Plants widen microscopic pores on their leaves in response to heat. But scientists lacked an understanding of the mechanisms behind this “sweating” function. Now, biologists have unlocked the details behind these processes and identified two paths that plants use to handle rising temperatures.
By studying rare fossils of jaws and other skull parts of a long-extinct Caribbean monkey, a team of researchers that includes a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine professor says it has uncovered new evidence documenting the anatomy and ecology of an extinct primate once found on Hispaniola — the Caribbean island on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are located.
A new study led by staff from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in East Africa has used a predictive artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to confirm the location of previously-unmapped high marine biodiversity areas along Mozambique’s extensive coastline.
DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user facility has established a cutting-edge atmospheric observatory in an Alabama forest to investigate the complex interactions among clouds, vegetation, and aerosols and advance weather and climate research.
DeeDee Bennett Gayle, an associate professor at the University at Albany, is leading new research focusing on using virtual reality to reduce disaster vulnerabilities for older individuals and others disproportionately affected.
The USDA local Agricultural Research Service plans to allocate resources, which run through 2031, to ASC researchers to ramp up studies to improve greenhouse gas estimates of agricultural practices, as a continuation of DOE ARPA-E’s SMARTFARM effort.
Microplastic pollution is a significant environmental problem that harms animals and people and affects ecosystems worldwide. These tiny pieces of plastic, smaller than five millimeters, are pushed by wind and water to move around the globe.Nasrin Alamdari, an assistant professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is on a mission to learn more about microplastics and how they move.
A Virginia Tech environmental security expert says there are lessons to learn in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene's disaster that can improve preparedness and community resilience. “The tragic flood event in the southeast U.S. is a poignant example of the confluence of multiple factors, including development in floodplains, inadequate infrastructure maintenance and management, and the specter of climate change, whose compounding effect can amplify the disaster,” says Manoochehr Shirzaei, an associate professor of geophysics.
The parachuting, venomous Joro spider was apparently spotted in a Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood, a reported sighting that may confirm these spiders appear to be moving north. ...
A new, integrated system will enable ocean science, exploration, and restoration efforts from a wider range of vessels, paving the way for more successful and efficient operations
Scientists have developed a bioinspired yarn capable of harvesting water from fog, providing an innovative solution to water scarcity in arid regions. By imitating the alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic patterns seen in desert beetles and the water-transporting abilities of micro/nanoscale one-dimensional spider silk, this double-strand yarn accelerates droplet formation, offering a promising approach to tackling the global water crisis.Water scarcity is an increasingly urgent issue, particularly in remote and dry regions where access to fresh water is limited. Conventional methods of atmospheric water collection are often inefficient due to high energy demands or slow water release processes. Nature, however, offers solutions through organisms that have evolved highly efficient water-gathering mechanisms. In response to these challenges, there is a clear need to develop advanced materials that can improve water harvesting efficiency.
A group of economists and other experts from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) today released a joint guide called “A Ministry Playbook for Corresponding Adjustment – Pricing strategies in carbon markets” outlining an initial set of key considerations to give confidence to national governments when evaluating complex tradeoffs between selling carbon credits in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) or authorizing Corresponding Adjustments (CA) credits in compliance mechanisms.
Most Americans can expect wetter winters in the future due to global warming, according to a new study led by a University of Illinois Chicago scientist
In a major step toward sustainable chemistry, scientists have uncovered a new way to significantly boost the electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia through the in-situ evolution of electrocatalysts. This breakthrough provides a cleaner alternative to the traditional ammonia synthesis process and a solution to the critical issue of nitrate pollution in water systems.
Agriculture is the world’s largest industry. It employs more than one billion people and generates over $1.3 trillion dollars’ worth of food annually, but some farm practices have serious negative impacts on the environment, which is why sustainable agricultural practices have been championed.
University of Miami health geographer Imelda Moise led a study that found mosquito populations in Miami-Dade County increased dramatically after Hurricane Irma.
Iowa State's Valery Levitas and his collaborators have used pressure with a twisting shear to permanently deform silicon, an important material for electronics. The resulting changes in silicon's microstructure produce material phases that feature different and potentially useful properties.