Newswise Feature Channel: Environmental Science

Exploring the Cost and Feasibility of Battery-Electric Ships

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:00:25 EST

Retrofitting a portion of the US shipping fleet from internal combustion engines to battery-electric systems could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and be largely cost effective by 2035, according to a new study from Berkeley Lab researchers.

Korean Research Team Develops Innovative Fusion Process to Overcome Drawbacks of Waste Plastic Pyrolysis

National Research Council of Science and Technology — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:00:46 EST

A Korean joint research team has developed a technology to produce high-value-added plastic raw materials called dicarboxylic acids (α,ω-diacids) by recycling mixed waste plastics.

Some Wildfire Suppressants Contain Heavy Metals and Could Contaminate the Environment

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:00:00 EST

Researchers reporting in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology Letters explored whether wildfire suppressants could be a source of elevated metal levels sometimes found in waterways after wildfires are extinguished. Several products they investigated contained high levels of at least one metal.

Buried Alive: Carbon Dioxide Release From Magma Deep Beneath Ancient Volcanoes Was a Hidden Driver of Earth's Past Climate

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 06:00:00 EST

An international team of geoscientists led by a volcanologist at Rutgers University-New Brunswick has discovered that, contrary to present scientific understanding, ancient volcanoes continued to spew carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from deep within the Earth long past their period of eruptions.

Collaboration Speeds Complex Chemical Modeling

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 16:20:22 EST

A recent collaboration among researchers from HUN-REN Wigner Research Centre for Physics in Hungary and the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, along with industry collaborators SandboxAQ and NVIDIA, has achieved unprecedented speed and performance in efforts to model complex metal-containing molecules.

Six Global Environmental Organizations Unite to Scale Climate and Conservation Outcomes Through Sovereign Debt Conversions

Wildlife Conservation Society — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:10:37 EST

Today, at the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Re:wild, The Wildlife Conservation Society, and World Wildlife Fund in the US announced the formation of a coalition to scale climate and conservation outcomes through the use of sovereign debt conversions.

UTEP Student Develops Award-winning Method to Desalinate Water

University of Texas at El Paso — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:05:42 EST

Tayia Oddonetto, a doctoral student at The University of Texas at El Paso, developed electrodialysis metathesis, a novel approach to the desalination of brine, or salt, water that can convert over 90% of salt water to fresh water. The research earned Oddonetto first place and funding from the NSF Engineering Research Centers Perfect Pitch Competition.

Optimal Standing Positions and Ventilation in Airport Smoking Lounges

American Institute of Physics (AIP) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:00:00 EST

Research published in Physics of Fluids shows that not all standing positions in airport smoking lounges are created equal. Scientists from the University of Hormozgan in Iran found that the thermal environment and positioning of smokers influences how particles settle in the room. Additionally, smokers seated farther from ventilation inlets experience the lowest levels of pollution in the room.

Mesophyll Conductance Doubles in Soybean Domestication

Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) Project — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 09:50:31 EST

RIPE researchers found that modern soybean plants have increased mesophyll conductance compared to ancestral soybean plants. Their work was recently published in Plant, Cell and Environment.

Mekong Environment Resilience Week: Solutions for Southeast Asia's Environmental Issues

Chulalongkorn University — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 08:55:24 EST

The Social Research Institute of Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Asia, and with support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), held the Mekong Environment Resilience Week, celebrating SEI Asia's 20th anniversary.

FAU Awarded DOE Grant to Test Ocean Current Energy Offshore Palm Beach County

Florida Atlantic University — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 08:30:55 EST

FAU's Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC) has received an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to advance ocean energy technologies. Collaborating with various experts and organizations, SNMREC will conduct a pioneering feasibility study for an ocean current test facility off Palm Beach County, marking a first in leveraging top marine energy expertise. The project's end goal is to improve the nation's competitiveness in marine energy technology, encourage domestic manufacturing, and create jobs while helping to achieve the nation's energy goals.

Unlocking Solar Power: Transforming CO2 Into Valuable Formate

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 08:15:58 EST

In a significant advance for sustainable energy, scientists have developed a new method to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into formate, a valuable chemical, through a solar-driven process.

New Study Uses Climate Data to Predict Building Maintenance Costs for U.S. Department of Defense

Iowa State University — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 08:00:43 EST

Researchers examined the costs of weather-related damage and destruction for companies and government agencies with multiple buildings. The researchers focused on the large building portfolio of the U.S. Department of Defense. Their study aims to help organizations plan for the rising costs associated with long-range facilities maintenance and replacement.

Weddell Seals in the Antarctic Strategically Time Their Most Extreme Dives to Maximize Foraging

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:10:37 EST

New research from WHOI and partners sheds light on a novel dive foraging strategy.

Scientist on Personal Mission to Improve Global Water Safety Makes Groundbreaking Discovery

University of Bristol — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 06:55:32 EST

A study led by the University of Bristol shedding new light on how arsenic can be made less dangerous to humans has the potential to dramatically improve water and food safety, especially in the Global South.

Ohalo(tm) Announces FruitionOne(tm): The World's First Self-Fertile Nonpareil Almond Variety

Ohalo Genetics, Inc — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 02:35:15 EST

Ohalo(tm) announced today the launch of FruitionOne(tm), the world's first self-fertile Nonpareil almond variety. This groundbreaking innovation allows almond growers to eliminate the need for traditional pollenizer trees when planting Nonpareil almond orchards, marking a significant advancement in almond farming.

Giant Clam Declared Critically Endangered After the Latest Assessment

University of Colorado Boulder — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 17:10:44 EST

Once abundant, the massive, colorful clam is now locally extinct in many regions, with a critical drop in population due to overfishing and climate change.

Americans Increase Overall Pace of Decarbonization, but State Trends Vary

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 13:00:45 EST

In 2023, Americans reduced their consumption of electricity and fossil fuels, while increasing consumption of carbon-free energies, according to the most recent energy and carbon flowcharts released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Imaging the Invisible: Advanced Tech Targets Microplastics in Living Organisms

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:35:54 EST

Plastic pollution, particularly the presence of microplastics in living organisms, poses a growing threat to ecosystems and human health. This groundbreaking study introduces mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) as a cutting-edge method for detecting and quantifying microplastics in biological samples, offering critical insights into their distribution and potential impacts.

Tulane University to host Future of Energy Forum

Tulane University — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 05:00:57 EST

Tulane University will host the Tulane Future of Energy Forum in New Orleans on Nov. 13-15. The forum, which is free and open to the public, will bring together global leaders to discuss innovative strategies for meeting energy demands while transitioning to a lower-carbon future. This year's theme, Can Energy Pragmatism Secure Our Energy Future?, will focus on practical solutions, featuring high-caliber speakers, cutting-edge research and opportunities to engage with key decision-makers across the energy sector.