Discussions of the growing plastic waste problem often focus on reducing the volume of single-use plastic packaging items such as bags, bottles, tubs and films. But a new University of Michigan study shows that two-thirds of the plastic put into use in the United States…
The construction industry is currently facing two major challenges: the demand for sustainable infrastructure and the need to repair deteriorating buildings, bridges and roads. While concrete is the material of choice for many construction projects, it has a large carbon footprint, resulting in high waste…
By Gregory A. Cade In the ’60s, the U.S. Navy started to develop alongside 3M a type of fire suppressant foam that could contain fuel fires such as those that could happen in airport hangars and other military facilities. Starting the early ’70s, the foam…
Findings support evidence that fine air pollutants may contribute to the development of asthma and wheezing Children exposed to higher levels of fine particles in the air (known as PM2.5) are more likely to develop asthma and persistent wheezing than children who are not exposed,…
Op-Ed by Rosanne Lindsay, Naturopath The sanitization of Nature is happening in broad daylight, in front of our eyes, and under our noses. In order to know what is happening to Nature, we have to be able to sense it, then be prepared to protect…
Emerging technologies can be harnessed to use the strengths of hot, humid coastal deserts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to grow food and other crops. KAUST researchers are calling for a new generation of vast greenhouse complexes, supported by novel solar…
By Matt Agorist Nikola Tesla is not the subject of American social studies or science classes. American children do not learn about him in school and this is in spite of the fact that he is considered one of the most influential scientists ever. His…
Bird biodiversity is rapidly declining in the U.S. The overall bird population decreased by 29% since 1970, while grassland birds declined by an alarming 53%. Valuable for so much more than flight and song, birds hold a key place in ecosystems worldwide. When bird numbers…
Researchers have designed an off-grid, low-cost modular energy source that can efficiently produce power at night. The system uses commercially available technology and could eventually help meet the need for nighttime lighting in urban areas or provide lighting in developing countries. Although solar power brings…
Imagine plugging in to your brick house. Red bricks — some of the world’s cheapest and most familiar building materials — can be converted into energy storage units that can be charged to hold electricity, like a battery, according to new research from Washington University…
This ability of couch grass and wheat to phytoextract toxic metals can be used for effective cleaning of soils Irina Shtangeeva is a researcher at the Department of Soil Science and Soil Ecology, St Petersburg University. She has studied the ability of wheat and couch…
A global research team has been able to transform brackish water and seawater into safe, clean drinking water in less than 30 minutes using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and sunlight. In a discovery that could provide potable water for millions of people across the world, researchers…
As the world’s most popular shoe, flip-flops account for a troubling percentage of plastic waste that ends up in landfills, on seashores and in our oceans. Scientists at the University of California San Diego have spent years working to resolve this problem, and now they…
Researchers examine 83 stranded dolphins and whales in North Carolina and Florida A study led by researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute examined toxins in tissue concentrations and pathology data from 83 stranded dolphins and whales along the southeastern coast of the…
Catalysts speed up chemical reactions and form the backbone of many industrial processes. For example, they are essential in transforming heavy oil into gasoline or jet fuel. Today, catalysts are involved in over 80 percent of all manufactured products. A research team, led by the…
Transmission of COVID-19 in schools is less than other respiratory viruses The rate of COVID-19 transmission in New South Wales (NSW) educational settings was extremely limited during the first wave of COVID-19, research findings published today in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health have shown….
In an analysis of how regulators review pesticides for their potential to cause cancer, researchers at Silent Spring Institute identified more than two dozen registered pesticides that were linked with mammary gland tumors in animal studies. The new findings raise concerns about how the US…
By Jake Anderson Researchers studying ancient mud from below the seafloor recently made a stunning discovery. They found that by simply adding food they were able to revive bacteria life that has laid dormant for 101.5-million-years. In their paper on the discovery, they write: Our…
By Patricia Burke “It’s about time that we create a better, more equitable, sustainable and future, and we can do this if we work together. We need to embrace our responsibility to be fully and visibly connected to the fight against racism, and frankly injustices…
Having more flowers and maintaining diverse bee communities could help reduce the spread of bee parasites, according to a new study. The research, conducted on more than 5,000 flowers and bees, reveals how bee parasites spread and what measures could help control them. Bees can…
