News and Articles


Is Investing in Green House Gas Auditing Companies Worth the Gamble?

Greenhouse gas auditing is predicted to be one of the next biggest global industries as more countries are attempting cut down their carbon footprint and have passed laws requiring corporations to dramatically reduce their levels of pollution. However, serious questions have been raised as to how profitable this industry will be, and whether it is even worth investing in at such an early stage.

Grassland Plant Species Play Import Roles in Biodiversity

Recent study of grasslands shows that species variety more important to ecosystem services than previously thought.

Higher-Resolution Microscope Provides Better Insight into Fuel Cell Operations

A novel microscopy method at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory is helping scientists probe the reactions that limit widespread deployment of fuel cell technologies.

NASA's Ames Sustainability Base Wins Two Awards for Sustainability, Innovation

The NASA Ames Sustainability Base in Moffett Field, Calif., has won two awards for sustainability and innovation.

Wildlife Responds Three Times Faster to Climate Change Than Previously Predicted

New research by scientists in the Department of Biology at the University of York shows that species have responded to climate change up to three times faster than previously appreciated. These results are published in the latest issue of the leading scientific journal Science.

Researcher: Texas Must Make Conservation Plans Now to bring Rangeland Back from Drought

As a blistering drought continues to plague huge portions of Texas, a Texas Tech University researcher says that even now in the midst of the fight, it’s time to plan ahead and logically plot a path for pulling more than 90 million acres of valuable rangeland back from the brink.

Preparations Underway to Remove Toxic Sediment From Lower Passaic River

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that work has begun on removing 200,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from an area of the Passaic River near the Diamond Alkali Superfund site located at 80 Lister Avenue in Newark, N.J.

Study Reveals Bacteria From Dog Feces in Outdoor, Urbanized Air

Bacteria from fecal material -- in particular, dog fecal material -- may constitute the dominant source of airborne bacteria in Cleveland's and Detroit's wintertime air, says a new University of Colorado, Boulder study.

Ohio Wildlife Officer Indicted on Charges of Illegally Trafficking in White-Tailed Deer

A federal grand jury in Cincinnati, Ohio, returned a four-count indictment today charging Allan Wright, 45, of Russellville, Ohio, with trafficking in and making false records for illegally harvested white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in violation of the Lacey Act.

EIA Reports 3.9-Percent Increase in U.S. Energy-Related CO2 Emissions in 2010

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels were 5,638 million metric tons carbon dioxide (MMTCO2) in 2010, an increase of 3.9 percent from the 2009 level.

GHG Verification Instrument Finds Some Fudging in Countries Reported Emissions

The sobering study fount that Western Europe emits about twice as much HFC-23 as officially reported.

Could Saltwater Make Microbial Life on Mars Possible?

How common are droplets of saltwater on Mars? Could microbial life survive and reproduce in them? A new million-dollar NASA project led by the University of Michigan aims to answer those questions.

Study Shows Human Sewage Kills Imperiled Coral

A research team from Rollins College in Florida and the University of Georgia has identified human sewage as the source of the coral-killing pathogen that causes white pox disease of Caribbean elkhorn coral. Once the most common coral in the Caribbean, elkhorn coral was listed for protection under the United States Endangered Species Act in 2006, largely due to white pox disease.

Research Shows Polar Ice Caps Can Recover From Warmer Climate Induced Melting

A growing body of recent research indicates that, in Earth's warming climate, there is no "tipping point," or threshold warm temperature, beyond which polar sea ice cannot recover if temperatures come back down. New University of Washington research indicates that even if Earth warmed enough to melt all polar sea ice, the ice could recover if the planet cooled again.

One in 10 Deaths in Mongolian Capital Caused by Air Pollution

Using government-supplied measurements, the researchers found concentrations of fine particles in Ulaanbaatar’s air were more than seven times the level considered safe by the World Health Organization

Smart EV Charging Will Require Utilities to Invest in Cybersecurity Systems

A report forecasts that the EV cybersecurity market will increase from just $26 million in 2011 to $144 million by 2015, with a cumulative investment of $432 million during that period.

Study Aims to Improve Fuel Economy by 30 Percent

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside along with their research partners received a $1.2 million grant from the Department of Energy to study and evaluate technologies that provide feedback to drivers so they can cut harmful emissions and reduce fuel use by up to 30 percent.

Peter Martin Kuhn Added to EPA Fugitive List

The former president and CEO of French Gulch Nevada Mining Corporation and Bullion River Gold Corporation failed to surrender to federal authorities after he was indicted for his role in a conspiracy to illegally dispose of mining wastes containing hazardous concentrations of arsenic and lead.

Increased Tropical Forest Growth Could Release Carbon from the Soil

A new study shows that as climate change enhances tree growth in tropical forests, the resulting increase in litterfall could stimulate soil micro-organisms leading to a release of stored soil carbon.

Organic Photovoltaics: Solar Cells of the Future?

Undergraduate researcher Safatul Islam is a member of a team in the College of Optical Sciences investigating organic photovoltaics, which can lead to improved electronics.