Earth and Human Activity
- Tech
Scientists Say: LED
LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, light up TV screens, traffic lights and many other devices used in daily life.
- Climate
Heat waves appear more life-threatening than scientists once thought
This is bad news as a warming planet leads to growing numbers of excessive heat waves — and millions more people facing potentially deadly temperatures.
- Chemistry
Simple process destroys toxic and widespread ‘forever’ pollutants
Ultraviolet light, sulfite and iodide break down these PFAS molecules faster and more thoroughly than other methods.
- Earth
Uplifting Antarctic shores point to accelerating loss of glaciers
It appears the Pine Island and “Doomsday” Thwaites glaciers are losing ice — and shrinking faster — than at any time in the past 5,500 years.
- Animals
Some Greenland polar bears are surviving with very little sea ice
The ‘glacial mélange’ on which they’ve come to rely — a mix of ice, snow and slush — could be a temporary refuge for some polar bears.
- Animals
Palm-size marsupials may face extinction from wild ‘house’ cats
After surviving Australian bushfires, the Kangaroo Island dunnart is losing ground as it's targeted by hungry predators.
- Animals
Let’s learn about amphibians
Amphibians are named after the Greek word for “double life” because many transform from water dwellers to landlubbers as they grow up.
- Climate
Coastal cities around the world are sinking, satellite data show
Of 99 coastal cities studied, nearly one-third are sinking. This leaves coastal communities increasingly vulnerable to rising seas.
- Chemistry
Reusable plastic bottles release hundreds of pollutants into water
Data show the plastic ends up tainting drinking water. For now, scientists don’t know what health risks downing these pollutants might pose.
- Environment
Bubbles could help remove trash from rivers
One young engineer devised a way to make bubbles sweep away the trash floating down a creek, like the one in her backyard.
- Health & Medicine
Your bloodstream may be littered with the plastic you’ve eaten
For the first time, scientists have found plastic particles circulating in human blood. No one yet knows whether those polluting bits might pose a risk to health.
- Chemistry
Let’s learn about cellulose
The world’s most abundant natural polymer is finding all kinds of new uses, in everything from ice cream to construction.
