Energy analysts say solar power and air conditioning are ‘complementary technologies’ – but is the race to cool Europe down backfiring? Europe’s solar boom is providing homes with hours of ‘free’ air conditioning (AC) – providing much-needed relief amid the latest heatwave. Blistering temperatures have gripped much of the continent this week, resulting in widespread disruption […]
Hawaii faces a growing plastic waste challenge. Recycling on the islands is expensive and difficult, and large amounts of marine debris continue to wash ashore or remain in surrounding waters. Now, researchers are exploring an innovative solution by turning discarded fishing nets and household plastic waste into asphalt for roads. Early results suggest the approach […]
A study published in Nature suggests that thawing permafrost may have an unexpected effect on the carbon cycle. While melting frozen ground is widely known for releasing greenhouse gases, researchers found that it can also strengthen a natural process that removes carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The research was conducted by scientists from Umeå University in […]
One of the biggest questions in science is how life first emerged on Earth. Researchers generally agree that the appearance of the first biopolymers and their building blocks marked a critical step in the origin of life (OoL). However, scientists still do not know exactly how a collection of prehistoric inert chemicals (gases) transformed into […]
Trees planted along farmland to shield crops from strong winds are often viewed as a simple way to support biodiversity. But new research suggests the picture is more complicated, especially in agricultural wetlands where many bird species depend on open landscapes. A team of researchers studying farmland wetlands on the western coast of central Japan […]
The Arabian Peninsula has seen temperatures on the hottest days of the year rise by what feels like 4°C since the 1970s, a sharper increase than in many other parts of the world, a study has shown. As a result, more people are being put at risk from heat stress, research from the European Centre for […]
The rainfall loss caused by deforestation could cost over $1 trillion of GDP annually in Europe, China and the USA, a new study has found. Around the world, over 130 countries are economically dependent on the rainfall that is generated by forests, according to researchers at the London School of Economics’ Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change. They estimate that in […]
Despite backsliding on some commitments, the UN climate conference showed glimmers of hope ahead of COP31. The Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB64) drew to a close today (18 June), laying the groundwork for COP31 in Türkiye in November. The meetings provide a crucial space for governments who have signed the United Nations Framework Convention on […]
Flexible power and energy security are being used to lock Europe deeper into fossil fuels, a new report warns. The fossil fuel price shock triggered by the war on Iran has exposed Europe’s dangerous reliance on oil and gas. But rather than treating it as a warning, governments across the EU are doubling down – […]
An Arabian Sea humpback whale, which usually hugs the coastline of Oman, has been tracked making a journey to Goa in search of food or a mate. This is the first direct evidence that the species crossed the Arabian Sea and is considered by scientists to be a behavioural anomaly because its members are so uniquely […]
