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Environment
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Environment

Ocean sediments might support theory that comet impact triggered Younger Dryas cool-off

Analysis of ocean sediments has surfaced geochemical clues in line with the possibility that an encounter with a disintegrating comet 12,800 years ago in the Northern Hemisphere triggered rapid cooling of Earth’s air and ocean. Christopher Moore of the University of South Carolina, U.S., and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on August 6, 2025. During the abrupt cool-off—the Younger Dryas event—temperatures dropped about 10 degrees Celsius in a year or less, with cooler temperatures lasting about 1,200 years. Many researchers believe that no comet was ...

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Environment

Genetic rescue of endangered species may risk bad mutations slipping through

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The established conservation practice of relocating animals from large, genetically diverse populations to small communities of inbred endangered species may risk introducing more damaging than beneficial gene variants into the threatened group, a new study suggests. Analysis of genomes of Eastern massasauga rattlesnakes showed that, by the numbers, more deleterious than adaptation-enabling mutations were present in the more genetically diverse donor animals selected in a hypothetical scenario to join a small, isolated population. Because donor relocation, known as ...

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Environment

480 macrofungal species discovered in southeast Xizang, China: 8 new species, 115 edible, and 53 poisonous fungi

The research group of fungal diversity and molecular evolution at Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted in-depth research on more than 1,600 samples of macrofungi collected from 2019 to 2024 by means of species identification combining morphology and molecular systematics. The results showed that there were 480 species of macrofungi in this area, covering 7 classes, 17 orders, 67 families, and 158 genera of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, and 8 new species were described. Fungal diversity patterns revealed taxonomic dominance at both family and genus levels. Among the 67 documented families, 15 were dominant (≥10 species each), collectively representing ...

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Environment

Could natural rubber be a sustainable resource for next-gen flexible electronics?

Flexible electronics—including wearable devices, stretchable sensors, and soft robotics—require materials that integrate mechanical flexibility, stretchability, and durability with additional attributes like electrical conductivity. A review in the journal Small considers the potential of natural rubber as a sustainable resource to minimize the carbon footprint of flexible electronics. The authors examine how natural rubber might be used in different types of flexible sensors, self-powered systems, and ...

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Environment

Living in hurricane affected areas could increase mortality of older people by 9% years after disaster

Hurricanes and related natural catastrophes like flooding are becoming more severe and more frequent around the world. Older people are especially at risk, but relatively little is known about long-term health effects. In 2012, the north-east US was hit by Hurricane Sandy, which resulted in unusable transportation systems, destruction of homes, power loss, and more than 100 casualties. But what about the people who continue living in hurricane-mangled areas? Now, researchers in the US have investigated if ...

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Environment

Emeishan mantle plume created 400 km gas-rich carbonate belt in Sichuan Basin

Beneath the modern Sichuan Basin lies a geological masterpiece orchestrated by the Emeishan mantle plume 262 million year ago. A landmark study published in the Journal of Palaeogeography (Chinese Edition) uncovers how plume-driven tectonics shattered a Permian carbonate ramp into a complex platform system, creating a 400-kilometer-long dolostone hydrocarbon reservoir belt now pivotal to China’s energy exploration. Led by Prof. Yuan Haifeng (Chengdu University of Technology) and Dr. Zhang Benjian (PetroChina Southwest ...

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Environment

Fossil-free graphite from biomass for greener process industries

Join us for a cutting-edge Carbon Research Webinar featuring Prof. Weihong Yang from KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, where he will explore innovative strategies to transition from fossil-based materials to sustainable, bio-based graphite alternatives. This talk will provide insights into the conversion of bioprecursors into fossil-free graphite and its applications in lithium-ion batteries and electrochemical systems. A techno-economic assessment and life cycle analysis (LCA) will also be discussed. Date: Monday, August 11, 2025 Time: ‣ 15:00–16:00 (Beijing, China) ‣ 09:00–10:00 (CET, Europe/Swedish Time) Speaker: Prof. ...

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Environment

Media Tip Sheet: Urban ecology at ESA2025

At the Ecological Society of America’s Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md., Aug. 10–15, urban ecology will be front and center — fitting for a city that has long been a hub for research on nature in urban environments. Reflecting the meeting’s theme, “Ecology is Everywhere,” this growing field recognizes that cities are not just places where nature is degraded, but also where ecological processes thrive and evolve in unique ways. Urban ecology explores how people and biodiversity interact in densely populated landscapes, and how urban ecosystems offer valuable services and insights. Presentations at the meeting cover a wide ...

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Environment

'Arctic Monkeys': Early primates survived in cold climates, not tropical forests

Primates - the group of animals that includes monkeys, apes and humans - first evolved in cold, seasonal climates around 66 million years ago, not in the warm tropical forests scientists previously believed. Researchers from the University of Reading used statistical modelling and fossil data to reconstruct ancient environments and trace where the common ancestors of all modern primates lived. The study, published today (Tuesday, 5 August) in the journal PNAS, says these first primates most likely lived in North America in a cold climate with hot summers and freezing winters, overturning the long-held "warm tropical ...

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Environment

PeroCycle appoints new CEO and opens £4M seed round to decarbonise steelmaking

PeroCycle, an industrial decarbonisation venture advancing closed-loop carbon recycling for steel-making, has appointed Grant Budge as CEO. The announcement coincides with the opening of a £4m seed round to fund pilot deployment and accelerate commercial growth. Grant brings 30 years of experience leading carbon capture projects and advising on decarbonisation across energy and heavy industry. He has raised significant public and private funding and led delivery of large-scale CCS infrastructure. His appointment signals a new phase of commercial growth for PeroCycle as it advances towards pilot-scale deployment. “PeroCycle ...

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Environment

Imperfect underground processes help filter wastewater in Florida Keys

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For seaside communities reducing their pollution, nitrogen is a prime target. Often found in agricultural runoff and human waste, nitrogen and the nitrogen-containing nitrate molecule can enter coastal waters as a critical nutrient for algae. Its abundance leads to a surplus of algal blooms, upsetting delicate balances of plant and marine life. Many South Florida communities dispose of treated wastewater — which contains nitrate and more — by shallowly injecting it ...

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Environment

Both flexibility and persistence make some birds successful in human-made environments

(Santa Barbara, Calif.) — Across North America, grackles are virtuosos of adaptation. The small- to medium-sized New World blackbirds are particularly social and known for foraging skills that help them flourish in environments ranging from rural farms to urban parking lots. They are often viewed as rather bold and somewhat amusing birds that pick up French fries and other fast food scraps — or, alternatively, as annoying pests that eat our grain crops. UC Santa Barbara scientist Corina Logan, however, is fascinated by what goes on in their bird brains and how they manage to adapt to the growing footprint of human-made environments. In a pair of papers ...

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Environment

Biodiversity matters in every forest, but even more in wetter ones

Biodiversity is important in every ecosystem. Research has shown having a richer diversity of plant and animal species bolsters ecosystem functioning and stability, making habitats more resilient to the threats of things like pests, disease and climate change. Still, there are varying degrees of importance. Now, research led by the University of Michigan reveals some of the real-world implications of this fact in forests, providing valuable insights for land managers and conservationists working to protect these ...

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Environment

New ancient marine reptile species discovered in Germany's famous Jurassic fossil beds

Paleontologists have identified a new species of ancient marine reptile from Germany's world-renowned Posidonia Shale fossil beds, expanding our understanding of prehistoric ocean ecosystems that existed nearly 183 million years ago. The newly classified species, named Plesionectes longicollum ("long-necked near-swimmer"), represents a previously unknown type of plesiosauroid—the group of long-necked marine reptiles that inhabited Earth's oceans during the age of dinosaurs. The specimen is a nearly complete skeleton that even preserves remnants of fossilised soft ...

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Environment

Study identifies global upswing in photosynthesis driven by land, offset by oceans

Terrestrial plants drove an increase in global photosynthesis between 2003 and 2021, a trend partially offset by a weak decline in photosynthesis — the process of using sunlight to make food — among marine algae, according to a new study published in Nature Climate Change on Aug. 1. The findings could inform planetary health assessments, enhance ecosystem management, and guide climate change projections and mitigation strategies. Photosynthetic organisms — also known as primary producers — form the base of the food chain, making most life on Earth possible. Using ...

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Environment

Study: Most US homes can save money and affordably weather blackouts with solar plus storage

Most U.S. households could reduce their electricity costs and endure power outages by installing rooftop solar panels and battery packs, according to a new Stanford University study, though people may need to buy the equipment by Dec. 31. About 60% of families could reduce their electricity costs by 15% on average by installing a solar-battery system. That’s after accounting for annualized capital and operating costs of the equipment. Some 63% of U.S households could also weather local or regional blackouts with such systems, able to meet about half their electricity needs on average. These households would either save money on electricity or ...

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Environment

Challenges in governing rapidly emerging marine-climate interventions

In a Review, Tiffany Morrison and colleagues discuss the risks associated with rapidly emerging marine-climate intervention approaches. Because current governance systems are ill-suited to the scale and novelty of these new interventions, the authors argue, new regulatory frameworks are urgently needed to balance risk and reward, avoid harm, and ensure that ocean-based climate solutions are safe, equitable, and effective. Rapid climate-driven changes are occurring in marine ecosystems worldwide. As ...

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Environment

Turning biodiversity upside down: Conservation maps miss fungal hotspots by focusing on plants

For decades, scientists and conservationists have been using aboveground plant biodiversity as a metric for conserving ecosystems. Now a new study finds that there is a major mismatch between aboveground plant diversity and Earth’s underground fungal biodiversity. A new analysis published in Nature Communications on July 31 focused on the biodiversity mismatches between aboveground vegetation and mycorrhizal fungi – a group of underground fungi that form symbiotic relationships with the roots of 90% of land plants. These fungi help regulate the climate and global nutrient cycles, ...

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Environment

Efficient solar harvesting even in high humidity

The Energy & Environment Materials Research Division of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), led by Dr. Dong-chan Lim and Dr. So-yeon Kim, has developed a highly durable flexible perovskite solar cell material and fabrication process that remains stable even under high humidity conditions. This breakthrough enables the production of high-efficiency solar cells in ambient air without the need for expensive equipment, offering the potential for significant cost reductions in manufacturing. Perovskite has attracted attention as a next-generation material capable of replacing conventional silicon solar cells due to its excellent light absorption, ...

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Environment

We might inhale 68,000 lung-penetrating microplastics daily in our homes and cars – 100x previous estimates

New measurements of fine microplastic particles suspended in the air in homes and cars suggest that humans may be inhaling far greater amounts of lung-penetrating microplastics than previously thought. Nadiia Yakovenko and colleagues at the Université de Toulouse, France, present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on July 30, 2025. Prior research has detected tiny fragments of plastic known as microplastics suspended in the air across a wide variety of outdoor and indoor environments worldwide. The ubiquity of these airborne pollutants has raised concerns about their potential health ...

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Environment

Increasing solar power could lead to significant cuts in CO2 emissions

Embargoed for release: Wednesday, July 30, 2:00 PM ET Key points: Researchers estimated that a 15% increase in U.S. solar power generation could reduce CO2 emissions by 8.54 million metric tons annually, offering major climate benefits. The benefits of added solar power varied widely by region. Areas like California, Florida, Texas, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Southwest exhibited major reductions in emissions from solar increases, while other areas, such as Central, New England, and Tennessee, saw minimal impact. Solar expansion in one region can reduce emissions in neighboring regions, highlighting the importance of ...

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Environment

Researchers map where solar energy delivers the biggest climate payoff

Increasing solar power generation in the United States by 15% could lead to an annual reduction of 8.54 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to researchers at Rutgers, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Stony Brook University. The study, published in Science Advances, found that the climate benefits of solar power differ markedly throughout U.S. regions, pinpointing where clean energy investments return the greatest climate dividends. In 2023, 60% of U.S. electricity generation relied on fossil fuels, while 3.9% came from solar, according to the U.S. Energy Information ...

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Environment

Carbon fiber boosts dry-processed battery performance

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) researchers have overcome a barrier to using a more affordable, dry process for manufacturing the lithium-ion batteries used in vehicles and electronic devices. The resulting batteries provide greater electricity flow and reduced risk of overheating. Dry processing is a method for making electrode films that eliminates the need for wet organic solvents that require increased factory floor space, time, energy, waste disposal and startup expenses. However, dry-processed films tear easily. To address this issue, ORNL researchers incorporated long carbon fibers, then tested coin cell batteries made from ...

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Environment

Rainy tropics could face unprecedented droughts as an Atlantic current slows

Some of the rainiest places on Earth could see their annual precipitation nearly halved if climate change continues to alter the way ocean water moves around the globe. In a new CU Boulder-led study published July 30 in Nature, scientists revealed that even a modest slowdown of a major Atlantic Ocean current could dry out rainforests, threaten vulnerable ecosystems and upend livelihoods across the tropics. “That’s a stunning risk we now understand much better,” said lead author Pedro DiNezio, associate professor in CU Boulder’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, adding that parts of the Amazon rainforest could see up to a 40% reduction ...

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Environment

Carbon 'offsets' aren't working. Here's a way to improve nature-based climate solutions

A lot of the climate-altering carbon pollution we humans release into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels gets drawn into Earth’s oceans and landscapes through natural processes, mostly through photosynthesis as plants turn atmospheric carbon dioxide into biomass. Efforts to slow the climate crisis have long sought to harness nature, often through carbon “offsets,” aimed at bolstering forests, wetlands, and agriculture, but have generally had only marginal success so far. A new approach: contributions ...

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