Environment
News and analysis of environmental issues and green technology.
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World's oldest ice core could stretch back 5 million years
August 11, 2022One of the best ways to analyze Earth's past climate is with samples drilled from deep ice cores. Now, scientists have dated what may be the world’s oldest ice core, with some sections potentially preserving samples as old as 5 million years. -
UCB demonstrates "incredibly cheap and easy" carbon-capture material
August 08, 2022UC Berkeley chemists say they've created a simple, and very inexpensive way to capture carbon dioxide using a polymer called melamine, that's far cheaper than metal-organic frameworks. It could capture carbon emissions from smokestacks or tailpipes. -
Wind turbine fitted with recyclable blades starts generating electricity
August 05, 2022Siemens Gamesa has developed a fully recyclable blade that can be used to create new products when its wind-catching days are done, and it's just been installed on a turbine at a commercial wind farm in the North Sea. -
MIT's silk capsules aim to take a bite out of microplastic pollution
July 20, 2022Microplastics are a major environmental problem, but a new study could help cut out a decent chunk of them. Silk could be a biodegradable replacement for microbeads and particles that are often added to cosmetics, paints and other products. -
CO2Rail aims to turn train cars into rolling carbon capture plants
July 20, 2022We're seeing a growing emphasis on direct air capture technology in our efforts to combat climate change, and an interesting new take on this technology could see it put to use on railways around the world. -
Bridge wrapped in insulation foil as UK passes 40 °C for the first time
July 19, 2022As an unprecedented heatwave takes hold in Europe, driving the mercury to record levels and causing devastating wildfires across the continent, authorities are scrambling to prevent disruptions to transport services. -
Volcanic afterglow bathes Antarctica in mesmerizing color and light
July 14, 2022Researchers stationed in Antarctica have been left mesmerized by the skies overhead, brought on by the aftereffects of a volcanic eruption and captured in jaw-dropping, unedited images by science technician Stuart Shaw. -
Seaweed-based membranes could find use in "greener" soundproofing
July 14, 2022Whether they're in cars, buildings or airplanes, most of today's noise-blocking acoustic tiles are made of petrochemical-derived foam. A more eco-friendly alternative may be on the way, however, in the form of seaweed-derived membranes. -
"Aspirin" for plants could help crops survive climate change
July 12, 2022A compound called salicylic acid is naturally produced when plants encounter things like drought and heat, and a new study demonstrates how this process might be leveraged to protect crops in the face of rising global temperatures. -
Microplastics found in the meat, milk and blood of farm animals
July 11, 2022Scientists in the Netherlands studying the spread of microplastics have turned their eye to meat and dairy products and discovered high rates of contamination in farm animals, raising new questions around the widespread nature of plastic pollution. -
Eco-friendly algae-based prawn substitute could soon hit the market
July 06, 2022Microalgae is already being used as a fish-free alternative to the fish feed commonly used in aquaculture operations. Taking things a step further, scientists are now looking at using the plant-like organisms to replace the prawns eaten by humans. -
Study finds plastics in more than half of small land mammals sampled
July 04, 2022Scientists studying plastic pollution in the UK have turned their eye to small land mammals and found traces of the material in more than half the species sampled, with a seemingly equal distribution across locations and even dietary habits. -
Light-activated fish-shaped robot soaks up microplastics from the water
July 01, 2022Scientists have come up with a novel cleanup solution for microplastic pollution that takes its cues from nature, in the form of a fish-like robot that can move through the water and soak up small plastic fragments as it goes. -
Work begins on Mammoth, the world's largest CO2 direct air capture plant
June 29, 2022Swiss outfit Climeworks has today broken ground on its second direct air capture plant in Iceland, and one that marks significant progress in its ambitions of removing gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year by 2050. -
Scientists discover polar bears adapting to live largely on glacier slush
June 17, 2022Scientists have discovered a genetically distinct subpopulation of polar bears that has adapted to survive on glacier slush instead of sea ice for large parts of the year, boding well for adaptability of the species.
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