Earth

Coal ash is known to cause air pollution, which is harmful to both the environment and human health. However, the ash left over from burning coal can also be hazardous. Duke Energy had long stored a liquified form of coal ash in 36 large ponds across the Carolinas. However, in 2014, a spill at its

Researchers at Rice University have discovered a natural cycle that repeats every 150 days in the north-south oscillation of atmospheric pressure patterns that drive the movement of the Southern Hemisphere’s prevailing westerly winds and the Antarctic jet stream. The cycle, known as an “internally generated periodicity,” was found to influence the variability of the hemisphere-scale

According to a new study published in Nature Communications, the Arctic Ocean’s ice cap will disappear in summer as soon as the 2030s, a decade earlier than previously thought. The report concludes that even capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius in line with the Paris climate treaty will not prevent the north pole’s vast

A recent study by Stanford University has found a way to more accurately measure groundwater levels in the agriculturally rich Central Valley, which is vital for farmers who rely on groundwater to irrigate crops in dry years. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, analyzed satellite-based measures of surface changes over time to monitor groundwater

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Australian Catholic University, Columbia University and the University of Massachusetts has found that collective property rights in Indigenous territories in the Brazilian Amazon lead to higher rates of reforestation. The study compared secondary forest growth on land inside Indigenous territories to growth on land outside, and found

Biochar, a black powder produced by heating cocoa bean shells to 600 degrees Celsius in an oxygen-free environment, has the potential to address climate change by locking in greenhouse gases. The biochar industry is still in its infancy, but it provides a unique solution to remove carbon from the Earth’s atmosphere. The process captures CO2

A new study from Colorado State University indicates that the understanding of how and why mountains are formed may not be as thorough as previously thought. The study, led by Sean Gallen, a geosciences assistant professor at the university, utilized new data sets and techniques to reconstruct the long-term history of mountain building in southern

Cutting boards are an essential tool found in most homes and restaurant kitchens. However, according to a small-scale study conducted by researchers from Environmental Science & Technology, they are also an overlooked source of micrometer-sized particles. The study claims that chopping up carrots on wood and plastic boards could produce tens of millions of microparticles

A recent study conducted by the University of Maryland (UMD), Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona, Conservation International, and more has uncovered that protected forests across the globe store an additional 9.65 billion metric tons of carbon in their aboveground biomass in comparison to similar unprotected areas. The study highlights the significance of protected

Plants derive their carbon from the atmosphere and use it to synthesize organic compounds through photosynthesis and water. Terrestrial ecosystems have been absorbing about 32% of CO2 emissions produced by human activities for the past 60 years. However, the question of whether terrestrial vegetation can continue to function as a carbon sink in a changing

Underwater volcanoes located on the Earth’s crust contribute to the oceanic environment by providing different elements and playing a crucial role in biogeochemical and chemosynthetic cycles. While high-temperature hydrothermal systems in the mid-ocean ridge have been studied extensively, there is not much information available on low-temperature hydrothermal systems in other volcanoes, such as “petit-spot” volcanoes.

A recent study by UC San Francisco (UCSF) researchers has found that the chemical industry suppressed information related to the health harms caused by exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in a manner similar to how the tobacco industry concealed the harmful effects of smoking. Published in Annals of Global Health on May 31,

A rare triple-whammy of cyclones drove the deadly flooding that devastated much of northern Italy this month. Scientists have stated that climate change does not seem to be the cause of the intense rainfall. A team of researchers used computer simulations and past observations to look for evidence of human-caused warming behind the drenching. The

Coral islands are at risk of sinking due to rising sea levels. Recent research conducted by the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) has found that environmental factors other than sea level could also play a significant role in the fate of threatened islands. Tropical coral islands form when sediments, consisting of calcareous skeletons

The primary cause of climate change is excess greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere. Combating climate change in the coming years will require both decarbonization and carbon dioxide removal. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Yale University have proposed a novel pathway through which coastal ecosystem restoration can permanently capture