Environment
News and analysis of environmental issues and green technology.
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Earth's hottest day on record broken twice this week
July 24, 2024Earth saw its hottest day on record this week – twice. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service data, Sunday claimed the top spot for highest global average temperature since the records began in 1940, only to be broken again on Monday. -
Sports fields could cool cities via rainwater stored beneath turf
July 09, 2024Artificial-turf sports fields may be more durable than those covered in grass, but they also get very hot during warm weather. Scientists have devised a method of cooling them – and the cities they're in – using rainwater stored beneath the turf. -
Canon sorting tech brings black plastics into the recycling mix
June 19, 2024Black plastics pose an ID problem for sorting machines at recycling facilities, as the sensors can't see them. Canon has developed a system that users lasers and tracking tech to identify and sort plastic trash on the conveyor belt, no matter its color. -
Coldplay's new album is made of river plastic
June 17, 2024Marine plastic waste is a huge problem, but the Ocean Cleanup has been taking a bite out of floating trash in oceans and rivers for the last few years. Now Coldplay is about to use some of that waste for a limited edition of its forthcoming album. -
'Forgotten' greenhouse gas levels surge 40% since 1980
June 12, 2024The fertilizer used on around half of the food we consume is now one of the biggest drivers of human-made greenhouse gas emissions, with China, India, the US, Brazil and Russia the biggest polluters, according to a new global nitrous oxide report. -
Autonomous marine trash gobbler takes on invasive weeds too
June 10, 2024Clear Robotics is expanding its fleet of autonomous marine trash collectors. Its Class 3 vessel boasts more onboard storage capacity plus towed barge potential for extended cleanup operations, and has also been designed to tackle invasive weeds. -
Marine fungus takes a bite out of plastic waste
June 05, 2024That we have a huge plastic waste problem is clear, but there are numerous efforts to stem the tide while also cleaning up the mess. Nature is also joining the battle, and scientists have now identified a marine fungus at the plastic-devouring front line. -
Protein-rich microalgae gets a nutritious boost from an unlikely source
May 29, 2024When it comes to protein sources that are more eco-friendly than traditional livestock, two of the most promising candidates are insects and microalgae. Scientists have now devised a method of using waste from the former as food for the latter. -
Alaska's technicolor rivers are rapidly spreading – and we now know why
May 21, 2024For the first time, scientists from across North America have formed a clear picture of Alaska's 'rusting' rivers and streams, tracking 75 areas in the remote Brooks Range that are flushed with the bizarre hue so bright it's even visible from space. -
Elon Musk's plan to address the "very solvable" water scarcity crisis
May 20, 2024Elon Musk dropped in on the 10th world Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia, and outlined a plan to solve humanity's growing water scarcity crisis. "The potential for solving any given water issue is very good," he told the assembled dignitaries. -
This 50,000-year-old block of ice reveals the true state of CO2 levels now
May 14, 2024Despite evidence that indicates we're now living beneath unprecedented levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases, a lack of historical records has meant we've had little to compare it to. So scientists decided to consult the planet's own record books. -
Human hair: A surprisingly effective way to soak up oil spills
May 12, 2024In a world of weird, this one ranks up there... A non-profit out of San Francisco, California, is cleaning up oil spills using the naturally adsorbent properties of human hair, woven into thick mats that soak up a gallon and a half at a time. -
Earth's 'Gateway to Hell' is growing by 35 million cubic feet each year
May 08, 2024Whether a John Carpenter fan or not, you shouldn't need much convincing to see that the thawing of subterranean permafrost at the poles is not really a good thing. Siberia's biggest sinkhole is now devouring the landscape around it at an alarming rate. -
Tiny tenacious robots snatch bacteria and microplastics out of the water
May 08, 2024Scientists have developed tiny "robots" which appear to be very effective at removing microplastics pollution from water. What's more, the little bots also target the harmful bacteria that often hitch a ride on the plastic particles. -
Plastic embedded with plastic-eating spores is degradable – and tougher
April 30, 2024A new biodegradable plastic embedded with spores of plastic-eating bacteria manages to break down 90% of the material after five months in landfill. Weirdly, this actually made the plastic tougher and stronger during use.
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