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Environment
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Environment

Flood risk increasing in Pacific Northwest

The next great earthquake isn't the only threat to the Pacific Northwest. A powerful earthquake, combined with rising sea levels, could significantly increase flood risks in the Pacific Northwest, impacting thousands of residents and properties in northern California, Oregon, and Washington, according to new Virginia Tech research. A study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that a major earthquake could cause coastal land to sink up to 6.5 feet, expanding the federally designated 1 percent coastal floodplain, an area ...

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Environment

Genetic secrets of rice pave way for future farming and conservation

A new study, seen in Nature Genetics and led by researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST; Saudi Arabia) and Wageningen University & Research (the Netherlands), provides new insights on rice evolution, showing how the DNA of this valuable crop has changed across species. The findings are expected to not only help with improving rice yields but also with the introduction of rice into regions where rice production is currently untenable. Rice is one of the first domesticated crops (approximately 10,000 years ago). The artificial selection farmers ...

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Environment

A vast molecular cloud, long invisible, is discovered near solar system

An international team of scientists led by a Rutgers University-New Brunswick astrophysicist has discovered a potentially star-forming cloud that is one of the largest single structures in the sky and among the closest to the sun and Earth ever to be detected. The vast ball of hydrogen, long invisible to scientists, was revealed by looking for its main constituent – molecular hydrogen. The finding marks the first time a molecular cloud has been detected with light emitted in the far-ultraviolet realm of the electromagnetic spectrum and opens the way to further explorations using the approach. The scientists have named the molecular hydrogen cloud “Eos,” ...

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Environment

Balancing nature restoration and land use: a path to sustainable growth in the EU

Can nature restoration and economic productivity go hand in hand? A new study finds that the EU’s ambitious Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) is essential to achieving biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation targets and that it could be implemented without compromising the supply of agricultural and forest products. Ensuring that biodiversity conservation actions are integrated with land management strategies is key for long-term sustainability. Doing so can ensure that ecosystems continue to provide essential services such as pollination, water purification, and carbon storage, all of which support agriculture and forestry production. If biodiversity ...

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Environment

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

WOODS HOLE, Mass. -- The Frontiers Planet Prize, the world’s largest science competition to enhance planetary health by fast-tracking innovative research, has announced National Champions from 19 different countries who now advance to the International competition, which will award three winners $1M each to scale up their research. Suzanne Tank and co-authors from the Arctic Great Rivers Observatory (ArcticGRO), a multinational project founded at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), were recognized for their publication, “Recent trends in the chemistry of major northern rivers signal widespread Arctic change,” published ...

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Environment

An earth-abundant mineral for sustainable spintronics

In 2023, EPFL researchers succeeded in sending and storing data using charge-free magnetic waves called spin waves, rather than traditional electron flows. The team from the Lab of Nanoscale Magnetic Materials and Magnonics, led by Dirk Grundler, in the School of Engineering used radiofrequency signals to excite spin waves enough to reverse the magnetization state of tiny nanomagnets. When switched from 0 to 1, for example, this allows the nanomagnets to store digital information; a process used in computer memory, and more broadly ...

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Environment

Empathic comforting varies more within bonobo and chimpanzee species than between them

Psychologists from Durham University, UK, observed the behaviour of 90 sanctuary-living apes to establish whether bonobos were more likely than chimpanzees to comfort others in distress. The study, led by Dr Jake Brooker, found that both species consoled their peers at similar rates, with the greatest variation actually occurring within each species. This challenges long-held assumptions that bonobos are the more empathic ape and instead highlights the variation within each species. It is the first time that the two species’ consolation tendencies have been directly compared. The ...

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Environment

Scientists urge plastic limit for lateral flow tests

Lateral flow tests have transformed global healthcare by enabling rapid disease detection and improving access to medical diagnostics. However, their widespread, single-use design is creating an environmental crisis. A new study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organisation (WHO) calls for urgent action to limit plastic waste in these essential diagnostic tools. Researchers from Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh propose limiting how much plastic is used in test kits to curb unnecessary plastic waste. Their ...

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Environment

The oldest ant ever discovered found fossilized in Brazil

A 113-million-year-old hell ant that once lived in northeastern Brazil is now the oldest ant specimen known to science, finds a report publishing in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on April 24. The hell ant, which was preserved in limestone, is a member of Haidomyrmecinae—an extinct subfamily that only lived during the Cretaceous period. These ants had highly specialized, scythe-like jaws that they likely used to pin or impale prey. “Our team has discovered a new fossil ant species representing the earliest undisputable geological record of ants,” said author Anderson Lepeco of Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São ...

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Environment

Largest imaging spectro-polarimeter achieves first light at the NSF Daniel K. Inouye solar telescope

Maui, HI – The U.S. National Science Foundation Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, the world’s most powerful solar telescope, operated by the NSF National Solar Observatory (NSO) near the summit of Maui’s Haleakalā, reached a major milestone: achieving first light with its most advanced instrument, the new Visible Tunable Filter (VTF). The solar image it produced shows early promise to the instrument’s scientific capabilities. Designed and built by the Institut für Sonnenphysik (KIS) in Freiburg, Germany, the VTF is the world’s largest imaging spectro-polarimeter, emerging as a centerpiece to the ...

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Environment

London’s low emission zones save lives and money, new study finds

18.5% reduction in sick leave following LEZ implementation 10.2% decrease in respiratory issues Annual public health savings of over £37 million New research from the University of Bath has revealed that Greater London's clean air policies—the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) are not only improving the city’s environment but are also delivering significant measurable public health and economic benefits. The study, published in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization which analysed over a decade of data ...

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Environment

New research from Child Development shows fostering a warm home environment leads to young people’s beliefs that the world is safe

Primal world beliefs (“primals”) capture understanding of general characteristics of the world, such as whether the world is “Good,” “Safe,” and “Enticing.” In a new study, researchers analyzed responses from children, mothers, fathers and then later, young adults in Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States to learn about their world beliefs. Through a larger project called Parenting Across Cultures, children ages 8-16 years old (50% female) and their mothers and fathers, reported responses about neighborhood danger, socioeconomic status, parental ...

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Environment

How does climate policy uncertainty affect energy stock returns?

The back-and-forth shift in climate policy between the Biden and Trump administrations has created uncertainty about future directions related to addressing climate change. A new study in International Studies of Economics examined the impact of climate policy uncertainty on world energy stock returns. The study found that a rise in climate policy uncertainty causes stocks to plummet in individual countries, regions, and the world energy stock markets, as investors perceive that climate policy uncertainty could ...

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Environment

World on course to trigger multiple climate ‘tipping points’ unless action accelerates

Multiple climate “tipping points” are likely to be triggered if global policies stay on their current course, new research shows. Scientists assessed the risk of “tipping” in 16 different parts of the Earth system – ranging from the collapse of major ice sheets to the dieback of tropical coral reefs and vast forests. Based on current policies and the resulting global warming, their most conservative estimate is a 62% risk of triggering these tipping points on average. However, more sustainable future pathways – with lower greenhouse gas emissions – significantly ...

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Environment

Micronanoplastics found in artery-clogging plaque in the neck

Research Highlights A small study found that fatty buildup in the blood vessels of the neck (carotid arteries) may contain 50 times or more micronanoplastics — minuscule bits of plastic — compared to arteries free of plaque buildup. Plaque, the fatty deposits that can narrow the carotid artery, may cause a stroke. People unknowingly eat and drink micronanoplastics from plastic waste broken down and collected in the soil and water supply. Researchers say there is currently no effective way to prevent exposure to micronanoplastics. Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American ...

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Environment

In US, saving money is top reason to embrace solar power

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Financial benefits, such as saving on utility payments and avoiding electricity rate hikes, are a key driver of U.S. adults’ willingness to consider installing rooftop solar panels or subscribing to community solar power, a new study suggests. Researchers at The Ohio State University conducted a national survey to gauge consumer perceptions about adopting solar power. Though previous work has examined views about rooftop solar, this study is the first assessment of public opinion about accessing community solar energy for household use. The findings led researchers to recommend that policymakers and industry leaders increase marketing campaign ...

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Environment

Join the nation of lifesavers at NFL draft in Green Bay

DALLAS, April 22, 2025 — The American Heart Association and the National Football League (NFL) want more people to be confident and capable when faced with a cardiac emergency. Currently, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die[1]. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. That’s why the Heart Association and the NFL are working together to expand the Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, the Association’s most recent commitment to CPR. With support from the NFL and ...

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Environment

Should farm fields be used for crops or solar? MSU research suggests both

April 21, 2025 MSU has a satellite uplink/LTN TV studio and Comrex line for radio interviews upon request. Contact: Bethany Mauger: 765-571-0623, maugerbe@msu.edu; Sydney Hawkins: 517-206-0547, sydneyh@msu.edu Images Should farm fields be used for crops or solar? MSU research suggests both Strategic use of solar arrays could provide financial boost, help farmers continue producing crops and even save water EAST LANSING, Mich. – As farmers debate whether fields should be used for agriculture or solar panels, new research from Michigan State University says the answer could be both. Jake Stid, a graduate student in the College ...

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Environment

Trash talk: As plastic use soars, researchers examine biodegradable solutions

By John Lovett University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — While biodegradable plastics currently account for a half percent of the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic produced annually, a growing demand for the alternative reflects consumer awareness and corporate response. Researchers from Brazil, Germany and the United States document a multi-faceted global snapshot of the environmental aspects and trends surrounding single-use plastics in a review article titled “Rethinking single-use plastics: Innovations, policies, consumer awareness and market ...

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Environment

How not to form a state: Research reveals how imbalanced social-ecological acceleration led to collapse in early medieval Europe

Understanding the acceleration of human impacts on the environment is key to addressing the complex planetary and social challenges of the Anthropocene. But even as the inter-relatedness of environmental, political, and social processes becomes clearer, the conditions that produce sustainable outcomes remain little understood. Now, a new study examines the acceleration of social-ecological changes in the first kingdom in Poland, the Piast dynasty, identifying the factors that contributed to its failure. Using new high-resolution ...

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Environment

Research expands options for more sustainable soybean production

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of soybeans and one of the reasons is the incorporation of bio-inputs, microorganisms that promote biological nitrogen fixation. Without this practice, this essential nutrient would have to be supplemented with fertilizer. By managing fertilizer use, Brazilian growers can save an estimated USD 15 billion per year. The main bio-input used commercially today is bacteria of the genus Bradyrhizobium spp. (rhizobia). In a study supported by FAPESP, this strategy was combined with a new bacterial isolate (PGPR, which stands for plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria). The results were published in the journal Microbiology ...

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Environment

Breaking the American climate silence

Americans are more likely to discuss climate change with family and friends if they feel worried or at risk, perceive society as supportive of pro-climate behaviors or see global warming depicted in the media, according to a study published April 17, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS Climate by Margaret Orr from George Mason University College of Humanities and Social Sciences in Fairfax, Virginia, and colleagues. Curbing global warming’s effects requires systemic changes and government policies to reduce carbon emissions. Among individual climate actions (e.g., ...

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Environment

Curiosity rover identifies carbonates, providing evidence of a carbon cycle on ancient Mars

NASA’s Curiosity rover has uncovered a hidden chemical archive of ancient Mars’ atmosphere, which suggests that large amounts of carbon dioxide have been locked into the planet’s crust, according to a new study. The findings provide in situ evidence that a carbon cycle once operated on ancient Mars and offer new insights into the planet’s past climate. The Martian landscape shows clear signs that liquid water once flowed across its surface, which would have required ...

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Environment

Up to 17% of global cropland contaminated by toxic heavy metal pollution, study estimates

Based on data from over 1000 regional studies combined with machine learning, researchers estimate that as many as 1.4 billion people live in areas with soil dangerously polluted by heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, nickel, and lead. The study reveals a global risk, but also a previously unrecognized high-risk, metal-enriched zone in low-latitude Eurasia, in particular. The growth in demand for critical metals means toxic heavy metal pollution in soils is only likely to worsen. “We hope that the global soil pollution data presented in this report will ...

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Environment

Curiosity rover finds large carbon deposits on Mars

Research from NASA’s Curiosity rover has found evidence of a carbon cycle on ancient Mars, bringing scientists closer to an answer on whether the Red Planet was ever capable of supporting life. Lead author Dr. Ben Tutolo, PhD, an associate professor with the Department of Earth, Energy and Environment in the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary, is a participating scientist on the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover team. The team is working to understand climate transitions and habitability on ancient Mars as Curiosity explores Gale Crater. The paper, published this week in the journal Science, reveals that ...

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