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 […]
Scientists have known for years that iron oxide minerals help store vast amounts of carbon by keeping it out of the atmosphere. A new study from Northwestern University now explains the chemistry behind that ability, revealing why these minerals are especially effective at locking carbon in place. By closely examining ferrihydrite, a common iron oxide […]
Trees are essential to life on Earth. They absorb and store CO2, support animals, fungi, and insects, hold soil in place, manage water cycles, and provide people with vital resources such as wood, food, and cooling shade during hot weather. Despite their importance, forests around the world are undergoing a major shift. New research shows […]
Scientists have warned that current models are significantly underrepresenting the toll climate change is taking on the global economy. Economic models used by governments, central banks and investors are “increasingly understating” climate change risks as the world continues to heat up. A new report led by the University of Exeter’s Green Futures Solutions team, in […]
Air frying high-fat foods such as bacon produces fewer volatile organic compounds and other airborne particles than deep-fat frying. Your air fryer may be secretly helping the planet, even if you have a penchant for fatty foods. The mini-appliances have boomed in popularity in recent years, quickly becoming a mainstay in kitchens across Europe. Air fryers often […]
Conservationists have been left baffled by the bird’s odd movements, with fears that they could be triggered by environmental factors. Scientists on a research vessel off the central California coast spotted a waved albatross, marking just the second recorded sighting of the bird north of Central America. The yellow-billed bird with black button eyes, which […]
Scientists say Greenland’s sinking sea levels will have a ripple effect on coastal communities, shipping routes, fishing and infrastructure. Rising temperatures are causing sea levels to rise around the world, putting millions at risk of severe flooding and coastal erosion. But in Greenland, the opposite is happening. Researchers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part […]
Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University set out to understand how polymer-coated fertilizer (PCF) used on farmland eventually reaches beaches and ocean waters. By examining PCF debris collected from shorelines across Japan, they found that very little fertilizer plastic returns to land through rivers. Only about 0.2% of the PCFs applied in nearby areas were detected […]
Scientists are raising new concerns after a study found that microplastics are interfering with the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a process that plays a vital role in regulating Earth’s temperature. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles measuring less than five millimeters. Over time, they have spread across nearly every part of the planet. Researchers […]
Newly published research finds that tropical forests can rebound up to twice as fast after deforestation when their soils contain enough nitrogen. The study shows that what happens below ground plays a major role in how quickly forests return after land has been cleared. Scientists led by the University of Leeds launched the largest and […]
