During the unusually dry year of 2018, Sweden was hit by numerous forest fires. A research team led from Lund University in Sweden has investigated how climate change affects recently burnt boreal forests and their ability to absorb carbon dioxide. The boreal forests form a single biome that spans the entire Northern Hemisphere. These forests … Read more
Big Apple residents are fuming at the city’s so-called “hellish helicopter highway” they say is causing excessive noise and pollution as lawmakers seek to ban “non-essential” chopper flights. “We can’t take it anymore, It’s too much,” Dororta Lukaszynska, who has lived in Tribeca for two decades, told The Post on Tuesday. “Noise pollution is a … Read more
University of Toronto (U of T) scientists have developed a framework for measuring plastic pollution emissions akin to the global standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers say the approach will boost identification of the biggest contributors to plastic pollution from local to national levels and improve strategies in reducing emissions worldwide. The framework … Read more
Arctic and boreal latitudes are warming faster than any other region on Earth. In three new studies, Earth system scientists at the University of California, Irvine report how the ecosystems in these regions are changing. In a study published in Global Change Biology, a team led by Earth system science Ph.D. candidate Jinhyuk Kim from … Read more
By fueling the growth of plants that become kindling, carbon dioxide is driving an increase in the severity and frequency of wildfires, according to a UC Riverside study. The worldwide surge in wildfires over the past decade is often attributed to the hotter, drier conditions of climate change. However, the study found that the effect … Read more
Fires that blaze through the wildland-urban interface (WUI) are becoming more common around the globe, a trend that is likely to continue for at least the next two decades, new research finds. The research team, led by scientists at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR), used satellite observations and … Read more
High levels of plastic pollution can kill the embryos of a wide range of ocean animals, new research shows. Scientists tested the effects of new PVC pellets (pre-production “nurdles” used to make many plastic products) on the development of seven species, spanning all major groups (superphyla) of ocean animals. Exposure to high concentrations of PVC … Read more
The length of time that Yellowstone Lake is covered by ice each year has not changed in the past century, despite warming temperatures in the region, according to new research led by University of Wyoming scientists. That is an unexpected finding, as most lakes around the world are experiencing shorter durations of ice cover, the … Read more
From heatwaves to pandemic diseases, the urban environments of the world face numerous challenges. Researchers at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University are harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and informatics to address emerging concerns related to environmental changes and urban growth. Innovative geospatial and AI technologies offer ground-breaking solutions and insights into the dynamic changes occurring in … Read more
Retention ponds and wetlands constructed as part of major road schemes can reduce the quantities of tyre particles entering the aquatic environment by an average of 75%, new research has shown. The study analysed samples collected alongside some of the busiest routes in South West England and the Midlands, many used by more than 100,000 … Read more