As physical links between the ground and the sky, plants play an important role in shaping Earth’s weather and climate. Now, Stanford University researchers have revealed how a closer look at plants’ inner workings may be able to help improve model predictions of some devastating global disasters. Flash droughts, which develop rapidly and deplete water … Read more
More than 90% of the world population is lives in areas with higher than recommended levels of air pollution Dementia is one of the greatest health challenges of our generation. Photo: WHO Increased exposure to traffic-related particulate matters may raise the risk of developing dementia, analysts have said. Particulate matters are microscopic air pollutant made … Read more
Higher exposure to a certain type of traffic-related air pollution called particulate matter may be linked to an increased risk of dementia, according to a meta-analysis published in the October 26, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers specifically looked at fine particulate matter, PM2.5, which consists … Read more
Hydrogen is essential to the modern economy, and expanding its utility in a more sustainable society is a major global priority. Now, in a study recently published in Science Advances, researchers from Osaka University have made exciting progress toward eliminating many of the remaining bottlenecks in using hydrogen as an energy carrier. As a chemical … Read more
Soil moisture content is the main factor that controls how far and at what concentration natural gas spreads from a leaked pipeline underground, a new study has found. Pipeline operators need to factor how the amount of water found in surrounding soil affects gas movement when trying to determine the potential hazards posed by a … Read more
New research, led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, refines our understanding of the chemical traces that act as the rain’s fingerprint. The work, which appeared recently in Global Biogeochemical Cycles, is crucial for understanding the Earth’s water cycle, especially as it undergoes rapid change due to global warming, deforestation and other environmental catastrophes. You … Read more
The journeys of night-migrating birds are already fraught with danger. Light pollution adds yet another hazard beyond the increased risk of collisions with buildings or communication towers. According to a new study, birds attracted by the glow of artificial light at night are drawn into areas where they are also exposed to higher concentrations of … Read more
Danes shuttle nearly a million tons of garden waste from their gardens every year. But we would be doing the climate a great service if we just left it alone, according to the calculations of University of Copenhagen professor Per Gundersen. At the same time, leaves and other garden waste are a boon for backyard … Read more
When small things really blow your mind it’s usually a sign, you’re onto something good; at least this was the case when a friend of mine whom I will dub the Vaseline Master, enlightened me with a plethora of uses for the petroleum jelly substance, marketed to heal dry skin. While it can also raise an eyebrow or … Read more
While air quality has improved dramatically over the past 50 years thanks in part to the Clean Air Act, people of color at every income level in the United States are still exposed to higher-than-average levels of air pollution. A team led by researchers at the University of Washington wanted to know if the Clean … Read more