Environment

Communities worldwide rely on reservoirs for drinking water, hydroelectric power, irrigation, and more. These critical freshwater resources are affected by seasonal and long-term changes; water levels in reservoirs can dip during hot summer months or due to prolonged drought, or can flood after a particularly strong storm. Despite their importance,... Read more

Cars on the road today are 99% cleaner than they were in 1970. Air quality in the United States is much, much better as a result. In Los Angeles, where I live, lead levels in the air were 50 times higher in the 1970s than today, and the amount of... Read more

The stockpile of German ammunition left in Norway in 1945 could have been cleared and dismantled by the Germans. Norway declined the offer and began dumping it in Lake Mjøsa and other lakes instead.... Read more

Climate change is a threat to countries' macroeconomic and fiscal stability. Extreme weather events exacerbated by global warming alone are costing the world $143 billion every year. However, measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change can also pose a risk to fiscal stability, especially for emerging and low-income developing... Read more

We are what we eat. And in the ocean, most life-forms source their food from phytoplankton. These microscopic, plant-like algae are the primary food source for krill, sea snails, some small fish, and jellyfish, which in turn feed larger marine animals that are prey for the ocean's top predators, including... Read more

Communities dependent on Canada's blue economy will face growing challenges to their livelihoods as climate change fundamentally alters the country's marine environment, according to new Simon Fraser University research. The four-year study published in Regional Studies in Marine Science suggests that some parts of the country could see a 50%... Read more

The circular economy concept is often thought of as a model to eliminate waste and pollution—but when applied thoughtfully, circular approaches can create jobs, strengthen local economies, improve public health and more, according to new research led by Charles Darwin University (CDU).... Read more

New modeling shows almost one in three Americans will routinely breathe air considered unhealthy for sensitive people by the year 2100 due to climate change, a seven-fold increase compared to the turn of the century.... Read more

The emissions trading system launched by the European Union in 2005 could one day also be used to capture CO₂ on a large scale. A new model study quantifies the potential, and outlines that phased integration of removals into the trading system can avoid misguided incentives, while providing industry with... Read more

A new study shows that systems designed to capture methane from cow manure, called dairy digesters, are highly effective. But on the rare occasions they fail, the leaks are large enough to offset their climate benefits.... Read more

As global temperatures climb, rainfall patterns are shifting in ways that could put water resources and agriculture under increasing strain, a new study published in Water Resources Research suggests.... Read more

An international team of scientists is warning that everyday antibacterial soaps, wipes, sprays, and other "germ-killing" products are quietly contributing to the global rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) while providing no added health benefit for most consumer uses.... Read more

In many parts of the world, including China, soil acidification is reducing agricultural yields. Recycling animal manure can help counteract this acidification and is therefore a key component of circular agriculture. However, this approach also has a downside.... Read more

Scientific expeditions require months of planning before scientists can acquire the first data. A bark cuts through the Arctic silence, waking Anna up. She slept only three hours after collecting the last sample. Anna reaches for her rifle, exits the tent, and steps onto the midnight ice. She pets the... Read more

In recent years, the Prairies have seen bigger swings in climate conditions—very wet years followed by very dry ones. That makes an already unpredictable landscape even harder to forecast, with real consequences for flood preparedness and water quality.... Read more