Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Risky path to meeting climate targets for Stockholm      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The Swedish capital Stockholm aims to capture more carbon dioxide than is emitted by 2030. Therefore, the city is investing in new technology at a combined heat and power plant. But it is a strategy that has been adopted without sufficient discussion of the risks.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

What makes some plant groups so successful?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers involved in cataloguing the world's plant species are hunting for answers as to what makes some groups of plants so successful. One of their major goals is to predict more accurately which lineages of flowering plants -- some of which are of huge importance to people and to ecosystems -- are at a greater risk from global climate change.

Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Aerosol pollution, greenhouse gases must be reduced simultaneously to keep forest fires in check      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

If we want cleaner air, fewer forest fires, and less severe climate change, a new study shows we must reduce aerosol pollution and greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide at the same time.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Some species may tolerate climate change better than expected      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new model reassesses the proportion of terrestrial and marine species threatened with extinction by climate change. While the forecasts of traditional models estimate that the diversity of terrestrial species in tropical areas could decrease by 54% between now and 2041-2060, this model is more moderate, predicting a decrease of 39%. Nevertheless, this proportion remains alarming and confirms the importance of taking urgent measures to mitigate climate change and its impact on biodiversity.

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Biobased building materials less sustainable than concrete in South Africa, experts find      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have discovered that mycelium composites, biobased materials made from fungi and agricultural residues, can have a greater environmental impact than conventional fossil-fuel-based materials due to the high amount of electricity involved in their production.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Health risk from global warming predictor of city climate action during COVID-19, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

City officials were more likely to maintain climate action during the pandemic in places with more climate-related health issues affecting residents.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Research to uncover the impact of water use in the Colorado River Basin      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Persistent overuse of water and long-term drought has depleted the Colorado River and highlighted the need for a comprehensive understanding of how waters are allocated and used to develop effective management strategies.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Altering cancer treatment dosing could reduce climate impact, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Changing how often a popular cancer therapy is delivered would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental impact without decreasing cancer survival, according to a new analysis.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Performance of eco-friendly cooling applications enhanced      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a sustainable and controllable strategy to manipulate interfacial heat transfer, paving the way for improving the performance of eco-friendly cooling in various applications such as electronics, buildings and solar panels.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Improved refrigeration could save nearly half of the 1.3 billion tons of food wasted each year globally      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study concludes that nearly half of the food waste, about 620 million metric tons, could be eliminated by fully refrigerated food supply chains worldwide. At the same time, fully refrigerated supply chains, or 'cold chains,' could cut food waste-related emissions of climate-warming greenhouse gases by 41% globally, according to a new study.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Prenatal exposure to air pollution associated with increased mental health risks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A baby's exposure to air pollution while in the womb is associated with the development of certain mental health problems once the infant reaches adolescence, new research has found. The study examined the long-term mental health impact of early-life exposure to air and noise pollution.

Biology: Biochemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Study suggests 'biodegradable' teabags don't readily deteriorate in the environment and can adversely affect terrestrial species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research looked at commonly available teabags made using three different compositions of polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from sources such as corn starch or sugar cane. The teabags were buried in soil for seven months, and a range of techniques were then used to assess whether -- and to what extent -- they had deteriorated. The results showed that teabags made solely from PLA remained completely intact. However, the two types of teabags made from a combination of cellulose and PLA broke down into smaller pieces, losing between 60% and 80% of their overall mass and with the PLA component remaining.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Inexpensive microplastic monitoring through porous materials and machine learning      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Optical analysis and machine learning techniques can now readily detect microplastics in marine and freshwater environments using inexpensive porous metal substrates.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Simple food swaps could cut greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by a quarter      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Switching food and drink purchases to very similar but more environmentally friendly alternatives could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by more than a quarter (26%), according to a new study.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Combating carbon footprint: Novel reactor system converts carbon dioxide into usable fuel      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Boilers are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. In a recent study, researchers developed a method to convert CO2 emissions from small boilers into methane, which makes use of an optimized reactor design that evenly distributes the CO2 feed. This, in turn, results in significantly lower temperature increments and a boost in methane production. This innovative technique could pave the way for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Investigating the origin of circatidal rhythms in freshwater snails      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While most organisms have biological clocks synchronized with the day-night cycle (circadian rhythms), marine animals in tidal areas have also developed circatidal rhythms to align with the tidal cycle. Comparing the activity and genetic expression of snails from tidal and non-tidal areas, researchers demonstrate that circatidal rhythms develop as snails adapt to tidal environments. These findings highlight the flexibility of biological clocks, enabling organisms to adjust their rhythms according to the environment.