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 […]
Researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a new low-temperature approach to hydrogen production that could make the clean fuel cheaper and more practical to generate. The technique could be used both in large centralized facilities and in smaller local systems that take advantage of waste heat from major industrial operations. Hydrogen is the […]
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 […]
Eastern Africa’s Turkana Rift is known both for its rich record of early human fossils and for intense volcanic activity driven by shifting tectonic plates. Now, scientists report that the crust beneath this region has thinned far more than previously understood, pointing to the long term breakup of the African continent and offering a fresh […]
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 […]
Some of the longest and most essential animal migrations on Earth take place beneath the surface of rivers. A major new report from the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), a United Nations environmental treaty, warns that many of these migrations are now rapidly breaking down. The Global Assessment of […]
Scientists warn that no adaptation measure can sustain Venice as rising sea levels threaten to swallow the city. Venice may be forced to relocate in the future as scientists scramble to save it from the growing threat of flooding. A new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, has assessed existing and potential adaptation strategies for […]
