As drinking water flows through pipes and into a glass, it runs against the rubber seals inside some plumbing devices. These parts contain additives that contribute to their flexibility and durability, but these potentially harmful compounds can leak into drinking water, according to a small-scale study in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters. The authors … Read more
If the region surrounding Chicago — North America’s largest freight hub — shifted just 30% of its current on-road heavy-duty vehicles to electric versions, it would substantially reduce pollution and save hundreds of lives per year, with the benefits largely concentrated in disadvantaged communities, according to a new Northwestern University-led study. The study authors highlight … Read more
Coco Gauff got out of the heat quickly. The 19-year-old American made fast work of Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, rolling to a 6-0, 6-2 win on Tuesday afternoon. The victory put Gauff into the semifinals of a grand slam for the first time in her young career. Coco Gauff advanced … Read more
Indoor air pollution generated by cooking fuels such as charcoal and wood causes approximately four million premature deaths every year — a tragic statistic that Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) is aiming to address with its Kitchen Pollution Guidance. This comprehensive guidance is led by Professor Prashant Kumar and a team of … Read more
Urban stormwater particles from tyre wear were the most prevalent microplastic a new Griffith-led study has found. Published in Environmental Science & Technology, the study showed that in stormwater runoff during rain approximately 19 out of every 20 microplastics collected were tyre wear particles with anywhere from 2 to 59 particles per litre of water. … Read more
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new type of material that could offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to clean pollutants from water. Dubbed an “engineered living material,” it is a 3D-printed structure made of a seaweed-based polymer combined with bacteria that have been genetically engineered to produce an enzyme … Read more
When it comes to global warming trends, the Arctic is a troubling outlier. The Arctic warms nearly four times faster than the global average, and aerosols play an important role in that warming. Scientists have long known that pollutants from other regions can accumulate in the Arctic atmosphere where they alter atmospheric chemistry, absorb sunlight, … Read more
Hot and dry conditions resulted in increased tree death Evidence that most forest areas withstand periods of severe drought Greatest impact in forests with drier climates Tropical forests in South America lose their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere when conditions become exceptionally hot and dry, according to new research. For a long time, … Read more
Labor Day weekend is here, but there is no need to kiss summer goodbye just yet. Several more beach days are on the horizon, meteorologists say, and heat and humidity are set to linger a little longer. The long weekend will grow progressively warmer and more humid, said Dan Pydynowski, senior meteorologist for AccuWeather, with … Read more
New research by an international team of scientists explains what’s behind a stalled trend in Arctic Ocean sea ice loss since 2007. The findings indicate that stronger declines in sea ice will occur when an atmospheric feature known as the Arctic dipole reverses itself in its recurring cycle. The many environmental responses to the Arctic … Read more