The first large-scale study to quantify the carbon footprint of urban farming yields surprises
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On average, the carbon footprint of urban farms was 6x greater than conventional farms. The source of most of that carbon was infrastructure— such as raised beds, compost sheds, and landscaping,
22h ago
A remarkable new method turns old cooking oil into renewable diesel. No refinery required.
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Diesel made from used cooking oil produces fewer carbon emissions than new vegetable oils—and it keeps the grease out of sewage systems.
on Thu, 1PM
Mix. Remove Nanoplastics. Repeat.
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Chemists have found a secret sauce to quickly and easily remove 98 percent of tiny invisible plastic pieces from water
on Sep 5
In this case, a human touch helped revive a species—instead of endangering it.
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As rare butterfly populations dwindle, intensive efforts by people help some insects hold steady—or even increase population size—according to new research.
on Sep 4
Most climate policies flop, but a handful of winners could actually close the emissions gap
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A new analysis leverages a fantastically comprehensive database of 1,500 climate policies that have been tried worldwide
on Sep 3
A tiny tomato may harbor the secret to salt-tolerance in a climate-changed world
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The closest living wild relative of the common tomato holds untapped genetic secrets thanks to its large diversity.
on Aug 30
Extracting lithium just got cheaper and more sustainable
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New electricity-driven chemical process filters out lithium from brines efficiently and for less than half the cost of current techniques
on Aug 29
The world's fisheries are in more trouble than we think.
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New research finds the danger of overfishing is being understated by scientists advising policymakers.
on Aug 28
Maybe coral reefs aren't doomed after all, new research finds.
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A two-year experiment found that coral reefs could endure in heated water better than expected—with one huge caveat.
on Wed, 1PM
People fear renewable power grids are more prone to blackouts. The data say otherwise.
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In the big picture—across a 20-year data set—more renewables actually appear to make electric grids more resilient.
on Tue, 2PM
Designer biochar could bring fertilizer pollution full-circle
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Researchers created new kind of biochar that is not only made from waste, it also absorbs waste nutrients and recycles them back into the soil as fertilizer.
on Sat, 12PM
What's the best way to kill a tree? Scientists have an answer.
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Standing dead "snags" can be a boon for wildlife. But the best way to turn live trees into standing dead ones has been a mystery until now.
on Fri, 6PM
Researchers devise a unique upcycling use for old tires: Producing drinking water.
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They converted old tires into a material that not only purifies water using solar energy—but also generates a small amount of electricity.
on Nov 7
Giant rats might be the next hot tool for catching wildlife poachers
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Giant African rats, already used to sniff out land mines, can do the same for smuggled rhino horns, elephant tusks and other common contraband, researchers report.
on Nov 6
Can the economy go up even as carbon emissions go down?
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A new comprehensive study of “decoupling” finds that for 30% of the regions studied, the answer is yes. But the remaining regions are lagging behind.
on Nov 5
Should the world follow China’s climate lead?
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Everything in China happens at scale. That can be good. . .or bad for the world’s carbon budget.
on Nov 5
In carbon terms, grass-feed beef is not the greenest choice
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When researchers factored in land use, they found pasture-finished beef was significantly more carbon-intensive than the grain-finished alternative.
on Nov 4
A bold new experiment suggests humans could help butterflies outrun global warming
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Scientists want to grow novel higher-elevation forest for the butterflies. But it will take a half a century—and that creates a tricky balancing act.
on Nov 4
Can we keep producing more food in a warmer world?
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It’s a question of speed. Agriculture needs to outpace climate change, even while struggling with its carbon footprint.
on Nov 3
This fake plant can produce clean energy everywhere from gentle winds and rain drops
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Engineers have shaped a motion energy harvester into synthetic leaves that they say could one day be developed into energy-harvesting artificial trees.
on Nov 3
The future looks dim. . .for agricultural sustainability, that could actually be a good thing
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Researchers explore the potential of electro-agriculture—ie., growing crops in the dark; early research shows promising results in lettuce, rice, canola, pepper, and tomatoes.
on Nov 1
Climate concerns are driving small but pivotal shifts in voting choices
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A new analysis of polling data and an Electoral College simulator show that even though climate change isn’t voters’ top issue, it has amassed enough power to tip elections
on Oct 31
How many more (or less) days will you spend outside in a climate changed world?
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A new study projects large drops in 'outdoor days' in the southeastern US and an increase in the Northwest toward the end of the century.
on Oct 31
Chemists have made the best carbon capture material yet
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A little over 1.5 cups of a yellow powder made of tiny porous polymer particles can capture as much carbon dioxide in a year as a mature tree.
on Oct 31
In a 6-year trial, diverse cropping was a triple-win: less emissions, more income, more yields
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Simply adding sweet potato, peanuts, and soy crops to the regular wheat-maize mix across the North China Plain could offset national emissions by almost 6%, a new study found.
on Oct 29
Engineers have found a way to capture carbon dioxide using light
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CO2 takes different forms in acidic and alkaline solutions. This super-fast new carbon-removal technique takes advantage of that by switching acidity on and off using light.
on Oct 28
A crackdown on shark finning paradoxically might be helping fuel a global shark crisis.
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Many countries have banned shark finning as cruel and unsustainable. New research shows it might have led to a rise in shark deaths.
on Oct 27
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In a first, researchers show how renewable energy can be 100% reliable and economically feasible through transcontinental power pools—no long-term storage required.
on Oct 25
Can we unlock the vast potential of drought-tolerant chickpeas to feed a warmer world?
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Chickpea plants excel under pressure. Now, researchers have identified the genetic machinery behind their resilience, which might be transferable to other crops.
on Oct 25
Should we let AI take our jobs…if it generates less carbon?
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Some researchers believe replacing human workers with AI has a climate upside. Others think the low-carbon solution is to hit the off switch.
on Oct 24
Could this bioplastic be the environmental cure for our Styrofoam woes?
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Researchers at the Oceanographic Institution have created a bioplastic that degrades even faster than paper in seawater.
on Oct 24
Are tariffs holding us back from our carbon targets, or could they actually help?
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When global climate politics get local, things get tricky.
on Oct 23
A novel solution to penguin homelessness looks a bit like the Sydney Opera House
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Conservationists have been erecting little huts for the African penguins, with increasing levels of technological ingenuity. They’ve found that different designs are better in different places.
on Oct 23
Behold the THETA Cycle: A new way to turn E.coli into tiny factories that grab CO2 from thin air
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Using synthetic biology, scientists have designed a pathway to convert CO2 into valuable industrial chemicals. . . and it is far faster than the ways plants fix carbon
on Oct 22
Should countries sign on to costly international climate agreements? The market says yes.
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A new study charts the financial benefits of global climate cooperation
on Oct 22
This tiny frog has become a test case for applying the calculus of capitalism to conservation
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When scientists used modern portfolio theory to buffer the rare coquí llanero frog from an unpredictable climate, the results were illuminating.
on Oct 20
AI is making an adventurous and sustainable plant diet possible
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It looks like milk. It tastes like milk. But the ingredients include pineapple juice and cabbage concentrate—brought to you by a team of biochemists and computer scientists.
on Oct 18
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The stakes are high. A new international agreement promises $30 billion a year to protect biodiversity. Can data-driven decisions avoid previous traps?
on Oct 18
Stress relief for plants is on the way. . .in the form of a novel anti-stress molecule
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First, researchers identified the genes behind the 'DMSP' molecule in the wild plants; then they found a way to transfer its benefits to crops stressed out from drought and salinity.
on Oct 18
Circular construction could be a huge boon for climate—and jobs
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In a new study, the researchers tallied up the substantial economic and ecological benefits of taking buildings apart piece by piece rather than bulldozing them.
on Oct 17
The idea of burying wood to store carbon is so simple it almost sounds absurd. But is it?
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Researchers made an ancient find that suggests with the right conditions the potential impact of "wood vaults" could be significant.
on Oct 17
Artificial plant guzzles carbon and produces electricity
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Made of tiny bacteria, the new fake plant soaks up more carbon than its natural cousins, and produces electricity to boot
on Oct 17
If renewable power becomes too cheap to meter, is that a climate win?
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When any single climate fix seems too good to be true, it probably is.
on Oct 16
Can animals develop a tolerance for living close to humans—even being caught and tagged?
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Grabbed. Drugged. Tied up. Collared. Animal tagging in the name of science can be rough. A team of researchers wondered what factors enabled animals to bounce back quickly from such encounters.
on Oct 9
An overlooked solution for climate-friendly buildings: Better floor plans
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When researchers auto-generated small apartment floor plans to make them efficient and comfortable, they found they could often reduce carbon emissions more than by changing the building exterior
on Oct 8
Researchers find a new use for biochar: filtering microplastics from farm soils
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In initial experiments, they found that the biochar was able to remove a striking 86% to 92% of the plastic particles from soil samples.
on Oct 4
The air contains 6x more water than all the world's rivers. Here’s how to harvest it.
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Researchers designed a cooling technology that extracts water from the air using only gravity and no electricity.
on Oct 3