting from the quake, its major aftershocks and the tsunami it caused, something strange happened. About 16 minutes after the earthquake, but before the aftershocks hit, Japan's GPS stations registered an eastward lurch—across the entire country—but unconnected to any specific quake or aftershock.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Q&A: Biological plastic recycling—from waste to raw material
In the future, microorganisms could help return hard-to-recycle plastics to the recycling loop. Nick Wierckx, a molecular biologist at Jülich, explains the opportunities offered by biological recycling processes and the challenges of a truly circular economy.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Scientists discover 'hyperparasite' in Malaysia Borneo jungle
Malaysian scientists have discovered a new species of parasitic fungus in Borneo's jungles that preys on "zombie fungi" known to infect insects before subjecting them to a gruesome death.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Scientists invent 'transient thermal barcodes' to improve plastic recycling
Barcode readers excel at quickly identifying groceries and other products. Could a similar idea work at industrial recycling facilities to make sorting different plastics quicker and more cost-effective? The answer, according to a University at Buffalo research team, is yes.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Small farmers need a better safety net, trade group says
These farms often grow a variety of crops, which makes them more resilient when extreme weather strikes. But farming this way can make it harder to get crop insurance.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Small forest fragments can protect more birds when the surrounding landscape is more helpful
Larger areas contain more species. This is one of the most ironclad laws of ecology, which explains why large natural areas usually receive higher priority in conservation strategies. In fragmented landscapes, this logic has also led small forest fragments to be seen as environments of lower value for biodiversity.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Solar surge: Good news stories on the renewable energy front
These articles and reports sum up solar's booming global growth.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Stressed-out soil bacteria adapt to environmental conditions
A new study from Caltech demonstrates that soil bacteria can adapt under stress, particularly when a key nutrient, phosphorus, is running low in their environment. The work is important for understanding the complex relationships between microorganisms and the roots of plants, which has implications for soil health and food sustainability as the climate changes.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Student makes first recorded sighting of a microwhip scorpion in the Daintree Rainforest
A James Cook University Ph.D. student's late-night solo survey has led to the first recorded sighting of a microwhip scorpion in the Daintree Rainforest. JCU entomologist and taxonomist Matthew Connors works at the university's Daintree Rainforest Observatory as a demonstrator and rainforest tour guide for visiting groups.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

The Sun may not engulf Earth after all, scientists say
Need some good news on a Friday after a long week? The Earth may not be engulfed by the expanding fireball of the dying sun, which has long been assumed to be our home planet's ultimate fate, according to scientists.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Wet coffee grounds turned into high-grade solid fuel in just 90 seconds
A research team at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) has developed a technology that converts wet spent coffee grounds directly into high-quality biochar in just 90 seconds, with no drying or oil removal required. The breakthrough offers a fast, energy-efficient path to turning high-moisture organic waste into valuable fuel and carbon materials.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

Younger adults overlook nearby biodiversity as species names fade from memory
Many young adults are familiar with common species such as dandelions or sparrows. In contrast, plants and birds typical of fields, meadows and other agricultural habitats are significantly less well known. This is shown by a new study from the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) published in the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. For the study, the research team surveyed 463 adults of various age groups in an agricultural region of Germany. The results suggest that knowledge of typical agricultural landscape species is declining, particularly among younger generations.
June 19th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 16th, 2026

Arthur's remnants slam the Gulf coast with torrential rains and flash flooding
Arthur was a short-lived tropical storm, but dangerous flooding is possible even after its demise.
June 16th, 2026 — Source

As lone star ticks move north, red meat allergies are on the rise
Over the past decade, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. have developed an allergy to red meat triggered by the bite of a lone star tick.
June 16th, 2026 — Source

DOJ claims xAI's unpermitted gas turbines are a matter of 'national, economic, and energy security'
The Department of Justice on Monday sided with xAI in a lawsuit that sought to stop the company's use of dozens of unpermitted natural gas turbines near its Memphis data centers, according to Wired.
June 16th, 2026 — Source

Helion secures world's first regulatory licenses for fusion power plant being built in Washington
Helion Energy announced Tuesday that it's the first company in the world to receive regulatory licenses for a fusion power facility. The Everett, Wash.-based startup broke ground last year on the planned plant in Central Washington.
June 16th, 2026 — Source

Months After a Jet Fuel Leak, No Agency Tested Waters Downstream of Piscataway Creek. So Community Groups Are Doing It Themselves.
Authorities that manage the Potomac River tributary did not sample the stretch where residents fish and recreate. One Indigenous leader sees the lack of response as part of a pattern of ongoing neglect.
June 16th, 2026 — Source

Next-gen nuclear company TerraPower plants flag in UK
TerraPower, the Bellevue, Wash.-based nuclear energy company, announced Tuesday the opening of a subsidiary office in the United Kingdom as it pursues its first international power plant.
June 16th, 2026 — Source

Scientists just found a hidden weakness in forever chemicals
Scientists found a hidden weakness in "forever chemicals," opening the door to technologies that could finally destroy them instead of just moving them around.
June 16th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 15th, 2026

A Champagne with notes of climate change
Winemaker Maison Ruinart created a collection of Champagnes from grapes grown in years with abnormal weather.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Climate change reshapes Spain's rockfall risk as frost weathering moves uphill
Climate change is altering where and when rocks are most likely to fracture across Spain, according to new research that suggests warming temperatures are redistributing a key process responsible for breaking down mountain landscapes.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Genetic analyses reveal the taxonomic identity and glacial relict history of Betula costata trees in Japan
In recent years, several populations of the deciduous tree Betula costata have been identified in central Japan. Since this species is morphologically similar to closely related taxa, particularly Betula ermanii, its presence remained unrecognized for a long time. Accordingly, B. costata is now regarded as a relict species that provides important insights into the historical development of cool-temperate forests in the Japanese archipelago.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Going up against the heat: Vertical greenery keeps cities cool
Climate change and urbanization have intensified the urban heat island (UHI) effect, where urban areas are significantly warmer than rural areas. This has, in turn, increased the frequency of extreme heat events, such as heat waves, and deteriorated both outdoor environments and indoor thermal conditions in buildings, leading to higher cooling energy demands, greater strain on power grids and an elevated risk of power outages.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Indian officials inspect farms near Tata iPhone parts plant amid water pollution allegations
Indian district officials on Monday surveyed farmland surrounding Tata Electronics' iPhone component factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, following a state pollution board warning that wastewater discharge from the plant had contaminated groundwater in nearby wells.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Microsoft's Clean Energy Reversal Collides With Virginia's Climate Goals
Amid a data center boom in the state, the tech giant backpedals on a key climate promise.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Parks can cool neighborhoods and cut pollution hundreds of meters beyond their boundaries, study finds
The team carried out tests in and around Stoke Park, the largest park in Guildford, Surrey, consisting of 52 hectares (129 acres) of grassland, trees and gardens. The findings showed that PM10 pollution levels—airborne particles and liquid droplets that are 10 micrometers or less in diameter—were more than 11% lower inside the park during the morning compared with nearby built-up areas. Morning temperatures were also 6.5% lower.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Reforestation's effects on water resources may depend on global warming level
Planting trees is widely promoted as a natural solution to climate change. But a new study led by researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences finds that the hydrological consequences of reforestation depend critically on how much the world warms.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Scientists turned red lettuce green and something surprising happened
Researchers used genome editing to block the production of red pigments in lettuce, causing other beneficial plant compounds to build up instead. The lettuce continued to grow normally, pointing toward a new way to create crops with customized nutritional profiles.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

What Americans can learn from London's war on cars
The UK capital has taken major steps to cut auto dependency, but critics say it's still falling short.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

Wind patterns play surprising role in tropical rainfall trends
Changes in wind patterns play the leading role in influencing often devastating tropical rainfall changes, rather than simply the warming atmosphere holding more moisture, according to new research.
June 15th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 10th, 2026

A meteorite impact may have once rained gold on Western Australia
We're used to a lot of different natural things falling out of the sky. These can include snow, rain and sometimes even frogs (yes, really). All of these relate to weather phenomena.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Across Ecosystems, Dead Organisms Help Shape the Living World
A new paper found that the remnants of "foundation species" strongly influenced the fate of survivors.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

America Is Policing Foreign Waters, but Gutting Domestic Protections
The U.S. government's recent deployment of visa restrictions for international illegal fishing exposes a dichotomy between how it wields power at home versus away.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

'Atmospheric scrubbing' could reduce cooling effects of stratospheric aerosol injections
The quest to identify a new way to potentially counter one of the world's most widely discussed solar geoengineering proposals has taken a new, exciting turn—raising questions about how future climate interventions could be governed.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Avalanche's desktop fusion reactor delivers blistering-hot plasma
No one has made a fusion reactor capable of generating power, but physicists have a pretty good road map for how to get there. One major milestone is heating fusion fuel up above 10 million degrees Celsius — nearly as hot as the center of the sun.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Dead organisms have a lasting ecological legacy, new research shows
Trees, grasses, corals, and oysters are foundational to the structure of an ecosystem while they are alive. But new research led by the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder shows that when they die—due to extreme events like storms, wildfires, or marine heat waves—the physical remains of these species continue shaping the ecosystem.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Deep sea an untapped 'evolutionary engine' as dataset yields 500 million unique genes
The deep sea is a unique "evolutionary engine," with one of the richest and most unexplored sources of genetic diversity on Earth, according to a major new study that assessed its potential to transform biotechnology and DNA sequencing technologies.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Demolishing homes after climate disasters can be devastating. Here's how we reused precious materials
The flood exposed many things, including our unimaginative approach to managing waste. As immediate recovery moved into reconstruction, we saw an opportunity to manage this flood-damaged material differently.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Economist finds financial inequity distorted centuries-old Spanish water inequality
For generations, economists have viewed markets as the gold standard of efficiency, assuming resources naturally flow to the people who value them most. But new research from the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School suggests that assumption can break down when participants cannot afford to compete on equal footing.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Everyone wants a piece of Tesla's battery business
It's easy to see why. While EV sales have stagnated in the United States, sales of large, stationary batteries have doubled in the past two years. And they show no signs of stopping.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Extreme coastal flooding surges worldwide as rising seas rewrite 100-year odds
Human-caused sea-level rise has significantly increased the frequency of extreme coastal flooding worldwide, according to a new study led by a Tulane University researcher. The research, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, found that coastal flooding events expected only once every 100 years are now, on average, about 12 times more likely to occur.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Farmers in a national park are turning down lights at night to help wildlife. It could be good for crops too
Growing evidence suggests that excessive outdoor lighting at night may be harming wildlife.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Fragmented environmental policies risk costly failures, experts warn
Current climate and nature policies are working at cross-purposes, wasting public funds and causing unintended damage to ecosystems, according to a major new report co-authored by a University of York researcher.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Giant kelp's microscopic light antenna could inspire innovative climate solutions
New research reveals the microscopic machinery that helps giant kelp turn sunlight into energy, providing inspiration for innovative climate solutions. The study, published in Nature Communications, mapped one of the tiny antenna-like structures kelp uses for photosynthesis. Their unique architecture may hold the key to why kelp are the most efficient ocean organisms at capturing light and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Greater international cooperation is needed to achieve the UN's global forest goals
While many people tacitly appreciate the intrinsic and aesthetic value forests and trees provide, governments and policymakers have struggled to take firm action to protect Earth's forests.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Hope for Maugean skate as juveniles reach adulthood in Macquarie Harbor
There are encouraging signs for the endangered Maugean skate, with a new monitoring report finding that a new cohort of skates born in Macquarie Harbor has reached adulthood.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

How biodiversity loss could raise borrowing costs and deepen debt risks worldwide
Financial markets are blind to the economic costs of biodiversity loss, leaving several countries at risk of defaulting on debt, according to new research published in Nature. While environmental degradation is recognized as a serious financial risk, sovereign debt markets currently have no way of accounting for it, leaving US$83 trillion in assets open to mispricing.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

North Carolina Sues Chemical Company for Polluting a Nearby Creek
Since 2023, the city of Durham has fined Brenntag $157,000 for violations related to water contamination.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

More sustainable agriculture: Recycled fertilizers could be part of the solution
Researchers have uncovered new insights into how phosphorus from recycled materials moves through soil—offering guidance to support more sustainable fertilizer use. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth, yet many soils lack enough of it to support strong crop yields. Farmers often rely on fertilizers made from mined phosphorus, a limited, nonrenewable resource.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Nanosensor patches detect fungal toxin before plants show disease
Microneedle nanosensor patches detect fusaric acid in living plants, revealing fungal infection before visible symptoms appear.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Odds climb for record El Niño as 75% of models predict 2.5C warming
Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service on Wednesday said global forecasters were increasingly confident that a very strong El Niño warming weather pattern could form later this year.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

One storm pushed world's rarest great ape closer to extinction in Sumatra
Climate change-fueled landslides wiped out nearly one in 10 remaining members of the world's rarest great ape species on Indonesia's Sumatra island, scientists said Wednesday.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Retreating glaciers increase iceberg sightings and reshape deep-sea habitats
The number of icebergs in the Arctic has increased sharply since the 2000s. This is due to the destabilization of large glaciers in northeast Greenland and parts of the Russian Arctic, as well as the increasing mobility of sea ice. The result: Stones rain down from the melting icebergs, forming new hard-substrate habitats for marine life on the soft seafloor.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Smart window film regulates light and humidity, reducing energy consumption, promoting low-carbon city development
As global warming intensifies, window technologies that can automatically regulate indoor light and humidity in response to environmental changes could help reduce building energy consumption and support the development of low-carbon cities.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Trump EPA move sparks fears over kids' health
An advocate warns that rolling back a key climate finding could expose children -- especially in Black and Brown communities -- to more dangerous air pollution.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Tyndall's Trail of Bergs: Ice splintered off southern Patagonia glacier drifts across a growing glacial lake
The Southern Patagonian Icefield is the largest expanse of ice in the Southern Hemisphere outside Antarctica. The mass of glacial ice extends hundreds of kilometers along the spine of the Andes, feeding dozens of dynamic outlet glaciers that grind their way down from higher elevations. Many of these rivers of ice terminate in the sea or in proglacial lakes.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Vertical farming emissions could be offset if spared farmland is used for solar power
Vertical farming could free up thousands of hectares of UK farmland, but the environmental benefits depend on how that land is reused, according to new research led by the University of Surrey.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Why 2 SpaceX alumni are betting on solar and batteries to power the AI craze
Two SpaceX alumni have a pitch to hyperscalers, and it has nothing to do with outer space: They're building power plants here on Earth that cost less — and get built faster — than a natural gas power plant.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Why an Activist From Texas Crossed the World to Confront Asia's Biggest Petrochemical Company
For the retired shrimper, the 8,000-mile trip to Formosa Plastics' annual shareholder meeting in Taipei was part of a strategy of being relentless.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

Why plastic lingers: Water chemistry slows nature's cleanup
Scientists have long known that sunlight helps break down plastic. So, why do plastic products linger for decades and even centuries in rivers, lakes, and oceans—even when bathed in direct sunlight? Northwestern University engineers have uncovered an unexpected answer. The surprising culprit is the water itself.
June 10th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 8th, 2026

A 170 km journey by a freshwater stingray challenges long-held conservation assumptions
Most sharks and rays inhabit the oceans, but a small proportion thrive in freshwater. Approximately 4% to 5% of all shark and ray species live in tropical and subtropical rivers around the world. Two main ecological strategies can be distinguished among freshwater sharks and rays.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

A roadmap to hydrogen ship safety standards in the era of decarbonized shipping
The Reliability Research Center of the Virtual Engineering Platform Research Division at the Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) participated as a key research partner in the publication of the report titled "Safety Review of Hydrogen-Fueled Ships," conducted in collaboration with the Korean Register. The report is a comprehensive technical document that systematically presents safety considerations, international regulations and risk mitigation measures for hydrogen-fueled ships.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

A student's expedition to the Antarctic
Eric Gee helped with research, broadcast to 2 million kids in classrooms, and raised awareness about the need to protect the southern continent.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Algae textile dyes: The sustainable future for fashion
The dyes used in the clothing industry almost always come from fossil-fuel-based chemicals. In the long term, this will not be sustainable. In Sweden, scientists in the EU research project Locality are exploring whether algae can provide a more sustainable way to dye textiles.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Building more renewable energy sources means rethinking land use for agriculture and conservation
That's the overall finding of an analysis several colleagues and I have made in that state. It's an issue that other states, and the U.S. as a whole, are facing as they seek to shift electricity generation from fossil fuels to renewable sources, such as wind and solar.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Antibiotics drive resistance in waterways—even after they break down
When we take antibiotics, around 90% of the drug passing through our bodies goes into toilets and ends up in sewage. Previous research has shown that even in our waterways, the drugs may continue to drive bacteria to become resistant, and these bacteria can be ingested by river and sea swimmers and surfers. It contributes to the global issue of antibiotics failing to treat infection, a growing problem already a factor in five million deaths a year globally.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

California's tectonic stress has reached record level, earthquake model reveals
Earthquakes usually occur along fracture zones in Earth's crust, where large tectonic plates slide past one another and become locked. Stress builds up over long periods and is suddenly released in the form of an earthquake. In Southern California, the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults are among the most significant of these zones, accommodating most of the plate motion in the region.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Child drownings spike during heat waves—and it's a serious climate justice issue
At least 15 people drowned in open water in the UK's recent heat wave, mostly children and teenagers. The public response is understandably urgent: warnings are issued, parents are told to talk to their children, and young people are reminded that rivers, lakes, reservoirs and canals can be dangerous.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Corals have a hormonal clock and it looks surprisingly like ours
A three-year study has cracked open the hidden biology behind coral reproduction, revealing hormone cycles that echo those of humans and other animals, and a new way to detect reef distress before it's too late.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Experts issue climate warning ahead of expanded FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup could become the "most polluting ever," according to a new report examining football's relationship with climate change.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Green growth claims are overstated—our study shows three reasons why
A holy grail of environmental policy is an economy that delivers prosperity without requiring the ever-increasing consumption of raw materials.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

How did a major mangrove restoration project in Senegal end up selling 'ghost carbon?'
Nature-based solutions have become central to global climate strategies. From tropical forests to wetlands, restoring nature means trees and plants can capture carbon dioxide, reduce global warming, and regenerate biodiversity.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

New evidence from Yinshan Block reveals Earth's early supercontinent cycles
A new study published in Precambrian Research by Jawad Shabbir, a Ph.D. student at Peking University's School of Earth and Space Sciences under Professor Song Shuguang, addresses a critical yet poorly understood period in Earth history. The Archean--Proterozoic transition witnessed global tectonic evolution, cratonization, glaciation, banded iron formations and the Great Oxygenation Event—events linked to supercontinent formation. Focusing on the Yinshan Block within the North China Craton (NCC), the research challenges previous ambiguities by revealing two complete orogenic cycles driven by tectonic processes similar to those on modern Earth.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

New Relative Niño index introduces more robust way to measure El Niño strength
A new El Niño index that provides a more climate-robust measure of the strength of El Niño signals has been released by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). With the World Meteorological Organization's recent update indicating an 80% likelihood of an El Niño event during June--August 2026 and a 90% probability of this continuing until at least November, it is more important than ever to have accurate, reliable data.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Ocean collapse triggered ancient wildfires, research suggests
Research led by the University of Alabama found that widespread wildfires during one of Earth's ancient environmental crises did not trigger an ocean collapse but were a consequence of it.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Offshore wind farms could become the next frontier for sustainable food production
When people think about offshore wind farms, they usually think about renewable energy. But between the turbines, another valuable resource could be produced: food.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Researchers demonstrate hydrogen as a viable aviation fuel
Researchers from Swansea University are celebrating their role in a major aviation milestone following the successful completion of a four-year international program led by Rolls-Royce and easyJet to demonstrate hydrogen as a viable aviation fuel. The program has culminated in a world-first achievement: a modern aero engine running on 100% hydrogen at full takeoff power, proving the potential of hydrogen to play a transformative role in future zero-carbon aviation.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Recovered wild maize gene boosts crop protein without yield loss
Maize (Zea mays L.) plays an important role in global food security. During 9,000 years of maize domestication and breeding, however, protein content was not a major breeding target. Consequently, many beneficial gene variants associated with higher protein content were gradually lost from cultivated maize. As a result, modern maize varieties often have low seed protein content, leading to a heavy reliance on imported soybean meal for livestock feed.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Ribosome tunnel interactions reveal how bacteria can pause protein production
How do bacteria regulate the production of their proteins? Researchers at the University of Hamburg, in collaboration with international partners, have now demonstrated how small protein building blocks, known as peptides, specifically influence bacterial protein production.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Satya Nadella says Microsoft's revamped AI data centers need as little water for cooling as "what a single restaurant would use"
Microsoft's CEO says that AI data centers now consume less water, thanks to its new cooling technology.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Second-warmest spring in U.S. history
Record-low snowpack and historic late-March heat were among the standout events.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Superheated magma may explain why similar volcanoes erupt in very different ways
Scientists have shed light on a thermal process in magma that may help explain why similar volcanic systems can produce very different eruptive behaviors.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

The weather and climate science AI revolution isn't revolutionary
Machine learning has its limits—how is it being used?
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Troubled by Spreading Landfill Pollution, a Long Island Community Demands Action
For decades, a landfill has towered over the town of Brookhaven. A groundwater contamination plume has spread beneath nearby properties.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Two decades of research shows Indonesia's coral reefs are heat tolerant—but only up to a point
Our study compiled long-term coral monitoring data from across Indonesia. Spanning from 2004 to 2023, the dataset covers 394 permanent reef sites across 32 locations. This massive effort was made possible primarily through data shared by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara, the Wildlife Conservation Society Indonesia Program, WWF Indonesia and Operation Wallacea.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

UN warns of 'deepening crisis' in oceans, urges action
Oceans are in a "deepening crisis" that demands urgent global action, a major U.N. report warned Monday, with seas warming and rising faster, ice cover shrinking, and marine ecosystems under mounting strain.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

US microreactor achieves first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction, targets 2028 deployment
A microreactor in Idaho just cleared a key nuclear test. Critics say it's a "rudimentary stunt." The Energy Secretary called it historic.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

What happens when the world's breadbaskets start failing simultaneously?
Agriculture today is a massive, globally interconnected industry. That interconnectivity has brought jobs and varied foods to people who might not otherwise be able to access them.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

What to know about the New World screwworm fly and its reappearance in the US
An expert said climate change is a key element in the spread of a tropical species that thrives in warm weather.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Why plant cells need heme: Hidden signal reshapes photosynthesis gene control
For plants, light is an important environmental factor not only as a source of energy for photosynthesis, but also as a signal for capturing environmental information. Light signals are sensed by photoreceptor proteins called phytochromes. The amino acids that make up proteins are transparent and cannot absorb visible light. Therefore, pigments are essential for photoreceptor proteins to sense light, and these are called chromophores.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Why the 2026 Helium Shortage Threatens the Future of Global Technology
Helium, often associated with party balloons, plays a far more critical role in modern technology than most realize. The recent missile strikes on Qatar's natural gas facilities in March 2026 have brought this into sharp focus, triggering a global helium shortage with far-reaching consequences. Qatar, responsible for nearly one-third of the world's helium production, has been forced to halt operations indefinitely, exposing the fragility of this essential resource. As Two Bit da Vinci explains, helium's unique properties, such as its ability to remain liquid at extremely low temperatures, make it indispensable for industries like semiconductor manufacturing, medical imaging and even space exploration. This sudden disruption has left industries scrambling to adapt, highlighting the urgent need for strategic resource planning.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Wild Rice Faces Numerous Threats—and Has Determined Protectors
Groups work to identify, save and reseed areas to help the culturally significant resource thrive as climate change portends more strains.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

Your empty cuppa could capture carbon
Polystyrene can be upcycled into carbon sponge material.
June 8th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 7th, 2026

A Water Crisis Has The 'Poster Boys' of Iowa Farming Ready to Talk Regulation
More than a decade of voluntary farm conservation programs hasn't gotten the state far enough on water quality, the Lobe Rangers say.
June 7th, 2026 — Source

Atlantic 'cold blob' caused by weakening ocean current system that's likely nearing a tipping point, reanalysis finds
A part of the Atlantic Ocean, just south of Greenland and Iceland, has been cooling off while the rest of the world gets hotter. This enigmatic patch is often referred to as the "cold blob" and scientists have been trying to figure out the mechanisms behind its cooling. While some studies have blamed increased heat loss at the sea surface, others suggest weaker currents are bringing less heat to the area.
June 7th, 2026 — Source

Disgust may contribute to improper waste disposal
A common explanation for why waste management sometimes fails is that carelessness breeds more carelessness. Now, research from the University of Gothenburg shows that dirty waste disposal rooms can evoke feelings of disgust that increase the risk of people disposing of their waste incorrectly.
June 7th, 2026 — Source

Flying Without Jet Fuel: Hydrogen Helicopter Takes Flight
Check out the first piloted hydrogen-powered helicopter flight, a major milestone toward sustainable aviation.
June 7th, 2026 — Source

Machine learning uncovers 1,750 quakes tracing 250-kilometer edge of Alaska microplate
Thousands of small earthquakes, detected for the first time by a machine-learning process, reveal the distinct, razor-sharp edge of the Yakutat microplate as it subducts beneath the North American plate.
June 7th, 2026 — Source

Mass Sloth Deaths in Florida Are a Warning About Wildlife Trade and Pandemic Risk, Scientists Say
Necropsy reports from sloths imported by an Orlando business found the animals were riddled with bacteria, parasites and viruses. The situation illustrates how the wildlife trade poses risks to public health.
June 7th, 2026 — Source

The Solstice Is Almost Here: What to Know About Summer's Brightest Moment
Get ready for the longest day of the year, when one Alaska location experiences a full day of uninterrupted sunshine.
June 7th, 2026 — Source

The Terrible Combined With the Good
Go behind the scenes with executive editor Vernon Loeb and North Carolina reporter Lisa Sorg as they explain how a new N.C. ratepayer bill would put the brakes on data centers while incentivizing the use of fossil fuels.
June 7th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 6th, 2026

A New DC 'Museum' Raises Awareness About the Looming Consequences of Extreme Weather
At the Museum of Unnatural Disasters, members of Congress, disaster survivors and activists are bringing their worries about preparedness to the seat of power.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

Canada's aerial wildfire‑fighting plan is a start—but it is not yet a strategy
The Canadian government recently announced that it will lease a fleet of 10 firefighting aircraft and other support assets to be deployed for the 2026 wildfire season. The plan will see these 10 leased aircraft being managed by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center deployed strategically across the country and made available to provinces as they face intense wildfires.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

Concerns over camper wastewater chemicals in regional wastewater systems
The surge in caravan and camper usage within Australia could place extra pressure on regional wastewater treatment systems because of the chemicals commonly used in caravan and camper toilet systems, according to new research from Flinders University. When people using caravans empty their toilet waste at roadside dumpsites, caravan parks and regional dump stations, the wastewater—which contains concentrated detergent, deodorizer and sanitizer chemicals—is transported to local wastewater treatment plants.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

Montana Officials Warn of Elevated Wildfire Risk From Increasing Drought, Heat and Wind
Volunteer departments, often the first to respond to blazes, face recruiting challenges, and federal firefighting agencies are in flux.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

NZ's new forestry rules promise consistency: Will they also increase environmental risk?
One of the most important changes to New Zealand's environmental regulations in recent years came into force this week. Yet outside policy circles, the forestry sector and a handful of councils, few people are likely to have noticed.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

Pilot plant uses catalytic process to convert mixed plastic waste into oil
The Catalysis Engineering Group at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) has developed a new robust process for the recycling of mixed plastics waste. A newly developed pilot plant aims to demonstrate how this can be transformed into valuable resources, supporting the transition toward a circular economy. The pilot plant will be put to the test in Spain, processing real municipal plastics waste.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

Sweet basil carbon dots show potential for sustainable agriculture
What if a common herb found in the kitchen could help farmers grow healthier crops? As the global population grows and agriculture faces increasing environmental challenges, scientists are searching for innovative ways to improve crop productivity while reducing reliance on chemical inputs.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

Swiss startup GR3N raises €15.5M to build the world's first microwave-powered PET recycling plant
The MADE technology can process 100% of PET waste, including textiles, films, and coloured materials that mechanical recycling cannot touch
June 6th, 2026 — Source

Texas governor wants to speed up work on a fly-breeding factory to fight a cattle parasite
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expressed concern Friday that a new factory isn't expected to start breeding sterile New World screwworm flies for more than a year as a big part of the effort to stop its flesh-eating larvae from threatening the $113 U.S. billion cattle industry.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

US reports second case of dangerous livestock pest
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Friday it has detected a second case of a dangerous livestock pest whose flesh-eating larvae can kill cattle.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

Volcanic eruptions linked to rising famine risk across China's history
Large volcanic eruptions may have played a bigger role in triggering historical famines across China than previously understood, according to a new study that traced links between eruptions, climate disruption, and food shortages over more than four centuries.
June 6th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — June 5th, 2026

A 'Reforestation Pipeline' in New Mexico Trains Seedlings to Survive in Burn Scars
Increasing heat and drought are killing young pines planted on ground scorched by wildfires. Can seeds from the toughest trees grown in boot camp nurseries better endure?
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Billions face growing water risk as sediment fills reservoirs faster than expected worldwide
Reservoirs around the world are losing storage capacity at an average rate of 7.3% per decade—disproportionately affecting small reservoirs, which together provide water to billions of people. The data come from a study published in Nature Sustainability, which offers the clearest global assessment of reservoir sedimentation to date.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Flooding is rewriting the rules for this Pennsylvania farm
A farmer is turning to neighbors on higher ground as extreme weather reshapes her business.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

From Commitment to Catalyst: Unlocking the Full Potential of VCEFs
The state of climate finance is at a critical juncture. As concessional climate finance becomes increasingly scarce, public funds must be deployed with precision to catalyze greater investment. Vertical climate and environment funds (VCEFs) hold strategic levers of scarce concessional capital for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). The need is greater than ever to support and shape markets to crowd in private climate investment.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

From forest to front door: Understanding how wildfire spreads through communities
As California's population boomed—from 10 million in 1950 to over 40 million today—the number of people living in fire-prone areas multiplied. Over the decades, millions of new homes and commercial buildings sprang up to accommodate the needs of the state's growing population, and many of those structures stand in areas prone to wildfires.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Georgia Power Rates Dip, But the Savings Aren't Likely to Last
Georgia regulators and Georgia Power agreed to slightly lower near-term costs, but filings show how the utility could profit from climate-driven storms and pass data center costs onto consumers.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Hidden meltwater found deep in Antarctic coastal waters reveals stronger climate impacts
Freshwater from melting Antarctic glaciers may be influencing the Southern Ocean in ways scientists have largely overlooked. New research, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, has found that glacial meltwater is not confined to the ocean's surface, as previously assumed, but can also be detected much deeper in coastal waters along the Western Antarctic Peninsula.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Hydrogen-powered helicopter makes first piloted flight
A new milestone for cleaner aviation technology.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

India gained 2.1 million hectares of dry woodland in a decade, major study finds
India gained around 2.1 million hectares of tropical dry woodland between 2014 and 2024—an area larger than Wales—according to a major new study involving researchers from The University of Manchester's Global Development Institute. The research was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

MAHA wants to make cotton the new beef tallow
A new campaign to promote American-grown cotton to consumers sounds nice — but is far more complicated than the administration is making it sound.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

New BLM Grazing Rules Eliminate Tribal Buffalo From Public Lands
Tribes with bison herds are seeking negotiations with U.S. Department of Interior officials to ask for an exemption from new rules they have called "DEI for cattle."
June 5th, 2026 — Source

North Atlantic spring storms have grown more common since 1940, analysis reveals
Storm Dave, which swept across northern Europe over the Easter weekend, is an example of what new research from the University of Gothenburg has revealed. Spring storms forming over the North Atlantic have become more common than they were 80 years ago, and this is due to climate change.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Ocean conservation needs strong relationships, not just targets
With World Oceans Day coming up on June 8, policymakers and researchers will be thinking about the state of the ocean and efforts to protect marine environments.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Plastic waste yields jet fuel through new process costing as little as $1 per kilogram
Aviation is one of the sectors that contributes most to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change on Earth. One proposed strategy for mitigating or counterbalancing the effects of these emissions is to substitute existing jet fuel with a more sustainable alternative made from plastic waste, another source of pollution on Earth.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Prescribed burns are lit in Australia's Northern Territory to minimize the severity of fires later in the season
In May and June of most years, NASA satellites typically begin to detect large numbers of wildland fires throughout the Top End and Arnhem Land regions of Australia's Northern Territory. On some days, especially in the afternoon, the blazes can resemble sizable wildfires in satellite imagery, spreading widely and producing expansive smoke plumes.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Rising seas could drown mangroves and release vast stores of carbon
Rising seas may push mangroves from climate heroes to unexpected carbon emitters.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Study shows indoor air contains greater diversity of airborne fungi than previously thought
Researchers from Imperial College London have conducted the U.K.'s largest-ever longitudinal study of indoor fungal air pollution, revealing that homes are active fungal ecosystems rather than passive recipients of outdoor air. The West London Healthy Home and Environment Study (WellHome), led by researchers from Imperial's School of Public Health, analyzed the air in 118 households over a two-year period. The study focuses on children with asthma or allergies and families from ethnic minority groups and lower socio-economic backgrounds.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Warming boosts natural methane emissions as microbes fail to keep pace
A new study led by Professor Mark Trimmer of Queen Mary University of London, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, explains how increases in natural methane emissions will be maximized under future climate warming.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

Wildfires are reversing America's progress on ozone pollution
For decades, the United States made steady progress in reducing surface ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog. But that progress—made as vehicles, industries, and power sources became cleaner—is increasingly being overshadowed by a different and growing source of ozone pollution: wildfires.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

With ShakeAlert installations complete, researchers explore offshore expansion
The ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system has been rapidly expanding since its launch in 2021. Now, researchers at University of Washington affiliated Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) have finished all planned installations, bringing the two-state total to 569 seismic monitoring stations spread across Washington and Oregon.
June 5th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 30th, 2026

A 'supereruption' transformed NZ 350,000 years ago—we now know how it happened
Some 350,000 years ago, the center of New Zealand's North Island appeared much different than the mountainous, scrub-covered landscape it is today. Amid a glacial period, temperatures were colder and conditions harsher. Vast beech and podocarp forests blanketed the region, providing habitat for abundant native birdlife.
May 30th, 2026 — Source

Air Monitors Used in California Tank Crisis Were Inadequate in the Past, Leaving Returning Residents Uneasy
About 50,000 people fled when a chemical tank from aircraft parts manufacturer GKN Aerospace threatened to explode in Orange County. Some of them say they no longer trust the air or the company after the incident.
May 30th, 2026 — Source

Ancient lake cores reveal unprecedented 2012 Rwenzori fire and ecological shift
For the past several years, Penn State geoscientist Sarah Ivory and her students have been among a team of scientists scaling the East African Rwenzori Mountains, collecting sediment core samples from lakes formed at the end of the last ice age as glaciers began receding in the region some 12,000 years ago.
May 30th, 2026 — Source

As Seas Rise, Louisiana Faces a Choice: Plan for Movement or Let Crisis Decide
Coastal Louisiana may be ground zero for climate migration in the U.S., but a new study argues that planning now could turn displacement into agency.
May 30th, 2026 — Source

Environmentalists turn out in force to oppose Trump coal ash rollbacks
Trump admin wants to rely on states for coal ash monitoring, enforcement, allow them to bypass national standards.
May 30th, 2026 — Source

Let Terry Tempest Williams Teach You How to Find Your Own Glorians
(Once you learn what a Glorian is and why you need them, of course.)
May 30th, 2026 — Source

The 2026 World Cup Will Feature a Villainous Player: Extreme Heat
As athletes and academics urge FIFA to update its heat-stress framework, a study shows nearly a quarter of all games are likely to be played in dangerous temperatures.
May 30th, 2026 — Source

These California wildflowers could save other plants
As wildflowers go, the mountain jewelflower is demure, clever and quietly unbreakable. It has spread across many of California's iconic landscapes, from Sonoma wine country to the oak-dotted foothills, even over the Sierra Crest, where snow covers the ground during winter.
May 30th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 29th, 2026

A climate fix with a hidden catch: Cutting methane reshapes ozone layer's comeback in unexpected ways
Reducing methane emissions will slow climate change but could also slow the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer, new research from the University of Reading shows.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Abandoned oil and gas wells could help cut emissions, study suggests
Repurposing old oil and gas wells for geothermal power could significantly reduce environmental harm and unlock cleaner energy from existing infrastructure, but new research shows the approach will need targeted support to become economically viable.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Air conditioning can save lives, but not everyone has it
Some lower-income people are choosing between cooling and food.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

As Federal Wetlands' Protections Falter, Washington State Scientists Turn to AI as a Conservation Tool
The new Wetland Intrinsic Potential tool provides both agricultural and conservation interests a more accurate way to find wetlands that might need preserving.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

'Bio-stickers' speed up plastic breakdown in marine environments
Plastic waste poses an urgent problem for the planet's ecosystems, especially in waterways. Millions of tons of plastic waste enter Earth's oceans every year, and plastic has been found in every part of the ocean, including at the bottom of the deepest ocean trenches.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Climate-driven water stress could undercut most proposed U.S. lithium mines
The U.S. may not have enough water to support its lithium ambitions, a new Northwestern University study has found. An essential ingredient for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and other clean energy technologies, lithium is largely mined in Australia and Chile and then processed and refined in China. In recent years, however, the U.S. has pushed to develop its own lithium industry to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

EPA Rollbacks Could Raise AC, Refrigeration Costs Despite Promise of Lower Prices
A new Trump administration rule will likely cost consumers more money while creating higher emissions of climate-warming superpollutants, industry and environmental groups warn.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Five things to know about heat waves in Europe
The scorching weather that has smashed temperature records across Europe this week shows the growing number and intensity of heat waves on the continent.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Flooding in north and east Syria as Euphrates level rises
Syria's energy ministry warned on Thursday of rising water levels on the Euphrates River after flooding in the north and east following increased flows from neighboring Turkey and recent rains.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Indonesians mark 20 years since mud volcano eruption swallowed up entire communities in East Java
Residents in the East Java province of Indonesia scattered flowers, paid their respects and prayed at the edge of a mud lake on Friday, the 20th anniversary of the eruption of the Lusi mud volcano that inundated villages and killed at least 14 people.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Last-of-its-kind tree clinging to cliffside finds new hope at botanic gardens
Conservationists are in a race against time to prevent one of the world's rarest island plants from disappearing forever, after seeds collected from the only surviving wild Dendroseris neriifolia tree arrived at the Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) at Kew Wakehurst in Sussex last month.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Megafire kills Joshua trees, but not fungi
When the Dome Fire tore through the Mojave Desert in 2020, it reduced 1 million Eastern Joshua trees to blackened skeletons. Scientists expected the underground ecosystem to be equally devastated. Instead, they found it thriving.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

New smart material could let windows store solar power and tint on demand
The growing demand for sustainable and energy-efficient technologies has increased interest in smart materials that can perform more than one function at the same time. In his doctoral dissertation, MSc Sachin Kochrekar developed materials that can both change color and store electrical energy. In the future, this technology could be used, for example, in energy-storing, self-tinting smart windows.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Scientists say evolution may work differently than we thought
A major research study is challenging one of evolution's most influential ideas: that most genetic changes that become permanent are essentially neutral. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that beneficial mutations are actually far more common than scientists have long assumed. The puzzle is that these advantageous mutations rarely spread through entire populations. Their answer? Nature keeps changing the rules.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Solar, wind, and EVs have knocked out a doomsday climate scenario
Explosive growth in clean technologies has pushed an old coal-heavy scenario out of the realm of plausibility, according to a recent study. But there's more work to be done.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Startup unveils underwater drone designed for protecting undersea cables — small drone dives to 1,640 feet, comes with four-hour battery endurance or unlimited range when tethered to surface power source
It also features a software stack that could potentially allow it to operate as a singular unit with drones operating in the air, on the land, and on the surface.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

Wattle's the deal with psychedelics?
In 2008, while investigating a clandestine drug lab, forensic scientists from WA's ChemCentre found something odd—a pile of wet bark, stripped from a wattle tree and stewed.
May 29th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 28th, 2026

A new approach to urban planning with less car traffic and lower carbon emissions
Urban planning needs to tackle greenhouse gas emissions—and an important way to achieve this is by reducing the number and length of car commutes. This can be achieved primarily by ensuring that homes are located close to city centers and workplaces, so well-targeted building densification becomes a critical lever. City-wide population density and transport links are of secondary importance.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

AI speeds selective and high-yield recovery of critical minerals from industrial waste
A research team at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has deployed AI agents with the potential to accelerate the recovery of critical minerals from real-world industrial waste in days instead of the months or years required for manual experimentation.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

AI-designed synthetic plant DNA passes its first cellular test
PlantGFM created synthetic plant DNA that tobacco cells copied into RNA, with some sequences producing detectable proteins in early validation tests.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Adequate potassium management is key to maximizing cotton yield and fiber quality, researchers reiterate
With the 2026 cotton planting season in full swing, research out of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station provides a fresh reminder of the importance of sufficient potassium for cotton lint yield and quality.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Arctic Ocean food chain is disrupted as a key tipping point has now been passed
An irreversible shift in the chemical makeup of the Arctic Ocean driven by climate change is disrupting the region's food chain, a study suggests. Widespread loss of Arctic sea ice has led to a sharp fall in levels of a key nutrient, affecting populations of plankton, fish, seabirds and marine mammals, say researchers. Their analysis reveals that exposure to sunlight of vast shallow regions of the ocean previously covered by ice fuels a process that breaks down the nutrient—nitrate—and removes it from seawater.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Arctic Ocean passed a tipping point and scientists say it may never recover
The Arctic Ocean may have crossed a dangerous tipping point. Scientists say the rapid disappearance of sea ice is triggering a hidden chemical shift that is stripping the ocean of nitrate — a nutrient essential for the tiny plankton that support Arctic life. As nitrate levels plunge, the entire food web could feel the impact, from fish and seabirds to whales and polar ecosystems.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Bare supercontinent may have tipped ancient Earth into 'Snowball' phase
About a billion years ago, Earth started to come into its own. It was past the awkwardness of its younger years full of growing pains and turmoil: comet strikes and slimy water, including the Great Oxidation Event that flipped the world upside down. Roughly a billion years ago, the planet began to advance and mature, with plant life developing about 700 million years ago, but still with the occasional wild climate parties to keep things interesting.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Deep beneath Utah, rare mantle earthquakes reshape seismic hazard questions
Nearly 50 years ago, a puzzling earthquake beneath northern Utah jolted scientists' understanding of how Earth works. Now, research from the University of Utah confirms that the mysterious event was real, and part of a rare class of earthquakes occurring far deeper beneath the continental crust than scientists once believed possible.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Forecasters predict below-average hurricane season, advise against complacency
Forecasters say expected El Niño should temper hurricanes in Atlantic, urge preparedness.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

From the seabed to Mars: Why geological maps matter
From Australia's remote deserts to the surface of Mars, geological mapping underpins how we understand landscapes, natural resources, and the processes that shape our planet and others beyond it.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Hailstorms could grow more dangerous and damaging with climate change
Hailstorms can be incredibly dangerous, posing risks to life and property. Then there's the economic damage to cars, crops, and infrastructure caused by large balls of ice falling at high speed from the sky. And the problems could worsen as our planet heats up.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Heat waves: Older people less likely to follow safety advice
Extreme heat is now considered the deadliest weather and climate-related hazard in Europe, causing more deaths than floods or storms.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Helen Phillips' 'Hum' wins the 2026 Climate Fiction Prize
Plus, 11 other contenders for your summer fiction reading list.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

How Utility Companies and States Shaped America's Clean Energy Transition
A new book examines "renewable portfolio standard" laws and the ways utilities drove the bus.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Italy on red alert as France, Portugal beat hottest May day record
Italy issued a red alert warning for the capital Rome on Thursday and Portugal and France reported their hottest days in May as Europe struggled with a heat wave that has smashed records across the continent.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Listening to Sun's 'heart' hints our star could be changing
The Sun's internal 'biorhythm' - which plays a critical role in the space weather we experience on Earth - has mysteriously changed over the past 40 years, a new study suggests.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

New fences can save restored saltmarsh, research suggests
Saltmarsh is disappearing from coastlines around the world, and while brushwood fencing can help bring it back, a new study has found it only works if the fences are kept in good repair. Around 46% of the world's saltmarsh has been lost or damaged, and restoring it is not always straightforward. Sedimentation fields, which use rows of brushwood fencing to trap mud and encourage marsh plants to take root, offer an option where conventional methods cannot be used.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

New model predicts wind power surge risks across turbines, farms and grids
One of the key challenges to climate-neutral power generation is addressing the risk of unpredictable power surges from renewables. Even with advanced turbine design or battery storage, a gust of wind or changing atmospheric conditions can cause a sudden spike in power output. This overgeneration can rapidly escalate up to volatile, potentially dangerous grid-wide surges and blackouts as generators become larger and more efficient, farms increase in size and number, and renewables take up an increasing fraction of total power production.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

New study shows atmospheric compounds formed from tire wear may pose human health risk
Tire rubber contains antioxidant chemicals, most notably 6PPD and DPPD, that are released into the air as tiny particles during normal driving. A single compound formed from 6PPD, known as 6PPD-quinone was previously shown to be implicated in the death of coho salmon in urban waterways, but the broader atmospheric chemistry and potential human health impacts of these compounds have remained largely unexplored until now.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Pennsylvania's Governor Has a Plan to Make Data Centers Bring Their Own Energy. Now Comes the Hard Part.
Making AI data centers cover the costs of their energy use requires help from legislators and others beyond Gov. Josh Shapiro's reach.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Plants select growth strategies by 'spying' on their neighbors' scents
New research reveals that plants have the ability to detect their neighbors' growth rates through aromatic cues called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and subsequently adjust how much energy they invest into their own growth or defense strategies through responsive gene expression.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Sorting out a dielectric mismatch boosts perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells' efficiency and durability
Solar cells, devices that can convert sunlight into electricity, are now widely used in many countries and are contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on Earth. While most of the solar cells on the market today are based on silicon, energy engineers have been exploring the potential of other photovoltaic materials, including a class of materials known as perovskites.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Study finds soils can naturally suppress major crop diseases
Curtin University researchers have discovered some agricultural soils can naturally suppress one of Australia's most damaging broadacre crop diseases. The research, published in the journal Applied Soil Ecology, found some soils can inhibit infection and survival of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum—the fungus responsible for Sclerotinia stem rot, a disease that causes significant yield losses in broadacre crops such as canola and pulses.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

Think it's hot now? The next five years will smash records, UN says
The World Meteorological Organization also forecasts an overheating Arctic that warms nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.66 degrees Celsius) between now and 2030 and a dangerous drought with potential wildfires for the Amazon, a crucial part of Earth's natural defenses to lessen human-caused climate change. A hotter globe from the burning of coal, oil and gas means more extreme weather including floods, droughts and heat waves, scientists said.
May 28th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 24th, 2026

10 Times Hotter Than the Sun: Inside World's Largest Fusion Reactor
Take a look inside ITER, the world's largest fusion reactor, to see how scientists from around the world are working tirelessly to re-create the sun's superpower on Earth and fuel a clean energy revolution.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

Community Leaders in Florida Say Trump's FEMA Pullback Leaves Them Struggling to Fill the Void
The president may have backed off killing the agency outright, but his FEMA Review Council clearly sees a much reduced emergency management role for the federal government.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

Heatstroke kills 16 in India as temperatures climb
Inside the World's Biggest Bet on Fusion Energy
May 24th, 2026 — Source

Hydrous mantle minerals reveal possible source of seismic anisotropy in stagnant slabs
Seismic waves traveling through Earth's interior often propagate at different speeds depending on their direction, a phenomenon known as seismic anisotropy. Such anisotropy is commonly detected beneath subduction zones, particularly near stagnant slabs in the mantle transition zone and uppermost lower mantle. However, the physical origin of these signals has remained uncertain.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

India's SolarSquare is raising $60M at a $500M valuation. It has powered 50,000 homes.
SolarSquare, an Indian rooftop solar startup, is in advanced talks to raise $55 million to $60 million at a valuation between $450 million and $500 million, TechCrunch reports. B Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners are set to co-lead the Series C round. The deal would more than double SolarSquare's valuation from 18 months ago.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

Inside the World's Biggest Bet on Fusion Energy
Take a look inside ITER, the world's largest fusion energy project, to see how scientists from around the world are working to recreate the Sun's superpower on Earth to fuel a clean energy revolution.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

Malnourished Gray Whales of the Eastern North Pacific Are in 'Serious Trouble'
The population has plummeted over the past seven years as climate change triggers mass starvation in warming Arctic waters.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

Sewage and Fuel Leaks Contaminate the Potomac River, Source of Drinking Water for More Than 5 Million People
Observers believe regulatory failures contributed to catastrophic sewage and fuel leaks in the watershed. The river was recently named the most endangered in the nation.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

The impact of microplastics on ocean carbon uptake
Marine microplastics affect algae's ability to grow and photosynthesize. Researchers have now calculated what impact this has on the greenhouse effect and the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

US Solar Farms Are Doing A Lot More Than Just Generating Energy
When solar farms make headlines, it tends to be for two main reasons: their size and energy production. While the United States is home to a seriously large solar farm that generates lots of electricity, there's more to the nation's solar farms than meets the eye. Numerous solar farms in the U.S. do more than harvest sunlight and use that to generate electricity. In California, for example, solar panels shade the above-ground irrigation systems that transport meltwater from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the farms in the San Joaquin Valley as part of a program called Project Nexus.
May 24th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 23rd, 2026

100% renewable energy by 2050? A global model maps the way forw1ard
Reaching a perfect balance between the amount of greenhouse gases released in the atmosphere and those that are removed, is considered an important milestone for limiting global warming and its adverse effects on the environment on Earth. This goal is referred to as net-zero emissions, as it would entail that emissions and removed gases would balance each other out, resulting in zero total greenhouse gas emissions.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

A Bit of Good News for Right Whales
With 23 calves born this season, what does the mini baby boom for the critically endangered species mean?
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

After the flames, wildfires pollute drinking water for years
When people think about wildfires, they usually think about flames, smoke and evacuations. However, for many communities, some of the most important damage begins after the fire has passed.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

As Communities Warn of Health Risks, New York Will Weaken Its Landmark Climate Law
Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced revisions to the state's greenhouse gas emissions targets that will push off its 2030 deadline. Organizers believe residents are already suffering.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

Atlantic seaweed blooms may be predictable, opening path to carbon removal and biofuels
Across the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and West African coasts, massive arrivals of Sargassum seaweed have become an annual crisis. Thick mats of algae blanket beaches, disrupt fisheries, damage tourism and release harmful gases as they decay, with cleanup costs reaching hundreds of millions of dollars each year. What began as an unexpected environmental phenomenon has grown into a persistent socioeconomic challenge affecting multiple regions on both sides of the Atlantic.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

China's shark finning could lead to US seafood sanctions
A formal petition to the US government calls for sanctions on Chinese seafood imports.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

Elon Musk has given up on solar power (on Earth)
Has Elon Musk given up on Tesla's Master Plans, on the electrified economy, on solar power as we know it? From the SpaceX IPO filing released this week, it sure seems like it.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

Hope boosts climate problem-solving, new experiments suggest
A new study has shown that messages of hope can be effective in promoting creative problem-solving around sustainability. Experts from the University of Nottingham's School of Psychology developed a new measure of climate creativity that indicates that positive emotions have a different effect to negative emotions in promoting problem solving in undertaking climate action.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

New AI system uses cameras and thermal sensors to steer ships clear of gray whales in the San Francisco Bay
Researchers from UC Santa Barbara's Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory (BOSL) and local partners in San Francisco have unveiled new technology in their ongoing efforts to prevent whales and oceangoing vessels from colliding in and near the busy San Francisco Bay.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

Nuclear startup Deep Fission says it's going public, again, and I have questions
One news headline this week had a whiff of dejà vu about it. Nuclear startup Deep Fission announced that it was going public, hoping to garner investor support to build subterranean reactors to power AI data centers.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

Scientists just found a faster, cleaner way to extract lithium for EV batteries
Scientists may have found a faster, cleaner way to unlock the lithium powering the EV revolution.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

Six Months After Oil Spilled Into California Tributary, Families Worry the Cleanup Was Never Finished
People in Ventura County are also concerned that an early estimate—which noted that about 420 gallons of crude oil was accidentally released into a waterway last fall—is inaccurate. Local and federal officials are investigating.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

SolarSquare in talks to raise up to $60M as India's rooftop solar market draws major VC interest
SolarSquare, an Indian rooftop solar startup that helps households and housing societies adopt solar power, is in advanced talks to raise fresh capital after securing India's largest solar venture investment in December 2024, TechCrunch has learned.
May 23rd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 18th, 2026

Antarctic DNA offers vital clues to pinpointing rising sea levels
Researchers say accurately predicting Antarctica's impact on global sea levels is an urgent priority that can be achieved by analyzing the DNA of tiny land animals, pinpointing the continent's icy past to paint a clearer picture of the future.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Climate adaptation may drive gentrification across African cities, continent-scale analysis shows
Green-blue adaptation (climate adaptation based on green and water spaces), which uses green and water spaces such as creating urban parks and restoring wetlands, is considered a representative climate adaptation strategy to reduce flood and heat wave damage in cities in the era of climate crisis. However, an international research team has proven for the first time with continent-scale data that such climate adaptation policies can paradoxically stimulate housing price increases and population influx, thereby worsening the housing instability of existing low-income residents.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Copper-based sensor explains key defense signaling in stressed plants
Researchers at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, together with collaborators from RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (RIKEN CSRS) and The University of Osaka, have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which plants detect hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a key signaling molecule involved in stress responses and immunity.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Corn diseases cost farmers $13.8 billion from 2020 to 2023
The research represents collaborative efforts of more than 40 plant pathologists representing 29 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada, who evaluated disease impacts on corn grown across 375.1 million acres during the 2020--2023 growing seasons. The researchers estimated annual yield losses caused by 37 pathogens or pathogen groups, along with losses associated with grain contaminated by mycotoxins.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Hidden clean energy under mountains? Why erosion could shape hydrogen prospects in Alps and Pyrenees
Hydrogen gas formed by natural processes in the subsurface of mountain ranges could represent a promising source of clean energy. A new international study led by Unil and GFZ shows that erosion plays a key and complex role in the formation and accumulation of this natural resource. The research confirms that the Pyrenees and the Alps could constitute key targets for natural hydrogen exploration.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

How climate change is affecting water demand in Scotland
The volume of water drawn from Scotland's rivers and lochs by the agricultural sector surged by more than 500% during periods of water scarcity in recent years, new research has found. The University of Strathclyde study examined the monthly and annual water use records of more than 80 of the sectors which use most water, including aquaculture, food and drink production, oil refining and paper manufacturing. It identified patterns influencing water use in weather extremes, changes in the economy and industries adapting their practices.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

How school songs shape children's environmental awareness: Lessons from Japan
The natural environment provides human society with essential non-material values, such as cultural symbolism and local attachment, known as "cultural ecosystem services." But can these abstract cultural values actually influence how communities behave? According to a new study focusing on public schools in Hachioji City, Tokyo, the answer is yes.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Intensifying droughts may be pushing tropical forests toward a dangerous threshold
Tropical forests, often described as the lungs of the planet, may be edging closer to a dangerous threshold as droughts become more frequent and widespread across the world's humid tropics. New research suggests these ecosystems are increasingly struggling to recover from prolonged dry conditions, raising concerns that some forests could eventually shift from absorbing carbon dioxide to releasing it back into the atmosphere.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Interactive hydrology makes a splash with students
As climate change increases the risk of flooding worldwide, understanding how floods form has never been more important. However, the science behind flooding is notoriously difficult to grasp, involving interactions among atmospheric, terrestrial, and human systems. Creating educational tools that simplify these processes without losing their essential scientific meaning has remained a major challenge.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Nature is good for business—and we now have numbers to show it
When rivers degrade, pests spread or drought hits crops, nature sends a bill.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Overfishing hits 11 of 12 Bahamian seafood staples, 73 years of catch data show
These findings are the result of the assessment of 12 of the most commercially and culturally important marine species in the country and draw on reconstructed catch records spanning 73 years (1950 to 2022). They confirm what Bahamian fishers have been saying for a generation: Most signature seafood stocks are disappearing from the country's waters.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Pimax Starts Sending Out 'Dream Air SE' PC VR Headsets, But Fulfillment Could Take Weeks
Pimax announced it's finally started shipping out the first batches of Dream Air SE, the younger sibling to its thin and light PC VR flagship. Despite officially launching Dream Air SE last week, most customers will probably still be waiting a bit longer—even if you pre-ordered a year ago.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Plant believed extinct for 60 years suddenly reappears
A random photo snapped in the Australian outback has led to the rediscovery of a plant thought extinct for nearly 60 years — proving that ordinary people with smartphones are quietly transforming science. After bird bander Aaron Bean uploaded pictures of a strange shrub to iNaturalist, botanist Anthony Bean immediately recognized it as Ptilotus senarius, a rare species missing since 1967.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Sea Level Rise and Sunny-Day Flooding Can't Stop a Building Boom on the Jersey Shore
Developers and politicians are looking to the state's Democratic governor, legislation or the courts for relief from stringent new state regulations limiting construction along the coast.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Sea levels rising dramatically in some areas due to land subsidence
Densely populated coastal regions in many parts of the world are particularly vulnerable to flooding. The sinking of land masses exacerbates the impacts of rising sea levels in these areas, according to a study by researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Tulane University.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Seasonal patterns that farmers trusted for generations have suddenly turned unpredictable
Intense rains, extreme heat, and unstoppable pests are wiping out crops around the world as climate change scrambles the weather.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Smart soil design to stop Australia's underground water pipelines from corroding
Engineers are rethinking the soil surrounding buried pipelines in a bid to help reduce Australia's billion-dollar annual corrosion problem and extend the lifespan of critical infrastructure. The Monash research, published in Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, explores how specially designed backfill materials could be used as an active corrosion protection system rather than simply providing mechanical support.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

The many benefits of carpooling
It can save money and build relationships -- all while helping fight climate change.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Thoughtful solar siting can protect ag, biodiversity
Researchers have developed a model that identifies prime farmland, habitats critical for biodiversity and areas suitable for solar development in New York, to help communities minimize land-use conflicts when making solar siting decisions.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

Toxic metals in Hudson River striped bass decreased over decades, study shows
Striped bass are a popular and often human-consumed commercial and recreational game fish. Trace elements or metals essential for life are in these fish and other eatable fish, as well as nonessential and toxic metals such as mercury, lead, and arsenic. A study led by researchers in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University used fish scales from striped bass to assess the accumulation of toxic metals in these fish. They found that the concentrations of most toxic metals generally reduced over time, yet, with exceptions.
May 18th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 17th, 2026

On Sullivan Planning Board, Platner Voted to Pump the Brakes on Solar
The Democratic Senate candidate from Maine voted to pursue a moratorium on all but rooftop solar projects while the town developed permitting rules. He says that's compatible with his calls for energy-permitting reform.
May 17th, 2026 — Source

Platner's Energy Plan Prioritizes Lowering Costs and Taking on Big Oil and the 'Oligarchy'
Senate candidate Graham Platner's key energy goal is to reduce costs for Mainers. He'd also like to tax the "ever-living hell out of the companies that made a lot of money on fossil fuels while they destroyed the planet."
May 17th, 2026 — Source

What to Expect as El Niño Approaches
Go behind the scenes with senior editor Corey Mitchell and reporter Bob Berwyn as they break down what to expect from the looming El Niño.
May 17th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 16th, 2026

After Snowy Winter Delays Prevention, New Jersey Faces Rising Wildfire Risk
With a wildfire season that runs from March to May, fewer acres have burned than usual. But with fewer prescribed burns to thin combustible underbrush, severe fire remains a possibility.
May 16th, 2026 — Source

New recyclable protein textiles could cut microplastic pollution and lower clothing waste
The textile industry produces a substantial portion of the world's waste, with only about 12% of fiber materials ending up in recycling. Textiles also account for much of the microplastics in oceans. During every wash cycle, synthetic fibers shed microplastics that are flushed down the drain and eventually enter aquatic environments. Increasing textile recycling alone won't solve this problem because most petrochemical-based fibers are difficult to recycle and continue to release persistent microplastics throughout their life cycle.
May 16th, 2026 — Source

Multi-actor collaboration in integrated landscape approaches
A comprehensive scoping review reveals that participatory practices are central to the success of multi-actor collaboration in landscape planning and governance. This scoping review shows that a wide range of different participatory tools exists to support collaboration. However, the objectives, application and effectiveness of participatory tools and practices vary considerably across different contexts and phases of collaborative processes.
May 16th, 2026 — Source

Solar power could finally be viable with this invention
Rochester researchers boosted solar thermoelectric generator efficiency 15 times using spectral engineering and thermal management.
May 16th, 2026 — Source

What the US Would Lose If It Eliminates the National Center for Atmospheric Research
"I think there's a great loss for the wrong reasons. There's no good reason for dismantling this or tearing it down," a former NASA chief scientist says.
May 16th, 2026 — Source

World Health Organization Must Prioritize Workers, Experts Say
After Trump stopped funding the WHO, the agency retreated even more from occupational safety and health programs, putting millions of workers at risk as the planet warms, advocates contend. They hope its leaders change that when they meet next week.
May 16th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 15th, 2026

Climate change costs lives by breaking down social connection, says study
Climate change is widely understood as an environmental and economic threat, but new research from the University of Sydney shows it is also a growing social crisis, weakening the relationships people rely on to survive.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Could sea squirts' nano-packaging delivery system help restore sea forests?
How do sea squirts stay attached to rocks amid crashing waves and strong currents? Recent research has revealed that sea squirts do not simply secrete adhesive substances. Instead, they possess a unique system where they package these materials into nano-sized (nm) condensates, deliver them to the destination, and then unpack them for use onsite.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Dense soils may spread earthquake surface ruptures into wider damage zones, particle models suggest
Earthquakes can visibly and permanently crack the ground apart in dramatic and unpredictable surface fault rupture, but new research led by University of Michigan Engineering revealed that soil density strongly influences how and where they occur. The paper is published in the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Experimentally validated AI model predicts virulence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus
A CBBL research team led by Professor Balachandran Manavalan from the Department of Integrative Biotechnology at Sungkyunkwan University has developed DeepTYLCV, an accurate and interpretable artificial intelligence model for predicting the virulence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV).
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Fast-moving Gofar fault reveals quiet zones that may govern big earthquake timing
University of Delaware geologist Jessica Warren has contributed to research that brings us one step closer to better understanding how earthquakes operate. Situated along a stretch of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, between Indonesia and Central America, the Gofar transform fault is one of the fastest moving faults on Earth—cruising along the seafloor at about 140 millimeters per year. This is over four times faster than the San Andreas fault is moving in California.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Future big droughts may be worse than we think—NZ's past shows why
07.13.2013
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Homelessness could be 4 times higher in a decade due to impacts from climate change, study suggests
A study on the future of Australia's housing market has revealed that even well-intended housing market interventions could significantly worsen housing affordability and homelessness in the country due to the impacts of climate change.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

How 'gentle power' leads to successful environmental conservation
Environmental conservation is one of the most pressing debates across the world. For decades, it has often been viewed as a choice between strict government regulation and voluntary community action. However, a new research study on the conservation of Tokyo's Zushi-Onoji satoyama introduces a more effective approach that combines both.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

New scenarios needed to address climate crisis, say scientists
Scientists, including those working with the Earth Commission, are calling for a fundamental rethink of how the world imagines its future, arguing that today's dominant climate and biodiversity models are too narrow to deal with the scale and complexity of the crises ahead.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Pennsylvania greenhouse stays warm by storing heat underground
A 'climate battery' system helps plants thrive all winter -- no fossil fuels needed.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Picturing Earth in a new light
Maps can show more than just where things are—they can also show how things change. New maps of artificial light reveal a planet that has been reshaping its nights through patterns of brightening and dimming.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Power prices are up 76% on America's biggest grid, and a watchdog is pointing fingers
The largest electrical grid in the U.S., the PJM Interconnection, saw prices nearly double over the last year, according to a report published yesterday by Monitoring Analytics, an independent market monitor that serves as a sort of watchdog for the PJM grid. The culprit? Data centers.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Q&A: Evolution may reshape how urban forests, wetlands and reefs protect cities
Over the past decade, cities around the world have increasingly turned to nature-based infrastructure to become more resilient in the face of a changing climate. Urban forests provide shade during heat waves and improve air quality; wetlands filter stormwater and reduce flooding; and restored oyster reefs filter water, create habitat and reduce wave energy along shorelines. When carefully designed and managed, these "nature-based solutions" can support climate adaptation, biodiversity and public health.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Recyclable protein fibers could cut textile waste and microplastic pollution
Engineered protein fibers created with synthetic biology could enable recyclable textiles, helping reduce fashion waste and microfiber pollution.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Researchers prove 'forever chemicals' can last longer than 3 decades
Our recent study investigated long-term PFAS contamination from two incidents, both involving petrol tanker crashes and fires. Both accidents occurred in drinking water catchments, and our study found contamination was present but undetected for 24 and 33 years, respectively. We have searched the international literature and could not find similar examples.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

The Tennessee Valley Authority Produced a Booklet Downplaying Coal Ash Risks. Top Researchers Call it 'Dishonest.'
TVA employees distributed the 35-page booklet at a public hearing about corrective action plans for coal ash ponds at the Cumberland Fossil Plant in Tennessee.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Trump Administration Bans a Nonprofit's Bison From Grazing on Federal Lands, but Spares Tribes
Montana's American Prairie will have to remove its bison from seven parcels of BLM land it leased for grazing under the Biden administration. It says it will appeal the "politically motivated" decision.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Warming climate favors shallower cyclones, challenging current risk assessments
As tropical cyclones (TCs) are among the most destructive natural hazards worldwide, understanding how TCs change under climate warming is of critical importance. While substantial progress has been made in projecting changes in TC intensity and precipitation, much less is known about how their vertical structure will respond to a warmer climate.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

Who shops at farmers markets in the US?
People who shop at the more than 8,700 farmers markets operating in the U.S. either year-round or seasonally generally fall into six distinct groups. Three of them are more interested in farmers markets than the others. I study local food systems as a strategic communications scholar, and that's the main takeaway from a study that I conducted with several colleagues.
May 15th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 14th, 2026

Amazon Deforestation at Eight-Year Low, Report Shows
Despite a drop in the size of deforested areas, the number of wildfires in the region increased by more than 30 percent.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Autonomous underwater robot discovers hidden coral reef 'hotspots'
Researchers have developed an autonomous system for seeking out and mapping hotspots of biodiversity on coral reefs with unprecedented precision, offering a powerful new tool for studying and protecting some of the ocean's most valuable ecosystems. The work, published in Science Robotics, demonstrates how combining audio and visual data in a single autonomous system can reveal where marine life concentrates and why.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Basalt could be the key to greener and cheaper cement
Ideas to reduce carbon emissions often revolve around renewable power, electric vehicles and energy efficiency. But there's another, less colorful character that's often overlooked: cement.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Forecasters predict wildfires, floods, severe heatwaves from incoming El Niño
Ocean heat plus human-caused global warming is a grim recipe for deadly climate extremes.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Giant "stealth" magma surge triggered thousands of earthquakes beneath Atlantic island
A giant "stealth" magma surge shook a Portuguese island with thousands of earthquakes before mysteriously stopping just short of eruption.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Kids race boats powered by sunshine alone
Student teams will compete this weekend in the annual Solar Boat Regatta in Minnesota.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

JUSTIFI tool could unlock value in energy productivity projects
Multiple benefits are the operational and strategic improvements—such as productivity gains, quality enhancements, safety improvements, reduced downtime, and lower maintenance costs—that occur alongside energy cost savings in an energy productivity project. Overlooking these types of multiple benefits can leave money on the table and businesses with an incomplete view of all potential cost-saving project outcomes.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Meltwater flushed methane from Greenland seabed during ice-sheet retreat, researchers reveal
An international team of scientists has discovered that methane hydrates beneath the northwest Greenland continental shelf became rapidly destabilized by meltwater, releasing large stores of methane during ice-sheet retreat across the continental shelf.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

More than half of US faces worst drought in decades, says expert
More than 60% of the United States is experiencing drought conditions, with more than 20% in an extreme drought. Andrew Ellis, a climatologist at Virginia Tech said the current conditions are among the worst in decades because the combination of intensity and aerial coverage is rare. He explained why, who is most impacted, and when we can expect relief.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

New York Plastics Law Advances Amid Debate Over 'Chemical Recycling'
Environmentalists and some state lawmakers say the process does more harm than good. Plastics producers are pushing back.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

One in four 2026 World Cup games could face dangerous heat across North America: researchers
One in four 2026 World Cup games could take place in very hot conditions as climate change has increased the risk of extreme heat in North America since the US hosted the 1994 tournament, researchers warned Thursday.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Satellite launch pollution is rapidly accumulating in the upper atmosphere
The potent pollution from so-called megaconstellation satellite systems launched en masse into space since 2019 will account for nearly half (42%) of the total climate impact of space sector pollution by the end of the decade, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Scientists discover hidden math secret inside Chinese money plant leaves
Scientists discovered that the Chinese money plant secretly grows its leaves using elegant math normally seen in computer science and city planning.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Scientists discover the strange way CO2 cools part of Earth's atmosphere
Scientists finally solved the mystery of why Earth's upper atmosphere is cooling as climate change heats the planet below.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

Study provides detailed assessment of shifts in toxin producing phytoplankton abundance
Researchers in the UK have shown how the distributions of two phytoplankton groups—known to produce natural toxins that can halt shellfish harvesting—have changed in the North East Atlantic over the last six decades.
May 14th, 2026 — Source< or Source

What gives stevia its sweetness? Scientists uncover the genetic secret
Stevia is a widely used sweetener, but why do some stevia varieties taste cleaner and more sugar-like than others? Recent research conducted at the University of Toyama shows that stevia's sweetness is genetically linked to variations in specific glycosyltransferase genes and their cell-specific activity in leaves. By combining genetic analysis with cell-level imaging, the team uncovered how stevia produces its high-value sweet compounds, opening the door to better-tasting natural sweeteners for foods and beverages.
May 14th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 11th, 2026

8 CaseStack Products From Lowe's To Organize Your Tool Setup
Modular storage systems have become increasingly popular in recent years, with product lines like Milwaukee's Packout and DeWalt's ToughSystem letting users combine storage products and accessories to suit their needs. Customizable tool storage has become so popular that even retailers are getting in on the action, with chains like Walmart selling their own modular tool storage options. Lowe's has its own system, too, with its house brand Kobalt offering a range of CaseStack products.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

A data center used 29 million gallons of water without a bill, while residents complained about low water pressure
The county issued a $147,474 back-bill and waived all penalties
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Earth's first continents may trace back to subduction 3.5 billion years ago
An international team of researchers' analysis of minerals from the Pilbara region of Western Australia has given new insight into how ancient continents on Earth formed as far back as 3.5 billion years ago. Professor Tony Kemp, from The University of Western Australia's School of Earth and Oceans, was a co-author of the study published in Science Advances, which was led by researchers at Nanjing University in China.
May 11th, 2026 — Source or Source

Everything You Think You Know About Recycling Aluminum Cans Is Probably Wrong
From crushed cans to paper labels, the most common metal recycling habits are often the wrong ones.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

How social science helps keep bugs off corn
Insect-resistant corn, known as Bt corn, is created by genetically modifying corn seeds to produce a bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis) toxin, which kills common pests like caterpillars or beetles. To prevent these pests from evolving resistance to Bt corn, farmers are required by seed producers to plant a small area of land with "refuge" corn, which does not include the Bt toxin.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Industrial fishing has been depleting midwater fish for decades, new study finds
The research focuses on a poorly understood group of larger midwater fishes that the authors call the "dark web," species, such as pomfrets and snake mackerels, that live in or move through the mesopelagic zone, roughly 200 to 1,000 meters below the surface. Unlike smaller fishes often sampled in research nets, larger species are frequently missed by traditional scientific surveys but are regularly caught in commercial fisheries.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Midwives in Pakistan navigate floods to care for parents and babies
The Mama Baby Fund provides maternity care and childbirth support to people on the front lines of climate change.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Old plant populations offer new clues to climate resilience
The University of Virginia's Commonwealth Professor of Biology Laura Galloway and postdoctoral research associate Antoine Perrier are studying what they call "rear-edge" populations, those found at the warmest edges of their geographic ranges. These populations, often descended from groups that survived the last ice age, have endured thousands of years of climate change.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Publisher's first sustainable impact report showcases positive impact on society and the environment
The report showcases the international publisher's progress in reducing its environmental footprint, advancing equitable access to knowledge, supporting the global journey toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and creating a positive impact on local communities.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Solar-powered gel pulls drinking water from the air
Scientists in recent years have sought to efficiently draw moisture from ambient air and condense it into potable water using materials made of salt and absorbent polymers. But these materials, known as hydrogels, until now have degraded too quickly to be practical or cost-effective.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Ultrahigh-energy cosmic messengers may carry ultraheavy secrets
There may be an ultraheavy explanation for the mystery surrounding the origins of the highest-energy particles ever observed.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

War‑driven sea detours are reshaping shipping routes, putting whales off South Africa in sudden peril
Conflicts in the Middle East are increasing dangers for whales off South Africa by shifting sea traffic into their habitats and heightening the risks of collision, researchers told AFP.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Where scientists watch the forest breathe, findings uproot how people think about forest-atmosphere interactions
Photosynthesis is the oldest carbon-capture technology on Earth. For eons, plants have pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and locked carbon—the building block of life on our planet—into their bodies and roots.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

Wild Blueberry Farms Across Maine Suffer as Climate Change Upends Growing Seasons
Like lobster rolls, wild blueberries are iconic in Maine. But heat and drought have set the plants back to a point where many small farmers are struggling against reduced yields and increased costs for mulch and irrigation.
May 11th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 10th, 2026

2026 global report shows retailers still falling short on sustainable chocolate
A global report into the chocolate industry has found that while some companies are improving their sustainability practices, many retailers are still failing to ensure transparent and accountable cocoa supply chains that would protect cocoa farming communities.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

$370 Million Payout
Go behind the scenes with senior editor Corey Mitchell, reporter Phil McKenna, and data journalist Peter Aldhous as they discuss a new Senate probe over lucrative and questionable tax credits to the country's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

A vital Atlantic current is fading far faster, threatening Europe, Africa and North America by 2100
A key Atlantic Ocean current system that helps regulate the planet's climate could weaken more than expected by 2100, with potentially devastating consequences worldwide, a new study has found.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

"Cannot be explained" -- New ultra stainless steel stuns researchers
A team at the University of Hong Kong has developed a new "super steel" that can survive the harsh conditions needed to make green hydrogen from seawater. The material uses an unexpected double-protection mechanism that resists corrosion far better than conventional stainless steel. Even more impressive, it could replace costly titanium parts used in today's hydrogen systems.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

Huge landslide created a 500-meter-high tsunami in a major tourist area
Fortunately, it happened early in the morning, so nobody was around.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

No trees, no fans: surviving extreme heat in India's salt pans
India faces challenging heat waves each year, but few places endure conditions as searing as the country's western desert salt pans, where workers rely on simple techniques to survive almost unbearable temperatures.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

Plugging Away at the Millions of Derelict Oil and Gas Wells in the US
The Well Done Foundation is remediating abandoned and orphaned fossil fuel wells that pollute water, soils and the atmosphere. But plugging a borehole can be even harder than drilling it.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

This amazing bio-material could solve one of our biggest problems
Scientists have engineered aligned bacterial cellulose, creating biodegradable, metal-strong, versatile material that could replace harmful plastics.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

Two Years After Completion, Plant Vogtle Still Looms Over the Nuclear Debate
As states consider a new wave of reactors, the fallout of the most expensive power project in U.S. history offers a cautionary tale.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

Under mushroom caps, 17-plus bacterial species help drive stubborn blotch disease
A University of Florida study has made a key discovery in understanding a disease that for over a century has plagued the white button mushroom—a nutrient-dense vegetable that is valued for its versatility and health benefits. The study is published in the journal Microbiological Research.
May 10th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 9th, 2026

A dynamic molecular sunscreen for perovskite solar cells
A photoisomeric molecule called BTTM anchors ions in perovskite solar cells, improving UV stability and raising efficiency from 22.07% to 24.71%.
May 9th, 2026 — Source

Heavy Atlantic rain can block African aerosols from fertilizing Amazon, study finds
Scientists discovered that synoptic systems—large-scale meteorological phenomena spanning thousands of kilometers—such as cold waves in the U.S. and high-pressure anomalies in the South Atlantic, modify heavy rainfall along the tropical belt of the Atlantic Ocean.
May 9th, 2026 — Source

How river DNA can track fish, frogs, fungi and human feces all at once
A single scoop of water from an Irish river has revealed evidence not only of Ireland's only frog species—as expected—but also signs of the dreaded B. dendrobatidis fungus, marking the first time this devastating amphibian disease has been spotted in the country and exposing a previously unknown risk to Ireland's frog population.
May 9th, 2026 — Source

Inside the Indigenous Fight to Save Alaska's Bristol Bay
Bound by a common threat, unlikely allies of tribes, commercial fishermen and the conservation community came together to stop a gold and copper mine, and won.
May 9th, 2026 — Source

New catalyst unlocks carbon-free ammonia heat for steel, cement and chemicals
Ammonia is a tempting fuel for the world's hottest jobs. It can be made from air, water and renewable electricity, stored as a liquid and shipped using know-how industry already has.
May 9th, 2026 — Source

New Jersey Leads the Nation in Superfund Sites as EPA Funding Cuts and Staff Reductions Threaten Cleanups
U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. says the Trump administration has cut regional staffing serving the state by a third, making progress on Superfund cleanups "nearly impossible."
May 9th, 2026 — Source

Smog, Lies and Pineapples: How LA Cleaned up Its Air and What's Left to Do
In "Smog and Sunshine," UCLA's Ann Carlson tells of the scientists, lawyers, government officials and community members behind the decades-long effort to clear Southern California skies.
May 9th, 2026 — Source

The ocean is fighting climate change: How people are trying to help it
We replaced the stove with plywood, turning the kitchen of the dive boat into an impromptu research lab. Plugging in wires and connecting tubing, we assembled a scientific instrument within the cramped cabin. Then we cast off into Halifax Harbor, Canada, surveying the turquoise waters for signs of an unusual test: could we use the ocean itself to remove carbon dioxide from the air?
May 9th, 2026 — Source

What to know about the predictions for a potentially record-breaking El Nino
Seasonal models are predicting an El Niño climate pattern that could be the strongest on record, bringing with it more extreme weather.
May 9th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 8th, 2026

As a Colorado Aquifer Runs Low, Dangerous Heavy Metals Threaten Rural Communities' Drinking Water
In the San Luis Valley, the ongoing megadrought and a record-low snowpack are draining groundwater and increasing its concentrations of toxic metals. There are few protections for residents drinking from private wells.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

Five-metal nanocrystal approach unlocks more efficient hydrogen production
A new five-metal alloy nanocrystal acts as a powerful catalyst for breaking down ammonia, offering a cleaner path to hydrogen fuel production.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

How climate change makes your allergies worse
As pollen season worsens, allergies compound with other climate health hazards.
May 8th, 2026 — Source or Source

How one ship engine could make hydrogen at sea and sidestep storage hurdles
Each year, international shipping moves over 80% of global trade and emits around 1 billion tons of greenhouse gases. Heavy fuel oil remains the industry's workhorse, prized for its reliability and energy density but notorious for its carbon footprint. As the International Maritime Organization pushes toward net-zero emissions by 2050, the search for viable carbon-free fuels is on.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

Lab-evolved cyanobacteria survive minute-by-minute light swings, offering clues to hardier crops
Plant scientist Dario Leister and his team are investigating how cyanobacteria adapt to rapidly changing light intensities. This could help optimize photosynthesis in crops. Photosynthesis is one of the most complex processes in nature. However, plants use only a fraction of the available light spectrum and are highly sensitive to environmental stressors such as changing light intensities, heat and drought. As climate change intensifies these stresses, safeguarding crop productivity is becoming an increasingly urgent challenge.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

Malaysia plans cloud seeding for drought-hit 'rice bowl'
Malaysia is resorting to cloud seeding to bring much-needed rain to the country's "rice bowl" north, where a drought has delayed planting of the staple crop and raised supply fears.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

Oceans near record heat again as El Niño conditions begin to build
The European Union's climate monitor said Friday that ocean temperatures are edging toward record highs as conditions shift toward a potentially powerful El Niño weather pattern.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

One fifth of flowering plant evolutionary history is at risk of extinction, experts warn
In a new study published in the journal Science, researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and their international collaborators including Boise State University present the first global assessment of risk to the angiosperm (flowering plants) tree of life, warning that more than a fifth of all angiosperm evolutionary history is at risk of extinction.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

Paper mill waste and liquid metal combine into a 96% efficient solar absorber
A coating made from paper-mill waste lignin and liquid metal nanoparticles absorbs 96% of sunlight, powering flat-panel thermoelectric generators while cutting carbon emissions below zero.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

Plants survived the dinosaur-killing asteroid by duplicating genomes, study suggests
When an asteroid as big as Mount Everest struck Earth 66 million years ago, it wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs and roughly a third of life on the planet. But many plants survived the devastation. In a new study published in Cell, researchers reveal that the accidental duplications of genomes—a natural phenomenon—might have helped many flowering plants survive some of the most extreme environmental upheavals in Earth's history.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

The biggest US power grid is under strain from AI — and no one is happy
Pity the grid operator PJM Interconnection. For decades it worked quietly and in the background, matching electricity demand with supply. Meanwhile, customers enjoyed some of the lowest electricity prices in the United States.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

The soccer club that helps fans take climate action
Vermont Green FC is turning game day into a chance to make a difference.
May 8th, 2026 — Source

Why some Europeans face deadlier heat and cold: Inequality map reveals who is most at risk
Regions with greater socioeconomic inequalities are more affected by cold weather, whereas areas with higher levels of wealth and urbanization are at greater risk during heat waves and lower risk during cold spells. This is shown by a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).
May 8th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 7th, 2026

A New Enbridge Pipeline Spurs Opposition in Central North Carolina
The 28-mile conduit is part of a huge natural gas infrastructure buildout in the state that Duke Energy says is necessary to keep up with demand, especially from a coming wave of data centers.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Construction sector adapts to global shocks faster than expected
The study, conducted by researchers from Adelaide University and Flinders University, found that while the sector faced significant delays, cost increases, and material shortages during events including the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing geopolitical tensions, it responded with strong innovation and adaptive strategies.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Countries must back commitments to transition from fossil fuels with action
The first international Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels concluded on April 29 in Santa Marta, Colombia. Stemming from the failure of the last COP meeting in Belèm, Brazil, to address the necessity of reducing reliance on fossil fuels, the intergovernmental event was co-organized by Colombia and the Netherlands and gathered delegations from 59 countries.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Copper cold plates could slash data-center energy usage
If used to cool an entire data center, the technology would contribute only around 1.1% of the data center's total energy usage compared to more than 30% for conventional air-cooling methods, the researchers estimate.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Data centers are growing in Texas, but big questions remain about water use
The estimate, which includes both water used for cooling and to produce the power needed for data centers, is part of a study that investigates water issues associated with the booming industry in Texas. Currently, data centers account for less than 1% of the state's water use. Researchers estimate that number could increase depending on industry growth, the cooling technologies used, and the source of electricity powering the data centers.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Deforestation lessens Amazon rainfall—and climate change hastens that process, study finds
Climate change makes the southern Amazon's rain increasingly sensitive to deforestation, a new study finds. Clearing large areas of forest can trigger severe and lasting reductions in rainfall regardless of climate, but as the Amazon warms and dries, that "tipping point" arrives at ever lower levels of deforestation.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Drones match farm planning effectiveness of more expensive tech, study finds
Environmental scientists and water resource managers need precise, high-resolution maps to reveal areas that farmers should avoid when planting crops, to limit polluting waters with phosphorus from fertilizer or manure. Making those maps has depended on an expensive, sometimes unavailable technology, but a team led by Penn State researchers has developed a cheaper approach that can be just as effective.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Faster Slaughterhouse Line Speeds Are Increasingly a Climate Problem
Reacting to Trump administration proposals calling for higher-paced processing, critics say protections for workers, animals and food safety are not the only concerns.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Indonesia to conserve coral reefs in 'debt-for-nature' deal
The agreement allows Indonesia to spend $35 million protecting and restoring critical ecosystems.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Planning for hydrogen under geopolitical uncertainty
Many hydrogen strategies for energy-intensive industries do not adequately address geopolitical risks. Instead, they often assume stable trading relationships and reliable alliances—assumptions which are increasingly questionable in light of recent conflicts and sanctions.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Rapidly melting Antarctic ice shelves may cause global sea levels to rise far faster than expected
Ice shelves, which are extensions of gigantic glaciers that float on the water surface, act like buttresses that slow the flow of gigatons of ice into the sea. Now, researchers in Norway have discovered that long, channel-like grooves on the underside of these ice shelves can trap relatively warm ocean water. This sharply increases local melting.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Satellite captures a sea of spinning clouds
When those winds encounter a barrier like an island, the disruption in airflow can be beautiful. One impediment, shown here, is remote Peter I Island. This ice-cloaked volcano lies at 68.86 degrees south latitude in the Bellingshausen Sea, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) off the coast of West Antarctica and more than 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) from Cape Horn, Chile.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Streetlights trigger bizarre 'death spirals' in thousands of isopods, scientists find
A new study led by Ph.D. student Idan Sheizaf, under the guidance of Prof. Ariel Chipman from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has documented a never-before-seen behavioral phenomenon: thousands of land-dwelling isopods forming massive, synchronized circular processions. This behavior appears to be an unintended consequence of artificial light at night.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Tree communities shape hidden energy flows under European forests
The study, led by researchers from the Umeå University and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, was an international collaboration between nine universities through the SoilForEurope project. By sampling and identifying the different organisms in forest soils from 64 areas in four European countries, the scientists aimed to better understand how different tree species and their combinations affect how energy moves through the web of life beneath the forest floor.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

Urban trees cool the world's cities more than we thought—but we can't rely on them alone
Cities and towns are usually 1--3°C hotter than the surrounding countryside, because asphalt, concrete and brick absorb heat from the sun and radiate it slowly. Some cities can be as much as 7°C hotter. This effect is known as the urban heat island.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

'We didn't lose each other:' How people are picking up the pieces after Super Typhoon Sinlaku
Residents of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, are no strangers to tropical cyclones, but climate change is supercharging storms and disrupting education on the islands.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

When faith meets a melting point: New study warns Hajj pilgrimage is breaching human survivability limits
A new study warns that climate change is creating serious and growing risks for millions of pilgrims performing Hajj, with extreme heat and humidity already pushing human physiological limits during the 2024 pilgrimage. This research, led by Atta Ullah and his team from the Weather and Climate Services, Islamabad, Pakistan and Climate Analytics, Berlin, Germany respectively, suggests that, without urgent adaptation and global climate mitigation, the world's largest religious gathering could become increasingly dangerous in the decades ahead.
May 7th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — May 4th, 2026

AI wildfire detection and drones are changing how the West fights fire
An AI wildfire detection system flagged the early signs of the Diamond Fire one afternoon in March from a camera feed trained on Arizona's Coconino National Forest. Human reviewers confirmed the detection was neither a dust plume nor a cloud, then alerted the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Arizona Public Service, the state's largest electric utility. Crews arrived in time to hold the fire to 7 acres, or 2.8 hectares.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Arctic winter sea-ice extent fails to expand and sets a new record low in 2026
In 2026, the Arctic winter sea-ice extent (annual maximum extent) reached the lowest value since satellite observations began in 1979, following the previous record low in March 2025. As part of the Arctic Challenge for Sustainability III (ArCS III), the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) maintain a long-term dataset spanning more than 40 years.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Barocal can cool your food and drink by squeezing a hunk of plastic crystals
Refrigerators today run on the same basic technology as they did more than 100 years ago. You'd think we could have come up with something better by now.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Climate change is rewriting winter lakes in a way that looks completely backward at first glance
Climate change undoubtedly affects lakes and the functioning of their ecosystems, but seasonal impacts are not always straightforward. An international team of researchers from York University in Canada, the Finnish Environment Institute and the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu investigated how lake autumn surface warming is associated with winter under-ice temperatures and ice phenology.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Construction tech could reduce emissions while supporting growth
An international study with EPFL researchers suggests that large reductions in carbon emissions from cement and steel building materials may be achievable by 2050 using already-existing construction technologies.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Cutting cement emissions at a reasonable cost is within reach
Besides water, cement is used more than any other material on Earth. Its manufacture begins by combining limestone with ingredients such as shale, clay, or sand. This mixture is ground into a powder, heated to 1,400°C, cooled, blended with additives, then further pulverized to become cement.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Dangerous heavy rains are getting more likely and widespread
Seven of the top 11 highest-volume precipitation events over the past 77 years have occurred just in the past 10 years.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Flooding in Chicago Is Getting Worse. Here's Why.
Blamed in part on climate change, the threat of water ponding in your yard or your basement is growing, a Sun-Times/WBEZ investigation has found, putting health, homes at risk.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Greenland ice melt has surged sixfold and scientists are alarmed
Greenland's ice sheet is now melting in ways never seen before, with extreme events becoming more frequent, widespread, and intense. Since 1990, meltwater production has skyrocketed, and most record-breaking events have occurred in recent years. Scientists say warming temperatures are supercharging these episodes beyond natural climate patterns.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Honeybees may be helping spread tree‑killing myrtle rust—new research
We know introduced honeybees as the ever-busy helpers of our gardens, farms and orchards.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

How plants make copies of themselves—key 'cloning switch' gene identified
A Hiroshima-University-led research team has discovered a key gene responsible for the initiation of gemma development, acting as a "master switch" to start asexual reproduction (cloning) in the model plant Marchantia polymorpha (common liverwort).
May 4th, 2026 — Source

How balcony solar can help renters and homeowners save money
As someone who has designed and evaluated a wide range of building energy efficiency technologies, including integrated photovoltaic systems, I know that other options are available elsewhere in the world—and are becoming available in the U.S. Plug-in solar systems, also referred to as balcony solar systems, are alternatives to rooftop panels that still generate electricity from sunlight, but without complex and expensive installations.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

How 'digital twins' could help predict the fate of a forest
In his office at Michigan State University, forestry professor David Carter shows off an image of a virtual forest on his laptop. It's not just any forest. It's a computerized replica, or "digital twin," of a loblolly pine stand, created using lidar, the laser scanning technology that self-driving cars use to map their surroundings.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Innovative numerical simulation methods for resilient hydrogen networks
Green hydrogen is a key area of opportunity in the energy transition. However, the use of pipelines to transport this energy source is associated with a degree of risk. Research scientists are developing a hydraulic simulation tool to assist with the planning of a resilient hydrogen infrastructure designed to safeguard energy supply.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Lake mud reveals 7,000 years of Kangaroo Island's complex fire history
During the summer of 2019--2020, half of Australia's third largest island was on fire. Kangaroo Island, also known as Karta Pintingga or Karti in local mainland Aboriginal languages, was one of the worst-hit places during the Black Summer fires. Two people lost their lives and almost all the remnant vegetation on the island burned.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Louisiana's shrinking coast may offer world early guide to climate adaptation
A Tulane University-led team of interdisciplinary researchers says coastal Louisiana's climate-driven land loss and population shifts could position the state to become a global leader in planning for climate adaptation.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Plants under stress switch from photosynthesis to protein cleanup, researchers show
Plants are under constant stress due to pathogens, heat, or other environmental factors. Proteins can become damaged as a result and cell function is thrown off balance. Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum working with Professor Şuayb Üstün have discovered how plant cells respond to this protein stress and selectively adjust their internal processes. The researchers show that cells under stress prioritize the breaking down of damaged proteins over energy production through photosynthesis.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Renewable energy is more cost effective than direct air capture at reducing carbon, study finds
The case for investing in direct air capture weakens substantially once it is directly compared against solar and wind, according to an analysis published in Communications Sustainability. The paper is titled "Direct air capture has substantial health and climate opportunity costs."
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Rising seas may unlock coastal carbon stores, with losses up to 90%
Rising sea levels could do more than flood coastlines. Research from Missouri University of Science and Technology shows they may also trigger the release of large amounts of carbon stored in coastal ecosystems into the atmosphere.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Scientists turn plastic waste into clean hydrogen fuel using sunlight
Scientists are using sunlight to turn plastic waste into clean fuels like hydrogen, offering a breakthrough solution to both pollution and energy challenges. While still in development, the approach could transform trash into a valuable resource for a low-carbon future.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Simulation unlocks faster forecasts for hydrogen network failures, storage needs and recovery
Green hydrogen is a key area of opportunity in the energy transition. However, the use of pipelines to transport this energy source is associated with a degree of risk. Research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI, are developing a hydraulic simulation tool to assist with the planning of a resilient hydrogen infrastructure designed to safeguard energy supply.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Scientists uncover beetle transport system for newly identified 'towering' nematodes
In 2025, Konstanz scientists looked very closely at rotting fruit in local orchards, and observed what no one had before—worms, hundreds of them, twisting skyward into self-assembled living structures known as "towers." It was the first time anybody had seen this mysterious behavior outside of the laboratory.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Scientists unveil a faster way to 'train' bacteria for complex tasks, like munching plastics
The approach uses a reprogrammed virus that evolves 160,000 times faster than the host, effectively training bacteria to consume a common plastic ingredient. After five cycles, plastic degradation improved by over 50%.
May 4th, 2026 — Source or Source

Solar drying towers could reduce food waste, researcher says
A drying system could rescue surplus or damaged crops before they hit the landfill.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

The Big Bang of plant life: Discovery sheds light on how cells form walls
Cell walls are a crucial structure of plant life, protecting cells from damage, giving plants shape, and containing energy-rich nutrients. And yet the process of how the walls begin to form remains mysterious.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

This new material could make carbon capture dramatically cheaper by cutting the energy needed to run it
A Japanese team engineered carbon materials that release CO2 below 60°C -- low enough to run entirely on industrial waste heat
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Trump administration cites national security in stalling 165 wind farms
Onshore wind development in the United States is being brought to a standstill.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

Wars destroy lives and the climate. Why aren't we counting military emissions?
When delegates gathered for COP30 in Belem, Brazil in November 2025, they scrutinized various sectors of the global economy for their contributions to rising greenhouse gases. Agriculture, aviation, steel, cement—all were on the table. One topic not discussed was war.
May 4th, 2026 — Source or Source

Wind energy and scenic landscapes: Balancing beauty and power through better planning
Wind turbines supply a particularly large amount of electricity in winter—precisely when demand is high. Nevertheless, expansion is stagnating in many regions of Europe. One of the main reasons is that wind turbines can clash with the local scenic landscape and are therefore met with local opposition.
May 4th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 27th, 2026

A host of positive 'tipping points' can regenerate nature
A host of positive "tipping points" can spark rapid nature recovery, a leading expert says. Action to protect and restore nature must accelerate radically to meet global goals for 2030 and beyond. Writing in the journal Nature Sustainability, Professor Tim Lenton says positive tipping points are key to achieving this.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Beer and cannabis could share 'sex switch,' study finds
Researchers at University College Dublin have identified a genetic "switch" that determines the sex of cannabis plants, and found the same system may exist in hops. The study, published in New Phytologist, pinpoints a specific section of the X chromosome that influences whether cannabis plants develop as male, female, or both.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Botany's answer to Darwin's finches shows evolution in real time
A new study reveals how a remarkable group of plants on the Galápagos Islands developed their diverse leaf shapes—offering unique insight into evolution at the genetic level. A large international team of researchers has studied evolution in the plant group Scalesia, also known as the Galápagos giant daisies.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Brazil's farm expansion has left a vast soil carbon debt—but one fix could help meet climate goals
The conversion of Brazil's native biomes into agricultural areas has resulted in an estimated loss of 1.4 billion tons of soil carbon. This amount is equal to the emission of 5.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, a unit of measurement used to standardize the emission of different greenhouse gases, and was calculated based on data collected from studies conducted over the past 30 years.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

CRISPR untangles five-gene protein that helps plants grow in early stages
For most of their lives, plants get their energy from photosynthesis. But during the seed to seedling stage, when they can't absorb light just yet, they rely on other sources, like fatty acids. To process the fatty acids, plant cells, like human cells, rely on a membrane-bound compartment called the peroxisome. For people interested in studying the peroxisome, plant cells are an excellent model to use.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Data center demand drives 66% surge in natural gas power plant costs
Tech companies, including Microsoft and Meta, have been falling in love with natural gas lately, rushing to build power plants fed by the fossil fuel to drive their data centers. But their embrace might be a little too tight — the cost to build one of the facilities has spiked 66% in the last two years, according to a new report from BloombergNEF.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

DuctGPT demonstrates how AI can accelerate discovery of next-generation fusion materials
Scientists at Ames National Laboratory developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that accelerates discovery of materials needed for next-generation fusion energy systems. The tool, DuctGPT, combines advanced AI with physics-based modeling to help researchers predict materials with the appropriate properties to function in the extreme conditions inside of fusion reactors.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Meta inks deal for solar power at night, beamed from space
The race to secure electricity for AI models has reached new heights: Meta has signed an agreement with the startup Overview Energy that could see a thousand satellites beam infrared light to solar farms that power data centers at night.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

New method to raise investment funds for projects that restore coastal wetlands for climate adaptation
The Center for Coastal Climate Resilience (CCCR) at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has partnered with The Nature Conservancy to develop a new tool for funding wetland conservation and restoration projects through verifiable "Coastal Resilience Assets." The value of these assets is based on the storm and flood protection benefits that the wetlands provide.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Nearly One-Fifth of Americans Are Consuming Water With High Levels of Nitrates
Nitrates, largely from agricultural runoff, are linked to cancers and birth defects. Research says areas with factory farms have higher levels of risk.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Next El Niño could be tipping point for a hotter climate
Pacific heat pulse is temporary, but scientists warn that its climate impacts are not.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

'Plug and play solution' enables offshore charging for electric ships at sea
Connecting ships to charging stations is a bit of a hassle when you are out at sea. But with a new magnetic charging plug for boats—it is about as easy as putting a cup in a cup holder.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Scientists have discovered the key to conserving the elegant spider-orchid
Scientists at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, CSIRO Darwin Laboratories and La Trobe University have identified key ecological needs of Caladenia formosa (elegant spider-orchid) for the first time, to improve conservation outcomes.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Tapping water supply systems for energy production
Scott DeNeale is a water resources engineer whose work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Water Power Program centers on how hydropower research can be applied to water-energy systems. His specialty is bridging the gap between intellectual products, like data and theory, and real-world infrastructure solutions. Recently, he has been studying in-conduit hydropower, a type of largely unutilized energy production that harnesses the water flowing through water pipes in municipal settings and industrial plants to make energy, no dam required.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

The little-known group that decides your electricity prices
Most Americans don't know these regulators exist, but they control rate hikes.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

Trump's Environmental Cuts Further Marginalize Vulnerable Communities
In Florida, majority Black and brown communities face hotter temperatures, rising seas and more damaging storms. One advocacy group is considering other ways of helping them.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

What's the deal with electric bills in the U.S.?
From AI data centers to war and weather, this roundup of articles explores changing electricity prices.
April 27th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 26th, 2026

Ammonia as a clean fuel: 'Do not create a new nitrogen problem,' says researcher
Ammonia has been feeding the world for decades as a fertilizer and is now rapidly emerging as a carbon-free fuel for shipping and industry. But if we focus only on CO² emissions, we risk creating new nitrogen problems, warns nitrogen expert Jan Willem Erisman in an article published in the journal One Earth.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Deep under Antarctic ice, a long-predicted cosmic whisper finally breaks through in 13 strange bursts
A detector buried deep in Antarctic ice has captured the first experimental evidence of a predicted but never-before-seen phenomenon: radio pulses generated when high-energy cosmic rays slam into the ice sheet and trigger particle cascades inside it.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Sewage Is Threatening Coral Reefs Around the World, Even in Marine Protected Areas
A new study finds that more than 70 percent of these protected zones are exposed to high levels of wastewater pollutants, making corals and other marine life more vulnerable to climate change.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Why heat deaths occur during low-level alerts, new study
Many heat-related deaths in England occur during lower-level alerts that the public is least likely to respond to, with new research from the University of East London highlighting a critical gap between warning systems and public behavior.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 24th, 2026

A mother's gift: Plastid-derived structures help sea urchin development and dispersal
During the development of marine organisms—from fertilization through to juvenile stages—it is often observed that the eggs released into the water column are initially supplied with only a small fraction of the energy they require. The remaining reserves needed for growth must be obtained from the environment through filtering food—like phytoplankton—from the water column. This strategy of providing many eggs with only a small amount of energy each often leads to the loss of almost all potential offspring.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Apple Joins Brands To Oppose Strict Clean Energy Reporting Rules
Apple has teamed up with dozens of major brands to push back against new rules for tracking clean electricity use. A group of 66 organizations recently released a joint statement arguing that strict new reporting guidelines could actually slow down the push for green power.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

As the UN Global Climate Talks Lose Momentum, a Smaller Coalition Eyes a Fossil Fuel Exit
More than 50 countries will gather in Colombia to try to develop real-world timetables to phase out oil and gas amid global energy shocks and petrostate stalling.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Pennsylvania farmers found a way around rising power bills
A solar-powered warehouse near Pittsburgh is helping an organic co-op dodge soaring electricity costs.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Scientists just uncovered a 3 million-year climate mystery in Antarctic ice
Ancient Antarctic ice is revealing a surprising new chapter in Earth's climate story, stretching back 3 million years. By analyzing tiny pockets of trapped air and rare gases, scientists have discovered that while the planet cooled significantly—especially in the oceans—levels of key greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane changed only modestly. This unexpected mismatch suggests other powerful forces, such as shifting ice sheets, ocean circulation, and Earth's reflectivity, played major roles in driving long-term climate change.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Turning waste biomass into hydrogen and value-added chemicals
Scientists develop electrochemical system for simultaneous production using waste glycerol.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Why delaying climate action now means higher seas by 2100
Imagine your favorite sunny beach. Anywhere will do. You look out and see the ocean stretching to the horizon. To a glaciologist, that view is not just water; it's melted ice. Our new study shows that the best case sea-level rise scenarios may now be out of reach.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Why solar research should stop leading with climate
Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975. Management looked at it, decided film was doing fine, and put the technology in a drawer. By the time they took it seriously, other companies had taken the market. Kodak filed for bankruptcy in 2012. Solar is winning on every metric. According to an international coalition led from the University of Twente, that's exactly why the research behind it is in trouble.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

Wild Balkan berries keep gin taste steady as climate shifts
As he threaded his way through the scrub in Serbia's southern hills, Slobodan Velickovic stopped to inspect the small indigo berries that have made the Balkans a key part of the global gin industry.
April 24th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 23rd, 2026

A nuclear first: TerraPower officially starts construction on next-gen Natrium plant in Wyoming
TerraPower announced Thursday that it has started construction on its Natrium plant, making it the first company in the U.S. to break ground on an advanced nuclear power facility.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Amazon River plume: Where microalgae go carnivorous to win
In the vast plume of the Amazon River, microscopic algae adopt a surprisingly flexible survival strategy: They combine photosynthesis with the uptake of organic matter. An international research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) has now shown that this so-called mixotrophy becomes the dominant and most successful lifestyle in mature plume waters.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

American farms have a new steward for their safety net, disaster programs... Palantir
Wins $300M deal over Salesforce, IBM because of 'integration with existing USDA systems,' among other things
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

An Oilfield Leak Springs Under a Permian Basin Baptist Church
Pressure underneath the West Texas oilfields has caused blowouts and geysers in recent years. Now, salty water is spewing out of the ground in the town of Grandfalls.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Catalysts target surface barriers to improve hydrogen release from magnesium hydride
Researchers used computational tools and catalyst design to overcome the surface energy barrier limiting hydrogen release from magnesium hydride for clean energy storage.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Chernobyl at 40: The lies, the loss and why we can't let go
Some historical events are so catastrophic they resist comprehension. And yet they compel us to try to understand them, again and again.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Climate finance may lower conflict risk in 85 developing countries, analysis suggests
Just as major global powers are retreating from climate finance commitments, a new empirical study provides, for the first time, evidence of a direct link between climate finance and a lower risk of resource-related conflict in developing countries.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Corpus Christi Plans to Declare a 'Water Emergency.' What Does That Mean?
City leaders intend to make unprecedented cuts to water use in September but aren't sure exactly how, as schools and hospitals drill for water.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Cuts to Renewable Energy Research in Energy Department's Budget Irk Senate Democrats
Although the department's overall budget will increase in 2027, the amounts dedicated to environmental management, research and renewable energy infrastructure face significant hits.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Govee's new colorful outdoor lights are its first with solar powe
A single day of sunlight will fully recharge their battery.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Greenhouse gases from data center boom could outpace entire nations
Plants from OpenAI, Meta, xAI, and Microsoft could emit more than 129M tons annually.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

How an Atlantic island narrowly escaped 'stealthy' eruption
Thousands of earthquakes affecting Portugal's São Jorge Island in the Azores in March 2022 were triggered by a vast sheet of magma (molten rock) rising from more than 20km below Earth's surface and stalling just 1.6km beneath the island, according to a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

In Eastern Africa, the cradle of humankind is tearing apart
Eastern Africa's Turkana Rift is both a hotbed for fossil discoveries of our earliest ancestors and a literal hotbed of volcanic activity caused by shifting tectonic plates. Now researchers have found that Earth's underlying crust in the region has been significantly thinned, presaging Africa's eventual breakup—and with that finding, the researchers offer a new perspective on how Turkana's world-famous fossil record of human evolution came to be.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Microgel glue captures nanoplastics that water treatment plants miss
A soft polymeric microgel glues onto nanoscale plastic particles in water, aggregating them for removal at sizes that defeat conventional treatment methods.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Minnesota solar farm produces electricity -- plus kale and radishes
At the Big Lake solar installation, farmers grow crops between rows of solar panels.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

New study highlights private--public partnership advancing coastal resilience in Woods Hole
Coastal communities worldwide are facing accelerating impacts from rising seas and intensifying storms, yet many lack the resources, technical capacity, and frameworks needed to respond effectively. The new study provides a roadmap on how RWH, a partnership of 13 organizations including the scientific institutions Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), and the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), local government, businesses, and residents, developed a phased approach to move from identifying risk to implementing actionable solutions.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Nuclear war at Ukraine-Russia border could trigger years of global climate disruption and radioactive fallout
Geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe underscore the urgency of addressing the climate and radiological consequences of a regional nuclear conflict. Even a small-scale nuclear conflict at the Ukraine--Russia border could cause years of severe global climate disruption and radioactive fallout across much of the world, new research suggests.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Ohio Is Where Wind and Solar Projects Go to Die, and Other Findings From New Research on State Permitting
State governments have approved 90 percent of the renewable energy projects to come before them, and make decisions in about a year. Ohio leads in permit rejections and withdrawals.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Scientists discover how the Twelve Apostles were formed—and their real age
Scientists at the University of Melbourne have uncovered for the first time how Australia's iconic Twelve Apostles were formed, finding tectonic plate movements over millions of years lifted and tilted the giant structures out of the sea.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

The 7 Things You're Tossing in the Recycling Bin That Don't Belong There
From greasy pizza boxes to black takeout trays, these seven items belong in the trash, not the recycling.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

The Pentagon just picked the companies that will put nuclear reactors on Air Force bases
The Pentagon has narrowed its Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations (ANPI) programme from eight companies to three, advancing microreactor deployment at Buckley Space Force Base (Colorado) and Malmstrom Air Force Base (Montana) by 2030. The original eight vendors included BWXT, Oklo, X-energy, Kairos Power, Radiant, General Atomics, Westinghouse, and Antares. The commercially owned reactor model, backed by Executive Order 14299 and $125 million in Congressional funding, addresses military grid vulnerability while serving as a proving ground for reactors that could also power AI data centres.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

These eight coastal cities sit on America's flood front line, and AI shows why
New York, New Orleans and Miami are among the eight cities along the US Gulf and Atlantic coasts facing the highest flood risk, according to a new study published in Science Advances. Scientists developed a new AI-driven framework and combined it with historical flood-damage data to not only identify high-risk coastal areas but also pinpoint the underlying factors driving that risk.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Tiny structural shift leads to big leap in solar fuel
An orthogonal molecular architecture directs the formation of a rare double-cable structure, offering a new blueprint for advancing the fundamental design of energy-active materials. By guiding charges to move along separate pathways, the new design minimizes energy loss and boosts clean energy generation.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Universal model sets standards for perovskite solar cells
Perovskite solar cells, PSCs, have emerged as one of the most promising renewable energy technologies of the past decade. Besides their remarkable power conversion rates, perovskites are lightweight in nature and can be manufactured through low-cost solution processing methods. Thus, they offer greater versatility for applications that go beyond rooftop solar cell installations, such as integration into building windows, vehicle surfaces, and portable electronics.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

Water is 'white gold' in Baja's drying beach towns
A 70-year-old water truck driver's business is thriving in Baja California Sur even as aquifers shrink and demand surges.
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

We eat a lot of wheat. So how can we grow more in a changing climate?
We eat a lot of wheat. So how can we grow more in a changing climate?
April 23rd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 21st, 2026

13 books to read this Earth Day
From pollution to protest, this list explores the meaning of Earth Day in our current era.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Floating biodegradable beads remove oil in 60 minutes and stay easy to recover
Floatable beads made from chitosan and cellulose acetate and enhanced with bentonite have been engineered to effectively clean oil from water. The beads showed good oil adsorption capacity while remaining easy to collect from the water surface.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Global growth in solar "the largest ever observed for any source"
The International Energy Agency says we've entered the Age of Electricity.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

How the Aviation Industry is Turning Captured Carbon and Sunshine Into Jet Fuel
The aviation industry faces a significant challenge in reducing its carbon footprint, with medium- and long-haul flights heavily reliant on liquid fuels due to their high energy density. In a recent exploration by Two Bit da Vinci, the spotlight is on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a synthetic alternative created from agricultural waste, water and renewable energy. This process, known as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, combines captured carbon dioxide with hydrogen to produce a fuel that is chemically identical to conventional jet fuel. Despite its promise, SAF production is constrained by high energy demands, requiring temperatures exceeding 1,000°C and substantial renewable energy inputs to remain environmentally viable.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

John Deere Lawsuit Ends In $99M Payout For Farmers
John Deere, one of the most popular manufacturers of agricultural equipment in the U.S., recently settled a contentious class-action lawsuit accusing the company of monopolizing repairs. At an Illinois Federal Court, the company settled the case — ongoing since 2022 — by agreeing to pay $99 million to customers. These customers include people who paid John Deere and its dealers for large equipment repairs between January 10, 2018, and the preliminary approval of the deal. According to AP News, John Deere agreed to deposit the said amount into a settlement fund, money from which would eventually reach the accounts of all eligible John Deere customers.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Maryland Passes Energy Bill That Delivers Short-Term Relief, Locks Ratepayers into Long-Term Nuclear Subsidy
Advocates say Maryland lawmakers passed consequential energy proposals without adequate analysis or public debate during the 2026 session.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

New Mexico's Time-Honored Irrigation Canals Face Existential Threat
As the Rio Grande dries out months early, water managers look to blessings, prayers and groundwater to save the acequias that have spread water, history and culture to farmers and families since the 16th century.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Renewable energies overtook global electricity demand last year, led by solar growth in China, India
Record growth in solar, especially in China and India, was a driving factor for clean energy sources surpassing the world's strong demand for electricity in 2025, according to a new global power analysis.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Revenue from wind and solar farms can reshape community budgets
Local governments are using the proceeds to pay for roads, EMS, and more.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Simple ocean-based model forecasts a powerful El Niño, over 2 °C warmer than normal
For decades, scientists have worked to improve predictions of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a climate powerhouse that can cause droughts, flooding, marine heat waves, and more around the world. Researchers from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa have published a study in Geophysical Research Letters showing that they can skillfully predict El Niño and La Niña 15 months ahead of time using only observations of the ocean surface temperature and height—no complex climate model needed.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Small-scale and backyard egg producers in New England invited to participate in survey
As more families and small enterprises enter the egg market and more consumers buy local food, the stakes around backyard egg safety are growing. A single outbreak linked to small producers could pose a setback to public confidence in locally sourced food at a critical moment for New England's regional food system.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

The fast-track tree breeding method that is restoring European ash to the landscape
A fast-track method of breeding disease-resistant ash trees has been developed by researchers leading efforts to conserve the species. Researchers at the John Innes Center, who have adapted the embryo extraction method, found that it rapidly speeds up the germination of European ash seeds. A process that can take up to six years in nature now takes around one week in the lab.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Trashing Your Old Tech Hurts the Environment and Your Wallet. Some Still Do It Anyways
Recycling or trading in your devices is a better way to reduce e-waste, but fewer than half of US adults do either.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

Wastewater sludge treatment boosts renewable natural gas 200% and halves disposal costs
A pilot study of a new method for treating sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant efficiently created renewable natural gas while reducing the cost of the treatment. The work, reported in the Chemical Engineering Journal, could help communities sustainably clean up waste while getting renewable natural gas for their energy needs.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

What's the key to better vegan cheese? Microbreweries, one startup says.
Last week, I overheard someone in a pizza shop ask if a particular slice was vegetarian or vegan. Presumably they wanted to know if the pizza had vegan cheese, and when told it was so, they changed the order.
April 21st, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 17th, 2026

As modern crops turn 'lazy' underground, old sorghum may hold key to future food security
A greater focus on roots during plant breeding could ensure staple grain crops continue to feed the world as recycled nutrients substitute conventional fertilizers in the future, a University of Queensland study published in npj Sustainable Agriculture has found.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Bio-based foam replaces petroleum-based materials—without changing production processes
A new extruded foam made from polybutylene succinate (PBS), developed by the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE, offers industrial companies a direct path to sustainable material solutions—without the need to invest in new equipment. This approach simultaneously addresses CO₂ reduction, compliance with regulatory requirements, and economic efficiency.
April 17th, 2026 — Source or Source

'Cruelly hot': Japan devises new term for heat wave days
Blistering temperatures rising to 40°C and above will now be branded "cruelly hot" or "kokusho-bi" in Japan, the weather agency said Friday, as heat wave days become increasingly frequent in the region.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

DNA cracks nutmeg's hidden past, revealing a South Moluccas origin and a prehuman journey north
A sprinkle of nutmeg powder on baked goodies or mashed potatoes can immediately lift the flavor with its warm and sweet aroma. Even though it is used globally, not much is known about the true origins of the nutmeg spice tree, Myristica fragrans. In an attempt to retrace evolutionary history, researchers traveled to five different islands in the Moluccas archipelago, Indonesia, traditionally known as the Spice Islands and collected leaves from 393 nutmeg trees to analyze their DNA.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Iron plus UV light turns alcohol into hydrogen with catalyst-like efficiency
Publishing in Communications Chemistry, researchers from Kyushu University have discovered a simple method of generating hydrogen gas by mixing methanol, sodium hydroxide, and iron ions, then irradiating the solution with UV light.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Key gene enables tomato seed germination under high-temperature conditions
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have demonstrated that tomato mutants lacking the SlIAA9 gene, an auxin signaling repressor involved in the regulation of seed germination, not only retain high germination capacity under high-temperature conditions but also exhibit vigorous post-germination growth. Furthermore, the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying this enhanced heat resilience are elucidated. These findings offer new insights into the genetic improvement of heat-tolerant tomato varieties.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Mining waste product could help store carbon emissions, study suggests
A new Concordia-led study suggests that iron-rich slag, one of mining's biggest waste products, could help store carbon dioxide (CO²) emissions. The researchers examined whether slag, a waste material generated from metal processing, can trap the greenhouse gas under realistic conditions. While scientists have long known slag can store CO₂ by forming solid minerals, most studies focus on systems that are heavily dependent on water.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Mosquitoes reach Iceland for the first time as the Arctic heats up
In what is possibly another sign of climate change, mosquitoes have landed in Iceland for the first time. For many years, the island was the only Arctic country that could claim to be mosquito-free. But that all changed in 2025, when three Culiseta annulata specimens were discovered in a garden in Kjós, just north of the capital Reykjavík.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Ocean bottom seismometers could improve earthquake warning times in Pacific Northwest
If there is a magnitude 8 or 9 megathrust earthquake off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, data from ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) could improve earthquake detection times calculated by the ShakeAlert system.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

One-step CO² system triples capture, ditches silver for zinc, and turns emissions into industrial fuel feedstock
Every year, power plants and factories release billions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO²) into the atmosphere. Methods exist to capture that CO² using chemical solutions and, separately, to convert pure CO₂ into useful fuels and chemicals. But doing both steps at once, in a cost-efficient and scalable way, has been difficult.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Pollution Persists in the Florida Everglades Despite 40-Year Restoration Effort, Report Says
The river of grass is not on track to meet a new water quality standard, according to the report. The state says recent data show the pollution is nearly within limits.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Platinum-free catalyst splits hydrogen from water for energy, running 1,000 hours at industry standards
Using a renewable energy source has multiple benefits, including reducing harmful emissions and dependence on fossil fuels while increasing efficiency. But many renewable energy sources have a higher cost than fossil fuels due to the materials needed to make them usable, such as platinum group metals (PGMs), and the high cost of storage.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Saving coral reefs will require ruthless selection over generations to beat future heat waves
Now a study published in Current Biology explores whether host-assisted evolution, which aims to accelerate natural adaptation rates of corals, could help them survive future heat waves and what it would take to achieve required tolerance gains.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Smart irrigation rules could cut water use and raise farm profits
As water supplies shrink and food demand grows, new interdisciplinary research from the University of Nebraska--Lincoln offers a practical way for farmers to manage irrigation more efficiently while protecting their bottom line. Their paper, "Dynamic Irrigation Management Under Weather Uncertainty and Soil Heterogeneity" is published in the journal Manufacturing and Service Operations Management.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Surface-draped fiber captured plane's flight details at Nevada airfield
Originally deployed to record re-entry signals of the OSIRIS-REx return capsule, a T-shaped fiber optic cable draped across the ground at a Nevada airfield also captured unique aspects of a Cessna 172's speed and maneuvering.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

The Colorado River disappeared from the geological record for 5 million years: Scientists now know where it went
Geologists have solved the mystery of the disappearance from the geological record, millions of years ago, of one of North America's most important waterways: the Colorado River. A paper published in Science shows that the river flowed into an upstream lake over the course of a few million years, then likely flowed for the first time into the Grand Canyon. The moment marked the Colorado River's transition to a continental-scale river as it made its way down to the Gulf of California.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

The impact of all New Zealand's power sources from cradle to grave
A first national-scale study on the lifetime impact of New Zealand's electricity, transport, and heat sources shows road transport is a "prime target" for electrification. Scientists looked at how 15 energy sources affect things like global warming potential, resource scarcity, and cancer-causing toxicity.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

The fusion pivot: Helion CEO David Kirtley's journey from starships to sustainable star power
As a University of Michigan engineering student, Kirtley was captivated by fusion power — the atom-smashing reactions that fuel the sun and stars and generate most of the energy in the universe. Trouble was, the academia-related fusion technologies he studied in the early-to-mid 2000s were decades from commercial applications. His fusion dreams went on hold.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

To Battle Climate Change, a Baltimore Church Turns to Nature
Rising sea levels and aging infrastructure pose serious flood risks for the coastal city. Efforts by Faith Presbyterian Church and other congregations could help stem the tide.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Turning plant waste into nanocellulose and biocomposites for sustainable space missions
The completed BioSTEP project demonstrated how plant biomass and packaging waste can be converted into nanocellulose and biocomposites for future Moon and Mars missions.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

UN office's recovery plan advances flood relief efforts in Pakistan
On the evening of July 6, 2025, a glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) surged through the village of Hassanabad in Pakistan's Hunza Valley, destroying houses and irrigation systems. Triggered by the rapid melting of the Shisper Glacier, the flash flood forced villagers to evacuate and also damaged the local water supply system.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

Zen Buddhist retreats offer space for people to process climate grief
Priest Kritee Kanko helps people express their feelings rather than pushing them away.
April 17th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 14th, 2026

Chemical Threats Nearby? Trump's EPA Doesn't Want You to Know.
Climate change is making the risk of disastrous chemical accidents more likely. But the EPA wants to gut recently enhanced safety requirements for hazardous facilities.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

China Clean Tech and the Gulf Energy Shock
Higher oil and fuel costs are pushing APAC buyers to move faster on solar, batteries, and EVs, but China's clean-tech dominance creates a new dependency risk.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Computational 'time machine' shows solar and wind power on track for 2°C target, but not for 1.5°C
Wind and solar power have grown faster than almost anyone predicted, but projecting their future expansion remains surprisingly difficult. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed what they call a computational "time machine"—a model that outperforms existing projection methods by using AI techniques to analyze historical growth patterns across countries. Their central projection shows that onshore wind is likely to supply around 25% of global electricity by 2050, with solar reaching about 20%.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Four weeks of 'safe' low-level PFAS exposure in tap water altered embryo development in mice
An Adelaide University study has revealed that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in tap water, at levels currently considered safe, affected the development of embryos, causing irreversible damage that may be passed on to future generations. The researchers examined the effects of tap water on female mice following daily consumption for four weeks or six months. The results, published in Environmental Research, showed exposure to PFAS chemicals, even in trace amounts, disrupts female fertility, causing cellular damage to ovulated eggs and embryos.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Hazy, hot and... shady? How street trees counteract air pollution and heat in American cities
It's a catchy tune, but The Lovin Spoonful's "Summer in the City" doesn't paint the picture of an appealing environment with its description of a sidewalk as "hotter than a match head." New research from Northeastern University may offer relief from those conditions, however, finding that extreme heat and air pollution don't necessarily go hand in hand when the concrete jungle is made a little more green.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Hospitals are rethinking laughing gas. Here's why.
The anesthetic is a potent climate pollutant.
April 14th, 2026 — Source or Source

Inertia moves to commercialize one of the world's most elaborate science experiments
Fusion power startup Inertia Enterprises said on Tuesday that it has signed three agreements with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to help bring the laser-based fusion reactor pioneered at the Californian lab to market.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Japan finds a way to recover 90% of lithium from old EV batteries
A step in the way of self-sustenance
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Logged forests burn more severely than old growth, Tasmanian study finds
Tasmania's logged forests burn significantly more severely in a bushfire than old growth, University of Tasmania scientists have found in a study that provides the strongest evidence yet on a question with real consequences for how the state manages its forests. The research team, led by Professor David Bowman from the University of Tasmania's Fire Center, seized on a natural experiment when the 2019 Riveaux Road fire swept through the Huon Valley.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Norway Reopens Annual Whale Hunt Despite Pressure to End Commercial Whaling
As demand for whale meat declines at home, Norway exports it to Japan, markets it to tourists and sells it online as dog food.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Researchers unveil new AI-driven system set to transform coral reef restoration
UK researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind bespoke AI system designed to assess coral health and detect early stress, helping to prevent restoration projects from failing. Led by PhD research student at the University of Derby, Nicole Yeomans, and marine scientist Professor Michael Sweet at the University of Derby, the system, named BlueBiome, is reimagining coral reef care by applying the same principles of preventive, precision health commonly used in human gut health.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Room to Roam
Animals roam the Earth to mate, to hunt, to spread seeds and to participate in myriad processes that help sustain life. But what happens when their migration routes are impeded?
April 14th, 2026 — Source or Watch Video

Scientists make Parkinson's drug from plastic in world first
It's easy to see discarded plastic as nothing more than waste. Much of it ends up in landfill, breaking down into microplastics that seep into water supplies and threaten the environment, and potentially human health. But what if the same plastic waste could instead be transformed into life-saving medicines?
April 14th, 2026 — Source

The problem with cars in six books
A special selection of books to help you learn everything you need to know about cars and climate change
April 14th, 2026 — Source

Why "Mini" Nuclear Reactors Might Not Fix Our Climate Crisis
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are often presented as a promising innovation in the quest for low-carbon energy, but their potential impact remains a subject of debate. These reactors, capable of generating up to 300 megawatts of electricity per unit, are designed for modular construction and factory production, which could reduce costs and streamline deployment compared to traditional nuclear plants. However, as Just Have a Think explores, SMRs face significant hurdles, including the high costs of advanced fuels like high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and the challenge of scaling production to achieve meaningful economic benefits.
April 14th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 13th, 2026

Air quality sensors reveal pollution hot spots
The Hispanic Access Foundation found that in several Latino communities, particulate pollution exceeded federal standards.
April 13th, 2026 — Source

Cacti fungal endophytes may help cacao tolerate drought
Beans of the cacao plant, Theobroma cacao, are used in chocolates, pharmaceuticals and other products, but they're under threat. Increased drought associated with climate change has already begun to stress cacao-growing regions of Colombia and other countries, and models predict it will get worse.
April 13th, 2026 — Source

From river stain to your cup of tea: The secret world of tannins
While stopped in heavy Melbourne traffic recently, I noticed that what looked like a shadow under a row of spotted gums (Corymbia maculata) along a major road was actually a stain on the concrete curb.
April 13th, 2026 — Source

Global warming is changing the hatching of bees and wasps
A large-scale experiment shows that warmth brings bees and wasps out of hibernation earlier—leaving some of them with poorer starting conditions. This is particularly true for species in cooler regions that emerge during spring.
April 13th, 2026 — Source

Greece's ancient sites get climate-change checkup
Worsening wildfires, soaring heat waves and rising water levels have prompted Greek officials to take a closer look at protecting priceless archaeological sites that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
April 13th, 2026 — Source

Scientists unveil breakthrough tool that could help stop the world's third‑biggest driver of deforestation
Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, World Forest ID, University of Sheffield and international collaborators have developed a new technique that can identify where soybeans—the third largest driver of tropical deforestation—are grown to within roughly 200 kilometers, a breakthrough that could transform efforts to stop deforestation linked to global food supply chains.
April 13th, 2026 — Source

The 2026 men's World Cup could be the dirtiest ever
The sprawling North American tournament could generate 9 million metric tons of climate-warming pollution, a report found.
April 13th, 2026 — Source

The peatland 'nurseries' of Peru give new insights for conservation
New research from the University of St Andrews has shown that an important group of peatlands in the western Amazonia region of Peru developed more recently than many other peatlands in the tropics. Published in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, the study analyzed more than 150 new and previously published radiocarbon dates from peats from the Pastaza-Marañón Basin in northern Peru. This is the largest known peatland complex in Amazonia, covering an area about the size of Belgium.
April 13th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 12th, 2026

A Hunger Strike Ends, but an 'Unreasonable' Woman's Battle Against Corporate Polluters Marches On
Four decades into her crusade against Texas petrochemical plants, a retired shrimper remains determined to fight Dow, the largest chemical company in America.
April 12th, 2026 — Source

The Extraordinary Sensory Worlds of Animals
An interview with author Ed Yong.
April 12th, 2026 — Source or Watch Video

General — Environment — April 9th, 2026

A 1.9 billion-year-old bedrock will soon house the world's first permanent nuclear waste site
With the push of a button, the elevator descends hundreds of meters in seconds into the dark depths of Onkalo.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

AI and machine learning offer new framework for managing urban plastic waste
A new AI-enhanced framework combines machine learning validation with life-cycle assessment to cut plastic waste emissions by up to 96.3% in urban settings.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Antidepressants build up in winter wastewater, raising risks for fish
Every time we flush the toilet, wastewater containing more than tens of thousands of unknown substances, some of which may be toxic to animals and plants, runs into streams and the marine environment. In a study published in Science of The Total Environment, a team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen investigated what happens to antidepressant medication on its journey from our bodies into the wastewater system, and finally into the natural environment.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Bills to Protect Ratepayers From Data Centers Fail in Georgia Legislature
Lawmakers adjourned without passing a single measure addressing data center expansion, tax breaks or consumer protections.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Could we actually terraform Mars? A new scientific roadmap lays out the blueprint—and the risks
Reading the "Mars Trilogy" by Kim Stanley Robinson brings the benefits and pitfalls of efforts to terraform the red planet into sharp relief. Since the 1970s, when Carl Sagan first suggested the possibility that we could make Mars more Earth-like, that process has been a staple of science fiction. But there's always been a significant amount of humanity that thinks we shouldn't. A new paper posted to the arXiv preprint server by Edwin Kite of the University of Chicago and his co-authors skirts around the ethical and moral questions of whether we should and tries to take a long, hard look at whether we can.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Deadly heat thresholds have already being crossed in six recent heat waves, study shows
Deadly heat wave events are occurring at temperatures and humidity levels previously thought to be survivable, according to a new paper by a team of international researchers, including from The Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Sydney. The research is published in the journal Nature Communications.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Decoy molecules trick soil bacteria into attacking persistent pollutants without genetic engineering
In a study published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Nagoya University researchers demonstrated that native soil bacteria, when treated with decoy molecules, can degrade non-native compounds, including persistent pollutants such as dioxins, without genetic modification. "In other words, we can effectively give these bacteria capabilities they do not naturally have, while keeping them in their original state," said Professor Osami Shoji, the study's lead author.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Designing cities: Should we build from scratch or keep history alive?
Cities are often described as living archives of human memory. Walk through an old neighborhood in an Islamic city like Fez in Morocco or Cairo in Egypt, and you can see layers of history in its streets and buildings. Traces of the past remain visible in everyday life.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Emperor penguins listed as endangered species: IUCN
The emperor penguin has been declared an endangered species as climate change pushes the icon of Antarctica a step closer to extinction, the global authority on threatened wildlife announced on Thursday.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Forecasters predict a slightly below-average 2026 Atlantic hurricane season
Colorado State University's hurricane forecasting team is expecting El Niño to bring a slightly below-average season with 13 named storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Four sperm whale strandings point to potential human causes
Four sperm whales that stranded separately on southeastern U.S. coastlines between 2020--22 were emaciated and malnourished, with ingested fishing gear and marine debris found in two of them, according to a new study that compared the four cases. The investigations, intended to better understand the causes behind whale deaths and to inform future marine mammal management decisions, were reported in a study published in the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Hidden ocean feedback loop could accelerate climate change
The world's oceans may be quietly amplifying climate change in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. In a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, University of Rochester scientists—including Thomas Weber, an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and graduate student Shengyu Wang and postdoctoral research associate Hairong Xu in Weber's lab—uncovered a key mechanism behind methane production in the open ocean. Their research indicates that this mechanism could intensify as the planet warms, providing an alarming feedback loop for global warming.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

High levels of forever chemicals found in Svalbard reindeer
Svalbard reindeer live in a place so remote they have actually evolved to become a subspecies. But that remoteness isn't enough to protect them from contaminants from the industrial world.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

How AI's language barrier limits climate disaster responses
A message appears online during heavy flooding: "This rain no be small o, everywhere don red." Someone unfamiliar with the phrasing might hesitate. But for people in Nigeria, this message is immediate and clear: the flooding is severe and worsening.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

How an internal plant 'thermostat' guides root growth in unpredictable temperatures
Plants can't move to escape the heat like humans can; they are forced to adapt. As temperatures fluctuate, one key survival strategy is the ability of roots to keep growing, allowing plants to access water and nutrients farther away in the soil. But how do plants sense temperature and translate it into growth? Salk Institute scientists have uncovered a new answer in a familiar plant hormone: auxin.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

How 'right to charge' laws make it easier to own an EV
The laws override HOA and condo board rules that restrict residents from installing EV chargers.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Hydroxyl radicals in UV-exposed water reveal surprising reaction pathway
How do radicals form in aqueous solutions when exposed to UV light? This question is important for health research and environmental protection. For example, with regard to the overfertilization of water bodies by intensive agriculture. A team at BESSY II has now developed a new method of investigating hydroxyl radicals in solution. By using a clever trick, the scientists gained surprising insights into the reaction pathway.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Iran Energy Shock Tests Limits of Trump's Vision of US Energy Dominance
Consumers remain vulnerable to price spikes despite record domestic oil and gas production. But experts doubt the crisis will boost clean energy, absent strong policy.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

John Deere will pay farmers $99 million over right-to-repair lawsuit
It also agreed to provide farmers with access to repair materials for a period of 10 years.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Keeping roads and train lines open during India's monsoon floods
Seasonal monsoon rains in India turn crops lush and fill essential water reservoirs. They can also cause roads to flood and bring train travel to a standstill, impacting the economic heartbeat of cities and towns.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

March smashes heat records for continental US
March's persistent unseasonable heat was so intense that the continental United States registered its most abnormally hot month in 132 years of records, according to federal weather data. And the next year or so looks to turn the dial up on global warmth even more, as some forecasts predict a brewing El Niño will reach superstrength.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

New Hampshire ski industry concerned about climate change
New research out of the University of New Hampshire reveals that the majority of New Hampshire ski industry professionals are concerned about the effects of global warming on the ski industry, which generates close to $278.8 million each season in the Granite State, and believe more should be done. The study released by UNH's Carsey School of Public Policy shows that this shared unease suggests a readiness to adopt sustainable practices and advocate for industry-wide adaptations.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Northeast farmers could profit from grass-fed beef if they expand, join forces
New York State and New England have optimal conditions for grass-fed beef production—with an abundance of pasturelands and forage—but higher production costs have made farmers wary of expanding operations. In a new analysis, published in Agricultural Systems, researchers find that grass-fed beef can compete with grain-fed beef in the region, even given those higher costs and prices for consumers—particularly if operations are scaled up, either through larger farms or farm cooperatives, which could drop production costs and prices by 24%.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Ocean protections clash with mining pressure in Indonesia's most diverse marine ecosystem
There is an explosion of color beneath the surface in Raja Ampat, a remote archipelago in eastern Indonesia where sharks, mantas and sea turtles glide alongside vast schools of fish through sea fan coral formations, some of which are only found in its waters.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Plant-inspired water membrane filters CO² with constant selectivity and adjustable permeance
Gas separation membranes are vital for carbon capture, biogas upgrading, and hydrogen purification, all of which require the separation of carbon dioxide from gases like nitrogen, methane and hydrogen. However, the membranes currently in use for these applications suffer from limitations like low throughput or performance under high pressure and humidity, low gas flow, instability, and reaction rate limits.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Radify's sci-fi plasma reactors could break China's dominance of rare-earth elements
Rare-earth elements might represent small slivers of the global metals market, but they're big sticks on the geopolitical stage, where China wields its considerable heft as a bargaining chip during trade disputes.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Researchers develop AI-driven air quality monitoring system
Johannesburg's air quality has never really been measured systematically. Like many other cities across the globe, scientists have battled to develop cost-effective monitoring systems that provide accurate real-time data on air pollution. This is all about to change, thanks to some home-grown tech and the power of AI.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 is critical to avoid disastrous effects on human well-being, researchers warn
Halting and reversing the global decline in biodiversity is now urgent to avoid destabilizing Earth's vital systems that support human well-being. That's the stark message of a new paper published today in Frontiers in Science. The authors warn that without protecting remaining intact biomes and ecosystems, climate and development goals will be impossible to achieve.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Rock bonding changes understanding of earthquake mechanics
When tectonic plates move, they rarely do so smoothly. Sometimes they slide almost imperceptibly; at other times, stress is suddenly released—resulting in an earthquake. What exactly governs this behavior remains one of the key open questions in earthquake research.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Scientists unveil breakthrough tool that could help stop the world's third‑biggest driver of deforestation
Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, World Forest ID, University of Sheffield and international collaborators have developed a new technique that can identify where soybeans—the third largest driver of tropical deforestation—are grown to within roughly 200 kilometers, a breakthrough that could transform efforts to stop deforestation linked to global food supply chains.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Severe Exposure to 'Forever Chemicals' During Pregnancy Could Lead to Childhood Asthma
A new Swedish study focuses on very high levels of PFAS exposure in drinking water.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Simple vineyard growing practice impacts soil microbiome deep below surface
Pennsylvania is the fourth-largest wine producer in the United States, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The industry supports nearly 11,000 jobs and directly contributes $1.77 billion to the state economy annually. In an effort to produce more and better grapes at a lower cost and with less environmental impact, vineyard growers have increasingly planted grass between rows of vines. These groundcovers root shallowly, but can benefit vineyard soils and reduce the need for herbicide applications.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

States are struggling to meet their clean energy goals. Data centers are to blame
Nevada's largest utility says it will need three times the electricity required to power Las Vegas just to handle proposed data centers—and it probably can't do that without fossil fuels.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

The role of graphene in photocatalytic composites revealed by theoretical modelling
Study reveals defects in graphene enable covalent bonding with TiO2, creating hybrid states that boost charge transfer and cut recombination, enhancing photocatalytic performance.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

The world just had its second-warmest March on record
Arctic sea ice had its lowest seasonal maximum and lowest March extent on record.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Tiny plankton have big impact on harmful algal bloom predictions, data reveal
As climate change intensifies harmful algal blooms worldwide, an international team led by Hiroshima University has developed a hybrid modeling approach that combines algal movement simulations, AI, and long-term monitoring data to sharpen forecasts of these bloom events—linked to environmental damage, mass fish die-offs, economic losses, and risks to human health.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Traveling tropical disturbance increases rainfall across the Hawaiian Islands
A new study by researchers at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa revealed that the Madden--Julian Oscillation (MJO), a large-scale tropical disturbance that travels eastward through the tropics every 30--60 days, significantly influences climate conditions in Hawai'i. Their research, published recently in the Journal of Hydrometeorology, showed that during active MJO phases, rainfall increases across the islands, especially on windward slopes. In contrast, suppressed MJO phases tend to produce drier conditions.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Volcanic rock formula cuts cement emissions by two-thirds
Researchers have developed a volcanic rock formula that cuts carbon emissions by 67%, potentially offering an affordable alternative to increasingly scarce cement additives.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Unlocking the hidden metabolism of algae to advance the promise of renewable fuels and sustainable biomass
Researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center have solved a long-standing mystery of how a model green microalga reorganizes its central metabolism to supercharge growth when given access to both light and a carbon source—a finding with broad implications for developing algae as a sustainable source of renewable fuels, bioproducts, and biomass.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Unpacking Trump's Use of Emergency Powers to Prop Up Coal
A World War II-era policy is stopping old coal plants from closing, despite high costs and the wishes of their owners.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

Why treelines don't simply rise with the climate
A global study by the University of Basel, Switzerland, reveals a surprising picture: While 42% of treelines worldwide are shifting upslope, 25% are retreating. This seemingly contradictory trend involves more than just warming. Climate change and human land use are interacting.
April 9th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 8th, 2026

A roadmap for atomic force microscopy use in next-generation semiconductor and energy materials research
For smartphones and computers to become smaller and faster, technologies capable of precisely controlling electrical properties at the nanoscale—beyond what is visible to the naked eye—are essential. In particular, ferroelectric materials, which can maintain their electrical state without external power, are gaining attention as key components for next-generation memory and sensor technologies. However, due to their extremely small size, there have been limitations in precisely observing the internal changes occurring within these materials.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

A volcanic medley near Mammoth Lakes
Take a tour through volcanic history on the edge of the Sierra Nevada near Mammoth Lakes, California. Between the tall granite peaks to the west and the Basin and Range province to the east, overlapping volcanic complexes imprint the landscape with a collection of craters, cones, and calderas.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

Atmospheric dust gives plants nutrients through their leaves, study finds
Research in New Phytologist shows that plants can acquire nutrients not only from the soil but also from atmospheric dust that settles and dissolves on their leaves, releasing elements such as phosphorus and iron.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

Climate shock effects persist for generations, fruit fly study shows
A new paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution, published by Oxford University Press, finds that changes in animal development induced by climate shock persist generations after the initial event. The escalating effects of climate change are likely to, in effect, speed up evolution.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

Heat from traffic is contributing to rises in city temperatures, study finds
Scientists at The University of Manchester have developed a new way to measure how traffic contributes to rising urban temperatures, revealing that everyday vehicle use can play a measurable role in making cities warmer. The researchers created a new physics-based module that allows heat produced by urban traffic to be represented directly within the Community Earth System Model (CESM)—one of the world's most widely used global climate models for predicting how Earth's climate behaves.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

How energy codes shape comfort and costs at home
Eric Fowler of Fresh Energy in Minnesota says stronger standards can lower bills and improve safety during outages.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

Research examines economic patterns linked to local renewable energy restrictions in Indiana
A new policy brief from Ball State University's Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) examines how county-level restrictions on utility-scale wind and solar development in Indiana are associated with employment, gross domestic product, and local public revenue.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

Silver nanowire electrodes achieve 86% efficiency in CO2 to ethylene conversion
A three-layer electrode using silver nanowire networks as both conductors and catalysts achieved 86% selectivity for converting CO2 into multi-carbon products.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

Under Trump, the Department of Agriculture Has Ditched Conservation and Climate Efforts
An Inside Climate News analysis found the department lost 21 percent of its workforce in 2025. Those cuts have thrown it into disarray.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

Why doesn't the US recycle more plastic? Study points to lack of access
A new University at Buffalo study finds that people in the United States generate similar amounts of plastic packaging waste regardless of income, education level or where they live. Yet wealthier and more college-educated communities are much more likely to recycle soda bottles, takeout containers and other plastic packaging. Why? It's complicated, but the study, published in Communications Sustainability, suggests that unequal access to recycling infrastructure plays a key role.
April 8th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 6th, 2026

A Church's Geothermal Experiment Could Pave the Way for Projects Across New York
High costs, crowding and less-than-ideal land conditions make geothermal installations in downstate New York difficult—but not impossible.
April 6th, 2026 — Source

A secret odorant code patches a problematic relationship between pollinators and flowers
A plant uses a rare scent to guide its pollinator to male flowers first and to female flowers later, finds a study led by Kobe University. The work, appearing in Current Biology, uncovers a precise chemical system that not only keeps this partnership specific but also helps ensure it remains beneficial to both parties.
April 6th, 2026 — Source

High-entropy design achieves 3-fold increase in hydrogen production
While mixing materials typically leads to instability, there exists a phenomenon known as high entropy, where increasing compositional complexity can actually enhance stability. KAIST researchers have leveraged this principle to enable faster proton transport and more efficient reactions within electrochemical cells, developing a technology that significantly improves hydrogen production efficiency. This breakthrough is expected to reduce hydrogen costs and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
April 6th, 2026 — Source

How a common herbicide affects honeybee brains and behavior
Cultivating flowering plants for pollinator gardens, commercial farms, or home landscapes often relies on the use of herbicides to manage unwanted weeds. Honeybees are attracted to these locations and play a critical role in their success. So what happens when foraging bees pick up a dose of weedkiller?
April 6th, 2026 — Source

Longer wildfire seasons pose an increasing threat for species under climate change
Wildfires are becoming more frequent and are ravaging new parts of the world due to global warming. A study led by researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that this change is increasing the vulnerability of thousands of plants, animals and fungi.
April 6th, 2026 — Source

Researchers expose fossil fuel companies' communications facade
Fossil fuel companies say that they want to be on the front lines of renewable energy, with advertisements, social media, and even their own shareholder corporate reports espousing their commitment to green energy and combating climate change. However, research out of Northeastern University says otherwise.
April 6th, 2026 — Source

Researchers turn recovered car battery acid and plastic waste into clean hydrogen
Researchers have developed a solar-powered reactor to break down hard-to-recycle forms of plastic waste using acid recovered from old car batteries, and converting it into clean hydrogen fuel and valuable industrial chemicals.
April 6th, 2026 — Source

Robotic floats uncover hidden ocean chemistry in low-oxygen zones
Scientists have found a new way to detect subtle chemical signatures in seawater, revealing previously invisible details about the ocean's chemistry from data continuously collected by thousands of autonomous robotic floats drifting across the seas.
April 6th, 2026 — Source

Solar reactor uses old battery acid to turn plastic waste into clean hydrogen
Researchers have developed a solar-powered reactor to break down hard-to-recycle forms of plastic waste—such as drink bottles, nylon textiles and polyurethane foams—using acid recovered from old car batteries, and converting it into clean hydrogen fuel and valuable industrial chemicals
April 6th, 2026 — Source

Three Himalayan predators coexist by partitioning prey, reducing direct competition
Snow leopards, leopards, and Himalayan wolves all share similar stomping grounds in Nepal's Lapchi Valley in the Himalayas. A recent study, published in PLOS One, has taken a closer look at how these apex predators have found a way to coexist, despite limited resources.
April 6th, 2026 — Source

World's largest battery maker is taking EV tech to the seas
CATL is adapting its battery systems for ships, betting on electrification as the next frontier beyond road transport
April 6th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 3rd, 2026

3D root model captures mangroves' capacity to protect coastal communities from storm waves
Mangrove forests are natural wonders that protect coastal areas, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. They are able to dissipate wave energy and limit flooding, which can even mitigate tsunamis and coastal inundations during tropical cyclones. For this reason, mangroves are attracting attention as Nature-based Solutions, or NbS: natural infrastructure with the potential to enhance coastal resilience in an environmentally friendly way.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

A tiny detector for microwave photons could advance quantum tech
Detecting a single particle of light is hard; detecting a single microwave photon is even harder. Microwave photons, the tiny packets of electromagnetic radiation used in current technologies like Wi-Fi and radar, carry far less energy than visible light. They are about 100,000 times weaker than optical photons.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

AI companies are building huge natural gas plants to power data centers. What could go wrong?
Who doesn't love a good round of FOMO? From dot-com to Web 2.0, virtual reality to blockchain, the tech industry has had its share of being too afraid to miss out on a trend.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Blood clots, burning eyes: Pollution chokes north Thailand
After hours spent in the thick pollution-choking parts of northern Thailand, Pon Doikam gets home and blows her burning nose to find blood clots spattered across the tissue.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Can unpaved roads and watersheds co-exist? Researchers wade into the question
Imagine a dump truck dropping 13 tons of dirt into the waters of Brush Creek, a waterway that feeds northwest Arkansas' primary drinking water source, Beaver Lake. That's how much soil and sediment researchers measured going into the stream as runoff due to a single large storm event.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Critics Call the Poultry Farming System Rigged. Craig Watts Is Fighting to Overturn It.
As Watts' legal battle drags on, the Trump administration moves to delay a Biden-era rule designed to reform how farmers get paid.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Domino polymerization provides a new route to versatile, degradable plastics
Plastic, once ingenious for its durability and versatility, has become a global environmental issue that is affecting every aspect of life. This, in turn, is fueling the development of degradable polymers as alternative solutions. Among contending the possibilities are poly(disulfide)s, which have garnered attention as redox-degradable polymers with various polymerization techniques that can break down in reductive environments, such as the seafloor. However, according to the specific objective, it is necessary to design and synthesize each monomer to control polymer properties and impart functionality.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

EPA Flags Microplastics as 'Priority' Water Contaminants, but the Move Doesn't Guarantee Regulation
Inclusion on the agency's draft Contaminant Candidate List doesn't require the EPA to monitor or set limits on microplastics in drinking water.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Florida Power & Light Profit Margins Top Other Utilities' Nationwide, Report Says
Utility profit margins are one reason why electricity bills are rising, the report says. Advocates say low-income communities are hardest-hit by the costs.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Maui Mental Health Providers Face Stress and Uncertainty About State Jobs
Staff at a state-run clinic serving wildfire survivors in Hawaii have waited months for permanent jobs. Instead, they got another temporary contract.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Seed banks may complicate gene drives aimed at controlling weeds
Gene drives—a genetic engineering approach that quickly spreads specific genetic changes throughout a population, whether to kill it off or add a new trait—may have potential for controlling weeds. But so far, gene drives have primarily been studied in mosquitoes, and have yet to be deployed in the real world.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Spain rethinks how to turn tide against beach erosion
Every winter, storms wipe out swaths of the picturesque Spanish coast, undoing summer reconstruction work and threatening the foundations of the country's vital tourism industry.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

The 2026 Southwest U.S. heat wave was one of the six most astonishing weather events of the century
From the Pacific Northwest to Antarctica, it's extraordinary warmth that's punching through climate norms with the most force.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

Virginia Republicans Want Tax Relief to Ease Gas Costs. There's Also Electric Vehicles.
Years of debate on electric vehicles in Virginia have slowed the transition, now under full Democratic control.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

What's the cheapest way to make electricity at scale? The answer may surprise you.
This source is now the most cost-effective nearly everywhere in the world.
April 3rd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 2nd, 2026

AI system can predict seasonal droughts
Researchers at the Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA) at the Universitat Politècnica de València have developed an advanced system for seasonal forecasting of meteorological droughts that enables these events to be predicted up to six months in advance, providing a key tool for water management and early warning in semi-arid regions, such as the Júcar river basin.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Current connection: Scientists detail how shifts in the Atlantic Ocean impacted the Alaskan climate 13,000 years ago
Some newly published findings from an Idaho State University professor and his colleagues point out how changes to currents an ocean away can impact climates on the other side of the globe. The new paper published in Nature Communications explains how Bruce Finney, professor in the departments of biological sciences and geosciences at ISU, and his collaborators, Lesleigh Anderson, research geologist with the United States Geological Survey, and W. Brad Baxter, Idaho State alum, came to understand how shifts in currents in the Atlantic Ocean led the climate of Alaska to cool, especially in winter, roughly 13,000 years ago.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Deep mantle deformation is linked to subducted slabs, global map shows
Slow roiling convection currents deep within Earth's mantle, which are associated with the movements of tectonic plates, also deform the material of the mantle itself. Now, a new study in The Seismic Record confirms that much of this deformation in the lowest level of the mantle occurs where researchers think there may be deeply subducted tectonic slabs.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Earth's magnetic field went wild 600 million years ago and scientists finally know why
Hundreds of millions of years ago, Earth's magnetic field behaved in a way that has long baffled scientists, showing wild and seemingly chaotic shifts unlike anything seen before or since. A new study suggests this chaos may actually hide a deeper pattern: instead of random fluctuations, the magnetic field may have followed a global, organized structure.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Engineered tobacco plant can produce five psychedelics, including psilocybin and DMT
Compounds in psychedelic drugs like DMT, psilocybin, and psilocin are naturally produced in certain plants, fungi, and animals, and have a long history of use in spiritual and therapeutic contexts. Now, a considerable amount of research is going into determining how these compounds can be translated into a therapeutic context for several mental health conditions. But to do this, researchers need to find a more sustainable way to source these compounds, as current methods raise ecological and ethical concerns.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

EPA moves to designate microplastics and pharmaceuticals as contaminants in drinking water
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed Thursday to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals on a list of contaminants in drinking water for the first time, a step that could lead to new limits on those substances for water utilities.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

From kelp pots to kilns: UW's CoMotion Labs reveals 8 startups joining its newest climate cohort
The University of Washington's CoMotion Labs has selected the second cohort of startups for its Climate Tech Incubator. The founders are tackling wide-ranging sustainability challenges including boosting EV adoption, reducing plastic use, supporting local food and beverage production, and developing smart climate strategies for cities.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Georgia's New Public Service Commissioner Says She Will Put Affordability and Transparency First
Alicia Johnson, the first Black woman ever elected to statewide office in Georgia, discusses rate hikes, transparency and her priorities for the Georgia Public Service Commission.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

How can science support and enable the High Seas Treaty?
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement—often known as the High Seas Treaty—came into force in January 2026 following almost two decades of negotiations. Its key objectives are the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas that lie outside any single country's jurisdiction, remote areas that make up roughly two-thirds of the global ocean—areas that remain largely unexplored but hold as yet unquantified levels of valuable biodiversity and resources.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Illinois program expands access to clean energy careers
The Climate Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program offers paid training and support services to help residents enter the building trades.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Male fish lose their learning edge in drug-polluted waters, research reveals
A common antidepressant detected in rivers and streams worldwide is disrupting how fish learn, and the impact is strikingly one-sided. New research led by Monash University shows the drug amitriptyline impairs spatial learning in wild fish, but only in males. Females remain unaffected.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Microscopic coils and coffee trees lead to new fungal discovery
Yunnan Province in southwestern China is a global biodiversity hotspot, accommodating an incredible variety of plants and animals. It is also the heart of China's coffee industry, with Yunnan accounting for almost all of the country's coffee production. However, coffee plants are very common hosts for many types of fungi, which can act as harmful diseases, harmless residents, or natural recyclers—these factors can impact the plant's health and how much coffee it produces.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Ocean Discovery League launches global strategy to double deep seafloor observations
Ocean Discovery League (ODL) has launched the Global Deep Sea Exploration Goals, an ambitious international effort to visually explore 10,000 strategically selected locations across the deep seafloor. When completed, this initiative will nearly double the number of unique seafloor locations ever visually observed and produce the first globally representative visual dataset of the deep ocean floor.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Omics consortium established to supercharge climate-adapted wheat breeding
Adelaide University is leading the international Wheat Spatial Omics Consortium (WSOC) of more than 30 institutions in nine countries, which will explore how collaborative research in spatial omics technologies could improve wheat performance for growers.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Renewables dominate 2025's newly installed generating capacity
And solar power accounted for about three quarters of the renewables.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Spectacular fossil treasure trove pushes back origins of complex animals
A newly discovered fossil site in southwest China has transformed our understanding of how complex animal life emerged on Earth, revealing that many key animal groups had already evolved before the start of the Cambrian Period. The study, led by researchers at Oxford University's Museum of Natural History and Department of Earth Sciences as well as Yunnan University in China, has been published in Science.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

UV light method offers repeat recycling for acrylic plastics without the environmental cost
A breakthrough method for chemically recycling acrylic—one of the world's most widely used plastics—has been developed by researchers at the University of Bath. In contrast to conventional mechanical recycling, this method uses lower temperatures and sustainable solvents without losing material quality, meaning the plastic can be recycled many times over with minimal environmental impact.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Watering smarter, not more: A modern-day robotic divining rod
Advanced technology can help farmers get to the root of a growing problem—overwatering in an era of increasing drought and water scarcity. A new UC Riverside system can map soil moisture tree by tree, so growers water only where and when it's needed.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

What's cheaper: Fueling your car with gas or electricity?
Here's the answer for every U.S. state.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Which State Leads in Battery Energy Storage? It Depends on How You Measure.
Texas can stake a claim as the new leader. California also has a strong case.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Why Doesn't Texas, the Leader of Onshore Wind Energy, Have Any Offshore?
The embattled resource had high-profile antagonists in Texas before Trump took office.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

Wildfires accelerate winter snowmelt in Oregon's western Cascades, study finds
The Pacific Northwest has seen below-normal snow this season—and new research from Portland State University suggests that the region's snowmelt-dependent water resources could face growing challenges in the years ahead as forest fires and winter rainstorms become more frequent.
April 2nd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — April 1st, 2026

After Chemical Industry Lobbying, EPA Considers Dropping Clean Air Protections for Plastic Waste Recycling
Environmental advocates are bracing for a potential exemption from the Clean Air Act to promote so-called "advanced" or "chemical" recycling through pyrolysis.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

AI trained on turtle poop predicts hurricanes better than any model
The new Google DeepDoodoo seasonal hurricane forecast model reads aquatic feces tea leaves, outperforms the best.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

California neighbors cut carbon together
The EcoBlock project helped 15 homeowners on a single Oakland block get new rooftop solar, heat pumps, and insulation.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

Conflict-driven farmland abandonment in Syria leads to land uplift, study finds
The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, caused widespread population displacement and infrastructure damage. However, it has also led to an unintended environmental effect with notable changes in the country's landscape, according to a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters. Among the concerns are the complex impacts of wars on water resources. These repercussions can be direct, such as wastewater pollution and destruction of water infrastructure, or indirect, including increased deforestation, soil erosion, and abrupt cropland losses.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

How gossiping mushroom networks share your public urination secrets
Psst, have you heard that mushrooms can "gossip" and spread information to their neighbors? Underneath the umbrella-like shapes we see on the forest floor is a hidden underground network that allows mushrooms to communicate. This interconnected network we often overlook—called a mycelial network—is actually the main body of a mushroom.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

How plants fight back against bacteria that promote waterlogging in leaves
Farmers, gardeners, and botanists have long observed that plant diseases tend to flare up during periods of high humidity, particularly after rainfall. Humid conditions help bacteria enter plant leaves, and once inside, certain species create a waterlogged internal environment known as "water-soaking." This dilutes the plant's defenses and essentially turns the leaf into a bacterial incubator. Central to this process is the hormone abscisic acid (ABA), which controls the release of water via tiny leaf pores called stomata.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

Pesticides and cancer: Study reveals the biological mechanisms behind an environmental health risk
A new study, published in Nature Health, reveals a strong link between exposure to agricultural pesticides in the environment and the risk of developing cancer. By combining environmental data, a nationwide cancer registry, and biological analyses, researchers from the IRD, the Institut Pasteur, the University of Toulouse, and the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases (INEN) in Peru have shed new light on the role of pesticide exposure in the development of certain cancers.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Are Talking the Talk on Data Center Regulations. But Will They Walk?
As public opposition to AI data center development ratchets up in Pennsylvania, politicians are promising to protect local communities. Whether the state's fractious politics can deliver is another question.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

Researchers say ecotourism is valuable but cannot decarbonize tourism industry
A new research review published in npj Climate Action counters a recently proposed idea published in Nature Climate Change that ecotourism could serve as a mechanism to decarbonize the tourism industry.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

Scientists open 40-year-old salmon and find a surprising sign of ocean recovery
Old canned salmon turned out to be a time capsule of ocean health. Researchers found that rising levels of tiny parasitic worms in some salmon species suggest stronger, more complete marine food webs. Because these parasites depend on multiple hosts—including marine mammals—their increase may reflect ecosystem recovery over decades. What looks unappetizing may actually be a sign of a healthier ocean.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

Two trillion gallons of water trigger historic flooding in Hawaiʻi
More than 2 trillion gallons of water—enough to fill 3 million Olympic-sized swimming pools—inundated Hawaiʻi in March. The accumulated rainfall over 14 days reached as high as 3,000% of normal historical levels for this time of year, culminating in a destructive "rain bomb" over Oʻahu. Through the University of Hawaiʻi's Hawaiʻi Mesonet and the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal, researchers captured the scale of these back-to-back Kona low systems, mapping localized threats and providing crucial data on the state's severe flooding.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

Warming winters lead to more nitrate pollution in the drinking water near farms
When pollution gets bad enough in the rivers supplying Iowa's largest city with drinking water, it costs Des Moines around $16,000 a day to run a special system to filter out dangerous nitrates. It's a fact of life in the agriculture-dependent state—and climate change is making the water quality problem even worse.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

Wisconsin-sized chunk of Alaskan permafrost is thawing: Geoscientists say climate may never be the same
In a first-of-its-kind study, a team of researchers led by geoscientist Michael Rawlins at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has shown in fine-grained detail what happens when Arctic permafrost thaws. Focusing on a Wisconsin-sized area of Alaska's North Slope containing hundreds of rivers and streams flowing into the Beaufort Sea, the team analyzed 44 years of model data at one-kilometer grid resolution, revealing how massively runoff is increasing, the increased loads of previously frozen carbon flowing through northern Alaska's rivers and how the thawing season has extended into late-summer and fall.
April 1st, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 31st, 2026

A new way to eavesdrop on ocean temperature in the Arctic
New research led by scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography finds that the travel time of underwater sounds moving across the Arctic Ocean can be used to precisely measure ocean temperature under the region's sea ice, providing precious data on temperature variability in a rapidly changing environment that is remote and difficult to access. The technique, known as ocean acoustic thermometry, was originally developed by the late Walter Munk and Peter Worcester at Scripps and Carl Wunsch at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Air pollution alerts deliver big health benefits for Chinese cities
Air pollution alerts issued by authorities in China's cities significantly reduce harmful pollution and save lives, a new study reveals. Publishing their findings in PNAS Nexus, an international research group led by University of Birmingham scientists analyzed five years of data from 57 cities in northern China to assess the impact of alerts
March 31st, 2026 — Source

By 2100, climate change could make unhealthy air routine for 100 million Americans
New modeling shows almost one in three Americans will routinely breathe air considered unhealthy for sensitive people by the year 2100 due to climate change, a seven-fold increase compared to the turn of the century.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Circular economies should work for communities, not against them
The circular economy concept is often thought of as a model to eliminate waste and pollution—but when applied thoughtfully, circular approaches can create jobs, strengthen local economies, improve public health and more, according to new research led by Charles Darwin University (CDU).
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Cow manure digesters really do cut methane—unless they leak
A new study shows that systems designed to capture methane from cow manure, called dairy digesters, are highly effective. But on the rare occasions they fail, the leaks are large enough to offset their climate benefits.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

De-alcoholization tech can help fix bushfire faults in wine
New research has found technology that removes alcohol from wine can be combined with traditional remediation techniques to mitigate smoke taint, minimizing its impact on wine's sensory elements.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Green spaces may help protect unborn babies from the effects of air pollution during pregnancy, review finds
Living near trees and parks may help protect unborn babies from some of the harmful effects of outdoor air pollution during pregnancy, according to a new systematic review from Curtin University. The study, published in Environmental Research, is a critical systematic review to examine whether public health interventions modify how exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme heat during pregnancy affects child health outcomes, including birth outcomes, respiratory conditions and neurodevelopment.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

How Europe can use emissions trading to also manage carbon removals
The emissions trading system launched by the European Union in 2005 could one day also be used to capture CO₂ on a large scale. A new model study quantifies the potential, and outlines that phased integration of removals into the trading system can avoid misguided incentives, while providing industry with planning security for residual emissions that are hard-to-abate.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Into the fungal unknown: New tool maps fungal gene functions without reference genomes
While RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has become a standard tool for profiling which genes are active in an organism, determining the actual biological functions of those genes in fungi remains a significant technical challenge. Most existing software tools are designed to cover a broad range of species, often lacking the specificity required for the unique genetic landscape of fungi. Furthermore, many non-model fungal species lack the high-quality reference genomes that traditional analysis methods rely on.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Judge Rules Alabama Power Can Keep Its Solar Fee, Among the Nation's Highest
Despite a sunny climate, Alabama ranks 49th among U.S. states in residential solar installations—lower than Alaska. Advocates say the steep solar fee is part of the reason why.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Light bends perovskite crystal lattice, opening way to new devices
New types of semiconductor devices that respond to light could be possible using materials called perovskites, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Davis. The work, published in Advanced Materials, shows that halide perovskite crystals reversibly change shape when exposed to light.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Looking to Jesus and Buddha, a Kentucky Passionist Priest Finds Hope Amid an Enveloping Global Environmental Crisis
Father Joe Mitchell works to create a "new story" that recognizes the interconnectedness of people and nature.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Molecular additive boosts silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell efficiency to 32.76%
Solar cells, devices that can convert sunlight into electricity, are among the most promising solutions to source energy without contributing to air pollution. While most commercially available solar cells are based on silicon, energy researchers have been exploring the potential of other materials that could be more affordable and might yield better power conversion efficiencies (PCEs).
March 31st, 2026 — Source

More hedges lead to more insects—even in relatively green agricultural areas
Field margins where hedges have been planted attract twice as many insects as those without hedges. This holds true even in agricultural areas that already contain plenty of natural habitat, according to research published in Basic and Applied Ecology by ecologist Robin Lexmond at Radboud University. Flower strips can also help, but not as much as hedges.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

New index reveals global water resources' growing dependence on extreme rainfall
As global temperatures climb, rainfall patterns are shifting in ways that could put water resources and agriculture under increasing strain, a new study published in Water Resources Research suggests.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Stranded whale frees itself again off German coast
A humpback whale struggling in shallow waters off Germany's northern Baltic Sea coast has freed itself for a third time, a police spokesman told AFP on Tuesday.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Towards smarter agriculture: Durable nanofilm electrodes for monitoring leaf health
Nanofilm electrodes capable of detecting stress in plants through bioelectric potentials could pave the way for more resilient agriculture, report researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo. Thanks to the electrode's small thickness, leaf surface hairs can easily pierce through it, enabling stable and long-term electrical contact without compromising the leaf's natural processes. This work could help improve crop yields by enabling early detection of stress in plants.
March 31st, 2026 — Source or Source

Unlocking designer roots for future cereal crops
A plant signaling gene has been identified as a promising target for breeding cereal crops to produce a steeper, narrower root system architecture, but with associated yield penalties in barley. University of Queensland Ph.D. candidate Richard Dixon said collaborative research with scientists at the Australian National University revealed the gene, known as CEPR1, has a conserved function across multiple grain crops.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Vermont defends its landmark climate superfund law against Trump administration lawsuit
Vermont is defending its first-in-the-nation law that aims to make fossil fuel companies help pay for damage caused by climate change.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change?
We explain in 90 seconds.
March 31st, 2026 — Source

Your 'Widely Recyclable' Starbucks Cup Is Still Trash
"Starbucks wants consumers to think that the cups are recyclable so that consumers will buy lots of them and feel good about themselves."
March 31st, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 24th, 2026

Cauldron Ferm has turned microbes into nonstop assembly lines
Cauldron Ferm has an unlikely origin story, as startups go. Its core technology can be traced back to the 1960s, or maybe the 1970s. The exact start is a bit hazy, actually. What is known is that David and Polly MacLennan had a dream of feeding the world using protein grown from microbes.
March 24th, 2026 — Source

Earth's Greatest Underwater Migrations Are Disappearing
From the Amazon to the Mekong, migratory freshwater fish underpin food security for millions, but over 300 species need urgent conservation intervention, warns a new UN report.
March 24th, 2026 — Source

High school student develops membrane-free filter that removes most microplastics from water
Magnetic filtration could offer a low-cost alternative to traditional water filters
March 24th, 2026 — Source

Retiring farmers find a new way to pass on their land
A national nonprofit helps transfer farmland into community ownership and ensures it will be managed sustainably.
March 24th, 2026 — Source

Scientists found a rhino in the Arctic and it changes everything
Scientists have uncovered a new species of rhinoceros in the Canadian High Arctic, revealing that rhinos once lived far farther north than expected. The fossil, dating back 23 million years, is unusually complete and has helped reshape ideas about how these animals migrated between continents. Evidence suggests rhinos crossed from Europe to North America more recently than scientists once thought.
March 24th, 2026 — Source

Study says roads bring more fires to forests; USDA wants more roads to fight fires
Opponents say the proposed rule would be a giveaway to the timber industry.
March 24th, 2026 — Source

USDA Says It Needs Roads to Fight Remote Wildfires, but a New Study Says Roads Bring More Fire to Forests
Opponents of the move say the Trump administration's push to rescind the Roadless Rule is a giveaway to the timber industry that ignores science and will make wildfires worse.
March 24th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 22nd, 2026

Beavers are turning rivers into powerful carbon sinks
Beavers might be one of nature's most unexpected allies in locking away carbon and fighting climate change.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Courts' Fight Over 'Cop City' Protests Raises Questions About Terrorism Laws and Environmental Activism
A years-long legal fight tied to protests over Atlanta's Public Safety Training Center could shape how states wield terrorism laws against environmental protest movements.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Denmark Learned in 1996 of the U.S. Iceworm Plan Under Greenland
Beneath Greenland's ice sheet lies the remnants of Project Iceworm, a covert Cold War initiative by the United States aimed at constructing a hidden missile base. At the heart of this effort was Camp Century, an experimental facility powered by the PM-2A nuclear reactor, a compact system engineered to function in the harsh Arctic environment. According to Real Engineering, the project was abandoned due to the unpredictable movement of the ice sheet, which caused structural instability. Decades later, the site remains buried, with radioactive waste and other remnants raising environmental concerns as the ice continues to melt.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Fiber-optic sensors reveal how farming destroys soil's natural structure
Soil is often perceived simply as "dirt," but in reality, it is a dynamic, living system that acts as Earth's natural sponge. Unfortunately, common agricultural practices—including deep plowing and the use of heavy machinery—can severely disrupt this natural system, according to a new study led by Dr. Shi Qibin from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with international partners.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Global copper demand outstrips supply, threatening electrification and industrial growth
Demand for copper is surging because of demand from new technologies, but suppliers are struggling to keep up, and they are likely to fall further behind in the coming years, resulting in shortfalls globally. Even though copper prices are at historically high levels, the financial risk involved in mining means that prices will need to go much higher before mining companies see profit in addressing the supply shortage.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Hawaii tests asphalt made with recycled plastics and fishing nets for shedding
Hawaii has a plastic problem. The island state faces economic and logistical challenges in recycling plastic waste, including marine debris that lingers in its ocean waters. Researchers in Hawaii are pioneering a method to recycle the islands' derelict fishing nets and residential plastic trash into asphalt roads. Early demonstrations show that these recycled materials may provide a viable end-of-life fate for the region's garbage.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

How moss could help roads cope with heavy rain and reduce air pollution
Across Europe, many banks alongside motorways are planted with grass to stabilize soil and keep roadside landscapes tidy.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

IKEA released a smart version of its viral Varmblixt donut lamp — I tried it
Will it replace my beloved OG Varmblixt lamp?
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

In the Fight to Defend the Amazon, This Indigenous Community's Secret Weapon Is Science
In the copper-rich mountains of southeastern Ecuador, Shuar people are combining ancestral knowledge and modern science to protect their forest from a Canadian mining giant.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Interior Department in Turmoil
Go behind the scenes with managing editor Jamie Smith Hopkins, data journalist Peter Aldhous and reporter Jake Bolster as they discuss an exclusive ICN analysis of workforce chaos at the Department of the Interior.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source or Watch Video

Mining the deep ocean
Policymakers debate if we even need deep ocean mining and if we can do it safely.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

New metabolic atlas maps how plants take up and process selenium
An estimated 500 million to 1 billion people worldwide are affected by selenium deficiency, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Researchers at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), working with the University of Turin in Italy, have developed a metabolic map describing how plants take up and process selenium. This knowledge could help develop crops with higher selenium levels.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Palm oil, cocoa, coffee... Who's going to tend to tomorrow's large tropical plantations?
Behind basic foodstuffs like palm oil, cocoa, coffee and bananas that are part of our daily diet lies a rarely asked question. Who will agree to work in the fields of the world's large tropical plantations in years to come? Since producing countries gained independence, the sectors that deal with field crop production have relied on a model largely inherited from the colonial period when export crops were produced for global markets, and their profitability long depended on abundant, compliant, and inexpensive labor.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Sea levels around Africa are rising faster than the global average: What's behind this alarming trend
For over three decades, satellites orbiting Earth have measured the height of the ocean surface with remarkable precision. These measurements are crucial because changes in ocean height are one of the clearest indicators of how our planet is responding to climate change. Rising ocean surfaces signal warming temperatures, melting ice, and shifting ocean currents.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Study maps particulate thiols across western North Pacific, tracing them to phytoplankton
In Science of The Total Environment, researchers demonstrate the broad distribution of particulate thiols in the western North Pacific and show that their main source is marine phytoplankton. The analysis indicates that differences in thiol concentrations between ocean areas are significantly influenced by water mass properties, phytoplankton composition, and environmental stress.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

The silver lining in Europe's deforestation law delay: A chance to build fairer supply chains
When you reach for a "palm-oil-free" label at the supermarket, you likely feel you're doing your part to save orangutans and protect biodiversity. However, the reality behind that label is more complex than it appears.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

Turning extreme heat into large-scale energy storage
Thermal batteries can efficiently store energy as heat. But building them requires a carefully designed system with materials that can withstand cycles of extremely high temperatures, without succumbing to problems like corrosion, thermal expansion, and structural fatigue.
March 22nd, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 21st, 2026

A student volunteer and a mesh suit helped us figure out how mosquitoes reach their targets
Undergraduate Chris Zuo sent me the note "Four minutes is too long" along with photos of countless mosquito bites on his bare skin. This full-body massacre wasn't the result of a camping trip gone awry. He'd spent that limited amount of time in a room with 100 hungry mosquitoes while wearing nothing but a mesh suit we thought would have protected him.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

Best Air Purifiers of 2026: Allergy Season is Here. These Models Can Help
Allergy season is here, but you don't need to suffer. CNET put 15 of the latest air purifier models through CNET's smoke bomb test to find out which perform the best at particle filtering, noise levels and energy efficiency.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

DOGE goes nuclear: How Trump invited Silicon Valley into America's nuclear power regulator
"Assume the NRC is going to do whatever we tell the NRC to do."
March 21st, 2026 — Source

March heat surges past 100 in California and Arizona, smashing records
A burst of unusual March heat is hitting the United States this week and into next, busting previous monthly heat records by wide margins. While heat is most acutely felt by people exposed to it, graphics and charts convey the scale of this extreme event. Temperatures in the West remain far above what's typical for March, a sign the early season heat is not letting up. Compared with the average highs for March between 1991 and 2020, temperatures across some parts of Oklahoma, Nebraska, northern Texas and South Dakota are reaching at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees Celsius) above normal.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

Pittsburgh's air pollution estimated to claim 3,000+ lives per year, and EPA rollbacks aren't helping
In October 1948, a thick haze rolled into Donora, Pennsylvania, a steel town in the Monongahela Valley, south of Pittsburgh. For five days, toxic fumes from a zinc smelter—a plant that turns zinc ore into pure zinc metal—poured out of the factory's stacks, became trapped in the valley and thus blanketed Donora. The air was filled with sulfur oxides, heavy metal dust and airborne particulates.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

Satellite radar shows Alaska glaciers melt three extra weeks for each 1°C of summer warming
Alaska's glaciers respond to climate change by melting for three additional weeks with every 1 degree Celsius increase in the average summer temperature, data from satellite-mounted radars show.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

Scientists create wheat-only gel from bran fiber and gluten protein
Scientists in Sweden have for the first time created a fully wheat-based gel made entirely from wheat bran fiber and wheat gluten protein—an advance that could turn one of the grain industry's least valued by-products into a nutritious, sustainable ingredient for future food products.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

Susan Collins and Climate Change: 'The Silence is Deafening'
Seeking a sixth term, the Maine senator's passivity in the face of executive branch power grabs undermines her greatest electoral strength, as much as it does climate action.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

This Chinese Dam Is So Big It Altered The Earth's Rotation
Over the course of humanity's long, slow slog through the ages, we've built some incredible structures, and China in particular is not new to grand engineering feats. The Great Wall is roughly 13,166 miles long, constructed over the course of some 2,300 years (from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD). While you can't actually see it with the naked eye from space (there are, however, five things you can), its scale is still mightily impressive.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

Two Years After Fatal Explosion, Alabama Mine Regulator 'Letting the Fox Guard the Henhouse,' Resident Says
Under the Biden Administration, federal regulators had forced the state toward stricter regulation of methane emissions. Under Trump, they appear to have lifted the pressure.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

Yes, Venezuela Has a Ton of Oil—But Its Biggest Opportunity Is Offshore Wind
Imagining what a prosperous future for Venezuela would look like if the nation shifted from oil and gas to wind energy.
March 21st, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 20th, 2026

A Gas Plant Proposal for Rural Virginia Gets Local Land Use Approval
The Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors went against the county planning commission's recommendation to reject the project after months of debate.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

A New Study Links a Record-Breaking Tropical Disease Outbreak in Peru to Climate-Driven Extreme Weather
An unprecedented outbreak of dengue fever grew after the torrential rains of a cyclone and El Niño. This year's building El Niño could spread more of the disease.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Aquatic plant reduces antibiotics in water and genetic damage in fish, Piracicaba River study shows
A study conducted by researchers at the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture at the University of São Paulo (CENA-USP) and published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe identified residues of different classes of antibiotics in the Piracicaba River, one of the main waterways in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The study also assessed how these substances accumulate in fish and how an aquatic plant widely found in the region, Salvinia auriculata, can partially mitigate this accumulation.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

BBLeap raises €5M to bring plant-level precision spraying to arable farms globally
The Rijen-based startup, which retrofits existing sprayers with nozzle-by-nozzle PWM control, will use the capital to commercialise its LeapEye camera system and scale LeapBox internationally from Europe to Canada.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Check out 6 ways orchids use tricks to reproduce
From funky smells to crafty colors, orchids have some weird ways of attracting pollinators
March 20th, 2026 — Source

DNA analysis reveals two Hirondellea amphipods range farther and deeper than known
Two deep-sea amphipod species have been found to live in both hemispheres and share features, according to a new study that boosts our understanding of the biodiversity and evolutionary processes shaping deep-sea ecosystems. Dr. Paige Maroni and Professor Alan Jamieson, from The University of Western Australia's School of Biological Sciences, were co-authors of the study published in Marine Biology.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Drone video from inside a Fukushima reactor shows a hole in pressure vessel, likely fuel debris
A video taken by tiny drones sent into one of three damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant showed a gaping hole in the thick-walled steel container of the core, with lumps of likely melted fuel debris hanging from it, in a first sighting of a pressure vessel bottom since the meltdown 15 years ago.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Early Southwest heat is latest in parade of weather extremes as Earth warms
The dangerous heat wave shattering March records all over the U.S. Southwest is more than just another extreme weather blip. It's the latest next-level weather wildness that is occurring ever more frequently as Earth's warming builds.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Fertilizer made from cyanobacteria enables plant cultivation on Mars
Researchers have successfully used a fertilizer, which can be produced solely with Martian resources, to grow edible biomass.
March 20th, 2026 — Source or Watch Video

From solar panels to solar markets: Why business models matter
Amanda Bankel's doctoral thesis explores why low-carbon technologies like solar panels do not spread as quickly as expected, even when they are affordable and technologically mature. The study shows that the problem is often not the technology itself, but rather how markets develop in practice.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Georgia Hasn't Had a Consumer Advocate for Electric Ratepayers for 18 Years
A bill to restore the state's consumer utilities counsel failed to move forward, meaning Georgia will remain one of only a handful of states without a statutory advocate representing ratepayers.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Illinois invests in large-scale battery storage
The goal is to store excess wind and solar energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Impressionist sea slugs create their patterns by arranging colorful photonic crystals
Nudibranchs are often referred to as the butterflies of the sea. Nudibranchs live worldwide, primarily in warm, shallow marine regions, and stand out for their flamboyant colors and diverse shapes. A team from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam and the University of Cambridge has now discovered how they create their colorful patterns. According to their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the color is produced by nanostructures, each of which creates a specific color impression.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Microbes make microplastics more likely to form ice in clouds, research reveals
Microbes make microplastics more likely to form ice in clouds, research reveals
March 20th, 2026 — Source

MXene nanosheet catalytic membranes cut pharmaceutical wastewater treatment costs
MXene nanosheet-based catalytic membranes efficiently degrade antibiotics in pharmaceutical wastewater while reducing treatment costs by over 30 percent, new study finds.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

New paper outlines pathways to equitable flood adaptation
A perspective published in Nature Water in February underscores how adaptation and mitigation measures to address urban flooding often exacerbate environmental injustices for society's most vulnerable groups—not just in the US, but around the world. Led by Rebecca Hale of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and co-authored by urban ecologist Elizabeth Cook of Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the piece offers strategies for governments, organizations, and individuals involved in climate adaptation to break the cycle.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

'Plastic-eating' fusion enzyme improves polyester textile recycling
In a new study, scientists from the universities of Portsmouth and Manchester report that a specially engineered enzyme can significantly speed up the breakdown of PET—the plastic used in water bottles, food packaging and polyester clothing—when it is processed at high concentrations similar to those used in industry.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Record-breaking heat wave grips western US
A record early heat wave striking the west of the United States on Friday is a one-in-500-years type event and all but certainly the result of human-caused climate change, experts say.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Record-torching March heat 'virtually impossible' without climate change
Friday's spring equinox may seem like a quaint notion to those already enduring furnace-like 90-110°F summer heat.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Risk of groundwater contamination is still poorly monitored in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, researchers warn
The São Paulo Metropolitan Area (SPMA) in Brazil has approximately 22 million inhabitants and consumes an average of 61.6 cubic meters (61,600 liters) of water per second. Although nearly the entire public water supply originates from surface sources, it is estimated that about 18% of total consumption relies on aquifers through approximately 14,000 private wells. Aquifers contribute approximately 347 million cubic meters of water per year.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Rivers and tidal currents keep 80% of microfibers from reaching oceans, study suggests
Every time we do a load of laundry, tiny fibers of polyester escape from our clothes and slip down the drain. These microfibers, so small they can be invisible to the naked eye, are among the most common forms of microplastic in the ocean. Yet, new research published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans shows that most of them may not make it that far.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Scientists solve 12,800-year-old climate mystery hidden in Greenland ice
A mysterious spike of platinum buried deep in Greenland's ice has long fueled theories of a catastrophic comet or asteroid strike 12,800 years ago—possibly triggering a sudden return to icy conditions known as the Younger Dryas. But new research points to a far less dramatic, yet still powerful culprit: volcanic eruptions. Scientists found the platinum signal doesn't match space debris and actually appeared decades after the cooling began, ruling out an impact as the trigger.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Scientists turn CO2 into fuel using breakthrough single-atom catalyst
Researchers have created a cutting-edge catalyst that turns CO2 into methanol more efficiently than ever before. Instead of using clumps of metal atoms, they engineered a system where each single indium atom actively drives the reaction. This dramatically reduces energy needs while making the process easier to study and optimize. The result could accelerate the shift toward cleaner fuels and sustainable chemical production.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Spray-on fabric coating lightens the environmental load from laundry
A newly developed spray-on fabric coating could allow clothes to be cleaned using only water, reducing water and detergent needs.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

The deep freshwater reservoir hidden beneath the Great Salt Lake
A potentially huge underground reservoir of freshwater beneath the Great Salt Lake is coming into sharper focus with a new study that used airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys to X-ray geologic structures under Farmington Bay and Antelope Island off the lake's southeastern shore.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

The US is looking at a year of chaotic weather
Massive Western heat wave, potential El Niño raise concerns about unpredictable, extreme weather.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Trump Deal for a $33B Gas Megaplant in Ohio Faces Huge Hurdles
The government's surprise announcement lacked key details, leading some to doubt if the project can secure equipment, permits and room on the grid any time soon.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Two new fungi species uncovered in Australian herbarium using DNA sequencing
Scientists at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Australia have described two new species of fungi, Peziza austroechinospora and Peziza meridionalis with the assistance of DNA sequencing, highlighting how modern science is revealing vast, hidden biodiversity beneath our feet.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Unexpected discovery leads to potential pollination control mechanism for baby corn
Baby corn, essentially unfertilized young ears of corn, is a specialty food gaining interest for its high nutrition and low calorie count. It also has significant economic value as a quick-turnaround cash crop with a global market. Currently, Thailand is the largest producer of baby corn, with an estimated annual value of $64 million.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Vertical gardens prove effective in improving indoor air quality
Researchers at the University of Seville have demonstrated the effectiveness of active vertical garden systems in improving indoor air quality in buildings. To do so, they worked inside a closed glass chamber installed at the Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering, where they found that after 24 hours, 96% to 98% of the pollutants used in the various experiments had disappeared.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

Wheat's immune system uses novel protein complex, study finds
Plant immunity is largely initiated at the cellular level, with each cell capable of autonomous detection and response, while also coordinating systemic signaling across the organism—unlike the centralized, cell-based immune system of animals. One of the key mechanisms of plant immunity involves nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat (NLR) immunereceptors—intracellular receptors that detect pathogen invasion and activate a strong immune response. Unlike surface receptors, NLRs detect pathogen effector proteins that are injected by pathogens into plant cells to manipulate host biology.
March 20th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 18th, 2026

A New Wine Label Promotes Workers' Rights
Hardly anyone in the natural wine world is talking about environmental justice for those who pick the grapes, labor advocates say. The Guardian Vital label aims to change that.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

AI uses as much energy as Iceland but scientists aren't worried
AI's energy appetite is big—but its climate impact might be surprisingly small, and even beneficial.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Black Sea highstands during the last glacial period reconstructed
An international team led by the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) has just published a paper in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews reconstructing episodes of highstands of the Black Sea during the last glacial period, based on the analysis of coastal terraces in the eastern Sinop Peninsula (Turkey). These findings reveal alternating connections of the Black Sea with the Mediterranean and the Caspian Sea, refining the history of its highstands during the Late Pleistocene.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Climate change could pose a major risk to cassava in Africa: Study sets out what can be done now
Cassava is a starchy, tuberous root, introduced to sub-Saharan Africa by Portuguese traders centuries ago. It is a nutrition lifeboat for over 800 million people worldwide.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Cold winters are no match for modern cold-climate heat pumps
In fact, several chilly Nordic countries lead the world in heat pump adoption.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Cuba Set A Solar Power Record, And China Is Partially To Thank
Cuba might not be the first country people think of when it comes to renewable energy and solar power. Instead, news about solar energy often focuses on countries like China, thanks to the sheer scale of its solar-focused megaprojects. In fact, the domination of large countries in matters relating to solar power often obscures achievements made by smaller countries. Take Cuba as an example. This country is making major strides when it comes to developing renewable energy — and China is playing a big role in the process.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Finnish startup Elea & Lili raises €2.5M to replace the plastic
Polyacrylate is the synthetic crystal at the heart of every modern disposable nappy, is derived from petroleum, and it does not break down. It persists for centuries, leaching microplastics into soil and groundwater as it degrades. The hygiene industry has long regarded it as an engineering necessity: nothing else absorbs as fast, as much, or as reliably.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

First world map shows impact of the tidal pulse in coastal rivers
Tides not only affect regions along the coast, their periodic fluctuations are carried upstream inland through coastal rivers. River sections particularly affected by these tidal pulses are exposed to an increased risk of flooding. It is therefore important to localize these regions, as well as the extent of the river tide. However, until now, a global and accurate overview has not yet been established.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Global study finds majority of people worldwide prioritize environmental protection over economic growth
A new study by University of Vermont researchers finds that a majority of people across the globe favor protecting the environment over growing the economy when the two goals conflict. The paper, published recently in the journal Ecological Economics, analyzed data from two major international surveys, encompassing responses from residents in 92 countries.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Homaio raises €3.6M to bring carbon allowance investing to retail
The Paris startup opened the EU's emissions trading market to private investors in 2024. Now it has the backing to expand into energy, electrification, and other markets shaping the industrial transition.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

How blue California and red Texas became green powerhouses
Despite wildly different approaches, both states are seeing massive growth in solar and wind energy.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

How do plants know when to bloom? Spring flowering explained by chronobiologist
Plants, like people, have a circadian clock and they sense seasonal changes to light and temperature. Plants that bloom in the spring use the longer days and warmer temperatures as seasonal cues that it's time to bloom.
March 18th, 2026 — Source or Watch Video

Microbial teamwork enables efficient breakdown of phthalate plastic pollutants
Plastic trash has reached the world's most remote locations, from the bottom of the Mariana Trench to the summit of Everest. Hundreds of plastic-eating microbes that could help us clean up have been discovered over the past quarter of a century, but there is a long way to go before they can be put to work in natural environments: microbial digestion of plastic is still slow, requires high temperatures, and only proceeds efficiently in bioreactors. Moreover, most plastic-eating microbes discovered so far can only digest a single kind of plastic.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

New palm tree species discovered in Colombian Amazon
Two researchers at the University of Zurich have discovered and described a new, previously unknown palm species found in the virgin forests of Colombia. In close cooperation with a local indigenous community, they mapped the geographical distribution of the palm species and subjected their study to a local peer review process.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Pioneering research on salmon louse larvae could better inform parasite control strategies
A first-of-its-kind University of Stirling study could better inform strategies to control salmon lice, after researchers uncovered major differences in the secretions the parasite produces as larvae. Like other parasites, such as mosquitoes and ticks, salmon lice secrete substances from their glands which make it easier for them to feed or evade their host's immune system.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Platypus fur adds another strange feature to an increasingly long list
The combination of a beaver-like body and duck-like bill of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is only the first of a long list of strange features on this unique creature. These odd mammals also lay eggs, have venomous spurs, sense electricity, glow under UV light, and harbor five times more sex chromosomes than many other animals. Now, a study published in Biology Letters reveals that their fur also contains melanosomes that are unlike in any other animal—and scientists can't figure out why.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Rapid melting of Antarctic sea ice is largely driven by ocean warming, research reveals
Antarctic sea ice plays a crucial role in the ecosystem and physical environment of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Since the ice reflects the sun's rays and blocks heat exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere, it is critical to our weather and climate. Therefore, we need to understand what affects its extent to improve future climate models and prediction.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Reasons for illegal fishing 'more nuanced' than previously thought, international research shows
A resurgence of illegal fishing in northern Australian waters is a cause for environmental, biosecurity and social concern, and new research suggests the causes of this activity are increasingly complex. The project was conducted by an international team of researchers from Charles Darwin University (CDU) and Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency, and Nusa Cendana University.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Satellite Images Reveal Mega-Leaks of Potent Greenhouse Gas
UCLA's Stop Methane Project ranked the 25 oil and gas sites with the largest methane emissions rates worldwide.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Silver-Coated Microrobots Break Down Antibiotics in Water
Tiny silver-coated microrobots can swim upward under ultraviolet light and break down antibiotic pollution in water, a study in Small reports.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

Study links artificial turf fields to lethal chemical threat for salmon
A new study from the University of British Columbia has found that artificial turf fields across Metro Vancouver leach 6PPD-quinone, a chemical known to kill coho salmon, into municipal stormwater systems—and the contamination persists long after the fields are installed.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

The Fight Over New Jersey's Tough Environmental Justice Law Is Now in the Courts
Passed in 2020, the law requires environmental regulators to consider the effect of projects on overburdened poor and minority communities, as well as the cumulative impact of pollution from all industries.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

The Planet Is Overheating, But You Might Not Know It From the News
Since 2021, global media coverage of climate change has dropped 38 percent. Blame wars, political chaos and Jeffrey Epstein.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

These strange pink rocks just revealed a hidden giant beneath Antarctica
Pink granite boulders sitting mysteriously atop Antarctica's Hudson Mountains have led scientists to a stunning discovery: a hidden granite mass buried beneath Pine Island Glacier, stretching nearly 100 km wide and 7 km thick. By dating the rocks to the Jurassic period and matching them with gravity signals detected from aircraft, researchers solved a decades-old puzzle about their origin.
March 18th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 16th, 2026

Coastal ocean chemistry now substantially shaped by humans
A global analysis of more than 2,300 seawater samples from more than 20 field studies around the globe indicates that human-made chemicals make up a significant portion of organic matter in coastal oceans. The international study, led by biochemists Jarmo Kalinski and Daniel Petras at the University of California, Riverside, analyzed seawater samples collected over a decade from coastal regions from the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

Could reduced air pollution from climate mitigation boost crop yields and lower hunger risk?
An international research team used multiple global agroeconomic models and found that climate mitigation consistent with the 1.5 °C target could raise global hunger risk in 2050 by 17% (56 million people) compared with a baseline scenario that assumes today's climate and air pollution conditions persist. However, the concurrent reduction in ozone offsets approximately 15% (8.4 million people) of this increase, with Sub-Saharan Africa and India accounting for 56% of the offset.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

Feeling climate grief? These spiritual caregivers are stepping in.
Eco-chaplains are blending religion, contemplation, and environmental awareness to support people overwhelmed by planet-sized loss.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

Hawaii teens take on the state -- and win
Young plaintiffs helped secure a landmark climate settlement with the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

New dataset maps NZ's energy demand to 2050
A new UC open dataset reveals how New Zealand's hourly and regional energy demand could evolve by 2050. Published in the journal Scientific Data, the dataset provides publicly available projections of energy demand across three major sectors—electricity, heating and transport—under multiple future scenarios.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

New York Cooks Up a Plan to Boost Energy Efficiency in Public Housing
The state plans to pay for induction stoves to be installed in 10,000 apartments across New York City. A Bronx walk-up provides an early look at what's to come.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

No accountability: Bills would ban liability lawsuits for climate change
This is the latest front in the battle over climate lawsuits.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

Ocean bacteria team up to break down biodegradable plastic
Biodegradable plastics could help alleviate the plastic waste crisis that is polluting the environment and harming our health. But how long plastics take to degrade and how environmental bacteria work together to break them down is still largely unknown.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

Oldest known whale recording could unlock mysteries of the ocean
A haunting whale song discovered on decades-old audio equipment could open up a new understanding of how the huge animals communicate, according to researchers who say it's the oldest such recording known.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

Scientists unlock a powerful new way to turn sunlight into fuel
Scientists have cracked a key design challenge for solar-powered catalysts, opening the door to faster discovery of materials that turn sunlight into fuels and valuable chemicals.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

Sea turtles, shrinking beaches and rising seas: Study finds nesting sites running out of room
Sandy beaches account for approximately a third of the world's ice-free coastlines. These sandy shorelines are responsible for sediment and water retention, provide a buffer against rising water levels, and offer habitats for shorebirds and sea turtles. The research is published in the journal Earth's Future.
March 16th, 2026 — Source

UK splashes £45M on AI supercomputer to help crack fusion power
'Sunrise' beast will run AI-heavy simulations of plasma behavior and reactor physics
March 16th, 2026 — Source

Weather Across the US Is Going Absolutely Berserk This Week
Blizzards and heatwaves and thunderstorms, oh my!
March 16th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 13th, 2026

A pathway to achieve high well-being and a safe climate without relying on GDP growth
Governments' attempts to achieve climate goals are falling short, in large part because wealthy economies are continuing to pursue economic growth. As these economies ramp up production and consumption, they make climate mitigation more difficult to achieve. As a result, the Paris Agreement is slipping out of reach, putting nature and human societies in jeopardy.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Almost a third of 2026 Oscar-nominated films acknowledge climate change
To pass the 'climate reality check,' a movie must depict climate change in some way, and a character in the story must recognize it.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

As CO² rose in a warm ancient climate, study shows El Niño peaked then weakened
The Miocene, beginning approximately 23 million years ago, represents a canonical "warm-Earth" interval characterized by elevated atmospheric CO² and a warmer global climate. The El Niño--Southern Oscillation (ENSO), as a leading mode of interannual climate variability, exerts pronounced influences on global precipitation patterns and the occurrence of climate extremes. Investigating ocean--atmosphere variability under Miocene-like high-CO² background states therefore provides a valuable framework for evaluating climate-model performance in warm climates and for informing expectations of ENSO behavior under continued anthropogenic warming.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Atomic Britain: UK plans regulatory reset to boost nuclear power
It wants 'safe, cost effective, and rapid.' We say: 'Good, fast, cheap -- you can have 2'
March 13th, 2026 — Source

China's Clean Energy Push Has Made It Less Vulnerable to Energy Shocks, Including the Iran War
As countries scramble to secure oil, gas and fertilizer, China's bets on clean energy and coal are cushioning its dependence on oil and gas imports.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Fish stocks are on the line: Climate change impacts global fishing yields
As the saying goes, there are plenty more fish in the sea—but climate change is rapidly challenging that notion, with fish stocks around the world under threat. New modeling from Monash University predicts how climate change will alter fishing yields in many regions, threatening food security, livelihoods and the future of marine life as a sustainable food source.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

How an alga makes the most of dim light by rearranging ordinary chlorophyll
To survive in areas where it is difficult to photosynthesize, some organisms adopt unique strategies. Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have found that a freshwater alga captures far-red light as an additional energy source by arranging ordinary chlorophyll in an extraordinary way.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

How to help your garden withstand climate change
Healthy soils and diverse, perennial plants can help your garden beds survive extreme weather like floods and droughts.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Proposing simple measures to prevent industry dumping plastic pellets into the sea
The presence of small plastic pellets on the beaches of Donostia and Orio has drawn attention to a little-studied source of pollution: leakage of industrial microplastics that reach the sea through stormwater drainage networks. Researchers in the Materials + Technologies Group at the EHU have identified two control parameters that would enable early detection of these losses to be made, and have proposed containment measures that can be easily incorporated into discharge regulations.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Regenerative grazing study reveals trade-offs for sheep farmers
A new Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) study has found that while regenerative agriculture practices can improve soil health and reduce emissions on sheep farms, farmers often face trade-offs between environmental and economic goals. The article, "Regenerative agriculture improves productivity and profitability while reducing greenhouse gas emissions on Australian sheep farms," has been published in Nature Food.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Skip Concrete & Gravel - This Driveway Alternative Is Cheaper (And Looks Great)
Driveways are generally quite durable, but they're not perfect. Gravel driveways can get exceptionally messy and fall apart, while old, cracked concrete driveways require filling solutions to stay together. Beyond these tried-and-true materials, there's another, more eco-friendly solution that has steadily gained traction among homeowners. Recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) driveways use old, crushed-up asphalt mixed with filler materials to create an effective asphalt alternative that appears fairly similar to any other driveway.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Study reveals North Atlantic warming contributed to intensity of Valencia DANA storm
The episode of extreme rainfall that affected the east of the Iberian Peninsula at the end of October 2024 left a devastating mark on the province of Valencia. In some areas, such as Turís, more than 700 liters per square meter were recorded in 24 hours; in other words, in just one day, more water fell than the average rainfall in mainland Spain in an entire year. This caused catastrophic flooding and the disaster resulted in more than 200 deaths, as well as billions of euros in damage.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Track global weather and climate data in real time with this site
Zoom Earth is my go-to weather and forecasting tool.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

Tropic raises $105M to scale gene-edited bananas
The Norwich-based agbiotech company launched the first new commercial banana varieties in more than 75 years in 2025. Now it has to build enough supply to meet demand.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

US weather to go nuts with blizzard, polar vortex, heat dome, atmospheric river all at once
Nearly every part of the United States is getting walloped by wild weather or just about to be.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

'We Live in One Ocean': Native Hawaiian Activist Calls for Inclusion in Deep-Sea Mining Decisions
As policymakers meet in Jamaica to develop regulations for mineral exploitation in international waters, Solomon Pili Kahoʻohalahala highlights what's at stake for Pacific cultures.
March 13th, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 12th, 2026

California Water Board Will Soon Release a New Rule to Limit Water Pollution From Dairies in the State
More than 10 years after environmental groups petitioned for a new rule, the state plans to require the Central Valley Water Board to update its waste regulations for dairies contributing to groundwater pollution.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Can Hydropower Ride the Wave of the Energy Boom?
The old, reliable technology has experienced slow growth, but industry leaders see opportunities ahead.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Can soccer fans mobilize for climate action?
Heat waves are already harming the sport, one advocate says.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Climate change is slowing Earth's spin at unprecedented rate compared to past 3.6 million years
Climate change is lengthening our days because rising sea levels slow Earth's rotation. Researchers from the University of Vienna and ETH Zurich now show that the current increase in day length—1.33 milliseconds per century—is unprecedented in the past 3.6 million years. The team reconstructed ancient day-length fluctuations using the fossil remains of single-celled marine organisms known as benthic foraminifera.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Global sorghum 'pangenome' accelerates discovery of resilient crop traits
A team of international scientists, including researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, reports a major advance in sorghum genomics: a powerful new resource designed to speed discovery of traits that help crops thrive under heat, drought, and highly variable growing conditions.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Google is using old news reports and AI to predict flash floods
Flash floods are among the deadliest weather events in the world, killing more than 5,000 people each year. They're also among the most difficult to predict. But Google thinks it has cracked that problem in an unlikely way — by reading the news.
March 12, 2026 — Source

How an acid found in grapes could help recycle battery metals
Cobalt and nickel are vital components for batteries, superalloys and catalysts, used in technologies ranging from smartphones to jet engines. But when it comes to recycling, they are notoriously difficult to separate because they are chemically nearly identical. To solve this, a team led by scientists at Johns Hopkins University in the United States has developed a cleaner and cheaper way to extract these elements. And it is thanks in part to grapes.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Industrial climate targets do not always reflect what companies actually do
Is industry doing enough for the climate—or are many efforts still largely plans on paper? A new study from Chalmers University of Technology examines how Sweden's 20 largest industrial emitters are working toward the goal of net-zero emissions by 2045.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Primary Energy Fallacy Explained: Why Useful Energy Shows Faster Renewable Progress
For decades, the concept of "primary energy" has dominated discussions about global energy systems, shaping how we measure and compare different energy sources. However, this metric often fails to account for the inefficiencies inherent in fossil fuel systems, such as the significant energy losses during conversion processes like combustion. In a recent explainer by Just Have a Think, the focus shifts to "useful energy" — a metric that emphasizes the energy actually available to meet consumer needs.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Reduced-impact management can promote forest recovery and carbon storage
The adoption of management techniques that reduce the impact of timber harvesting can promote the recovery of tropical forests, such as the Amazon, and store carbon in the long term while maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services. Research published in the Journal of Environmental Management provides evidence that these good practices increase above-ground biomass, unlike conventional logging. This reinforces the effectiveness of reduced-impact logging forest management (RIL-FM) as a strategy that reconciles timber production, forest conservation, and climate change mitigation.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Reluctance to rely on China for green technology could slow climate action
New research suggests that concerns about relying too heavily on Chinese manufacturing are shaping climate policy—and could even delay the adoption of green technologies around the world. The study by Dr. James Jackson from The University of Manchester, working alongside Dr. Mathias Larsen from the London School of Economics, examined how China's rapid rise as a clean-technology powerhouse has transformed the global energy transition.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Saharan dust swept into Europe in March, triggering 'dirty rain' episodes
Winter winds lofted clouds of dust from the Sahara Desert, carrying it north toward the Mediterranean and dispersing it widely across Europe in March 2026. When the dust combined with moisture-laden weather systems, a dirty rain fell in parts of Spain, France, and the United Kingdom.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Study maps four flood model types and urges hybrid approaches to improve forecasts
Before rain begins to fall, scientists and engineers can predict where a storm might cause flooding thanks to advanced modeling and digital simulations that help guide billion-dollar decisions involving infrastructure design, emergency response, land-use planning, insurance, agriculture, water quality, and public safety.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Tesla becomes a utility in the UK, setting up showdown with Octopus Energy
Tesla is now an officially licensed utility in the United Kingdom, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal. The automotive and energy company recently received a license from the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, allowing it to sell electricity directly to households and commercial and industrial users.
March 12, 2026 — Source

The rain in Spain was worst in nearly 50 years
Spain endured its wettest January and February in almost half a century, with a string of deadly storms lashing the country, national weather agency AEMET said Thursday.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Tiny marine organism stressed by warmer Arctic waters
Some of the smallest marine species are actually the most important because all other life depends on them. Phytoplankton are probably the most important, but just above them in the food chain are zooplankton. In Norway's cold Atlantic waters, the zooplankton in question is generally a small copepod called Calanus finmarchicus.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Uncovering a patchwork of fresh and salty groundwater beneath Great Salt Lake's south shore
Thanks to upstream diversions and climate change, Utah's Great Salt Lake has shrunk by 70% since 1989, exposing about 800 square miles of playa and mudflats—along with numerous curiosities. While a potential environmental catastrophe, the lake's dewatering presents numerous research opportunities for University of Utah geoscientists, including several who are looking to characterize the extent, characteristics, chemistry and flow of a mysterious, mostly freshwater aquifer under the playa.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Winters set the stage for summer Great Barrier Reef bleaching risk
The study, published in Coral Reefs, tests how winters influence coral sensitivity to bleaching—either priming them to cope with heat stress or leaving them more vulnerable in the subsequent summer.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Wetlands in Brazil's Cerrado are carbon-storage powerhouses
The Amazon rainforest is famous for storing massive amounts of carbon in its trees and soils, helping regulate the global climate. Yet a paper published in New Phytologist shows that one of South America's largest carbon-storing ecosystems exists in an often-overlooked grassy savanna: the Cerrado in Brazil.
March 12, 2026 — Source

Y-doped catalyst transforms ammonia into sustainable hydrogen energy
Ammonia isn't just for cleaning supplies and plant fertilizers—it can also serve as a precursor to clean hydrogen energy. The decomposition of ammonia is a promising carbon-free pathway that makes hydrogen, which can be used as a fuel that doesn't emit harmful fumes like fossil fuels do.
March 12, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 11th, 2026

6 Freaky Particles That Could Fix Physics—If They Exist
The magnum opus of particle physics is far from complete, requiring physicists to devise many alternatives—some weirder than others.
March 11, 2026 — Source

An overlooked step in battery recycling: Pre-treatment may account for 38% of environmental impact
New research shows pre-treatment in lithium-ion battery recycling drives environmental impact and recovery of valuable metals—yet it is often overlooked in recycling strategies. Published in Nature Sustainability, the Monash study found the pre-treatment stage can account for up to 38% of the environmental impact of recycling and significantly affects material losses, depending on battery type and processing method.
March 11, 2026 — Source

California communities' recovery time between wildfire smoke events is shrinking
Californians have long dealt with wildfire smoke as a seasonal fact of life, but those fires have become more intense and frequent, raising the profile of wildfire smoke as a public health issue. Now, a study led by researchers at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography finds that the time between multi-day smoke events is shrinking—leaving communities with less time to recover before smoke returns.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Canopii looks to succeed where past indoor farms have not
David Ashton grew up outside of Sacramento, California, and went to college in San Luis Obispo during the historic drought of the late 2000s.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Climate policies: The swing voters that determine their fate
The climate measures currently in place are unlikely to meet Paris Climate Agreement targets. Whether further political measures can move us closer to the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees and combating climate change depends heavily on public opinion and political support. Researchers at ETH Zurich led by Keith Smith, Senior Researcher in Professor Thomas Bernauer's research group, conducted a large-scale survey across 13 EU countries to find out which measures are publicly and politically acceptable, and why.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Former Climate Hero Wins Permit for 41 Gas Turbines in Mississippi
xAI can power data centers at the cost of greenhouse gas pollution. Elon Musk used to speak out against this sort of thing.
March 11, 2026 — Source

How data could help protect city trees in the Chicago area
Researchers are using satellites to spot stress in urban forests.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Light management strategies for higher efficiency all perovskite tandem solar cells
A comprehensive review examines optical loss reduction and photon utilization strategies that could push all perovskite tandem solar cells toward their 45 percent efficiency limit.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Mangrove forests are short of breath, researchers warn
The tidal environment of mangrove forests serves as nurseries for many fish species. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have measured carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in 23 of the world's mangrove areas. The study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, sends out a warning that these ecosystems are increasingly threatened as sea temperatures continue to rise.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Maui's Mental Health Crisis Goes Far Beyond the Wildfire Burn Zone
Unstable housing and job loss are key drivers of psychological distress among survivors of the 2023 wildfires, a new study finds. The ripple effects reach across Maui.
March 11, 2026 — Source

North American heat wave hit wildlife hard, but a few surprising species thrived
With such events projected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change—and 2026 on track to be the hottest year ever—understanding these differing effects is vitally important, the researchers say.
March 11, 2026 — Source

North Sea 'lost world' had habitable forests during the last Ice Age, study shows
Forests were growing on the now-submerged landmass of Doggerland thousands of years earlier than previously believed, according to a major new sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) study led by the University of Warwick. The findings suggest that Doggerland may have provided a surprisingly hospitable refuge for plants, animals, and potentially humans, thousands of years before forests became widespread across Britain and northern Europe.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Scientists discover tiny plant trick that could supercharge crop yields
A tiny plant's molecular "Velcro" for Rubisco could one day help crops turn sunlight into food far more efficiently.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Trump Explores Deep Sea Mining in American Samoa
Even as opposition grows and the U.S. territory maintains a moratorium on seabed mining, NOAA began a $20 million survey of surrounding federal waters to help locate deep sea mineral deposits.
March 11, 2026 — Source

Typhoons: The hidden lifeline in a drying world
A research team led by Professor Jonghun Kam from POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) has revealed that typhoons are a critical factor in mitigating global droughts by simulating a scenario where typhoon-induced precipitation is removed. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, delivers the message that "imagining a world without typhoons is the starting point for understanding future droughts."
March 11, 2026 — Source

Violent Storms Brought Tornadoes and Monster Hail to the Midwest. Now They're Tracking East
Supercell thunderstorms and tornadoes brought devastation to several central states earlier this week, and the danger is far from over.
March 11, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 5th, 2026

2025 was hotter than it should have been: Five influences and a dirty surprise offer clues to what's ahead
The past three years have been the world's hottest on record by far, with 2025 almost tied with 2023 for second place. With that energy came extreme weather, from flash flooding to powerful hurricanes and severe droughts. Yet, by most indicators, the planet should have been cooler in 2025 than it was.
March 5, 2026 — Source

A New Generation of Climate Scientists Warm Up to Solar Geoengineering
Fed up with a lack of action on climate change, some students are researching dimming the sun despite the pushback from other scientists.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Bill Gates' nuclear company is the first to get approval to build next-gen reactor
Construction on the advanced Wyoming nuclear power plant is set to finish by 2030.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Bill Gates' TerraPower Finally Has a Permit for a Nuclear Reactor, but No Reliable Way to Fuel It
Commercial quantities of the required fuel are currently only available from one vendor: the Russian state.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Black Death 'rewilding' did not boost biodiversity, study suggests
The bubonic plague, which swept across Europe between 1347 and 1353, is estimated to have killed up to one half of the continent's population. The sudden loss of life led to the abandonment of farms, villages and fields, creating what researchers describe as a massive historical "rewilding" event. However, the devastation caused by the Black Death in medieval Europe may not have delivered the environmental benefits that could be assumed to follow large-scale human decline, according to new research.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Burned permafrost peatlands release carbon for years after wildfires, researchers find
In the face of climate change, permafrost peatland wildfires could play more of a role in the destructive cycle of global warming, University of Alberta research suggests.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Can thermal noise train a computer? A new framework points to low-power AI
What if the thermal noise that hinders the efficiency of both classical and quantum computers could, instead, be used as a power source? What if computers could make use of the noise instead of suppressing or overcoming it? These are the goals of a relatively new branch of computing known as thermodynamic computing. A collaboration between researchers at the Molecular Foundry and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), both U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) user facilities located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), is bringing them closer to reality.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Cleaner water, longer-lasting devices: New benchmark measures electrocatalysis oxidants in real time
From brightly colored textile dyes to persistent pesticides and antibiotics, many modern pollutants dissolved in water—such as Bisphenol A—resist traditional treatment methods. A promising approach uses electricity to power chemical reactions in water over an electrode surface. Much like in a battery, electrodes send and receive electrical current that drives chemical reactions.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Cooling Dwight: Researchers are helping to address heat inequities in New Haven
During the hottest summer days in New Haven's Dwight neighborhood, the kids at Kensington Playground improvise a way to stay cool—wedging T-shirts along the splash pad drain to form a makeshift pool. As the water rises, they lie on their stomachs in a circle around the drain, maximizing the water's cooling effects.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Environmental sampling finds more poultry viruses than bird swabs in live markets
Scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School have found that viruses circulating in live poultry markets can be detected more effectively by sampling the surrounding environment than by testing individual birds. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that environmental sampling can uncover a broader range of poultry viruses—including highly pathogenic avian influenza strains that traditional surveillance may miss.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Even if warming is limited to 2°C, wildfires, storms and beetles may boost Europe forest loss
Forest damage in Europe caused by wildfires, storms and bark beetle outbreaks is projected to increase compared to recent decades under all analyzed climate scenarios, according to a new international study, published in Science, with contributions from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).
March 5, 2026 — Source

Franconia's agriculture of the future: Olives and rice instead of barley and sugar beet?
Due to climate change, agriculture is facing an unprecedented transformation. While Germany was hardly affected by massive crop failures for decades, the picture has changed drastically since 2015. Since then, heat waves and dry spells have been responsible for yield losses in half of all cases.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Google pledges roughly three hours of its annual profit to fight climate change
The commitment is part of a new coalition of companies aiming to reduce the use of superpollutants.
March 5, 2026 — Source

How considering green spaces at multiple scales improves city planning
Urban greenery—like trees and other green spaces in what are otherwise concrete jungles—can help cool down cities, clean the air and encourage foot traffic, which might have the added benefit of reducing vehicle traffic. In this way, greening our cities is an important tool in our fight against climate change.
March 5, 2026 — Source

How Japanese red elder plants save two lives with one fruit drop
Japanese red elder plants safeguard their own survival when they drop fruits infested by Heterhelus beetle larvae, as well as the survival of these larvae. A Kobe University study changes the narrative on how a plant and its pollinator can keep benefits balanced.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Improved estimates of storm water in sewers could help reduce flooding
Recent University of Toronto Ph.D. graduate Gabrielle Migliato Marega (CivMin) has developed an improved tool for estimating how much water from heavy rains ends up in sanitary sewers. The tool is particularly useful in areas where accurate data about sewer flow rates is difficult to find, such as in low- and middle-income countries, where many new sewer systems are being built.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Molecular 'catapult' fires electrons at the limits of physics
Electrons can be 'kicked across' solar materials at almost the fastest speed nature allows, scientists have discovered - challenging long-held theories about how solar energy systems work.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Multifractal patterns across deep time: What measurement density reveals about Earth's history
Much of our understanding of Earth's past is derived from stratigraphic records exposed in rock outcrops or recovered from drilled cores. These records span immense time intervals, from thousands to billions of years, and form the basis of geochronologies used to reconstruct geological, climatic, and environmental change.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Ocean currents drive disease spread between oyster reefs: Research identifies restoration sites at risk
The European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) was once widespread in the North Sea. However, overfishing, habitat destruction and infectious diseases pushed the species to the brink of extinction in some regions nearly one hundred years ago. In particular, infections with the pathogen Bonamia ostreae have caused repeated major losses since the 1970s. The parasite infects the oysters' immune cells and initially causes no symptoms, but after several months the infection can become systemic—a condition known as bonamiosis—ultimately leading to the oyster's death.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Radar technology estimates location, orientation, radius of underground pipes
Purdue University engineers have developed a patent-pending method to decrease hazardous strikes to underground utility pipes during construction projects. This could lower related financial losses, service disruptions, injuries and fatalities.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Researchers advance solvent-based recycling for flexible plastics
Polypropylene and polyethylene are two durable and affordable plastics commonly used as packaging materials, snack wrappers, microwave containers, and other, usually flexible, plastic films. Their flexibility, however, makes them resilient to recycling processes, and these plastics often end up in landfills or leak into the environment.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Researchers are combining drones and AI to make removing land mines faster and safer
At least 57 nations have live antipersonnel land mines in their territories. In 2024 alone, 1,945 people were killed by mines and 4,325 were injured, 90% of whom were civilians. Nearly half of those were children. Demining operations removed 105,640 mines in the same year.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Six trillion ways to solve climate change
New research shows that mixing and matching manageable climate policy 'wedges' can add up to real solutions.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Taller doesn't mean terrible: How smart design can lower carbon emissions for residential buildings
Taller buildings get a bad rap. New research from University of Toronto Engineering's Center for the Sustainable Built Environment (CSBE) has found that while adding height does slightly increase embodied emissions, other building and neighborhood design factors are far more important.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Texas Seizes the Solar Crown From California, and Other Key Points From the Latest Electricity Data
Utility-scale solar soared in 2025 across the country; coal also grew, while natural gas was down.
March 5, 2026 — Source

The arid Rio Grande basin could become even drier
Climate-change-driven drought is hitting the river hard, contributing to water shortages.
March 5, 2026 — Source

The Black Death's counterintuitive effect: As human numbers fell, so did plant diversity
Between 1347 and 1353, Europe was gripped by the most catastrophic pandemic in its history: the Black Death. Killing many millions, the plague wiped out between one-third and a half of Europe's population.
March 5, 2026 — Source

The Ocean May Be the Next Home for AI Data Centers
Aikido Technologies plans an underwater data center demo off Norway, betting that offshore wind and seawater cooling could ease AI power constraints.
March 5, 2026 — Source

The secret lives of catalysts: How microscopic networks power reactions
Catalysts are essential to modern industry, accelerating reactions used to produce everything from fertilizers and fuels to medicines and hydrogen energy. But until now, scientists could not directly observe how reactions unfold across real catalyst surfaces.
March 5, 2026 — Source

This odd little plant could help turbocharge crop yields
An international team of researchers has uncovered a remarkable molecular trick used by a unique group of land plants, one that could eventually be engineered into crops like wheat and rice to dramatically boost how efficiently they convert sunlight into food.
March 5, 2026 — Source

Warming Triggers a Chain Reaction of Disturbance in European Forests
Escalating wildfires, wind damage and insect outbreaks could threaten tourism, water supplies and biodiversity, a new study shows.
March 5, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 4th, 2026

A Global Chemical Giant Racks Up Violations in Durham, N.C., Where Drinking Water for a Million Is Threatened
Acetone, ethanol, 1,4-dioxane and methylene chloride were among contaminants found in a stream near Brenntag Mid-South's chemical repackaging facility.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Australia's carbon markets risk penalizing Indigenous stewardship
Carbon markets rewarding the recovery of degraded environments risk penalizing long-term Indigenous stewardship, according to a coalition of experts writing in Nature Climate Change. The article by RMIT University environmental science and legal experts working with a Yirrganydji Aboriginal Bama (Person) highlights growing frustration among traditional owners who often find their lands ineligible for carbon credits because they remain intact.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Black soldier fly larvae show promise for safe organic waste removal
Black soldier fly larvae show promise for safe organic waste removal
March 4, 2026 — Source

Climate change pushes tropical insects to their heat limit
Up to half of the insects in the Amazon region could be exposed to life-threatening heat levels due to progressive, anthropogenic global warming. This is shown by a recent study by the universities of Würzburg and Bremen.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Climate models may be missing massive carbon emissions from boreal wildfires
Hidden peat fires in northern forests may be releasing far more ancient carbon than scientists realized.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Creating sustainable supply of declining tree species can support floodplain habitat restoration
A number of native black poplar whips—young unbranched trees—were planted at the campus near Southwell as part of a project involving NTU, the Environment Agency, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Trent Rivers Trust, Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group and the Sherwood Forest Trust. Native black poplars thrive in wet floodplains and on riverbanks. They are flood tolerant and an ideal species for planting in close proximity to water and where flooding is more common.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Don't Put Away Those Winter Coats—Another Arctic Blast Is On the Way
The Eastern U.S. is finally enjoying some springlike warmth, but meteorologists say temperatures could plummet again in mid-to-late March.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Drill core reveals asynchronous land--ocean responses to ancient ocean anoxia
Earth experienced a period of intense, large-scale volcanism during the early Aptian. Around that time, it also experienced widespread ocean deoxygenation during the Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a (OAE1a) as well as the onset of a period of unusual stability in Earth's magnetic field, known as the Cretaceous Normal Superchron (CNS), which lasted about 38 million years.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Eco-friendly quantum dots set new record for solar hydrogen production
Researchers decoded the synthesis mechanism of heavy-metal-free CuInS2 quantum dots and built a photoelectrochemical device with record hydrogen production efficiency.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Effective marine protection can more than triple dive tourism revenue
Funding sustained, effective management of marine protected areas is one of ocean conservation's most stubborn problems. Now, a new study from researchers at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography links fish recovery from well-managed marine protected areas to increased revenue from scuba diving tourism. The study, published Jan. 21 in the journal Ecological Economics, then translates those findings into a framework that creates financial projections to help managers or investors evaluate the potential economic benefits of marine conservation.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Few Details on Trump's Plan for Self-Powered Data Centers
The president is scheduled to unveil his Ratepayer Protection Pledge as he greenlights data centers to power America's race for artificial intelligence.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Forest exhibits resilience after California mega fire
In 2019 and again in 2021, Penn State researchers in the Department of Geography walked a series of 1,000 square foot plots in California's Lassen Volcanic National Park. The goal was to see how the forest that's hands-off to residents and most fire-suppression measures had recovered—or not—from naturally occurring forest fires as far back as the mid-1980s.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Heavy-metal-free quantum dots hit record solar hydrogen photocurrent of 15.1 mA/cm²
A research team has developed a technology to precisely control the concentration of anion defects in eco-friendly quantum dots through joint research. Through this technology, the research team achieved world-class solar hydrogen production efficiency in the field of heavy-metal-free eco-friendly quantum dot photoelectrodes. The team was led by Professor Jiwoong Yang and Professor Su Il In from the Department of Energy Science & Engineering at DGIST, in collaboration with Professor Jae-Yup Kim from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Konkuk University.
March 4, 2026 — Source

How natural history museums can help restore the natural world
Natural history museums contain an astonishing snapshot of the planet's biodiversity. Using this information to better research and inform conservation projects could help lead the way in nature recovery and restoration.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Judge Rejects Trump Administration's Plan to End NYC Congestion Pricing
A federal court ruled that the Trump administration's efforts to end the program are unlawful. The federal government is reviewing its legal options, including an appeal.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Light in the forest: Computer simulations show increased tree diversity from competition for canopy light
Light in the forest: Computer simulations show increased tree diversity from competition for canopy light
March 4, 2026 — Source

Most plastic waste is contaminated. Our new 'nano' recycling tech embraces this messy reality
A plastic drinks bottle is one of the most "recyclable" objects in the modern waste stream. It is lightweight and collected in huge volumes. Yet even for this item, the reality of recycling is messy: labels, inks, caps, food residues, colorants and the occasional wrong plastic all get bundled together. The chemistry may be simple, but the waste is not.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Nitrous oxide, a product of fertilizer use, may harm some soil bacteria
Plant growth is supported by millions of tiny soil microbes competing and cooperating with each other as they perform important roles at the plant root, including improving access to nutrients and protecting against pathogens. As a byproduct of their metabolism, soil microbes can also produce nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas that has mostly been studied for its impact on the climate. While some N2O occurs naturally, its production can spike due to fertilizer application and other factors.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Pollution, noise and climate stress all pose a serious threat to heart health
In an unprecedented collaboration, the European Society of Cardiology, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the World Heart Federation have issued a joint statement calling for immediate action against environmental stressors—pollution, noise, climate stress—to reduce cardiovascular mortality.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Popular fruits and vegetables linked to higher pesticide levels
Your fruit and veggie choices may be leaving more than vitamins in your system—they could also be raising pesticide levels.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Razor Wire and Clearcutting at the Border Threaten Native Rio Grande Habitat
As border barriers go up in the Rio Grande Valley, one nature enthusiast in Starr County is documenting what's being lost.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Research shows 41 US states are getting warmer, all in slightly different ways
Different regions of the United States are experiencing different patterns of warming climate, requiring region-specific adaptation, according to a study published in PLOS Climate by María Dolores Gadea Rivas of the University of Zaragoza, Spain and Jesús Gonzalo of University Carlos III, Spain.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Research shows risk‑averse producers sell earlier in grain marketing year
A new study from University of Nebraska--Lincoln agricultural economists finds that producers with safety-first risk preferences likely make notably different grain-marketing decisions than those without, offering a glimpse into how and why producers market their harvests.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Researchers develop next-generation transparent electrode without rare metal indium
A joint research team led by Professors Han-Ki Kim and Bo Ram Lee from Sungkyunkwan University's School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering has developed a next-generation transparent electrode technology that completely eliminates the use of the rare metal indium, while maintaining high performance and significantly extending device lifetime.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Review finds depleted oil and gas reservoirs could store hydrogen at scale
Hydrogen is increasingly viewed as a critical energy carrier capable of supporting decarbonization across sectors such as industry, transportation, and power generation. Unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen combustion produces no direct carbon dioxide emissions. However, large-scale deployment of hydrogen technologies requires reliable methods for storing vast amounts of hydrogen to balance supply and demand, particularly for seasonal energy storage.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Salmonids reveal the cold truth about human impacts on Fennoscandian lakes
A large-scale study led by the University of Jyväskylä revealed that human activity is consistently changing the ecosystems of Northern European lakes. The study shows that hydropower and human activity in catchment areas are altering the food webs of lakes. The study challenges the belief that subarctic and alpine lakes located far away are relatively safe from human impacts.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Satellite study of 2.2 million thunderstorms shows how to predict their formation
People may be frustrated by the lack of detail when weather forecasters say, "There will be thunderstorms popping up, but we don't know where." Now a key finding in a study by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), published in the journal Nature, is set to improve the certainty about the location of upcoming storms on hot days.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Six years of field data show how climate and light shape early growth of abarco, informing reforestation in Colombia
A new study shows how climate and light conditions interaction affect the early growth in abarco, a highly valued tropical timber species, offering critical guidance for reforestation and sustainable forest management in the face of climate change. Abarco—a native South American tree prized for its timber and ecological importance—shows strong early growth and survival but also sensitivity to air humidity and sunlight intensity, according to researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and AGROSAVIA—Colombia.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Software tool shows potential for cost effective coastal erosion monitoring
A tool originally designed to monitor the erosion of Scotland's coast has proven its worth on a tropical island the other side of the world. The open-source tool, called VedgeSat, was developed by researchers from the University of Glasgow as a more affordable and accessible alternative to traditional methods of coastal management.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Some people are getting trapped in place as the climate changes
Research shows that the poorest may be least able to move away from harm.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Study highlights the mental health costs of marine ecosystem damage
The year-long algal bloom along the South Australian coastline has not only devastated marine life and triggered health risks for humans and pets: it has also had a significant psychological impact on local residents, according to new research.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Study reveals reported crop yield gains from breeding may be overstated
A new study suggests that decades of reported gains in crop yields from plant breeding may be significantly overstated, challenging a common method used worldwide to measure genetic progress. The international research team includes five University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientists.
March 4, 2026 — Source

TerraPower becomes first next-gen nuclear company to get U.S. green light for building reactors
Bill Gates-backed TerraPower is the first in the nation to receive federal approval to build its next-generation nuclear power plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued its unanimous decision on Wednesday.
March 4, 2026 — Source

The climate scientist who refuses to stay objective
In 'Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel about Our Changing Planet,' Kate Marvel argues that feelings belong in climate science -- and that hope is still alive.
March 4, 2026 — Source

The forest is our pantry: Alaska national forests support abundant wild foods
Rural communities bordering the Tongass National Forest harvest more than 4.5 million pounds of wild food per year, including 100 different species that our public lands help support. Just how much food is this? An average quarter-pound cheeseburger might weigh around 6 oz, depending on your toppings of choice. Assuming a 6-oz weight, the wild food harvests in this region are equivalent to more than 12 million cheeseburgers a year. To replace the same amount of wild foods with grocery store purchases, it would cost these communities about $41 million.
March 4, 2026 — Source

The sea is higher than we thought and millions more are at risk, study finds
Climate change's rising seas May 22ndreaten tens of millions more people than scientists and government planners originally thought because of mistaken research assumptions on how high coastal waters already are, a new study said.
March 4, 2026 — Source

The world's biggest automaker has one of the dirtiest supply chains: report
A coalition of environmental, climate, and human rights groups ranked 18 of the world's largest automakers 'on their efforts to eliminate emissions, environmental harms, and human rights violations from their supply chains.'
March 4, 2026 — Source

Using individual atoms to achieve fossil-free chemistry
Methanol is a key starting material for chemical products. Researchers can now produce this precursor from CO2 and hydrogen with high efficiency by using isolated metal atoms as catalysts.
March 4, 2026 — Source

We've Drastically Underestimated Sea Levels, Putting Millions at Risk, Study Warns
An analysis of coastal impact assessments revealed that the majority are not based on direct sea-level and land-elevation measurements—that's troubling.
March 4, 2026 — Source

What I Wish I Knew When I Started with Green IT
Ludi Akue is CTO at Bpifrance Digital, architecting the transformation of traditional banking infrastructure into a modern fintech platform. She leads technical strategy and innovation across 20+ digital products, orchestrating 30 engineering teams in bridging core banking systems and emerging financial technologies.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Who needs data centers in space when they can float offshore?
The power crunch for AI data centers has gotten so severe that people — not just Elon Musk — are talking about launching servers into space so they can access solar power 24/7.
March 4, 2026 — Source

World's Biggest Acidic Geyser Springs Back to Life After Years of Dormancy
The geyser is likely to fall back into dormancy soon, but there's a slim chance the spectacular eruptions will continue into summer.
March 4, 2026 — Source

Zeolite 'thermal batteries' could cut data center cooling power up to 86%
Data centers—the warehouse-sized buildings that store photos, stream movies and train artificial intelligence—are voracious consumers of electricity. A surprisingly large share of that power never reaches a microchip. Instead, it is spent on cooling, hauling away the heat generated by millions of tightly packed servers.
March 4, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 3rd, 2026

70-year field study finds fertilizer imbalance can halve mycorrhizal fungi
70-year field study finds fertilizer imbalance can halve mycorrhizal fungi
March 3, 2026 — Source

A 100% recycled paving block made from mollusk shells and mining waste
The construction industry is one of the most polluting due to its high contribution to CO2 emissions. In addition to its significant environmental cost, its materials are made from nonrenewable resources such as sand and gravel, making the search for sustainable alternatives an urgent challenge in a context where growing production demand must be balanced with environmentally responsible practices. The sector is therefore investigating the development of low-carbon-footprint materials within a circular economy and decarbonization strategy, replacing traditional materials with the waste and surplus of other industries that, in turn, struggle to dispose of their by-products.
March 3, 2026 — Source

A fanged frog long thought to be one species is revealing itself to be several
When a new species is discovered, it's tempting to imagine an adventure novel, said Chan Kin Onn of Michigan State University. "Most people have this image of an intrepid explorer braving an isolated mountain or some other remote place, and stumbling across a creature that no one has ever seen before," Chan said. Sure, that still happens occasionally. "But most of the time it's far less glamorous," he added.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Air pollution from wildfires linked to higher rate of stroke
"Wildfire smoke contains pollutants like ozone and particulate matter, so it is more than a nuisance, it can be a public health hazard," said study author Elizabeth Cerceo, MD, of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey.
March 3, 2026 — Source

BaSi²-supported nickel catalyst boosts low-temperature hydrogen production
A new catalyst strategy developed at Institute of Science Tokyo uses BaSi2 as a support for nickel and cobalt to decompose ammonia at lower temperatures. By forming unique ternary transition metal--nitrogen--barium intermediates that facilitate nitrogen coupling, the system lowers the energy barrier for ammonia decomposition. This enables nickel- and cobalt-based catalysts to achieve high hydrogen-production activity at reduced temperatures, matching the performance of ruthenium while relying on Earth-abundant metals for cleaner hydrogen generation.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Canadians toss electronics at a concerning rate
The first survey of Canadian consumers regarding their purchase and disposal of electronics reveals that 64% of people replace their items for reasons other than the device breaking down or being obsolete. This behavior points to the unrealized potential to reduce e-waste in Canada.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Climate shifts could leave many protected floodplains too dry
Floodplains face increasing pressure: currently protected areas will not be sufficient to preserve the species living in them in the future, a review study conducted under the direction of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) shows. According to the study, planning on a larger scale along river catchments is necessary to improve the connection between floodplains at the catchment level of rivers.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Crocodile caught in an Australian creek 1,200 miles from its tropical habitat
Stephanie Kirsop didn't believe her son when he phoned to say a crocodile was lurking in a creek near their home.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Deadly soil fungal pathogen puts Australia's reptiles at risk of extinction
University of Queensland researchers say Australia's reptiles are at risk of extinction because a little understood fungus is infecting species throughout the environment. Associate Professor Celine Frere from UQ's School of Environment said Nannizziopsis barbatae caused fungal skin lesions and lethargy, leading to reptile starvation and eventual death.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Did plants nearly wipe out all marine life on Earth—twice?
UC College of Arts and Sciences Professor Thomas Algeo has been studying the planet's five major mass extinctions since the Ordovician Period, when global sea levels were much higher than today. In a paper published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, Algeo provides context for a study examining the process of colonization and spread of plants, known as terrestrialization.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Federal Aid for Lead Cleanup Is Receding. That's a Problem for Cash-Strapped Cities.
Tighter regulations and an influx of federal money in recent years have helped communities across the U.S. initiate efforts to clean up lead contamination in soil, drinking water, and older homes. But Congress and the Trump administration have partially rolled back those rules and resources, potentially making it more challenging for cash-strapped cities and towns to undertake sweeping lead remediation programs.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Federal aid for lead cleanup is receding. That's a problem for cash-strapped cities.
Tighter regulations and an influx of federal money in recent years have helped communities across the U.S. initiate efforts to clean up lead contamination in soil, drinking water, and older homes. But Congress and the Trump administration have partially rolled back those rules and resources, potentially making it more challenging for cash-strapped cities and towns to undertake sweeping lead remediation programs.
March 3, 2026 — Source

First Confirmed Cases of Bird Flu in California Elephant Seals Stoke Fear As Virus Surges Worldwide
After a catastrophic outbreak of bird flu devastated southern elephant seal populations in 2023, scientists are on high alert.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Functionalized wood emerges as a green nanoengineering platform for energy and environment
A comprehensive review examines how nanoengineered wood can serve as a renewable platform for energy storage, water treatment, and power generation applications.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Grassroots Resistance to Data Centers Rises in Pennsylvania
Grassroots Resistance to Data Centers Rises in Pennsylvania
March 3, 2026 — Source

Green hydrogen drive could backfire without supply chain overhaul, study says
Green hydrogen—the cornerstone of net zero strategies around the world—could fail in becoming a truly sustainable fuel unless countries rapidly decarbonize their energy grids, according to research led by the University of Sheffield. In a study published in the journal Communications Sustainability, researchers have highlighted the decisive role that national energy mixes will play in determining the level of emissions involved in producing the fuel and its impact on the environment.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Hairdressers could be a secret weapon in tackling climate change, new research finds
Hairdressers across the UK are emerging as powerful, under-recognized influencers in tackling climate change, according to new research from academics at the University of Bath's Center for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), and the Universities of Cardiff, Oxford and Southampton.
March 3, 2026 — Source

How an underground fungal map of the world's oldest, slowest-growing rainforest trees can boost Earth's resilience
The temperate rainforests of the Chilean Coast Range are home to a spectacular array of life: iridescent blue lizards, tiny wild cats called kodkods, and curly vines of waxy red bellflowers. Towering over this biodiversity are endangered ancient conifers, called alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides), whose trunks can get as wide as shipping containers. These alerce forests show exceptionally low mortality and grow slowly—one tree lived more than 3,600 years.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Maize may have more importance in pre-European Michigan than previously thought
Maize may have more importance in pre-European Michigan than previously thought
March 3, 2026 — Source

New Lawsuit Aims to Halt Expansion of a Montana Coal Mine Blamed for Drying up the Land Above It
The proposed expansion of Signal Peak Energy's Bull Mountains Mine has also revived scrutiny of a controversial land swap bill that would deprive Musselshell County of tax revenue.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Newly excavated Maya wetland settlement shows the civilization's adaptation to changing climate
Past civilizations have been significantly affected by climate change, but how they adapted to new conditions centuries ago is less clear. In research newly published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of archaeologists and geographers describes a new excavation at the Birds of Paradise wetland field complex in northwestern Belize—one that provides insight into how the Maya civilization responded to both societal and environmental change from the years 800 to 1500.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Nvidia-backed trial shows AI data centers can flexibly adjust power use in near real time, with global implications for energy consumption — suggests hyperscalers can reduce consumption as necessary, ensuring grid isn't overloaded during peak demand
This is a win-win short-term solution for both AI hyperscalers and grid operators.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Permafrost is key to carbon storage. That makes northern wildfires even more dangerous
The devastating wildfires in northern Canada in recent years have climate consequences that go far beyond smoke and carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, according to a new study co-authored by two NAU researchers. The study, which looked at the various effects of fire in northern Canada and Alaska, wasn't all bad news: The researchers found fires in Canada, when coupled with snowpack, have a net cooling effect. That cooling, however, isn't enough to outweigh the warming effects of permafrost carbon released into the atmosphere from fires in Alaska.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Pollution exposure linked to mental health problems: EU agency
Environmental pollution is linked to several mental health disorders in Europe, the European Environment Agency (EEA) warned Tuesday, arguing that enforcing legislation would result in Europeans being both less depressed and less anxious.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Power producers have financial incentives to block market integration despite cost savings, says study
Renewable energy is lowering electricity costs in some parts of the country, but those benefits aren't being seen by consumers everywhere because they're typically placed far away from demand centers. Better integrating electricity transmission networks across regions could significantly reduce generation costs, new research from the University of Michigan shows—at the expense of generation companies' profits.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Recycling jumps when garbage collection drops, new research shows
Despite some modest progress over the past two decades, Canada's waste diversion efforts remain wanting: according to the Canadian government, only 27% of the country's waste is recycled, composted, or otherwise diverted from disposal. In 2022, 26.6 million tons of solid waste wound up in landfills or was incinerated—an 11% increase from 2002.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Rewilding could fill gap left by Panama's lost giants
Many large herbivores that once roamed modern-day Panama have declined or died out—including the 6-meter-long giant ground sloth and elephant-related creatures called Cuvieronius. New research suggests that introducing large herbivores in Panama's forests could fill the gap left by extinct species.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Scientists, Engineers and Legal Experts Condemn Partisan Attack on Scientific Reference Manual for Judges
Last month, a government agency erased climate change from a manual that helps federal and state judges understand complex science in court. The political attack on the nonpartisan publication "should concern us all," its co-authors warn.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Self-cleaning fuel cells? Researchers reveal steam-powered fix for 'sulfur poisoning'
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that directly convert chemical energy from a fuel into electrical energy. Unlike batteries, which only store electricity, fuel cells can continuously generate electricity as long as both fuel and air are supplied.
March 3, 2026 — Source

The hidden technology that could unlock commercial fusion power
Smarter, tougher plasma sensors could be the key to bringing fusion power from the lab to the grid.
March 3, 2026 — Source

The wetland puzzle that stumped hydrology for decades—how physics and AI joined forces to predict unmeasured regions
For years, the Prairie Pothole Region has bothered me in a very specific way. On a map, it looks like a normal landscape: fields, gentle slopes, small streams. But hydrologically, it behaves like something else entirely. The surface is peppered with countless depressions—wetlands and "potholes"—that can store water for days, months, or even years. Most of the time, rainfall and snowmelt do not move cleanly downhill into channels.
March 3, 2026 — Source

The Ultimate Guide to Safely Disposing of Your Old Tech for Free
Don't let retro tech clutter your space. Here's how and where you can dispose of it without paying a dime.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Urban trees can absorb more CO² than cars emit on some summer days, Munich study shows
How much carbon dioxide do parks and individual trees in cities absorb, and how much do they release? To answer this question, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a high-resolution CO₂ biogenic flux model. Their findings show that, on average, around 2% of Munich's annual urban emissions are compensated by vegetation. Urban trees have the greatest impact, whereas grassy areas are often net sources of CO².
March 3, 2026 — Source

Warming El Nino may return later this year: UN
The warming El Niño weather phenomenon could return later this year as its cooling opposite La Niña fades away, the United Nations said Tuesday.
March 3, 2026 — Source

Why inclusive disaster planning can be lifesaving
The aftermath of Hurricane Maria showed that people with disabilities can get left behind during an emergency.
March 3, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — March 2nd, 2026

A massive climate resilience program is escaping Florida's DOGE purge
The state's largest climate resilience program is proving itself immune to the governor's purge.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Agrivoltaics can increase or reduce yields and profits, depending on the crop and where the systems are deployed
In a world where increasing demands for food security and energy strain existing resources, scientists are looking for new ways to maximize both. One potential option, agrivoltaics, integrates solar photovoltaics with crops. A study examines the agricultural and economic trade-offs that come with installing solar arrays on working farms across the Midwest.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Antarctica has lost 10 times the size of Greater Los Angeles in ice over 30 years, satellite data reveal
A comprehensive 30-year study led by University of California, Irvine glaciologists has produced a circumpolar ice grounding line migration map of Antarctica. An amalgamation of three decades of satellite data compiled and analyzed by the researchers revealed that while most of Antarctica remains remarkably stable, vulnerable sectors are losing grounded ice equivalent to the size of Greater Los Angeles every three years.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Atacama surprise: The world's driest desert is teeming with hidden life
Even in the world's driest desert, tiny worms are proving that life finds remarkable ways to endure.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Biodiversity at risk in Colombia's tropical dry forests
A study of changes to the habitats of more than 700 species reveals massive biodiversity loss—but also possibilities for restoration. "There is a lot of talk about deforestation and biodiversity loss in the Amazon, but even here in Colombia there is much less said about the tropical dry forest, although it is also an extremely rich ecosystem—and one that is under severe threat," warns Colombian researcher Maria Isabel Arce Plata.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Current climate pledges may miss Paris targets
International efforts to tackle climate change reached a major milestone with the Paris Agreement, adopted by more than 190 countries. The agreement aims to limit the average global temperature rise to well below 2 °C, preferably to 1.5 °C. However, questions remain as to whether current national climate pledges are sufficient to meet these goals.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Dense, dark forests in Europe are a modern phenomenon
For over 20 million years, the landscape of Europe has been a tree-rich mosaic of grasslands, scrubs and more or less open woodlands with an abundance of wildflowers. This is the conclusion of a new and comprehensive study of Europe's vegetation history—a study that suggests modern afforestation runs counter to the continent's long-term ecological trajectory.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Dow Asks Texas to Legalize Plastic Pollution From Its Seadrift Complex
Facing multiple lawsuits, Dow requests an "unprecedented" permit amendment to authorize its discharge of polyethylene pellets into coastal waters.
March 2, 2026 — Source

From high‑tech greenhouses to fruit netting: How protected cropping can shield crops from climate extremes
For many of us, food is something we buy at a supermarket or order at a cafe. We usually give little thought to the complex systems required to produce and deliver it—until they stop working. It's not common to think of Australia as a place at risk of food insecurity. It has vast tracts of fertile land and the capacity to feed its population many times over.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Improved EV battery gains will outmatch degradation from climate change, research shows
Climate change was poised to create an interesting catch-22 for electric vehicles. Electrifying transportation can go a long way to reducing carbon emissions that are driving up global temperatures. But warmer temperatures also accelerate the degradation of batteries, whose performance can be a make-or-break factor for people considering an EV purchase.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Investigating the 61-pound machine that eats plastic and spits out bricks
A review of the Clear Drop Soft Plastic Compactor — and what happens next.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Isolating vesicle-cloaked viruses in city and hospital wastewater
Viruses such as human norovirus can travel in vesicles, small fluid-filled sacs that are like shipping containers for cells. Viruses hidden in these containers are often harder to detect and may be more infectious than free-floating viral material. In addition, their prevalence in the environment remains relatively unknown, raising public health concerns.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Lobbyist Disclosure Failures Disadvantage Maryland Climate Advocates, According to Audit
The opaque system allows industry operatives to shape legislative decisions with little public oversight, a nonprofit research group has found.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Low-smoke solid fuels pose hidden public health risks via elevated ultrafine particle emissions
Air pollution causes millions of premature deaths worldwide each year, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) identified as a major culprit. In response, countries from Ireland to China have promoted low-smoke or smokeless fuels as a clean alternative to traditional bituminous coal, peat, and wood. However, the health risks of ultrafine particles (UFPs, PM0.1, <100 nm) produced by low-smoke fuels have long been overlooked.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Microplastics and nanoplastics in urban air originate mainly from tire abrasion, research reveals
Although plastic particles in the air are increasingly coming into focus, knowledge about their distribution and effects is still limited. Chemical analyses from Leipzig now provide details from Germany for the first time: Around 4% of the particulate matter consists of plastic. Around two-thirds of this comes from tire abrasion.
March 2, 2026 — Source

New standardized wave energy prototyping method aims to speed converter development
Converting wave motion into electricity holds enormous potential as a renewable energy source, but a lack of standardized prototyping is holding back technological development. A research team led by University of Michigan Engineering designed two small-scale wave energy converter prototypes accompanied by a standardized methodology in an effort to fast-track high-quality wave energy converter research.
March 2, 2026 — Source

New York survey suggests solar leases could fund farm investments, not shutdowns
New York state farmers who signed large-scale solar leases were three times more likely to say they'll use the revenue from solar to invest in their farms than to reduce operations, according to a new study. Nearly half of the farmers with leases said they did not plan to change their agricultural practices at all.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Operational framework can help countries assess national contributions to protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030
A new article introduces a science-based operational framework developed by researchers from several universities and the Danish Biodiversity Council. The framework can help countries assess their genuine national contributions to protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030. When applied to Denmark, the framework shows that the official Danish reporting substantially overestimates the country's progress toward meeting the international targets.
March 2, 2026 — Source

Science Newsfrom research organizationsAncient mystery on K'gari: World's largest sand island lakes dried up during rainy era
Even in a rainy era 7,500 years ago, K'gari's legendary lakes vanished—could it happen again?
March 2, 2026 — Source

Soil saturation data sharpens atmospheric river flood warnings, study of 71,000 storms finds
Atmospheric rivers carry unfathomable amounts of water across the sky, bringing moisture to drought-stricken regions like the Western U.S. But whether a particular incoming atmospheric river storm will result in disastrous flooding has long been difficult for researchers to determine with confidence. Now, a new Desert Research Institute-led study demonstrates that accounting for soil saturation levels can substantially improve our early warning of potentially destructive flooding events.
March 2, 2026 — Source

TECNO Camon 50 Ultra Debuts as a Durability and Battery Beast
TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra has debuted officially at MWC 2026. This will join the standard CAMON 50 and CAMON 50 Pro. The handset focuses mainly on durability with an IP69K rating and MIL-STD-810 certification. Additionally, it features a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultimate, a 50MP main camera, and Android 16 OS. The availability details are reportedly not out yet.
March 2, 2026 — Source

The Race to Build the World's First Commercial Fusion Plant Is Heating Up
Private and government stakeholders alike seem to believe that fusion energy is right around the corner.
March 2, 2026 — Source

War in Iran Could Have 'Historic' Disruptions on Energy Markets
Oil prices jumped after the United States and Israel attacked Iran. Experts say the effects on oil and gas prices will depend on how long the war lasts and whether Iran damages energy infrastructure.
March 2, 2026 — Source

What If a Solar Panel Could Make Power From Both Sun and Rain?
A new perovskite cell could power small devices with additional energy harvested from raindrops.
March 2, 2026 — Source

When will the price be right for green hydrogen in New Zealand?
Green hydrogen could help cut New Zealand's industrial emissions, but University of Auckland modeling suggests it's unlikely to make a dent by 2050, with electrification doing most of the heavy lifting. This is mainly due to costs, infrastructure, policy and behavioral factors, according to research led by Business School masters student Geordie Reid.
March 2, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 24th, 2026

Cannabis essential oils unlock how camphor repels mosquitoes
From summer evenings to global disease prevention, mosquito repellents are a daily defense for billions of people, yet until now, scientists didn't fully understand how mosquitoes themselves perceive these "keep away" signals. A new study has pinpointed an odorant receptor that helps mosquitoes detect a repellent odor and steer away. The researchers found that activating this receptor switches on a dedicated neural pathway that can override the insects' attraction to human scents, producing clear avoidance behavior.
February 24, 2026 — Source

CINEMA mission will explore auroras and Earth's mysterious magnetotail
Every winter, thousands of tourists travel to high-latitude regions like Scandinavia, Canada, and Alaska hoping to see the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. Vincent Ledvina, an aurora guide and Ph.D. student in space physics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, estimates he leads 1,000 people on aurora tours each year. Some ask Ledvina how the dazzling curtains of light are created, and he tells them that auroras occur when high-energy particles from space are funneled by Earth's magnetosphere into the polar atmosphere and collide with different molecules in the air. Ledvina says that more specific questions can be difficult to answer.
February 24, 2026 — Source

'Deconstruction Academy' teaches people how to reduce construction waste
Doors, sinks, windows, floors, and cabinets often end up in a landfill when a building is torn down. A Minnesota-based company is trying to change that.
February 24, 2026 — Source

Environmental, Community Groups to Challenge Regulators' Approval of Dominion's Gas Plant
An appeal to be filed on their behalf by the Southern Environmental Law Center will argue that the new plant in Chesterfield County would not comply with either the state's environmental justice or clean economy acts.
February 24, 2026 — Source

For Northeast blizzard, everything was just right to roll up a monster snowfall
The nor'easter smacking much of the Northeast with nearly 3 feet of snow in places is as classic and powerful a blizzard as you can get, the strongest in a decade and up there with the most intense in history, meteorologists said.
February 24, 2026 — Source

Four key facts about climate change and school meal programs
More extreme weather and shifting growing seasons are putting pressure on school meal programs, which serve nearly half a billion children worldwide. Jennifer Burney, a professor of Earth system science and of environmental social sciences in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, studies these changes and how they affect children's health and well-being.
February 24, 2026 — Source

From substitutions to forgery, the $195 billion seafood industry is awash with deception. Nuclear forensics might offer a lifeline.
07.13.2013
February 24, 2026 — Source

Global warming and heat stress risk close in on the Tour de France
The progressive rise in temperatures poses a growing threat to the staging of summer sporting events in Europe and, more specifically, to the Tour de France, due to the increasing risk of heat stress for athletes. This is one of the conclusions of a study published in Scientific Reports, which analyzed climate data associated with more than 50 editions of the French race.
February 24, 2026 — Source

How bacteria can reclaim lost energy, nutrients and clean water from wastewater
Wastewater contains untapped resources that, if reclaimed, could power agriculture, global sanitation, and its own treatment to help us meet UN SDG goals, according to a review published in Frontiers in Science.
February 24, 2026 — Source

Introducing Yale Climate Connections' new Spanish-language page
We're putting climate coverage in Spanish at your fingertips.
February 24, 2026 — Source

Kelp: The planet's other forest crisis
The decline of California's kelp forests since the marine heat wave of 2013--17 has seen only minor recovery despite heroic efforts at restoration carried out by scientists, fishermen, coastal tribes, volunteer divers and conservationists. Nor is the threat to kelp localized. Rather, the loss, like the expansion of mega-wildfires on land from Los Angeles to Siberia and from Canada to Australia, comes in response to an ever-warming world where 90% of the human-generated heat from the burning of fossil fuels is absorbed by the ocean.
February 24, 2026 — Source

Marine plastic pollution alters octopus predator-prey encounters, study shows
More than 350,000 chemicals are used worldwide, and many find their way into the ocean through plastic pollution. As plastics accumulate in coastal waters, they continuously leach bioactive additives that can interfere with the chemical cues marine animals rely on to find food, avoid predators, choose habitats, and communicate.
February 24, 2026 — Source

Methane's missing emissions: The underestimated impact of small sources
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with an impact estimated at 80 times that of CO². Although efforts are being made to reduce the contribution of big polluters to methane in Japan, new research from Osaka Metropolitan University suggests that smaller sources are vastly underestimated in the Osaka metropolitan area.
February 24, 2026 — Source

Planning exercises that got community engagement right
Much has been written about how government agencies struggle with community engagement in climate resilience planning. For example, a 2024 study by the Resilient Coastal Communities Project (RCCP) described the enormous frustration felt by communities involved in planning exercises that fail to meaningfully address, let alone prioritize, local needs and experience.
February 24, 2026 — Source

Successfully commercializing novel solar cells: When records are not enough
It is not easy to bring new technologies from the laboratory to market. Researchers and companies face very different demands for new developments and do not always find common ground. Scientists at Empa and other institutions have analyzed two emerging solar cell technologies to identify the greatest risks. Their conclusion: Research and industry must start collaborating much earlier.
February 24, 2026 — Source

'The plastic divide'—how carrier bag bans impact the poorest communities
A new study from The University of Manchester has shed light on an unexpected consequence of plastic bag bans in East Africa, and why well-intentioned environmental laws may actually be making life harder for the people they aim to protect.
February 24, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 17th, 2026

Beyond 'survival' of fittest: Evolution works in teams
Survival of the fittest. Nature red in tooth and claw. The common view of natural selection is based solely on the individual: A trait allows an organism to out-compete its rivals and is thus passed down to its offspring. To suggest otherwise can provoke the ire of certain segments of the scientific community, acknowledged Binghamton University Associate Professor Emerita of Biological Sciences Anne Clark.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Brain responses to wildlife images can forecast online engagement—and help conservation messaging
What types of photos make people reach for their wallets? New Stanford University-led research suggests that brain activity can help forecast which wildlife images will inspire people to engage online and donate to conservation causes.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Breakthrough proton-conducting ceramic material for clean energy
Innovative co-doping strategy overcomes long-standing limits in proton conduction, opening a new way for efficient hydrogen-to-electricity conversion.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Can seagrass survive extreme heat? Exploring how different species withstand elevated water temperatures
Extreme heat can have a devastating effect on seagrass, but new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) could shape how these vitally important marine ecosystems are managed and restored. In separate studies carried out on both the west and east coasts of Australia, researchers have investigated how seagrasses stand up to marine heat waves and prolonged ocean warming.
February 17, 2026 — Source

China has slashed air pollution, but the 'war' isn't over
Fifteen years ago, Beijing's Liangma riverbanks would have been smog-choked and deserted in winter, but these days they are dotted with families and exercising pensioners most mornings.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Climate Change Could Make This Horrific New Jersey Wildlife Disease Worse
The Garden State is home to ranavirus, a pathogen capable of killing amphibians en masse. Scientists still aren't sure what's causing outbreaks and what the long-term effects might be, and rising temperatures could exacerbate the problem.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Converting human urine into clean energy: Researchers optimize the process
Researchers at McGill University have improved the efficiency of a method for converting human urine into clean energy. The method employs microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which use bacteria to turn organic waste into electricity, providing a sustainable and low-cost means of treating wastewater while generating energy from an abundant source.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Cost of copper must rise substantially to meet basic copper needs
The price of copper must at least double in order to spur the development of new copper mines to meet the world's growing demand for the metal, according to a team led by a University of Michigan researcher. The team led by U-M geologist Adam Simon examined barriers to producing the copper necessary to meet demands for the metal under different scenarios. They found that meeting basic copper demand is possible, but will require higher prices and reforms to the permitting process to encourage mining.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Elegy for the Washington Post climate team
The Washington Post produced high-quality and wide-ranging climate coverage. Then it fired most of its climate reporters.
February 17, 2026 — Source

From cells to companies: Study shows how diversity scales within complex systems
A mystery novel, a history book, and a fantasy epic may have little in common in plot or style. But count the words inside them and a strange regularity appears: many new words show up early, then fewer and fewer as the author reuses what has already been introduced. That pattern, known as Heaps' law, turns out not to belong to books alone.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Genomics: Decoding the blueprints for Australia's biodiversity
Every living organism has its own genetic "blueprint": the source code for how it grows, functions and reproduces. This blueprint is known as a genome. When scientists sequence a genome, they identify and put in order the chemical building blocks—adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) and guanine (G) nucleotides—that make up an organism's DNA.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Growing evidence that freshwater wildlife is impacted by microplastics
Researchers have found more evidence that microplastics are impacting freshwater wildlife in different countries around the world. A new study, led by the University of Glasgow and published in the journal Environmental Research, documents the presence of microplastics in the droppings of freshwater birds nesting in different sites in Europe. The results shed more light on the extent of the impact of microplastics on the natural environment.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Hydrogen-bond networks boost all-perovskite solar cell efficiency
The use of solar cells, devices that can convert sunlight into electricity, has grown exponentially over the past decades. These devices are enabling the production of clean and renewable energy, which could contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on Earth and help to mitigate climate change.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Intensive grazing and soil fertility favor the growth of non-native plants, drylands study finds
A global study has revealed the conditions under which non-native plants thrive in the world's many dryland regions and the factors that limit their spread. Using data from 98 study sites across 25 countries on six continents, researchers found that non-native plants often grow faster than native species and are particularly successful in areas with intensive grazing and nutrient-rich soils. However, their success is significantly reduced in ecosystems with a high diversity of native plant species.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Longer roots for drought? How an edited protein could reshape crop resilience
What's the key to growing resilient crops that can survive tough conditions? Researchers at the University of Missouri are getting to the root of it—literally. Researchers in the Walter Gassmann lab at Mizzou's Bond Life Sciences Center have discovered how a specific protein known as SRFR1 plays a critical role in how deeply plant roots grow underground. Even more promising, they unlocked a way to manipulate this protein to encourage longer root growth, a trait that can potentially help plants better withstand drought.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Northern Europe's radiator: Volcanic eruptions in the past may have pushed ocean currents toward collapse
New research from the University of Copenhagen suggests that volcanic eruptions during the Ice Age may have triggered sudden climate change by disrupting the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), causing temperatures to fluctuate between hot and cold for thousands of years. The study contributes missing pieces to our understanding of what could cause Northern Europe's radiator to shut down.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Retired EV Batteries Scored a New Gig: Bolstering Texas' Grid
After reaching the end of their automotive careers, the batteries have been repurposed and are online in Texas.
February 17, 2026 — Source

The giant fire tornado that could save our oceans
The giant fire tornado that could save our oceans
February 17, 2026 — Source

The Netherlands' Offshore Wind Farms Are Doing A Lot More Than Generating Electricity
Renewable energy solutions are not only being explored by countries around the world; they're also being heavily implemented into everyday life as well. The Netherlands is an excellent example of this. The country's wind turbines, despite controversies surrounding their possible impact on human health, accounted for 18% of its total electricity output in 2022. However, thanks to an agreement between two energy companies and a marine solutions company, a new initiative is integrating artificial reef structures directly into wind turbine foundations in an effort to not just provide green energy but also safeguard the marine environment.
February 17, 2026 — Source

To aficionados, fungi are freaky, mystical and overlooked. They're helping scientists learn more
Jessica Allen crunched through fallen leaves among Manzanita trees hunting for something few have spotted before: the Manzanita butter clump—a rare and little-known yellow mushroom found, so far, only along North America's Western coastlines.
February 17, 2026 — Source

Toxic metals found in bananas after Brazil mining disaster
Toxic metals from a decade-old mining disaster may be quietly accumulating in bananas—and could pose risks for young children.
February 17, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 15th, 2026

Biodegradable Mardi Gras beads help make Carnival season more sustainable
It is Carnival season in New Orleans. That means gazillions of green, gold and purple Mardi Gras beads.
February 15, 2026 — Source

Microscopic plankton reveal tropicalization of the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is rapidly changing under ongoing climate change. In the eastern basin, tropicalization is already well documented and driven by a combination of strong warming and the influx of tropical species through the Suez Canal. In contrast, the western Mediterranean has, until now, shown fewer such signals. However, a recent study demonstrates that the expansion of microscopic warm-water species provides a clear and early indication of tropicalization impacts on marine ecosystems.
February 15, 2026 — Source

Tracking global water circulation using atomic fingerprints
Scientists have developed a powerful new way to trace the journey of water across the planet by reading tiny atomic clues hidden inside it. Slightly heavier versions of hydrogen and oxygen, called isotopes, shift in predictable ways as water evaporates and moves through the atmosphere. By combining eight advanced climate models into a single ensemble, researchers created the most accurate large-scale simulation yet of how water circulates worldwide.
February 15, 2026 — Source

What the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina means for businesses today
When Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. in 2005, nearly 2000 people lost their lives and the cost of the catastrophe exceeded $100 billion. Now, 21 years later, new research from The University of Manchester has found that Katrina left another, less visible legacy long after the storm clouds had cleared.
February 15, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 15th, 2026

A safer, cost-effective solution for large-scale energy storage
A research team affiliated with UNIST has achieved a major breakthrough in the development of cost-effective, large-scale energy storage systems (ESS)—specifically, iron--chromium redox flow batteries (ICRFBs). Known for their safety, affordability, and suitability for grid-level applications, these batteries offer a reliable power source for high-demand facilities, like data centers, all while eliminating the risks associated with flammable electrolytes.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Antarctic ice melt can change global ocean circulation, sediment cores suggest
A new study shows that during the last two deglaciations, i.e., the transition from an ice age to the warm interglacial periods, meltwater from the Antarctic ice sheet intensified stratification in the Southern Ocean. The results highlight the key role of the Antarctic ice sheet on ocean circulation and the regulation of the global climate. The study was led by François Fripiat, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, and was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Princeton University and the Alfred Wegener Institute.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Antipathy toward snakes? Your parents likely talked you into that at an early age
A study of more than 100 kindergarten-age children suggests kids tend to think of snakes differently than they do other animals and that hearing negative or objectifying language about the slithery reptiles might contribute to that way of thinking.
February 14, 2026 — Source

California Pays Farms to Make Biogas from Hog Waste in North Carolina, Where Locals Say It's Fueling Pollution
Last year, six farms were the first in the Tar Heel State to get funding from California's program offsetting its transportation emissions. Their permits to make biogas already have civil rights complaints against them for the pollution from the process.
February 15, 2026 — Source

Cape Town's wildflowers are a world treasure: Six insights from a new checklist
Cape Town, in South Africa, is famous for its dramatic mountains and coastline, but its greatest treasure lies in the plants that carpet its slopes and valleys. Table Mountain National Park and its surrounds are home to 2,785 species, including subspecies and varieties.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Climate Action in the Hands of the State
Go behind the scenes with executive editor Vernon Loeb and reporter Kiley Bense as they discuss the push and pull of climate action in Pennsylvania.
February 15, 2026 — Source or Watch Video

How to Recycle Your Old Laptops and Printers for Free
Don't let those ancient printers and PCs live rent-free in your home.
February 15, 2026 — Source

Japan's 'godless' lake warns of creeping climate change
The Japanese priest and his parishioners gathered before dawn, hoping that climate change had not robbed them of the chance to experience an increasingly rare communion with the sacred.
February 15, 2026 — Source

Michigan Tries a New Legal Tactic Against Big Oil, Alleging Antitrust Violations Aimed at Hobbling EVs and Renewable Energy
The suit comes as the industry and its political allies escalate efforts to shut down liability laws and lawsuits. Republicans in Congress are currently crafting legislation to shield fossil fuel companies from climate liability.
February 15, 2026 — Source

Polymers from earth can make cement more climate-friendly
Concrete is all around you—in the foundation of your home, the bridges you drive over, the sidewalks and buildings of cities. It is often described as the second-most used material by volume on Earth after water.
February 15, 2026 — Source

Science made simple: Book dispels five misconceptions about carbon pricing
Gradually increasing the price of fossil fuels is considered a key element of effective climate policy—and yet it remains the subject of bitter controversy. In a new book, experts from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) explain this concept and correct false perceptions. The publication (in German) is aimed at professionals and laypeople who want to gain a thorough understanding of the topic.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Scientists discover pets are helping an invasive flatworm spread
An invasive flatworm may be spreading from garden to garden on your pet's fur.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Testing confirms chemical-free future for fighting flystrike in sheep
Researchers have successfully shown a technology developed at the University of Queensland can improve the efficacy of a chemical-free flystrike treatment for sheep. The technology, BenPol, addresses the limitations of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) treatment to mitigate flystrike, which is the painful and sometimes fatal infestation of maggots on live sheep.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Texas to Study 'Batch Zero' of Data Centers by Late Summer
As ERCOT plans to reform how it evaluates data centers seeking grid connection, unknowns remain.
February 14, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 14th, 2026

AI-powered digital twin enables real-time energy evaluation for smart buildings
Next-generation model combines symbolic AI with VR to visualize and evaluate energy savings and thermal comfort in real time during zero-energy building design.
February 14, 2026 — Source

China Is Leaving America in the Dust on Clean Energy
There are enormous geopolitical, economic and climate ramifications to the U.S. abandoning leadership on the energy transition. If you live in America, basically none of them are good.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Fast microwave method produces advanced carbon materials for efficient CO2 capture
A new microwave-assisted method creates nitrogen-doped ultramicroporous carbon from coal in minutes, dramatically cutting energy use while achieving high CO2 capture performance.
February 14, 2026 — Source

First-of-its-kind automated root imaging platform speeds plant discoveries
The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has launched a novel robotic platform to rapidly analyze plant root systems as they grow, yielding AI-ready data to accelerate the development of stress-tolerant crops for new fuels, chemicals and materials.
February 14, 2026 — Source

For Maine's Lakes, Shorter Ice Seasons Mean Loss of Water Quality, Winter Traditions
One lifelong resident remembers driving out onto lakes with his family as a boy without worrying about the thickness of the ice. Now, Maine's lakes have 25 fewer ice days per winter.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Mamdani's New Chief Climate Officer Wants to Make New York a 'Better Place to Live'
Louise Yeung hopes to bolster NYC's response to climate change to better address safety, health and the city's affordability crisis.
February 14, 2026 — Source

Novel calcium-ion battery technology enhances energy storage efficiency and sustainability
Novel calcium-ion battery technology enhances energy storage efficiency and sustainability
February 14, 2026 — Source

One of the ocean's saltiest regions is freshening: What it means for circulation
The southern Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia is becoming less salty at an astonishing rate, largely due to climate change, new research shows.
February 14, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 13th, 2026

A microfluidic chip for one-step detection of PFAS and other pollutants
Environmental pollutant analysis typically requires complex sample pretreatment steps such as filtration, separation, and preconcentration. When solid materials such as sand, soil, or food residues are present in water samples, analytical accuracy often decreases, and filtration can unintentionally remove trace-level target pollutants along with the solids.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Advancing porous materials: Scientists create solar-powered water treatment material
Brazilian scientists have made advances in an area recognized by the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: the development and application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These are porous crystalline materials that have the potential to revolutionize environmental and energy technologies. The study involved researchers affiliated with the Center for Development of Functional Materials based at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar).
February 13, 2026 — Source

AI-powered digital twin enables real-time energy evaluation for smart buildings
In the context of global decarbonization, reducing energy consumption in the building sector is an urgent issue. Researchers have developed a next-generation building energy evaluation model that combines rule-based symbolic AI computing with VR technology. This model enables real-time visualization and simultaneous evaluation of the energy-saving effects and indoor thermal comfort during the design stage of a Zero-Energy Building. This approach will have a wide range of applications in the design of next-generation smart buildings.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Ancestral motif enables broad DNA binding by NIN, a master regulator of rhizobial symbiosis
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have uncovered a master transcriptional regulator that controls rhizobial symbiosis between plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. By identifying an amino acid motif that emerged before the appearance of rhizobial symbiosis, they show that stabilization of DNA binding enabled this regulator to control a wide array of genes involved in nodule formation, bacterial infection, and symbiotic nitrogen fixation.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Arctic peatlands are expanding as temperatures continue to rise, new research confirms
The Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet, with average temperatures increasing by about 4°C in the last four decades. A new study, led by the University of Exeter, shows peatlands have expanded since 1950, with some peatland edges moving by more than a meter a year.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Artificial wetlands can protect water quality
On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, the Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA) at the Universitat Politècnica de València highlights the importance of these ecosystems as key tools for improving water quality, protecting soil and mitigating diffuse pollution, as well as the role of scientific research in developing sustainable, nature-based solutions.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Changing the way we warn about natural disasters
With extreme weather events, fires and floods growing increasingly common, general warnings are no longer adequate. Researchers at Uppsala University, in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization and others, now call for change—from mass mailings to personalized warnings that actually persuade people to act.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Cleaner solar manufacturing could cut global emissions by eight billion tonnes
Next-gen solar panel manufacturing could dramatically cut global carbon emissions, with newer designs outperforming current tech in nearly all environmental measures, a new study finds.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Collaboration between universities and hospitals intensifies in times of crisis, finds study
Economic and public health conditions influence universities' research priorities. A study led by INGENIO, a joint research center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), reveals how, in times of economic growth, cooperation between universities and businesses increases, while in times of crisis and high disease burdens, collaboration with hospitals is strengthened.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Energy-hungry AI and air conditioning risk wiping out climate gains made by renewables
The rapid expansion of renewable energy is being used to meet rising electricity demands rather than displacing fossil fuels, according to new research by the University of Sussex. Energy-hungry artificial intelligence data centers and greater use of air conditioning in a fast-heating world are among several factors threatening to undermine the climate gains made by renewables, according to the paper published in Nature Reviews Clean Technology.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Fossil evidence reveals how gray wolves adapt diets to climate change
Gray wolves adapt their diets as a result of climate change, eating harder foods such as bones to extract nutrition during warmer climates, new research has found. The study, led by the University of Bristol in collaboration with the Natural History Museum, and published in Ecology Letters, has implications for wolf conservation across Europe and beyond.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Fusion startup Helion hits blistering temps as it races toward 2028 deadline
Fusion energy startup Helion announced Friday that it has hit a key milestone in its quest for fusion power. Plasmas inside the company's Polaris prototype reactor have reached 150 million degrees Celsius, three-quarters of the way toward what the company thinks it will need to operate a commercial fusion power plant.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Helion reaches record 150 million degrees Celsius as it strives for ambitious commercial fusion launch
Helion Energy on Friday announced two milestones for the company and commercial fusion sector: reaching a plasma temperature of 150 million degrees Celsius and being the first private venture to test its fusion device with a radioactive fuel called tritium.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Helping lobster hatcheries safeguard genetic diversity
Some lobster mothers produce offspring that are far more likely to survive—in findings that could help safeguard lobster diversity. University of Exeter researchers, working in partnership with the National Lobster Hatchery (NLH) in Cornwall, studied European lobsters that survived the first few weeks of life. The paper, published in the journal Aquaculture, is titled "Hatchery lobster releases risk genetic bottlenecking via survival skews with maternal effects."
February 13, 2026 — Source

Identifying pathways for managing PFAS waste in semiconductor manufacturing
As semiconductor manufacturing rapidly expands to meet growing global demand for generative AI and advanced electronics, a new review published in Environmental Science & Technology assesses the current state of science, technology, and policy around managing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) waste in the industry and outlines recommendations for a path forward.
February 13, 2026 — Source

In Cordoba, the grass pollen season has grown longer over the last 23 years
A study analyzes the relationship between pollen and meteorological data spanning 23 years, verifying how the wind impacts each phase of the pollen season differently, thereby helping to manage and prevent allergy seasons. A multidisciplinary study conducted by the Aerobiology and Physical Systems Modeling and Simulation research groups at the University of Cordoba has verified how the pollen season of grasses, a family of plants made up of thousands of species, and whose pollen is the most frequent cause of respiratory allergies, has been getting longer—specifically, almost four more days each year, as flowering begins earlier and ends later.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Lithium alternatives? Calcium-ion batteries show strong 1,000-cycle performance in new test
Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have achieved a breakthrough in calcium-ion battery (CIB) technology, which could transform energy storage solutions in everyday life. Utilizing quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs), these innovative CIBs promise to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of energy storage, impacting a wide range of applications from renewable energy systems to electric vehicles.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Model maps Valencia's October 2024 flood, finding water topped four meters
A study led by Francisco Valles Morán, a researcher at the Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IIAMA) at the Universitat Politècnica de València, has analyzed in detail the flooding caused by the DANA on 29 October 2024 in l'Horta Sud (Valencia) using advanced two-dimensional hydraulic modeling techniques.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Most precise map yet of agricultural emissions charts a path to reduce hotspots
To lower agricultural emissions, policymakers and communities first need to pinpoint the sources—not just by country but crop by crop, field by field. In a study published in Nature Climate Changepublished in Nature Climate Change, researchers have synthesized data from multiple ground sources and models to map global cropland emissions at high resolution—down to about 10 kilometers—while breaking down emissions by crop and source and identifying regions for more precise mitigation.
February 13, 2026 — Source

New AI Model Lets Farm Robots Identify Weeds -- Then Kill Them With Lasers
You've probably heard about large language models, those sophisticated AI systems that power all chatbots today. Get ready for Large Plant Models (LPMs). Developed by Carbon Robotics, a Seattle-based agricultural technology company, it's essentially an AI model trained on over 150 million labeled plants for the goal of recognizing basically any weed in any field of the planet. Computer vision is fast emerging as a transformative tech in farming — another startup company recently used the tech in mushroom-picking robots.
February 13, 2026 — Source

New study assesses potential dust control options for Great Salt Lake
A new collaborative study, led by University of Utah Professor of atmospheric sciences Kevin Perry, provides policymakers, agency leaders, and the public with the most comprehensive assessment to date of potential dust control options for the Great Salt Lake, as declining water levels continue to expose vast areas of lakebed to wind erosion.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Polluting the environment for all eternity—and still sticking our heads in the sand
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework states that plastic pollution must be eliminated by 2030. So why haven't we enacted measures that make a real difference?
February 13, 2026 — Source

Recycling strategies of fungi can affect how forests store carbon
Some fungi are wasteful, while others recycle—and this can determine how much carbon is stored in a forest. Researchers at Lund University have now revealed how fungi manage their mycelium, the network that builds the structure of fungus. Using microfluidic chips—units that handle and analyze extremely small volumes of fluid through microscopic channels—the researchers could show that the availability of nutrients among fungi affects how much of the mycelium is recycled.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Scientists make microplastics glow to see what they do inside your body
Microplastics and nanoplastics are now found everywhere on Earth, from ocean depths to agricultural soils and even inside the human body. Yet scientists still struggle to understand what these particles actually do once they enter living organisms. A new study proposes an innovative fluorescence-based strategy that could allow researchers to track microplastics in real time as they move, transform, and degrade inside biological systems.
February 13, 2026 — Source

The clean energy coach next door
People who love their heat pumps are now teaching neighbors to go electric.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Three decades on from Wales' biggest oil spill: How the Sea Empress disaster changed shipping
I grew up on the beaches of Pembrokeshire in south-west Wales. Visits to Tenby were my family's summer ritual: sand between our toes, paddling in rockpools, strawberry syrup on ice cream.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Trump Says He Supports American Oil and Gas. Why Is His Administration Financing a French-Owned Project in Mozambique?
The gas export terminal would be one of Africa's largest fossil fuel projects, in an area with an ongoing Islamist insurgency. The project has been plagued by delays and accusations of human rights violations
February 13, 2026 — Source

Trump's EPA decides climate change doesn't endanger public health—the evidence says otherwise
The Trump administration took a major step in its efforts to unravel America's climate policies on Feb. 12, 2026, when it moved to rescind the 2009 endangerment finding—a formal determination that six greenhouse gases that drive climate change, including carbon dioxide and methane from burning fossil fuels, endanger public health and welfare.
February 13, 2026 — Source

When machine learning shows its reasoning, electrocatalyst discovery accelerates
Machine learning algorithms that output human-readable equations and design rules are transforming how electrocatalysts for clean-energy reactions are screened, identified, and validated across millions of candidates.
February 13, 2026 — Source

Wildflower season starts early: Big displays emerge a month before mid-March
Though superbloom is not a scientific term, that doesn't stop legions from hoping for a giant display of wildflowers come springtime. UC Riverside plant ecologist Loralee Larios weighs in here on the outlook for such a show this year, where one might see it, and how flower lovers can protect the blooms for years to come.
February 13, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 12th, 2026

Ambitious climate action could save 1.32 million lives a year by 2040
Ambitious climate action to improve global air quality could save up to 1.32 million lives per year by 2040, according to a new study. The research, led by Cardiff University, shows how developing countries rely heavily on international cooperation to see these benefits, because much of their pollution originates outside their borders. The first-of-its-kind study analyzed these cross-border pollution "exchanges" for nearly every country—168 in total.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Drones with low-cost air quality sensors can improve air quality monitoring
A drone equipped with low-cost air quality sensors has revealed unexpectedly high concentrations of particulate matter at around 100 meters above ground level in Delhi. These new vertical insights could play an important role in urban haze understanding and mitigation. The findings, published in npj Clean Air, demonstrate the feasibility of measuring air pollution up to 100 meters using an affordable, custom-built drone platform.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Earthquake data provide solid footing for AI foundation science model
There's been a seismic shift in science, with scientists developing new AI tools and applying AI to just about any question that can be asked. Researchers are now putting actual seismic waves to work, using data from the world's largest repository of earthquake data to develop "SeisModal," an AI foundation model designed to explore big questions about science. The effort, known as Steel Thread, involves researchers from five national laboratories operated by the U.S. Department of Energy.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Fear or dread? How intensity of emotion may shape climate policy support
New research has found that we are more likely to back policies aimed at tackling climate change when we feel fearful, but feelings of dread make us less likely to support such policies.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Floating gardens could offer a beautiful fix for polluted water
Researchers in Florida are testing flower-covered mats that could remove pollution and restore water quality in the state's canals.
February 12, 2026 — Source

France bets on nuclear power to phase out fossil fuels
France's government on Thursday presented an energy plan to use less imported fossil fuels, including by ramping up nuclear-fueled power production over the next decade.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Major earthquakes are just as random as smaller ones
For obvious reasons, it would be useful to predict when an earthquake is going to occur. It has long been suspected that large quakes in the Himalayas follow a fairly predictable cycle, but nature, as it turns out, is not so accommodating. A new study published in the journal Science Advances shows that massive earthquakes are just as random as small ones. A team of researchers led by Zakaria Ghazoui-Schaus at the British Antarctic Survey reached this conclusion after analyzing sediments from Lake Rara in Western Nepal.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Maryland Environmentalists Face Awkward Choice: Support Moore's Budget Raid or Fight for Climate Goals
Budget pressures are forcing climate groups into uncomfortable compromises even as Maryland falls further behind on its climate targets.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Plants retain a 'genetic memory' of past population crashes, study shows
Researchers at McGill University and the United States Forest Service have found that plants living in areas where human activity has caused population crashes carry long-lasting genetic traces of that history, such as reduced genetic diversity. Because genetic diversity helps species adapt to climate change, disease, and other stresses, the study suggests it is vital to consider a population's history-influenced genetics alongside its size and habitat in conservation planning.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Power in motion: Transforming ocean wave energy harvesting with gyroscopes
Ocean waves are one of the most abundant and predictable renewable energy sources on the planet, yet efficiently harnessing their power remains a major challenge. Traditional devices typically operate efficiently only within a narrow range of wave conditions, highlighting the need for more novel, constructive converters.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Protecting turfgrass from fungal foes
Turfgrass found on golf courses, athletic fields and lawns is susceptible to a fungal pathogen known as dollar spot disease, which is characterized by the appearance of circular spots of dead turf about the size of a silver dollar. University of Delaware researchers are decoding how UD1022, a UD-developed beneficial bacteria, helps protect turfgrasses from this fungal foe, which is a costly problem to control.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Queensland's longest-running planned burn study informs effective landscape fire management
Researchers have arrived in Peachester State Forest to collect environmental samples to help unlock new insights into how planned burns shape and support ecosystems. Decades-long research in Peachester State Forest has proven planned burns can have a positive impact on environmental health if they're conducted at intervals specific to the ecosystem.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Releasing pollack near catch depth may raise survival from 56% to 80%
During 2026, new legislation—the result of an agreement between the UK Government and the European Union—is planned to come into force for recreational pollack fishing that limits catches to three fish per angler per day. It will result in more fish being released after they are caught, but new research has suggested changing how that release happens could have a marked difference to the fisheries' long-term sustainability.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Reshaping the future of urban experimentation for lasting change
Cities everywhere are running experiments to respond to climate change and sustainability challenges, such as new mobility trials, energy pilots, green space projects, circular economy approaches, and more. New research from the Monash Business School has found that many of these efforts stay small, stay siloed, or fade when funding ends.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Silver European eel discovered in Cyprus for the first time
As part of a new study, researchers from Bournemouth University (BU) have discovered European eels, Anguilla anguilla, at the stage of silvering living in the inland waters of Cyprus for the first time. The paper is published in the Journal of Fish Biology.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Strawberry guava prevents natural forest generation in Madagascar, project reveals
Rice University biologist Amy Dunham has spent decades studying the mountainous rainforests of Madagascar's Ranomafana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was designated a national park in 1991. In a project co-led by Dunham and Rice's Matt McCary, together with a team of U.S. and Malagasy researchers, the group published a study showing that strawberry guava, an invasive plant, can prevent natural forest generation in areas of Ranomafana with a history of past disturbance, even decades after deforestation has ended. The findings are published in the journal Biological Conservation.
February 12, 2026 — Source

The changing chemistry of invasive death cap mushrooms
The California Department of Public Health reported 39 related poisonings in the last three months, leading to the death of four people, at least three liver transplants, and many more people made sick. The culprit? In each case, it is believed death cap mushrooms are the source.
February 12, 2026 — Source

'The Sky Isn't Falling': Providing Perspective on the Data Center Boom
States are well-equipped to deal with data centers, and a new forecast shows what will drive growth in global electricity demand.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Transforming wave energy harvesting with gyroscopes
New research presents a gyroscopic wave energy converter that absorbs up to 50% of wave energy across frequencies, nearing maximum efficiency and guiding improved designs.
February 12, 2026 — Source

Will the Winter Olympics run out of snow?
When the Winter Olympics kicked off in 1924, the city of Chamonix, France, had the glacial temperatures and heavy snowfall needed to host the Games. In fact, just weeks before the games kicked off, a massive snowstorm brought more than 5.6 feet of snow in 24 hours, requiring crews to urgently shovel out the area to ensure the Games could still take place.
February 12, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 11th, 2026

7,000 years of change: How humans reshaped Caribbean coral reef food chains
Human activity has lessened the resilience of modern coral reefs by restricting the food-fueled energy flow that moves through the food chains of these critical ecosystems, reports an international team of researchers in the journal Nature. Examining otoliths—fish ear stones that are preserved in marine sediments across millennia—the team developed and applied a nitrogen isotope method to 7,000-year-old fossils in order to reconstruct ancient reef food webs directly for the first time, according to Boston College Senior Research Associate Jessica Lueders-Dumont, a lead researcher on the project.
February 11, 2026 — Source

A new way to 'cage' plutonium
Plutonium (Pu) exhibits one of the most diverse and complex chemistries of any element in the periodic table. Since its discovery in 1940, scientists have synthesized and studied many different types of plutonium-containing compounds using tools that reveal both their atomic structures and how they interact with light.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Accelerated Global Warming Could Lock Earth Into a Hothouse Future
Scientists say warming is increasing faster than at any time in at least 3 million years. There is no guide for what comes next.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Ammonia leaks can be spotted in under two seconds using new alveoli-inspired droplet sensor
Researchers from Guangxi University, China have developed a new gas sensor that detects ammonia with a record speed of 1.4 seconds. The sensor's design mimics the structure of alveoli—the tiny air sacs in human lungs—while relying on a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. The sensor uses a process that is driven by A-droplets, which are tiny water droplets containing a trapped air bubble. These droplets exploit ammonia's affinity for water to rapidly capture NH³ when it is present.
February 11, 2026 — Source

As the Trump EPA Prepares to Revoke Key Legal Finding on Climate Change, What Happens Next?
Four questions on repeal of its 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases
February 11, 2026 — Source

Cyclone kills 20 in Madagascar as 2nd-largest city '75% destroyed'
A cyclone packing violent winds killed at least 20 people as it struck Madagascar, toppling houses and causing major flooding, the Indian Ocean island's disaster authority said Wednesday.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Drones can offer a faster, more precise way to measure blackberry flowering
For blackberry breeders, white and pink flowers on blackberry plants are more than something to admire; they are a key early measure of the season's productivity.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Eat less meat, France urges, for sake of health, climate
The French government issued a long-awaited report Wednesday urging people to limit meat consumption for their health and also to fight climate change—and not everyone in the country of "steak-frites" is thrilled.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Elevated lead levels could flow from some US drinking water kiosks
After high-profile water crises like the one in Flint, Michigan, some Americans distrust the safety of tap water, choosing to purchase drinking water from freestanding water vending machines or kiosks. Yet this more expensive water may contain different pollutants than local tap water, according to a study in Environmental Science & Technology. Researchers report that water sampled from 20 kiosks in six states sometimes contained lead at levels above public health recommendations.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Freshwater ecosystems could play a critical role in climate resilience
A major new international review co-authored by Professor Gemma Harvey, Professor of Physical Geography in the Department of Geography and Environmental Science at Queen Mary University of London, highlights how species that physically modify freshwater environments interact with climate change, and why understanding these processes is becoming increasingly important.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Humic acid-modified bentonite improves ammonium retention and reduces nitrogen loss
A research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has introduced a soil amendment called humic acid-modified bentonite (HAMB). This amendment effectively enhances a soil's ability to hold onto ammonium while significantly reducing harmful nitrogen losses.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Keeping an eagle eye on carbon stored in the ocean
Geologic reservoirs that trapped petroleum for millions of years are now being repurposed to store the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. New research is improving how we monitor this storage and verify how much CO2 these reservoirs have stored.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Nanoplastics hindering cognitive abilities of fish, international research shows
Nanoplastic exposure can impair the cognitive abilities of fish and could lead to significant impacts on marine species' ability to survive, according to a new international study.
February 11, 2026 — Source

New experiments suggest Earth's core contains up to 45 oceans' worth of hydrogen
Scientists have long known that Earth's core is mostly made of iron, but the density is not high enough for it to be pure iron, meaning lighter elements exist in the core, as well. In particular, it's suspected to be a major reservoir of hydrogen. A new study, published in Nature Communications, supports this idea with results suggesting the core contains up to 45 oceans' worth of hydrogen. These results also challenge the idea that most of Earth's water was delivered by comets early on.
February 11, 2026 — Source

New white paper examines opportunities in advanced geothermal energy
The Division of Energy in conjunction with the Gutierrez Energy Management Institute (GEMI) at the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston has released a new white paper, "Advanced Geothermal: Opportunities and Challenges," highlighting advanced geothermal energy's potential in becoming a critical pillar of the nation's low-carbon energy future.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Not like other rats: Getting to know the rakali
It's been a good few months in the press for the rakali (known as moytj in Noongar)—Australia's native water rat. These long-whiskered rodents finally received the recognition they deserve, with the ABC's National Science Week poll crowning the rakali the nation's most underrated animal.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Pennsylvania County Denies Rezoning Plan That Would Have Allowed a Data Center
Activists say the decision is the latest sign of growing grassroots opposition to the industry in the U.S.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Quick course correction needed to avoid 'hothouse Earth' scenario, scientists say
Scientists say that multiple Earth system components appear closer to destabilization than previously believed, putting the planet in increased danger of following a "hothouse" path driven by feedback loops that can amplify the consequences of global warming.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Rapid response launched to tackle new yellow rust strains threatening UK wheat
The UK's wheat is under threat from a newly identified strain of the yellow rust pathogen, prompting an urgent mobilization of research institutes to protect harvests. The new strain, identified in 2025, has overcome a key resistance gene that was protecting many major UK wheat varieties from yellow rust infection.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Root microbes could help oak trees adapt to drought
Microbes could help oak trees cope with environmental change. Publishing in Cell Host & Microbe, a study observing oaks growing in a natural woodland found that the trees' above- and below-ground microbiomes were resilient to drought, nutrient scarcity, and exposure to pathogenic beetles and bacteria. The trees showed subtle changes to their root-associated microbiota after prolonged drought, suggesting they can recruit beneficial bacteria under stressful conditions.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Scalable platform, MODAQ 2, offers marine energy developers the data they need
Waves hold enough energy to meet about 60% of U.S. electricity demand. We cannot harness the power of every wave, but if we can capture even some, that energy could help power coastal communities and ocean industries and build a more reliable power grid.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Southern right whales are facing climate-driven decline in Australia
The tide has turned on the conservation success story of the southern right whale. Once considered a global conservation success story, the species is now emerging as a warning signal of how climate change is impacting threatened marine life, according to new research led by scientists from Flinders University and Curtin University with international collaborators in the US and South Africa.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Study finds climate change set the stage for devastating wildfires in Argentina and Chile
Human-caused climate change had an important impact on the recent ferocious wildfires that engulfed parts of Chile and Argentina's Patagonia region, making the extremely high-risk conditions that led to widespread burning up to three times more likely than in a world without global warming, a team of researchers warned on Wednesday.
February 11, 2026 — Source

This teen is taking on dirty air
Nathan Tan founded a nonprofit that monitors pollution in Dallas neighborhoods.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Toxic Beauty: Black Women Most at Risk From Harmful Chemicals in Unregulated Hair Products
Hair extensions used primarily by Black women contain a "shocking" range of dangerous chemicals, including breast carcinogens, new research shows.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Trump EPA set to repeal scientific finding that serves as basis for US climate change policy
Legal challenges are certain to come.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Twilio co-founder's fusion power startup raises $450M from Bessemer and Alphabet's GV
Inertia Enterprises has raised $450 million to build one of the world's most powerful lasers, which it hopes will serve as the foundation of a grid-scale power plant the fusion startup intends to start construction on in 2030. Inertia Enterprises is building on technology developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF). The NIF is the site of the world's only controlled fusion reactions that have reached scientific breakeven, in which the reaction releases more energy than it took to start.
February 11, 2026 — Source

UK winters grow wetter as greenhouse gases rise, research reveals
UK winters are becoming significantly wetter mainly due to warming driven by human burning of fossil fuels releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, a Newcastle University study reveals. The research shows that for every degree of global or regional warming, winter rainfall increases by a compounding 7%, increasing the risk of flooding. And the scientists warn it is happening much faster than most global climate models predict.
February 11, 2026 — Source

Upside Robotics is reducing fertilizer use and waste in corn crops
The founders of Upside Robotics met in 2023 because they were both looking to build an impact-driven company that touched climate and agriculture. Less than a year later, they were sleeping in a camper on the side of a Canadian corn field building their robotics startup.
February 11, 2026 — Source

We need to plan for what we fear, not just what we expect
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA)—the statutory agency responsible for planning the Basin's water resources—has just shared the starkest news yet about the Basin's future: the Basin is almost certainly going to get hotter, drier, and more volatile in the future, with reduced river flows.
February 11, 2026 — Source

What changes fast in nature? A fish study tracks selection strengthening since 2016
A study reveals that sticklebacks with complete bony plates have survival rates several percentage points higher than those with reduced plates, indicating ongoing natural selection. Moreover, the strength of selection appears to have intensified between 2016 and 2022. These findings, published in Evolution, demonstrate that natural selection can drive rapid evolution in natural populations.
February 11, 2026 — Source

What's next after the Trump administration revokes key finding on climate change?
The EPA is revoking the finding for legal, not scientific, reasons.
February 11, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 6th, 2026

Almost half of the world's aquatic environments are severely contaminated by waste, research reveals
"Dirty" or "extremely dirty": these are the classifications of 46% of the world's aquatic environments. This conclusion comes from a study that compiled and systematized data from 6,049 records of waste contamination in aquatic environments on all continents over the last decade.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Amino acid 'stickers' help decode spider silk's strength and flexibility
Scientists have identified the molecular interactions that give spider silk its exceptional strength and flexibility, opening the door to new bio-inspired materials for aircraft, protective clothing and medical applications, and even advancing our understanding of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
February 6, 2026 — Source

An $88 Million Satellite Died Early—and Still Blew the Lid Off Industry Emissions
Researchers have released an initial assessment of the emissions data MethaneSat gathered before it suddenly went dark. The findings are damning.
February 6, 2026 — Source

An invisible chemical rain is falling across the planet
The chemicals that helped save the ozone layer are now coating the planet with a pollutant that may never go away.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Blood tests in young bald eagles track PFAS pollution across Wisconsin River sites
It hadn't been a successful morning for the Great Lakes Eagle Health team. Traveling by boat, truck, and foot, the team was searching for active eagle nests along the Wisconsin River in Nekoosa, Wisconsin. Tree one was a dud, and tree two, a heartbreaker. Dan Goltz, one of the team's climbers and a wildlife biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, scaled a 70-foot tree only to be met with a gentle breeze blowing through an empty nest.
February 6, 2026 — Source or Watch Video

California Explores First-Time Regulation on Dairy Methane Emissions
The state took a first small step toward requiring that dairies and livestock operations reduce their emissions of the climate super pollutant.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Challenging California's water 'scarcity' narrative
California doesn't have a water scarcity problem. It has a distribution problem, according to Nícola Ulibarrí, whose new research is reshaping how policymakers think about one of the state's most pressing challenges.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Could ionospheric disturbances influence earthquakes?
Researchers at Kyoto University have proposed a new physical model that explores how disturbances in the ionosphere may exert electrostatic forces within Earth's crust and potentially contribute to the initiation of large earthquakes under specific conditions. The study does not aim to predict earthquakes but rather presents a theoretical mechanism describing how ionospheric charge variations—caused by intense solar activity such as solar flares—could interact with pre-existing fragile structures in Earth's crust and influence fracture processes.
February 6, 2026 — Source

COVID-19 cleared the skies but also supercharged methane emissions
COVID-19 cleared the skies but also supercharged methane emissions
February 6, 2026 — Source

Did trees in the Dolomites anticipate a solar eclipse? Not quite, say researchers
Around 14 hours before a partial solar eclipse passed over the Dolomites in Northern Italy, a group of spruce trees showed a sudden, synchronized increase in electrical activity. Previous research by Alessandro Chiolerio and others claimed that the trees were anticipating and preparing for the impending solar eclipse.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Disaster can sway votes but won't deliver climate action, study shows
A new study shows that, despite fires, floods and record heat, most Australians do not change their behavior or beliefs in response to climate change—except in a narrow window following a disaster. Lead author Dr. Omid Ghasemi from the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response (ICRR) says the study set out to answer a central question in climate policy: whether rising climate-related costs would drive stronger public action.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Engineering heat-tolerant, high-yield rice for a warming planet
Rising day and night temperatures are threatening rice, wheat, and maize production by disrupting plant growth, grain filling, and grain quality, putting global food security at risk. Precision breeding and genome editing offer ways to reprogram plant clocks, optimize flowering and panicle architecture, and protect grain quality under heat stress.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Engineering humanity's most important crops for a warming planet
Combining genetic, structural, and digital innovations can provide an opportunity to develop climate-resilient cereals that can maintain yields and quality in a rapidly warming world.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Giant snails and tiny insects threaten the South's rice and crawfish farms
Josh Courville has harvested crawfish his whole life, but these days, he's finding a less welcome catch in some of the fields he manages in southern Louisiana.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Google- and Microsoft-backed Terradot acquires carbon-removal competitor
Carbon-removal startup Terradot is acquiring competitor Eion, the two companies announced today. The sale was driven largely by big investors like sovereign wealth funds, which want to work with companies that can handle large contracts. Eion was simply too small, Eion CEO Anastasia Pavlovic Hans told The Wall Street Journal.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Interface engineering lifts perovskite solar cell performance to 26.19% efficiency
Researchers from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with international partners, have engineered a thin two-dimensional perovskite phase at the buried interface of three-dimensional (3D) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to boost device performance and operational stability.
February 6, 2026 — Source

How gold is formed in China's Tianshan mountains
A new study led by Prof. Xiao Wenjiao from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences sheds light on the ore-forming process and key mechanisms of the gold deposit in the South Tianshan of northwest China.
February 6, 2026 — Source

How the science of saltwater-tolerating plants could protect coastlines
Rising sea levels along coastlines not only threaten populations, but also pose a danger to agricultural crops, which may be damaged by surging amounts of saltwater. Researchers have, in response, sought to improve salt-tolerance in plants.
February 6, 2026 — Source or Watch Video

Pennsylvania Must Act to Limit Greenhouse Gases, Lawyers Argue
Citing the state's environmental rights amendment, a new petition contends the government has an obligation to fight climate change.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Revealing deformation mechanisms of the mineral antigorite in subduction zones
Earth's surface is covered by more than a dozen tectonic plates, and in subduction zones around the world—including the Japanese Islands—plates converge and dense oceanic plates sink into Earth's interior. These regions, especially plate boundaries, are known for frequent seismic activity.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Simulation finds Grass2Gas biogas systems may reduce dairy emissions by over 20%
Implementing novel management practices in dairy farming, one of the commonwealth's major agricultural industries, could help alleviate a large source of both nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, according to a multidisciplinary team led by researchers at Penn State. Those practices include continuous cover—keeping fields covered with vegetation year-round—and anaerobic digestion—a microbial process that converts manure and plant organic matter, called biomass, into biogas—a combustible fuel consisting mostly of methane.
February 6, 2026 — Source

This fusion energy startup thinks it can cut lasers out of the equation
A small engineering tweak could remove one of fusion's costliest hurdles
February 6, 2026 — Source

Turning nitrate pollution into green fuel: A 3D COF enables highly efficient ammonia electrosynthesis
Ammonia (NH3) is essential for fertilizers and emerging carbon-free energy technologies, yet its conventional production via the Haber-Bosch process is energy-intensive and CO2-emitting. Researchers from Tohoku University and collaborating institutions have now established a structural blueprint for deploying 3D COFs in electrocatalysis, opening new routes toward sustainable nitrate management and decentralized ammonia synthesis.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Watching a critical green-energy catalyst dissolve, atom by atom
Iridium oxide is one of the most important—and most problematic—materials in the global push toward clean energy. It is currently the most reliable catalyst used in the conversion of energy to chemicals by electrolysis, a process that uses electricity to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen.
February 6, 2026 — Source

When silicon fills the role of carbon: Debut of all-silicon cyclopentadienides
Carbon's unique chemical properties allow it to be an essential building block for life on Earth and many other molecules we rely on for day-to-day life—but what about carbon's neighbor? Silicon is located one row below carbon in the periodic table of elements, and similarly has many possible uses, and is a key component of semiconductors, silicon carbide fibers, and silicones. However, silicon has some key weaknesses compared to carbon.
February 6, 2026 — Source

Widening beaches make California 500 acres bigger than it was 40 years ago
Southern California's beaches have grown more than 500 acres over the past four decades despite being one of the most heavily urbanized and dammed coastal regions in the world, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, the U.S. Geological Survey and other institutions. The conventional wisdom-challenging revelation about coastal erosion and replenishment is the subject of the study published recently in Nature Communications.
February 6, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 4th, 2026

A Troubled Hog Farm in Wayne County, North Carolina, Is Hit With a New String of Violations
Equipped with both a biodigester to capture methane from hog waste and a system to spray what's left of the feces and urine onto nearby farm fields, the former White Oaks Farm continues to pollute the surrounding environment.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Apeiron Labs gets $9.5M to flood the oceans with autonomous underwater robots
Most of what we know about the ocean just skims the surface, literally. We've gathered a large quantity of data on the oceans from satellites, but most of that is based on the top layer of water. Below that, the picture gets murkier.
February 4, 2026 — Source

CFC replacements behind vast quantities of global 'forever chemical' pollution, research reveals
Chemicals brought in to help protect our ozone layer have had the unintended consequences of spreading vast quantities of a potentially toxic "forever chemical" around the globe, a new study shows. Atmospheric scientists, led by researchers at Lancaster University, have for the first time calculated that CFC replacement chemicals and anesthetics are behind around a third of a million metric tons (335,500) of a persistent forever chemical called trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) being deposited from the atmosphere across Earth's surface between the years 2000 and 2022.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Colorado River Negotiators Are Nearly Out of Time and Snowpack
With another federal deadline only weeks away and record-low snowfall further drying out the watershed, states have begun talking about whether they are prepared for litigation.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Cornell research shows that underwater 3D printing can be used to build or repair ocean structures in place — DARPA-funded project aims to make underwater construction faster, cheaper, and safer
Researchers have overcome the challenges of material washout, poor visibility, and the use of seafloor sediment as a principal material.
February 4, 2026 — Source

From sea to space: Turning the tide on microplastic pollution with satellite technology
What do microplastics, water color, and satellites have in common? Dr. Karl Kaiser, professor of marine and coastal environmental science in the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University at Galveston is exploring an innovative idea: using satellites to spot microplastics in the ocean. How? By studying how tiny plastic particles change the way light reflects off the water—and how that changes the color we see from space. If this connection works, it could give scientists a powerful new tool to track microplastic pollution across the globe without ever leaving orbit.
February 4, 2026 — Source

From trash to takeoff: Pilot plant produces 100 kg of sustainable aviation fuel per day from landfill gas
The aviation industry accounts for a significant share of global carbon emissions. In response, the international community is expanding mandatory use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which is produced from organic waste or biomass and is expected to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fossil-based jet fuel.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Fungi turn shredded mattress foam into lightweight building insulation
Swinburne researchers have turned old, unwanted mattresses into safe and sustainable building insulation materials using fungi. The team grew a common fungus together with shredded mattress foam to create a new material that is solid and lightweight.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Hadean zircons reveal crust recycling and continent formation more than 4 billion years ago
Parts of ancient Earth may have formed continents and recycled crust through subduction far earlier than previously thought. New research led by scientists at the University of Wisconsin--Madison has uncovered chemical signatures in zircons, the planet's oldest minerals, that are consistent with subduction and extensive continental crust during the Hadean Eon, more than 4 billion years ago.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Hard to recycle packaging? This glue could let plastics peel apart on cue
Newcastle University engineers are at the forefront of adhesive technology that promises to change how we recycle. They have developed a reversible glue that sticks things together like any other glue but can debond on demand. The glue's reversible nature means it can be used in a multitude of applications, from laminates to bottle labels. Dissimilar materials that are glued together can be easily separated, enabling their reuse, repurposing, or recycling.
February 4, 2026 — Source

How Two Teens in Niagara Falls Are Confronting Pollution and a Mental Health Crisis
Finding hope and resilience in a city burdened with environmental pollution and generational trauma.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Hudson Valley initiative puts food sovereignty into practice
A study by researchers from the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute gauges how an initiative in New York's Hudson Valley is helping farmers and community organizations build more equitable regional food systems and advance food sovereignty, a movement focused on local control over food systems and fair conditions for both producers and consumers.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Lüften sounds simple, but 'house-burping' is more complicated in Pittsburgh
Recently, the German term "lüften" has been circulating on social media and trending on Google. The term refers to the practice of opening windows and doors to replace stale indoor air with outdoor air, a longtime practice in many European homes. Americans have dubbed it "house burping" in many videos on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Most Christian leaders accept climate science
But many aren't talking about it with their congregations.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Olives have been essential to life in Italy for at least 6,000 years—far longer than we thought
How far back does the rich history of Italian olives and oil stretch? My new research, published in the American Journal of Archaeology, synthesizing and reevaluating existing archaeological evidence, suggests olive trees have been exploited for more than 6,000 years. The first Italian olive oil was produced perhaps 4,000 years ago.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Q&A: Changing our society through AI smart air conditioning technology
Empirical research is being carried out for revolutionary air conditioning technology that will contribute to solving environmental issues. At the forefront of these endeavors is Nagahiro Tsuyoshi, project professor and director of the Center for Smarttech System Co-creation in the Carbon Neutral Promotion Headquarters.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Reclaiming water from contaminated brine can increase water supply and reduce environmental harm
Under pressure to provide water for drinking and irrigation, people around the globe are trying to figure out how to save, conserve and reuse water in a variety of ways, including reusing treated sewage wastewater and removing valuable salts from seawater.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Science Newsfrom research organizationsMelting Antarctic ice may weaken a major carbon sink
Scientists studying Antarctica uncovered a surprising twist in how the Southern Ocean absorbs carbon dioxide.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Should You Crush Soda Cans Before Recycling? The Answer Might Shock You
Recycling isn't always as easy as chucking cardboard, plastic and aluminum into a blue bin -- just ask these 7 takeout containers. Recycling takes a bit of know-how to get it right and getting it wrong makes the entire system run less efficiently.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Stacking the genetic deck: How some plant hybrids beat the odds by erasing lethal genes
Stacking the genetic deck: How some plant hybrids beat the odds by erasing lethal genes
February 4, 2026 — Source

Temperature of some cities could rise faster than expected under 2°C warming
New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) shows how many tropical cities are predicted to warm faster than expected under 2°C of global warming.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Using influencers to encourage people to drink tap water
Against the backdrop of climate change and dwindling water resources, supplying water to large metropolitan areas is becoming an increasingly challenging task for public authorities, who must find urgent solutions. One of the clearest and most viable ways forward is to incorporate recycled tap water into urban supply systems. However, despite being sustainable and safe, this option faces a major obstacle: consumers' instinctive, psychological resistance. Now, an international study led by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has identified a method that could prove key to overcoming resistance: influencer marketing.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Victoria's mountain ash forests naturally thin their trees. So why do it with machines?
There has been much global discussion about the best ways to manage Earth's forests in an era of climate change and more frequent bushfires.
February 4, 2026 — Source

Zambia's farmers are working in dangerous heat: How they can protect themselves
Farming is central to life in Zambia, with about 60% of the country's labor force relying on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihood or income. Seasonal rains shape planting and harvesting, and temperatures can rise to 40°C. On small farms, men generally manage livestock such as cattle and cash crops like maize, while women maintain vegetable gardens and cultivate crops like cassava.
February 4, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 2nd, 2026

A crisis emerges across the US as 'forever chemicals' quietly contaminate drinking water wells
State scientists were checking private drinking water wells across Wisconsin for a widely used family of harmful chemicals called PFAS. They mailed an offer to test the well outside her tidy farmhouse surrounded by potato farms cut out of dense forest. Without much thought, she accepted.
February 2, 2026 — Source

As the Arctic Grows Noisier, Narwhals Are Becoming Quieter
Scientists say increasing shipping traffic is interfering with the whales' ability to hunt and communicate. To protect the animals, conservation groups are urging the International Maritime Organization to instate mandatory measures to reduce underwater noise.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Carbon Robotics built an AI model that detects and identifies plants
What is and isn't a weed that needs to be eliminated in the field is determined by the eyes of the farmer — and now, increasingly, by a new AI model from Carbon Robotics.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Experiments clear up confusion over the form of solid methane
Through a combination of high-pressure experiments and optical spectroscopy, physicists have revealed new insights into the structural forms of solid methane. Led by Mengnan Wang at the University of Edinburgh in the UK, the team hopes their results, published in Physical Review Letters, could dispel long-standing confusion over where these different forms appear within methane's phase diagram—potentially deepening our understanding of planetary interiors.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Fast-moving floodwater poses hidden danger for cities
New research, led by Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Lea Dasallas at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), shows that even shallow floodwater can be powerful enough to knock people off their feet or sweep vehicles away if it is moving fast enough. However, most public flood maps still focus almost entirely on how deep water gets, not how quickly it flows. "Floodwater doesn't just pool—it flows, and when it flows quickly, even relatively shallow water can become extremely dangerous," Dr. Dasallas says.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Geologists may have solved mystery of Green River's 'uphill' route
New research may have solved an American mystery which has baffled geologists for a century and a half: How did a river carve a path through a mountain in one of the country's most iconic landscapes? Scientists have long sought an answer to this question of how the Green River, the largest tributary of the Colorado River, managed to create a 700-meter-deep canyon through Utah's 4km-high Uinta Mountains instead of simply flowing around them. The question is particularly confounding because, while the Uinta Mountains are 50 million years old, the Green River has been following this route for less than 8 million years.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Groundhog day explained: Why this furry forecaster still matters
Every Feb. 2, Americans turn to a groundhog to see whether winter will stick around. But Groundhog Day is about much more than shadows and more weeks of cold. The tradition began in 1886, when the first Punxsutawney Phil was crowned in Pennsylvania. The first official celebration came in 1887.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Hundreds of new species found in a hidden world beneath the Pacific
As demand for critical metals grows, scientists have taken a rare, close look at life on the deep Pacific seabed where mining may soon begin. Over five years and 160 days at sea, researchers documented nearly 800 species, many previously unknown. Test mining reduced animal abundance and diversity significantly, though the overall impact was smaller than expected. The study offers vital clues for how future mining could reshape one of the planet's most fragile ecosystems.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Iguanas fall from trees in Florida as icy weather bites southern US
Iguanas stunned by cold temperatures dropped from trees in usually balmy Florida on Sunday as icy conditions blasted southern U.S. states, dumping nearly a half-meter of snow in some areas and whipping up high winds that caused traffic chaos.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Japan says rare earth found in sediment retrieved on deep-sea mission
Sediment containing rare earth was retrieved from ocean depths of 6,000 meters (about 20,000 feet) on a Japanese test mission, the government said Monday, as it seeks to curb dependence on China for the valuable minerals.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Mechanical engineers' wood-based material could cut energy costs
University of Texas at Dallas researchers and their collaborators have developed and patented a wood-based material that can store and discharge heat to help make building temperatures more comfortable without using electricity. "Our material acts as a thermal battery that charges as it absorbs heat," said Dr. Shuang (Cynthia) Cui, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Medieval miracles: Dragon-slaying saints once healed the land
New research reveals a forgotten side of medieval Christianity—one rooted not in cathedrals, but in fields, forests, and farms. Historian Dr. Krisztina Ilko uncovers how the Augustinian order built its power through "green" miracles: restoring barren land, healing livestock, reviving fruit trees, and taming deadly landscapes once blamed on dragons. Far from symbolic tales, these acts helped rural communities survive and gave the order legitimacy at a time when its very existence was under threat.
February 2, 2026 — Source

New formula unravels vines' parasitic nature
Twisting upwardly on trees and other plants—along with houses and even lampposts—vines are a wonder of nature. However, their marvels mask their parasitic behavior: in attaching to other life forms, vines block sunlight necessary for growth and strangle their hosts, preventing the flow of water and other nutrients.
February 2, 2026 — Source

New study identifies warning signs for extreme flash flooding
Climate experts have identified an atmospheric configuration that can release huge volumes of water in a matter of minutes. Led by Newcastle University and the UK Met Office, the research helps explain some of the world's most dangerous flash-flood events and may aid future improvements in identifying risk. It offers forecasters new insights and could in the future help communities mitigate against extreme weather events.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Our ocean's 'natural antacids' may act faster than we thought
Earth's ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to temper the impact of climate change but increasing ocean acidity. However, calcium carbonate minerals found in the seabed act as a natural antacid: Higher acidity causes calcium carbonate to dissolve and generate carbonate molecules that can neutralize the acid.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Seed dormancy discovery could optimize barley growth
A new discovery by researchers from Adelaide University, in collaboration with Denmark's Carlsberg Research Laboratory, will allow barley growers to optimize seed dormancy for their crops and improve growing efficiency. The researchers employed a multidisciplinary approach to construct the barley mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) enzyme-substrate complex, which plays a crucial role in seed dormancy.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Some bottled water is worse than tap for microplastics, study shows
Some brands of bottled water contain significantly higher levels of microplastics than tap water, according to new research by scientists who have developed a novel method for detecting these tiny particles.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Some companies claim they can 'resurrect' species. Does that make people more comfortable with extinction?
Less than a year ago, United States company Colossal Biosciences announced it had "resurrected" the dire wolf, a megafauna-hunting wolf species that had been extinct for 10,000 years.
February 2, 2026 — Source

The data center surge has a hidden source of carbon emissions
Data centers siphon huge amounts of energy to power artificial intelligence. But their environmental footprint starts to balloon even before the first server switches on due to the immense amount of carbon-intensive concrete needed to build them.
February 2, 2026 — Source

This Ancient River Seemed to Flow Uphill. Now We Know Why
The Green River may have had some help from a dripping crust.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Three Years After Train Derailment, Health Studies in East Palestine Examine Impacts
Researchers are examining residents' long-term liver health and how chemicals affect dogs. Others are sharing lessons learned with disaster zones elsewhere.
February 2, 2026 — Source

Wisconsin group finds flood solutions upstream
The Wisconsin Wetlands Association is helping communities restore wetlands, with the goal of protecting roads, bridges, and buildings downstream.
February 2, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — February 1st, 2026

Collar cams offer a bear's eye view into the lives of grizzlies on Alaska's desolate North Slope
The life of one of the most remote grizzly bear populations in the world is being documented by the animals themselves, with collar cameras that provide a rare glimpse of how they survive on Alaska's rugged and desolate North Slope.
February 1, 2026 — Source

First successful lab colony of polyphagous shot hole borer achieved in Western Australia
A major breakthrough has been achieved in the fight against the invasive polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), Euwallacea fornicatus in Western Australia. Researchers at Murdoch University have successfully established the first stable laboratory colony of PSHB in the state.
February 1, 2026 — Source

How to cut harmful emissions from ditches and canals
Ditches and canals are the underdog of the freshwater world. These human-made waterways are often forgotten, devalued, and perceived negatively—think "dull as ditchwater." But these unsung heroes have a hidden potential for climate change mitigation, if they're managed correctly.
February 1, 2026 — Source

New Analysis Warns Trump Offshore Drilling Plan Could Trigger Thousands of Oil Spills
Conservationists say increased drilling could threaten already endangered marine species with extinction.
February 1, 2026 — Source

Plastic pollution promotes hazardous water conditions, new study find
Dangerous concentrations of algae such as "red tides" have been consistently emerging in locations around the world. A region in Southern Australia is experiencing a nine-month toxic algae bloom that spans thousands of miles and has caused thousands of deaths across marine species. Such harmful algal blooms (HABs) produce toxins that can force municipalities to close beaches and lakes due to public health risks.
February 1, 2026 — Source

Snowstorm disrupts travel in southern US as blast of icy weather widens
Travel misery was set to continue Sunday as a powerful snowstorm blasted southern US states, bringing subzero temperatures to regions not accustomed to the deadly winter conditions.
February 1, 2026 — Source

Strategic tree planting could help Canada become carbon neutral by mid-century
A new study finds that Canada could remove at least five times its annual carbon emissions with strategic planting of more than six million trees along the northern edge of the boreal forest.
February 1, 2026 — Source

Tropical weather cycles linked to faster Arctic ice loss in autumn
When it comes to global warming and climate change, we often hear news stories about tipping points where Earth's systems shift into a new and dangerous state. One such may have been reached in the year 2000 that caused tropical weather cycles to have a greater effect on autumn sea ice melt across the Laptev and East Siberian seas, according to a study published in Science Advances.
February 1, 2026 — Source

With Waters Rising, Pennsylvania's Historical Treasures Must 'Adapt or Collapse'
As climate change supercharges floods and rainfall, the state's water-adjacent landmarks are especially vulnerable.
February 1, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 31st, 2026

Ashwagandha is having a moment—researchers want to take this shrub further
Ashwagandha is a small shrub that's having a big moment. Used in traditional Indian medicine for thousands of years, ashwagandha is now one of the most popular herbal supplements in the U.S. because of its professed benefits for sleep and stress. In the U.S. alone, ashwagandha was the third-most purchased herbal supplement, with sales totaling $144 million in 2024, according to the American Botanical Council. It's also one of the precious few medicinal herbs that has received the National Institutes of Health's stamp of approval.
January 31, 2026 — Source

Cigarette butts could power the next generation of energy storage
Researchers turn discarded cigarette butts into carbon electrodes for supercapacitors, achieving high energy density, fast charging, and long-term stability from toxic waste.
January 31, 2026 — Source

Could fusion move into neighborhoods? Workshop suggests safety and transparency matter most
As companies around the world work to commercialize fusion energy—clean power generated by combining two light atoms—not much is known about public acceptance of the emerging technology. In a first-of-its-kind participatory design, Southeastern Michigan community members and students worked together to plan hypothetical fusion energy facilities.
January 31, 2026 — Source

Farm waste could lock away carbon for decades
Agricultural waste that is usually burned or left to rot could play a far bigger role in tackling climate change if it were instead used in long-lasting building materials, according to new research from the University of East London (UEL).
January 31, 2026 — Source

Health threat of global plastics projected to soar
The threat posed by plastic production, usage and disposal to human health will skyrocket in the coming years unless the world does something to address this global crisis, researchers warned Tuesday.
January 31, 2026 — Source

In Florida, Questions Surround the State's Attempt to Expand Its Role in Everglades Restoration
Gov. DeSantis says the state can expedite the massive restoration effort. Some environmentalists wonder whether costs will climb and environmental regulations will be ignored.
January 31, 2026 — Source

Mesh bioreactor achieves 20‑fold efficiency increase and 50% cost reduction for wastewater treatment
A Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) research team has developed a wastewater treatment technology that integrates a mesh bioreactor with an ultrasound-induced transient cavitation cleaning mechanism. The system can complete mesh cleaning within 3.8 seconds under anaerobic conditions and achieves 10--20 times higher flux than conventional membrane bioreactors (MBRs). The technology operates efficiently with substantially lower energy consumption, produces treated effluent surpassing international and local discharge standards, and reduces the cost of treating each cubic meter of wastewater to 50% of conventional MBRs, offering a sustainable solution for both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment.
January 31, 2026 — Source

New 3D map of the sun's magnetic interior could improve predictions of disruptive solar flares
For the first time, scientists have used satellite data to create a 3D map of the sun's interior magnetic field, the fundamental driver of solar activity. The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, should enable more accurate predictions of solar cycles and space weather that affects satellites and power grids.
January 31, 2026 — Source

Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Facilities in Texas Emitted 1.6 Million Pounds of Regulated Pollutants During Last Week's Icy Weather
Under Texas' "enforcement discretion" policy, companies were allowed to vent or burn off pollutants, as long as they are reported. Recent weatherization requirements for power plants did not apply to gas processing plants.
January 31, 2026 — Source

Protesters Target Cargill at One of the Company's Major Amazonian Ports
Environmental and Indigenous groups accuse the American grain-trading company and other agribusiness giants of advocating for projects they believe will destroy Amazonian rivers and the rainforest.
January 31, 2026 — Source

Restoring ecosystem function can reverse desertification in Europe's drylands
Desertification is accelerating under climate change, threatening biodiversity, food security, and human well-being across the Mediterranean Basin, southern Europe, and the Middle East. Water scarcity and land degradation reduce carbon sequestration, increase soil erosion, and undermine rural livelihoods, pushing many dryland ecosystems into long-term decline.
January 31, 2026 — Source

Supercomputer simulations reveal how to keep hydrogen flames stable
Solar panels and wind turbines increasingly dot the landscape, but the future of clean energy may well depend on how smoothly we burn hydrogen. Yet as anyone who's lit a gas grill or fireplace knows, igniting a flame can be a bit tricky. Imagine how complex that process can be in commercial and industrial applications. Thanks to U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) ACCESS allocations, University of California San Diego researchers have taken a major step toward taming hydrogen flames with highly precise simulations that could reshape how we design tomorrow's zero-carbon gas turbines.
January 31, 2026 — Source

The Promising Renewable Energy That Democrats and Republicans Actually Agree On
Decades of reliability and major savings—despite high up-front costs—suggest a future for geothermal, an energy source that also makes sense for oil and gas companies to invest in.
January 31, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 30th, 2026

3D covalent organic framework offers sustainable solution for wastewater treatment
Industrial dye pollution remains one of the most persistent and hazardous challenges in global wastewater management. The dyes from textile and chemical manufacturing sectors are difficult to remove, non-biodegradable, and can be toxic to plants, animals, and humans. However, conventional treatment technologies for dyes often fail to efficiently purify the wastewater without significant trade-offs.
January 30, 2026 — Source

3D Covalent organic framework offers sustainable solution for wastewater treatment
Scientists developed a wastewater treatment method to help clear pollution caused by toxic, non-biodegradable dyes. The method uses a 3D, sponge-like covalent organic network to purify wastewater in a sustainable manner.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Anatomy of a heat wave: How a cyclone, humid air and atmospheric waves drove brutal heat in southeastern Australia
Australia has always had heat waves. But this week's heat wave in southeastern Australia is something else. Temperatures in some inland towns in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria were up to 20°C above average for the time of year, which meteorologists described as "incredibly abnormal." Victoria's heat record toppled after Walpeup and Hopetoun hit 48.9°C. The heat is set to continue until Saturday in some areas.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Argentina declares emergency over Patagonia wildfires
Argentina's government on Thursday declared an emergency in Patagonia, where wildfires have ripped through vast tracts of forest since the start of the Southern Hemisphere summer.
January 30, 2026 — Source

As fossil fuel use declines, experts urge planning and coordination to prevent chaotic collapse
As the world shifts toward renewable energy sources, some experts warn that a lack of planning for the retirement of fossil fuels could lead to a disorderly and dangerous collapse of existing systems that could prolong the transition to green energy.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Beyond keywords: Review flags bias and reliability gaps in disaster social media research
Far from simply a source of unstructured online content, disaster management in the digital age can be supported by careful analysis of online social-media data, suggests a paper published in Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS) titled "Social Media for Managing Disasters Triggered by Natural Hazards: A Critical Review of Data Collection Strategies and Actionable Insights.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Corals' boldest cousins: Zoantharians bend the laws of evolution
In the realm of marine biogeography, there is a widely held scientific principle: the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans are worlds apart. If you dive in Brazil and then in Okinawa, you expect to see entirely different groups of fish and coral. But according to a new global study published in Frontiers of Biogeography, one group of colorful hexacorals, anemone-like creatures—known as zoantharians—is breaking all the rules.
January 30, 2026 — Source

How Kesterite Could Deliver Cheaper, Tougher Solar Than Perovskite in Five Years
What if the future of solar energy didn't rely on silicon or even the much-hyped perovskite? What if there was a more sustainable, durable, and cost-effective alternative waiting in the wings? Undecided with Matt Ferrell breaks down how a lesser-known material called kesterite could transform solar technology by addressing some of the biggest challenges facing renewable energy today. Unlike silicon, which demands energy-intensive manufacturing, or perovskite, which struggles with stability and toxicity, kesterite offers a greener, more scalable solution. Composed of abundant, non-toxic elements like copper, zinc, tin, and sulfur, it's a material that could redefine the way we think about solar power.
January 30, 2026 — Source

How to spot climate misinformation on social media
Simple questions can help you identify misleading claims before you spread them.
January 30, 2026 — Source

In a Sea of Melting Ice, These Polar Bears Are Doing Something Unexpected
Can't remember the last time you heard good news about this threatened species? Well, here you go.
January 30, 2026 — Source

In Arizona, Utilities and State Regulators Double Down on Fossil Fuels and Higher Costs Despite Residents' Opposition
The Trump administration has terminated billions in clean-energy funding, while the state's utilities commission is proposing to rescind energy-efficiency and renewables standards, as Arizona's biggest utilities propose rate hikes.
January 30, 2026 — Source

It's a new heyday for gas thanks to data centers
AI data centers are driving a surge in new gas projects.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Land-intensive carbon removal requires better siting to protect biodiversity, study warns
New research looks at carbon dioxide removal—where carbon is absorbed from the atmosphere and stored—and finds that large-scale reliance on land-based methods, such as planting forests or bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), can protect biodiversity by avoiding climate impacts, but could also compete with biodiversity protection unless site selection criteria are refined.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Maine Again Looks North for Onshore Wind, but Full Grid Integration Will Have to Wait
President Trump's antipathy for wind power is only one obstacle the proposal must overcome. Another involves who will benefit from the project in far northern Maine, where the power will be generated but not used.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Novel membrane boosts water electrolysis performance in low-alkalinity conditions
As green hydrogen emerges as a key next-generation clean energy source, securing technologies that enable its stable and cost-effective production has become a critical challenge. However, conventional water electrolysis technologies face limitations in large-scale deployment due to high system costs and operational burdens.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Shining a light on sustainable sulfur-rich polymers that stay recyclable
For the first time, scientists have used ultraviolet (UV) light, a low-cost and readily available energy source, to successfully synthesize more sustainable and recyclable polymer materials. Led by green chemistry experts at Flinders University, the development is a major step in making polymers high in sulfur content for more sustainable plastic alternatives using waste materials.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Six books to help you explore the role of storytelling in the climate fight
This special selection includes books on storytelling, science, and climate change.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Snakes on trains: King cobras are 'hopping railways' to unsuitable habitats in India
King cobras are the world's longest venomous snakes. So, imagine seeing one a few feet away as you embark on a train in India. The Western Ghats King Cobra (Ophiophagus kaalinga)—a vulnerable king cobra species found in India's Western Ghats—has reportedly been caught aboard many trains in the Goa region of India.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Study shows insect farming byproduct boosts soil health, reduces crop damage
With insect farming projected to produce millions of tons of insects in the coming years, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researchers offer evidence that the insect farming byproduct called "frass" can improve soil health and reduce insect damage in soybean crops.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Tesla turbine-inspired structure generates electricity using compressed air
The demand for energy is ever-increasing across various industries. In recent decades, scientists have explored the electrostatic potential of particulate matter as a highly promising avenue for energy harvesting. However, this technology poses ignition risks that can cause significant harm owing to uncontrolled electrical discharge.
January 30, 2026 — Source

The future of NCAR remains highly uncertain
Members of the American Meteorological Society were briefed Wednesday about ongoing developments on the future of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which the White House has said it will break up.
January 30, 2026 — Source

The devastation of island land snails: Pacific leads global wave of extinctions, researchers find
A comprehensive new review paper reveals the staggering loss of biodiversity among island land snails globally. Lead author Robert Cowie of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) and co-authors note that "devastation" is not a hyperbolic term, pointing out that extinction rates on high volcanic islands commonly range from 30% to as high as 80%.
January 30, 2026 — Source

The pros and cons of pesticides and fertilizers in real-world mandarin orange farms
Researchers led by Yasunori Ichihashi at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan recently examined how different kinds of pesticides and fertilizers affect mandarin oranges across Japan. Their study, published in Plant Biotechnology, involving advanced statistical analysis, showed that while reducing pesticides enhanced the diversity of microbes in the soil, it also led to an increase in fruit disease caused by leaf pathogens.
January 30, 2026 — Source

The Sierra snowpack is dropping fast: Experts say it's not as bad as it seems
The Sierra Nevada snowpack, the source of nearly one-third of California's water supply, is looking a little like a New Year's resolution: full of hope and promise at the beginning of January, but now struggling with a bothersome reality check. Starting on Christmas Eve, big storms dumped 7 to 8 feet of new snow across the Lake Tahoe area over a two-week period, ending a dry December and drenching the rest of the state with rain.
January 30, 2026 — Source

Tropical peatlands are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, research reveals
Using a new method to track groundwater levels and greenhouse gas emissions, researchers uncover the climate impact of Southeast Asia's peatlands. In Indonesia, Malaysia, and other parts of Southeast Asia, vast areas spanning up to 300,000 square kilometers have emerged over thousands of years as plants grow and thrive in dense tropical peat swamp forests, then die and slowly decompose in waterlogged, low-oxygen conditions.
January 30, 2026 — Source

We know how to cool our cities and towns: So why aren't we doing it?
This week, Victoria recorded its hottest day in nearly six years. On Jan. 27, the northwest towns of Walpeup and Hopetoun reached 48.9°C, and the temperature in parts of Melbourne soared over 45°C. Towns in >South Australia also broke heat records
January 30, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 19th, 2026

3D mapping of fault beneath Marmara Sea reveals likely sites for future earthquakes
According to researchers from Science Tokyo, a new three-dimensional model of the fault beneath the Marmara Sea in Turkey reveals where a future major earthquake could take place. Using electromagnetic measurements, the team mapped hidden structures that help explain how earthquakes initiate and where ruptures could occur in this region.
January 19, 2026 — Source

American farmers, who once fed the world, face a volatile global market with diminishing federal backing
President Donald Trump appears to have upended an 85-year relationship between American farmers and the United States' global exercise of power. But that link has been fraying since the end of the Cold War, and Trump's moves are just another big step.
January 19, 2026 — Source

As EPA ponders Clean Water Act, activists say business eclipsing environment
The long-term health of the ocean off the coast of Southern California, and the health of the region's freshwater streams and rivers and lakes, soon could hinge on the Trump administration's definition of a single word: ditch.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Austrian cow shows first case of flexible, multi-purpose tool use in cattle
In 1982, cartoonist Gary Larson published a now-iconic "Far Side" comic titled "Cow Tools." In it, a cow stands proudly beside a jumble of bizarre, useless objects that are "tools" in name only. The joke hinged on a simple assumption: cows are not intelligent enough to make or use tools.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Beta-decay half-life measurements reveal evolution of nuclear shell structure
An international team of researchers has systematically measured the &beta-decay half-lives of 40 nuclei near calcium-54, providing key experimental data for understanding the structure of extremely neutron-rich nuclei.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Calm seas can drive coral bleaching, research reveals
New research by Monash University and the ARC Center of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century analyzed close to three decades of weather data during the coral bleaching season and identified the prevalence of "doldrum days," and the absence of the trade winds, as a key factor in the mass bleaching events threatening the Great Barrier Reef.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Chile wildfires rage for third day, entire towns wiped out
Wildfires that have killed 20 people in southern Chile and wiped out entire towns raged for a third day Monday, fanned by warm temperatures and strong winds at the height of the southern hemisphere summer.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Cigarette filters: An underestimated source of microplastic pollution
It is well known that discarded cigarette butts release nicotine, heavy metals and other toxins into the environment, including natural water systems. Less understood, however, is what happens to the plastic-based filters that shed these chemicals.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Citizen scientists are spotting more and more rare frogs on private land
Almost two-thirds of Australia is privately owned. But most of our scientific understanding of how threatened species are faring comes from research done on public lands. Traditional biodiversity surveys by professional scientists are time and resource intensive and navigating access to private lands can be tricky.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Crime against wildlife is surging in Australia. These four reforms can help tackle it
This kind of crime can take many forms, from the trafficking and trade of native species to the unlawful removal and clearance of habitat and species, lethal control such as poisoning of native animals, and illegal fishing.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Experts call for rethink of global sustainable development agenda as 2030 deadline looms
As the world approaches the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with fewer than 1 in 5 targets on track, researchers warn that the next global framework risks repeating the same mistakes unless it is built on a clear and explicit theory of change.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Feeling involved in decision-making associated with higher mental well-being, lower loneliness for women in farming
Women in farming who feel valued and supported and are involved in decision-making on the farm report higher mental well-being and lower levels of loneliness, according to groundbreaking new research.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Fewer disinfection by-products present in bottled water compared to tap, study finds
Global bottled water consumption has increased rapidly, with a 2024 market value listed as $348.6 billion and an expectation listed to reach $509.2 billion by 2030. Convenience and marketing strategies contribute to that demand, with many products presented as purified, spring, or groundwater sourced and appear to be the main motivations behind paying for something that is otherwise provided for free.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Freshwater browning threatens growth and populations of economically important fish, researchers say
Freshwater browning threatens growth and populations of economically important fish, researchers say
January 19, 2026 — Source

Geoscientists use satellite data to determine how water shapes the land
What's the shape of water? In 2022, NASA launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite to answer this question by precisely measuring the height and extent of bodies of water. Virginia Tech geoscientists are using the same satellite to ask a related question: How is water shaping the land?
January 19, 2026 — Source

Humans returned to British Isles earlier than previously thought at the end of the last Ice Age
The return of humans to the British Isles after the end of the last ice sheet, which covered much of the northern hemisphere, happened around 15,200 years ago—nearly 500 years earlier than previous estimates.
January 19, 2026 — Source

I Found 4 Items in My Kitchen That Could Be Leaking Microplastics Into My Food
I searched through my kitchen cabinets and found several surprising items that could be releasing microplastics into my meals.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Japan Trench geology confirmed as key driver of 2011 megaquake
The study, published in Science, provides the clearest evidence yet that a thin, clay-rich layer just beneath the seabed at the Japan Trench played a central role in allowing the magnitude 9.0 earthquake to rupture all the way to the surface.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Marine wildlife rarely interact with tidal turbines—and usually avoid collisions when they do, observations show
Tidal turbines harbor the potential to provide a natural, inexhaustible source of power, but have faced some regulatory hurdles and scientific uncertainty about risks to marine life.
January 19, 2026 — Source

More floods are coming. Here's what actually works to help people prepare
Weekend storms and flooding in New South Wales led to the NSW State Emergency Service responding to more than 1,600 incidents across the state.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Mount Fuji's unique clouds: Research provides insights into frequency and formation conditions
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba conducted a three-year observational study (January 2019--December 2021) using a network of live cameras to monitor characteristic clouds around Mount Fuji.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Proba-3 mission captures rare solar prominence eruptions in sun's inner corona
The sun's inner corona, the hottest part of our star's atmosphere, appears faint yellow in a time-lapse made from images taken by the ASPIICS coronagraph aboard Proba-3.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Rare plant thought extinct rediscovered by citizen scientist in remote Australia
Citizen science platforms, including iNaturalist, are leading to major new discoveries and are becoming crucial to the work of scientists. How do we make them even better?
January 19, 2026 — Source

Researchers publish first ever structural engineering manual for bamboo
Comprehensive guidance about the design of permanent bamboo structures has been published by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).
January 19, 2026 — Source

Scientists trace microplastics in fertilizer from fields to the beach
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied how polymer-coated fertilizer (PCF) applied to fields ends up on beaches and in the sea. They studied PCF deposits on beaches around Japan, finding that only 0.2% of used PCFs are washed into rivers and returned to the coastline. When there are canals connecting fields to the sea, this rises to 28%.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Scientists uncover hidden 'winter memory' inside plants
Scientists have developed a powerful new microscope that reveals, for the first time, how plants store a 'memory' of winter deep inside their cells.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Seychelles leads the way in the protection of sharks and rays, finds study
Of the 125 ISRAs identified across the region, only 7.1% currently fall within marine protected areas—and just 1% of these areas are designated as fully protected no-take zones, where all extractive activities are banned. These insights highlight real shortfalls in the protection of sites critical to the survival of sharks and rays for breeding, pupping and feeding.
January 19, 2026 — Source

South Africa declares national disaster as floods batter region
South Africa on Sunday declared a national disaster after widespread flooding that destroyed homes and killed dozens, while thousands sought shelter in neighboring Mozambique.
January 19, 2026 — Source

Sugarcane hits the sweet spot for sustainable carbon
When anyone talks about the future of sustainable aviation fuel, one question dominates: how do we replace fossil carbon without compromising food security or biodiversity? Experience leads some researchers to believe the answer is sugarcane.
January 19, 2026 — Source

'Supercooling' keeps salamanders from freezing in Canadian winters
On a frigid April day, Brock University Professor of Biological Sciences Glenn Tattersall, then-Ph.D. student Danilo Giacometti and wildlife researcher Patrick Moldowan ventured out into Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park hoping to take in a rare sight.
January 19, 2026 — Source

The online tool keeping corporations honest on climate action
Earlier this year, European oil company TotalEnergies found itself in court over allegations it had made false climate claims.
January 19, 2026 — Source

What deep sea mud is revealing about giant earthquakes along the Pacific Coast
Marine turbidites are layers of mud and sand deposited on the deep ocean floor by massive underwater landslides and are often used as a historical record for reconstructing earthquake histories.
January 19, 2026 — Source or Source

Wildfires trigger massive soil loss for decades, new global map shows
Wildfires are devastating events that destroy forests, burn homes and force people to leave their communities. They also have a profound impact on local ecosystems. But there is another problem that has been largely overlooked until now. When rain falls on the charred landscapes, it increases surface runoff and soil erosion that can last for decades, according to a new study published in Nature Geoscience.
January 19, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 15th, 2026

5 climate resources to get you up to speed for 2026
These overview articles and reports will help you catch up on the legal, scientific, and economic landscape for climate change and energy.
January 15, 2026 — Source

Climate Hacking Could Cool the Planet, but Our Oceans Might Pay the Price
Climate engineering would alter the oceans, reshaping marine life. A new study examines the risks.
January 15, 2026 — Source

Collapse of the Tang dynasty: Climate change likely played a role
Environmental phenomena and their consequences can disrupt social structures and destabilize political systems. An interdisciplinary research team demonstrated this using the example of the late Tang dynasty in medieval China.
January 15, 2026 — Source

Graphene coatings offer an eco-friendly way to reduce marine biofouling
Graphene-based polymer coatings reduce marine biofouling by physically damaging cells on contact, cutting fuel use and maintenance needs without relying on toxic biocides.
January 15, 2026 — Source

In Hurricane-Prone Florida, Legislators Reconsider New Growth and Development Law
Three bills have been introduced, as the annual legislative session begins this week, that would revise SB 180, last year's controversial new law that blocked local resiliency efforts.
January 15, 2026 — Source

Small farms fight for survival in a warming Midwest
As floods, droughts, and heat waves rise, growers face make-or-break seasons with an insufficient safety net.
January 15, 2026 — Source

Talking About Energy Dominance? Solar Would Like to Have a Word.
We are in the solar-powered century, although some are taking their time to figure this out.
January 15, 2026 — Source

The path to solar weather forecasts
Space-based measurements of solar eruptions are the first of their kind.
January 15, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 14th, 2026

2025 was Earth's 3rd-warmest year on record
Human-caused global warming pushed global temperatures to near-record levels despite the cooling influence of the La Niña phenomenon, which typically suppresses global temperatures.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Access to parks linked with greater physical activity for some, but not all, residents
A new two-year study found that U.S. residents who lived near parks and recreational facilities had small increases in their leisure-time physical activities, but the relationship was stronger in more affluent counties with largely white, non-Hispanic populations.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Avocadoes may become easier to grow in India—but not if global emissions remain high
A new study suggests that with low to moderate levels of global greenhouse emissions in coming decades, more of India could become suitable for growing avocadoes. However, with high enough emissions, growing zones could shrink and destabilize by 2070.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Climate change is melting glaciers and ice sheets faster than they can regrow
The Greenland ice sheet has lost more than 5 trillion tons of ice in 20 years.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Detailed map reveals groundwater levels across the U.S.
How much fresh water is in the United States? It's a tough question, since most of the water is underground, accessible at varying depths. In previous decades, it's been answered indirectly from data on rainfall and evaporation. Knowing how much groundwater is available at specific locations is critical to meeting the challenges of water scarcity and contamination.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Digital twins in the Arctic: How Svalbard is becoming a living lab for marine restoration
In the icy reaches of the Svalbard archipelago, a quiet revolution in marine restoration is underway. Researchers are building a digital twin of the region—an interactive, data-rich simulation designed to help researchers and restoration teams understand how climate change is affecting Arctic coastlines and how its impacts might be reduced.
January 14, 2026 — Source

First-ever sanctuary of mountain ice cores in Antarctica preserves these climate archives for centuries
The storing of the very first heritage cores in Antarctica marks a pivotal moment for the Ice Memory project launched in 2015 by CNRS, IRD, the University of Grenoble-Alpes (France), CNR, Ca' Foscari University of Venice (Italy) and the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland).
January 14, 2026 — Source

How prolonged maternal care in horses builds better brains and improves social skills
As with humans, the maternal bond in nature is important for animals to find their way in the world. In mammals, a mother does not just provide milk; she also teaches her offspring survival skills and how to play well with others. But according to new research into domestic horses published in the journal Nature Communications, staying with mom fundamentally changes the developing brain and body of foals.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Human--wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe is a crisis: Who is in danger, where, and why?
In the fishing villages along Lake Kariba in northern Zimbabwe, near the border with Zambia, everyday routines that should be ordinary—like collecting water, walking to the fields or casting a fishing net—now carry a quiet, ever-present fear. A new national analysis shows that human--wildlife conflict in rural Zimbabwe has intensified to the point where it has become a public safety crisis, rather than simply an environmental challenge.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Major river deltas are sinking faster than sea-level rise, study shows
A study published in Nature shows that many of the world's major river deltas are sinking faster than sea levels are rising, potentially affecting hundreds of millions of people in these regions.
January 14, 2026 — Source

NASA reports record heat but omits reference to climate change
Don't say the c-word. Global temperatures soared in 2025, but a NASA statement published Wednesday alongside its latest benchmark annual report makes no reference to climate change, in line with President Donald Trump's push to deny the reality of planetary heating as a result of human activities.
January 14, 2026 — Source

New EPA Proposal Would Strip States' and Tribes' Authority to Block Oil and Gas Pipelines, Other Infrastructure Projects
Environmental advocates warn the changes deprive states and tribes of their rights and weaken freshwater-quality protections.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Underwater Cameras Could Help Unlock America's Tidal Energy Industry
Analysis of an experimental tidal turbine in Washington state recorded no collisions with seals or birds. Underwater turbines could ultimately provide clean energy to over 20 million U.S. homes, the Energy Department says.
January 14, 2026 — Source

Wyoming County Approves Construction of What Could Become the Largest Data Center in US
Project Jade could eventually use the same amount of electricity as produced by 10 nuclear power plants, boosting Wyoming's energy industry while challenging efforts to limit emissions and stressing water supplies.
January 14, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 9th, 2026

A Growing Movement Looks to Decarbonize Death
Alternative end-of-life practices like water cremation and human composting produce fewer emissions and return nutrients to the Earth, but access remains limited.
January 9, 2026 — Source

A new neighborhood shows off the advantages of life without cars
In Tempe, Arizona, residents walk, bike, and ride transit instead of driving -- and say they feel more connected to each other.
January 9, 2026 — Source

A single gene underlies begomovirus resistance in eggplant
Plant viruses pose a serious and ongoing threat to global agriculture in tropical to temperate regions. Among the most damaging are begomoviruses, a group of DNA viruses spread by whiteflies that infect many important food crops, including eggplant, tomato, pepper, cucurbit, cassava, and cotton. Infected plants often develop yellowing and curling leaves, stunted growth, and reduced yields, leading to significant economic losses for farmers.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Advances in thin-film electrolytes push solid oxide fuel cells forward
Under the threat of climate change and geopolitical tensions related to fossil fuels, the world faces an urgent need to find sustainable and renewable energy solutions. While wind, solar, and hydroelectric power are key renewable energy sources, their output strongly depends on environmental conditions, meaning they are unable to provide a stable electricity supply for modern grids.
January 9, 2026 — Source

AI data centers could stabilize the power grid
The rapid development and widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems is posing new challenges for electricity consumption. This is because most AI systems rely on data centers, facilities hosting several computing servers that store and process large amounts of data.
January 9, 2026 — Source

As the Trump Administration Withdraws From Climate Treaties, Legal Scholars Debate Whether—and How—It Can Do So
The Supreme Court has yet to decide if a president can exit international treaties the Senate has ratified, saying it's a political question.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Astronaut Photographs Iceberg From Space Just 'Days or Weeks' Before it Disintegrates
New photos of one of the world's largest icebergs show it has turned bright blue, which, despite its beauty, is not good news for the once-great "megaberg."
January 9, 2026 — Source

Burning Plastic Waste for Household Fuel Endangers Millions
People in low-income urban communities in the Global South without access to reliable energy sources are burning the toxic plastic waste inundating their communities to cook and heat their homes.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Deciphering symbiotic code: Research unlocks 'secret handshake' between legumes and rhizobia
In a study published in Science, researchers have resolved, for the first time, the high-resolution crystal structure of the complex formed between the NodD protein of pea rhizobia and a flavonoid compound (hesperetin). They elucidate how NodD recognizes flavonoids and reveal key structural elements in NodD that determine the specificity of signal recognition.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Engines of light: New study suggests we could increase useful energy obtained from sunlight
Physicists from Trinity College Dublin believe new insights into the behavior of light may offer a new means of solving one of science's oldest challenges—how to turn heat into useful energy.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Experts say oceans soaked up record heat levels in 2025
The world's oceans absorbed a record amount of heat in 2025, an international team of scientists said Friday, further priming conditions for sea level rise, violent storms, and coral death.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Five keys to understanding Venezuela's oil history
The country holds the world's largest oil reserves, but its oil industry now operates far below its historical potential.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Ganges Delta under a winter shroud of fog
Winter weather took hold across the Indo-Gangetic Plain in early January 2026, bringing dense fog and cold temperatures to much of the flat, fertile lands that span from Pakistan and northern India to Bangladesh.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Heat pumps will soon be able to store and distribute heat as needed
Researchers have developed a heat storage unit that takes up less space than a regular hot water tank. It charges when electricity is cheap and releases heat when needed.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Himalayan balsam's damaging impact on rivers revealed in new study
Pioneering University of Stirling-led research has revealed the diverse and damaging impact Himalayan balsam has on river ecosystems.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Important new source of oxidation in the atmosphere found
Hydroperoxides are strong oxidants that have a significant influence on chemical processes in the atmosphere. Now, an international research team involving the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) has shown that these substances also form from α‑keto acids such as pyruvic acid in clouds, rain and aerosol water when exposed to sunlight.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Meta expands nuclear power ambitions to include Bill Gates' startup
The agreements will see Meta fund the construction of new nuclear reactors to power its AI data centers.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Meta reacts to power needs by signing long-term nuke deals
New nuclear capacity won't show up until around 2030
January 9, 2026 — Source

Meta signs deals with three nuclear companies for 6-plus GW of power
Meta today announced three deals to provide its data centers with nuclear power: one from a startup, one from a smaller energy company, and one from a larger company that already operates several nuclear reactors in the U.S.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Most people believe climate change primarily affects others
Research conducted by researchers at the University of Gothenburg shows that people tend to rate their own risk of being affected by climate change as lower than that of others. This perception may reduce individuals' willingness to act and slow down necessary climate measures.
January 9, 2026 — Source

New chemical method makes it easier to select desirable traits in crops
Crops increasingly need to thrive in a broader range of conditions, including drought, salinity, and heat. Traditional plant breeding can select for desirable traits, but is limited by the genetic variation that already exists in plants. In many crops, domestication and long-term selection have narrowed genetic diversity, constraining efforts to develop new varieties.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Ocean Warming Breaks Record for Ninth Straight Year
Scientists warn the ocean's accumulation of energy is fueling extreme weather patterns and destabilizing marine ecosystems.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Oil Executives Non-Committal to Trump's Venezuela Pitch at the White House
Exxon CEO Darren Woods called Venezuela "uninvestable" at present and others expressed caution in response to the president's overtures to pour billions of dollars into the country.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Perovskite solar cells maintain 95% of power conversion efficiency after 1,100 hours at 85°C with new molecular coating
Scientists have found a way to make perovskite solar cells not only highly efficient but also remarkably stable, addressing one of the main challenges holding the technology back from widespread use.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Q&A: How AI could optimize the power grid
Artificial intelligence has captured headlines recently for its rapidly growing energy demands, and particularly the surging electricity usage of data centers that enable the training and deployment of the latest generative AI models. But it's not all bad news—some AI tools have the potential to reduce some forms of energy consumption and enable cleaner grids.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Photographing climate change: Ice porters on the frozen Chadar river
Every winter in the Ladakh region in northwest India, the two roads that connect the small villages in the Zanskar Valley with the rest of the country close, overwhelmed by snow. But for centuries, locals have had a workaround: a road of ice formed by the frozen Chadar River.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Reversing Years of Dietary Advice, the Trump Administration Tells Consumers to Eat More Red Meat
The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, like previous editions, ignores the climate impacts of livestock and could make them worse, environmental groups worry.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Seattle-area nuclear company TerraPower signs deal with Meta for up to 8 reactors
Sustainability: News about the rapidly growing climate tech sector and other areas of innovation to protect our planet.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Scientists call for 'systems reset' to redefine sustainable development
A new international study calls for a fundamental reset in how humanity understands and pursues sustainable development. The article is published in the journal Communications Sustainability.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Seaweed farms boost long-term carbon storage by altering ocean chemistry, study shows
Seaweeds are versatile algae. They are sources of food, medicine, and many other products, and they have the added benefit of being extremely efficient at removing CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Study finds food waste compost less effective than potting mix alone
With an estimated 30--40% of the United States' food supply ending up as waste, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, food science and horticulture experts teamed up to study if it could lay the foundation for growing the next bunch of crops.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Tesla turbine design harvests electricity from compressed air using static charges
A bladeless turbine design converts the static electricity naturally generated by dust particles in compressed air into usable power while neutralizing the hazardous charges.
January 9, 2026 — Source

The vast majority of US rivers lack any protections from human activities, new research finds
The U.S. boasts more than 4 million miles of rivers, peppered with laws and regulations to protect access to drinking water and essential habitat for fish and wildlife. But in the first comprehensive review of river protection, research co-led by the University of Washington shows that the existing regulations account for less than 20% of total river length and vary widely by region.
January 9, 2026 — Source

U.S. nuclear energy growth faces critical challenges in uranium fuel supply chain
The vision of a U.S. nuclear power renaissance has a blind spot—uranium fuel—in the near term and long, according to a Stanford University-led industry meeting.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Vulnerable populations shoulder larger number and higher intensity of environmental burdens, study finds
Vulnerable communities in the United States often face the highest risks from individual environmental burdens, such as exposure to toxic air pollutants. But new research shows that these communities are also exposed to a disproportionate number of multiple high-intensity burdens at once.
January 9, 2026 — Source

What past global warming reveals about future rainfall
To understand how global warming could influence future climate, scientists look to the Paleogene Period that began 66 million years ago, covering a time when Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were two to four times higher than they are today.
January 9, 2026 — Source

When bushfires make their own weather
Bushfires are strongly driven by weather: hot, dry and windy conditions can combine to create the perfect environment for flames to spread across the landscape.
January 9, 2026 — Source

Where things stand on climate change in 2026
Last year saw the U.S. move backward on climate while China ascended. Here's what to expect next.
January 9, 2026 — Source

With inverters, an island adapts to changing physics of power grids
Kauai, one of the most remote islands of Hawaii, stands steady among the timeless crash of ocean waves. Electric waves, however, almost crashed Kauai's power system in an instant.
January 9, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 8th, 2026

3D-printed solar panel offers color tuning and transparency for flexible surfaces
A new study highlights a semi-transparent, color-tunable solar cell designed to work in places traditional panels can't, like windows and flexible surfaces. Using a 3D-printed pillar structure, the researchers can fine-tune how much light passes through and what color the cell appears, without changing the solar material itself. The result is a system that balances strong energy output with durability, while giving designers far more control over how the technology looks and functions.
January 8, 2026 — Source

AI improves flood projections under climate change
When engineers and planners design roads, bridges and dams, they rely on hydrological models intended to protect infrastructure and communities from 50- and 100-year floods. But as climate change increases the frequency and severity of floods, existing models are becoming less and less reliable, new Cornell research finds.
January 8, 2026 — Source

America's new era of energy imperialism is about more than oil
Trump wants Venezuela's oil, Greenland's minerals, and above all — control.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Antarctica's Oldest, Largest Iceberg Is Turning an Ominous Blue Color
The iceberg could completely disintegrate within days or weeks, scientists say.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Bird flu threat remains, with one Maryland farm still under quarantine
One commercial farm in Queen Anne's County remains under quarantine for bird flu, Maryland officials said on Jan. 7; however, the rest of the state has no such restrictions.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Climate adaptation has a new global plan. What the Belem indicators are and why they matter to Africa
At the 2025 global climate summit, COP30, held in Belem, Brazil, one decision stood out with major consequences for Africa: countries agreed on a new set of progress indicators.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Coal tailings could solve United States' need for rare earth elements
Rare earth elements are an easy-to-find, hard-to-refine resource critical for everything from magnets and electronics to batteries and catalysts for chemical reactions. Since the 1980s, a race has been on between the United States and China for dominance of the rare earth element market—and the United States is losing.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Dual-layer filtration system blocks nanoplastics release from landfill leachate
UBC Okanagan researchers have created a new two-layer membrane filtration system that can significantly reduce the amount of micro and nanoplastics that leak from landfills into local water basins.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Europe's most active volcano is erupting, and tour guides are told to stay away
Guides who take tourists to enjoy the striking views of Sicily's Mount Etna are up in arms over tougher restrictions imposed by local authorities after a round of eruptions at the giant volcano in recent weeks.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Frequent Arctic wildfires could cut snow cover by 18 days, impacting global climate and ecology
The correlation between Arctic wildfires and abnormal snow cover under global warming is of growing concern. A comprehensive quantitative assessment by researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has shown that increasingly frequent seasonal wildland fires across the Arctic in recent years have delayed snow cover formation by at least five days and could lead to a future 18-day reduction of snow cover duration, with implications for global ecosystems.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Global study reveals widespread burning of plastic for heating and cooking
A new Curtin University-led study has shed new light on the widespread number of households in developing countries burning plastic as an everyday energy source, uncovering serious international health, social equality and environmental concerns.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Greenland is rich in natural resources. A geologist explains why
Greenland, the largest island on Earth, possesses some of the richest stores of natural resources anywhere in the world.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Heat-inducible promoters show varied expression patterns in sugarcane stems
Inducible promoters provide remarkable utility when sustained transgene expression compromises plant development or agronomic performance.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Heavy wind, rain, snow batters Europe
Severe winds, snow and freezing temperatures buffeted Europe with the arrival of Storm Goretti on Thursday, prompting forecasters from Britain to Germany to issue weather warnings.
January 8, 2026 — Source

'Hectic' bushfires threaten rural towns in Australian heat wave
Bushfires destroyed houses and razed vast belts of forest in southeast Australia on Friday, firefighters said, as hot winds fanned "hectic" conditions in the tinder-dry countryside.
January 8, 2026 — Source

How population bottlenecks shape bacterial cooperation and competition
Microbes often display cooperative behavior in which individual cells put in work and sacrifice resources to collectively benefit the group. But sometimes, "cheater" cells in the group may reap the benefits of this cooperation without incurring any cost themselves. Scientists have suggested that in such cases, population bottlenecks—reduction in the total number of individuals—can help stabilize cooperative behavior in the group.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Image: Meltwater turns iceberg A-23A blue
The year that iceberg A-23A first broke away from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf, Ronald Reagan was president of the United States, and the movie "Top Gun" was setting box office records. Forty years later, the massive tabular berg—one of the largest and longest-lived bergs ever tracked by scientists—is sopping with blue meltwater and on the verge of complete disintegration as it drifts in the South Atlantic between the eastern tip of South America and South Georgia island.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Looking Ahead to a Deepening Affordability Crisis, an Election and the Threat of an AI Investment Bubble
U.S. energy markets and policy are heading toward the equivalent of a multicar pileup in 2026.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Marine pollutants disrupt cellular energy production in seabirds
Common pollutants are disrupting energy production at the cellular level in wild seabirds, potentially affecting fitness, new research reveals. The study, published in Environment & Health, focused on Scopoli's shearwaters breeding on Linosa, a small and remote volcanic island in the Sicilian Channel. Scientists found that widespread contaminants such as mercury and certain PFAS compounds affect the function of mitochondria, tiny cellular powerhouses that generate energy for activities from flight to reproduction.
January 8, 2026 — Source

More Children Are Powering Their Own Wheels to School as Part of 'Bike Buses'
School kids who ride in packs led by adults to school improve both their health and their grades, reduce traffic and pollution around schools and help cut climate-warming emissions.
January 8, 2026 — Source

My home is in a district facing extreme or catastrophic fire danger. What should I do?
Across Australia there are a number of fire districts facing extreme or catastrophic fire danger ratings in this ongoing heat wave.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Natural hydrogel can make personal hygiene products greener
A natural, superabsorbent material developed at the University of Waterloo could dramatically reduce the environmental impact of personal hygiene products like diapers, menstrual pads and tampons.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Outcry Builds Over Trump's Withdrawal From International, Climate Treaties
Environmental advocates have blasted the administration's unprecedented retreat as unwise—and possibly illegal.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Philippines evacuates 3,000 people after activity increases at Mayon Volcano
A series of mild eruptions at the most active volcano in the Philippines has prompted the evacuation of nearly 3,000 villagers from a danger zone on its foothills, officials said Wednesday.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Portable biosensor could enable on-site PFAS detection
A portable biosensor developed at La Trobe University may allow rapid, on-site detection of toxic "forever chemicals" in water, removing the need for samples to be sent to specialist laboratories.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Scientists push back on climate myths
A global network of experts at Science Feedback is correcting false claims about climate change and clean energy.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Temperatures are rising, but what about humidity?
Heat waves are becoming commonplace, and so too is high humidity, which can strain the electrical grid, hurt the economy, and endanger human health. But the global prevalence of record-breaking humidity events, some of which approach the physiological limit of what humans can safely handle—and all of which go beyond local expectations and adaptations—has not been widely studied.
January 8, 2026 — Source

The Arctic has entered a new era of extreme weather, study suggests
Extreme weather events have become significantly more common in the Arctic over recent decades, posing a threat to vital polar ecosystems, according to new research by an international team of scientists.
January 8, 2026 — Source

The US Will Stand Alone Outside the World's Climate Treaty
On Wednesday, President Trump announced he was withdrawing the U.S. from the principal treaty for international cooperation on climate change.
January 8, 2026 — Source

The US withdraws from dozens of international bodies, including climate-focused organizations
President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement for a second time in 2025.
January 8, 2026 — Source

The western US is in a snow drought. Here's how a storm made it worse
Much of the western U.S. has started in 2026 in the midst of a snow drought. That might sound surprising, given the record precipitation from atmospheric rivers hitting the region in recent weeks, but those storms were actually part of the problem.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Tree bark microbes also clean the air by removing greenhouse and toxic gases
Australian researchers have discovered a hidden climate superpower of trees. Their bark harbors trillions of microbes that help scrub the air of greenhouse and toxic gases.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Trump withdraws US from key climate treaty, deepening global pullback
President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from a bedrock climate treaty was slammed Thursday by the EU, which vowed to keep tackling the crisis with other nations.
January 8, 2026 — Source

UK marine heat wave research priorities outlined in new national roadmap
Marine heat waves (MHWs) are periods of unusually warm sea temperatures, recognized as one of the fastest emerging climate-related drivers of change in the ocean.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Up to 4,700 metric tons of litter flows down the Rhine each year
The river Rhine is estimated to carry between 3,000 and 4,700 metric tons of macrolitter—pieces of litter larger than 25 millimeters in size—towards the North Sea every year, according to research published in Communications Sustainability.
January 8, 2026 — Source

Washington state overestimates climate law's emission reductions by a long shot
Projects funded by Washington's Climate Commitment Act have not been nearly as effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions as previously thought, state officials acknowledged this week.
January 8, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 7th, 2026

AI tool can take a cattle's temperature with only a photo
What if you could look into a cow's face and know whether it had a fever? A new tool from the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision Lab at the University of Arkansas uses artificial intelligence and thermal cameras to estimate the body temperature of cattle.
January 7, 2026 — Source

As Trump Eyes Greenland, What Could That Mean for Island's Mineral Wealth and Environment?
The Danish territory holds significant stores of oil, gas and minerals. But regulations and the extreme environment have kept the vast majority in the ground.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Aston University and PFE Medical partner to create biodegradable gloves from food waste
Aston University and Midlands-based company PFE Medical are teaming up to create biodegradable gloves made from food waste for use in the NHS.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Authorities Investigating Gruesome Death of Whale Found on a Ship in New Jersey
The recovered carcass is believed to be a fin whale, the second largest species on Earth.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Breaking performance barriers of all-solid-state batteries through pure structural design
Batteries are an essential technology in modern society, powering smartphones and electric vehicles, yet they face limitations such as fire explosion risks and high costs. While all-solid-state batteries have garnered attention as a viable alternative, it has been difficult to simultaneously satisfy safety, performance, and price.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Can recycling urine help combat the climate crisis?
In the last century, synthetic fertilizers have changed the face of the planet. The current world population might be halved if not for this useful development.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Chasing ghost plumes: How underwater drones captured the secret 48-hour countdown to algal blooms
Globally, toxic algal blooms are becoming more frequent and severe, fueled by a warming climate and nutrient runoff. While satellites can easily spot the green carpets once they reach the surface, the "prequels" to these outbreaks remain hidden in the deep.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Climate Models Don't Account for This Surprising Shift in the North Pacific Storm Track
Climate change is unexpectedly causing north Pacific storms to shift toward the Arctic, throwing projections for future West Coast weather into question.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Cyclones get names but deadly heat waves don't. Should Australia personalize severe weather?
Australia's climate is changing rapidly due to rising global greenhouse gas emissions. Extreme weather events such as tropical cyclones, east coast low pressure systems, flash floods, droughts, bushfires, severe storms, and both land and marine heat waves are becoming increasingly common, as the National Climate Risk Assessment makes clear.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Earth's early sponges were soft: Scientists close fossil record gap
Sponges are among Earth's most ancient animals, but exactly when they evolved has long puzzled scientists. Genetic information from living sponges, as well as chemical signals from ancient rocks, suggest that sponges evolved at least 650 million years ago.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Environmentalists push back against US EPA plan to extend coal plant closings
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is facing strong public opposition to its proposed plans to extend closure deadlines until October 2031 for 11 coal plants across the country—three of which are in Illinois and one in northwest Indiana.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Flood literacy gaps persist as nature-based solutions prove effective against increasing water events
For decades, flooding has remained one of the most destructive and deadly natural disasters in the United States, causing an average of $8 billion in damages and nearly 90 deaths each year.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Forests under climate stress: Why trees are growing less despite an early start
Climate change is causing trees to sprout earlier in spring. Nevertheless, some tree species are growing less. A study by the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL shows that increasing heat and drought are slowing down the growth of the most common tree species in Switzerland. This has consequences for carbon storage and forestry.
January 7, 2026 — Source

France halts imports of food with traces of banned pesticides
France on Wednesday officialized a ban on food imports containing traces of five pesticides currently banned in the EU, a move aimed at easing farmers' opposition to the Mercosur trade deal with four South American nations.
January 7, 2026 — Source

German emissions cuts slow, North Sea has warmest year on record
Germany's greenhouse gas emission cuts slowed sharply in 2025 as the North Sea experienced its warmest year on record, piling pressure Wednesday on the conservative-led government to boost climate protection efforts.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Global aviation emissions could be halved through maximizing efficiency gains
A new study co-led by the University of Oxford has found that global aviation emissions could be reduced by 50--75% through combining three strategies to boost efficiency: flying only the most fuel-efficient aircraft, switching to all-economy layouts, and increasing passenger loads.
January 7, 2026 — Source

How facial recognition for bears can help ecologists manage wildlife
When a grizzly bear attacked a group of fourth- and fifth-graders in western Canada in late November 2025, it sparked more than a rescue effort for the 11 people injured—four with severe injuries. Local authorities began trying to find the specific bear that was involved in order to relocate or euthanize it, depending on the results of their assessment.
January 7, 2026 — Source

How is drought in New England affecting water levels and the environment?
Recent reports of wells drying up in New Hampshire reflect a pattern we're increasingly seeing across New England: extended dry periods and below-normal precipitation are stressing shallow groundwater systems that many homeowners depend on.
January 7, 2026 — Source

How one rancher beat drought, debt, and low cotton prices
Grazing his flock at solar farms lets him raise sheep, earn a steady income, and keep the family legacy alive.
January 7, 2026 — Source

How political influence shapes agricultural expansion in the Amazon
In communities around the Amazon Rainforest, there's a pervasive belief that large landowners use their money to influence local politics to benefit their operations.
January 7, 2026 — Source

How Quilt solved the heat pump's biggest challenge
Smart home startup Quilt introduced a three-zone heat pump on Tuesday that promises to maintain efficiency even in the kinds of demanding conditions that stymie traditional incumbents.
January 7, 2026 — Source

How rice viruses manipulate plant defenses to protect insect vectors
Planthoppers and leafhoppers not only feed on rice plants but also act as highly efficient vectors for plant viruses, causing substantial yield losses worldwide. Notably, their persistent ability to evade natural enemies is not merely a matter of chance—it is subtly reinforced by the plant viruses they carry.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Human-made materials could make up as much as half of some Scottish beaches
The natural sands of beaches along the Firth of Forth are being mixed with significant amounts of human-made materials like bricks, concrete, glass and industrial waste, new research has revealed.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Image: Algae swirls across a South African reservoir
On clear days in Hartbeespoort, South Africa, satellite images often reveal a reservoir with shades of deep blue interrupted by drifting patches of vivid green. These shifting features indicate algae blooms, which can affect water quality, ecosystems, and nearby human communities.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Inflatable fabric robotic arm picks apples
A low-cost, simple robotic apple picker arm developed by Washington State University researchers may someday help with fruit picking and other farm chores.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Japanese nuclear plant operator fabricated seismic risk data
Company staff were very selective about how they modeled earthquake dangers.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Marine geoscientists link warming with ancient ocean 'salty blob'
Climate change has many culprits, from agriculture to transportation to energy production. Now, add another: the deep ocean salty blob.
January 7, 2026 — Source

New book highlights human toll of the Kenyan property boom
As Nairobi's skyline climbs ever higher, life for those living on the city's edges is being transformed—and not always for the better.
January 7, 2026 — Source

New carbon capture tech could save us from datacenter doom
Maybe our AI overlords, hell-bent on securing power any way they can, should invest in getting this to market
January 7, 2026 — Source

North Pacific winter storm tracks shifting poleward much faster than predicted
Alaska's glaciers are melting at an accelerating pace, losing roughly 60 billion tons of ice each year. About 4,000 kilometers to the south, in California and Nevada, records for heat and dryness are being shattered, creating favorable conditions for wildfire events.
January 7, 2026 — Source

NWS AI-Generated Weather Predictions Are Making Up New Towns
Expect rain in Whata Bod.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Oil Industry Will Eye Venezuela Warily, Experts Say
Given Venezuela's murky political future, few analysts expect a rush to invest the billions needed to pump more oil from the world's largest reserves.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Oil residues can travel over 5,000 miles on ocean debris, study finds
When oily plastic and glass, as well as rubber, washed onto Florida beaches in 2020, a community group shared the mystery online, attracting scientists' attention. Working together, they linked the black residue-coated debris to a 2019 oil slick along Brazil's coastline. Using ocean current models and chemical analysis, the team explains in Environmental Science & Technology how some of the oily material managed to travel over 5,200 miles (8,500 kilometers) by clinging to debris.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Predicting the peak: New AI model prepares NYC's power grid for a warmer future
Buildings produce a large share of New York's greenhouse gas emissions, but predicting future energy demand—essential for reducing those emissions—has been hampered by missing data on how buildings currently use energy.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Regenerative farmers view nature as a meaningful partner in professional decision-making
Regenerative farmers view nature as a meaningful partner in professional decision-making
January 7, 2026 — Source

Researchers develop electricity-free chlorine production from brines
Chlorine is a fundamental input to modern industry, yet most of today's supply still relies on energy-intensive electrolysis. In order to reduce energy consumption, researchers from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) and the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, both affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), have developed an alternative approach to producing chlorine—by harnessing the osmotic energy inherently stored in chloride-rich brines.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Researchers develop new tools to turn grain crops into biosensors
Plant-based detection systems could be used to monitor chemical exposure in agricultural settings.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Researchers examine aviation's path to sustainability
Researchers from SUNY Polytechnic Institute's Sustainable Aerospace Energy Center (SAEC) have published a new study in the Journal of Air Transportation analyzing how the aviation sector is navigating its transition toward sustainability.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Researchers Just Sampled 1.4-Billion-Year-Old Air—and It's Not What They Expected
A "boring" time period may not have been so boring after all.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Sahel farmers do better when they combine innovations rather than using them one by one
Smallholder farmers in West Africa's Sahel face a harsh and worsening climate. Rainfall is erratic, temperatures are rising, soils are degrading, and droughts have become more frequent.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Sentinel-1's decade of essential data over shifting ice sheets
The extent and speed of ice moving off the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica into the sea—an important dynamic for climate and sea-rise modeling—has been captured over a 10-year period by satellites from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Simulation model provides accurate assessment of urban spread, residual risks of chemical warfare agents
A research team affiliated with UNIST has reported a new simulation tool to better understand how liquid-phase chemical warfare agents (CWAs) disperse and persist in urban environments. Their findings demonstrate that certain highly toxic chemical agents can remain dangerous even after initial deployment, mainly because droplets that settle on surfaces can evaporate over time and cause secondary exposure.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Small-scale rainforest clearing drives majority of carbon loss, study finds
Think of the destruction of Earth's rainforests and a familiar image may come to mind: fires or chainsaws tearing through enormous swaths of the Amazon, releasing masses of planet-warming carbon dioxide.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Smart biochar that remembers pollutants offers a new way to clean water and recycle biomass
Scientists have combined molecular imprinting technology with biochar to create materials that can recognize and capture specific molecules with remarkable precision.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Snow's compressibility acts as avalanche crumple zone
How do avalanches affect pylons and other sensitive infrastructure? Using detailed simulations, SLF researcher Michael Kohler has shown that the compressibility of snow initially reduces avalanche pressure, but that at high speeds this buffer suddenly fails.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Solar hydrogen can now be produced efficiently without the scarce metal platinum
Using sunlight, water and tiny particles of electrically conductive plastic, researchers show how hydrogen can be produced efficiently, sustainably and at low cost.
January 7, 2026 — Source or Source

Still plenty of mildness -- for now -- after a historic holiday warm wave
Much of the Southern and Western U.S. entered 2026 with weirdly nice conditions, but winter may yet strike a few more blows.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Surprising number of foods contain microplastics. Here's how to reduce the amount you consume
The public is starting to understand that they can find microplastics in their food, particularly seafood, but exposure from other foods is far more common than most people realize.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Swinging abyss: Oxygen isotope analysis shows less dynamic Antarctic ice sheet in Oligocene period
Oxygen isotopes data enable researchers to look far back into the geologic past and reconstruct the climate of the past. In doing so, they consider several factors such as ocean temperature and ice volume in polar regions. A new publication by an international team from Bergen (Norway) and Bremen in Nature Geoscience concludes that the Antarctic ice sheet was less dynamic during the Oligocene epoch 34 to 23 million years ago than previously assumed.
January 7, 2026 — Source

'The Dirtiest, Worst Oil' Is in Venezuela
The country's "extra heavy" oil packs some of the highest associated greenhouse gas emissions of any crude oil.
January 7, 2026 — Source

The Shine 2.0 is a compact wind turbine for your next camping trip
Shine brought its newest model to CES.
January 7, 2026 — Source

This CES Company's Trash Cans Mash Your Cast-Off Plastic Bags Into Recyclable Bricks
At CES 2026, Clear Drop showcased its solution for homes and businesses to ensure that 100% of soft plastic waste is diverted from landfills.
January 7, 2026 — Source

To Save An Endangered Prairie Fish, Dried-up Iowa Wetlands Get New Life
Efforts to save the Topeka shiner have restored hundreds of oxbow lakes across Iowa. Now, those wetlands are helping to improve the state's water quality.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Urban atmosphere acts as primary reservoir of microplastics, researchers find
Over the past two decades, microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have been recognized as emerging pollutants, detected across every environmental compartment of Earth's system—the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Warming winters and storm-driven dispersal facilitate northward mangrove expansion along the US Atlantic coast
In recent decades, mangroves along the Atlantic coast of North America have expanded into areas traditionally dominated by salt marshes. This shift shows that climate change is already reshaping temperate coastal ecosystems, with consequences for biodiversity, carbon storage, and shoreline protection.
January 7, 2026 — Source

Yes, forest trees die of old age. But the warming climate is killing them faster
Across Australia, forests are quietly changing. Trees that once stood for decades or centuries are now dying at an accelerating rate. And this is not because of fire, storms, or logging. The chronic stress of a warming climate is killing them.
January 7, 2026 — Source

You've heard of climate change. What is the climate debt doom loop?
Municipal bonds are a time-honored way to fund roads, schools, bridges and other public projects while paying investors interest, usually at tax-free rates.
January 7, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 6th, 2026

AI river forecasts may be accurate, but based on flawed logic
Artificial intelligence is changing how we predict river flow—but a new study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia shows that these models often get the right answers for the wrong reasons.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Algorithms replace intuition as urban landscape design enters digital era, study suggests
The future of urban green space might be written in code, according to research in the International Journal of Reasoning-based Intelligent Systems. The age-old image of the landscape architect, sketchbook in hand, guided by intuition and a feel for the land, is being dug over by digital disruption. The work suggests that for city and town planners facing increasingly dense populations and the problems that climate change brings, the art of urban garden design needs reseeding with modern tools to fertilize new ideas.
January 6, 2026 — Source

AMOC collapse simulations reveal what could happen to the ocean's carbon
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is the system of currents responsible for shuttling warm water northward and colder, denser water to the south. This "conveyor belt" process helps redistribute heat, nutrients, and carbon around the planet.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Bird-friendly tourism: A conversation between biodiversity conservation and rural development
A study published in Avian Research demonstrates that the Hide-in-Bird Pond (HIBP) model, a community-based, grassroots avitourism initiative in which local communities establish artificial ponds and feeding stations to attract avian species for non-invasive observation and photography, has proliferated rapidly across China.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Catalyst behavior that could cut emissions and stabilize supply of everyday materials revealed
A Rice University-led team has unveiled how tiny molecular structures on industrial catalysts behave during the manufacture of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), a core ingredient in adhesives, paints, coatings, packaging, textiles and many other products people use every day.
January 6, 2026 — Source

ChargeFabrica: An open-source simulation tool to accelerate search for high performance perovskite solar cells
Perovskite solar cells offer high efficiency & low cost, but complex structures limit modeling. A new Python simulator enables 2D analysis of charge dynamics in intricate geometries.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Climate change accelerates tree deaths across Australian forests, study finds
Australia's forests are losing trees more rapidly as the climate warms, a new study examining decades of data said Tuesday, warning the trend was likely a "widespread phenomenon."
January 6, 2026 — Source

How a persistent chemical enters our surface waters: Modeling TFA formation and distribution in the atmosphere
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are not called "forever chemicals" for nothing. These fluorine-containing organic molecules are difficult to break down and are likely to remain in the environment for decades or even centuries, where they can accumulate in humans and animals and may have harmful effects on health. This is a compelling reason to take precautionary measures.
January 6, 2026 — Source

How smart home materials can shield us from extreme heat and cut energy bills all year
Australia is getting hotter. Climate change is driving more frequent and prolonged extreme heat waves and our homes are struggling to keep up. Alarmingly, many Australian houses—especially older ones—weren't designed for these harsh conditions.
January 6, 2026 — Source

How to make communities more resilient to climate change
Researchers are proposing a new strategy for local governments to make municipalities more resilient against climate change. The "compounded resilience" strategy lays out how local governments can take advantage of opportunities to both limit adverse impacts of climate change on their communities and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change.
January 6, 2026 — Source

How writing about places people know makes the climate crisis less abstract
The discourse around climate change can lead to anxiety, detachment or resignation because it often stretches language in ways that make the world feel distant.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Indigenous-led conservation efforts match or surpass similar initiatives when properly funded, new research shows
Federally funded Indigenous-led conservation programs are delivering highly effective climate and biodiversity outcomes, aligning with national greenhouse gas mitigation and biodiversity goals, according to a new paper led by Concordia researchers.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Manganese gets its moment as a potential fuel cell catalyst
The road to a more sustainable planet may be partially paved with manganese. According to a new study by researchers at Yale and the University of Missouri, chemical catalysts containing manganese—an abundant, inexpensive metallic element—proved highly effective in converting carbon dioxide into formate, a compound viewed as a potential key contributor of hydrogen for the next generation of fuel cells.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Marine regression emerges as key driver of Late Paleozoic Ice Age in high-resolution model
Earth system box models are essential tools for reconstructing long-term climatic and environmental evolution and uncovering Earth system mechanisms. To overcome the spatiotemporal resolution limitations of current deep-time models, a research team has developed CESM-SCION, a new-generation high-resolution climate-biogeochemistry coupled model. This model advances the spatiotemporal resolution of long-term Earth system simulations to a new level and identifies marine regression as a key driver of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age onset.
January 6, 2026 — Source

New tools turn grain crops into living biosensors
A collaborative team of researchers from the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the University of Florida, Gainesville and University of Iowa have developed tools that allow grasses—including major grain crops like corn—to act as living biosensors capable of detecting minute amounts of chemicals in the field.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Predicting the onset of lithium plating using full-cell voltage: A pseudo-P curve approach
Researchers at National Taiwan University have proposed a novel method to predict the onset of lithium metal formation—an internal battery response—during fast charging, using only external voltage measurements from commercial lithium-ion cells.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Protection gap for migratory freshwater fishes found in Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
Many migratory species such as birds, bats, whales, and fish cross national borders to complete their lifecycle and need internationally coordinated action to protect them. The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) is an environmental treaty of the United Nations that entered into force in 1983 to meet such needs.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Researchers sustainably produce triacetic acid lactone from sugarcane
Triacetic acid lactone (TAL) has the potential to serve as a bioderived platform chemical for commercial products, including sorbic acid. However, TAL currently lacks a global market as its chemical synthesis is prohibitively expensive.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Science army mobilizes to map US soil microbiome
Johns Hopkins University geneticists and a small army of researchers across the country, including students, are working to catalog the vast and largely unknown soil microbiome of the United States.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Shelled amoeba crawls like an octopus, shifting tactics on the go
An international team of researchers led by Hokkaido University has characterized the unique mechanics that enable Arcella, a shelled, single-celled amoeba, to move skillfully across different surfaces.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Six dead in weather accidents as cold snap grips Europe
Freezing temperatures plunged swathes of Europe into a second day of travel chaos on Tuesday, with six people dying in weather-related accidents during the continent's bitterest cold snap this winter so far.
January 6, 2026 — Source

'Stomata in-Sight' system allows scientists to watch plants 'breathe' in real-time
For centuries, scientists have known that plants "breathe" through microscopic pores on their leaves called stomata. These tiny valves are the gatekeepers that balance the intake of carbon dioxide into the leaf for photosynthesis against the loss of water vapor from the leaf to the atmosphere.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Study reveals weakening of circumglobal teleconnection pattern under future warming and its impact on heat waves
The circumglobal teleconnection pattern (CGT) is a key mode of atmospheric variability during boreal summer, identified by an upper-tropospheric wave train propagating along the subtropical jet. CGT is one of the critical drivers of Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude heat waves. However, how the structure of CGT responds to global warming and its effect on future heat wave characteristics remains inconclusive.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Superheated sediments in a submarine pressure cooker—an unexpected source of deep-sea hydrogen
The mid-ocean ridge runs through the oceans like a suture. Where Earth's plates move apart, new oceanic crust is continuously formed. This is often accompanied by magmatism and hydrothermal activity. Seawater seeps into the subsurface, is heated to temperatures above 400°C, and rises again to the ocean floor.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Ticking time bomb: Some northeastern US farmers report as many as 70 tick encounters over a 6-month period
Finding one tick on your body is scary enough—tick-borne diseases are serious—but what if you found more than 10 on yourself in just one month? That's the plight of some farmers as the threat of ticks and tick-borne diseases grows, according to new research featuring experts at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Twitter data reveals partisan divide in understanding why pollen season's getting worse
Two things are clear from a University of Michigan analysis of nearly 200,000 Twitter posts between 2012 and 2022. One, people are really good at identifying peak pollen season: The largest volume of tweets about pollen often lined up with pollen counters hitting their biggest numbers. And two, liberal users on Twitter were more likely than conservatives to ascribe shifting pollen seasons over the years to climate change.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Venezuelan Oil Brought to the U.S. Would Be Refined in Black Gulf Communities
Communities in Texas and Louisiana say U.S. control of Venezuela's heavy crude would worsen environmental racism along the Gulf.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Wearable health devices could generate a million tons of e-waste by 2050
This week in Las Vegas, tech companies at CES 2026 are unveiling the latest wearable health devices — glucose monitors, blood pressure trackers, fitness trackers. Probably not mentioned at the show is that these gadgets might be creating a massive environmental problem.
January 6, 2026 — Source

Women have fought hard to be recognized as farmers. There's still more work to be done
When we think of an Australian farmer, we often still conjure up an image of a bloke in a hat, perhaps leaning on a fence post. If women make an appearance at all in this picture, it's usually as a support to the male farmer.
January 6, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 5th, 2026

$40 million campaign launched to save pristine NC game lands from development
On Jan. 1, conservationists launched a $40 million campaign to save 4,000 acres of pristine North Carolina game land from development.
January 5, 2026 — Source

A Greenland glacier is cracking open in real time
A meltwater lake that formed in the mid-1990s on Greenland's 79°N Glacier has been draining in sudden, dramatic bursts through cracks and vertical ice shafts. These events have accelerated in recent years, creating strange triangular fracture patterns and flooding the glacier's base with water in just hours. Some drainages even pushed the ice upward from below, like a blister forming under the glacier. Scientists now wonder whether the glacier can ever return to its previous seasonal rhythm.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Active solar region observed for record 94 days
In May 2024, the strongest solar storm in twenty years raged. An international team led by ETH Zurich observed it. Their findings are now helping to improve space weather forecasts.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Ancient Antarctica reveals a 'one--two punch' behind ice sheet collapse
When we think of global warming, what first comes to mind is the air: crushing heat waves that are felt rather than seen, except through the haziness of humid air. But when it comes to melting ice sheets, rising ocean temperatures may play more of a role—with the worst effects experienced on the other side of the globe.
January 5, 2026 — Source

As the Milan Winter Olympics approach, what are the environmental expectations?
Italy is preparing to host the 25th Winter Olympic Games next month—from Feb. 6 to the 22nd, followed by the Paralympic Games from March 6 to the 15th.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Biological pumps: How zooplankton are transporting microplastics to the ocean depths
A new study has, for the first time, recorded and measured just how fast microplastics move through the gut passage of a key zooplankton species in real time—and used those measurements to estimate how much plastic these tiny animals might be transporting—and sinking down—through the ocean each day.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Drones with standard cameras reveal hidden forest layers using AI technology
Monitoring forest health typically relies on remote sensing tools such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR), radar, and multispectral photography. While radar and LiDAR penetrate canopies to reveal structure, they struggle to provide fine-resolution spectral details needed for vegetation health assessment.
January 5, 2026 — Source

EPA says it will propose drinking water limit for perchlorate, but only because court ordered it
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday said it would propose a drinking water limit for perchlorate, a harmful chemical in rockets and other explosives, but also said doing so wouldn't significantly benefit public health and that it was acting only because a court ordered it.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Europe takes a bold step toward systems-based chemical risk assessment
For decades, EU chemical regulation has struggled with slow approvals, high costs, and ecological surprises. From delayed bans on neonicotinoids to the ongoing decline of pollinators, the current framework often reacts too late. Assessments are fragmented, focusing on individual products rather than the bigger picture. Decisions are locked into binary categories: "safe" or "unsafe"—leaving no room for adaptive management.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Fungus 'rewires' maize plants, causing tumor-like growths by hijacking root formation process
When a maize plant is attacked by the fungus Ustilago maydis, tumor-like tissue growths occur at the site of infection. How the pathogen causes this response in its host has long been unknown. But a University of Bonn study has now shown how the fungus takes over the plant's function of forming lateral roots.
January 5, 2026 — Source or Source

German renewable energy shift slowed in 2025
The share of renewables in German power production almost stagnated in 2025, data showed Monday, as concerns grow about a shift away from green policies under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Greenland's Prudhoe Dome ice cap was completely gone only 7,000 years ago, study finds
The first study from GreenDrill—a project co-led by the University at Buffalo to collect rocks and sediment buried beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet—has found that the Prudhoe Dome ice cap was completely gone approximately 7,000 years ago, much more recently than previously known.
January 5, 2026 — Source

How a move to the shallows 300,000 years ago drove a phytoplankton bloom
Single-celled algae in the ocean known as coccolithophores play an important role in the marine carbon cycle when they take up bicarbonate from seawater to build their shells. Coccolithophore numbers have been increasing globally in recent years, meaning their influence is growing, even as scientists still don't fully understand the factors driving their explosive growth. One explanation could be changes to the alkalinity of ocean water, specifically, greater amounts of bicarbonate available for the tiny creatures to use.
January 5, 2026 — Source

How storm surges could impact coastal workplaces
Like much of the rest of the planet, the climate in Norway is changing—both the air and the ocean are getting warmer. The weather is getting harsher at the same time as sea levels are rising, increasing the risk of storm surges and coastal flooding.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Hundreds of Earthquakes Are Rocking One of Earth's Most Dangerous Glaciers
Scientists uncover new evidence of undocumented glacial earthquakes in Antarctica.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Infrastructure design is the hidden architecture of disaster risk
When we talk about disasters, we often default to the language of nature. We describe storms as "unprecedented," floods as "once-in-a-century," and heat waves as "record-breaking." While these descriptors may be technically accurate, they miss a more fundamental point: Disasters do not occur in a vacuum. They unfold within environments that humans have designed, built, maintained, and—often—neglected over long periods of time.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Location, location, location: Model IDs best spots for offshore energy projects
Researchers have developed a computational model that identifies the best combination of location and energy technologies to maximize offshore energy production, reducing the financial risk associated with investing in offshore projects. The model accounts for different types of wind and marine hydrokinetic technologies, the best location for co-siting these technologies, and the best size of the relevant technologies.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Microalgae could fuel Hawaiʻi's renewable future
Tiny, sun-powered organisms found in freshwater pools could soon fuel Hawaiʻi's sustainable future. Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa are charting a path to transform microalgae into a "green gold" reality for biofuels, medicine and nutrition.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Nearly every corn seed planted in Colorado is covered in insecticide: Lawmakers may restrict the chemical
Colorado farmers plant tens of millions of corn seeds every year, nearly every one of them covered in a thin layer of insecticide.
January 5, 2026 — Source

New species of bush tomato with visible nectar glands discovered in the Australian outback
A recent study led by Bucknell University Professor Chris Martine, biology, the David Burpee Professor of Plant Genetics and Research, has identified and described a new species of bush tomato with a special connection to ants—a taxonomic journey sparked by unusual specimens held in Australian herbarium collections.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Oceans struggle to absorb Earth's carbon dioxide as microplastics invade their waters
A new study reveals that microplastics are impairing the oceans' ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a process scientists find crucial for regulating Earth's temperature.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Offshore wind developers sue Trump administration for halting $25B in projects
Three offshore wind developers are suing the Trump administration after the Department of the Interior halted five projects worth a total of $25 billion on December 22. If completed, the projects would generate a total of 6 gigawatts of electricity.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Plant sex life is more complicated than you probably imagine
Humans like plants. We like seeing them change the color of their leaves throughout the year. They connect us to nature even if we live in a big city. But most people don't think that much about the lives of plants, and least of all, about their sex life.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Q&A: Developing a sustainable power grid in the era of AI
Le Xie, Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), wants to know how we can modernize the electric grid to support rapid electrification and the growing demands of AI infrastructure. His research at SEAS focuses on the intersection of power systems, artificial intelligence, and decarbonization. We spoke to him about his work and the challenges facing the electric grid today. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
January 5, 2026 — Q&A: Developing a sustainable power grid in the era of AI
Le Xie, Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), wants to know how we can modernize the electric grid to support rapid electrification and the growing demands of AI infrastructure. His research at SEAS focuses on the intersection of power systems, artificial intelligence, and decarbonization. We spoke to him about his work and the challenges facing the electric grid today.
January 5, 2026 — Source

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Scientists sound alarm on erosion of long-term environmental data
A new Special Report published in the journal BioScience warns that long-term ecological and evolutionary research faces severe threats from lack of recurring funding and governmental/institutional support, to data manipulation and political interference, even as these studies become more crucial for addressing issues of broad societal importance, such as biodiversity loss and climate change.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Sediments of the Ahr river show recurring high-magnitude flood events
Recurring high-energy flood events are not the exception but the rule in the Ahr Valley in western Germany—and this occurs over periods of centuries to millennia. This is shown in a study recently published in the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms and led by Leipzig University. Researchers from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO), both in Leipzig, also participated in the study.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Solar flares and stellar flares hit differently
The sun is not only our closest stellar neighbor, it's also the star we understand the most. As we've observed it over the centuries, we've learned that the sun is not an immortal constant. It goes through active and quiet cycles, it has become warmer over geologic time scales, and it occasionally batters Earth with solar flares. We've generally thought that other main sequence stars behave in much the same way, but when it comes to solar flares, that isn't always true.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Sustainable design of geosynthetics and roof underlayments made from recyclates
Is it possible to recover plastic recyclates from previously unused waste streams in order to produce high-quality fibers and films? How can bio-based polymer fibers be manufactured so as to allow adjustable biodegradability? These are the questions being addressed by researchers from the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE in the Zirk-Tex project. As an alternative to mechanical processes, they are jointly developing innovative recycling methods for the production of sustainable roof underlayments and geosynthetics.
January 5, 2026 — Source

The US used to be really dirty: Environmental cleanup laws have made a huge difference
Since the 1970s, foundational US environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Superfund have led to significant improvements in air and water quality and waste management. Major pollution events and hazardous waste dumping have been curtailed, with measurable public health and ecological benefits, all achieved alongside strong economic growth.
January 5, 2026 — Source

The World's Largest 'Smart Transformer' Just Went Online, According To China
In the modern age of technology, power lines transmitting electricity and the transformers that manage that output remain vital components of nearly every country's power grid. The same is true of China, which revealed in late 2025 that it had brought the world's most powerful smart direct current (DC) transformer online. DC, which operates differently from alternating current (AC), is better for moving large amounts of electricity over long distances.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Vegetation might exacerbate urban heat island effect in very dry cities
As temperatures rise around the world, city heat becomes increasingly unbearable during the hottest seasons. The urban heat island effect causes cities to become significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas due to human activities and building materials that trap heat.
January 5, 2026 — Source

Will 2026 be the year when coral reefs pass their tipping point?
Tropical coral reefs cover less than 1% of the seafloor, yet support 25% of all marine species. They are also incredibly vulnerable. Over the past few decades, an estimated 30--50% have already been lost.
January 5, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 2nd, 2026

2025 was UK's hottest and sunniest year on record
Last year was Britain's hottest and sunniest on record, the national weather service confirmed on Friday, calling it a "clear demonstration" of the impacts of climate change.
January 2, 2026 — Source

A zero-shot learning framework for maize cob phenotyping
A new study presents a zero-shot learning (ZSL) framework for maize cob phenotyping, enabling the extraction of geometric traits and estimation of yields in both laboratory and field settings without the need for model retraining.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Airport tire wear emerges as a major source of hidden air pollutants
New measurements from Milan's city airport reveal how everyday airport operations, not just jet exhausts, quietly release industrial chemicals into the air we breathe, reshaping how aviation pollution is understood.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Ancient African bedrock reveals the violent beginnings of life on our blue planet
You have probably seen the images of the surface of Mars, beamed back by NASA's rovers. What if there were a time machine capable of roaming Earth during its remote geological past, perhaps even going right back to its beginnings, beaming back pictures of similar quality?
January 2, 2026 — Source

Flowering plant origins: Dosage-sensitive genes suggest no whole-genome duplications in ancestral angiosperm
Angiosperms, also known as flowering plants, represent the most diverse group of seed plants, and their origin and evolution have long been a central question in plant evolutionary biology. Whole-genome duplication (WGD), or polyploidization, is widely recognized as a key driver of the origin and trait evolution of both seed plants and angiosperms.
January 2, 2026 — Source

How a single 2003 heat wave triggered lasting upheaval in the North Atlantic
The ecology of the North Atlantic is constantly changing. Sometimes it changes abruptly. Extreme events are one driver of such sudden changes. A team of researchers has discovered that a single, large-scale heat wave has affected ecosystems and trophic interactions in the subpolar North Atlantic, and the effects are still felt today.
January 2, 2026 — Source

How juvenile lobsters fall into a deadly natural trap in the Florida Keys
Ecological traps are situations in which an animal mistakenly chooses a habitat that increases its likelihood of dying or failing to reproduce, often because it follows a misleading cue. Most traps are caused by human activity, such as baby sea turtles moving toward city lights instead of the moonlit ocean or insects laying eggs on glass or other artificial surfaces they mistake for water. However, as the researchers discovered, in rare instances, nature also has its own deadly traps.
January 2, 2026 — Source

On-demand hydrogen fuel production goes dark-mode
Hydrogen, the lightest element on the periodic table, is a master of escaping almost any container it's stored in. Its extremely small size allows it to squeeze through atomic-scale gaps in the storage materials, which is one of the major issues hindering hydrogen energy from becoming mainstream.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Origins of THC, CBD and CBC in cannabis revealed
Where do the well-known cannabis compounds THC, CBD and CBC come from? Researchers at Wageningen University & Research have experimentally demonstrated for the first time how cannabis acquired the ability to produce these cannabinoids. In the process, they also developed enzymes that show promise for the biotechnological production of cannabinoids for medicinal applications.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Qaidam Basin fossils suggest Pleistocene establishment of East Asian migratory flyway
A research team led by Associate Professor Wang Yaqiong from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), in collaboration with colleagues from multiple domestic and international institutions, has for the first time documented two marine ostracod fossil species—Bicornucythere bisanensis s.l. and Pistocythereis bradyformis—in Pleistocene lacustrine deposits of the Qaidam Basin.
January 2, 2026 — Source

This Giant Heat Pump Is Expected To Warm Over 40K Homes - Here's How It Works
There are still plenty of myths bandied around about heat pumps, with one of the most common myths being that they don't work well in the cold. Modern heat pumps are efficient enough to still extract useful amounts of heat from the environment even in the depths of winter — in fact, they're so useful that the German city of Mannheim is currently in the process of building the largest heat pump in the world.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Two white-blooded fish, two paths: Icefish and noodlefish independently lose red blood cell function
Antarctic icefish are famous for living without red blood cells, but they are not alone. A species of needle-shaped, warm-water fish called the Asian noodlefish also lacks hemoglobin and red blood cells. Like icefish, its veins are filled with translucent white blood, said H. William Detrich, professor emeritus of marine and environmental sciences, who collaborated with Chinese scientists on a paper about the strange aquatic creatures published in Current Biology.
January 2, 2026 — Source

UK sees record-high electricity from renewables in 2025: Study
Britain produced a record-high amount of electricity from renewable energy last year, a study revealed on Friday.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Understanding why quick clay is so unstable may lead to safer, greener stabilization methods
Quick clay collapse can be both dangerous and costly. New research will help us understand more about why the clay is so unstable. And maybe what we can do about it.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Three climate New Year's resolutions that will fail—and four that can actually stick
Four in five adults in the UK say they have changed their lifestyle to help tackle environmental change. The New Year is a good time to implement changes to behavior, but our willpower is finite.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Why New York City Is Spending Millions on 'Bluebelts'
The man-made wetlands and ponds can help prevent flooding in homes and buildings, and return cleaner water to the ocean.
January 2, 2026 — Source

Wood-derived chemicals offer safer alternative for thermal receipt paper coatings
Every day, millions of people use thermal paper without thinking about it. Receipts, shipping labels, tickets, and medical records all rely on heat‑sensitive coatings to make text appear. More specifically, heat triggers a reaction between a colorless dye and a "developer," producing dark text where the paper is warmed.
January 2, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — January 1st, 2026

A once-sparkling Alaskan river has turned a sickly orange color
As permafrost melts, metals stored in rocks leach into the water, making it toxic for fish.
January 1, 2026 — Source

Now in its 25th Year, a Historic Effort to Save the Everglades Evolves as the Climate Warms
Everglades restoration was designed to replenish the drinking water supply in one of the fast-growing parts of the nation. The same effort may help save South Florida from climate change.
January 1, 2026 — Source

Physicists Finally Solved One Of The Biggest Mysteries About Fusion Energy
Nuclear fusion is deemed the next big thing in the field of energy harvesting for humanity, but creating a reactor that can achieve continuous electricity generation has proved to be a massive technical headache. One of the biggest challenges is the plasma, the superhot state of matter, that is necessary for particles to collide and release energy. Confining this plasma and maintaining the extreme temperature is a crucial step, and also one that has puzzled researchers for years.
January 1, 2026 — Source

General — Environment — December 26th, 2025

How George Wallace and Bull Connor Set the Stage for Alabama's Sky-High Electric Rates
After his notorious stand in the schoolhouse door, Wallace needed a new target. He found it in Alabama Power.
December 26, 2025 — Source

Scenes From an Unfolding Climate Drama
ICN international climate policy reporter Bob Berwyn reviews the past decade of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
December 26, 2025 — Source

Six photos show how climate change shaped our world in 2025
This year's most notable wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, and heavy rains were made more devastating and deadly by climate change.
December 26, 2025 — Source

Streamlining the production of green hydrogen
New study shows how complexing agents and predictive models can improve nickel electroplating for alkaline water electrolysis, reducing waste and cost.
December 26, 2025 — Source

Teens, churches, and a grocery store take climate action in Milwaukee
The Greening Congregations Initiative helps organizations in the city cut carbon pollution and prepare for worsened flooding.
December 26, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — December 25th, 2025

A New Jersey Buyout Program for Flood-Prone Homes Is a National Model
In a state beset by sea level rise and flooding, the Blue Acres program has bought out and demolished 1,200 properties that were repeatedly inundated, turning the properties into buffer zones and open spaces.
December 25, 2025 — Source

Clouds Are Weirder at the Top Than We Thought
A new type of lidar is allowing physicists to study cloud tops at a resolution 100 to 1,000 times higher than before.
December 25, 2025 — Source

Scientists work to breed tougher Christmas trees
A team in North Carolina is developing new Fraser firs that they're hoping can better cope with warm winter weather, pests, and disease.
December 25, 2025 — Source

The perfect plastic? Plant-based, fully saltwater degradable, zero microplastics
Researchers made a strong, flexible plastic from plant cellulose that breaks down quickly in natural environments, unlike many so-called biodegradable plastics.
December 25, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

General — Environment — December 21st, 2025

A Messy Trail of Toxic Oil and Gas Waste
Go behind the scenes with managing editor Jamie Smith Hopkins and reporter Kiley Bense as they discuss how Pennsylvania is failing to track toxic oil and gas waste, while the amount sitting in landfills grows every year.
December 21, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Countries Want Debt Relief for Conservation. Is China Ready to Play a Role?
"Debt-for-nature" swaps are helping some lower-income countries increase conservation. The world's largest nation-state creditor has the leverage for deals—if it chooses to use it.
December 21, 2025 — Source

Hidden seismic signals hint at a tsunami threat in Alaska
Researchers studying a massive landslide in Alaska have detected strange seasonal seismic pulses caused by water freezing and thawing in rock cracks. These faint signals could become an important early clue to changes that might someday trigger a dangerous landslide-driven tsunami.
December 21, 2025 — Source

Hot, humid weather during pregnancy poses far greater risks to child health than heat alone
The dangers of heat and humidity are so well known it's become cliche to mention them. But the impacts can extend farther than even scientists and doctors realized.
December 21, 2025 — Source

Ionic liquids slow perovskite degradation: Solar cells retain 90% performance at 90°C
Solar cells, devices that can generate electricity from sunlight, are already helping to reduce fossil fuel emissions in many countries worldwide. In recent years, energy engineers have been assessing the potential of materials other than silicon for the development of efficient, durable and more affordable solar cells.
December 21, 2025 — Source

The 'Toxic Cocktail' Brewing in Pennsylvania's Waterways
Pennsylvania is still cleaning up decades' worth of coal mining pollution. Now it must also contend with millions of tons of fracking waste, some of it radioactive.
December 21, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — December 20th, 2025

Beetles block mining of Europe's biggest rare earths deposit
As Europe seeks to curb its dependence on China for rare earths, plans to mine the continent's biggest deposit have hit a roadblock over fears that mining operations could harm endangered beetles, mosses and mushrooms.
December 20, 2025 — Source

Dunedin's inner-city greening project shows even small spaces can be wildlife havens
Over the past two years, Dunedin's city center has become greener and more biodiverse thanks to the installation of street-side planters.
December 20, 2025 — Source

How Europe's new carbon tax on imported goods will change global trade
The new regulation arrives on New Year's Day.
December 20, 2025 — Source

How Proposed Changes to the Endangered Species Act Could Further Threaten the Country's Imperiled Species
The Trump administration is working to systemically unravel protections for endangered species. Environmental groups are pushing back.
December 20, 2025 — Source

In Murphy's Final Weeks, NJ Climate Advocates Race to Lock in 100 Percent Clean Power
A bill would harden the state's 2035 clean-electricity goal into statute, tighten pollution rules for power plants and confront rising demand from data centers.
December 20, 2025 — Source

Lessons from the Caldor Fire's Christmas Valley 'miracle'
In what came to be called the "Christmas Valley miracle," the Lake Tahoe Basin communities of Christmas Valley and Meyers were spared in late August 2021 when the massive Caldor Fire entered the basin, burning more than 222,000 acres and forcing roughly 30,000 people to evacuate during one of the hottest, driest summers on record. Outside of the Lake Tahoe Basin, the fire destroyed over 1,000 structures, many of them homes.
December 20, 2025 — Source

Quantum entanglement could connect drones for disaster relief, bypassing traditional networks
Any time you use a device to communicate information—an email, a text message, any data transfer—the information in that transmission crosses the open internet, where it could be intercepted. Such communications are also reliant on internet connectivity, often including wireless signal on either or both ends of a transmission.
December 20, 2025 — Source

Scientists urge governments not to wait for global plastics treaty as pollution continues to grow
Scientists are urging governments to act immediately on plastic pollution, warning that waiting for a binding Global Plastics Treaty could mean years of damaging delay while plastic waste continues to accelerate worldwide.
December 20, 2025 — Source

This "mushroom" is not a fungus, it's a bizarre plant that breaks all the rules
This plant gave up photosynthesis, shrank its genome, and learned to clone itself—and somehow survived for 100 million years.
December 20, 2025 — Source

Trump's new nuclear pilot program is rewriting how reactors get approved
The Energy Department has taken control of testing advanced small reactors, bypassing traditional safety oversight
December 20, 2025 — Source

Twenty Years Into Fracking, Pennsylvania Has Yet to Reckon With Its Radioactive Waste
Former government officials say the state isn't doing enough to regulate fracking waste, even as new research shows it's far more radioactive than previously known.
December 20, 2025 — Source

Weighing sustainability of real versus fake Christmas trees
As people contemplate their holiday plans, they may find themselves in an environmental quandary, asking: Which is more sustainable, a real or artificial Christmas tree?
December 20, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — December 19th, 2025

A River That Millions Rely on for Water Is on the Brink. A Deal to Save It Isn't.
At their annual conference in Las Vegas, Colorado River Basin states remain at an impasse over how to cut their water use as Lake Mead and Lake Powell verge on record lows.
December 19, 2025 — Source

A stunning new forecast shows when thousands of glaciers will vanish
New research reveals when glaciers around the world will vanish and why every fraction of a degree of warming could decide their fate.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Basalt and cotton fiber composite yarn advance textile industry's green transition
A research team from the Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed a basalt fiber/cotton fiber composite yarn that integrates weavability with multiple functional properties.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Cornish recycling drive sows confusion among Reg Standards Bureau
Are pasties a proxy for weight? Or a cypher for circumference?
December 19, 2025 — Source

Could strategic river sensors have forewarned of Texas Camp flood disaster?
Camp Mystic in Texas flooded on July 4, killing 27 people, including 25 children. Over 200 millimeters (over seven inches) of rain fell over the area in 12 hours, and the Guadalupe River rose nearly 8 meters (26 feet) in just 45 minutes.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Diane Wilson Takes on Another Plastics Plant in Texas
Wilson's Gulf Coast environmental group filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue Dow for chronic discharge of plastics from its enormous Seadrift chemical complex.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Discovery turns household plastic recycling into anti-cancer medication
A discovery led by the University of St Andrews has found a way to turn ordinary household plastic waste into the building block for anti-cancer drugs.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Don't expect Trump Media's nuclear fusion power plant to generate electricity soon
The energy demands of AI are driving investment in futuristic fusion reactors from Big Tech and now Trump Media. Is it viable?
December 19, 2025 — Source

Donald Trump as fusion entrepreneur? Washington state energy rivals react to $6B deal
The $6 billion planned merger between Trump Media & Technology Group and California's TAE Technologies has sent a shock wave through the fusion industry — and is drawing skepticism from competitors in the Pacific Northwest's fusion hub.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Eifel volcanoes mapped in detail: Surprising new insights from Germany's largest seismological experiment
Several hundred volcanoes lie dormant beneath the Eifel in western Germany. They are typical examples of what is known as distributed volcanic fields. To better understand their formation and activity, researchers from the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences and partner institutions conducted Germany's largest seismological volcano experiment in this region between September 2022 and August 2023.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Four years after the Mariana mining disaster in Brazil, river fish remained contaminated
Four years after the Fundão dam collapse—the world's largest mining disaster, which occurred in 2015 in the city of Mariana in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil—a study found that fish in the Doce River were still highly contaminated by metals and other toxic substances.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Helping people and limiting damage: Researchers identify technology needs for disaster response
From floods and forest fires to earthquakes—the frequency and intensity of natural disasters is increasing. This also means an increase in the number of people affected and damage to infrastructure, with serious economic consequences. What are the needs of first responders, and which technologies offer options to support them?
December 19, 2025 — Source

Highlights of MBARI's deep-sea exploration in 2025
Dive in and meet some of the most stunning deep-sea animals that MBARI encountered in 2025. This year, our team spotted ultra-black fishes, sinuous siphonophores, curious crabs, spectacular sponges, and so many more dazzling denizens of the deep—all captured by ultra high-definition 4K cameras on our advanced underwater robots.
December 19, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Hotspots Capable of Driving Catastrophic Mega-Hurricanes Are Spreading Across the Oceans
This process, driven by climate change, is increasing the risk of "Category 6" tropical cyclones making landfall in densely populated areas.
December 19, 2025 — Source

How mountain building and climate change have shaped alpine biodiversity over 30 million years
In a study published in Science Advances on December 19, researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with collaborators from international institutions, explored the impact of mountain building and climate cooling over 30 million years across five major mountain systems in the Northern Hemisphere and revealed that these processes are key drivers of the rich plant diversity found in Earth's alpine biome.
December 19, 2025 — Source

India's push for battery recycling promises jobs, clean energy and mineral security
Across India, battery recycling faces a mixture of challenges and opportunity as it plays an important role in the country's shift to clean power.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Maine's Once Abundant Kelp Forests Face an Array of Growing Threats
These breeding grounds for fish are under siege from red turf algae, sea urchins, storm surges, warming waters and climate change.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Nature's pest controllers: Wasps keep whiteflies in check as resistance proves costly for survivors
Using insects such as wasps to control agricultural pests remains a resilient method, despite increasing resistance, a new University of Stirling study has shown.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Newly discovered Philippine pitcher plant already in danger from climate change and poaching
Philippine scientists and an Australian expert have just confirmed a new species of pitcher plant found only on Palawan Island, but warn that it is already at risk of extinction due to frequent severe weather conditions and human encroachment.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Next-generation nuclear reactors could get a boost from the National Defense Authorization Act
Congress passed energy provisions in the annual defense bill that could help spur the development of advanced nuclear reactors.
December 19, 2025 — Source

NOAA's new AI weather system promises faster forecasts with less computing power
It marks a shift from physics-based models to data-trained AI systems
December 19, 2025 — Source

Phage-resistant bacteria can still sink carbon to ocean floor
Marine bacteria are key to determining whether carbon is recycled near the ocean surface or transported to deeper waters, but many operate in constant threat of being infected by viruses called phages, and mutate to fend off those infections.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Potentially toxic elements in bananas grown in the Mariana disaster region exceed United Nations limits
Scientists specializing in soil geochemistry, environmental engineering, and health affiliated with the University of São Paulo (USP) and the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES) in Brazil and the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain assessed the risks of consuming bananas, cassava, and the pulp of cocoa grown in soils impacted by iron mining waste in the Doce River estuary in Linhares in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. The region has received the material since the Fundão tailings dam collapsed in the neighboring state of Minas Gerais in November 2015.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Q&A: Environmental protection benefits the American economy and public health
The benefits of environmental protection, measured in terms of advancing public health and the economy, outweigh the costs associated with implementing and enforcing environmental regulations, according to researchers at Penn State who published a new perspective piece in the journal Nature Water.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Researchers find trees could spruce up future water conservation efforts
Trees contain valuable information about Earth's past, so much so that studying their rings may help fill in hidden gaps in Ohio's environmental history.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Should I pour this down the sink? (Probably not, and here's why)
Ever been about to pour rancid milk down the sink and thought..."Hmm, maybe I shouldn't..."? What about the tomato passata that's gone off? Or the water you washed the paint in? Or that pungent oil from a tuna can?
December 19, 2025 — Source

The levers for a sustainable food system to combat global warming
A large-scale model study now shows how the global food system can contribute to the fight against global warming. It identifies 23 levers, calculates their effectiveness and concludes: a decisive transformation of this sector alone, without the indispensable energy transition, can limit the global temperature increase to 1.85°C above pre-industrial levels by 2050. In addition, food will become healthier and cheaper, and agriculture will be more compatible with biodiversity conservation.
December 19, 2025 — Source

The Texas Power Grid Will Get a Boost from Batteries This Winter
Despite degradation risks in colder temperatures, storage allows for more availability during peak winter demand periods.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Tracking Oil and Gas Waste in Pennsylvania Is Still a 'Logistical Mess'
More than a decade after regulators promised to improve reporting standards for this waste, an Inside Climate News investigation found huge discrepancies in state records.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Trump's energy secretary orders a Washington state coal plant to remain open
Chris Wright declared an energy "emergency" in the Pacific Northwest.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Trump's EPA Focus: Delay, Rescind, Dismantle Environmental and Health Protections
For the first time in the agency's 55-year history, Congress has ceded its responsibility to oversee the EPA to a single politician who sanctioned its "wholesale demolition," former staff charge.
December 19, 2025 — Source

U.S. Company Releasing Unauthorized Emissions From Peru LNG Terminal
Hunt Oil Co. has burned off an estimated 55.5 million cubic meters of unused gas from the export facility.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Uncovering how parasitic plants avoid attacking themselves to improve crop protection
Parasitic plants are notorious agricultural pests that drain nutrients from crops and cause economic losses of more than USD 1 billion due to yield losses every year. Yet these plants almost never attack themselves or closely related plants. Scientists have long suspected that parasitic plants can recognize "kin," but the molecular basis for this self-protection has remained unclear.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Vapor deposition delivers durable perovskite silicon tandems on textured wafers
First successful use of vapor deposition on industrial silicon wafers delivers unprecedented durability in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells.
December 19, 2025 — Source or Source

Westerly jet stream emerges as key driver of mid-latitude hydroclimatic extremes
In recent years, the global climate has become increasingly extreme, with intensifying alternations of droughts and floods—particularly in ecologically vulnerable mid-latitude regions. But what is driving this hydroclimatic variability? Scientists have long debated the underlying mechanisms.
December 19, 2025 — Source

When the energy expert is your neighbor
A bilingual team in Minneapolis is making climate action simple.
December 19, 2025 — Source

Wildfires reshape forest soils for decades, with recovery varying by climate
Wildfires may disappear from the landscape within weeks, but their hidden effects on the soil can persist for decades. An international research team led by the University of Göttingen, together with partners in Tübingen, Berlin and Chile, has shown how wildfires in humid temperate rainforests and Mediterranean woodlands of central Chile lead to very different pathways of soil recovery and ecosystem resilience. The study shows that soil structure and nutrients continue to change for more than a decade after a fire.
December 19, 2025 — Source or Source

General — Environment — December 15th, 2025

2.8 days to disaster: Why we are running out of time in low earth orbit
A "House of Cards" is a wonderful English phrase that it seems is now primarily associated with a Netflix political drama. However, its original meaning is of a system that is fundamentally unstable. It's also the term Sarah Thiele, originally a Ph.D. student at the University of British Columbia, and now at Princeton, and her co-authors used to describe our current satellite mega-constellation system in a new paper available in pre-print on arXiv.
December 15, 2025 — Source

2025's extreme weather had the jet stream's fingerprints all over it, from flash floods to hurricanes
The summer of 2025 brought unprecedented flash flooding across the U.S., with the central and eastern regions hit particularly hard. These storms claimed hundreds of lives across Texas, Kentucky and several other states and caused widespread destruction.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Acid-treated carbon nanotubes boost efficiency and stability of flexible perovskite solar modules
Study shows acid treated carbon nanotube electrodes enable scalable flexible perovskite solar modules over 20% efficient and resilient to stress.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Climate shapes arms race between ants and their social parasites
Two new studies show how climate influences behavior, communication, and genome evolution—driving adaptation in a long-running conflict.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Climate shocks creating new pathways for disease across Africa
Climate shocks are reshaping ecosystems, creating new pathways for disease across Africa, writes Albert Ansah.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Disaster Survivors Denounce Proposed FEMA Downsizing
A leaked report recommends halving the size of the nation's disaster response agency, while holding states responsible for a much larger share of response and recovery costs.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Eco-friendly solution to marine fouling uses electrochemically-active coating
Marine fouling triggers ongoing economic losses for the global shipping industry through detrimental effects on structures and vessels—but tests by Flinders University researchers on a new type of anti-foul coating reveal a solution that is not detrimental to the environment.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Engineered material uses light to destroy PFAS and other contaminants in water
Materials scientists at Rice University and collaborators have developed a material that uses light to break down a range of pollutants in water, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, the "forever chemicals" that have garnered attention for their pervasiveness.
December 15, 2025 — Source

How Google Sees 2026 AI: From Unified Models to Co-Scientist & Code Men Agents
What if you could hold a conversation with an AI that not only understands your words but also interprets the emotions in your voice, the context of your surroundings, and even the visuals in your environment, all at once? By 2026, this vision may not just be science fiction but an everyday reality. According to Google's AI chief, Demis Hassabis, the next wave of artificial intelligence will transcend today's capabilities, evolving into systems that seamlessly integrate across text, images, video, audio, and even robotics.
December 15, 2025 — Source

How Mixing Rivers & Seas Creates New Electricity Streams for Coasts
Imagine a bustling coastal city where the lights never dim, the air hums with activity, and clean water flows freely to millions of homes. Now, picture this city powered not by fossil fuels or even solar panels, but by the very meeting of fresh and saltwater at its shores. This is not a far-off fantasy but a tangible possibility thanks to the emerging potential of osmotic power.
December 15, 2025 — Source

How traditional Himalayan burning could help prevent mega wildfires
Every year during December and January, in the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, rural communities carry out traditional burning on steep hill slopes to regenerate grass. These carefully timed burns, which take place when fuel stocks are low, are needed to support livestock and, indirectly, agriculture in the region.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Machine learning offers growers a new tool for predicting crop water use
A new study shows that machine-learning models can accurately predict daily crop transpiration using direct plant measurements and environmental data. By training models on seven years of high-resolution lysimeter data, the researchers demonstrate strong performance across tomatoes, wheat, and barley. The findings point toward future tools that may support both irrigation management and early detection of plant stress.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Moss and symbionts offer a promising solution for removing metals from mining and forestry-impacted waters
New findings shed light on the mechanisms behind a natural purification process and identify the key microbial "teammates" that enable mosses to remove metals from water. A promising moss species was discovered in abandoned mine sites where few other plants survive. Upcoming tests will evaluate their performance in iron-rich forest drain ditches.
December 15, 2025 — Source

New quantum chemistry method to unlock secrets of advanced materials
Method could help explain how transport properties emerge from quantum effects in materials like solar cells and superconductors.
December 15, 2025 — Source

New River Literacy concept empowers communities to protect freshwaters
A team of international researchers and educators has created an educational framework called River Literacy to help communities better understand and protect their rivers. Inspired by the well-established framework of Ocean Literacy, this new approach highlights the vital roles rivers play in our daily lives, cultures, and ecosystems.
December 15, 2025 — Source

One Big, Shining Beacon for Climate Hope
"Here Comes the Sun" author and activist Bill McKibben on his newfound optimism, harnessing energy from heaven versus energy from hell and how there are no (good) songs written about fracking.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Optimized MOF membranes boost carbon dioxide separation
Researchers developed a highly selective membrane that efficiently separates carbon dioxide from other gases, supporting cleaner energy and industrial processes.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Plasma Turbulence Is Doing Surprising Things Inside Fusion Reactors
For plasma in fusion reactors, turbulence might be more than a pesky thing to control, a new study suggests.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Portable optical scanner reveals hidden ozone damage in plant leaves
Escalating pollution and contamination of water and soil are emerging as serious threats to plant growth and its overall health. Plants are exposed to environmental pollutants for extended periods and exhibit changes in their color, texture, and internal structure in response.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Satellites help tackle landfill methane leaks
Satellites are emerging as a powerful new tool in the fight to curb emissions of methane. While methane is much shorter-lived in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, it is vastly more potent at trapping heat, which makes rapid cuts essential for slowing warming in the short term. The same satellite technology that has transformed methane monitoring in the oil and gas sector is now being turned toward another major source—landfill sites.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Sound Waves Could Help Protect California Businesses and Homes From Wildfires
Installed in the eaves to prevent fire spread, the technique could augment existing fire suppression systems.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Synthetic key enzyme enables the conversion of CO² into formic acid
For a carbon-neutral bioeconomy, processes are needed that can efficiently capture CO² and convert it into valuable products. Formic acid, or more specifically its salt, formate, is considered a promising candidate as it can be produced from CO² using renewable electricity. It is also easy to transport, non-toxic and versatile. Research is focusing, among other things, on microorganisms that are "fed" formic acid made from CO² and use it to produce basic chemicals or fuels.
December 15, 2025 — Source

The rise of sinkholes: How to spot the risks before disaster strikes
You trust the road beneath your tires. But what if that trust is misplaced? Sinkholes are increasingly turning ordinary streets into danger zones. And the cost of ignoring them is skyrocketing.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Thea Energy previews Helios, its pixel-inspired fusion power plant
Fusion power has the potential to rewrite trillion-dollar energy markets, but first, startups have to prove their designs will work and won't be too costly. Neither is easy, especially when considering the massive magnets and lasers used in many designs must be installed with millimeter precision or better.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Torrential rains and flash floods kill 37 in Moroccan city of Safi
Floods triggered by torrential rains have killed at least 37 people in the Moroccan coastal city of Safi, the Interior Ministry said Monday.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Transparent ceramic could boost internet speeds and cut energy use
A new class of ceramics are not only transparent, but they can control light with exceptional efficiency—better than any theories predicted. Now, an advanced theory put forth by researcher at Penn State may explain why this material is so good at light control, which could lead to large-scale manufacturing of these materials for faster, smaller and more energy efficient technologies used in high-speed communications, medical imaging and advanced sensing.
December 15, 2025 — Source

Virginia Regulators Weigh Expanded Use of Data Center's Polluting Generators
The state's Department of Environmental Quality would expand permissible uses during emergencies to include "planned outages" by grid operators, presumably for power line upgrades. Environmentalists say that with expanded use of diesel generators comes more harmful air pollutants and more greenhouse gases.
December 15, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — December 12th, 2025

A silent ocean pandemic is wiping out sea urchins worldwide
A sudden, unexplained mass die-off is decimating sea urchins around the world, including catastrophic losses in the Canary Islands. Key reef-grazing species are reaching historic lows, and their ability to reproduce has nearly halted in some regions. Scientists suspect a pathogen but haven't yet confirmed the culprit. The fate of these reefs may hinge on solving this unfolding pandemic.
December 12, 2025 — Source

An unrelenting tule fog
An atmospheric phenomenon occurring over much of California was unmistakable in satellite imagery in late autumn 2025. Fog stretching some 400 miles (640 kilometers) across the state's Central Valley appeared day after day for more than two weeks in late November and early December. Known as tule (TOO-lee) fog, named after a sedge that grows in the area's marshes, these low clouds tend to form in the valley in colder months when winds are light and soils are moist.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Buffalo blizzard study shows travel bans lose effectiveness as storms persist
When Buffalo, New York's devastating December 2022 blizzard claimed more than 30 lives, it exposed a hard reality: Even life-saving travel bans can lose their force over time, especially when residents face situations where compliance becomes difficult. The disruption stretched on for days, straining households' ability to stay supplied without venturing out.
December 12, 2025 — Source

California Coastal Commission approves land deal to extend last nuclear plant through 2030
On Dec. 11, California environmental regulators struck a landmark deal with Pacific Gas & Electric to extend the life of the state's last remaining nuclear power plant in exchange for thousands of acres of new land conservation in San Luis Obispo County.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Disasters cause long-term health harms, research finds
A study of Superstorm Sandy survivors found higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases in ZIP codes that experienced flooding.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Droughts are lasting longer across Australia, study shows
A study tracking not only the forces that drive drought but the damage it leaves behind has revealed that droughts have lasted longer in Australia in recent decades, especially in areas with the most people and farms. The research is published in the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Earthquake rupture along Main Marmara Fault shows eastward progression towards Istanbul
In April 2025, the Main Marmara Fault below the Sea of Marmara in northwestern Türkiye experienced its largest earthquake in over 60 years. In a study published in Science, a team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Patricia Martínez-Garzón from the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany, analyzes nearly two decades of seismic data framing the 2025 April magnitude M 6.2 earthquake.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Electricity-Driven Membrane System Improves CO²‚‚ Capture from Natural Gas Plants
Researchers at EPFL have developed a model demonstrating how a novel graphene-based membrane material has the potential to reduce both the energy consumption and expenses associated with capturing CO² from power generation and industrial facilities.
December 12, 2025 — Source

EU agrees recycled plastic targets for cars
Car manufacturers in Europe will have to include more recycled plastics in new vehicles under new EU rules agreed on by the bloc's countries and lawmakers on Friday.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Exploring how negative electricity prices influence consumer behavior
In some cases, and for limited periods, energy suppliers can generate more energy than is needed, which can lead to so-called negative prices. This is typically observed in wind and solar energy, for instance, during particularly windy days or at hours when the sun shines stronger.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Feedback loops from oil fields accelerate Arctic warming and other atmospheric changes, study shows
The climate is changing and nowhere is it changing faster than at Earth's poles. Researchers at Penn State have painted a comprehensive picture of the chemical processes taking place in the Arctic and found that there are multiple, separate interactions impacting the atmosphere.
December 12, 2025 — Source

France updates net-zero plan, with fossil fuel phaseout
France released on Friday a revamped roadmap to become carbon neutral by 2050, with an ambitious plan to phase out oil and gas.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Gaza Faces Another Catastrophic Winter as Environmental and Humanitarian Devastation Mount
While Israel restricts lifesaving aid and multiple reports show it violating the ceasefire, Gazans suffer flooded tents, starvation, pollution and disease.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Genomic study reveals how vascular plants adapt to aquatic environments
Aquatic plants are specialized evolutionary groups adapted to life in water. They play critical roles as food and medicinal supplies (e.g., lotus root and foxnut) and industrial raw materials (e.g., reeds), as well as in ecological restoration. While most aquatic lineages have independently evolved from terrestrial ancestors, the genomic dynamics underlying this adaptation remain largely unexplored.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Global measures consistently underestimate food insecurity: 1 in 5 who suffer from hunger may go uncounted
International humanitarian aid organizations rely on analyses from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, a global partnership that monitors and classifies the severity of food insecurity to help target assistance where and when it is most needed.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Green California's Big Oil Problem
Green California's Big Oil Problem
December 12, 2025 — Source

'Hidden' contrails in cirrus clouds contribute to climate warming, research finds
Researchers at the Institute for Meteorology at Leipzig University have, for the first time, determined the climatic impact of contrails that form within natural cirrus clouds. Contrails account for the largest share of aviation's climate impact beyond carbon dioxide emissions.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Hundreds of Climate Migrants Arrive in Australia, Leaving Their Sinking Island Home Behind
This year, thousands of Tuvaluans applied for Australia's climate-migration visas to escape the impacts of rising sea levels.
December 12, 2025 — Source

In an Ohio suburb, sprawl is being transformed into walkable neighborhoods
Rethinking American suburbs could help people drive less, lowering emissions.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Injection method critical to controlling Crown-of-thorns starfish, finds study
JCU Professor of Marine Biology Morgan Pratchett has published new research in Biology demonstrating the best injection method to kill the problematic Crown-of-thorns starfish and prevent them from spawning.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Listening to Kamilaroi Women: Report findings highlight risk of losing art of cooking with native grasses
Ganalay and guli are species of native grasses—used as a food source and ground into a flour—that used to thrive on the black alluvial soil plains of Moree, New South Wales, particularly after heavy rains or flooding.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Microsoft buys 3.6M metric tons of carbon removal from bioenergy plant
Microsoft announced Thursday it would buy 3.6 million carbon removal credits from a biofuels plant in Louisiana owned by C2X. The plant, which is slated to begin operating in 2029, will process forestry waste into methanol, which can be used to power ships and planes and as a raw material for chemical manufacturing. Altogether, the facility will produce more than 500,000 metric tons of methanol. About 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide will be captured and stored, likely underground.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Molecular fine-tuning increases efficiency of solar cells
With targeted molecularly designed contacts, researchers reach an efficiency of perovskite-silicon tandem cells of 31.4 percent.
December 12, 2025 — Source or Source

More brines could be mined for lithium with counterintuitive method
Lithium could be selectively extracted from "low quality" brines using a surprising mechanism discovered at the University of Michigan. The technology could help make brine lakes rich in magnesium a more sustainable source of lithium for batteries and renewable energy technology.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Organic solar cells achieve 20.02% efficiency with new giant acceptors
A research team has developed novel giant acceptors with an oxygenated linker, enabling the creation of highly efficient nonhalogenated-processed organic solar cells (OSCs), with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 20.02%.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Rare-earth europium substitution allows for more control over CO²-to-fuel conversion
The electrochemical CO² (carbon dioxide) reduction reaction takes harmful pollutants and transforms them into valuable products like fuel. However, selectively tailoring various processes in this reaction to successfully and efficiently arrive at a particular desired outcome remains a challenge.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Researchers track down elusive rain-triggering 'shear lines' in the Philippines
Much of the heavy rains that hit the Philippines during the Amihan northeast monsoon season between November and March are triggered by "shear lines": kilometers-long bands of converging warm and cold air that are constantly shifting and difficult to spot even via satellite.
December 12, 2025 — Source

'Self-activation' is part of the success strategy of parasitic weeds
Parasitic weeds extract water and nutrients from their host plants. But what makes these parasites so successful? A study led by Prof Susann Wicke from the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity at the University of Münster and published in Science Advances has shown that certain parasitic plants activate their feeding organs (haustoria) independently of the host plant. This strategy increases their ability to successfully infest the host.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Sharks and Rays Gain Landmark Protections as Nations Move to Curb International Trade
Governments agreed to ban or restrict international trade in shark meat, fins and other products for more than 70 species threatened with extinction due to overfishing; implementation and enforcement of new safeguards is key for the animals' survival.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Swedish freshwater bacteria reveal lost genes and unexpected photosynthesis abilities
Bacteria are among the most diverse and ancient forms of life on Earth. Yet, much of what is known about them comes from a small group of species, mostly studied for their roles in human health.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Supercomputer ushers in new era of nuclear AI
Nuclear power is rising to meet the demand for American energy. But building new reactors or even renewing licenses of existing ones requires a tremendous amount of paperwork. Fortunately, AI is also on the rise, and paperwork is one of the things it does best.
December 12, 2025 — Source

Utah discovery could be one of the most significant US critical mineral finds in years
Ionic Mineral Technologies reports rich concentrations of lithium, rubidium, and cesium
December 12, 2025 — Source

Wildfires can turn harmless minerals in soils into contaminants, research shows
In the wake of a wildfire, a vital micronutrient can become a toxic heavy metal—and could eventually make its way into groundwater.
December 12, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — December 11th, 2025

3rd warmest on record (again): November 2025 keeps a hot global streak going
This year is likely to end up as the 2nd- or 3rd-warmest year on record, despite the lack of a planet-warming El Niño event.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Atmospheric River That Drenched the Northwest Is Now Supercharging 2 Winter Storms
The moisture from this storm system will help two fast-moving winter storms spread snow across the eastern U.S., with another atmospheric river on its way.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Chinese intertidal shellfish farming: An unexpected fuel station for millions of migrating shorebirds
China's tidal flats feed people and mollusk-eating migrating shorebirds such as red knots, great knots and Eurasian oystercatchers. Under good management, these flats used for aquaculture markedly reduce human disturbance on tidal wetlands.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Colorado River Water Is Too Cheap, Particularly for Agricultural Users
A new report from UCLA and the Natural Resources Defense Council found nearly a quarter of Colorado River water is basically provided for free by the federal government.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Earth's atmosphere may help support human life on the moon
The moon's surface may be more than just a dusty, barren landscape. Over billions of years, tiny particles from Earth's atmosphere have landed in the lunar soil, creating a possible source of life-sustaining substances for future astronauts. But scientists have only recently begun to understand how these particles make the long journey from Earth to the moon and how long the process has been taking place.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Graphene membranes offer efficient, low-cost option for industrial CO² capture
Graphene membranes offer efficient, low-cost option for industrial CO²Carbon capture is becoming essential for industries that still depend on fossil fuels, including the cement and steel industries. Natural-gas power plants, coal plants, and cement factories all release large amounts of CO², and reducing those emissions is difficult without dedicated capture systems. Today, most plants rely on solvent-based systems that absorb CO², but these setups use a lot of heat, require major infrastructure, and can be costly to run. capture
December 11, 2025 — Source

'Healer' Turns Your Living Room Into An Action-Packed Roguelite, Out Now on Meta Quest 3 and 3S
It's not every day that living rooms around the world get invaded by an therworldly virus, but here we are. Healer, from indie developer ROTU Entertainment, is a new action game releasing on Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S today, and it's a bubble-blasting roguelite that brings fast and chaotic fun to your home using the headset's immersive passthrough technology.
December 11, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Hidden fuel for ocean microbes: Urea emerges as key energy source for marine ammonia oxidizers
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are some of the most abundant microorganisms in the ocean and play a key role in nitrogen cycling. Yet, despite their ubiquity, scientists have long puzzled over how these microbes can flourish in the nutrient-poor waters of the open ocean, where their main nitrogen and energy source, ammonium, is often vanishingly scarce.
December 11, 2025 — Source

How Earth's mantle locked away vast amounts of water in early magma ocean
Some 4.6 billion years ago, Earth was nothing like the gentle blue planet we know today. Frequent and violent celestial impacts churned its surface and interior into a seething ocean of magma—an environment so extreme that liquid water could not exist, leaving the entire planet resembling an inferno.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Infrared radiation may be one of the most ancient plant signals to pollinating insects
Harvard researchers have discovered that cycads—one of the oldest living lineages of seed plants—heat up their reproductive organs to attract beetle pollinators and the insects possess infrared sensors to detect these signals.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Lahore's toxic winters: How smog is reshaping daily life in urban Pakistan
In November 2025, Lahore, the second-largest city in Pakistan, registered a "hazardous" air quality index of 509, according to IQAir, a global air quality monitoring organization. The number speaks for itself. Eyes sting, throats burn and headlights blur into halos. In winter, the city feels as though it has slipped beneath a toxic sea.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Microencapsulated B-vitamins help dairy cows produce more milk with fewer emissions
A new international study led by McGill University in collaboration with Jefo Nutrition shows that supplementing dairy cow diets with microencapsulated B-vitamins can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while increasing milk yield and quality. The use of the feed additive cut global warming potential, an internationally standardized measure of climate impact, by up to 18% across seven countries.
December 11, 2025 — Source

New window insulation blocks heat, but not your view
Physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have designed a new material for insulating windows that could improve the energy efficiency of buildings worldwide—and it works a bit like a high-tech version of Bubble Wrap.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Recycling startup Ridwell hits 130,000 customers as new mail-in service takes off across the U.S.
Ridwell, the Seattle startup that collects plastic and other hard-to-recycle items from consumers, keeps growing its footprint across the U.S.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Scientists find a massive hidden CO2 sponge beneath the ocean floor
Researchers found that eroded lava rubble beneath the South Atlantic can trap enormous amounts of CO2 for tens of millions of years. These porous breccia deposits store far more carbon than previously sampled ocean crust. The discovery reshapes how scientists view the long-term balance of carbon between the ocean, rocks, and atmosphere. It also reveals a hidden mechanism that helps stabilize Earth's climate over geological timescales.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Spillover from protected areas can help ecosystems survive
Spillovers from protected areas such as national parks and wildlife reserves can play a significant role in boosting biodiversity beyond their boundaries with potential benefits to people through ecosystem services such as climate mitigation, water retention and erosion control.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Plastics dominate UK litter as rural and outdoor spaces emerge as pollution hotspots
A new study by the University of Portsmouth shows that plastic items make up more than seven in ten pieces of litter recorded across the UK, with countryside locations and public recreation areas carrying some of the heaviest burdens.
December 11, 2025 — Source

The Amazon Is Morphing Into a 'Hypertropical' Climate—and It's as Apocalyptic as It Sounds
A new study predicts that by 2100, the Amazon rainforest could experience up to 150 days of hot drought conditions each year, causing mass tree die-offs.
December 11, 2025 — Source

The shape of sand grains reveals the distance traveled by rivers
A team from the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) has collaborated with researchers from the University of Málaga (UMA) and the University of Córdoba (UCO) on an article published in the Journal of Sedimentary Research, which examines the relationship between the shape of sand grains and the distance traveled in the Arlanzón River (Burgos) and the Guadalhorce River (Málaga).
December 11, 2025 — Source

Tracing a path through photosynthesis to food security
The energy that plants capture from sunlight through photosynthesis provides the source of nearly all of humanity's food. Yet the process of photosynthesis has inefficiencies that limit crop productivity, especially in a rapidly changing world. A new review by University of Illinois scientists and collaborators reflects on how improving photosynthesis can bring us closer to food security.
December 11, 2025 — Source

UK social homes unprepared for rising heat as policy fails to keep pace, new research warns
Millions of UK social homes are at growing risk from rising temperatures and soaring energy costs and current housing and climate policies are failing to keep up, according to new research by The University of Manchester.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Urban parks reveal disparities among Twin Cities neighborhoods
Proximity to green space provides a wide range of physical, mental, social and environmental benefits. By that measure, the Twin Cities—where 99% of all residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park—should be a model of equitable access to parks and the benefits they confer.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Vietnam's capital chokes through week of toxic smog
Toxic smog has blanketed Vietnam's capital for more than a week, blotting out the skyline and leaving residents wheezing as Hanoi's air quality dipped to among the world's worst on Thursday
December 11, 2025 — Source

Warmer seas and heavier rains linked to deadly Asia flooding, study finds
Warmer seas and heavier rains linked to climate change, along with Indonesia and Sri Lanka's unique geographies and vulnerabilities, combined to produce deadly flooding that killed hundreds, scientists said Thursday.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Why global environmental negotiations keep failing—and what we can do about it
In the past year alone, four major environmental negotiations have collapsed.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Widespread sediments beneath Greenland make its ice more vulnerable to warming
In an age of rising sea levels, as polar ice sheets melt in a climate warmed by fossil fuel emissions, climate modelers are racing to understand what the future might hold for coastlines around the world. But uncertainties about how fast polar ice might melt make predicting coastal inundation difficult. Now, scientists think they've helped make one of those uncertainties, the material conditions underneath the Greenland ice sheet, smaller.
December 11, 2025 — Source

Wintertime spike in oceanic iron levels detected near Hawaii
Around the world, phytoplankton in the upper ocean help to cycle key nutrients and regulate Earth's climate by absorbing carbon dioxide. These photosynthesizing organisms rely on dissolved iron as an essential micronutrient, meaning that when iron levels drop, phytoplankton activity drops, too.
December 11, 2025 — Source

You don't need a fancy title to be a climate leader at work
Employees at every level are helping companies go green.
December 11, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — December 5th, 2025

A New Tool Could Help Track Deep-Sea Mining Activity
Countries are still debating whether to mine the seafloor for minerals, but exploratory efforts have already begun.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Alkaline-loving microbes could help safeguard nuclear waste buried deep underground for thousands of years
Billions of alkaline-loving microbes could offer a new way to protect nuclear waste buried deep underground. This approach overcomes the limitations of current cement barriers, which can crack or break down over time.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Apple TV's cloying Born to be Wild trailer puts cute face on extinction
The first trailer for Apple TV's upcoming documentary series Born to be Wild means well, offering hope in the face of species extinction. But it leans so hard on baby-animal cuteness and human hero worship that I found it cloying. Nowhere does it acknowledge humans as a major cause of animal extinctions. The series itself most likely does, but we'll have to see when it airs.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Ceramic electrochemical cell production temperature drops by over 500°C with new method
As power demand surges in the AI era, the protonic ceramic electrochemical cell (PCEC), which can simultaneously produce electricity and hydrogen, is gaining attention as a next-generation energy technology. However, this cell has faced the technical limitation of requiring an ultra-high production temperature of 1,500°C.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Climate change is boosting health care costs
An online tool helps businesses figure out how much climate change could increase what they pay for their employees' health care.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Energy storage industry set aggressive goals for 2025 — and already crushed them
Nearly a decade ago, when the energy storage market was in its infancy, an industry organization set a dreamy goal: By the end of 2025, the U.S. would deploy 35 gigawatts of batteries connected to the grid.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Extreme engineering: Unlocking design secrets of deep-sea microbes
The microbe Pyrodictium abyssi is an archaeon—a member of what's known as the third domain of life—and an extremophile. It lives in deep-sea thermal vents, at temperatures above the boiling point of water, without light or oxygen, withstanding the enormous pressure at ocean depths of thousands of meters.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Fish-inspired filter removes 99% of microplastics from washing machine wastewater
Wastewater from washing machines is considered a major source of microplastics—tiny plastic particles that are suspected of harming human and animal health. Researchers at the University of Bonn have now developed a filter to curb this problem. Their invention was inspired by the gill arch system in fish.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Global Scientists Anticipate Less Reliance on the US in Future Carbon Monitoring
With Trump's budget knife still poised over NOAA's climate research operations, international researchers see a reduced role for the nation that pioneered CO2 measurement.
December 5, 2025 — Source

High seas fisheries management falls short of mandates, analysis finds
The regulatory bodies charged with managing and conserving fisheries across two-thirds of the world's oceans are threatening marine ecosystems by significantly underperforming, according to an analysis published in Environmental Research Letters.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Homeowners Sue Oil Companies as Climate Damage Drives up Insurance Rates
The class-action lawsuit is the first of its kind to target Big Oil over rising home insurance costs.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Microplastics in oceans may distort carbon cycle understanding
The carbon cycle in our oceans is critical to the balance of life in ocean waters and for reducing carbon in the atmosphere, a significant process to curbing climate change or global warming.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Meet the weird, wonderful creatures that live in Australia's desert water holes: They might not be there much longer
You might think of Australia's arid center as a dry desert landscape devoid of aquatic life. But it's actually dotted with thousands of rock holes—natural rainwater reservoirs that act as little oases for tiny freshwater animals and plants when they hold water.
December 5, 2025 — Source

New Moby Dick-like termite species discovered
In the canopies of a South American rainforest, a tiny soldier termite has stunned a team of international scientists with its whale-like features.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Rice enzyme OsPLC4 triggers Ca²⁺and ROS bursts to drive ferroptotic cell death in immune response
A research team at Sejong University's Plant Immunity Laboratory, led by Professor Nam-Soo Jwa, has uncovered an important regulatory component of rice immunity.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Social justice must guide global ecosystem restoration for lasting success, say researchers
Social justice must be at the heart of global restoration initiatives—and not "superficial" or "tokenistic"—if ecosystem degradation is to be addressed effectively, according to new research.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Study reveals key psychological barriers to game meat consumption in Japan
A new study provides a crucial roadmap for Japan to address an escalating ecological challenge while advancing food sustainability: overcoming the psychological barriers to game meat consumption.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Ultrafast, highly reversible sodium storage in engineered hard carbon achieved
A research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has demonstrated ultrafast and highly reversible all-slope sodium storage using specially engineered hard carbon anodes.
December 5, 2025 — Source

Yeast cell factory converts methanol into L-lactate for biodegradable plastics
Methanol is an ideal feedstock for bio-manufacturing. Converting it into lactate, a monomer for biodegradable plastic, offers a promising strategy for addressing the challenge of white pollution. However, it remains difficult to engineer microbes to produce lactate from methanol due to methanol toxicity and strong competition between product synthesis and cell growth.
December 5, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — December 3rd, 2025

6 Eco-Friendly Upgrades for Your Kitchen
If you want to lessen food waste or cut down on energy consumption, the kitchen is the perfect place to start.
December 3, 2025 — Source

24,000 times more harmful to the climate than CO²: Measurements reveal SF⁶ gas emissions in Germany
Sulfur hexafluoride is a chemically stable, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic gas. It is used all over the world, primarily as an insulating and protective gas in electrical switchgear within medium- and high-voltage engineering. In the past, it was also used in Germany as a filling gas for sports shoes and as an insulating gas in soundproof windows until this application was banned in 2006.
December 3, 2025 — Source

A Hurricane Season That Surprised With Record Storms and Notable Lulls
Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica as a stunning Category 5 storm. But the U.S. was spared as the Federal Emergency Management Agency faces drastic change.
December 3, 2025 — Source

A new era beyond gas refrigerants: Magnetic cooling technology offers eco-friendly alternative
A research team at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) has successfully developed Korea's first full-cycle magnetic cooling technology, encompassing materials, components, and modules.
December 3, 2025 — Source

A Snorkeler in Nova Scotia Thought This Was a Leaf, but It Was Something Far Weirder
Studying Elysia chlorotica could be consequential for human industries, but the creatures have proven incredibly enigmatic.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Alabama Regulators Approve Two-Year Electric Rate Freeze and Two Solar Projects for a Meta Inc. Data Center
Critics say the rate freeze will only delay financial burdens on Alabama Power customers while preserving a high profit rate for the utility.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Complex life developed nearly 1 billion years earlier than previously thought, study reveals
Complex life began to develop earlier, and over a longer span of time, than previously believed, a new study has revealed. The research sheds new light on the conditions needed for early organisms to evolve and challenges several long-standing scientific theories in this area.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Free climbers discover remnants of ancient sea turtle stampede in Italy
Rocks have been found to hold many traces of Earth's ancient history, but usually geologists have to seek them out. Every once in a while, however, these imprints of times past are found by unsuspecting visitors. This occurred in 2019, when a group of free climbers exploring the slopes of Monte Conero in Italy came across a large slab of rock covered in imprints reminiscent of a herd of running animals. One of the climbers ended up showing photos of the imprints to a geologist, which resulted in a study of the area.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Kinetic decoupling-recoupling strategy enables 79% yield of ethylene and propylene from polyethylene
Plastic waste, particularly PE, poses severe environmental challenges due to its large-scale accumulation and resistance to degradation. Chemical recycling that converts waste polyolefins back into monomers like ethylene and propylene is essential for establishing a circular plastic economy. However, conventional catalytic cracking methods suffer from low selectivity and high energy consumption.
December 3, 2025 — Source

LA Wildfire Survivors Want to Rebuild All-Electric, but a Utility Is Using Customer Funds to Incentivize Gas Appliances
California's utility regulator said it would eliminate ratepayer-funded incentives for gas appliances in new construction, but created an exception that allows rebates for them in wildfire rebuilds.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Literally a Map Showing All the Buildings in the World
Well, here's something you don't see every day: all 2.75 billion buildings of the world shown together in a single 3D map.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Missing transporter protein found: How rice distributes iron to young leaves
Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for the healthy growth of plants, including many staple crops like rice. Its deficiency remains a common agricultural problem that slashes crop yields, as it leads to impaired photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen metabolism. Thus, establishing mechanisms to ensure crops can efficiently take up and utilize Fe, especially in alkaline soils, is a high-stakes challenge for global food security.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Modular system simultaneously produces purified water and hydrogen
A Korean research team has developed a new energy-harvesting water purification system capable of producing both purified water and hydrogen simultaneously.
December 3, 2025 — Source

New study offers a glimpse into 230,000 years of climate and landscape shifts in the American Southwest
Atmospheric dust plays an important role in the way Earth absorbs and reflects sunlight, impacting the global climate, cloud formation, and precipitation. Much of this dust comes from the continuous reshaping of Earth's surface through the erosion of rocks and sediments, and understanding how this process has shaped landscapes can help us decipher our planet's history—and its future.
December 3, 2025 — Source

News roundup: COP30 wasn't a complete failure
Nuanced readings dig into what comes next for international climate politics and the people-powered movements pushing for meaningful solutions.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Norway postpones deep-sea mining activities for four years
Norway on Wednesday postponed the first licenses to permit deep-sea mining in its Arctic waters for four years, a delay environmentalists hope signals the "nail in the coffin" of the plans.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Nursery web spider uses legs to 'sniff out' its partners
Male nursery web spiders (Pisaura mirabilis) use the sense of smell in their legs to find mates. Researchers at the University of Greifswald used an electron microscope to discover "olfactory hairs" on the legs of adult males. Behavioral studies prove it: these hairs help the spiders to perceive the scent of potential mates. How spiders take in and process odors is crucial to a better understanding of natural ecological relationships.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Oysters booming in Firth of Forth
European flat oysters returned to the Firth of Forth as part of a major restoration project are showing signs of loving their new home. Monitoring by the Heriot-Watt scientific dive team, as part of the Restoration Forth project, has shown a high average survival rate of about 88%.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Rare Win for Renewable Energy: Trump Administration Funds Geothermal Network Expansion
A first-in-the-nation heating and cooling network in Massachusetts is set to double in size.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Researchers slightly lower study's estimate of drop in global income due to climate change
The authors of a study that examined climate change's potential effect on the global economy said Wednesday that data errors led them to slightly overstate an expected drop in income over the next 25 years.
December 3, 2025 — Source

The policy change that could put more EVs on the road
In many states, carmakers are prohibited from selling directly to consumers. Cutting out the middleman could help speed EV adoption.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Three ways climate change affects mental health—and why the story is more hopeful than it might seem
As headlines about heat waves, floods and wildfires become more frequent, many people report a growing sense of worry about what climate change means for their future. Some recent media reports have even suggested that emotions like "eco-grief" could drive people toward unhealthy coping strategies, including increased use of alcohol or drugs.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Thunderstorms are noisily kicking off summer in NZ—what's driving them?
The rumble of thunderstorms across the country this week is a noisy reminder that summer is arriving—and with it, the mix of heat, humidity and unstable air that fuels these bursts of wild weather.
December 3, 2025 — Source

What are 'rare earths' for?
Crucial for making smartphones, fighter jets and electric cars, "rare earth" metals have become a strategic bargaining chip since main producer China this year introduced restrictions on their exports.
December 3, 2025 — Source

You're Making It Worse: Stop Recycling These 7 Takeout Containers
Trying to recycle the unrecyclable only clogs the system more. Here are seven takeout containers that belong in the garbage.
December 3, 2025 — Source

Your Summary of Negotiations: Dec. 3
The 2025 UN Climate talks, COP30, finished on Saturday, November 22nd, following talks (unsurprisingly) being pushed into overtime.
December 3, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 30th, 2025

AI Is Keeping Coal on Life Support
The technology of the future that no one seems to want, brought to you by the energy of the past.
November 30, 2025 — Source

Canada's cities show mixed results on Climate Action Plan retrofitting targets
As cities across Canada try to cut emissions from homes, a new Concordia study shows significant differences in how well they're doing it.
November 30, 2025 — Source

Climate action saves lives. So why do climate models ignore well-being?
Climate change is already shaping our well-being. It affects mental health, spreads infectious diseases, disrupts work, damages food supplies and forces families to leave their homes because of conflict, hunger or flooding.
November 30, 2025 — Source

Data centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriages
Amazon could be accelerating the dangerous levels of nitrates in Morrow County's drinking water.
November 30, 2025 — Source

Floods hit Sri Lanka's capital as cyclone deaths near 200
Entire areas of Sri Lanka's capital were flooded on Sunday after a powerful cyclone triggered heavy rains and mudslides across the island, with authorities reporting nearly 200 dead and dozens more missing.
November 30, 2025 — Source

Greeks Challenge EU-Backed Fish Farms Amid Environmental Concerns
The country is one of the top producers of farmed fish in the EU, which has promoted aquaculture as an environmentally sustainable option for food security within the bloc.
November 30, 2025 — Source

Petrochemical Expansion in Texas Will Fall Heavily on Communities of Color, Study Finds
Researchers in Houston analyzed the locations of 114 proposed industrial projects related to oil and gas in Texas, most of them involved in plastics production.
November 30, 2025 — Source

Scientists find coastal seas acidifying shockingly fast
Coastal upwelling zones are acidifying much faster than expected, endangering oceans, fisheries, and coastal communities.
November 30, 2025 — Source

Using 1,000 butterfly and moth genomes to investigate evolution and climate change resilience
A major milestone has been reached, with experts across Europe, including those at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, UK, sequencing 1,000 species of butterflies and moths. This includes almost all UK butterflies, opening the door to help understand and protect UK biodiversity.
November 30, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 29th, 2025

From the volcanic crater to the lab: Extremophiles offer a lesson in survival
"Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative," wrote H. G. Wells. This principle—that survival requires change—was mastered billions of years ago by single-celled organisms living in extreme heat. Over the past few decades, studies of these organisms' adaptive mechanisms have yielded revolutionary technologies—from rapid DNA replication (PCR) and the production of heat-resistant proteins to the generation of fuels and chemicals.
November 29, 2025 — Source

How Indigenous Cultural Burns Can Help Heal Climate-Ravaged Forests—and People
A fire expert on the difference between prescribed burns and cultural burns, and why we should incorporate both into modern forest management.
November 29, 2025 — Source

Murdoch Media Wrongly Pinned NJ High Electricity Costs on Clean Energy, Says Watchdog
The op-eds and TV segments coincided with the gubernatorial campaign in the Garden State.
November 29, 2025 — Source

New review highlights the pathway to ecological success
A new study has revealed that successful environmental restoration is dependent on bridging the gap between ecological science and understanding the social and economic forces that drive change.
November 29, 2025 — Source

Undisturbed for Millennia, This Submerged Cave Is a Portal to the Ice Age
International research and highly-specialized divers are bringing an underground, underwater world to the surface
November 29, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 26th, 2025

A global shipping detour just revealed a hidden climate twist
A global shipping disruption exposed how cleaner fuels sharply reduce cloud-cooling effects, reshaping climate predictions and policy trade-offs.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Archaeologists uncover a 2,000-year-old crop in the Canary Islands
Millennia-old Canary Island lentils reveal a resilient genetic legacy with major potential for future climate-smart crops.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Avalanches are of key importance to glaciers worldwide
An international research team has shown that avalanches are crucial to the survival of many glaciers worldwide. The study aims to contribute to better predictions of water resources and natural hazards in the context of global warming.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Century-old cosmic ray mystery is close to being solved
Michigan State University astrophysicists are closing in on one of space science's biggest mysteries: where the galaxy's most energetic particles come from. Their studies uncovered a pulsar wind nebula behind a mysterious LHAASO signal and set important X-ray constraints on other potential sources.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Climate change could expand habitats for malaria mosquitoes, researchers warn
An insistent buzzing at sunset followed by itchy, spotted legs. Here in Denmark, mosquitoes are mostly an annoying—but generally harmless—nuisance. That is far from the case in many parts of the world.
November 23, 2025 — Source

County Planning Commission in Virginia Delays Vote Again on Proposed Gas Plant That Aims to Link to PJM Grid
Fluvanna County planners will vote in January to assess whether a proposal by Tenaska fits its comprehensive plan.
November 23, 2025 — Source

COP30: Petrostates block climate deal once again, but some countries are taking their own steps
The latest United Nations climate summit (COP30) was held between 10 and 21 November in Belem, Brazil. Although the event did not end with any significant progress toward the goals of mitigating global warming or advancing climate finance, it did leave us with one positive outcome: a group of countries has launched an initiative to phase out fossil fuels.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Earthquakes Did Something Unexpected to Life Deep Beneath Yellowstone
Researchers took a look at how earthquakes change what's available on the underground microbial menu.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Eco-friendly method detects trace illicit drugs on surfaces in just 5 minutes
The research group FQM-215—Affordable and Sustainable Sample Preparation at the University of Córdoba has developed a method that is not only faster and easier to perform but also more environmentally sustainable. It can detect illicit drugs on surfaces and determine their exact quantity in just five minutes, using everyday items such as cotton fabric swabs for sampling.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Exceptional points alter the order of lasing modes
Exceptional points (EPs) are non-Hermitian singularities where two or more eigenstates coalesce, resulting in the eigenspace collapsing in dimensionality. Over the past decade, researchers have uncovered a wealth of exotic phenomena near EPs.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Floods in Thailand, Malaysia kill over 30, displace thousands
Tens of thousands of people in Thailand and neighboring Malaysia were displaced by widespread flooding, with streets submerged, homes inundated and at least 34 dead, officials said Wednesday.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Gender imbalance hinders equitable environmental governance, say UN scientists
Inclusive representation is fundamental to equitable and effective environmental governance, particularly in addressing the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, the three focus areas of the well-known Rio Conventions.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Here's why there's a solar canopy in a sprawling parking lot at the University of Washington
The University of Washington is powering up its vision for a brighter, more sustainable future with a newly completed solar canopy installed in a sprawling parking lot north of Husky Stadium.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Island-wide field surveys illuminate land-sea connections in Mo'orea
A massive, multi-year scientific expedition led by researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara and collaborating institutions, including the University of Hawai'i (UH) at Mānoa, determined that land use on tropical islands can shape water quality in lagoons and that rainfall can be an important mediator for connections between land and lagoon waters.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Maine's First Major Data Center Project Touts Green Innovation
The proposed project promises hydro-powered data and cutting-edge cooling technology, yet questions remain about its true environmental footprint and local impact as it borders indigenous land and a national wildlife refuge.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Making LAZY plants stand up: Research reveals new pathway plants use to detect gravity
A study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin--Madison has revealed a previously unknown pathway plants use to detect gravity and orient the direction they grow in. Publishing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study may one day open the door for improvements in crop cultivation.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Microplastics disrupt gut microbiome and fermentation in farm animals, study reveals
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles pervasive in agricultural environments, interact with and disrupt the microbial ecosystem in the rumen—the first stomach chamber of cattle, reveals an international study.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Members of America's Largest Power Grid Can't Agree on How to Power Data Centers
With no consensus among stakeholders, PJM Interconnection's 10-member board now must craft a policy for surging data-center demand that has already driven up electricity prices for millions.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Musk's xAI to build small solar farm adjacent to Colossus data center
Artificial intelligence startup xAI, founded by Elon Musk, told city and county planners in Memphis last week that it plans to build a solar farm next to its Colossus data center — one of the world's largest facilities for training AI models.
November 23, 2025 — Source

New evidence shows the Maya collapse was more than just drought
Climate shifts, conflict, and farming innovations built Maya cities — and freedom and better conditions unraveled them.
November 23, 2025 — Source

New Jersey city expands its urban forest, trains residents to care for the trees
The We Grow Camden initiative aims to plant 3,000 trees across the city.
November 23, 2025 — Source

New mapping tool could help preserve centuries-old forests in B.C.
A proactive new tool that can help preserve old forests in British Columbia has been developed by University of Alberta researchers.
November 23, 2025 — Source

New US National Parks Fees For International Visitors Draw Scrutiny
Environmentalists and former agency employees warn of increased workloads for park employees at a time when park staffing is already low.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Non-toxic solvent enables near-perfect recycling of mixed-fiber textiles
We are producing more textiles than ever before: worldwide, well over one hundred million tons of textiles are manufactured every year—more than twice as much as in the year 2000. This makes it increasingly important not to simply throw away old textiles, but to recover them in an environmentally friendly way.
November 23, 2025 — Source

North and Baltic seas show widespread contamination by MRI contrasting agents
A comprehensive study by the CritMET research group, led by Prof. Michael Bau, a geochemist at Constructor University in Bremen, provides evidence of widespread contamination of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea with MRI contrast agents. As modern wastewater treatment plants cannot remove these contaminants from the wastewater, they can freely enter the environment and pollute rivers and lakes. Recently published research from a Bremen area group has shown that rare earth elements directly attributed to MRIs are now present in the North and the Baltic seas.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Old air samples hint at effects of climate change
Through DNA analysis of old air samples collected by the Swedish Armed Forces, researchers at Lund University in Sweden can show that spore dispersal of northern mosses has shifted over the past 35 years. It now starts several weeks earlier, revealing how quickly nature's calendar can reset in line with a warmer climate.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Persistent environmental toxins already accumulate in animal tissues during the fetal stage, research finds
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) begin to accumulate in the tissues of mammals already during the fetal stage, according to new research from the University of Oulu, Finland. The animal-model study found that environmental toxins had built up in the tissues of sheep raised in clean organic production, and that the same substances were transferred in notable amounts to the developing fetuses' adipose tissue.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Plants use engineering principles to push through hard soil
Across the globe, soil compaction is becoming an ever more serious challenge. Heavy vehicles and machinery in modern agriculture compress the soil to such an extent that crops struggle to grow. In many regions, the problem is aggravated by drought linked to climate change.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Public trust in science eroded by UN climate change language, study suggests
The United Nations' climate change body may unintentionally be eroding public trust in science because of the way it communicates risk, new University of Essex research shows.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Scientists discover a hidden deep sea hotspot bursting with life
Beneath the waters off Papua New Guinea lies an extraordinary deep-sea environment where scorching hydrothermal vents and cool methane seeps coexist side by side — a pairing never before seen. This unusual chemistry fuels a vibrant oasis teeming with mussels, tube worms, shrimp, and even purple sea cucumbers, many of which may be unknown to science. The rocks themselves shimmer with traces of gold, silver, and other metals deposited by past volcanic activity.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Researchers find smaller amounts of microplastics in southern Narragansett Bay
It's safe to say Rhode Islanders have a symbiotic relationship with Narragansett Bay.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Scientists use textile ash to create extremely strong cement
Researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) are developing new ways to turn textile waste into energy and high-performance cement materials, offering sustainable solutions for two resource-intensive sectors—textiles and construction.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Solar's growth in US almost enough to offset rising energy use
Over the course of 2025, electricity demand has gradually declined.
November 23, 2025 — Source

The collapse of Maya civilization: Drought doesn't explain everything
Between 750 and 900 CE, the population of the Maya lowlands in Central America experienced a major demographic and political decline which, according to the scientific literature, coincided with repeated episodes of intense drought.
November 23, 2025 — Source

The Ozone Hole Continues To Prove Climate Action Can Work
More than 30 years in, the ozone layer continues to improve, showing the power of global collective action.
November 23, 2025 — Source

UAV-based system could predict sag and environmental risks for power transmission lines
Power transmission lines (TLs) are ubiquitous, spanning diverse landscapes, including forests, agricultural regions, as well as mountains. Therefore, it is crucial to develop novel technologies to monitor their condition in terms of environmental infringement as well as sag estimation.
November 23, 2025 — Source

Turning up the heat on steel's carbon pollution problem
EU researchers are testing new hydrogen-powered burners that could slash emissions from one of the world's most carbon-intensive industries—without shutting down production.
November 23, 2025 — Source

What meadows reveal about the future: Spatial data can predict biodiversity loss before species disappear
Meadows once teeming with buzzing insects and colorful plants are quietly losing their diversity. But how fast is this change happening and can we detect it before species disappear? A German-Swiss research team led by Professor Dr. Lena Neuenkamp of Bielefeld University has found an answer.
November 23, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 23rd, 2025

Anticipation, Then Handwringing, at the UN Climate Talks
Go behind the scenes with executive editor Vernon Loeb and climate science reporter Bob Berwyn as they break down the key outcomes of COP30.
November 23, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

How chemistry could finally fix the mixed plastics problem
A new recycling method breaks mixed plastics into their building blocks and selectively rebuilds each one, turning multilayer packaging and complex waste into usable materials again.
November 23, 2025 — Source

How China Silences Environmental Reporters Beyond Its Borders
Journalists who report on the harms caused by China's overseas infrastructure buildout in Africa face intimidation, surveillance and police pressure.
November 23, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 22nd, 2025

A New Tropical Forest Fund Will Pay Countries, Locals and Indigenous Tribes to Protect Their Trees
This is how the fund, which was seeded with $5.5 billion during COP30, will work—and why the Earth needs it.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Amazon climate deal a 'win' for global unity but fossil fuels untouched
Nations sealed a modest agreement at the UN climate summit in the Brazilian Amazon on Saturday as many countries swallowed weaker terms on a fossil fuel phaseout to preserve unity.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Bill aims to preserve funding for key solution to Colorado River drought
For Las Vegas to keep its taps flowing, Rep. Susie Lee says this one drought measure must survive federal spending purges: water recycling.
November 21, 2025 — Source

COP30 Backpedals on Climate Action
Offering no new plans to cut fossil fuels, the UN's climate conference failed to produce a roadmap to stop global warming.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Engineered microbes could tackle climate change, if we ensure it's done safely
As the climate crisis accelerates, there's a desperate need to rapidly reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, both by slashing emissions and by pulling carbon out of the air.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Fuel made from just air, power and water is taking off, but several things are holding it back
Imagine powering long-haul aircraft and heavy ships with fuels derived from just air, water and renewable electricity. This is moving from science fiction to the verge of reality, thanks to the falling price of renewables like wind and solar.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Hidden copper switch supercharges green ammonia production
A surprise shift in copper may be the key to making ammonia production far cleaner.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Machine learning model sharpens snowfall forecasts for the Mountain West
The varied topography of the Western United States—a patchwork of valleys and mountains, basins and plateaus—results in minutely localized weather. Accordingly, snowfall forecasts for the mountain West often suffer from a lack of precision, with predictions provided as broad ranges of inch depths for a given day or storm cycle.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Meta wants to get into the electricity trading business
In order to accelerate the construction of new power plants needed to provide energy for its data centers, Meta is looking to get into the business of trading electricity.
November 21, 2025 — Source or Source

New research measures how much plastic is lethal for marine life
Marine animals inevitably eat what we toss in the ocean, including pervasive plastics—but how much is too much?
November 21, 2025 — Source

Plant robotics is redefining what a robot can be
Plant robotics shows how living movement and sensing can power biodegradable machines that work with natural environments, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional robotic materials and actuators.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Reintroduced Carnivores' Impacts on Ecosystems Are Still Coming Into Focus
Yellowstone has long been a mecca for scientists studying how predators affect everything from elk grazing to vegetation height. They are still debating how to make sense of what they've learned.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Scientists track recent solar flare disruptions in Earth's ionosphere
As this month's string of powerful X-class solar flares sparked brilliant auroras that lit up skies across an unusually wide swath of the globe—from northern Europe to Florida—researchers at NJIT's Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR) captured a less visible, but crucial, record of the storm's impact on Earth's upper atmosphere.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Solar Desalination Electricity Plant Promises Power & Water, Can It Deliver?
What if solving three of the world's most pressing challenges, water scarcity, energy demand, and environmental sustainability, could be achieved with a single, innovative system? Imagine a technology that not only transforms seawater into fresh drinking water but also generates electricity and produces valuable salt, all while leaving behind zero waste. It sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it? Yet, this is precisely what a new desalination process promises to deliver. By harnessing the power of the sun and advanced thermal techniques, this system could transform how we think about resource management, offering a sustainable solution to regions grappling with dwindling water supplies and rising energy needs.
November 22, 2025 — Source

Sustainable pastoralism is an asset, not a threat, in stemming biodiversity loss
A new analysis published in the journal BioScience challenges conventional conservation approaches by demonstrating that traditional livestock grazing on rangelands represents a crucial but often overlooked strategy for protecting global biodiversity.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Tea leaf experiments suggest tropical forests may better withstand climate change
Researchers at Northern Arizona University and the Smithsonian found an unconventional method to understand how rainforests will survive with climate change—making tea with living leaves at the top of the rainforest canopy.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Thousands of oysters are being re-introduced to Dublin Bay as nature's super water cleaners
Thousands of oysters are being re-introduced to Dublin Bay as nature's super water cleaners
November 21, 2025 — Source

What do we know about climate change? How do we know it? And where are we headed?
Amid all the talk with politicians, policy experts and scientists, it's worth reminding ourselves of the state of Earth's climate—a kind of long-term average of weather conditions—what's driving the changes we're seeing, and where we're heading next.
November 21, 2025 — Source

When trade routes shift, so do clouds: Researchers uncover ripple effects of new global shipping regulations
When militia attacks disrupted shipping lanes in the Red Sea, few imagined the ripple effects would reach the clouds over the South Atlantic. But for Florida State University atmospheric scientist Michael Diamond, the rerouting of cargo ships offered a rare opportunity to clarify a pressing climate question—How much do cleaner fuels change how clouds form?
November 21, 2025 — Source

Why now is the best time to invest in climate tech
Conventional wisdom suggests that climate tech is entering a winter season, where political and investor interest and investment levels are cooling — an ironic contrast with the climate itself, which keeps delivering years of record warmth.
November 21, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 21st, 2025

A drying-up Rio Grande basin threatens water security on both sides of the border
One of North America's longest rivers, the Rio Grande—or Rio Bravo as it's called in Mexico—has a history as deep as it is long. Indigenous people have tapped it for countless generations, and it was a key artery for Spanish conquistadors centuries ago.
November 21, 2025 — Source

At UN climate conference, some activists and scientists want more talk on reforming agriculture
With a spotlight on the Brazilian Amazon, where agriculture drives a significant chunk of deforestation and planet-warming emissions, many of the activists, scientists and government leaders at United Nations climate talks have a beef. They want more to be done to transform the world's food system.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Biodegradable mulching film can protect plants without pesticides or plastics
Whether you're a home gardener or an industrial farmer, you might be familiar with mulching films—plastic sheets laid over the soil to protect seedlings and promote crop growth. But like many other plastic materials, these films can release damaging microplastics and don't have any insect-repelling power. So, a team reporting in ACS Agricultural Science & Technology has developed an alternative biodegradable mulching film that also naturally repels pests using citronella oil.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Bringing environmental policymakers together to focus on future sparks empathy, study finds
When environmental policymakers are invited to imagine the future together, they don't just think differently, they feel differently, too.
November 21, 2025 — Source

California regulators approve rules to curb methane leaks and prevent fires at landfills
In one of the most important state environmental decisions this year, California air regulators adopted new rules designed to reduce methane leaks and better respond to disastrous underground fires at landfills statewide.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Earth's crust under stress: Researchers decipher energy release during earthquakes
Why do some earthquakes release more energy than others? A research team led by Prof. Dr. Armin Dielforder from the University of Greifswald has managed to demonstrate a clear physical connection between the energy released during earthquakes and the strength of rocks deep in the Earth's crust.
November 21, 2025 — Source

First-eve3r full Earth system simulation provides new tool to understand climate change
Climate change is responsible for more extreme hurricanes, more destructive wildfires, severe droughts, and increased human disease, among other harmful outcomes. Experts warn that if carbon emissions are not significantly reduced within a few decades, the damage to Earth's ecosystem will be irreversible.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Fossil fuel showdown looms on UN climate summit's final day
A breach, a blockade, and a blaze: tumultuous UN climate talks head into their final day Friday in the Brazilian Amazon, with countries still sharply split over fossil fuels.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Genetic engineering reduces plant's chromosome number without affecting its growth
Higher yields, greater resilience to climatic changes or diseases—the demands on crop plants are constantly growing. To address these challenges, researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are developing new methods in genetic engineering.
November 21, 2025 — Source

How Electric Companies Are Trying To Squeeze More Cash Out Of Solar Users
Home solar panels aren't just an environmentally friendly choice. They're designed to cut costs, at least after you've paid off the initial investment. Not only will you see a reduction in your electric bill, solar panels may help insulate you against rising costs in the future — at least, that's what proponents of solar energy have said for years. However, you'll want to be aware of any hidden costs, including additional fees from your electric company, before installing solar panels. Recently, many states have added new fees for solar users, while some utility companies have attempted to lower compensation rates.
November 21, 2025 — Source

International Effort to Curb Emissions of a Climate Super Pollutant Falls Short, UN Report Reveals
Methane emissions continue to climb despite a pledge by countries to curb climate pollution.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Ionic thermoelectric film uses body heat to power LED lights
A research team affiliated with UNIST has unveiled a novel thermoelectric (TE) film, capable of powering LED lights using a mere 1.5°C temperature difference between the human body and ambient air. This innovative technology promises new possibilities for self-powered wearable devices and energy-harvesting applications.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Known for its oil, Texas became a renewable energy leader. Now it's being unplugged.
The state was to get $400 million for solar energy in disadvantaged communities. The Trump administration took it all back.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Mercury pollution in marine mammals is increasing, new study finds
In 2017, a new global treaty was meant to bring mercury pollution under control. But three decades of data from UK harbor porpoises show mercury is still increasing, and is linked to a higher risk of dying from infectious disease.
November 21, 2025 — Source

New membrane sets record for separating hydrogen from CO²
When designing membranes that separate industrial gases, scientists often incorporate structures that attract the gas they want to obtain. This attraction can enhance the membrane's permeability, and help isolate the desired gas more efficiently.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Pentagon pumps $29.9M into bid to turn waste into critical minerals
It's unclear how much scandium and gallium ElementUSA will contribute to the supply chain, or when
November 21, 2025 — Source

Researchers find simple way to destroy PFAS on activated carbon
Researchers at Clarkson University have discovered a new way to destroy "forever chemicals," known as PFAS, using only stainless steel ball milling equipment. The method does not need added chemicals, heat, or solvents.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Secure land rights linked to lower deforestation in Brazil's Amazon, study shows
Who owns the rainforest—and who has the right to use it—might seem like a simple question.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Soil food webs boost carbon retention in farmlands, finds study
Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have uncovered how soil food webs promote the transformation and storage of photosynthetic carbon in farmlands.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Trump's Plans to Expand Offshore Drilling Meet Bipartisan Opposition
California and Florida lawmakers oppose the plan. It's the latest in the president's doubling down on fossil fuels, and a rare example of Republican pushback.
November 21, 2025 — Source

Week Two at COP30: What Happens When the World Can't Agree
Brazil's presidency pushed hard to close the deal, with President Lula returning to witness what they hoped would be a historic finish. Draft texts circulated rapidly. But negotiators were still debating language that over 80 countries wanted included, while others refused. The venue briefly shut down after a fire, then reopened. Civil society held a "funeral for fossil fuels" in the streets while diplomats removed any mention of a fossil fuel phase-out from the draft agreement.
November 21, 2025 — Source

World's biggest nuclear plant edges closer to restart
Japanese local authorities approved the restart of the world's biggest nuclear plant on Friday for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
November 21, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 20th, 2025

A key to unlock billions in private investment: the GGG Guarantee Directory
Guarantees can help bridge the finance gap for viable climate projects. In 2023, they mobilized USD 17 billion in private finance, according to the OECD. While they can support risk management to crowd in much-needed capital for climate action, their low visibility and a fragmented data landscape have kept them underused.
November 20, 2025 — Source

'A mini pot of gold': Researchers discover new tiny fungi species in Alberta
Three new evolutionary groups and 13 new species of "stubble fungi"—so named because they resemble beard whiskers—have been identified and described through a 13-year study, which also reported an additional 29 species found in the province for the first time, including nine in Edmonton.
November 20, 2025 — Source

After SEC investigation, Curastory founder resigns, hires replacement
The Securities and Exchange Commission has accused content monetization startup Curastory of overstating revenue to investors and misrepresenting true client numbers, according to paperwork seen by TechCrunch.
November 20, 2025 — Source

As Seas Rise, So Do the Risks From Toxic Sites
Flooding from surging seas is likely to inundate thousands of U.S. hazardous sites in coming years as global temperatures rise, placing the nation's most vulnerable at greatest risk.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Australia's algal bloom catastrophe has left more than 87,000 animals dead. What will happen this summer
An underwater bloom of toxic algae has wreaked havoc off the coast of South Australia since mid-March 2025. After eight months, this harmful algal bloom is the longest and one of the most environmentally devastating events ever recorded in Australian waters.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Behind every COP is a global data project that predicts Earth's future—here's how it works
Over the past week we've witnessed the many political discussions that go with the territory of a COP—or, more verbosely, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Brazil is trying to stop fossil fuel interests derailing COP30 with one simple measure
In recent years, more and more lobbyists from the oil, gas and coal industries have taken part in international climate negotiations. Estimates of lobbyist numbers have risen sharply, from 503 at the 2021 Glasgow talks to 1,773 at last year's talks in Azerbaijan's capital Baku.
November 20, 2025 — Source

California has a new wolf pack after another was euthanized
California wildlife officials have confirmed there's a new wolf pack in the northern part of the state, as the population of the endangered canids—and the number of livestock they have preyed on—continues to rise.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Congress Axes Biden-Era Protections That Shielded Alaskan Wetlands From Drilling
Congress Axes Biden-Era Protections That Shielded Alaskan Wetlands From Drilling
November 20, 2025 — Source

Could the solution to the carbon problem be carbon itself?
Can we use carbon to help decarbonize the world and transform the energy and chemical industries? Yes, it seems, but there are some key challenges to overcome first.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Google and Westinghouse lean on AI to speed US nuclear plant builds
Pair say digital twin-powered scheduling will cut costs, shrink timelines for 10 planned reactors
November 20, 2025 — Source

Groundwater, a missing link in coastal carbon storage
As global efforts intensify around restoring coastal wetlands to curb climate change, a new JCU-led study published in Reviews of Geophysics is the first to link wetland restoration and carbon cycling with groundwater dynamics, showing that subsurface flows can tip the balance from storing carbon to emitting it.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Korea establishes its first ultra high-voltage DC standards, accelerating the 'energy highway'
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has established Korea's first national standards for the reliable performance verification of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission systems. Based on these newly established standards, KRISS will begin providing calibration and testing services for national power authorities and related industries.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Machine learning beats classical method in predicting cosmic ray radiation near Earth
Cosmic rays are high-energy particles that constantly bombard Earth from space and are influenced by the sun's magnetic activity. When the sun is active, fewer of these particles reach Earth; when the sun is quiet, more are detected. Understanding these variations is essential for space-weather research, astronaut safety, satellite operations, and aviation.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Monsoon storms will bring heavier rains but become weaker
Climate change will make monsoon storms in South Asia wetter and weaker, with more storms pushing further inland across India.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Moss spores survive 9 months outside International Space Station
Mosses thrive in the most extreme environments on Earth, from the peaks of the Himalayas to the sands of Death Valley, the Antarctic tundra to the lava fields of active volcanoes. Inspired by moss's resilience, researchers sent moss sporophytes—reproductive structures that encase spores—to the most extreme environment yet: space.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Nearly 47 million Americans live near hidden fossil fuel sites
A new analysis reveals how a vast, often unseen fossil fuel network surrounds millions of Americans, raising fresh concerns about pollution and health risks.
November 20, 2025 — Source

One Key State Remains in Limbo on Climate and Clean Energy Policies As Several Others Retreat
Arizona, Connecticut, New York and North Carolina are backsliding on climate issues. But Massachusetts isn't, at least for now.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Reprogrammed poplar trees can make key industrial chemical for biodegradable plastics
A team led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory has engineered poplar trees to produce valuable chemicals that can be used to make biodegradable plastics and other products. The modified trees were more tolerant of high salt levels in soil and were easier to break down for conversion into biofuels and other bioproducts.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Scientists 'resurrect' 1960s data to learn more about how continents break apart
Magnetic data collected in the late 1960s has been brought back to life by a research team including a Keele scientist, who have used it to learn more about how the continent of Africa is stretching and splitting apart.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Seeing the hidden microbial world beneath our feet—from the sky
A new study by Dr. Angela Harris from The University of Manchester and Professor Richard Bardgett from Lancaster University has revealed that scientists can now detect the hidden world of microbes living in the soil—from the air.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Shark and ray diversity is declining, challenging previous assumptions
A team of international researchers led by the University of Vienna have investigated the development of shark and ray biodiversity over the past 100 million years. Their surprising results show a continuous decline in diversity since the Eocene, 45 million years ago, which contradicts previous assumptions that biodiversity was either stable or increasing.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Smart toilets in Cambodia fall short due to improper use
A smart toilet design introduced in rural Cambodia was supposed to change lives—keeping families safe and protecting the environment. However, while households reported that they liked the new system, a crucial piece was missing: using it correctly.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Some California landfills are on fire and leaking methane: Newly proposed rules could make them safer
A vast canyon of buried garbage has been smoldering inside a landfill in the Santa Clarita Valley, inducing geysers of liquid waste onto the surface and noxious fumes into the air.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Sortera is turning America's scrap aluminum problem into cash
When it comes to recycling, few materials can match aluminum. It can be reused an infinite number of times, and it's often cheaper to recycle than to produce new aluminum because it requires so much less energy. Yet only about a third of the aluminum used in the U.S. gets recycled.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Study shows waste cardboard is effective for power generation
A new study has shown for the first time that waste cardboard can be used as an effective source of biomass fuel for large-scale power generation.
November 20, 2025 — Source

The road ahead: Why conserving the invisible 99% of life is fundamental to planetary health
A new paper outlines how scientists came together to put together the first microbial conservation roadmap under the leadership of Applied Microbiology International President, Professor Jack Gilbert.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Turkey will host COP31, Australia will play a role. So where does that leave the Pacific?
The announcement is more complex than expected, even for the often labyrinthine world of global, multilateral event negotiations. But what will this arrangement mean for Australia's commitment to partnering with Pacific nations in delivering COP31?
November 20, 2025 — Source

We're not going anywhere: Mining town faces transition from coal head on
As the Hunter region of New South Wales inches toward the closure of the state's largest coal mine, Muswellbrook community members are urging industry to leave a positive legacy in their wake.
November 20, 2025 — Source

What do trees remember?
The Feanedock Oak stands out so clearly in Derbyshire's section of the National Forest, you'd think it was calling to you. Surrounded by open fields, hawthorn hedges and young beech forest, a majestic old oak like this anchors the English countryside.
November 20, 2025 — Source

Why saving microbes may be the most important conservation effort ever
Researchers have launched the first coordinated plan to protect microbial biodiversity, calling attention to the "invisible 99% of life" that drives essential Earth systems. The IUCN has formally recognized this effort through the creation of the Microbial Conservation Specialist Group. By developing new metrics, policies, and restoration tools, scientists aim to make microbial life a core part of global conservation action. The roadmap also outlines upcoming goals such as microbial hotspot maps and new microbe-based conservation solutions.
November 20, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 14th, 2025

Massive hidden waves are rapidly melting Greenland's glaciers
Calving icebergs unleash hidden wave forces that supercharge Greenland's melt and push the ice sheet closer to collapse.
November 14, 2025 — Source

Sustainable Tech Recycling: Get Paid to Declutter with Gadget Salvation
Gadget Salvation is a US-based buyback platform you'll want to check out to declutter your tech.
November 14, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 13th, 2025

A 400-million-year-old plant creates water so weird it looks alien
Researchers discovered that living horsetails act like natural distillation towers, producing bizarre oxygen isotope signatures more extreme than anything previously recorded on Earth—sometimes resembling meteorite water. By tracing these isotopic shifts from the plant base to its tip, scientists unlocked a new way to decode ancient humidity and climate, using both modern plants and fossilized phytoliths that preserve isotopic clues for millions of years.
November 13, 2025 — Source

A wealth of genes for seed improvement uncovered in living fossils
Seed plants are essential as a source of food, fuel, medicine, and more. Now, a multidisciplinary team of researchers has combined deep botanical knowledge with powerful genomic technology to decode and mine the DNA of non-flowering seed plants and uncover genes that evolved to help plants build seeds.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Britain's first small modular reactors to be built in Wales
Government picks Wylfa on Anglesey for initial trio of units, but power unlikely before mid-2030s
November 13, 2025 — Source

Can invasive plants increase tick exposure risk? Scientists reveal a surprising link to human health
An invasive grass found on almost every continent and considered a pest in 73 countries isn't just weeding out native plants, it is creating a haven for disease-carrying ticks and raising public health risk concerns.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Coastal ocean acidification advancing faster than expected, threatening local economies
New research from the University of St Andrews has found that some coastal areas will become much more acidic than previously anticipated. With added atmospheric CO2, these areas are acidifying more quickly than thought, posing an existential threat to coastal economies around the world.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Enhanced climate models reveal how our cities are driving and feeling the effects of climate change
Scientists have developed a new way to represent the world's cities in global climate and Earth system models (GCM & ESMs), offering a more accurate picture of how urban areas are being affected by—and contributing to—climate change.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Families from deprived areas and ethnic minorities face the worst indoor air quality, research finds
Harmful levels of indoor air pollution have been discovered in U.K. homes, with families from deprived areas and ethnic minority backgrounds facing the highest levels of exposure, according to a new study from the University of York's INGENIOUS research program.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Forget burgers and pizza. These teens want beans.
A youth-led campaign is urging school cafeterias to serve fiber-rich, plant-powered meals every day.
November 13, 2025 — Source

From sewer to furnace: How wastewater sludge is greening steel production
By turning wastewater sludge into biocoal and green hydrogen, EU researchers are helping reduce the steel industry's environmental impact.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Gas-switch reduction enables alloying in supported catalysts
Supported catalysts are systems in which the active catalytic materials, such as metals, are dispersed on a solid support material, such as alumina, silica, etc. These catalysts are widely used in various chemical processes. Several methods are available for preparing supported catalysts.
November 13, 2025 — Source

How fishes of the deep sea have evolved into different shapes
Fish species living in the deep sea feature a surprisingly large range of body shapes that evolved in different ways and at different rates depending on where the fishes live in the ocean, new research shows.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Hybridization helps mountain birds adapt to climate change, study finds
Climate change is driving drastic environmental shifts and accelerating global biodiversity loss. Hybrid introgression has recently emerged as a key mechanism enabling rapid adaptation to historical climate change. Yet empirical evidence remains scarce on whether this process can enhance future climate resilience, particularly for narrow-ranged species in mountainous biodiversity hotspots.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Inside the Fight to Stop the Illegal Trade Driving the Vaquita Porpoise Toward Extinction
An international investigation uncovers how criminal networks traffick parts of the totoaba, an endangered fish caught in Mexico's Gulf of California, to overseas underground markets. Andrea Crosta, from Earth League International, explains how.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Longer growing seasons fail to counteract drought-driven declines in forest growth, study finds
Longer growing seasons fail to counteract drought-driven declines in forest growth, study finds
November 13, 2025 — Source

Microbial network restructuring mitigates long-term soil carbon emissions from warming, decade-long study finds
Soils release approximately 40--60 petagrams (Pg) of carbon annually into the atmosphere through microbial metabolism. Climate warming is projected to further enhance soil microbial respiration, intensifying positive carbon--climate feedback loops. However, it remains unclear whether this feedback might weaken over several years.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Monarch migration mapped along Texas highways
Each fall, millions of monarch butterflies fly across Texas skies on their 3,000-mile journey to the mountains of central Mexico. The state's position in the center of the migratory route makes it critical to the species' success, both in the spring, when monarchs move north to reproduce, and in the fall, when they travel south to overwinter.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Nectar wars between bumble bees and invasive ants drain the hive
Bees may win fights with Argentine ants, but the hive pays the price in lost food and wasted energy.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Paperwork won't prepare us for climate change: Planning might
As global climate talks at COP30 shift from setting lofty targets to transforming the systems that will get us there, Australia has been quietly strengthening its climate resilience rulebook.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Producing bio-methane and CO² directly from moist biogas
Thanks to novel flat membranes, biogas can be processed directly and energy-efficiently—even in small plants. In the Bio4Value project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in the Potsdam Science Park, together with KS Kunststoffbau GmbH and the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy ATB, is developing a technology that opens new perspectives for the material use of methane and CO².
November 13, 2025 — Source

Rare Sightings of Critically Endangered Vaquita Spark Cautious Optimism About the Species' Ability to Recover
Expert marine mammal researchers spotted up to 10 of the porpoises during a recent survey in the Upper Gulf of California. They warn the species remains at risk of extinction until safer fishing gear is developed to prevent deadly entanglements.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Record rains turn Argentina's farm-filled Pampas plains to wetlands
Parts of the Argentine Pampas, a vast expanse of flat grasslands, look more like wetlands these days following record rains, with local farmers warning of a "catastrophic" impact to their livelihoods.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Reducing the risks of wildlife corridors
Efforts to join up isolated plant and animal habitats across the world should also protect against unintentionally harming them, new research shows.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Sam Altman-backed Exowatt wants to power AI data centers with billions of hot rocks
When Hannan Happi started thinking about how to solve the AI power crisis, he kept one figure in mind: one cent per kilowatt-hour.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Space dust reveals how fast the Arctic is changing
Arctic sea ice is disappearing fast, and scientists have turned to an unexpected cosmic clue—space dust—to uncover how ice has changed over tens of thousands of years. By tracking helium-3--bearing dust trapped (or blocked) by ancient ice, researchers built a remarkably detailed history of Arctic coverage stretching back 30,000 years. Their findings reveal powerful links between sea ice, nutrient availability, and the Arctic food web, offering hints about how future warming may reshape everything from plankton blooms to geopolitics.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Species identification key to understanding South Australia's harmful algal bloom
In a significant step toward dealing with the persistent harmful algal bloom affecting the South Australian coast, researchers have identified the species chiefly responsible for mass deaths of marine animals and potential human health impacts during the past seven months.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Teen founders raise $6M to reinvent pesticides using AI — and convince Paul Graham to join in
Two teenage founders walked into Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham's backyard with an idea no one in agriculture seemed to want — an AI model to help design better pesticides. By the time they left, they had a new business model, a new company, and eventually, Graham's backing.
November 13, 2025 — Source

The 1.5°C target—an obituary?
"The truth is that we have failed to avoid an overshooting above 1.5°C in the next few years," UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently admitted ahead of the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Tracing mountain water to its hidden sources
In mountain regions like the Rockies, headwater streams make up more than 70% of the river network and support the downstream waterways and communities. These headwaters are also home to many forms of aquatic life. While these sources are crucial, very few are monitored, and aspects of their hydrology are not well understood.
November 13, 2025 — Source

When ants battle bumble bees, nobody wins
When bumble bees fight invasive Argentine ants for food, bees may win an individual skirmish but end up with less to feed the hive.
November 13, 2025 — Source

World oil market 'lopsided' as supply outpaces demand: IEA
The world's oil market is experiencing a period of imbalance as growing supply outstrips demand despite stronger deliveries to China, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Thursday.
November 13, 2025 — Source

Yes, shouting at seagulls actually works, scientists confirm
Did you get through your beach picnics unscathed this summer? Or did you return from a swim only to find a "seagull" (most likely a herring gull if in the UK) rifling through your bags in search of food? If the latter, shouting at it should help to stop the gull in its tracks and make it fly off—as my team's latest research shows.
November 13, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 9th, 2025

500 disposable vapes recycled into a powerwall to power a house and workshop — enough juice for up to eight hours of home usage or three days of work
The ambitious DIY project turns e-waste into a sustainable energy source.
November 9, 2025 — Source

9,000-year-old ice melt shows how fast Antarctica can fall apart
New research reveals that East Antarctica's ancient ice collapse was driven by a self-reinforcing feedback between melting ice and warm ocean currents.
November 9, 2025 — Source

Deep-sea mining risks disrupting the marine food web, study warns
Drilling for minerals deep in the ocean could have immense consequences for the tiny animals at the core of the vast marine food web—and ultimately affect fisheries and the food we find on our plates, according to a new study.
November 9, 2025 — Source

Green alternative for light-emitting materials in displays uses plant waste and amino acids
Scientists have devised a way to create a green alternative to the light-emitting materials often used in TV, smartphones and other display technologies.
November 9, 2025 — Source

Life found in a place scientists thought impossible
Life defies limits in the deep sea—microbes flourish where Earth's chemistry seems too extreme for survival.
November 9, 2025 — Source

Meet the desert survivor that grows faster the hotter it gets
In Death Valley's relentless heat, Tidestromia oblongifolia doesn't just survive—it thrives. Michigan State University scientists discovered that the plant can quickly adjust its photosynthetic machinery to endure extreme temperatures that would halt most species. Its cells reorganize, its genes switch on protective functions, and it even reshapes its chloroplasts to keep producing energy. The findings could guide the creation of crops capable of withstanding future heat waves.
November 9, 2025 — Source

Microbes that breathe rust could help save Earth's oceans
Microbes that breathe iron and eat sulfide could be quietly saving Earth's oceans.
November 9, 2025 — Source

Philippines evacuates hundreds of thousands as super typhoon nears
Nearly one million people have been evacuated in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Fung-wong, with sustained winds of 185 km h−1 and gusts up to 230 km h−1, approaches. The typhoon is causing widespread flooding, storm surges, and heavy rainfall, with over 200 mm expected in many areas. Intensifying storms are linked to climate change, with warmer oceans and atmosphere increasing storm strength and rainfall.
November 9, 2025 — Source

This AI Aced Hurricane Season in 2025. Here's What That Means
Google DeepMind's Weather Lab only began releasing forecasts in June, and it's out-performing traditional models.
November 9, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 8th, 2025

A Data Center Could Be Coming to an Upstate New York Town, and Residents Are Speaking Out
The town board in Lansing is considering a temporary ban on large-scale development that could delay construction.
November 8, 2025 — Source

Climate intervention may lower protein content in major global food crops
A new study in Environmental Research Letters reports that cooling the planet by injecting sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, a proposed climate intervention technique, could reduce the nutritional value of the world's crops.
November 8, 2025 — Source

Despite Headwinds, One Climate Group Sees Opportunity Ahead for Clean Power
In a new report, Giving Green describes how advances in so-called "clean firm power" technologies and action on permitting reform can keep the U.S. on a forward path.
November 8, 2025 — Source

Geopolitics, backsliding and progress: Here's what to expect at this year's COP30 global climate talks
Along with delegates from all over the world, I'll be heading to the United Nations COP30 climate summit in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belem. Like many others, I'm unsure what to expect.
November 8, 2025 — Source

How a Historic Meeting Between Pope Leo and King Charles Might Shift the Narrative on 'Creation Care'
A longtime advisor to King Charles offers perspective on the value of the leaders coming together on climate and environmental concerns ahead of COP30, the upcoming global climate conference.
November 8, 2025 — Source

Is Burying the Trees Killed by Wildfires a Climate Solution?
Proponents tout biomass burial to create carbon credits as a win-win-win for the climate, fire-scarred landscapes and those looking to offset their emissions.
November 8, 2025 — Source

Rainfall's origin reveals a hidden driver behind drought risks for farmers
A new University of California San Diego study uncovers a hidden driver of global crop vulnerability: the origin of rainfall itself.
November 8, 2025 — Source

Water temperatures in Amazonian lakes rise to unprecedented levels, killing wildlife
During a severe drought and heat wave in 2023, Amazonian lakes reached their highest recorded temperatures. Water temperatures in some areas climbed to an astonishing 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and resulted in the deaths of thousands of aquatic animals, including dozens of river dolphins.
November 8, 2025 — Source

We studied 217 tropical cyclones globally to see how people died. Our findings might surprise you
Tropical cyclones—also known as hurricanes, typhoons or storms, depending on their location and intensity—are among the world's most destructive and costly climate disasters.
November 8, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 7th, 2025

Antarctic ice melt triggers further melting: Evidence for cascading feedbacks 9,000 years ago
A study has revealed that the substantial retreat of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) approximately 9,000 years ago was driven by a self-reinforcing feedback loop between ice melt and ocean circulation.
November 7, 2025 — Source

As global climate action threatens to stall, can Australia step up at COP30 in Brazil?
Ten years on from the landmark Paris Agreement, countries have taken big strides in limiting emissions and the clean energy transition is accelerating rapidly. But geopolitical headwinds are growing and the damage bill for climate pollution is rising. Climate action hangs in the balance.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Big leap in quest to get to bottom of climate ice mystery
Stanislav Kutuzov felt the drillhead he was controlling smash into the rock more than 100 meters below him high on a glacier in the Pamir peaks of Tajikistan. The ice core samples it took could help solve one of climate science's great mysteries.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Biofuel pledge at climate summit highlights India's ethanol blending debate
India's push to blend ethanol with gasoline shows the benefits and challenges of the sustainable fuel efforts being showcased at global climate talks this week.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Controversial Plan to Kill 500,000 Barred Owls in U.S. Clears Major Hurdle
A controversial conservation strategy that has sparked division among both lawmakers and environmentalists will move forward.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Cracks in Antarctic 'Doomsday Glacier' ice shelf trigger accelerated destabilization
Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica—often called the "Doomsday Glacier"—is one of the fastest-changing ice--ocean systems on Earth, and its future remains a major uncertainty in global sea-level rise projections. One of its floating extensions, the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf (TEIS), is partially confined and anchored by a pinning point at its northern terminus.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Deadly Typhoon Kalmaegi ravages Vietnam, Philippines
Typhoon Kalmaegi churned across Vietnam Friday, claiming five more lives after its devastating passage through the Philippines where the death toll rose to 188.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Death Valley plant yields blueprint for building heat-resilient crops
In California's Death Valley, where summer temperatures regularly soar above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, life seems almost impossible. Yet among the cracked earth and blinding sunlight, one native plant not only survives—it thrives.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Google's AI weather model is outperforming US supercomputer forecasts this hurricane season
AI-driven predictions show striking gains in accuracy and speed over physics-based hurricane models
November 7, 2025 — Source

How one founder plans to save cities from flooding with terraforming robots
Parts of San Rafael, a city just north of San Francisco, are sinking about half an inch per year. That might not sound like much, but altogether, it has meant that some neighborhoods — like the Canal District that borders the bay — have sunk three feet, placing them at greater risk of flooding from sea-level rise.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Hurricane? Cyclone? Typhoon? Here's the difference
Typhoon Kalmaegi has killed at least 114 people in the Philippines with even more missing and then hit Vietnam Friday. A second typhoon, Fong-Wong, is forecast to hit the Philippines around Sunday and strengthen to a major storm by that time.
November 7, 2025 — Source

'Hurtling Toward Climate Chaos' as COP30 Nears
Negotiators gathering for the global climate talks must acknowledge their failures and seek alternatives to spur action, scientists say.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Leaders turn up the heat on fossil fuels at Amazon climate summit
World leaders will meet for a second day of climate talks in the Brazilian Amazon on Friday after fiery speeches and renewed criticism of Big Oil marked the opening session.
November 7, 2025 — Source

New AI method boosts microplastic classification
Recently, a research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a new deep learning method that improves the classification accuracy of mixed microplastics in infrared spectroscopy to 98%.
November 7, 2025 — Source

New report sheds light on how UN SDG 11 is shaping urban planning systems around the globe
https://phys.org/news/2025-11-sdg-urban-globe.html#:~:text=The%20global%20planning%20community%20must%20move%20%22from%20awareness%20to%20action%22%20if%20the%20UN%27s%20goal%20of%20sustainable%20and%20inclusive%20urban%20development%20is%20to%20be%20achieved%20by%202030%2C%20authors%20of%20a%20new%20report%20have%20warned.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Operation Cloudburst: Dutch train for 'water bomb' floods
A twin-prop Chinook helicopter shatters the calm of the Dutch countryside, hovering just meters from a canal before dumping four huge sandbags into the water: welcome to Operation Cloudburst.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Reinsurance: Meet your insurance company's insurance company
Insurance companies turn to reinsurance companies when they have to pay out many claims at once, like after a hurricane or other disaster.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Study finds soil health in organic orchards isn't so different to conventional orchards
Organic agriculture is an increasingly popular management approach, embraced by growers and consumers alike for its potential to reduce environmental impacts.
November 7, 2025 — Source

Surprising iron corrosion during electrochemical charging explains origin of atypical hydrogen permeation behavior
The transition from a carbon-based fuel economy to that centered on hydrogen has gained interest worldwide given the focus on sustainability. As researchers in corrosion, it became obvious for us to look at the underlying interaction of hydrogen with materials as it forms the backbone of the hydrogen infrastructure, especially with respect to hydrogen transportation. For example, pipelines carrying hydrogen blended with natural gas offer an economic means of transporting hydrogen over long distances.
November 7, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 6th, 2025

Another Dry Spell Hits New England, Raising Alarm About Flash Droughts
Researchers say sudden, short-lived droughts in the region may become more frequent, putting farms, grasslands and water supply systems at risk.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Antarctica's collapse may already be unstoppable, scientists warn
Researchers warn Antarctica is undergoing abrupt changes that could trigger global consequences. Melting ice, collapsing ice shelves, and disrupted ocean circulation threaten sea levels, ecosystems, and climate stability. Wildlife such as penguins and krill face growing extinction risks. Scientists stress that only rapid emission reductions can avert irreversible damage.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Bright blue aurora formation: Hyperspectral camera captures first precise altitude distribution
The Institute for Fusion Science installed the Hyperspectral Camera for Auroral Imaging (HySCAI) in Kiruna, Sweden, in May 2023 and commenced full-scale observations in September of the same year. A research group has now succeeded in observing the altitude distribution of blue nitrogen ion (N₂⁺) auroras emitting light during astronomical twilight using HySCAI.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Does nature have rights?
These articles will help you ponder that question.
November 6, 2025 — Source

From the depths to discovery: Tiny limpet reveals big secrets of the deep sea
In the inky depths of the Central Pacific Ocean, nearly 2,400 meters below the surface, scientists have discovered a new species of deep-sea limpet clinging to a sunken log.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Growing transgenic plants in weeks instead of months by hijacking a plant's natural regeneration abilities
Plant biologists have developed a method for growing transgenic and gene-edited plants that cuts the slow and expensive process down from months to weeks.
November 6, 2025 — Source

How manure can be transformed into animal feed
A research project within Resource Recovery at the University of Borås in Sweden explored how valuable substances can be extracted from organic waste—such as animal manure—and how this loop can be closed by producing animal feed.
November 6, 2025 — Source

How the plastics industry shifted responsibility for recycling onto you, the consumer
The plastics industry historically shifted recycling responsibility onto consumers through advertising, while knowing large-scale plastics recycling was unviable. This deflects accountability from producers.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Hurricane and Tropical Storm Remnants Impact the Midwest, Too
Storms that move through the region can cause flooding but also provide needed rainfall.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Illinois General Assembly Passes Energy Reform Act Aiming to Reduce Rates and Reach Clean Energy Goals
The state passed the legislation during a veto session after months of lobbying from advocacy groups, but some concerns over planning provisions and consumer costs linger.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Nature's resilience inspires an improved power grid
Natural ecosystems made up of plants, animals and microorganisms face constant challenges from natural hazards, like extreme weather or invasive species.
November 6, 2025 — Source

New 2D material transforms air into fuel and fertilizer
MXenes could revolutionize green ammonia production by turning air into fuel and fertilizer at the atomic level.
November 6, 2025 — Source

No fences: Research shows high-tech collars keep cattle from straying
A high-tech, no-fence solution is teaching cattle to stay home on the range, University of Alberta research has found.
November 6, 2025 — Source

The solar panels Germans are plugging into their walls
Plug-in solar technology is making it easier for renters and low-income households to harness the power of the sun -- but they aren't yet allowed in many places in the U.S.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Trucks Move the Country's Goods Through This County. As Even More Loom, People Are Pushing Back.
Illinois' Will County has North America's largest inland intermodal transport hub. Residents worry about more traffic and pollution from a huge new warehouse complex.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Typhoon Kalmaegi hits Vietnam after killing 140 in Philippines
Typhoon Kalmaegi made landfall Thursday in Vietnam's already storm-battered central belt, where thousands have been evacuated from areas in the path of one of the world's deadliest cyclones this year.
November 6, 2025 — Source

When the Power Grid Needs Relief from High Demand, Here's Who You Call
CPower Energy is among the firms helping companies dial down their energy use at times of high demand. Here's why that's important.
November 6, 2025 — Source

Why even pro-climate action organizations may pull in different directions
Emissions growth may be slowing, but even pro-climate action strategies seem to be pulling in different—or even, antagonistic—directions. Our new book presents these antagonisms as a choice between "stability" and "politicization" in climate governance.
November 6, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — November 5th, 2025

Battery system promises clean cooking with hydrogen for remote African communities
A new project, led by experts from Loughborough University, has seen the creation of a battery system that will provide remote African communities the energy they need to cook cleanly and more environmentally friendly.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Body preservation technique applied to wood to make it stronger, protect from decay
A technique used for the long-term preservation of human and animal remains is now being tested on one of Canada's most iconic building materials—the Western red cedar.
November 5, 2025 — Source

California agriculture dept. is hiding bird flu information, legal aid group alleges in lawsuit
A rural legal aid group is suing the California Department of Food and Agriculture for refusing to disclose the locations of dairies infected with H5N1 bird flu.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Coastal groundwater rivals rivers and volcanoes in shaping ocean chemistry, study finds
We've gone to the bottom of the ocean to study how its chemistry shapes our planet's climate, even chasing lava-spewing underwater volcanoes to do it. But it turns out we may have missed something far closer to home: the water beneath our feet.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Coca-Cola's 'Reverse Vending Machine' Is Environmental Tech Many Can Get Behind
There's no denying that Coca-Cola is an iconic brand, with the soda company standing at the forefront of pop culture for decades. With that said, it hasn't necessarily been in the good graces of the general public in recent years. Between its use of generative artificial intelligence for holiday advertisements and product recalls due to contaminated metal, Coca-Cola hasn't been looked at in the best light as of late. With that said, the company does seem committed to doing some good, as evidenced by its efforts to reduce the negative impact of product packaging on the environment.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Data integration key to understanding Asia-Pacific marine change, researchers say
Integrating physical oceanography, environmental genomics, and ecological observations is essential for effective marine biodiversity monitoring in the Asia-Pacific region. Fragmented data collection limits understanding and conservation, but shared, cross-border frameworks and transparent data sharing can enhance collaboration, support innovation, and improve protection of vital marine ecosystems.
November 5, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Ecological refuges or traps? Mapping a future for Australia's islands
University of Queensland researchers have completed the first comprehensive studies of recent fire history and koala populations across Australia's 9,300 islands.
November 5, 2025 — Source

EU strikes last-ditch deal on climate targets as COP30 looms
The European Union struck a deal Wednesday on the 27-nation bloc's next big emissions-cutting targets in time for next week's UN COP30 climate summit at the cost of deep concessions to reluctant capitals.
November 5, 2025 — Source

First complete 3D structure of yellow fever virus reveals key differences between strains
University of Queensland researchers have captured the first high-resolution images of the yellow fever virus (YFV), a potentially deadly viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that affects the liver.
November 5, 2025 — Source

From more meat to less waste: How food companies use AI
At a Cargill slaughterhouse in Texas, AI-equipped cameras scan every cattle carcass and let workers know when they're literally leaving too much meat on the bone.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Frozen for 6 million years, Antarctic ice rewrites Earth's climate story
Scientists have unearthed 6-million-year-old ice, by far the oldest directly dated ice and air ever found.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Major hurricanes likely pushed a small Bahamanian bird to extinction
The Bahama nuthatch was already threatened by habitat loss and non-native predators when Hurricanes Matthew and Dorian came along.
November 5, 2025 — Source

New modeling shows difficult future for the Great Barrier Reef under climate change
The most sophisticated modeling to date forecasts that, under the current global emissions pathway, the Great Barrier Reef could lose most of its coral by the end of the century, but curbing climate change and strategic management will help coral resilience.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Polar ocean turbulence projected to intensify as sea ice declines
Ultra-high-resolution climate simulations indicate that as sea ice declines due to global warming, mesoscale horizontal stirring (MHS) and turbulence in the Arctic and Southern Oceans will intensify. This is driven by increased wind energy input in the Arctic and enhanced density gradients in the Antarctic, with significant implications for ocean mixing, ecosystem dynamics, and pollutant dispersal.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Proposed all-climate battery design could unlock stability in extreme temps

'Brain-free' robots that move in sync are powered entirely by air
A team led by the University of Oxford has developed a new class of soft robots that operate without electronics, motors, or computers—using only air pressure.
November 5, 2025 — Source

November 5, 2025 — Source

Raw Sewage Sneaking Into West Hawaii's Coastal Waters Threatens Coral Reefs and Public Health, Scientists Find
The long-standing use of cesspools in Hawaii makes it harder to keep waste contamination from spreading. A new study identified problem spots.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Solid electrolyte enables stable, fast lithium-ion movement at room temperature
Lithium-metal batteries are garnering attention as the next-generation high-energy battery expected to replace existing lithium-ion batteries. However, commercialization has been difficult due to the high fire risk associated with using flammable liquid electrolytes.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Taiwan's ancient vanished ecosystem: Today's forests were once warm savanna, elephant teeth show
A study by research teams at the National Museum of Natural Science and National Taiwan University has, for the first time, unveiled Taiwan's vanished Pleistocene ecosystem: a warm, arid savanna environment dominated by grasslands and rivers.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Termite 'jumping genes' provide template to resolve tree of life
Genomes are key to unlocking life's evolutionary history. The presence and absence of certain genetic sequences and mutations can give us clues to the order in which species diverge. However, even state-of-the-art methods struggle to accurately map evolutionary events from hundreds of millions of years ago.
November 5, 2025 — Source

This TikToker Used An AirTag To Track His Donated Shoes And Discovered Where They Really Ended Up
A TikToker used an AirTag to track donated shoes, discovering they ended up in Bosnia. The German Red Cross sells most donations, with only 10% going to those in need.
November 5, 2025 — Source

Turning CO2 into clean fuel faster and cheaper
Researchers in Korea have created a low-temperature copper catalyst that converts CO2 into fuel components with record speed and efficiency.
November 5, 2025 — Source

UK agri dept spent hundreds of millions upgrading to Windows 10 -- just in time for end of support
After a £312M upgrade to the retiring OS, Defra still has 24,000 devices to replace
November 5, 2025 — Source

Why Are Rates Rising Faster at Investor-Owned Utilities Than at Public Utilities?
Case studies from California offer a look into the pros and cons of public and private utilities.
November 5, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 31st, 2025

Brazil boasts drop in deforestation ahead of UN climate talks
Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has fallen for the fourth straight year, the government said Thursday, a boost for the country just days before it hosts UN climate talks.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Contrasting optical properties of fine particulate matter in Seoul and Mexico City highlight climate impacts
Severe fine dust pollution over Seoul and Mexico City, being composed of the same type of fine particulate matter, exhibits markedly different characteristics. Seoul's air tends to reflect sunlight, contributing to a cooling effect on Earth, whereas Mexico City's particles are more inclined to absorb sunlight, potentially accelerating global warming.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Detailed map of US air-conditioning usage shows who can beat the heat—and who can't
As climate change produces ever more heat waves, how many homes in the U.S. lack adequate cooling? Who's most vulnerable to lethal temperatures, and exactly where do they live?
October 31, 2025 — Source

Five science-backed ways to make cheese production greener
A research team at the DTU National Food Institute has conducted a literature review of cheese fermentation and ripening and identified five underused, evidence-based measures to improve efficiency and sustainability in cheese production.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Growing rice in the UK 'not so crazy' as climate warms
Wearing large rubber boots, Nadine Mitschunas joyfully handled mature rice plants peeking through the water of her small plot growing in the fertile soil of eastern England.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Key indicator signals nutrient distribution in chicken feed, researchers report
In poultry houses where broiler chickens—birds bred and raised specifically for meat production—are grown, feed is delivered through long feed lines, which are mechanized systems that automatically deliver feed from storage silos to feeding pans. They run from the front of the houses to the back, and sometimes nutrients become unevenly distributed. This can lead to inconsistent feed quality, which can affect bird growth and health.
October 31, 2025 — Source

How Meta Is Using AI to Standardize and Cut Carbon Emissions
Meta has developed an AI-based approach to improve the quality of Scope 3 emissions estimates across its IT hardware supply chain. The method combines machine learning and generative models to classify hardware components and infer missing product carbon footprint (PCF) data.
October 31, 2025 — Source

How ship's logs have shaped our understanding of the sea
What drives a wealthy Danish-Norwegian general to delve into ship's logs and become almost obsessed with understanding ocean currents in the 1800s? And why has this amateur researcher remained unknown until now?
October 31, 2025 — Source

Lower Your Electric, Gas and Water Bills This Winter: 8 Tips That Actually Work
These eight energy-saving hacks can keep your utility bills manageable this winter.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Maryland Leads Multistate Push to Shield Consumers from New Data Center Costs
Tensions with PJM Interconnection have escalated after the grid operator dismissed legislators' concerns about rising prices.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Mature ecosystems show strong drought adaptability in karst areas, research finds
A research team led by Prof. Wang Li from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has found that ecosystems with more complete ecological succession and longer existence exhibit strong adaptability to drought.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Pulsed electrolysis could harvest nitrogen from the air for sustainable fertilizer
Pulsed electrolysis enables the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen and water into ammonia and urea at room temperature, offering a more energy-efficient and sustainable alternative to the Haber-Bosch process. This method can utilize renewable electricity, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and may help close the nitrogen cycle for cleaner fertilizer production.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Simple checklist can help you choose the best way to green your space
A practical, evidence-based checklist developed by scientists at the University of Surrey is helping everyone from keen gardeners to local councils plan their next greening project with confidence.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Study links climate anxiety to social media use
A new University at Buffalo-led study suggests greater social media use is linked to emotional distress caused by the perceived threats of climate change.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Sunlight split in two: Organic layer promises leap in solar power efficiency
In the race to make solar energy cheaper and more efficient, a team of UNSW Sydney scientists and engineers have found a way to push past one of the biggest limits in renewable technology.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Trump Administration Suggests Listing Florida's Elusive Ghost Orchid as Endangered
The proposal is among the more high-profile actions taken under the Endangered Species Act by the Trump administration, which has targeted many other environmental protections.
October 31, 2025 — Source

Turning city wastewater into clean hydrogen
A sunlight-powered reactor turns ordinary sewage into hydrogen fuel while cleaning the water, showing how simple materials could make wastewater treatment more efficient and energy producing.
October 31, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 30th, 2025

Can We Produce More Food With Less Land?
Rattan Lal, one of the world's most renowned soil scientists, says yes.
October 30, 2025 — Source

China's new controls on rare earths create challenges for the West's plans for green tech
China recently announced that it was putting new controls on the export of rare earth elements, sparking a new round in the country's ongoing trade war with the US.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Drones reveal unexpectedly high emissions from wastewater treatment plants
Greenhouse gas emissions from many wastewater treatment plants may be more than twice as large as previously thought. This is shown in a new study from Linköping University, where the researchers used drones with specially manufactured sensors to measure methane and nitrous oxide emissions.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Falling panel prices lead to global solar boom, except for the US
The economic case for solar power is stronger than ever.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Fatal attraction: How international trade is driving African hornbills towards extinction
Massive birds whose loud wingbeats and rollicking cries resound through tropical rainforests, African hornbills were a common sight in my experience working in Gabon, Central Africa, 30 years ago. Highly gregarious, African hornbills are impossible to miss as they fly around in large, boisterous flocks in search of fruiting trees, and I had the pleasure of seeing them often during that time. Ten years later, I returned to the African rainforests, this time in Ghana.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Fats provide clues to life at its limits in the deep sea
Diverse life forms exist on and within the ocean floor. These primarily consist of microbes, tiny organisms that can cope with extreme environmental conditions. These include high pressures and salinities, as well as extreme pH values and a limited supply of nutrients. A team of researchers has now been able to detect microbial life in two newly discovered mud volcanoes with very high pH values.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Growing Threat to Heat-Exposed Workers: Chronic Kidney Disease
Some experts believe CKD is the first chronic illness directly linked to climate change.
October 30, 2025 — Source

How ammolite gemstones get their vivid colors
The origins of vivid colors within the gemstone ammolite—a rare type of brightly colored fossilized ammonite shell—are reported in research published in Scientific Reports.
October 30, 2025 — Source

In 2024, the climate crisis worsened in all ways. But we can still limit warming with bold action
In 2024, global warming and climate impacts intensified, with 22 of 34 planetary indicators at record extremes, including CO2 levels, ocean heat, and tree loss. Fossil fuel use and emissions reached new highs, while renewable energy growth remains insufficient. Ecosystem degradation and rising meat consumption further drive emissions. Rapid, collective action across energy, nature, and food is essential to limit warming.
October 30, 2025 — Source

In controversial move, LADWP says it will shift its largest gas power plant to hydrogen
On Oct. 28, the board of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power approved a controversial plan to convert part of the city's largest natural gas-fired power plant into one that also can burn hydrogen.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Keeping clothes in circulation: How EU research is transforming textile waste
EU research is helping to turn old clothes into new, quality products, aiming to reduce textile waste and make recycled textiles the norm.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Microbial memory in Kansas soils: How 'legacy effects' influence plant performance
A study appearing in Nature Microbiology analyzes soils sampled across the state of Kansas to determine the importance of "legacy effects"—or how soils from a specific location are influenced by microbes that have evolved in response to the specific climate at that site for many years.
October 30, 2025 — Source

New surrealist play explores climate justice themes
Rishi Varma's 'Sulfur Bottom' centers on a family living next to a toxic waste site.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Offshore wind projects feel brunt of Trump policy decisions
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum prohibiting new offshore wind leasing for all areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf and directing his Cabinet to review previously approved projects.
October 30, 2025 — Source

RFK Jr. Is Going After Trump's Mortal Enemy: Wind Farms
Kennedy wants to get to the bottom of this whole wind farm thing.
October 30, 2025 — Source

The anthropologists holding funerals for the world's dying glaciers
To help people grasp what it means to lose 273 billion tons of ice a year, two researchers are treating glaciers like community members -- and giving them the memorials they deserve.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Sprayable RNA pesticide works best when potato beetles are small
The first sprayable insecticide made of RNA can target and kill ravenous Colorado potato beetles while sparing most beneficial insects, making it a promising environmentally friendly option.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Synthetic biology to supercharge photosynthesis in crops
Scientists built a nano-cage to house Rubisco, the slow enzyme driving photosynthesis, offering a path to boost energy conversion in staple crops.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Underwater robot reveals ocean carbon storage in real time
SINKER is an innovative new instrument equipped with advanced microscopes and cameras to collect detailed data about carbon sinking in marine snow.
October 30, 2025 — Source

Winter Storm Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need to Conquer Snow and Ice Season
Winter weather is on its way, delivering cold weather and punishing blizzards. Use these tips to keep your home and family safe.
October 30, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 26th, 2025

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa strengthens as it heads for Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 4 storm with winds of 140 mph, is moving slowly toward Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, bringing heavy rain, flooding, and landslides. The storm has caused multiple deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with up to 76 cm of rain expected in some areas. Major disruptions, including airport and seaport closures, are underway as landfall approaches.
October 26, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Data Center Developer Takes a Small Michigan Farming Community to Court
Following a pricey settlement, Related Digital will make rural Saline Township, Michigan, the home of its latest data center project.
October 26, 2025 — Source

How Did This State Become the Data Center Capital of the World?
From America Online to the rise of AI, Virginia has been good for an industry now transforming the economy and grid. Has the industry returned the favor?
October 26, 2025 — Source

Satellites Discovered A Surprisingly Simple Strategy To Combat Climate Change
Tropical forests are a haven for all kinds of species, but their dense trees and fertile soil also make them valuable for logging and agriculture. Local farmers, national corporations, and international conglomerates can all clash over access rights to the best land — bizarrely, even automaker Ford built a large-scale plantation in the jungle, although it was later abandoned. In many cases, once these plantations or cleared forests become abandoned, they're considered to be mostly useless. However, scientists have recently suggested that they could form part of a major strategy to combat climate change.
October 26, 2025 — Source

The Data Center Capital of the World
Go behind the scenes with executive editor Vernon Loeb and renewables reporter Dan Gearino as they discuss how Virginia has become the data center capital of the world.
October 26, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Trump and Republicans Join Big Oil's All-Out Push to Shut Down Climate Liability Efforts
Republican attorneys general, GOP lawmakers, industry groups and the president himself are all maneuvering to foreclose the ability of cities and states to hold the fossil fuel industry liable for damages linked to climate change.
October 26, 2025 — Source

What's The Largest Solar Farm In California And How Much Electricity Does It Produce?
For decades now, governments and individuals alike have made it a point to explore alternative sources of energy. As a result of its renewable nature, solar energy has become prevalent in recent decades, with the solar panels that help generate it also having evolved remarkably. While many homeowners have implemented this technology on a small scale, such as by adding solar panels to their roofs for power, some states have taken it upon themselves to build massive solar farms to harvest even more energy from the sun.
October 26, 2025 — Source

What's The Largest Solar Farm In Texas And How Much Electricity Does It Produce?
One of the common myths about solar panels is that using them to produce electricity isn't worth the expense. The Solar Energy Industries Association, or SEIA, would disagree, with "more than 8,100 major solar projects" on record.
October 26, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 25th, 2025

America's Rye Whiskey Resurgence Could Help the Climate, but Not by Itself
Liquor is just one of the markets needed for the cover crop and cereal grain to improve the health, water retention and carbon sequestration of soils, and keep them from blowing away.
October 25, 2025 — Source

Earth is splitting open beneath the Pacific Northwest
Earth's tectonic engine is tearing itself apart, and scientists just caught it in the act.
October 25, 2025 — Source

Google says its new carbon capture initiative unlocks 'a critical technology pathway to enable a clean, affordable, reliable energy future,' but are initiatives like this a savior or a smokescreen as AI becomes more power-hungry?
AI is set to ruin the planet, and even Google knows it.
October 25, 2025 — Source

New Trump Administration Energy Rule Would Enable Data Centers with 'Large Loads'
The "urgent" regulatory amendment from the Energy Department would benefit AI companies.
October 25, 2025 — Source

Queensland's forests are still being bulldozed—and new parks alone won't save them
Queensland has lost at least 21% of its original woody vegetation since European colonization, with one-fifth of this loss occurring since 2000 despite a doubling of protected areas. Most new parks are in regions already well-protected, while heavily cleared areas continue to lose vegetation rapidly. Effective conservation requires stricter clearing limits, targeted protection, and restoration efforts.
October 25, 2025 — Source

Taking Stock in Altadena Nine Months After the Devastating LA Fires
David Brancaccio lost his house there. As he tries to rebuild, he's seeing how the community has pulled together—and how the loss has weighed on people.
October 25, 2025 — Source

There's a New Plan and Funding to Clean Up the Muck Plaguing Lake St. Clair
After years of algae decomposing on the small lake's shoreline, the Army Corps of Engineers has a remedy to stop the stink.
October 25, 2025 — Source

Two iconic coral species are now functionally extinct off Florida, study finds
Staghorn and elkhorn corals are now functionally extinct on Florida's reefs, with 97.8--100% mortality following the 2023--2024 marine heat wave, which caused unprecedented heat stress. Remaining populations are too small to sustain ecological roles or recover naturally. Restoration may be possible using assisted gene flow and propagation, but success depends on curbing ocean warming driven by climate change.
October 25, 2025 — Source

Why electricity costs so much in the UK (it's not all about the weather)
The UK government is reportedly considering abandoning its goal of removing fossil fuels from the country's electricity supply by 2030 in an attempt to keep energy bills down.
October 25, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 24th, 2025

Aerial Photographer Reveals the Beauty of Sweden's Island Archipelago
The Nordic country of Sweden has over 260,000 islands — the most of any country in the entire world. Recently, photographer Bernhard Lang explored a handful of them from above, picking out patterns that are invisible from the ground.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Conflicting Sony A7V specs shared by two Sony Artisans :)
A well-known Sony Artisan from India recently shared some A7V specifications. It's unclear whether these were based on speculation or genuine insider information, but the post has since been deleted. Here's what he revealed:
October 24, 2025 — Source

Deadly bacteria May 22ndrive in warmer soils
Climate change may be helping bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance factored in 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019, the WHO said.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Defect passivation strategy sets new performance benchmark for Sb₂S₃ solar cells
A research team led by Profs. Wang Mingtai and Chen Chong from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed an antimony trisulfide (Sb₂S₃) solar cell with a record conversion efficiency of 8.21%. This achievement marks the highest performance ever reported for this type of solar cell.
October 24, 2025 — Source

El Niño could soon turn deadly predictable, scientists warn
Scientists have discovered that El Niño and La Niña could become far more powerful and predictable as the planet warms. By 2050, the tropical Pacific may hit a tipping point, locking ENSO into strong, rhythmic oscillations that synchronize with other global climate patterns. The result could be intensified rainfall extremes and greater risk of "climate whiplash" across multiple continents.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Environmentalists Sue Regulator Over Extension of Construction Permit for LNG Export Terminal in New Jersey
The Delaware River Basin Commission says the terminal's developer has not materially changed its plans and has "diligently" pursued its goals.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Global warming is reshaping extreme precipitation events across Northern Hemisphere
As global warming continues to reshape Earth's climate, both the occurrence and mechanisms of extreme precipitation events, such as rain and snow, are undergoing profound transformation. These changes in frequency and intensity directly affect agricultural security, ecosystem stability, and infrastructure resilience.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Google Earth AI leans on Gemini to bring researchers closer to disaster predictions
Google's highlighting a few updates it's preparing for researchers and analysts with its Earth AI models and Gemini.
October 24, 2025 — Source

In a California farming region, researchers are mapping rural heat to protect farmworkers
Rural heat mapping in California's Imperial Valley shows farmworkers face significant heat stress, with ground-level crops and summer months posing higher risks. Wet-bulb globe temperature data reveal that irrigation cools fields by day but raises nighttime humidity, limiting workers' recovery. Findings support targeted interventions and improved rest break guidelines to better protect farmworkers.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Iowa Counties Keep Water Quality Monitoring Afloat After State Funding Cuts
Polk County will invest $200,000 to help keep the network operational. It offers key information for a state struggling with water pollution from agricultural runoff
October 24, 2025 — Source

Isotropic MOF coating reduces side reactions to boost stability of solid-state Na batteries
In recent years, energy engineers have been trying to design new reliable batteries that can store more energy and allow electronics to operate for longer periods of time before they need to be charged. Some of the most promising among these newly developed batteries are solid-state batteries, which contain solid electrolytes instead of liquid ones.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Leaked tritium reveals mechanism of radioactive cesium flow from Fukushima Daiichi to the ocean
Tritium leaked from storage tanks was used as a tracer to identify the main sources of radioactive cesium (^137Cs) flow from Fukushima Daiichi to the ocean. About 53% of ^137Cs discharge is attributed to rainwater runoff from reactor building roofs, with additional contributions from surface runoff and groundwater. These findings clarify discharge mechanisms and support improved contamination control.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Magnetic Nanocarbon Composite Cleans Chernobyl's Wastewater
Tested on Chernobyl wastewater, scientists have created a magnetic carbon-clay hybrid that scrubs radioactive waste clean - a new benchmark for sustainable water treatment.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Nutritional supplements can boost baby coral survival to aid reef restoration
Providing coral larvae with tailored lipid supplements, particularly omega-3-rich oils and essential sterols, significantly improves their survival, growth, and stress resilience. Early nutritional support enhances larval settlement and may increase the effectiveness of reef restoration efforts threatened by climate change. Field trials are underway to assess scalability in real-world conditions.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Permafrost study finds abrupt thaw accelerates soil phosphorus cycling, offsetting carbon release
Permafrost thaw can stimulate the release of soil carbon, triggering a positive carbon-climate feedback that may be mediated by changes in soil phosphorus (P) availability.
October 24, 2025 — Source

'Rapid increase' in bird flu in Germany: minister
Bird flu is spreading quickly across Germany, authorities warned Friday, with birds on farms and in the wild both affected by the outbreak.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Recyclable fluorine improves properties of degradable polyester plastics
Incorporating fluorine into certain polyesters accelerates polymer chain formation, makes longer chains accessible, and enables targeted modification of the material's properties. As a result, fluorinated polyesters become more competitive with other types of plastics, while the fluorine can be recovered during degradation.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Scientists reveal mechanism of deep intraseasonal variability in western equatorial Pacific
A research team led by Prof. Wang Jianing from the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS), analyzed five consecutive years of mooring data collected at the equator (142°E). Their analysis uncovered significant intraseasonal kinetic energy (IKE) in the deep ocean, which is primarily concentrated in the 40--90-day period and dominated by meridional currents.
October 24, 2025 — Source

'Solar suitcases' bring safe lighting to more than 10,000 clinics across sub-Saharan Africa
The off-grid electric systems provide power for medical lights, fetal monitors, and other devices -- helping more women give birth safely.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Transforming waste plastics into valuable carbon nanomaterials
Plastic waste can be turned into carbon nanomaterials that act as efficient single-atom catalysts for clean energy and water purification, reducing pollution sustainably.
October 24, 2025 — Source or Source

There's a Growing Weak Spot in Earth's Magnetic Field. What it Means
The weak spot has been known about for over half a century, but it's now getting bigger.
October 24, 2025 — Source

Your AI Videos Use Way More Energy Than Chatbots. It's a Big Problem
As AI video generation climbs with tools like Sora, energy demands will rise, too.
October 24, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 20th, 2025

A new AI-based method to help prevent biological invasions
An AI-driven framework has been developed to predict which plant species are likely to become invasive before introduction to new regions. By combining ecological data and machine learning, the model identifies key predictors such as prior invasion history, reproductive plasticity, and rapid generational turnover, achieving over 90% accuracy and offering a data-driven complement to traditional risk assessments.
October 20, 2025 — Source or Source

A New Generation of Industries Emerges in Texas From Federal Push for Mining Revival
The U.S. doesn't produce the minerals and metals needed for renewable energy, microchips or military technology. Authorities want to change that as quickly as possible.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Blue energy powers self-sustaining hydrogen production
A new membrane system turns the natural mix of seawater and freshwater into enough electricity to produce hydrogen, showing how simple salt differences could power clean fuel generation.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Corals are disappearing, pushing Earth to its first major 'tipping point'
A new report says Earth has reached a dire milestone with the widespread death of warm-water coral reefs. But it's not too late to save what remains.
October 20, 2025 — Source

DeePFAS: AI tool advances 'forever chemical' detection
DeePFAS, a novel deep-learning model, streamlines large-scale non-targeted screening of "forever chemicals" (PFAS) by projecting raw MS2 spectra into a latent space of chemical features, offering a rapid, AI-driven solution to replace complex traditional analysis.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Drought, sand storms and evacuations: How Iran's climate crisis gets ignored
Iran is experiencing severe environmental crises, including its worst drought in decades, extensive land subsidence from groundwater overuse, and frequent sand and dust storms. Major water sources, such as the Karaj dam, are critically depleted, and iconic lakes have dried up. Despite evacuations and infrastructure risks, these issues receive minimal international media attention, which remains focused on conflict.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Europe's climate is changing fast: How it's affecting people and the economy
Temperatures across Europe are rising at twice the global average. This alarming trend is leading to more frequent and intense heat waves, droughts, floods and storms.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Ever Wondered What Nuclear Fusion Looks Like? We Have Pics
The footage offers an unprecedentedly colorful look at the extreme physics at play—revealing valuable information for researchers studying fusion
October 20, 2025 — Source

Formation of environmental consciousness in preschool children through the media
The influence of the media on the public understanding of environmental issues reaches far beyond headlines and news reports. Online content, interactive apps, television, and even print outlets are shaping what people know and think about the environment and, perhaps more importantly, are shaping their behavior.
October 20, 2025 — Source

How a more flexible energy grid can cope better with swings in Britain's weather
For most Brits, January 8, 2025, was an uneventful Wednesday, albeit slightly cold. But these low temperatures, coupled with a significant drop in wind speed, contributed to a spike in the real-time electricity price to over seven times the 2024--25 winter average.
October 20, 2025 — Source

How 'conflict-free' minerals are used in the waging of modern wars
Minerals such as tin and tantalum, often labeled "conflict-free," are essential to modern military technologies and are sourced from central Africa, frequently passing through Rwanda. Despite regulations aiming to ensure ethical sourcing, these minerals remain linked to violence both at extraction sites and in their use in advanced weaponry. Current oversight focuses mainly on origins, neglecting their role in fueling conflicts downstream.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Illinois Wants Climate Education in Schools. Now Teachers Need to Figure Out How to Make It Happen.
It's the seventh state to pass a law requiring climate education in public schools. The requirement will kick in next fall.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Inland communities are increasingly vulnerable to rainfall from tropical systems
More than half the deaths from U.S. hurricanes between 2013 and 2022 were the result of freshwater flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Japan's Newest Power Plant Turns Seawater Into Electricity -- Here's How It Works
In the coastal city of Fukuoka, a place known for its ancient temples, beaches, and modern shopping districts, Japan has quietly taken an important step toward sustainable energy, and while there are many strange renewable energy sources being explored today, this one certainly stands out from the rest. The country has launched its first osmotic power plant, a state-of-the-art facility that generates electricity by capturing energy that is a byproduct of the meeting of fresh water and seawater.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Marineland's decline raises questions about the future of zoo tourism
Marineland's closure and the potential euthanasia of 30 beluga whales highlight ongoing ethical and welfare concerns in zoo tourism, despite existing regulations like Canada's 2019 ban on new cetacean captivity. The industry faces increasing scrutiny, prompting a shift toward conservation, education, and technological alternatives to live animal displays, reflecting evolving public attitudes on animal welfare.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Misunderstanding the tide is putting millions at risk on UK coasts
Millions in the UK are at risk of being cut off by tides due to widespread misconceptions about tidal behavior. Many are unaware that tides vary in timing and height, and that water can advance rapidly and unpredictably. Accurate tide predictions and tables are available, but a significant portion of the public struggles to interpret them, highlighting the need for improved tidal literacy.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Most of wine country's agricultural workers have been exposed to wildfires, survey finds
Sonoma County is known for its rolling fields and famed vineyards, making the region a pillar in California's wine industry. But a sweeping new survey from UC Berkeley has found that approximately 75% of agricultural workers there have worked during wildfires since 2017, raising questions about worker safety and a program that could further expose workers during wildfire evacuations.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Nitrogen fixation phenomenon discovered in the Arctic could boost marine life
Nitrogen fixation by non-cyanobacterial bacteria has been detected beneath Arctic sea ice, increasing available nitrogen for algae growth. As sea ice retreats, nitrogen fixation rates are expected to rise, potentially enhancing algae production and supporting marine food webs. This process may also increase regional CO2 uptake, affecting the Arctic carbon budget.
October 20, 2025 — Source

OceanGate Titan sub's camera found mostly intact with SanDisk SD card still holding images and videos
12 images and 9 videos were recovered from the card
October 20, 2025 — Source

Protecting Brazil and Indonesia's tropical forests requires political will, law enforcement and public pressure
The vast tropical forest nations of Brazil and Indonesia are both home to millions of people, including Indigenous communities. They store enormous amounts of carbon to protect our climate and are home to staggering numbers of species found nowhere else in the world.
October 20, 2025 — Source

'Reduce, reuse, recycle' is corporate gaslighting—the real change must come from the fossil fuel industry
On the face of it, the three Rs sound like an empowering call for each of us to play our part for the planet. However, the individualist approach behind the slogan has come in for increasing criticism by climate change activists.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Report finds more effort needed for UK companies to meet sustainability goals
Most UK business sectors are not on track to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, despite financial investments. Only the Consumer Staples sector shows strong sustainability leadership, while others face significant gaps, particularly in environmental impact, equity, and human rights. Accelerated, measurable progress is needed across all sectors to achieve SDG targets.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Research shows COVID-19 made people appreciate street cleaners more—but it also made their lives harder
During the COVID-19 pandemic, street cleaners and other key workers in the UK experienced increased public recognition and appreciation for their essential roles. However, this visibility did not lead to lasting improvements in their social status or working conditions. Instead, the pandemic highlighted and intensified existing socioeconomic divisions, leaving key workers feeling both more visible and yet still undervalued.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Researchers Mapped the Carbon Cost of Meat in Every US City
Researchers mapped greenhouse gas emissions associated with meat production for cities across the United States.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Revealing the 'carbon hoofprint' of meat consumption for American cities
Depending on where you live in the United States, the meat you eat each year could be responsible for a level of greenhouse gas emissions that's similar to what's emitted to power your house.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Software designs eco-friendly clothing that can reassemble into new items
It's hard to keep up with the ever-changing trends of the fashion world. What's "in" one minute is often out of style the next season, potentially causing you to re-evaluate your wardrobe.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Soil fungus and calcium team up to break down bioplastics faster
Combining the soil fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum BA1S with calcium ions and mildly alkaline conditions (pH 7.5) accelerates the degradation of PBAT bioplastic, achieving about 55% weight loss in two weeks. Calcium enhances enzyme secretion and stability, while the fungus shifts its metabolism to efficiently break down and absorb plastic fragments.
October 20, 2025 — Source

The global race is on to secure critical minerals. Why do they matter so much?
Critical minerals are having a moment. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is at the White House to talk up Australia's rich deposits with President Donald Trump. China, which has a global stranglehold on rare earth elements, recently imposed new export restrictions, much to Trump's annoyance.
October 20, 2025 — Source

These 'Metal-Organic Structures' Won A Nobel Prize -- Now They Could Fight Climate Change
Since the Nobel Foundation's establishment at the turn of the 20th century, 1,026 recipients have been recognized by the prestigious award across six categories for their contributions to the advancement of mankind. The award has served as a barometer for scientific development, recognizing the world's brightest minds, from Marie Curie to Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr, for delivering some of the greatest discoveries of the modern age, including the X-Ray, Penicillin, in Vitro Fertilization, and the underlying technology behind the COVID-19 vaccine. 2025's recipients are no different, with honorees including visionaries in quantum mechanics, Hungary's master of the literary apocalyptic, and the orchestrators of immune system science who might break open man's understanding of autoimmune disorders and cancer.
October 20, 2025 — Source

Tropical disturbance poses torrential rainfall threat for the central Caribbean
Tropical disturbance poses torrential rainfall threat for the central Caribbean
October 20, 2025 — Source

Unmasking the culprits of battery failure with a graphene mesosponge
To successfully meet the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we need significant breakthroughs in clean and efficient energy technologies. Central to this effort is the development of next-generation energy storage systems that can contribute to our global goal of carbon neutrality. Among many possible candidates, high-energy-density batteries have drawn particular attention, as they are expected to power future electric vehicles, grid-scale renewable energy storage, and other sustainable applications.
October 20, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 17th, 2025

AI-driven mapping captures daily global land changes
A new AI-based framework integrates satellite imagery, near-surface cameras, and advanced segmentation models to enable near real-time, global land cover mapping. FROM-GLC Plus 3.0 achieves 70.52% average accuracy, detects rapid land changes missed by satellite-only systems, and provides high-resolution, parcel-level classification, supporting applications in agriculture, conservation, and disaster response.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Amazon reveals 960 megawatt nuclear power plans to cope with AI demand — Richland, Washington site tapped for deployment of Xe-100 small modular reactors
The Cascade Advanced Energy Facility would use next-gen Xe-100 reactors to deliver 960 megawatts of carbon-free power — but it's years from becoming reality.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Book reviews technologies aiming to remove carbon from the atmosphere
The book reviews a range of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, including engineered systems like direct air capture and nature-based solutions such as afforestation. It evaluates these approaches using metrics like accounting, permanence, cost, additionality, and governance. No single method excels in all areas, but CDR could complement emissions reduction in addressing climate change.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Double-shelled carbon spheres drive cleaner nitrate-to-nitrogen conversion
A dual single-atomic catalyst on double-shelled mesoporous carbon spheres enables efficient, selective conversion of nitrate to N2 with 92.8% removal and 95.2% selectivity, minimizing ammonia byproducts. The Fe--N4 and Mg--N4 sites promote N--N coupling and suppress hydrogenation, offering stable, safe, and scalable nitrate remediation for wastewater treatment.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Earth's Oceans Lose Some of Their Luster
New research reveals that a key biological carbon pump is weakening, threatening ecosystems and the climate.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Fender Studio review: Easy-peasy play-along and recording for the guitar player in your life
This free guitar-focused recording app/amp sim is handy indeed for quick takes and practice, though it lack features such as MIDI and loop recording
October 17, 2025 — Source

First fully recyclable, sub-micrometer printed electronics could reshape how displays are made
Electrical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated the ability to print fully functional and recyclable electronics at sub-micrometer scales. The technique could impact the more than $150 billion electronic display industry and its environmental impact while providing a toehold for U.S. manufacturing to gain traction in a vital and quickly growing industry.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Global analysis reveals how biochar supercharges composting and cuts greenhouse gases
A new study by researchers from Sichuan Agricultural University and international collaborators provides the most comprehensive evidence to date that biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from organic materials, plays a crucial role in faster, cleaner composting.
October 17, 2025 — Source

How a Bush-era 'green' solution made climate change worse
Journalist Michael Grunwald digs into this and other uncomfortable truths about food and agriculture in his new book, 'We Are Eating the Earth.'
October 17, 2025 — Source

How a Declaration of Ancestral Wisdom Is Changing Law, Science and Our Understanding of the World
Jose Gualinga discusses his Kichwa People of Sarayaku's visionary Living Forest Declaration and the importance of collaborating across cultures and areas of expertise.
October 17, 2025 — Source

International Coalition Joins Push for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty: 'We Cannot Protect Nature While Expanding Fossil Fuels'
An international coalition of more than 1,400 governmental and civil conservation organizations has called on its members to increase efforts to curb fossil fuel extraction and work toward a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.
October 17, 2025 — Source

'Less and less sea ice': Brazil woman sails solo through Arctic
A solo voyage through the Arctic's Northwest Passage, once impassable without icebreakers, was completed with minimal sea ice encountered, reflecting a significant decline in Arctic ice due to climate change. This trend aligns with record global temperatures in 2024 and highlights the increasing navigability of the region as sea ice continues to diminish.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Many rooftops are perfect for solar but owners and renters can't afford it—here's our answer
Australians love rooftop solar power. About 4 million homes have solar panels on their roofs, and we generate more solar energy per person than any other country.
October 17, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Microsoft parks Landsat and Sentinel satellite data in Azure's orbit
NASA's Earth-watching archives find new home in Redmond's cloud, complete with Copilot hype
October 17, 2025 — Source

MIT finds traces of a lost world deep within planet Earth
Hidden deep beneath our feet, traces of Earth's first incarnation still endure — untouched since before the world we know was born.
October 17, 2025 — Source

NOAA Forecast Maps Reveal What's in Store for Your State This Winter
The agency's Climate Prediction Center expects warmer-than-average conditions for much of the contiguous U.S.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Promising medium can capture and convert carbon dioxide, while regenerating itself for reuse
Over the past decades, energy researchers have developed various promising solutions to limit the emission of greenhouse gases and source fuels or other chemicals more sustainably. These solutions include so-called carbon capture technologies and electrolyzers, devices that can capture carbon dioxide (CO2) and convert it into other valuable products, such as carbon monoxide (CO), methanol (CH₃OH), methane (CH₄) and various other compounds.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Report reveals nearly 80% of the world's poor live in regions exposed to climate hazards
Nearly 8 in 10 people living in multidimensional poverty—887 million out of 1.1 billion globally—are directly exposed to climate hazards such as extreme heat, flooding, drought, or air pollution.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Researchers discover new species of Sinocrassula in Tibet
A new species, Sinocrassula cuonaensis, has been identified in Cuona County, Tibet. Distinguished by its rosette-shaped, thick, nearly cylindrical basal leaves, greenish-white flowers, and sub-rectangular nectar scales, it is morphologically and genetically distinct from related species. This discovery expands knowledge of Crassulaceae diversity and Sinocrassula biogeography.
October 17, 2025 — Source

Wyoming's Draft Pilot Conservation Program 'a Good Starting Point' but There's Room for Improvement
State water officials heard public feedback on its proposed water conservation program as Wyoming prepares for the fallout of Colorado River negotiations.
October 17, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 15th, 2025

A rare variety of wheat with three ovaries—gene discovery could triple production
Activation of the WUSCHEL-D1 (WUS-D1) gene in wheat enables flowers to develop three ovaries instead of one, potentially tripling grain yield per spike. This genetic trait, if harnessed by breeders, could significantly increase wheat production without expanding farmland, offering a promising strategy to address rising food demand and resource constraints.
October 15, 2025 — Source

A skeleton and a shell? Ancient fossil finally finds home on the tree of life
Salterella, an early Cambrian fossil, uniquely combined a conical shell with an inner mineral lining, a construction rarely seen in other animals. Analysis of its morphology, mineral selection, and shell structure indicates Salterella and Volborthella are best placed within cnidarians, clarifying their evolutionary position and offering insights into the origins of animal skeletons and shells.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Award-winning Nigerian agronomist dreams of a cassava 'revolution'
Hydroponic and semi-autotrophic hydroponics (SAH) techniques for yam and cassava cultivation in Nigeria can increase yields from 5 to 30 tonnes per hectare and reduce disease vulnerability. These methods support food security, enable value-added processing, and have potential for broader adoption across Africa, despite challenges such as limited resources and ongoing conflicts.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Boron isotopes reveal how nuclear waste glass slowly dissolves over time
Boron isotope analysis reveals that the dissolution rate of nuclear waste glass depends on its composition and exposure time to water. Magnesium-containing glass forms a dense protective layer that slows boron release, while magnesium-free glass offers less protection. Isotopic tracing enables improved prediction and monitoring of long-term contaminant release from waste glass.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Brazil, other nations agree to quadruple sustainable fuels
Brazil, India, Italy and Japan vowed Tuesday to quadruple their production and consumption of renewable fuels, hoping other countries will join the pledge during UN climate talks in November.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Carbon opportunities highlighted in Australia's utilities sector
Australia's utility sector accounts for some 43.1% of the country's carbon footprint, and some 37.2% of its direct emissions, new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has revealed.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Criminal psychologists are profiling a different kind of killer—environmental offenders
After years of trying to understand the minds of people who hurt others, I have recently turned my attention as a criminal psychologist from violent crimes to the less well-known world of green crime.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Earthquake damage at deeper depths occurs long after initial activity, study finds
Earthquakes often bring to mind images of destruction, of the Earth breaking open and altering landscapes. But after an earthquake, the area around it undergoes a period of post-seismic deformation, where areas that didn't break experience new stress as a result of the sudden change in the surroundings. Once it has adjusted to this new stress, it reaches a state of recovery.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Federal Actions Make New York's Energy Future More Uncertain
Amid cuts to federal clean energy grants and pressure from activists to meet the state's climate targets, Governor Kathy Hochul faces tough choices and lofty expectations.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Harnessing technology and global collaboration to understand peatlands
Peatlands, though covering a small land area, store the most carbon-rich soils and are vital for water cycles, biodiversity, and climate regulation. Human activities have drained extensive peatland areas, reducing global carbon sequestration. Standardized, community-driven data collection using accessible technology, such as smartphone photography, enables large-scale, cost-effective monitoring and supports improved predictions and conservation efforts.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Here's How to Recycle Your Old PC, Laptop and Printer for Free in 2025
Face it, your old PC from 2008 is not going to make it to 2026. Here's how to give it a proper burial.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Hotter does mean wetter: As climate change intensifies, so will extreme rainfall in Japan
A 4°C rise in global temperature is projected to intensify extreme rainfall in Japan, with precipitation increasing by about 7% per degree Celsius of warming. However, extreme rainfall is most likely when atmospheric moisture is high, not on the hottest days, as very high temperatures can reduce humidity and weaken rainfall. Regional variations and higher-resolution data are important for future assessments.
October 15, 2025 — Source

How green infrastructure is revamping city storm sewers
Installing green infrastructure in residential areas can prevent stormwater from flooding sewer systems and significantly curb heavy metal pollution, suggests a new study.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Indonesia's Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano unleashes new burst of hot ash
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, erupted for a second straight day Wednesday, spewing towering columns of hot ash that later blanketed villages. No casualties were immediately reported.
October 15, 2025 — Source

It actually rains on the Sun. Here's the stunning reason
Scientists at the University of Hawaiʻi have discovered why it rains on the Sun. Solar rain, made of cooling plasma, forms rapidly during solar flares, a mystery now solved by modeling time-varying elements like iron. The finding upends long-held assumptions about the Sun's atmosphere and could improve predictions of space weather events. It's a breakthrough that forces a rewrite of how we understand the Sun's outer layers.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Methane from overlooked sources higher than predicted in Osaka, Japan
Methane emissions in Osaka are higher than official estimates, with significant contributions from city gas, industrial activities, restaurants, sewage, reservoirs, dairy farms, compost, and unique local sources such as water-filled ditches around burial mounds and fermented food production. These findings indicate that several urban methane sources have been underestimated.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Minnesota farmer digitized his old planning system and then turned it into a startup
A Minnesota farmer developed Farm Flow, a digital platform aimed at replacing traditional paper-based planning for small and mid-sized farms. The tool streamlines labor, inventory, and record-keeping, addressing challenges from rising costs and complex finances. Adoption of digital tools remains uneven, but Farm Flow seeks to bridge the gap with accessible, farmer-focused technology.
October 15, 2025 — Source

More milk, less methane in mixed pastures?
Pasture plant diversity does not significantly affect milk production or methane emissions in dairy cows, according to a meta-analysis of 16 studies. However, a higher proportion of legumes in pastures is associated with increased milk yield. No clear link was found between species-rich grasslands and reduced methane emissions, but diverse pastures offer broader ecosystem benefits.
October 15, 2025 — Source

New catalyst unlocks low-temperature hydrogen from methane with reduced carbon emissions
A Fe-doped nickel magnesium aluminate spinel catalyst, NiOMgAl2-xFexO4, enables efficient hydrogen production from methane at 650°C with over 91% methane conversion and high hydrogen purity. The catalyst resists carbon buildup, maintains stability over multiple cycles, and yields solid carbon byproduct, supporting cleaner, more sustainable hydrogen generation.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Rigorous approach quantifies and verifies almost all quantum states
A scalable protocol enables efficient quantification and verification of almost all quantum states using only single-qubit measurements, overcoming the limitations of previous methods that required complex circuits or exponentially many measurements. This approach can detect global entanglement and quantum correlations, providing a practical tool for benchmarking and validating quantum information systems.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Rising seas and sinking cities signal a coastal crisis in China
Global sea levels have risen at an average rate of 1.5 mm yr^-1 since 1900, the fastest in at least 4,000 years. Coastal cities in China face heightened risk due to both rapid sea level rise and land subsidence, especially in delta regions where human activities like groundwater extraction accelerate sinking. Vulnerability maps can guide mitigation and adaptation efforts.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Securing biodiversity requires better forest management, say researchers
Intensive forest management, including harvesting, occurs in Finnish forests with high biodiversity value, not just in less valuable areas. Only about one-third of the top 10% highest biodiversity forests are protected. Without changes, all unprotected high-value forests risk being affected within decades, highlighting the need to better integrate biodiversity conservation into forest management.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Smartphone-powered AI predicts avocado ripeness
A smartphone-based AI system predicts avocado ripeness and internal quality using iPhone images, achieving 92% accuracy for firmness and over 84% for internal quality. The technology, leveraging deep learning, could help reduce food waste by guiding consumers and retailers on optimal use and sale timing, with potential applications for other foods.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Studying tsunamis with GPS satellites
GPS satellites can detect tsunamis by monitoring disturbances in the ionosphere caused by ocean surface motion during such events. The GUARDIAN system identified ionospheric ripples from the Kamchatka earthquake within 20 minutes, enabling a 40-minute warning before the tsunami reached populated areas. Satellite data, including from SWOT, confirmed and improved tsunami modeling.
October 15, 2025 — Source

The government wants more of us living in high rises. Here's why Australians don't want to
High-rise living in Australia remains uncommon, with only about 4% of the population residing in such dwellings. Key barriers include limited availability of affordable, family-sized apartments, concerns over build quality, and higher rates of housing cost stress compared to separate houses. Current high-rise residents are typically younger, more mobile, and more likely to rent.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Trump's anti-sustainability agenda comes to Eurozone
ESG kicked like a 'toxic political football' amid greenwashing
October 15, 2025 — Source

Typhoon leaves flooded Alaska villages facing a storm recovery far tougher than most Americans will ever experience
Remnants of Typhoon Halong caused severe flooding in Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, displacing hundreds and damaging homes, with at least one fatality. The storm's unusual track and intensity were difficult to forecast, possibly affected by reduced weather balloon data. Recovery is hampered by remoteness, limited resources, and approaching winter. Warm Pacific waters likely intensified the storm.
October 15, 2025 — Source

We turned off moths' sex signals—this could be the key to greener pest control
Deleting a single desaturase gene in female oriental fruit moths prevents pheromone production, disrupting their ability to attract mates. This genetic approach identifies the key gene for pheromone synthesis, enabling sustainable pest control by facilitating bioengineered pheromone production, potentially reducing reliance on chemical pesticides and minimizing environmental impact.
October 15, 2025 — Source

Young farmers face steep odds in a changing climate
High land costs, student debt, and climate shocks make it hard for the next generation of farmers to get started and stay on the land.
October 15, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 13th, 2025

Algae and water fleas in lakes: Light color influences food webs
The color of underwater light, not just its intensity, significantly affects phytoplankton growth and nutrient cycling in lakes. Different light spectra alter phytoplankton fatty acid composition, which impacts the nutritional quality for consumers like water fleas. These findings indicate that changes in light spectrum can influence lake food webs more than previously recognized.
October 13, 2025 — Source

An expensive gas bill inspired him to help others
AJ Patton's new all-electric housing project in Chicago is designed to keep utility costs low.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Chemobiological platform enables renewable conversion of sugars into core aromatic hydrocarbons of petroleum
With growing concerns over fossil fuel depletion and the environmental impacts of petrochemical production, scientists are actively exploring renewable strategies to produce essential industrial chemicals.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Decades-old photosynthesis mystery finally solved
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Caltech have finally solved a decades-old mystery about how photosynthesis really begins. They discovered why energy inside plants flows down only one of two possible routes — a design that lets nature move sunlight with astonishing precision. Using advanced computer simulations, the researchers showed that one branch has a much higher energy barrier, blocking electrons from moving freely.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Earth's climate just crossed a line we can't ignore
Humanity has reached the first Earth system tipping point, the widespread death of warm-water coral reefs, marking the beginning of irreversible planetary shifts. As global temperatures move beyond 1.5°C, the world risks cascading crises such as ice sheet melt, Amazon rainforest dieback, and ocean current collapse. Scientists from the University of Exeter warn that these interconnected tipping points could transform the planet unless urgent, systemic action triggers "positive tipping points," like rapid renewable energy adoption.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Green solvents could unlock plant protein from rapeseed waste
Environmentally friendly natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) can extract up to 53% of protein from rapeseed press cake, compared to 15% with water extraction. While NADES increase yield, they reduce protein purity due to co-extraction of other plant compounds. This method offers a sustainable approach to utilizing agricultural waste for plant protein production.
October 13, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Lab tests explore effects of nitrogen fertilizer run-off on marine sponges
Marine sponges generally exhibit high tolerance to short-term increases in nitrogen concentrations, with survival rates above 95%, though some species, such as Cliona celata, display stress responses at elevated levels. Variability in tolerance exists among species, and indirect effects from nitrogen-driven plankton blooms may still threaten sponge communities.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Mechanical method uses collisions to break down plastic for sustainable recycling
A mechanochemical method uses mechanical collisions to break down PET plastic into its basic monomers at room temperature, avoiding heat and harsh chemicals. This process relies on energy from impacts to trigger chemical reactions, enabling efficient, cleaner recycling. Mapping energy distribution reveals optimal conditions for plastic decomposition, supporting the development of sustainable recycling systems.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Moderate warming may not doom humid subtropical forests' carbon storage
Humid subtropical forests may continue to accumulate soil carbon under moderate warming of up to 2.1°C, rather than becoming carbon sources. Initial soil carbon loss is followed by recovery and accumulation, driven by sustained plant inputs and microbial adaptation. These findings suggest afforestation in cool, humid subtropical regions could enhance carbon sequestration under modest warming.
October 13, 2025 — Source

MXene current collectors could reduce size and improve recyclability of Li-ion batteries
MXene films used as current collectors in Li-ion batteries are three to four times thinner and about ten times lighter than conventional copper foils, enabling reduced battery size and weight while increasing capacity. MXene collectors maintain electrochemical stability, compatibility with various electrodes, and can be efficiently recycled without performance loss, supporting improved sustainability.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Natural World Heritage sites under growing threat, but bright spots remain
Natural World Heritage sites face increasing threats from climate change, invasive species, and insufficient funding, with the proportion rated as having a positive conservation outlook dropping to 57%. Climate change poses high or very high risks to 43% of sites, and invasive species and human activities further endanger many areas. Local conservation actions have improved some sites, but broader support and integration of local knowledge are needed.
October 13, 2025 — Source

New Report Finds One of Earth's Most Precious Ecosystems Has Already Crossed a Scary Climate Tipping Point
The 2025 Global Tipping Points Report finds that the world's warm-water coral reefs have become the first Earth system to cross its thermal tipping point, putting them at dire risk.
October 13, 2025 — Source

On Louisiana's Gulf Coast, residents fume as insurers hike rates and invest in fossil fuel projects
Locals face a perfect storm — they can't afford insurance and climate change threatens their livelihood.
October 13, 2025 — Source

PJM Pursues Rule Change to Meet Data Center Surge. Critics Fear Gas Suppliers Could Benefit.
PJM is racing to craft new rules to meet surging data center demand through a fast-track process, one that could reshape the grid if federal regulators sign off.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Rural women farmers in South Africa: How global promises aren't translating into support on the ground
Rural women farmers in South Africa face persistent barriers including insecure land tenure, limited access to finance, and exclusion from decision-making roles. Gender-neutral agricultural programs often fail to address these issues, resulting in women benefiting less than men. Bridging the gap between policy and practice requires targeted support, gender-disaggregated data, and increased women's leadership.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Scientists' electrochemical process enables biodiesel producers to transform waste into planet-friendly profit
An electrochemical process developed by scientists at a Loughborough University spin-out company enables biodiesel producers to turn waste into profit—while slashing emissions and energy use.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Strictly protected Mediterranean forests stay cooler, study finds
Strictly protected Mediterranean forests maintain summer canopy temperatures up to 2 °C lower than managed woodlands, primarily due to taller, denser canopies and higher moisture content. These structural features enhance local cooling, reduce heat and drought stress, and support biodiversity, highlighting the value of passive restoration and strict protection for climate adaptation in the region.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Study reveals crowberry expansion and bilberry decline in Arctic tundra
Researchers at the University of Oulu, Finland, have observed significant vegetation changes in the treeless heath and tundra regions of northern Finland and Norway over recent decades, marked by the expansion of crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and the decline of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus).
October 13, 2025 — Source

Study reveals global patterns and drivers of soil microbial succession
Analysis of over 5,000 global soil samples shows that soil microbial communities consistently converge during succession, regardless of disturbance type or initial conditions. This convergence is driven by directional species replacement linked to changing soil properties. Early succession is marked by species addition, while later stages are dominated by species replacement, confirming universal patterns of community convergence.
October 13, 2025 — Source

The disasters we talk about shape our priorities and determine our preparedness
Disaster risk reduction has evolved from viewing disasters as divine punishment to recognizing their roots in human actions and societal structures. Media and political focus on rapid-onset events often overshadows slow-onset crises like drought and climate change, despite their significant long-term impacts. Addressing disaster risk requires holistic strategies, human accountability, and investment in prevention and equity.
October 13, 2025 — Source

The US-Mexico Border Wall May Pose Perils to Pollinators
Environmentalists worry about pollinating species in the pivotal desert borderland as more tall barriers are planned by the U.S. government to curb migration and trafficking.
October 13, 2025 — Source

The XR Week Peek (2025.10.13): Valve is ramping up the production of Steam Frame, Apple is prioritizing smartglasses, and more!
It's been a nice week for me. I've also been honored by seeing the publication of the episode of the AI/XR Podcast where I have been a guest of three legends like Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, and Rony Abovitz. I was pretty excited, and I hope I managed to say something smart.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Tropical Storm Lorenzo forms in the central tropical Atlantic
Lorenzo's formation brings the Atlantic hurricane season to near-average in three out of four categories.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Why some people turn off the lights and others don't
Saving energy isn't just about keeping bills down. A new analysis of 100 existing studies across 42 countries shows that people with positive attitudes to the environment, or who want what they do at home to make a difference to society, are more likely to save energy.
October 13, 2025 — Source

Wild honeybees now officially listed as endangered in the EU
Wild populations of Apis mellifera in the EU are now officially classified as endangered due to declining numbers, habitat loss, disease, invasive parasites, and hybridization. Unlike managed colonies, wild honeybees live independently and form a crucial genetic reservoir for resilience. Their new status highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts.
October 13, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 10th, 2025

A Bitcoin Mine Came to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and Dafter Township Isn't Happy
The mine's computers emitted a loud, persistent hum that has, for the time being, been silenced by litigation.
October 10, 2025 — Source

A conservative voice calls for climate unity
Benji Backer, founder of the Nature Is Nonpartisan coalition, says protecting the planet should transcend politics.
October 10, 2025 — Source

AI Is the 'Biggest Driver' of Electricity Use in North America, a New Energy Report Shows
By 2040, AI data centers alone will account for 12% of North American electricity consumption, according to a report on the global energy transition.
October 10, 2025 — Source

AI shortens time taken to measure the sustainability impact of a product
Researchers have developed a streamlined life cycle assessment method that makes environmental evaluation faster, cheaper, and more accessible to product designers without compromising reliability.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Analysis suggests attitudes, not income, drive energy savings at home
Analysis suggests attitudes and social perceptions, not income, primarily drive household energy-saving behaviors, according to a study published in Cell Reports Sustainability.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Autonomous robot glider to circle the globe in historic ocean mission
Redwing, an advanced autonomous underwater glider, is set to become the first robot to circumnavigate the globe, collecting real-time ocean data on salinity, temperature, and depth over a five-year mission. Its energy-efficient design enables extended operation, supporting improved climate modeling, weather prediction, and marine life tracking, while also serving as an educational platform for students worldwide.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Batteries that recycle themselves
Controlled thermal runaway lets lithium-ion batteries recycle themselves using stored energy, cutting external heat, chemicals, and emissions while improving recovery efficiency and economic viability.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Biochar helps composting go greener by cutting greenhouse gas emissions
A global study has found that adding biochar to organic waste composting can significantly reduce emissions of potent greenhouse gases, offering a promising pathway for sustainable waste recycling and climate change mitigation.
October 10, 2025 — Source or Source

Boring Company cited for almost 800 environmental violations in Las Vegas
Violations include digging without permits and dumping wastewater into storm drains.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Chemical pollutants affect wildlife and human behavior—but toxicologists are reluctant to carry out tests
Chemical pollutants can negatively impact both wildlife and human behavior, yet behavioral effects are rarely assessed in standard toxicity tests. Industry toxicologists are hesitant to use behavioral studies due to concerns about repeatability, increased costs, and potential findings. Many chemicals, including those in plastics, lack sufficient toxicity data, highlighting a need to incorporate behavioral assessments into risk evaluations.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Climate goals go up in smoke as US datacenters turn to coal
High gas prices and surging AI demand send operators back to the dirtiest fuel in the stack
October 10, 2025 — Source

Investors are betting $21 billion that the energy transition isn't going away
Despite political headwinds, investors are betting $21 billion on the energy transition, with new funds from Brookfield and Energy Impact Partners demonstrating durable growth expectations.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Karen becomes the Atlantic's northernmost named storm on record
Karen popped up at the same latitude as Minneapolis, while Jerry douses the Northern Leeward Islands, Priscilla threatens to drench the U.S. Southwest, and an unnamed storm will be slamming the Mid-Atlantic coast.
October 10, 2025 — Source

"Like putting on glasses for the first time"—how AI improves earthquake detection
AI is "comically good" at detecting small earthquakes—here's why that matters.
October 10, 2025 — Source

New Study Suggests Solar Panels Could Last Even Longer Than We Thought
If you're weighing up whether or not it's worth getting solar panels fitted to your house, one of the key considerations is how long you can expect those panels to last. A new study reports that, with the right conditions, solar panels can continue to operate efficiently for significantly longer than most tests initially expected. However, there is a catch.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Pacific circulation key to lower CO² during ice ages, simulations show
Simulations show vigorous Pacific circulation during ice ages reduced Southern Ocean carbon outgassing by 50%, potentially lowering atmospheric CO² levels.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Researchers uncover hidden plant-microbe strategy that boosts crop growth under nutrient stress
Soil microbes competing in the rhizosphere release glutathione, which enhances plant growth under sulfur-deficient conditions but reduces microbial growth, representing a trans-kingdom fitness trade-off. This mechanism offers a natural strategy for improving crop resilience and reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers, supporting more sustainable agriculture and soil health.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Review: Harnessing Green-Synthesized Nanoparticles for Water Purification
A new review reveals how plant- and microbe-derived nanoparticles can power next-gen water disinfection, delivering cleaner, safer water without the environmental cost of traditional treatments.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Senegal records 17 deaths in rare major outbreak of Rift Valley Fever
RVF is a viral disease that mainly affects livestock. Humans typically become infected through mosquito bites or contact with infected animals.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Texas Grid Operators and Regulators Iron Out New Rules for Data Centers
New state legislation seeks to address grid challenges from hosting large energy users like data centers while remaining an attractive place to do business.
October 10, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

The Trump Administration Is Cutting Billions in Clean Energy Investments—But the Savings Are Overstated
As prices for wind and solar drop, favoring fossil fuels means the U.S. is "putting all of our money on a horse that's already lost," as one clean energy advocate put it.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Thousands fall ill as mosquito fever explodes across southern China
China's Guangdong Province is battling its worst-ever chikungunya outbreak, with thousands of infections spreading across major cities and nearby regions. Transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, the disease underscores how climate change, urbanization, and global travel are fueling mosquito-borne threats.
October 10, 2025 — Source

When a hurricane hits, she shows up for those left behind
Trans advocate Jasmine McKenzie is building a lifeline for Black and trans Floridians who often can't safely access disaster services from FEMA or religious organizations.
October 10, 2025 — Source

Wild lupine flower genetics could be key to conservation of species
Researchers at Penn State studying declining populations of sundial lupines in the eastern part of the United States are closer to determining how the plant's genetics could be used to inform reseeding strategies to help with conservation efforts of the blue flowering plant.
October 10, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 8th, 2025

Arizona Rural Grassroots Organizers Take on Industrial Developers, Aided by Urban Allies
When residents of Benson, Arizona, began organizing against an aluminum recycling plant, a Tucson group offered to help.
October 8, 2025 — Source

As ocean temperatures warm, fish in Western Australia are heading south
Colorful tropical fish are heading south along the WA coast, including around Rottnest. This sounds spectacular, but it's not.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Brits sitting on £1.6B gold mine of Windows 10 junk as support ends
Recyclers reckon millions of obsolete PCs could yield a small fortune in precious metals
October 8, 2025 — Source

Canal Istanbul stirs fear and uncertainty in nearby villages
In Sazlibosna village, along the planned route of the vast Canal Istanbul project, 68-year-old Yasar Demirkaya fidgets with worn prayer beads as he sips tea at a cafe, uncertain about the future.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Climate-smart housing design helps cities beat the heat
Painting walls in light colors, insulating roofs, choosing medium-sized windows, and aligning buildings to the sun's path may seem like simple choices. But they could provide powerful defenses against climate change for millions of people in the world's most vulnerable regions.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Deadwood brings wild orchids to life: Study uncovers important carbon flux in the ecosystem
Orchid seeds are as small as dust and do not provide any nutrients for the young plant to grow. The adult plants are known to rely on a certain type of fungi that develop structures within the plant's roots, but whether these same fungi also help with germination has not been established.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Deforestation can cause eight-fold increase in flood event risk
Extensive deforestation in catchment areas can increase the risk of large-scale flooding by up to 700%, shifting flood event probability from 1 in 64 years to 1 in 8 years. This heightened risk is primarily due to the loss of forest canopy and leaf litter, which normally absorb and disperse rainfall, rather than changes in soil properties after fires.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Energy flexibility is reshaping Finland's electricity market
Energy flexibility, enabled by digitalization and smart devices, is allowing Finnish consumers to influence the electricity market by adjusting their energy use in response to price signals. Financial incentives, rather than sustainability concerns, are the primary motivators for adopting flexible habits. This shift supports market efficiency, cost savings, and the integration of new business models.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Energy storage and new materials eyed for chemistry Nobel
The development of new compounds and novel ways of storing energy are some of the research fields commentators say could be contenders for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry announced Wednesday.
October 8, 2025 — Source

EPA reverses stance on coke oven rules that U.S. Steel called unachievable
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is allowing implementation of a 2024 hazardous air pollution rule that imposed new emission control and monitoring requirements on facilities like the U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works, a few months after seeking to delay and rework it.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Every third school in Vilnius lies in a high air pollution zone, Lithuanian study reveals
A study carried out by researchers at the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) revealed that 37% of primary and secondary schools in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, are exposed to harmful air pollutants due to their proximity to major high-traffic roads.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Floating electrons on a sea of helium
Yes, it's another potential qubit. But it's also some very cool physics.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Four things to know about climate change and human migration
Climate change alters migration patterns by increasing both forced movement and involuntary immobility, particularly affecting middle-income groups who are most likely to migrate. The poorest often lack resources to move, while the wealthiest can adapt in place. Migration from middle- and lower-income countries generally leads to areas with lower climate risk, but restrictive border policies heighten vulnerability. International cooperation is essential to reduce climate-related risks and address gaps in governance.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Ganiga will showcase its waste-sorting robots at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Italian startup Ganiga Innovation is showcasing its AI-enabled robotic waste bins, Hoooly, at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, aiming to improve recycling rates. They've already sold over 120 robots and raised €1.5 million.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Global atlas of thermal tolerance provides heat check for freshwater organisms
Climate change not only causes temperatures on land and in the sea to rise, but also leads to warming rivers, lakes, and streams—with serious consequences for the animals living within them. A research team at the University of Duisburg-Essen has published the largest openly accessible collection of data on the thermal tolerance of freshwater organisms to date. This data helps water management and government authorities to enact preventive measures to protect animals living in and around water.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Half the UK's fish stocks are overfished—but the evidence shows how they can be revived
Most of the UK's commercial fish stocks are not in a healthy state, according to a new landmark report.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Illegal cannabis cultivation leaves lasting chemical footprint on California's public lands
A study found illegal cannabis cultivation leaves lasting chemical contaminants—pesticides, THC, plastics—on California's public lands, impacting ecosystems and water quality.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Los Alamos and University of Michigan Want to Build a National Security 'Data Center' in Ypsilanti. Residents and Local Officials See Few Benefits.
Local officials allege the University of Michigan is being "deceptive" over its plans for the $1.2 billion "computation center," which could bring few benefits and many costs to Ypsilanti Township.
October 8, 2025 — Source

New Zealand's seas warming faster than global average: Report
The seas around New Zealand are warming much faster than global averages, scientists said Wednesday in a new study warning how climate change could batter the island nation.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Once dominant, US agricultural exports falter amid trade disputes and rising competition
The U.S. has traditionally been an agricultural powerhouse with a healthy trade surplus. But global dynamics are changing due to a confluence of political and economic factors. U.S. agricultural imports now exceed exports, and the trade deficit is projected to worsen in the coming years.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Protected areas in the Hauraki Gulf nearly triple under a new law—but it comes with a catch
A new law that almost triples the protected area in the Hauraki Gulf Tīkapa Moana—New Zealand's largest marine park at more than 1.2 million hectares, surrounding Auckland and the Coromandel peninsula—is something to be celebrated.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Record Amazon fires release more carbon than an entire country
The Amazon has suffered its most destructive fire season in more than two decades, releasing a staggering 791 million tons of carbon dioxide—on par with Germany's annual emissions. Scientists found that for the first time, fire-driven degradation, not deforestation, was the main source of carbon emissions, signaling a dangerous shift in the rainforest's decline. Using advanced satellite systems and rigorous simulations, researchers uncovered vast damage across Brazil and Bolivia, exposing the fragility of the Amazon's ecosystems.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Satellite program aims to track every wildfire on Earth
A nonprofit coalition is building a fleet of satellites to help firefighters and communities respond when disaster strikes.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Satellites record 20-meter high wave, showing the power of ocean swell
During recent storms, satellites recorded ocean waves averaging nearly 20 meters high—as tall as the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the largest ever measured from space. Moreover, satellite data now reveal that ocean swells act as storm "messengers": even though a storm may never make landfall, its swell can travel vast distances and bring destructive energy to distant coastlines.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Scientists discover orchids sprouting from decaying wood
Kobe University researchers found that orchids rely on wood-decaying fungi to germinate, feeding on the carbon from rotting logs. Their seedlings only grow near deadwood, forming precise fungal partnerships that mirror those seen in adult orchids with coral-like roots. This discovery highlights a hidden carbon pathway in forest ecosystems and explains the evolution of fully fungus-dependent orchid species.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Sinking balls of krill food could be good news for the planet
Antarctic krill, tiny shrimp-like creatures, are an important species in the Southern Ocean ecosystem and global carbon cycle, in part because of their poop. Their dense and rich fecal pellets sink rapidly, transporting carbon from surface waters to the deep ocean.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Slime mold metabolites are a promising, eco-friendly repellent of root-knot nematodes
Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are worm-like parasites of the genus Meloidogyne that are found in many parts of the world. They attack the roots of plants, causing them to wilt and eventually die. It is estimated that crops worth nearly USD 173 billion are lost every year due to RKN infestations. While chemical pesticides are effective in controlling RKNs, they also kill other microorganisms that are beneficial to plants, thereby reducing soil fertility.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Sticky ammonia is tricky to measure: Innovative field method reveals scale of problem
Many studies have looked at emissions of potent greenhouse gases from treatment plants; however, little attention has been paid to ammonia (NH₃).
October 8, 2025 — Source

The Lost Decade: Why Australia is playing climate catch-up
For ten long years, Australia earned an unenviable reputation as one of the world's climate change "laggards." From 2013 to 2022 its governments weakened environmental rules, cut renewable energy funding and fought against international climate agreements—climate scientists and activists dubbed it the nation's "Lost Decade."
October 8, 2025 — Source

The Red Sea that vanished and the catastrophic flood that brought it back
KAUST researchers find the Red Sea experienced a massive disruption 6.2 million years ago completely changing its marine life
October 8, 2025 — Source

We tested if a specialized magnetic powder could remove microplastics from drinking water: The answer is yes
Specialized magnetic nanocomposite powders efficiently remove microplastics from water, achieving up to 96% removal for small polyethylene and 92--94% for polystyrene in both purified and real-world water samples. The powders are reusable, cost-effective, and show minimal toxicity, offering a practical and scalable solution for microplastic pollution in household and municipal water systems.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Wild mushroom harvesters in Mid-Atlantic region collect fungi, build community
Foragers have been harvesting wild mushrooms in what is now Pennsylvania and the rest of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region for centuries, but the extent and specifics of the practice in the region had not been formally studied.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Wildlife flee as floods swamp Indian parks
Severe flooding in West Bengal submerged Gorumara and Jaldapara national parks, forcing elephants, tigers, leopards, and other wildlife to flee. Some animals escaped, while others perished, with carcasses of leopards, a rhino, bison, and deer found. Rescue efforts saved a few stranded animals. The region's one-horned rhino population has increased to over 4,000 due to conservation.
October 8, 2025 — Source

Zombie Fires and Historic Hurricanes: The 8 Wildest Weather Events of Summer 2025
A surge in zombie fires. Back-to-back black rainstorms. This summer's weather was something else.
October 8, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — October 3rd, 2025

Accelerated Gulf of Maine warming may pose a serious threat to American lobsters
The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world's oceans, raising concerns for its $2 billion-a-year American lobster fishery. Scientists at William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS have been studying the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on lobster reproduction, and the results of their most recent research suggest the rising temperatures pose the greatest risk.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Antarctica sees similar climate change effects as Greenland: Study
The planet's warming climate is having effects in Antarctica that increasingly resemble those observed in the Arctic, meaning global sea levels could rise faster than previously predicted, Danish researchers warned on Friday.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Boston's Food Forests Take Root as a Climate Equity Strategy
Boston is expanding food forests—edible parks created by the Boston Food Forest Coalition—as part of its climate action plan to address inequities and reduce carbon emissions.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Apple Watch and Mac mini are no longer labeled 'Carbon Neutral'
Apple's latest hardware refresh came with a subtle change you might not have noticed. The company no longer calls its Apple Watch or Mac mini carbon neutral, a term it once highlighted as proof of its environmental leadership. The shift is not about the products themselves. It is about how Apple is now required to talk about them.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Cascadia megathrust earthquake could trigger San Andreas fault
Geological evidence from sediment cores indicates that major earthquakes on the Cascadia megathrust and the San Andreas fault have frequently occurred in close succession over the past 3,000 years. Turbidite deposits suggest that a magnitude 9+ Cascadia event could rapidly trigger a significant San Andreas earthquake, posing a compounded seismic hazard along the US Pacific coast.
October 3, 2025 — Source

China trials 'energy-saving' underwater data centers
China is deploying underwater data centers near Shanghai to reduce energy use, utilizing ocean currents for cooling and sourcing over 95% of power from renewables. These facilities may cut cooling energy consumption by up to 90%. Key challenges include construction complexity, corrosion prevention, internet connectivity, and uncertain ecological impacts, particularly thermal effects on marine ecosystems.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Climate shifts alter nectar supply and quality in New Zealand native plants
Nectar traits in New Zealand's native plants vary significantly across climate zones, with no uniform response among species. Some species showed increased nectar sugar with higher rainfall, while others showed the opposite. Generally, sunnier sites produced larger flowers with less nectar, and drier areas yielded nectar with higher sugar concentrations. These findings aid both honey production and conservation planning.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Counting plastic reveals hidden waste and sparks action
Online supermarket shopping is fueling Britain's plastic waste crisis because packaging is less visible to consumers, according to new research from the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Energy harvesters surpass Carnot efficiency using non-thermal electron states
Harnessing quantum states that avoid thermalization enables energy harvesters to surpass traditional thermodynamic limits such as Carnot efficiency, report researchers from Japan. The team developed a new approach using a non-thermal Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid to convert waste heat into electricity with higher efficiency than conventional approaches. These findings pave the way for more sustainable low-power electronics and quantum computing.
October 3, 2025 — Source

How Canada can support rural regions in its net-zero transition
As Canada advances toward its 2050 net-zero emissions target, it's facing a fundamental challenge: ensuring all parts of the country can participate in and benefit from the transition to a clean economy.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Illinois Utility Pilots Vehicle-to-Grid Program With Electric School Buses
ComEd is piloting a vehicle-to-grid program with three northern Illinois school districts, testing electric school buses' ability to supply energy back to the grid for potential cost savings.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Illinois utility tries using electric school buses for bidirectional charging
ComEd is piloting bidirectional charging with electric school buses in three Illinois districts. The program aims to reduce grid strain, lower energy costs, and potentially compensate participating schools.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Japan's hot springs hold clues to the origins of life on Earth
These findings show how life adapted before photosynthesis reshaped the planet and may also guide the search for life on alien worlds.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Lawmakers Scrutinize Secretive Process Behind Energy Bill Hikes
Lawmakers scrutinized New York's secretive energy bill negotiations at a state Senate hearing, with advocates criticizing the process's power imbalance favoring utilities. Reforms are being considered.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Leaked doc reveals the chaotic politics behind Trump Energy Department cuts
A recently leaked document reveals a more complex picture behind the Trump administration's decision to cancel nearly $8 billion in Department of Energy awards, initially presented as a move to protect fossil fuels. TechCrunch's analysis of the 321 contracts targeted for cancellation shows the projects weren't solely focused on renewable energy; some aimed to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas wells, and others involved carbon capture and removal technologies.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Millions of buildings at risk from sea level rise, analysis finds
Analysis indicates that over 100 million buildings in the Global South could face regular flooding from sea level rise if fossil fuel emissions persist. Even with a 0.5 m rise, about three million buildings are at risk. Densely populated, low-lying areas and critical infrastructure are especially vulnerable, highlighting the need for urgent adaptation and mitigation strategies.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Natural barriers in northern Sweden's rivers challenge downstream assumptions
Research from Umeå University shows that natural barriers in northern Sweden's rivers, shaped by the last ice age, disrupt downstream assumptions about species and sediment transport.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Proposal to Undo Roadless Rule Would Open Some of Southern California's Last Wild Forests to Development
The Trump administration plans to repeal the Roadless Rule, a 25-year-old regulation protecting 60 million acres of national forests, citing timber industry and wildfire concerns. Opponents fear increased development and wildfire risk.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Pyrolysis Breakthrough: From Saline Containers to Sustainable Fuel
Researchers developed a method using pyrolysis and nanotechnology to convert medical saline containers into clean-burning, sustainable fuel, addressing plastic waste and energy needs.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Researchers boost efficiency of ultrathin solar cells
Ultrathin solar cells save material and bend on surfaces but lose light. A gold nanostructured mirror with oxide boosts reflection and reduces energy loss.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Scientists create natural plastics for everyday packaging
Food waste sugars have been converted into polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers, forming compostable plastic films with properties similar to conventional plastics. By blending PHAs from different bacteria, film characteristics such as crystallinity and melting point can be tuned, enabling applications in packaging and medical films while addressing single-use plastic waste.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Supercomputer modeling unlocks longstanding mystery of subducted oceanic slabs
An international research collaboration has harnessed supercomputing power to better understand how massive slabs of ancient ocean floors are shaped as they sink hundreds of kilometers below Earth's surface.
October 3, 2025 — Source

The flaws of carbon credits designed to protect forests -- and how to fix them
Forest carbon credits, designed to fund forest conservation, are gaining popularity as a climate solution. However, experts find current protocols often underestimate risks and lack rigor, hindering their effectiveness and trustworthiness.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Three-layer membrane design extracts lithium from brines with greater speed, less waste
A team of researchers at Rice University has developed a new membrane that selectively filters out lithium from brines, offering a faster, cleaner way to produce the element at the heart of nearly every rechargeable battery.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Too hot to harvest: Rising heat threatens farm labor and food security
Imagine a farm in 2050. It's summer and solar radiation and humidity are peaking. Fruit picking machines hum and cooling mist sprays overhead. In the haze, a robot stands among the rows of fruit. It scans two strawberries—one red and ripe, the other still green.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Unique videos show how trawling restrictions bring back life to the sea
Trawling restrictions not only benefit fish and shellfish; anemones and corals are also becoming more common, according to a new study from the University of Gothenburg. Twenty-six years of underwater videos from the depths of the Koster Sea also show long-term changes in the ecosystem as the water becomes warmer.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Why climate change adaptation is a key piece of our climate risk puzzle
Climate change adaptation, alongside mitigation, is essential for managing Australia's climate risks, as highlighted by the National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan. Adaptation measures—such as urban greening, shoreline protection, and disaster planning—can reduce exposure and vulnerability to hazards, helping limit negative impacts even as some climate changes remain unavoidable.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Why coral reefs damaged by blast fishing struggle to recover—even after decades
Research shows coral reefs damaged by blast fishing struggle to recover for decades due to unstable rubble, hindering natural regrowth and restoration efforts.
October 3, 2025 — Source

Would cockroaches really survive a nuclear apocalypse?
Cockroaches are more resistant to radiation than humans, tolerating doses six to 15 times higher, but they are not the most radiation-resistant insects and would not survive extreme nuclear fallout. While some individuals might persist briefly, long-term survival is unlikely due to radiation effects, ecosystem collapse, and eventual food scarcity.
October 3, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 29th, 2025

5 Of The Best Solar Panel Kits For Your Home Or RV, According To Users
In the era of rising electricity costs, solar panels are a one-time investment that will greatly reduce the weight of high monthly bills. The panels, depending on their maximum power limit, can generate enough electricity to recharge your batteries and electrical devices, given that the placement is adjusted at the correct angle to absorb maximum sunlight for higher energy output. All you need for solar panels to work is a bright and shining sun outdoors.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Bacteria attached to charcoal could help keep an infamous 'forever chemical' out of waterways
Attaching PCB-degrading bacteria, specifically Paraburkholderia xenovorans LB400, to biochar made from corn kernels enhances bacterial survival and PCB breakdown in contaminated sediments. Biochar adsorbs PCBs, bringing them into contact with the bacteria, while a protective sol-gel coating further improves bacterial stability. This approach may offer a cost-effective, in situ method for reducing PCB pollution.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Citing 'AI Arms Race,' Trump Administration Announces Efforts to Rekindle US Coal Industry
The administration is opening millions of additional acres of public land to mining while slashing royalty rates and environmental regulations for coal. Environmentalists warn of skyrocketing costs and threats to land, water and air.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Citizen scientists reveal global hotspots of plastic pollution
Global coastal microplastic pollution shows sharp regional differences in type and concentration, with nurdles most common overall and highest in the Netherlands, while secondary plastics dominate in Kenya and Honduras. Citizen science enables large-scale data collection, though sustained volunteer engagement remains challenging. Combining citizen and traditional science may best inform policy and monitoring.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Climate Activists Thwarted in U.S. Courts Are Headed to an International Tribunal for Review
Plaintiffs who sued the U.S. government in 2015 for promoting fossil fuel policies and failing to protect them from climate change have petitioned the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for an investigation and remedies.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Decades in the making: Seeing the full impact from air pollution reductions
Long-term reductions in SO₁ emissions, mainly from power plants, have led to significant decreases in sulfate aerosols (a major PM_2.5 component) in the U.S. Seasonal differences in sulfate levels, once pronounced due to atmospheric chemistry, have narrowed as emissions declined. Projections indicate continued decreases in both winter and summer sulfate through 2050.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Disasters caused over $131 billion in losses in the first half of 2025
The costs of such disasters have been rising in the U.S. for a few different reasons.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Do We Really Need a Category 6 for Hurricanes?
As climate change leads to more destructive hurricanes, some experts have proposed adding a "Category 6" to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, but not everyone thinks it's a good idea.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Double Storm Threat Expected to Unleash Dangerous Surf Along U.S. East Coast
The National Hurricane Center is watching these two storms closely as they encroach on the U.S.
September 29, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

How sea star wasting disease transformed the West Coast's ecology and economy
Sea star wasting disease and marine heat waves devastated West Coast kelp forests, causing urchin populations to explode. Innovative aquaculture is now utilizing these urchins as a culinary resource.
September 29, 2025 — Source

How water fuels conflict in Pakistan
Water scarcity and inequitable distribution in Pakistan drive conflicts at household, city, and provincial levels, exacerbated by supply-focused mega projects and neglect of equitable access. Over 95% of water is used for agriculture, while urban poor face acute shortages and inflated prices. Inter-provincial disputes, especially between Punjab and Sindh, persist, and climate change further strains rigid, infrastructure-based management.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Index unlocks a market for nature recovery work: New method values mangrove and salt marsh recovery
A multi-diversity index (MDI) has been developed to quantify biodiversity gains from coastal wetland restoration, enabling projects involving mangroves and salt marshes to earn tradable biodiversity certificates. The MDI integrates multiple biodiversity indicators into a single score, supporting standardized assessment and potentially increasing the market value of restoration efforts.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Indigenous Land Defender Killed in Ecuador as Government Cracks Down on Environmental and Human Rights Activists
Efraín Fueres was gunned down Sunday while marching in protest against high costs of living and government crackdowns that include freezing the bank accounts of activists and suspending a media organization.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Meet the key players in the Pacific Northwest's fusion energy hub
The future hasn't yet arrived as local physicists and engineers are still laboring to recreate the atom-smashing reactions that power the sun. If any companies succeed in doing this in a cost-effective manner, it would unlock an abundant source of safe, clean energy — the so-called "Holy Grail" of renewable power.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Q&A: Arizona's AG Takes on Utilities, Big Water Users and the Trump Administration
Kris Mayes has long been one of the state's biggest climate champions. As attorney general, she's taking on the Trump administration and the state's biggest utility as it pushes a 14 percent rate hike.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Scientists return from Tonga with clues to uncover what led to the 'eruption of the century'
Extensive mapping and sampling around Tonga's Hunga Volcano reveal that the 2022 eruption deposited thick volcanic ash and mud over 80 km from the site, destabilizing the seafloor and volcanic slopes. These changes increase risks of slope failure and local tsunamis, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and improved hazard preparedness in the region.
September 29, 2025 — Source

Study warns climate leadership falling short in New Zealand
New Zealand leaders favor small, incremental changes in response to escalating climate impacts rather than the bold changes needed to make a real difference, according to research by University of Auckland academic Dr. Sasha Maher and Professor Brad Jackson (University of Waikato).
September 29, 2025 — Source

The climate needs a chorus': Teenagers from around the world speak up
The five winners of the Climate Cardinals-Yale Climate Connections youth essay contest share their ideas for addressing the global crisis.
September 29, 2025 — Source

With Federal Support for Wind and Solar Waning, States Are Trying to Push Policy Through on Their Own
A new report from the think tank Clean Tomorrow tracks how states are expanding—or restricting—where renewable energy projects can be built.
September 29, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 26th, 2025

400,000 evacuated, 3 dead as fresh storm batters Philippines
The Philippines evacuated hundreds of thousands of people and confirmed at least three deaths on Friday as it faced yet another tropical storm, days after it was battered by deadly Super Typhoon Ragasa.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Baltic diatoms remained genetically stable for millennia—then humans came into play
After humans started using the Baltic Sea, its diatom populations started to experience accelerated—and, so far, irreversible—changes in genetic composition and diversity, according a recent study led by researchers in Konstanz.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Energy-efficient catalyst converts water pollutants into useful ammonia
When the current method for producing something is estimated to consume a staggering 1--2% of the annual global energy supply, it means we need to make a change. The Haber-Bosch process produces ample amounts of ammonia (NH₃)—a valuable chemical compound that has a wide array of uses in fields such as agriculture, technology, and pharmaceuticals—while consuming a lot of energy.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Engineered protein switches may lead to safer, smarter medicines
A new way to potentially control when drugs are active or inactive in the body is introduced in a study reported Sept. 24 in Nature. The research showed that, instead of controlling how tightly proteins bind to partner molecules, scientists can now directly control how long they stay bound. This advance has broad implications for developing safer medicines.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Fewer hailstorms but bigger hailstones: Climate change shifts Europe's severe weather risks
Warming may lead to less frequent but bigger and more devastating hail storms, new research has shown.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Global project unearths new species of wildflowers
A long-term study compiled from field work on four continents over five decades has unearthed new species of kangaroo paws and related genera.
September 26, 2025 — Source

How could AI help (and hurt) forestry?
The whole world is buzzing about the potential and pitfalls of artificial intelligence—including those who work in forestry.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Intense groundwater flow destabilizes ice in North America's Great Lakes, simulations show
Powerful pulses of groundwater flow up from beneath Lakes Michigan and Huron, which together form one of the largest freshwater systems in the world. This groundwater flux may dramatically alter how and where ice forms, with important implications for ice-climate models. As climate change pressures the system, new research suggests that conventional models may underestimate how groundwater can destabilize lake ice along its shorelines (coasts).
September 26, 2025 — Source

Layered cobalt catalyst reimagines pigment as a pathway for CO² recycling
Researchers at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, have introduced a new approach for electrochemical carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction. By designing multilayer cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc)/carbon core-shell structures, the team has demonstrated a catalyst architecture that makes CO² conversion into carbon monoxide (CO) both stable and efficient.
September 26, 2025 — Source

New catalyst turns water pollution into clean ammonia at high efficiency
Researchers developed a catalyst that converts nitrate pollution in water into ammonia with 94.8% efficiency, offering a cleaner alternative to the Haber-Bosch process.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Pulp mill waste becomes green solution to remove toxic dyes
Dyes like Congo red and methyl orange create brightly hued shirts, sweaters and dresses. But these commonly used azo dyes can be toxic, carcinogenic and are hard to remove from wastewater.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Researchers develop new variety of broccoli: A co-hybrid for cold weather climates
A new variety of broccoli called "NorthStar," a co-hybrid between parents developed at Cornell University and the global seed company Bejo Zaden, can withstand warmer, more unpredictable conditions such as the ones in the Northeast growing region. The hybrid greatly expands the regions where broccoli can be grown, increasing food security, sustainability and access—while reducing the carbon and financial costs of shipping.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Scientists eye hurricanes, rainfall in global high-def
Even before thunderstorms over the Pacific Ocean began to significantly build last week, experimental forecasts at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) showed the emerging weather system intensifying into a super typhoon. And, indeed, the thunderstorms ultimately spawned Super Typhoon Ragasa, whose 165-mile-per-hour winds made it the most powerful storm on Earth so far this year.
September 26, 2025 — Source

South Asia monsoon: climate change's dangerous impact on lifeline rains
South Asia's annual monsoon rains sustain more than a billion people, but climate change is making them increasingly erratic and deadly, with poor infrastructure only exacerbating the impact.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Study reveals hidden 'electron highways' that power underground chemistry and pollution cleanup
Beneath our feet, an invisible world of electron exchanges quietly drives the chemistry that sustains ecosystems, controls water quality, and even determines the fate of pollutants.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Warn, hide or stand out? How color in the animal world is a battle for survival
Most animals use camouflage, covering themselves in stealthy patterns to hide from predators. Others display bright and bold colors to warn potential predators they are not a good meal. This second strategy is known as aposematism or warning coloration. Although less common than camouflage, it has evolved hundreds of times in butterflies, beetles, bugs, sea slugs, poison frogs and even birds.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Wealthier countries waste more food per person, but urbanization is narrowing this gap
Globally, the average person wastes around 132 kg of food per year, and this number is rising. Wealthy countries waste more food per person, but in an opinion paper published in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability, agricultural economists highlight how urbanization and economic expansion are driving increases in food waste in lower- and middle-income countries.
September 26, 2025 — Source

Whales are getting tangled in lines and ropes off the California coast in record numbers
The number of whales getting tangled up in fishing nets, line, buoys and other miscellaneous rope off the coasts of the United States hit a record high in 2024, with California taking the ignominious lead.
September 26, 2025 — Source

World's first mushroom-powered waterless toilet appears in botanical garden
UBC researchers have launched the world's first mushroom-powered waterless toilet, the MycoToilet, at the UBC Botanical Garden. The prototype turns human waste into nutrient-rich compost using mycelia—the root networks of mushrooms—and features a modern, sustainable design that can be dropped into parks, remote communities and areas without plumbing.
September 26, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 25th, 2025

A Tumultuous Moment for Public Lands and All Who Rely on Them
The fourth installment in our special Climate Week video series.
September 25, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Can the Latest Youth Climate Case Win Where Others Have Failed?
In Lighthiser v. Trump, 22 young people are asking a federal court to declare executive orders that "unleash" fossil fuels unconstitutional. They face some of the same challenges that led to the dismissal of another famous climate case.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Drought and low water levels could slow global trade at the Panama Canal
A vital waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Panama Canal relies on fresh water supplied by a reservoir to raise and lower the locks that allow the transit of thousands of ships a year.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Glimmering sea of solar as China expands desert installation
An ocean of blue solar panels ripples across the ocher dunes of Inner Mongolia's Kubuqi desert, a glittering example of China's almost inconceivably mammoth energy transition.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Goodbye petrostates, hello 'electrostates': How the clean energy shift is reshaping the world order
For more than a century, global geopolitics has revolved around oil and gas (PDF). Countries with big fossil fuel reserves, such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, have amassed significant wealth and foreign influence, helping shape the world order.
September 25, 2025 — Source

High tech gardens at the Natural History Museum are switched on
A new sensor network using AWS technology will collect live data, making the Museum gardens the most intensively studied urban nature site of its kind in the world.
September 25, 2025 — Source

How a utility shut-off can trigger a family crisis
Food spoils. Health threats rise. Eviction risks loom. And with energy costs rising, more people could face gas or electricity shutoffs.
September 25, 2025 — Source

How climate policy can be made socially just and enforceable worldwide
A model study now explores how carbon pricing with redistribution can help the energy transition and the climate worldwide, while increasing welfare and reducing economic inequality—which is important for enforceability.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Indigenous Australians are crucial to hitting our 2035 climate targets. That transition has to be fairer
"If we act now and move with common purpose, then we can do more than just guard against the very worst. We can protect our environment and build a stronger and fairer economy for the next generation."
September 25, 2025 — Source

News roundup: Scientists challenge misleading Department of Energy climate report
The report received nearly 60,000 comments, some of which were written by climate scientists whose work was misrepresented.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Solar-powered system produces green hydrogen directly from air moisture
A team led by Prof. Yin Huajie from the Hefei Institute of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a solar-powered system that produces green hydrogen directly from atmospheric moisture without relying on external water or energy sources.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Sunk debris from World Wars provides home for wildlife
More marine life is living on some World War II munitions disposed of on the Baltic Sea's seabed than on the sediment surrounding it. The findings, reported in a paper in Communications Earth & Environment, show that some marine organisms can tolerate high levels of toxic compounds if there is a hard surface for them to inhabit. The results also demonstrate how detritus from human conflict can provide habitats for wildlife, which is similarly shown in a Scientific Data study mapping a fleet of World War I shipwrecks in Maryland, U.S.
September 25, 2025 — Source

These rural Minnesota towns were clean energy skeptics: Now they're installing solar
No, the solar panels wouldn't blow off the roof during storms. Yes, ice and snow would collect on them, but both melt as the panels heat up in the sun. No, pests have never been an issue and, yes, they can be easily removed and reattached if you need to patch a leak or replace the shingles.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Tiny iron oxide stones reveal Earth's ancient oceans were carbon-poor, challenging previous assumptions
Earth scientists often face huge challenges when researching Earth's history: many significant events occurred such a long time ago that there is little direct evidence available. Consequently, researchers often have to rely on indirect clues or on computer models.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Trump Raised $8 Million for Hurricane Helene Survivors. Where Did It All Go?
The presidential campaign bad-mouthed FEMA while using crowdfunding to donate to evangelical nonprofits.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Turning rust into fuel: Green rust catalyst developed for cost-effective hydrogen storage
As the world moves toward hydrogen-powered societies, one major challenge remains: storing and releasing hydrogen efficiently. Sodium borohydride (SBH) is a promising hydrogen storage material that can generate hydrogen through simple contact with water. However, this reaction typically relies on expensive catalysts made from precious metals like platinum, limiting its large-scale use.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Unmanned submersible developed to collect typhoon data and improve forecasting
Typhoons and their Atlantic counterparts—hurricanes—can develop into massively destructive storms that can take a severe toll on both infrastructure and human life. Climate change is additionally spurring even more intense storms with higher wind speeds and rainfall.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Urban Heat and Air Pollution May Harm Developing Brains in the Womb, Study Suggests
Focusing on minority populations, the study's findings show how low-income communities in New York City can bear generational consequences from climate change.
September 25, 2025 — Source

Which States Are Getting Hit Hardest by Electricity Price Increases?
The pain of rate hikes is not distributed evenly across the U.S.
September 25, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 22nd, 2025

7,200-year-old climate shift coincides with Dadiwan Culture disappearance, scientists discover
The Dadiwan Culture, a key representative of China's Neolithic period in the Yellow River Basin and considered one of the origins of the Yangshao Culture, experienced a mysterious 500-year gap between its first and second phases, according to new research.
September 22, 2025 — Source

AI cameras are spotting wildfires across California—often before humans call 911
For generations, fire lookout towers stood as landmarks across the American West.
September 22, 2025 — Source

As air pollution gets worse, these parents are getting louder
As the federal government weakens protections, Moms Clean Air Force is fighting pollution at the state and local level.
September 22, 2025 — Source

As California installs more artificial turf, health and environmental concerns multiply
Fields of plastic, or fake turf, are spreading across the Golden State from San Diego to Del Norte counties.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Bumble bees pollinated linden flowers 24 million years ago, fossil evidence shows
An international research team led by the Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research at the University of Vienna has made an extraordinary discovery: fossilized lime blossoms and fossilized bumble bees were found in 24-million-year-old sediments at the Enspel Fossil-Lagerstätte (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)—along with evidence of their interaction in the form of preserved pollen grains. These findings show that bumble bees were already among the most important pollinators of linden (or lime/basswood) trees millions of years ago—just as they are today.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Can Solar Panels Replace A Home Generator? Here's What You Need To Know
Homes traditionally run on power grids, but it isn't 100% reliable. Technical problems can happen at any time, high consumer demand leads to blackouts, and there's the occasional weather disturbance like hurricanes and snowstorms. If you live in an area where outages happen more often than you'd like, then it's a must to have backup power installed in your home. Two of the most popular options for this are solar panels and home generators.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Cathode overcomes key challenges in water electrolysis for clean energy
A new kind of cathode that is more resistant to power fluctuations can render (sea)water electrolysis more sustainable, cost-effective, and more suited for coupling with intermittent renewable energy in real-world applications, according to scientists at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK).
September 22, 2025 — Source

Cardboard and earth combine to create low-carbon alternative to concrete
Engineers in Australia have developed a new building material with about one quarter of concrete's carbon footprint, while reducing waste going to landfill.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Chinese Mining Firm Downplays Toxic Waste Spill as Residents Reel From Impacts
China Nonferrous Mining told investors its waste pit collapse did not have a "significant impact" on Zambia's environment or residents. A new lawsuit, however, chronicles illnesses, lost livelihoods and fear among locals.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Climate goals and fossil fuel plans don't add up, experts say
Countries are still planning to increase production of fossil fuels to levels incompatible with global commitments on climate change, according to new research published on Monday.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Commonwealth Fusion Systems books a $1B+ power deal for its future fusion reactor
Commonwealth Fusion Systems has agreed to sell Italian energy company Eni more than $1 billion worth of power from its first fusion reactor.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Drought gripping the Northeast, NYC raises fears of autumn wildfires
Waterways and wells are running dry in parts of New England and trees in New York City are already shedding their leaves as a late-summer drought engulfs the U.S. Northeast, raising the risk of wildfires.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Earthmover wants to become the Snowflake of weather and geospatial data
Few things generate as much data as simply observing Earth from above. But Ryan Abernathey and Joe Hamman very quickly realized that all that data still wasn't enough for their startup to thrive. Their data-centric, climate tech startup, Earthmover, would need to pivot.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Forest plants increasingly colonize Arctic tundra, altering ecosystems and permafrost
A new international study involving researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that vegetation in the Arctic is changing rapidly as species from nearby forests spread into the tundra.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Gizmodo Science Fair: A Giant 'Kite' That Generates Clean Energy Underwater
Minesto, a Swedish energy company, is bringing tidal kite turbines to the Faroe Islands.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Gizmodo Science Fair: A Greener Way to Fuel Nuclear Fusion
An innovative method for trapping lithium ions has led to a promising technology for extracting precious lithium isotopes—a crucial ingredient for fueling nuclear fusion experiments.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Gizmodo Science Fair: A Non-Toxic Alternative to 'Forever Chemicals'
Researchers invented a water- and oil-resistant material that could replace harmful plastic and PFAS coatings in food packaging.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Gizmodo Science Fair: A 'Window' That Harvests Drinking Water From Desert Air
Researchers developed an atmospheric water harvester so effective it was able to extract moisture from the air in Death Valley—one of the driest places on Earth.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Growth switch for plant adaptability discovered
How does a plant manage to quickly adapt its growth to changing environmental conditions? A research team at the University of Freiburg led by plant physiologist Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kleine-Vehn has discovered a previously unknown mechanism for this: A cellular degradation machinery acts in the background like a switch that decides whether the plant hormone auxin is available or not.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Ice dissolves iron faster than liquid water, offering explanation for Arctic's rusty rivers
Ice can dissolve iron minerals more effectively than liquid water, according to a new study from Umeå University. The discovery could help explain why many Arctic rivers are now turning rusty orange as permafrost thaws in a warming climate.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Insects in Britain not in freefall, but facing local upheavals, study finds
Fears of a nationwide collapse in Britain's insect populations may be overstated, according to a major new study recently published in the journal Nature Communications. Instead, researchers have found a more complex picture: While some species are holding steady or even expanding, many communities are being reshaped at a local level by climate change and urban development.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Is AI Throwing Climate Change Under the Bus?
Watch our reporters discuss the prospects for big tech and clean energy under the Trump administration, how Texas has become a leading renewables state, what communities think when data centers move in next door, and how the commitments of tech giants could change what's ahead.
September 22, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

New biodegradable film made from onion skins can boost solar panel lifespan
Renewable solar cell filters stay effective after simulated year of use
September 22, 2025 — Source

New research shows Black Summer's megafires left lasting scars far beyond property damage
Beginning in the second half of 2019, what we now know as the Black Summer fires began devastating eastern Australia.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Nuclear in your backyard? Tiny reactors could one day power towns and campuses—but community input will be key
You might imagine nuclear power plants as behemoth facilities spanning hundreds of acres. Nuclear microreactors, by contrast, could sit on land the size of a football field and power a whole town.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Pennsylvania Was Once a National Leader in Renewable Energy. What Happened?
Natural gas was pitched as a stopgap between fossil fuels and renewables. Instead, it has derailed Pennsylvania's energy transition.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Rare-earth tritellurides reveal a hidden ferroaxial order of electronic origin
The discovery of "hidden orders," organization patterns in materials that cannot be detected using conventional measurement tools, can yield valuable insight, which can in turn support the design of new materials with advantageous properties and characteristics. The hidden orders that condensed matter physicists hope to uncover lie within so-called charge density waves (CDWs).
September 22, 2025 — Source

Rivers in the sky, Arctic warming, and what this means for the Greenland Ice Sheet
"Atmospheric rivers" are large-scale extreme weather systems that are making headlines more frequently. When viewed in satellite images, they appear just as described—like rivers in the sky. Though they are often reported in places like California, these weather systems have the potential to bring high heat and dump disastrous amounts of precipitation on areas throughout the mid and high latitudes.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Scientists develop new quantitative model to measure tree shade tolerance
A research team led by Academician Zhu Jiaojun from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has introduced a new quantitative method to classify shade tolerance in trees, offering a valuable tool for forest ecology research and management.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Simple hospital menu changes could deliver major health and climate benefits
A UK study reveals that simply reordering hospital meal options, without changing recipes, may deliver significant health and climate gains.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Study highlights benefits of biodiversity for commercial fisheries
A new study published in Ecological Applications demonstrates that commercial fisheries function much like an investment portfolio: diversity brings stability. The research shows that when different fish species in the Chesapeake Bay peak at different times, a dynamic known as "asynchrony," the overall fishery becomes more resilient and watermen are better protected from boom-and-bust cycles.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Texas vineyards report high-quality wine grapes
Texas wine grape growers are reporting high-quality fruit this season despite scattered weather-related challenges and ongoing uncertainty in wine markets, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist.
September 22, 2025 — Source

The shocking reason Arctic rivers are turning rusty orange
Ice doesn't just freeze, it fuels hidden chemistry that could turn rivers rusty as the planet warms.
September 22, 2025 — Source

Thousands evacuated in Philippines as super typhoon nears land
More than 10,000 evacuees sheltered in schools and evacuation centers in the Philippines on Monday as heavy rains and gale-force winds from Super Typhoon Ragasa lashed the country's far north.
September 22, 2025 — Source

What climate targets? Top fossil fuel producing nations keep boosting output
Top producers are planning to mine and drill even more of the fuels in 2030.
September 22, 2025 — Source

What the WTO's deal to curb fisheries subsidies means and what it could achieve
After nearly 25 years of negotiations, the World Trade Organization (WTO) finally has its first legally binding agreement to tackle government fisheries subsidies. After two-thirds of WTO members ratified the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, the deal has entered into force. It marks a long-overdue step toward addressing the role harmful fisheries subsidies play in overfishing.
September 22, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 19th, 2025

A volcano or a meteorite? New evidence sheds light on puzzling discovery in Greenland's ice sheet
Buried deep in Greenland's ice sheet lies a puzzling chemical signature that has sparked intense scientific debate. A sharp spike in platinum concentrations, discovered in an ice core (a cylinder of ice drilled out of ice sheets and glaciers) and dated to around 12,800 years ago, has provided support for a hypothesis that Earth was struck by an exotic meteorite or comet at that time.
September 19, 2025 — Source

After Trump Cut the National Science Foundation by 56 Percent, a Venerable Arctic Research Center Closes Its Doors
The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States funded programs that aided Indigenous communities and tracked melting sea ice, among dozens of initiatives. President Donald Trump has emphasized energy and national security in the Arctic.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Buffalo Tests Its Status as a Climate Refuge
Politicians tout its mild summers. Its Puerto Rican population has grown since Hurricane Maria. But can Western New York retain its insulation from the worst outcomes of climate change in the future?
September 19, 2025 — Source

Bundled climate solutions for better production: Scientists listen to West African farmers
The rain delays, sorghum withers; when a storm finally breaks, complaints rise again. To break this cycle of uncertainty, scientists from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, INERA, and the University of Ghana conducted the first large-scale survey on agricultural climate services in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, and Senegal.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Call for better monitoring and mitigation of offshore wind turbines
As the need for renewable energy increases, offshore wind farms are playing a pivotal role in the transition to net-zero but their rapid global expansion poses significant challenges for ocean ecosystems.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Chicago just went all in on renewable energy
From City Hall to O'Hare Airport, every city-owned building now runs on renewables.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Children Plead With U.S. Lawmakers to Protect EPA's Endangerment Finding
At a press conference in the Capitol, they made the case for regulating greenhouse gases in the interest of youth and future generations.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Climate Activists Disrupt Fossil Fuel Executive at Harvard University Symposium
Protesters condemned Harvard's decision to host Occidental Petroleum's CEO during the school's Climate Action Week.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Despite congressional threat, National Academies releases new climate report
Things have changed since 2009: We're more certain about the problems.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Electrochemistry enables upcycling of polymer waste into high-performance materials
The superior strength and light weight of high-performance carbon and plastic composite materials have reduced the fuel consumption and harmful emissions of automobiles and airplanes and improved the efficiency of electric cars and wind turbine blades.
September 19, 2025 — Source

From bud to branch: How buds communicate to shape plant architecture
Scientists have shown that two previously separate modes of plant branching regulation can be connected, revealing the most complete picture yet of how plants control their architecture.
September 19, 2025 — Source

From the Atlantic to Asia: How an ocean thousands of miles away dictates rainfall on the Tibetan Plateau
Deep in the heart of Central Asia, the Kunlun Mountains form a vital barrier on the northern Tibetan Plateau. Their rainfall is a lifeline, feeding the oases and rivers of the arid Tarim Basin. While scientists have mapped the region's basic climate patterns, one question remained: what drives the large year-to-year swings in summer rainfall here?
September 19, 2025 — Source

Grazing cattle at low intensities could sustain biodiversity on modern farms
Grazing is regarded as one particularly beneficial practice to biodiversity on farms, especially if it is practiced on natural pastures in traditional ways.
September 19, 2025 — Source

How a plant hormone helps roots bend and grow downward toward gravity
Scientists have uncovered how the plant hormone auxin helps roots bend and downwards towards gravity—a process called gravitropism—even after encountering obstacles in soil.
September 19, 2025 — Source

In Nepal, scientists and spiritual leaders honor a dying glacier
On May 12, 2025, Buddha Day, Buddhist monks and scientific researchers gathered to pay tribute to Yala Glacier in Nepal's Langtang Valley. The International Center for Mountain Development (ICIMOD), an international NGO housed in Kathmandu, collaborated with local Indigenous community leaders to organize this event to raise awareness of Yala's rapid retreat and highlight the risk across Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) glaciers.
September 19, 2025 — Source

LEDs shed light on efficient tomato cultivation
Researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, have successfully grown large tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, both rich in nutrients, in tightly controlled environments where the light source was energy-efficient LEDs. Such methods were often limited by the types or sizes of plants that could thrive in such conditions.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Novel hydrothermal system links two seabed phenomena
An international research team led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel has discovered a globally unique system on the seabed off the coast of Papua New Guinea. During their expedition aboard the research vessel SONNE, they came across the "Karambusel" field, where hydrothermal vents and methane seeps occur immediately adjacent to one another.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Octopus Energy spins off its Kraken utility billing and AI platform
British renewable energy provider Octopus Energy said this week that it's spinning off Kraken, its tech platform for utilities, spurred in part by $500 million in committed annual revenue from other utilities and energy providers.
September 19, 2025 — Source

One of the First to Benefit From Trump's Cuts to Environmental Review: a Nevada Gold Mine
Orla Mining's project near Elko will be the first open-pit mine to receive an accelerated review following the Trump administration's push to speed permitting for extraction. Opponents fear the public's concerns will go unheard.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Quakes can reshape rivers and raise flood risks
Earthquakes don't just shake the ground, they can also shift rivers, damage stop banks and raise the risk of flooding for years afterward.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Silent speed: The fast, fuel-efficient European helicopter setting the pace for clean aviation
With its sleek design and groundbreaking aerodynamics, the Airbus RACER isn't just a prototype—it's a symbol of Europe's commitment to clean aviation.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Solar-Powered System produces green hydrogen directly from air moisture
Researchers developed a solar-powered system that produces green hydrogen directly from atmospheric moisture without relying on external water or energy sources.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Tropical Storm Gabrielle Breaks 'Unprecedented' Atlantic Storm Drought
The National Hurricane Center predicts Gabrielle will reach hurricane status by Sunday, September 21.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Wildfire smoke could kill 70,000 Americans a year by 2050
Wildfires are no longer a seasonal nuisance but a deadly, nationwide health crisis. Fueled by climate change, smoke is spreading farther and lingering longer, with new research warning of tens of thousands of additional deaths annually by mid-century. The health costs alone could surpass all other climate damages combined, revealing wildfire smoke as one of the most underestimated threats of our warming world.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Will electric tractors gain traction? At a pilot event for farmers, researchers see possibilities
In the soft dirt of an indoor horseback riding ring last month, a group of farmers got ready to test drive a new piece of equipment: an electric tractor.
September 19, 2025 — Source

Zuck has the power! Meta applies to sell excess electricity
With new electricity sources for AI datacenters, the company will have some juice left over
September 19, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 16th, 2025

2025 summer was Spain's warmest on record: Weather agency
Spain this year sweltered through its hottest summer ever, the national meteorological agency AEMET said Tuesday, the latest in a string of global temperature records.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Ancient crop discovered in the Canary Islands thanks to archaeological DNA
The lentils now grown in the Canary Islands have a history that stretches back almost 2,000 years on the site. This is shown in the very first genetic study of archaeological lentils, carried out by researchers at Linköping University and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain.
September 16, 2025 — Source

AI and molecular simulations get to the root of better plants
By combining AI with molecular dynamics simulations, researchers have developed a new tool to more accurately predict how plants and helpful microbes communicate and form partnerships at the most fundamental level.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Blending climate finance for Latin America's agrifood systems
Agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), accounting for 55% of regional emissions, nearly double the global average of 30%. LAC is home to over 40% of the world's animal and plant species, yet faces the highest rate of biodiversity decline globally, primarily driven by agricultural practices. Current farming and ranching practices are major drivers of deforestation and land degradation, consuming 75% of freshwater resources in the region, on which these species depend.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Campaigners urge EU to mandate 15 years of OS updates
Nothing says 'circular economy' like Microsoft stranding 400 million PCs on International E-waste Day
September 16, 2025 — Source

Can vertical farms really feed the UK sustainably? New study weighs climate costs and benefits
Vertical farming offers a much-needed opportunity to secure food production in the face of climate change, but can it truly deliver a sustainable alternative to field-grown crops? A new study led by the University of Surrey has found that while vertical farms dramatically increase lettuce yields and use far less water, the carbon footprint still exceeds traditional lettuce farming—raising important questions about how the U.K. can balance food security with environmental responsibility.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Challenge to Maryland Offshore Wind Project Stokes Concerns Among Legal Scholars
The Trump Administration wants to vacate approval of US Wind's Maryland project. Experts believe the move could be illegal and could jeopardize the clean energy transition nationwide.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Chameleons shine in black for better camouflage
Despite their image as masters of camouflage, it has long been assumed in science that chameleons change color to communicate with one another or in response to predators.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Fossil fuels harm health from 'cradle to grave': Report
The extraction, transportation and burning of planet-heating fossil fuels have a huge impact on people's health that starts before they are born and lasts until they die, a report warned Tuesday.
September 16, 2025 — Source

From beer to useful fats and medicines
The residues that remain when a brewery makes beer or whiskey are called spent grain or brewer's spent grain (BSG). Spent grain is available in large quantities, and is full of proteins and amino acids that should be possible to use.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Geologists discover where energy goes during an earthquake
The ground-shaking that an earthquake generates is only a fraction of the total energy that a quake releases. A quake can also generate a flash of heat, along with a domino-like fracturing of underground rocks. But exactly how much energy goes into each of these three processes is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to measure in the field.
September 16, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

Government must overhaul small and medium-sized business climate policy with less focus on 'low-hanging fruit'
Experts have called for the U.K. government to overhaul its decarbonization strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
September 16, 2025 — Source

Houses of Worship Could Help Fuel the Energy Transition. Solar Evangelists Are Hard at Work on That
Some faith-based nonprofits are helping congregations fund energy alternatives, an effort that complements a national Sun Day event this weekend to promote solar use.
September 16, 2025 — Source

MAHA Outraged Over GOP Plan to Protect Pesticide Makers
MAHA influencers have been smacked in the face with reality.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Monitoring sediment buildup in underwater bridge tunnels with the help of high-energy muons
Over 200 underwater bridge tunnels exist for vehicular traffic around the world, providing connectivity between cities. Once constructed, however, these tunnels are difficult to monitor and maintain, often requiring shutdowns or invasive methods that pose structural risks.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Santa Monica's waves have turned a bright pink: How can the dye job improve water quality?
Over the next two weeks, surfers and beachgoers in Santa Monica may spot waves that have a pink, fluorescent hue—but officials say not to worry.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Study calculates value of Virginia coastal wetlands at $90 million
Wetlands in Hampton Roads are an important part of the ecosystem, and a new study attempts to quantify their worth to the community by calculating a monetary value.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Thinking Of Buying A House With Solar Panels? Here Are The Most Important Things To Know
Buying a home is not an easy decision, and there's more to consider than curb appeal, location, or square footage. Sustainability is another key factor. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), more than half of clients show interest in eco-friendly features, including solar panels.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Tropical rainforest soil may fuel climate change as Earth warms, accelerating global warming
A new study led by the U.S. Forest Service, with Chapman University as a key senior collaborator, published in Nature Communications, suggests Earth's own tropical soils may contribute to climate change as global warming continues, releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) as they warm and potentially accelerating a dangerous feedback loop.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Volcanoes can help us untangle the evolution of humans—here's how
How did humans become human? Understanding when, where and in what environmental conditions our early ancestors lived is central to solving the puzzle of human evolution.
September 16, 2025 — Source

Want more people to eat plant-based foods? Make them the default.
A nonprofit is working with hospitals to offer vegetarian meals first -- and it's working.
September 16, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 9th, 2025

Ani Dasgupta talked to 100 climate experts. He came away optimistic.
In his new book, 'The New Global Possible,' Dasgupta shares what he learned from talking with dozens of climate luminaries and how that can reshape how we think about climate action.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Arctic-bound birds can still keep up with climate change for now
As climate change drives earlier spring conditions in the Arctic, bird species that travel there to breed there are under pressure to migrate faster. A new study led by researchers from the University of Amsterdam and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology reveals that many Arctic-breeding waterfowl still have some flexibility when it comes to speeding up their migrations. However, this strategy may only work for a limited time.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Black wattle as firewood: How South African communities are putting invasive species to work
Australia's black wattle tree (Acacia mearnsii) has spread across South Africa, taking over millions of hectares of land and pushing indigenous plants aside. Economist Saul Ngarava researches agriculture and the connection between water, energy, food, social justice and land reform. He was part of a team who surveyed 1,184 homes in South Africa's North West, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces, to see if those who burn black wattle for cooking have more energy security than those who don't.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Cerrado wetlands are legally protected but neglected in practice
Despite their importance to water security and their legal protection, diffuse seeps—which are primarily responsible for the formation of wetlands in Brazil's Cerrado savanna biome—continue to be systematically neglected by public policies, environmental consultants, rural landowners, and regulatory agencies. A group of Brazilian researchers points to the disconnect between technical and legal language as one of the main causes of this institutional invisibility.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Chronic risks from single-use plastic water bottles are dangerously understudied, says study
The sun-drenched paradise of Thailand's Phi Phi islands isn't the usual starting point for a Ph.D. But for Sarah Sajedi, those soft, sandy beaches—or rather, what she found under them—inspired her pivot from a business career to an academic one.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Climate tracking apps measure your carbon footprint. Here's how they work
This idea of a carbon footprint comes up a lot in news coverage about personal climate impact.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Decades-Old Waste Barrels Are Creating Toxic Dead Zones off LA's Coast
The caustic waste that leaked from the barrels created an extreme environment similar to that of hydrothermal vents, colonized by specialized bacteria that thrive in such harsh conditions.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Flow-powered pollution sensor detects toxic amines in water
With pollution levels rising, the need to quickly check water quality has become more urgent than ever. Traditional monitoring systems often rely on expensive bulky equipment with operational difficulty, making them impractical in remote areas or in places with limited resources.
September 9, 2025 — Source

From the frontlines of climate change: Survey investigates stances of small-island states
Small island states are among the most vulnerable to climate change, but there's surprisingly scant research revealing what such residents think about these threats, says Parrish Bergquist, assistant professor of political science in the School of Arts & Sciences.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Geoengineering will not save humankind from climate change
The research by a team of top ice and climate scientists debunks some speculative technological climate fixes for preserving the polar ice caps.
September 9, 2025 — Source or Source

Geothermal is too expensive, but Dig Energy's impossibly small drill rig might fix that
On a farm near Manchester, New Hampshire, I was recently treated to a gusher of dirty water, not exactly the sort of thing that most startups will show a reporter. But for Dig Energy, the mud is a feature, not a bug, of its compact drilling rig.
September 9, 2025 — Source

How harmful bacteria hijack crops
Aphids, grasshoppers and other bugs aren't the only pests that can quickly wipe out a crop. Many harmful bacteria have evolved ways to bypass a plant's defenses. A once-healthy tomato plant can quickly turn sick and blotchy, thanks to microscopic foes armed with an arsenal of tricks.
September 9, 2025 — Source

How the most home-energy savvy slash their electric bills by 78%
Investing in solar and battery storage has its challenges - but also some big perks.
September 9, 2025 — Source or Watch Video

How uneven ocean warming is altering propagation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation
Earth's tropical regions drive some of the most powerful weather and climate variability globally. Among these, the Madden--Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a dominant intraseasonal climate signal, characterized by large clusters of clouds and rainfall that slowly move eastward across the warm tropical oceans. In doing so, the MJO shapes rainfall patterns, influences tropical cyclones, modulates monsoons, and even impacts weather far beyond the tropics. Understanding the factors that govern its speed and intensity is therefore essential for improving subseasonal to seasonal climate forecasts.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Nematode worms enter a sleep-like state when captured by predatory fungi, shedding light on ancient survival strategies
When the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans gets caught by its fungal predator Arthrobotrys oligospora, it doesn't just wriggle endlessly—it suddenly "freezes," stopping all movement and feeding as if going into a deep rest.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Nuclearn gets $10.5M to help the nuclear industry embrace AI
Companies that have dug deep into AI have fallen in love with nuclear power for its promise of 24/7 electricity. Meta, Google, and Microsoft have all made deals with startups or reactor operators. But does the nuclear industry love AI back?
September 9, 2025 — Source

Palladium nanocatalyst transforms CO² into clean-burning ethanol
Research team designs a palladium-zirconium phosphate catalyst that converts CO² into ethanol with 92% efficiency, pointing to scalable clean fuel solutions.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Sea level report cards track uneven flood risk across U.S. regions
Sea levels are rising more quickly in some places than others.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Soil runoff from logged forests releases more reactive carbon, undermining climate mitigation efforts
The global demand for wood-based products is constantly increasing, creating a challenge for the logging industry. In an attempt to keep up in a sustainable manner, the industry replaces logged areas with tree farms and nurseries to eventually replenish supplies. This use and regrowth of wood has also been thought to help maintain a carbon sink. While this may be true to some extent, a new study has found that an important source of carbon loss is often being left out of the equation.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Super-habitats could hold key to shark conservation
In the heart of French Polynesia, a narrow channel carves its way through the Fakarava Atoll, connecting a vast lagoon to the open ocean. To the casual eye, it's a beautiful stretch of turquoise water. To a thriving community of grey reef sharks, it's a bustling metropolis, a nursery and a sanctuary all in one. And it might just be the key to solving a perplexing conservation challenge.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Spatial patterns of Tianshui's folk fortresses show how local landscapes shaped community defense
A research team from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has systematically mapped and analyzed the cultural landscape of historical folk fortresses in Tianshui, a city in northwest China's Gansu Province, uncovering new insights into a long-neglected form of grassroots cultural heritage.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Superhydrophobic recycled tire coating shields steel from marine corrosion
Researchers developed a superhydrophobic coating from recycled tires that resists wear and protects steel from rust in tough marine environments while recycling waste rubber.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Targeted snow monitoring at hotspots outperforms basin-wide surveys in predicting water supply
Measuring mountain snowpack at strategically selected hotspots consistently outperforms broader, basin-wide mapping in predicting water supply in the western United States, a new study has found.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Tesla revamps the Megapack in attempt to reverse its declining storage business
Tesla is updating its utility-scale Megapack batteries as it seeks to stem the decline of its lucrative energy-storage business.
September 9, 2025 — Source

The fair trade paradox: Competition helps reach more consumers but reduces farmer benefits
Walking down the aisles of your local grocery store, you've likely noticed products labeled "fair trade" alongside other product options. These certified items, from coffee and chocolate to bananas and tea, come with a promise: The farmers who grew these products received fair wages, worked in safe conditions and followed environmentally sustainable practices.
September 9, 2025 — Source

The hidden plastic problem in your daily dental routine, and what's being done about it
You brush twice daily, floss religiously and see your dentist every six months. But what if these acts of oral hygiene are quietly contributing to one of the planet's most pressing environmental crises?
September 9, 2025 — Source

The Okefenokee Swamp is safe for now, but talk of mining near it hasn't stopped
On a blast furnace of an August day in Georgia's southernmost county, Joe Hopkins gripped the steering wheel to steady his truck on the sandy road.
September 9, 2025 — Source

These Climate Hacks to Save the Poles Could Totally Backfire
Researchers evaluated five geoengineering concepts proposed for Earth's polar regions and found them to be "environmentally dangerous."
September 9, 2025 — Source

Today more than ever, biodiversity needs single-species conservation
Through the federal Building Canada Act, "projects of national interest" are being fast-tracked while hundreds of major resource projects are already under construction or planned in the next decade.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Top US Energy Official Lobbies for Fossil Fuels in Europe
European climate experts say the pro-fossil fuel arguments are based on climate disinformation.
September 9, 2025 — Source

U.S. Bans on Certain Foreign Fish Imports Could Help Conserve Marine Mammals Worldwide, Experts Say
The Trump administration set strict import bans on fisheries in more than 40 nations that do not meet standards for conserving marine mammals like whales and dolphins.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Unique concept for observing Arctic sea ice successfully implemented
The Polarstern recently ended a two-month expedition in the central Arctic in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. The international and interdisciplinary research team, led by the Alfred Wegener Institute, focused on the summer melting of Arctic sea ice in three different regimes.
September 9, 2025 — Source

Well-publicized polar geoengineering ideas will not help and could harm, warn experts
Five well-publicized polar geoengineering ideas are highly unlikely to help the polar regions and could harm ecosystems, communities, international relations, and our chances of reaching net zero by 2050.
September 9, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 5th, 2025

Google quietly removes net-zero carbon goal from website amid rapid power-hungry AI data center buildout — industry-first sustainability pledge moved to background amidst AI energy crisis
Google's goal to be net-zero in carbon emissions by 2030 is still apparently company policy, it's just not broadcasting it anymore
September 5, 2025 — Source

Peru Votes Against Creating New Indigenous Reserve in Amazon Region
The reserve had been proposed to protect Indigenous people living in isolation along the border with Brazil. Indigenous groups called the vote a setback that could endanger inhabitants and expose the forest to logging.
September 5, 2025 — Source

Solar breakthrough—hotter panels mean better storage
Scientists have uncovered a surprising advantage in next-generation solar technology—the hotter it gets, the better it can store energy. Traditionally, heat has been seen as the enemy of solar power. Standard solar panels lose efficiency as temperatures rise.
September 5, 2025 — Source

Transparent mesoporous WO₃ film enhances solar water splitting efficiency and stability
A team of scientists have unveiled a breakthrough in the field of renewable energy materials. They have developed a transparent, crystalline mesoporous tungsten trioxide (WO₃) film that exhibited exceptional efficiency and stability for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting.
September 5, 2025 — Source

Trust between community, researchers, nature can transform climate adaptation
Long-term relationships built on a foundation of trust between communities, researchers and the natural world can transform science, education and climate adaptation. That is the central message of a study published in Emotion, Space and Society by Scott Laursen, a climate adaptation extension specialist with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI-CASC).
September 5, 2025 — Source

U.S. mines are literally throwing away critical minerals
There's enough lithium in one year of U.S. mine waste to power 10 million electric vehicles.
September 5, 2025 — Source

What climate change means for the Mediterranean Sea
Temperatures in the Mediterranean are currently rising to record levels. Instead of a refreshing dip, holidaymakers in places like Greece, Italy, and Spain, among other places, are now facing water temperatures up to 28° C or even higher. With an average water temperature of 26.9° C, July 2025 was the warmest since records began for the Mediterranean Sea, according to the Copernicus Earth Observation Service.
September 5, 2025 — Source

When wildfire hit her street, even a climate expert felt unprepared
Gale Sinatra lost her home in California's Eaton Fire -- and urges others to get ready for more extreme events.
September 5, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 4th, 2025

Ash boosts biogas production and fertilizer quality, study shows
Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and the Natural Resources Institute Finland have discovered that ash appears to be an excellent additive in the anaerobic digestion process in terms of methane production and the fertilizing properties of the remaining digestate.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Best shot to save Florida reefs? An industrial factory making heat-hardy babies
When Andrew Baker looks out at the vacant lot next to his office on Virginia Key, he doesn't see the trees or grass that are there now. He sees a factory of the future. One story tall, roughly the size of half a football field. A high-efficiency production line designed not for electronics or auto parts—but for coral.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Broccoli seeds can spread resistance to multiple fungicides
A new study found evidence that commercial broccoli seeds can harbor a fungal seedborne pathogen, Alternaria brassicicola, with cross resistance to two commonly used fungicides.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Cameras that see the unseen promise smarter, faster recycling of everyday waste
A new study uses advanced imaging technology to identify materials in municipal solid waste that can be separated for recycling or to produce energy.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Can clownfish adapt to rising sea temperatures? Study shows promise for successful acclimation
In the next 75 years, surface sea temperatures may rise by up to 4°C, with increasingly frequent short-term marine heat waves also predicted. This could cause significant damage to our essential marine ecosystems, for example, with corals widely known to be vulnerable to bleaching. But how will fish fare in these changing climates?
September 4, 2025 — Source

Coal Is Rising Along with Solar in the U.S. Power System, While Gas Loses a Step
Power plant owners responded to high gas prices by burning more coal in the first half of this year.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Computer graphics model captures the diverse world of plant leaves
Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a computer graphics (CG) model, NeuraLeaf, capable of representing a wide variety of plant species and their deformations using a single, unified model. This innovative approach leverages deep learning to overcome the limitations of traditional manual modeling, opening doors for advancements in agriculture, plant science, and breeding.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Cooling pollen sunscreen can block UV rays without harming corals
Materials scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have invented the world's first pollen-based sunscreen derived from Camellia flowers.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Cotton crop thrives with timely rains across the state
Despite some challenges, cotton production is expected to be better than average due to timely rains this season, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service reports around the state.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Effective urban planning from real-world population tracking
Tracking human behavioral patterns in cities can be used to determine urban delineations and urban land use, which has the potential to improve urban planning.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Fighting extinction, coral reefs show signs of adapting to warming seas
As coral reefs decline at unprecedented rates, new research has revealed that some coral species may be more resilient to warming temperatures than others.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Grid modeling approaches to bridge the gap between transmission and distribution
Fifteen years ago, planning for a new substation upgrade barely considered how distributed energy resources (DERs) might impact the larger grid. Today, failing to account for them could lead to overloaded transformers, grid instability, or even power outages.
September 4, 2025 — Source

How environmental RNA can give us a real-time picture of freshwater biodiversity
As climate change and human activity threaten freshwater ecosystems like lakes and rivers, it's more important than ever to know how the species who inhabit them are being impacted. But traditional methods of monitoring species, such as catching animals, are challenging to implement and can miss rapid changes.
September 4, 2025 — Source

How unexploded bombs cause environmental damage—and why climate change exacerbates the problem
There are a record number of conflicts raging around the world—from Ukraine and Gaza to Sudan and Myanmar. Alongside their devastating human toll, these conflicts are all wreaking havoc on the environment.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Light focused on dark swamp revealed 'eyes as far as we could see,' research team says
A scene straight out of a horror movie greeted researchers when they shined lights on a dark Georgia swamp and saw hundreds of red eyes staring back, photos show.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Milk ingredient helps produce a new bioplastic—and more can be done
With rising risk to the environment and human health, the race for biodegradable plastics is gaining pace—with several projects under way at Flinders University in South Australia.
September 4, 2025 — Source

New method to pinpoint soil erosion could help protect waterways
New method to pinpoint soil erosion could help protect waterways
September 4, 2025 — Source

Orchard Robotics, an agtech startup using AI to solve farming's data problem, raises $22M
Orchard Robotics, an agtech startup using artificial intelligence to deliver precise data on farm operations, has raised $22 million from investors.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Organic solutions for better aquaculture and ecosystems
Farmed fish are increasingly replacing wild fish to meet consumer demand in China, as well as Australia—and barramundi is a popular choice.
September 4, 2025 — Source

PFAS water treatment has double benefits, cutting toxic 'forever chemicals' and carcinogens
Advanced systems for removing the toxic "forever chemicals" known as PFAS from drinking water can deliver far greater health benefits than previously thought.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Pretreatment methods bring second-gen biofuels from oilcane closer to commercialization
In collaboration with other Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs), researchers at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) are developing industrially feasible techniques for second-generation biofuel production from oilcane, an oil-rich variety of sugarcane, to help meet our growing societal demand for fuels.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Robotic harvester uses AI vision and soft grippers to pick hidden strawberries
Strawberries are delicate and hard to harvest—easily bruised and often hidden under a canopy of leaves. This creates headaches for scientists trying to design robotic harvesters. Now a Washington State University-led team has designed one that combines an artificial-intelligence vision system, soft silicone "fingers," and a fan that gently moves leaves out of the way to get at hidden fruit.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Scientists might have accidentally discovered how lightning forms -- from bending ice
Findings could pave the way for advanced cold-climate electronics
September 4, 2025 — Source

The 1995 Chicago heat wave killed hundreds. A new tool aims to prevent the next tragedy.
Researchers, city officials, and residents teamed up to pinpoint which neighborhoods face the greatest danger.
September 4, 2025 — Source

The hidden chemistry of Earth's core is revealed by how it froze
A study by researchers at the University of Oxford, University of Leeds, and University College London has identified a new constraint on the chemistry of Earth's core, by showing how it was able to crystallize millions of years ago
September 4, 2025 — Source

This Unlikely Chemical Could Be a Powerful Weapon Against Climate Change
New research provides a framework for carbon capture driven by photochemistry, a potentially cheaper and less energy-intensive alternative to leading technologies.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Turning shopping bags into streets: Research tackles plastic waste
Discarded shopping bags and spent milk bottles could be given a second life by becoming part of critical infrastructure, new research published in Applied Sciences by Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found.
September 4, 2025 — Source

What I've learned from photographing (almost) every British wildflower
The wildflowers of Britain include all manner of treasures—yet many people are only aware of a few, such as bluebells and foxgloves. A lot of its other flora are rare because of Britain's location at the northern, western or even southern edges of their natural geographic—and hence climatic—ranges.
September 4, 2025 — Source

What Is A Powership And Why Do Some Countries Need Them?
Ships come in all shapes and sizes, from behemoths like the largest aircraft carrier in the world — the USS Gerald R. Ford -- to diminutive tugboats; each ship has a size and a design that fits its purpose. Perhaps one of the most unusual types of ship to be found on the oceans is a powership. These ships are — as the name suggests — designed to sit offshore and generate power that can then be fed into an onshore power grid.
September 4, 2025 — Source

Zambia Ordered a Mining Company to Pay Villagers After a Toxic Waste Spill. The Firm Made Them Sign Away Their Rights First
China's Sino-Metals Leach Zambia spilled toxic sludge into communities and rivers, an accident that could cost billions to clean up and restore. The firm got impoverished and often illiterate villagers to sign away their right to sue in exchange for government-ordered payments ranging from $17 to $2,000.
September 4, 2025 — Source

General — Environment — September 1st, 2025

A monster seaweed bloom is taking over the Atlantic
Sargassum has escaped the Sargasso Sea and exploded across the Atlantic, forming the massive Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. Fueled by nutrient runoff, Amazon outflows, and climate events, these blooms now reshape ecosystems, economies, and coastlines on a staggering scale.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Earthquake in eastern Afghanistan destroys villages and kills 800 people, with 2,500 injured
Desperate Afghans clawed through rubble in search of missing loved ones after a strong earthquake killed some 800 people and injured more than 2,500 in eastern Afghanistan, according to figures provided Monday by the Taliban government.
September 1, 2025 — Source

How a Rock Band Bassist Is Remixing Climate Activism
Adam Met of the indie-rock band AJR thinks fan-building strategies can amplify the climate movement's reach and impact.
September 1, 2025 — Source

In the Once Heavily Polluted Chicago River, More Fish, a Giant Snapping Turtle and an Upcoming Swim
Kayaking on the river reveals signs of life that earlier had been stamped out. The city's first open-water swim in nearly a century is planned there this month.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Rare oceanic plate delamination may explain Portugal's mysterious earthquakes
One of the worst earthquakes in European history ripped through Portugal in 1755, causing a tsunami, fires and shaking that killed tens of thousands of people and caused widespread destruction. Another less well-documented earthquake occurred in the same region in 1356, and a more recent 7.9 magnitude earthquake occurred in 1969. The most recent event was recorded by seismic instruments and has been found to have originated from the flat Horseshoe Abyssal Plain, which is not near any known major tectonic faults.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Permits were expedited for a California clean energy project: Were residents sidelined?
The fallowed farmland—too dry, salty and barren to grow crops—stretches across a remote, sunbaked expanse crisscrossed by rutted dirt roads.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Satellite laser ranging technique reveals 90 mm sea-level surge over past 30 years
The rise in global mean sea level (GMSL) is a critical indicator of climate change. Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) researchers have utilized advanced space geodetic technologies to deliver the first precise 30-year (1993--2022) record of global ocean mass change (also known as barystatic sea level), revealing its dominant role in driving GMSL rise.
September 1, 2025 — Source or Source

Scientists fear the Atlantic's great ocean conveyor could shut down
A new study projects that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)—the system of currents that includes the Gulf Stream—could shut down after 2100 under high-emission scenarios. This shutdown would drastically reduce heat transport northward, leaving Europe vulnerable to extreme winters, summers of drying, and shifts in tropical rainfall. Climate models show the tipping point is linked to collapsing winter convection in the North Atlantic, which weakens vertical mixing and creates a feedback loop that accelerates decline.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Seaweed on sandy coastlines contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, study shows
A team of researchers from Monash University has made a discovery that could reshape our understanding of greenhouse gas emissions from coastal ecosystems. Published in Nature Geoscience, the study reveals sandy coastlines, which make up half the world's continental margins, are a previously overlooked source of methane.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Styrofoam-based hydrogen storage: New process offers safe, reusable solution
A research team affiliated with UNIST has unveiled a novel technology that enables hydrogen to be stored within polystyrene-derived materials, particularly those originating from Styrofoam. The research is published in the journal ACS Catalysis.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Sustainable energy: 'Fairy circles' can provide clues to depth of natural hydrogen sources
Natural hydrogen from deep underground could be an important building block for the sustainable energy system of the future, but it is currently still difficult to predict where and at what depth elevated concentrations are located. New study results from the Department of Geology at the University of Vienna could make such predictions easier in the future. So-called "fairy circles"—round patches with vegetation damage—could be helpful indicators.
September 1, 2025 — Source

The Pacific's united front on climate action is splintering over deep-sea mining
But this united front is now under strain as some Pacific nations pursue a controversial new industry—deep-sea mining. Nauru, the Cook Islands, Kiribati and Tonga have gone the furthest to make it a reality, attracted by new income streams. But nations such as Fiji, Palau and Vanuatu have called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining in international waters.
September 1, 2025 — Source

The top hot spots in Tokyo: Revealing the impact of climate change through data fusion
Global climate change is making temperatures hotter, particularly in densely populated cities, which can adversely affect the health of residents. While mitigation efforts are urgent, it is hard for urban planners to identify exactly where to target as accurate, long-term climate records created over fine spatial scales have been unavailable.
September 1, 2025 — Source

UK, Japan, South Korea endure hottest summer on record
The UK, Japan and South Korea sweltered this year through the hottest summers since each country began keeping records, their weather agencies said Monday.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Why a group of Catholics urged Congress to take climate action
They made a pilgrimage to Washington to mark the 10th anniversary of the late Pope Francis' groundbreaking call to protect the Earth.
September 1, 2025 — Source

Environmental- Agriculture

Agribuild
offers personal coaching and strategic planning advice to farmers and agricultural contractors.
Provides Information — Source

Brakke Consulting
offers services to the animal health, agricultural, veterinary, pet, and specialty chemical product industries including executive search, market studies, and professional management services.
Provides a Service — Source

Denzil Phillips International Ltd.
introduce, conserve, propagate, cultivate, harvest, process, evaluate, and market useful plants from around the world.
Provides Information — Source

Five-G Consulting
custom design of livestock handling facilities.
Provides a Service — Source

Mason, Bruce & Girard, Inc. Consulting Foresters.
specializing in timberland management, forest inventories, timber harvest planning, appraisals, forest economics and policy analysis, and special studies.
Provides a Service — Source

Middle East Breeders and Technologies Ltd
offers livestock breeding consultancy services to government organisations, private sector, and individual breeders.
Provides Information — Source

Zwicker Consulting
source of information on Illinois agriculture featuring sections on commodities, crop conditions and weather reports.
Provides a Service — Source

Environmental — Miscellaneous

Fujino Spirals
Specializing in the field of pollution control dealing in Fujino spirals, Media based sewage treatment plants, Manufacturers of spirals media, industrial wastewater treatment india.
Provides Information — Source

Ore Systems Consulting
geological consulting firm specializing in VMS deposits.
Provides a Service — Source

Progressive Consulting Engineers, Inc
specializing in the water supply area and providing services to public and private agencies.
Provides a Service — Source

Q&Amp;A: Professor Phil Jones
Phil Jones is director of the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia (UEA), which has been at the centre of the row over hacked e-mails.
  — Source

TreeHugger.com
The Future is Green. Find it here.
  — Source

World Natural Hazards Website — Natural Disaster Management — Disaster Agency Hawaii
The Pacific Disaster Center's mission provides information about research and analysis support for the development of effective policies, institutions, programs and the information products for the disaster management and humanitarian assistance communities of the Asia Pacific region.
  — Source

Yale Climate Connections
Yale Climate Connections is a news service that aims to help you understand the reality of climate change and what you can do about it. Through our website, YouTube channel, and national radio program, which airs each day on hundreds of stations, we reach millions of people like you each year.
Provides Information — Source