News and Articles


Scientists Propose Thinning Sierra Forests to Enhance Water Runoff

Runoff from the Sierra Nevada, a critical source of California’s water supply, could be enhanced by thinning forests to historical conditions, according to a report from a team of scientists with the University of California, Merced, UC Berkeley and the Environmental Defense Fund.

Artificial Leaf Could Debut New Era of "Fast-food Energy"

Technology for making an "artificial leaf" holds the potential for opening an era of "fast-food energy," in which people generate their own electricity at home with low-cost equipment perfect for the three billion people living in developing countries and even home-owners in the United States.

Abrupt Permafrost Thaw Increases Climate Threat

As the Arctic warms, greenhouse gases will be released from thawing permafrost faster and at significantly higher levels than previous estimates, according to survey results from 41 international scientists published in the Nov. 30 issue of the journal Nature.

Collecting Carbon in a Concrete Jungle

Land unsuitable for tree planting could still be used to reduce levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere thanks to new research.

Report Claims Inspection Data on Meat Processing Facilities Could Have "Substantial Benefits"

Publicly posting enforcement and testing data corresponding to specific meat, poultry, and egg products' processing plants on the Internet could have "substantial benefits," including the potential to favorably impact public health, says a new report from the National Research Council.

Affordable Solar Energy - Not Out of Reach

It's time to stop thinking of solar energy as a boutique source of power, says Joshua Pearce.

Climate Change Stunting Growth of Century-old Antarctic Moss Shoots

One hundred years ago, two teams of explorers raced to be the first to reach the South Pole. Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen reached the South Pole on Dec. 14, 1911.

British Butterfly Evolving in Response to Climate Change

As global temperatures rise and climatic zones move polewards, species will need to find different environments to prevent extinction. New research, published today in the journal Molecular Ecology, has revealed that climate change is causing certain species to move and adapt to a range of new habitats.

Oregon Construction Equipment Manufacturer Exceeds Federal Air Pollution Limits, Pays EPA Penalty

Johnson Crushers International, a construction equipment manufacturer based in Eugene, Oregon, released air pollutants into the environment in excess of federal limits, according to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Justice.

Industrialization Weakens Important Carbon Sink

Australian scientists have reconstructed the past six thousand years in estuary sedimentation records to look for changes in plant and algae abundance.

Hopes Head Upstream for Water in Colorado River

The Colorado River basin presents the greatest water management challenges of any river basin in the nation, with ever-expanding demands for multiple water uses, water demand exceeding supply, valued but fragile ecosystems, and support for nearly every type of water-relevant interest.

Marines Test New Energy Efficient Weapon in the War on Trash

Marines at Camp Smith, Hawaii, are testing a high-tech trash disposal system that can reduce a standard 50-gallon bag of waste to a half-pint jar of harmless ash.

Study Suggests Marine Biodiversity Loss is Due to Warming and Predation

The biodiversity loss caused by climate change will result from a combination of rising temperatures and predation – and may be more severe than currently predicted, according to a study by University of British Columbia zoologist Christopher Harley.

Study Suggests Link Between Environmental Factors and Heart Failure

A University of Cambridge study, which set out to investigate DNA methylation in the human heart and the 'missing link' between our lifestyle and our health, has now mapped the link in detail across the entire human genome.

Tips Tuesday: Green Christmas Trees

It’s that holiday time of year again, now that the nation is full from Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sauce; many people are shopping for Christmas trees facing a perennial question: which is the greener choice – real or fake?

The Shadows in a City Reveal its Energy Flow

Researchers at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM, Spain) have created "shadow models" and a type of software that calculates the amount of solar radiation that reaches streets and buildings in high resolution. According to the results published in the Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, they could help to optimise the energy consumption of cities.

Submarine Springs Offer Preview of Ocean Acidification Effects on Coral Reefs

Observations at submarine springs found along the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula are giving scientists a preview of the possible fate of coral reef ecosystems in response to ocean acidification.

Better Thermal Management Promises Cheaper, Greener, Cooler Electronics

At first glance, supercomputers, car parts, entertainment systems and radar antennas may not have much in common, but they all stand to benefit from important advances in thermal management technology being achieved by an EU-funded project.

Fool's Gold Aids Discovery of New Options for Cheap, Benign Solar Energy

Pyrite, better known as "fool's gold," was familiar to the ancient Romans and has fooled prospectors for centuries – but has now helped researchers at Oregon State University discover related compounds that offer new, cheap and promising options for solar energy.

American Lung Association Calls for Tougher Soot Limits

Up to 35,700 premature deaths can be prevented in the United States every year if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) strengthens the health standards for fine particulate matter—also known as soot—according to a new report, Sick of Soot: How the EPA Can Save Lives by Cleaning Up Fine Particle Pollution, prepared by the American Lung Association, Clean Air Task Force, and Earthjustice.