Environment
News and analysis of environmental issues and green technology.
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Renewable energy rides solar cycle paths through Dutch provinces
December 20, 2023The Dutch love to cycle. So much so that there are more than 35,000 km of cycle paths snaking through the Netherlands. Two of those bike routes have now been topped with photovoltaic cells to produce renewable energy while they face skyward. -
Experimental system uses microwaves to cook crop pests in soil
December 18, 2023Just like any other organisms, crop-destroying soil microbes die if they get too hot. With that fact in mind, scientists have developed a new system in which soil-heating microwaves are used to kill such pests. It could one day replace pesticides. -
Cardboard boxes could be upcycled into EPS foam alternative
December 18, 2023Thanks to online shopping, an increasing number of goods are being shipped to buyers in cardboard boxes filled with eco-unfriendly EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam. Soon, however, such boxes could be upcycled into a greener alternative to EPS. -
Korean researchers aim to trap marine trash at its source
December 07, 2023Though efforts to clean up plastic waste from our oceans are well underway, it's also vital to stem the tide at a major source of pollution: rivers. Researchers in South Korea are looking to doing just that at a "living lab" facility in Gongju. -
‘Not right now’: Key marine species turned off sex by plastic chemicals
December 04, 2023A study has found that plastic additives might be stopping the reproductive habits of a shrimp-like species that is key to the marine food chain. The findings provide a different perspective on the potential damage caused by specific pollutants. -
Eco-friendly insulation would put rice husks and newspapers in our walls
November 30, 2023Although various uses for post-harvest rice husk waste are being explored, the stuff is still usually incinerated, dumped in landfills, or composted. Soon, however, rice husks may be combined with discarded newspapers to form eco-friendly insulation. -
Long-lost species of golden mole found and photographed for first time
November 28, 2023A team of conservationists have rediscovered a species of golden mole that hasn’t been seen in almost 90 years. The scientists tracked it to its home in the sand dunes of South Africa using environmental DNA (eDNA) and sniffer dogs. -
AI helps scientists track icebergs by analyzing radar data
November 28, 2023Researchers are using machine learning to analyze satellite radar data to detect icebergs in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica as a way to better understand their life cycle and environmental impact. -
Recycling cigarette butts may reduce biodiesel production costs
November 27, 2023To drive down the cost of biodiesel, researchers have developed an eco-friendly way of extracting triacetin, a combustion-enhancing additive, from an abundant waste source, cigarette butts, both reducing waste and providing a sustainable use for it. -
Sun-run device turns dirty water into hydrogen fuel & drinking water
November 13, 2023Researchers have created a floating, solar-powered device that converts contaminated water or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel and drinking water. Because it works with any open water source, it could be used in resource-limited or remote places. -
Heaps of pharmaceuticals, toxic chemicals found in recycled plastics
November 10, 2023While the use of recycled plastics is normally considered a noble endeavor, a new study says it's time to think twice. In an analysis of the material from more than 10 different countries, hundreds of potentially harmful chemicals were uncovered. -
Ultraviolet light could hold the key to recycling disposable diapers
October 25, 2023Disposable diapers are a huge source of global waste, largely because they're difficult to recycle. A new process, however, could salvage the "superabsorber" polymer utilized in the liners of those diapers – and yes, even if they're soiled. -
Altered plant turns red to warn of environmental pollutants
October 24, 2023Checking for pollutants in the environment via soil sampling and other traditional methods can be a laborious process, but what alternatives are there? Well, scientists have now engineered a plant to turn red when exposed to specific toxic chemicals. -
HET tech shocks soil on location to remove pollutants
October 19, 2023Purifying polluted soil can be a difficult process, often requiring the soil to be dug up and transported to an offsite remediation facility. Now, however, scientists have developed an eco-friendly method of treating it where it lays – by zapping it. -
Human-made cooling stations could save spawning salmon
October 16, 2023Salmon are very much a cold-water fish, so they can get quite stressed when swimming up increasingly warm rivers to spawn. A new study shows that by installing "cooling stations" in those rivers, we could help the threatened fish make the trip.
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