Tackling air pollution and climate change together could save lives and boost economies, UN reports show. Climate change-driven wildfires and heatwaves are worsening air pollution, with damaging consequences for nature and human health, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Global warming is making these events worse as they release microscopic airborne pollutants that risk […]
Human activities produce 100 times the carbon dioxide of the planet’s volcanic eruptions, according to NASA. Europe’s most active volcano has been putting on a fiery show, and experts predict that this is just the beginning. Tourists have flocked en masse to see molten lava spewing out of Mount Etna, a stratovolcano located on the […]
Volunteers have helped transformed coastal areas across a slew of popular Greek islands. Half a dozen Greek islands have witnessed a coastline glow-up, thanks to the second round of cleaning operations under the ‘Typhoon Project’. Now in its seventh year of operation, the Typhoon Project has helped clean more than 4,800 stretches of coastline, removed […]
Fireworks may dazzle crowds with brilliant colors and loud explosions, but new research suggests their effects continue long after the show ends. Three recent studies published in American Chemical Society (ACS) journals examined what fireworks leave behind, from discarded debris and airborne particles to chemical compounds released into the atmosphere. Together, the findings offer a […]
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 […]
For centuries, forests have followed a remarkably consistent rhythm. Beneath the trees, roots and microscopic organisms steadily release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as they break down organic material and fuel plant growth. Scientists call this process soil respiration, and it represents one of the largest carbon flows on Earth. New research suggests that this […]
For some 300 kilometres, groundwater flows underground between France, Germany and Switzerland. It is Europe’s largest groundwater reserve, yet a new study reveals it is heavily polluted. From Frankfurt to Basel, deep underground lies a treasure that supplies more than five million people in the region with drinking water. It is Europe’s largest groundwater reserve. […]
The 1987 Montreal Protocol is often described as the most successful environmental treaty ever created. It has led to a steady global phaseout of chemicals that once damaged the ozone layer and increased risks such as skin cancer. Research led by MIT has shown that cutting these ozone-depleting substances is allowing the ozone layer to […]
The atmosphere plays a major role in spreading microplastics across the planet, carrying these tiny particles to even the most remote regions. People and animals can inhale them, raising concerns about potential health effects. Once airborne, microplastics can also fall back to Earth, adding to pollution in oceans and soils around the world. A new […]
Microplastics and nanoplastics are widely known for contaminating oceans, rivers, and farmland. New research now shows they are also accumulating in forests. Geoscientists at TU Darmstadt report this finding in a study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, highlighting a largely overlooked form of environmental pollution. The study reveals that forests are not just affected […]
