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 […]
India is home to the world’s most polluted city, according to IQAir’s newly released World Air Quality Report. Only 14 per cent of cities worldwide breathe safe air, a drop from 17 per cent in the previous year. Swiss pollution monitoring company IQAir analysed data from 9,446 cities in 143 countries, regions and territories, for […]
An international team led by researchers at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has found that Antarctica’s only native insect is already consuming microplastics, despite living in one of the most isolated places on Earth. The findings, published in Science of the Total Environment, mark the first study to investigate how […]
A new study has warned that liquid crystal monomers from electronic devices are accumulating in the organs of endangered marine species. Potentially toxic chemicals from everyday electronic items have been detected in marine life in what scientists describe as an urgent “wake-up call”. Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are critical components of devices you probably have […]
Chemicals introduced to shield the ozone layer are now tied to an unexpected environmental consequence. A new study shows that these substances have helped spread large amounts of a long-lasting and potentially harmful forever chemical across the planet. Researchers in atmospheric science, led by a team at Lancaster University, have calculated for the first time […]
Over the past 20 years, scientists have increasingly identified microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) as a growing form of environmental pollution. These tiny plastic particles have been detected throughout all major parts of the Earth system, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. Their widespread distribution has made plastics a rising concern for researchers studying […]
