Greenhouse emissions

Catalysis expert Richard Blair, left, and nanotechnologist Laurene Tetard, both from UCF, have teamed up on some exciting new photocatalysis discoveries

Energy

Solar catalyst captures methane to create pure hydrogen and carbon

Methane has a greenhouse effect 80 times worse than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, and emissions are skyrocketing even as we start reducing CO2. That makes UCF's new hydrocarbon-capturing, sunlight-powered catalyst a very compelling idea.

Nature's methane inhibitor is taking on these methane machines, but this time from the back end

Biology

Red alga added to cow poop slashes methane emissions by almost half

Move over, cow burps. A team of scientists has shifted gears from the front to the back end of these methane-production powerhouses, using algae to curb gas emanating from their poop. It's a crap gig, but nature's best methane inhibitor is on the job.

Samples of LionGlass, a new material that's at least 10 times more crack resistant than regular glass, and far more environmentally friendly to produce

Materials

LionGlass boasts 10x the strength of regular glass, greener production

Despite its many advantages, glass has one major Achilles' heel – it’s brittle. Now, engineers at Penn State have developed LionGlass, a new form that's not only 10 times more damage resistant, but requires significantly less energy to manufacture.

A molecular diagram of the zeolite (center) that may help capture methane from the atmosphere

Environment

Cheap, common kitty litter clay captures methane from the air

Carbon dioxide may hog headlines as a climate change villain, but methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas. MIT has now demonstrated a new way to remove methane from the air, even at low concentrations, with a common clay used to make cat litter.

A new model investigates how much worse off the world would be if action hadn't been taken to ban CFCs decades ago

Environment

"World Avoided" model charts climate cost if we'd ignored ozone hole

Climate change can feel inevitable, but we’ve stepped up to the challenge before. New modeling shows how bad things would be if CFCs hadn’t been banned decades ago – depleted ozone would've increased UV exposure and stopped plants capturing carbon.

The UK has set a stunning new emissions reduction target for 2035, pledging to cut emissions by 78 percent on the way to net zero by 2050

Environment

UK sets world's toughest climate target for 2035

The UK government has announced a legally binding commitment to hit a 78 percent emissions reduction target by 2035, as compared to 1990 levels, on the way to net zero emissions by 2050. For the first time, this target includes aviation and shipping.

Professor Ermias Kebreab with dairy cows

Environment

Seaweed supplements cut cattle methane emissions by up to 82%

Cattle are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, mainly due to their methane-loaded burps. A detailed new study has found more evidence that feeding cows a small seaweed supplement can greatly reduce their methane emissions.

Visualization of global methane in the atmosphere on January 26, 2018, with higher concentrations seen in red

Environment

Global emissions of heat-trapping methane hit record high

New analysis has revealed that emissions of methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas, have now hit record highs, with the surge being driven in large part by increases in the burning of fossil fuels and increasing agricultural activity.

An experiment illustrates the electrolysis process using dye: pink represents the acid created at one electrode and purple the base at the other end

Materials

Electrolysis technique makes cement CO2 emission-free

Making cement is one of the biggest contributors of carbon emissions. Now MIT researchers have developed a new method that can clean up the process.

Researchers have investigated the gut microbes of sheep to find ways to reduce agricultural methane emissions

Environment

Manipulating gut microbes in livestock could cut their methane emissions

Livestock like sheep and cows are responsible for huge amounts of methane emissions. Now, an international team of researchers has analyzed the gut microbes of different sheep and found clues that may help us curb the problem.

Research suggests the fertilizer industry's methane emissions is three times higher than the EPA assumed was emitted by all industrial production in the United States

Environment

Startling study finds US fertilizer industry emits 100 times more methane than estimated

A new study has independently measured methane emissions from a number of ammonia fertilizer plants. The startling results suggest methane emissions are 100 times higher than industry estimates, and three times higher than the EPA’s estimate for all industry methane emissions in the United States.

A new study contrasts the excessive packaging found in meal kits against increased transportation and food waste factors commonly associated with grocery shopping

Environment

Study claims meal kits produce less emissions than grocery shopping, despite more packaging

Do meal kits have a larger carbon footprint than regular grocery store shopping? A team of environmental researchers set out to crunch the numbers discovering that despite the extra plastic waste meal kits may produce less environmental emissions than conventional grocery shopping.