Earth Wise

Reaching net zero emissions is both feasible and affordable, according to researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of San Francisco, and consulting firm Evolved Energy Research.   The researchers created a detailed model of the entire U.S. energy and industrial system to produce the first detailed, peer-reviewed study of how […]

Self-assembly is a ubiquitous process in the natural world that leads to the formation of the DNA double helix, the creation of cell membranes, and to many other structures.   Scientists and engineers have been working to design new molecules that assemble themselves in water for the purpose of making nanostructures for biomedical applications such as […]

Scientists at the University of Bath and the University of Oxford in the UK have developed a technique for remotely surveying elephants and other wildlife using satellite images and deep learning.  The technique has the same accuracy as human counts done on the ground or from low-flying airplanes. The new computer algorithm can analyze high-resolution […]

Scientists at the University of California Riverside have discovered that fermented food waste can boost bacteria that increase crop growth, make plants more resistant to pathogens, and reduce the carbon emissions resulting from farming. Food waste is a serious problem from multiple perspectives.  As much as 50% of food is thrown away in the United […]

Sea turtles lay their eggs in burrows on sandy beaches.  Many species lay their eggs on the exact same beach year after year.  On average, sea turtles lay over 100 eggs in a nest and produce between 2 and 8 nests per season. Animals that produce such large numbers of eggs have this reproductive strategy […]

The aviation industry accounts for about 2.4% of global carbon dioxide emissions.  If the aviation industry was a country, it would place sixth in emissions, between Japan and Germany. According to scientists at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, aviation industry emissions could be reduced by simply better surfing the wind.  The researchers […]

In recent times, there have been several significant events affecting the transition to electric vehicles.  The new administration has made aggressive moves toward fighting climate change.  Wall Street investors have placed more value on Tesla stock than that of GM, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford combined.  China, the world’s largest car market, recently mandated that most […]

According to a study published in the journal Jama Network Open last fall, the COVID-19 pandemic has tripled the rate of depression in U.S. adults in all demographic groups.  Previous studies have demonstrated that greenspaces in urban areas can have a positive effect on those people experiencing mental ill health. But most of those studies […]

Scientists from the University of Bath in the UK have developed a sustainable polymer using xylose, a sugar found in wood. The new polymer is a member of the polyether family.  It could be used in a variety of applications, including being a building block for polyurethane, used for example in mattresses and shoe soles. […]

At any given time, there are thousands of icebergs adrift in Antarctica that are hundreds or even thousands of feet across.  For at least fifty years, there has been speculation about whether such icebergs could be towed from the Antarctic to places experiencing freshwater shortages.  The feasibility of such a scheme is still the subject […]