The problem of finding and quantifying per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds in the atmosphere—also known as PFAS dark matter—has plagued scientists for decades. These materials, which comprise thousands of organofluorine compounds, used in a wide range of goods, from cosmetics to food packaging. There hasn’t been much attention paid to PFAS [...]
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of the crucial technologies for reducing global temperature rise to far below 2°C, ideally 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. However, a recent study performed by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and the University of Bergen in Norway predicts that without rapid expansion [...]
Scientists at the Fritz Haber Institute’s Interface Science Department found a revolutionary process for transforming carbon dioxide into ethanol. According to a significant paper published in Energy & Environmental Science recently. This development could lead to sustainable and economically viable alternatives to fossil fuels. As transforming Carbon Dioxide into ethanol [...]
The built environment, which includes buildings, highways, bridges, and other infrastructure, accounts for about 40% of embodied carbon. These emissions are a major source of climate change, prompting politicians and business leaders to focus on developing more energy-efficient structures. However, Ming Hu, Associate Dean for Research at the University of [...]
A new study recently revealed the important role that the Atlantic-Arctic water mixing plays in sustaining the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a critical component of the Earth’s climate system. This study, led by researchers from the University of Southampton, the Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, the National Oceanography Centre, [...]
A recent study at the University of São Paulo uncovers the underestimated value of sustainable agriculture systems regarding GHG emissions in Brazil. Novel research, done by scientists from the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture – CENA-USP and Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture – ESALQ-USP, has explored the contribution [...]
In a society that is becoming more aware of the influence of greenhouse gases on climate change, creative methods to manage and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are required. Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering have created a novel biomass-based polymer capable of repeatedly capturing and releasing CO2, suggesting [...]
Newcastle University researchers have invented a revolutionary humidity-driven membrane that uses ambient energy to efficiently remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air. This innovative method addresses the essential difficulty of direct air capture (DAC), which has been named one of the “Seven Chemical Separations to Change the World.” The novel [...]
As worldwide temperatures rise, cities around the world are dealing with the issue of urban heat islands, in which concrete and asphalt amplify summer heat. A new study conducted by academics from the University of Surrey and Southeast University (China) demonstrates that rural belts around cities can dramatically lower urban [...]
Urban areas are especially vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, such as floods, heat waves, and storms. This presents critical considerations for city developers: which parts of the city suffer the most and in what ways can they respond effectively? The I4C project for Cities initiative, led by the [...]
