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There is a growing body of evidence that many of the thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications ultimately make their way into water bodies and drinking-water supplies. Typical wastewater treatment plants may not be effective at…

Microplastics are raining down on national parks and other protected areas in the western United States at the rate of about 132 pieces of microplastic per square meter every day, according to a report in the journal Science (June 2020).…

If you think converting seawater to fuels that can power ships is a fantasy, think again. Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., have, in fact, accomplished this feat. In addition, the U.S. Navy has received a patent…

During the past decade, the automotive industry has converted more than 50 percent of its internal combustion engines from a traditional technology called port fuel injection (PFI) to a new technology called gasoline direct injection (GDI). The…

A class of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS) are particularly worrisome in the environment because they do not biodegrade. For this reason, scientists often refer to PFAS as “forever chemicals.” PFAS’s staying power…

The majority of toxic pollution in the United States could potentially be eliminated by requiring a small number of extreme polluters to release pollutants at levels in line with those of comparable industrial facilities, according to a recent study…

With a miniature version of the kind of television antennas that often adorned rooftops before the advent of satellite and cable TV, researchers have demonstrated the conversion of electrical signals into light beamed in a particular direction. This…

Naturally ventilating a house, such as by opening doors and windows, has long been considered an effective strategy for exhausting indoor air pollutants. However, according to researchers reporting in the journal Science Advances (February 2020),…

A new study has shown that dangerous hydrogen-burning flames can persist in unexpectedly narrow spaces and with very low fuel volumes. The findings highlight potential challenges involved in the safe storage and transport of hydrogen gas, which…

During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, most restaurants and other dining facilities were shut down to contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. By July 2020, however, indoor dining once again became an option for many…

As offices, schools, health clubs, restaurants, hotels, and other facilities gradually reopen after shutdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the public may confront yet another unmitigated health hazard: unsafe water from dormant or underused…

Concrete is the most widely used construction material worldwide because of its versatility, strength, and durability. Applications range from roadways and dams to furniture and tiles. With proper manufacturing, reinforcement, and engineering…

Researchers from Drexel University in Pennsylvania, USA, have synthesized conductive and layered 2D materials known as MXenes (pronounced maxenes) using a water-free process. In doing so, scientists have opened up potential uses of MXenes as…

On July 20, 1969, the bulkily space-suited figure of astronaut Neil Armstrong descended the ladder of Apollo 11’s lunar lander, planted his boot in the Moon's gray dust, and declared: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."…

Plastic is a ubiquitous and life-saving product, but it is also rapidly becoming a significant environmental problem. Globally, less than 10 percent of plastics are recycled, about 12 percent are incinerated, and the vast majority are disposed of in…

Sand is mined for many applications, but the largest use by far is for fine aggregate in concrete. Smaller quantities of sand are used for fracking, water treatment (filtration), metal casting, and making glass, silicon chips, and ceramics. Concrete…

A study published in the journal Atmospheric Environment (April 2019), comparing the differences in air pollution caused by automobiles powered by internal combustion (conventional) engines versus electric vehicles (EVs) powered by batteries,…

Progress continues in the attempt to master nuclear fusion—the phenomenon that powers the stars, including our Sun—for energy production here on Earth. Recent research has identified a previously unknown kind of heat burst that causes…

Although international shipping is critical to global trade, cargo ships are a major source of air pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions. At present, atmospheric emissions from fuel oil-powered marine ships include sulfur oxides (SOx),…

Researchers at Duke University in North Carolina (United States) have developed a test for distinguishing lead isotopes found in coal fly ash from lead isotopes found in other lead-containing sources, such as paint. Fly ash is a fine particulate…

Researchers have produced carbon chips from waste plastic bags for use in making anodes for lithium-ion batteries, according to a report in ACS Omega (December 2018). For the most part, it is very difficult to break down (depolymerize) plastics into…

New research from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) predicts that the next decade will be a favorable period for human exploration due to lower risks of inclement "space weather"—a term that refers to radiation conditions…

Pesticides—including insecticides and herbicides—are chemical products used to control, reduce, or eliminate organisms that are harmful to cultivated plants. However, the use of pesticides on plants that provide foods for human consumption is often…

Reusable sponge-like (foam) sorbent materials for cleaning up oil spills may soon become available, as a result of promising research from multiple groups. Oil spills damage ecosystems and habitats, harm and kill wildlife and plants, contaminate…

Plastic shopping bags are convenient to use because they are lightweight and inexpensive, and yet they are also a major source of plastic pollution. People worldwide use an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion single-use plastic bags each year.…

Seawater desalination involves removing salts and minerals from water and discharging a higher-concentration solution, or brine, to the sea. The brine effluent may affect the water quality (for example, salinity) and organisms—particularly the…

Those who fear contracting a water-borne illness caused by pollution at the shore or ingesting a killer amoeba (Naegleria fowleri) at a freshwater lake might instead opt to visit a swimming pool. After all, most pool water is hygienically treated.…

Neonicotinoid insecticides are the most used insecticide worldwide and have been linked to the decline of pollinator insects. In 2018, the European Union banned the outdoor use of three neonicotinoid insecticides: clothianidin, imidacloprid, and…

In the journal Science (September 2018), researchers reported a method for making a coating that reflects sunlight and radiates heat. The coating can be used to cool buildings and reduce air-conditioning use, keeping surfaces painted with the…

The Mississippi River has undergone extensive river engineering for flood control, with its 3500-mile Mississippi River and Tributaries levee (artificial-embankment) system. However, researchers reported in Nature (April 2018) that disconnecting the…

On February 6, 2018, the Falcon Heavy rocket passed its first launch test, lifting off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop a bright pillar of fire. Built by the California-based, private aerospace company SpaceX, the Falcon Heavy is the…

The World Health Organization (WHO) is planning to recognize gaming disorder as a mental health disease in 2018. The 11th revision of the WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which is a major worldwide reference for epidemiological,…

Mammals possess a certain gene, termed PON1, which encodes a protein enzyme (paraoxonase) that is used to process the cholesterol lipids and fatty acids found in food. This gene evolved millions of years ago and is functionally active in terrestrial…

As the demand for carbon fiber has grown, so has the waste stream of scrap and end-of-life composite materials. For a material to be considered sustainable, its environmental impact needs to be considered through its entire life cycle, including…

Researchers from Pohang University of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea, reported in the journal Nature Communications an alloy design concept that could broaden the use of magnesium (Mg) alloys in engineering applications requiring…

For more than 10 years, natural-gas-fired power plants have been touted as “cleaner” electrical power generators, producing half the carbon dioxide (CO2), one-third of the nitrogen oxides (NOX), and negligible sulfur oxides (SOX) compared to…

Fueled by the demand for inexpensive garments with vibrant colors, Asia is leading the world in textile manufacturing. However, this textile manufacturing boom is having a significant environmental impact on the region. According to the World Bank,…

Since its landing in 2012, NASA’s Curiosity rover has been analyzing Martian soils and rocks for evidence that the Red Planet could have supported life in its past. So far, Curiosity has found carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, methane,…

Roman marine concrete, having lasted for nearly 2000 years, is a highly durable material. In contrast, modern marine concrete, which is made using Portland cement, may start to degrade in as few as 50 years. Researchers have now discovered why. As…

The water crisis that gripped the city of Flint, Michigan, in 2014 and 2015—and which is still felt to the present day—became one of the most notorious and scandalous public health disasters in recent United States history. The immediate cause was…

Scientists from IBM and Sony Storage Media Solutions Corporation have jointly developed a magnetic storage tape with 20 times the storage capacity (areal density) of currently available tape. The record-setting tape, reported in IEEE Transactions on…

In an attempt to quantify the amount of plastics ever produced and what has happened to them, researchers produced the first global analysis using data collected from plastic industry sources. As reported in Science Advances (July 2017), 8300…

In the short term, the future of autonomous-vehicle technology is hard to unravel, but two reports (May 2017) offer some insight into what we might expect. A multidisciplinary research team from eight universities reported in the e-print repository…

Over the six decades since humans first began lobbing objects into space, the celestial environment around our planet has become increasingly crowded with “space junk.” This orbital debris ranges in size, from spent rockets and derelict satellites…

Surface water from streams across the United States contain a diverse mixture of synthetic organic pollutants, according to a joint U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study reported in the journal…

Because of nutrient-poor soil and the high cost of fertilizer, farmers in parts of Africa often produce only one-fifth to one-tenth as much corn (maize) per hectare as farmers in the United States do. Over time, farming in Africa and elsewhere in…

A magnitude 5.1 nuclear test was detected 376 km (234 mi) NE of Pyongyang, North Korea (DPRK) on January 6, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. local time (01:30 UTC), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The event was picked up at seismic stations around…

Floor plans show walls, windows, doors, and other features of a room or building. Architects and engineers use them to study spatial relationships and describe their designs. Typically, floor plans are rendered as two-dimensional drawings.In this…

Whether preparing for Halloween or just a regular day, you can make skull-shaped edibles from this project's 3D candy mold. Like many molds, this one is a hollow container into which you can pour water or hot liquids, such as gelatin, chocolate, or…

A spur gear is a common toothed wheel that works with other wheels in a set to adjust the speed, power, or direction of a complex machine. It's found in many everyday devices, such as electric screwdrivers, washing machines, and mechanical clocks…