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Environment
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Environment

Older species tend to have large ranges – unless they live on islands

Every living species on Earth has a unique geographical range, with some being widespread and others being very narrow. Several factors shape a species’ range size – and one of them is the evolutionary age of a species. To investigate how evolutionary age is related to present-day range size, a research team led by scientists from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig University and Naturalis Biodiversity Center compared over 26,000 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, reef fishes, and palms. More than 40,000 species are facing extinction worldwide. Species with narrow geographical ranges are ...

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Environment

New fossils show how “bizarre” armoured dinosaur, Spicomellus afer, had 1 metre spikes sticking out from its neck

The world’s most unusual dinosaur is even stranger than first realised... Today, research published in Nature [link] reports that Spicomellus afer had a tail weapon more than 30 million years before any other ankylosaur, as well as a unique bony collar ringed with metre-long spikes sticking out from either side of its neck. Spicomellus is the world’s oldest ankylosaur, having lived more than 165 million years ago in the Middle Jurassic near what is now the Moroccan town of Boulemane. It was the ...

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Environment

American Meteorological Society announces 2026 weather, water, and climate honorees

The American Meteorological Society announces its 2026 Awards and Honors, recognizing outstanding contributions to the weather, water, and climate community by individuals and organizations. 2026 recipients will be honored at the 106th AMS Annual Meeting in Houston, 25–29 January, 2026. “Through its awards AMS recognizes some of the many, many exceptional people working across the Weather, Water, and Climate Enterprise to benefit humanity,” says AMS Past President Anjuli Bamzai, chair of the AMS Awards Oversight Committee. “Even as our community is facing a time ...

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Environment

Deforestation could account for over a third of heat deaths in areas of tropical forest loss researchers find

Deforestation in tropical countries could contribute to increased deaths from heat exposure in nearby populations, new research has shown. Published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, the research was led by Dr Carly Reddington and Professor Dominick Spracklen, from the University of Leeds’ School of Earth and Environment. The study, which analysed areas across Central and South America, Africa and South-East Asia, found that local climate heating caused by tropical deforestation has exposed over 300 million people to increased temperatures and is associated with 28,000 ...

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Environment

‘Built for cutting flesh, not resisting acidity’: sharks may be losing deadly teeth to ocean acidification

Sharks can famously replace their teeth, with new ones always growing as they’re using up the current set. As sharks rely on their teeth to catch prey, this is vital to the survival of one of the oceans’ top predators. But the ability to regrow teeth might not be enough to ensure they can withstand the pressures of a warming world where oceans are getting more acidic, new research has found. Researchers in Germany examined sharks’ teeth under different ocean acidification scenarios and showed that more acidic oceans lead to more brittle and weaker teeth. “Shark teeth, despite being composed of highly mineralized phosphates, are still vulnerable to corrosion under ...

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Environment

Wind isn’t the only threat: USF-led scientists urge shift to more informed hurricane scale

Key takeaways: Storm surge and rainfall — not wind — cause the majority of hurricane deaths, yet are absent from the current warning system. Researchers developed and tested the Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale, which incorporates all three hazards and can rate storms up to Category 6. Study shows people are more likely to correctly identify risks and evacuate when informed using the new scale. TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 26, 2025) – Wind alone does not account for all hurricane-related fatalities. Storm surge and rainfall do as well. Yet the current warning system – the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane ...

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Environment

Study: Fossils reveal reliable record of marine ecosystem functioning

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences confirms that fossilized remains of marine invertebrates can accurately reflect the functional diversity of past ecosystems—offering a powerful tool for understanding long-term ecological change and informing modern conservation. UNLV geoscience professor Carrie Tyler, in collaboration with Michał Kowalewski from the University of Florida, compared living marine communities with their corresponding skeletal remains and the fossil record across 51 coastal sites in ...

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Environment

Inaugural editorial: the Energy and Environment Nexus

Introducing Energy & Environment Nexus (E&E Nexus) – a pioneering, open-access platform dedicated to the critical intersection of energy systems and environmental challenges. We explicitly prioritize research exploring the dynamic interplay between energy and the environment, where innovation meets impact. E&E Nexus Scope Spans Key: ????Interdisciplinary Science of Energy & Environment ????Renewable Energy & Low-Carbon Technologies ????Energy Materials & Nanotechnology ????Solid Waste Resource Utilization ????Pollution Control & ...

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Environment

More efficient and reliable SiC devices for a greener future

Osaka, Japan - Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a novel technique to enhance the performance and reliability of silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices, a key component in power electronics. This breakthrough utilizes a unique two-step annealing process involving diluted hydrogen, to eliminate unnecessary impurities and significantly improve device reliability. SiC power devices offer superior energy efficiency compared to traditional silicon-based devices, making them ideal for applications like electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. However, previous attempts to improve ...

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Environment

Rising deep-ocean oxygen levels opened up new marine habitats, spurred speciation

Some 390 million years ago in the ancient ocean, marine animals began colonizing depths previously uninhabited. New research indicates this underwater migration occurred in response to a permanent increase in deep-ocean oxygen, driven by the aboveground spread of woody plants — precursors to Earth’s first forests. That rise in oxygen coincided with a period of remarkable diversification among fish with jaws — the ancestors of most vertebrates alive today. The finding suggests that oxygenation might have shaped evolutionary patterns among prehistoric species. “It’s known that oxygen is a necessary condition for animal evolution, but the extent to which ...

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Environment

The NSF Inouye Solar Telescope delivers record-breaking images of solar flare, coronal loops

MAUI, HI - AUGUST 25, 2025 — The highest-resolution images of a solar flare captured at the H-alpha wavelength (656.28 nm) ever captured may reshape how we understand the Sun’s magnetic architecture—and improve space weather forecasting. Using the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, built and operated by the NSF National Solar Observatory (NSO), astronomers captured dark coronal loop strands with unprecedented clarity during the decay phase of an X1.3-class flare on August 8, 2024, at 20:12 ...

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Environment

The number of people exposed to wildfires nearly doubles, with Africa bearing the greatest burden

RICHMOND HILL, Canada - 25 August 2025 — Wildfires are putting more lives at risk than ever before. A new research led by the United Nations University, Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) scientists finds that the number of humans directly exposed to wildland wildfires increased by 40% within the first two decades of the 21st century. The study published in Science reports at least 2,500 deaths and 10,500 injuries directly from wildfires in this period, and more than 1.5 million smoke-related deaths each year. Despite limited coverage in global media, Africa accounted for 85% of those exposed. The authors note that ...

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Environment

EVs reduce climate pollution, but by how much? New U-M research has the answer

Choosing a more electrified vehicle will reduce drivers' greenhouse gas emissions, regardless of where they live in the contiguous United States, according to a new study from the University of Michigan. The analysis is the most comprehensive to date, the authors said, providing drivers with estimates of emissions per mile driven across 35 different combinations of vehicle class and powertrains. That included conventional gas pickups, hybrid SUVs and fully electric sedans with dozens of other permutations. In fact, the team created a free online calculator that lets drivers estimate greenhouse gas emissions based on what they drive, how they drive ...

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Environment

From the atmosphere to the abyss: Iron's role in Earth's climate history

A new study published by researchers at the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa sheds light on the critical role of iron in Earth’s climate history, revealing how its sources in the South Pacific Ocean have shifted over the past 93 million years. This groundbreaking research, based on the analysis of deep-sea sediment cores, provides crucial insights into the interplay between iron, marine life, and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Iron is a vital nutrient for marine life and plays a significant role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide by influencing the growth of phytoplankton, which absorb carbon dioxide. Although the importance of iron ...

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Environment

Scientists reveal how microbes collaborate to consume potent greenhouse gas

Methane — a potent greenhouse gas — constantly seeps from the ocean floor and can rise into the atmosphere. Now, an international team led by scientists with the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences has uncovered how tiny microorganisms work together as a living electrical network to consume some of this gas before it escapes, acting as a powerful living filter. By revealing how these microbes naturally reduce methane emissions, the findings could lead to innovative strategies ...

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Environment

Wildfire peer review report for land Brandenburg, Germany, is now online

From November 18-22, 2024, four peers from Spain, Portugal, and Italy, selected by the European Commission, carried out an on-site mission in Land Brandenburg under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) Peer Review Programme. Requested by the authorities of Land Brandenburg in cooperation with the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), the review assessed wildfire risk governance and practice to provide actionable pathways for strengthening capabilities. CMCC experts served as facilitators, leveraging experience from previous disaster risk management and wildfire peer reviews in Romania (2022), Moldova (2023), ...

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Environment

Wildfires can raise local death rate by 67%, shows study on 2023 Hawaiʻi fires

New research unveils the true death toll of the deadly August 2023 wildfires which took place in Lāhainā, Maui, Hawaiʻi — and which temporarily made wildfire a leading cause of death in Maui. By comparing death rates over time, the scientists found that two-thirds more people died that August than would have been expected. To stop this happening again, the authors say, major policy changes are needed, ranging from removing flammable invasive vegetation to improving disaster preparedness. “Wildfires can cause a measurable, ...

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Environment

UC Irvine-led research team uncovers global wildfire paradox

Irvine, Calif. — Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions have spotted a contradiction in worldwide wildfire trends: Despite a 26 percent decline in total burned area from 2002 to 2021, the number of people exposed to wildfires has surged by nearly 40 percent. The study, published today in Science, revealed another statistic that may come as a surprise to people who rely primarily on Western news sources: While high-profile wildfire disasters in the United States, Canada and Australia often dominate headlines, the researchers found that 85 percent of all human exposures to wildfires during that period occurred in ...

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Environment

Solar panels in space could cut Europe’s renewable energy needs by 80%

Space-based solar power has the potential to reduce Europe’s need for land-based renewable energy by up to 80% - a potential game-changer for reaching net-zero by 2050. For the first time, researchers from King’s College London have assessed the possible impact that generating solar energy in space could have for Europe. They found it could cut energy battery storage needs by more than two-thirds. The study, published in Joule, analysed the potential of a design by NASA for solar generation, ...

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Environment

First observations by the Total Anthropogenic and Natural emissions mapping SpectrOmeter-3 (TANSO-3) onboard the Global Observing SATellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle “IBUKI GW” (GOSAT-GW)

1. Summary The National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOE) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has been observing atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases by utilizing the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) Series, with the aim of advancing climate change science and contributing to the evaluation of climate change policies and initiatives. The Global Observing SATellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle “IBUKI GW” (GOSAT-GW)1, developed jointly by MOE, NIES, ...

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Environment

Regenerative agriculture highlighted as a transformative approach to ecological farming and soil recovery

A new critical review, published in the journal CABI Agriculture and Bioscience, highlights the emergence and scientific basis of regenerative agriculture – proposing a working definition centred on ecological cycles and farm system outcomes. Dr Nicholas Bardsley, author of the paper from the Department of Agri-Food Economics and Marketing at the University of Reading, suggests that as global agriculture faces intensifying soil degradation, climate disruption, and ecological breakdown, there ...

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Environment

Heat-stressed Australian forests are thinning fast, producing carbon emissions

Heat-stressed Victorian mountain ash forests are thinning fast, turning from carbon sinks to carbon sources, new research reveals. Published in Nature Communications, the research shows forests will lose a quarter of their trees by 2080 due to global warning. Mountain ash forests are currently one of Earth’s most effective ecosystems for storing carbon – they store more carbon per hectare than the Amazon. But researchers say these forests will store less carbon in the future as warming causes more trees to die and decompose. Scientists from the Universities of Melbourne and ...

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Environment

Asia steps into the global carbon cycle conversation

A deeper look into carbon flux is now possible — thanks to a deep pool of scientific collaboration. And for once, the spotlight is on Asia. Led by researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University, a collaborative team of researchers from Japanese institutions has introduced JapanFlux2024, the first large-scale open dataset of its kind for Asia. It details how terrestrial ecosystems across Japan and neighboring regions absorb and release carbon dioxide (CO2), offering a long-awaited foundation for understanding Asia’s role in the global carbon cycle. Across Asia’s diverse landscapes—from ...

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Environment

Inaugural editorial of Sustainable Carbon Materials

Introducing Sustainable Carbon Materials—a new peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to advancing fundamental and applied research on carbon-based materials! As a multidisciplinary global platform, we foster innovation in this rapidly expanding field by publishing high-impact reviews, original research, rapid reports, perspectives, commentaries, and correspondence. Broad Scope Includes: ✅ Synthesis & characterization of graphene, nanotubes, fullerenes & more ✅ Physical/chemical properties for electronics, optics, and spintronics ✅ Energy applications (batteries, ...

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Environment

Insect conservation stalled by absence of risk assessments

With just 1.2% of the world’s one million described insect species assessed for extinction risk, biodiversity assessment and conservation measures remain severely constrained. Sufficiently extensive datasets and new statistical methods could enhance the reach of extinction risk classification. Invertebrates, including insects, are poorly represented on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. The Red List, the world’s most comprehensive information source on global conservation status, is dominated by better-known vertebrates, such as mammals ...

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