Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Decarbonization dynamics: New analysis unveils shifting trends in the voluntary carbon offset market      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have conducted a worldwide analysis of voluntary carbon offset programs and identified trends into which types of carbon reduction technologies are selected and prioritized. Their findings provide important insights for policymakers to improve the effectiveness and credibility of the carbon offset market.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

U.S. drought-monitoring system outpaced by climate changes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study reports that the U.S. Drought Monitor's weekly maps of nationwide drought conditions -- which help direct emergency federal aid -- have captured the steady march of climate change, but the Drought Monitor has itself failed to adapt to that reality. Areas of the country are spending more and more time in severe drought conditions the Drought Monitor still considers to be rare occurrences. The consequences could be that swaths of the country -- particularly in the West -- may not receive aid in keeping with the enhanced risk of drought as periodic emergencies become persistent new realities.

Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Landslides Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Subduction zone splay faults compound hazards of great earthquakes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Groundbreaking research has provided new insight into the tectonic plate shifts that create some of the Earth's largest earthquakes and tsunamis.

Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: General
Published

Record low Antarctic sea ice 'extremely unlikely' without climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have found that the record-low levels of sea ice around Antarctica in 2023 were extremely unlikely to happen without the influence of climate change. This low was a one-in-a-2000-year event without climate change and four times more likely under its effects.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Expanding on the fundamental principles of liquid movement      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

We are living in a world surrounded by liquid and flow, and understanding the principles that govern its movement is vital in our high-tech world. Through mathematical modeling and experimentation, researchers have expanded on Tanner's Law -- a law in fluid dynamics that describes how non-volatile liquids move across surfaces -- to cover a wider range of volatile liquids. These findings have the potential to play a role in various liquid-based industries such as electronics cooling.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Scientists develop new geochemical 'fingerprint' to trace contaminants in fertilizer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of scientists has revealed high levels of toxic metals in global phosphate fertilizers using a isotopic variants of the element strontium as a tracer to uncover metals in soil, groundwater and possibly the food chain.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Scale matters in determining vulnerability of freshwater fish to climate changes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team explored the influence the spatial extent of research -- the geographical coverage of data collected -- has on evaluating the sensitivity of different fish species to climate change.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

How heatwaves are affecting Arctic phytoplankton      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The basis of the marine food web in the Arctic, the phytoplankton, responds to heatwaves much differently than to constantly elevated temperatures. This has been found by the first targeted experiments on the topic. The phytoplankton's behavior primarily depends on the cooling phases after or between heatwaves.

Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Differing values of nature can still lead to joined up goals for sustainability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Recognizing and respecting the different ways nature is valued can enable better environmental decision-making, according to new research.

Chemistry: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Can we revolutionize the chemical industry and create a circular economy? Yes, with the help of catalysts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new commentary paper puts forth a transformative solution to the unsustainable reliance on fossil resources by the chemical industry: catalysis to leverage sustainable waste resources, ushering the industry from a linear to a circular economy.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New data-driven model rapidly predicts dehydrogenation barriers in solid-state materials      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking data-driven model to predict the dehydrogenation barriers of magnesium hydride, a promising material for solid-state hydrogen storage. This advancement holds significant potential for enhancing hydrogen storage technologies, a crucial component in the transition to sustainable energy solutions.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Airborne technology brings new hope to map shallow aquifers in Earth's most arid deserts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The new technique will map the top of the aquifer, called the 'water table,' spanning areas as large as hundreds of kilometers using a radar mounted on a high-altitude aircraft. According to the researchers, Desert-SEA will measure the variabilities in the depth of the water table on a large scale, allowing water scientists to assess the sustainability of these aquifers without the limitations associated with in-situ mapping in harsh and inaccessible environments.

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

Study reveals consumers value animal welfare more than environmental sustainability when buying meat and dairy products      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The treatment of animals rates higher than green issues when consumers choose meat and dairy products. That's according to a new study, which suggests that while consumers consider sustainability important, other factors such as taste, quality, and animal welfare take precedence in their purchasing decisions.

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Wind farms can offset their emissions within two years      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

After spinning for under two years, a wind farm can offset the carbon emissions generated across its entire 30-year lifespan, when compared to thermal power plants.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

'Forever chemicals' found to rain down on all five Great Lakes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or 'forever chemicals,' have become persistent pollutants in the air, water and soil. Because they are so stable, they can be transported throughout the water cycle, making their way into drinking water sources and precipitation. Precipitation introduces similar amounts of PFAS into each of the Great Lakes; however, the lakes eliminate the chemicals at different rates.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Climate change likely to aggravate brain conditions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Climate change, and its effects on weather patterns and adverse weather events, is likely to negatively affect the health of people with brain conditions, argue a team of researchers.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

What is the carbon footprint of a house in Japan?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis on the carbon footprint of constructing a wooden house in Japan. The team found that the estimated carbon footprint of a house in Japan is 38 tons of CO2, with the largest share coming from the electric power sector at 32% of all emissions. Other sectors included were pig iron production at 12% of total emissions; cement, road freight transport, and private power generation each covering 7%.

Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Copper can't be mined fast enough to electrify the US      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Copper cannot be mined quickly enough to keep up with current U.S. policy guidelines to transition the country's electricity and vehicle infrastructure to renewable energy, according to a new study.

Chemistry: General Energy: Batteries Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Making batteries takes a lot of lithium: Some could come from gas well wastewater      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new analysis suggests that if it could be extracted with complete efficiency, lithium from the wastewater of Marcellus shale gas wells could supply up to 40% of the country's demand.