Biodegradable plastics may not be the solution to plastic pollution many hoped for, with a University of Otago study showing they are still harmful to fish. Petroleum-derived microplastics are known to impact marine life, but little is known about the impact of biodegradable alternatives. The study, published in Science of the Total Environment and funded … Read more
Sweat dreams are made of this. Two sleep health experts from the University of South Australia are sharing what causes people to sweat in their sleep and how to combat those dreaded “night sweats.” “Many conditions and factors can trigger night sweats by changing the body’s tightly regulated temperature set point, at which the body … Read more
A research study led by University of Oklahoma assistant professor Chenghao Wang and recently published in the journal Nature Communications tackled the critical issue of how city-scale building energy consumption in urban environments will evolve under the influence of climate change. Fossil fuels account for approximately 40% of all building energy use in urban city … Read more
When the researchers came upon the Ruki River, they were quite taken aback. The water in this river, a tributary of the mighty Congo River, is so dark that you literally can’t see your hand in front of your face. “We were struck by the colour of the river,” says ETH Zurich researcher Travis Drake, … Read more
A new study finds that greenspace — the vegetation in a neighborhood’s yards, parks and public spaces — has a positive impact on a key genetic marker associated with exposure to stress. However, the study also finds that the positive impact of greenspace isn’t enough to compensate for other environmental challenges, such as air pollution. … Read more
Many efforts to reduce transmission of diseases like Covid-19 and the flu have focused on measures such as masking and isolation, but another useful approach is reducing the load of airborne pathogens through filtration or germicidal ultraviolet light. Conventional UV sources can be harmful to eyes and skin, but newer sources that emit at a … Read more
Colder is not always better for energy-hungry data centers, especially when it comes to their power bills. A new analysis says that keeping the centers at 41°C, or around 105°F, could save up to 56% in cooling costs worldwide. The study, publishing October 10 in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, proposes new temperature guidelines … Read more