MS-ESS3-3

Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

  1. Environment

    To limit pollution, new recipe makes plastic a treat for microbes

    Microplastics made from fossil fuels take centuries to disappear. But the plant- and algae-based plastic can break down in weeks to months.

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  2. Animals

    Dancing spiders inspired this biologist to teach others

    Inspired by his research in animal communication, Echeverri began exploring ways to teach others about science while finishing his Ph.D. Today, he shares his passion for spiders as a science communicator.

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  3. Chemistry

    Air pollution can make it harder for pollinators to find flowers

    Pollutants that build up in night air can break down the scents that attract pollinating hawkmoths to primrose blooms, disrupting their pollination.

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  4. Chemistry

    Turning jeans blue with sunlight might help the environment

    When dipped in indican and exposed to sunlight, yarn turns a deep blue. This process is more eco-friendly than the current denim dyeing method.

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  5. Earth

    Many natural underground stores of freshwater are shrinking

    A lot of these aquifers are quickly disappearing due to climate change and overuse. Fortunately, there is growth in some of the world’s major aquifers.

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  6. Plants

    This urban gardener is mimicking nature to create healthier plants

    Urban garden specialist Kwesi Joseph is experimenting with rock dust and plants. He also helps New York City community and school gardens with gardening problems.

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  7. Environment

    Bottled water hosts many thousands of nano-sized plastic bits

    The finding emerges from tests of a new tool that identified smaller-than-ever tiny plastic bits in three brands of bottled water.

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  8. Oceans

    Analyze This: Climate change may worsen the spread of ocean noise

    Some parts of the ocean may become five times as loud in the future.

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  9. Artificial Intelligence

    To ‘green’ AI, scientists are making it less resource-hungry

    Energy demands of ChatGPT and similar AI tools can threaten Earth’s climate. So researchers have begun redesigning how to run data centers and build AI.

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  10. Climate

    Warmer seas trigger skyrocketing ice loss in 3 Antarctic glaciers

    Destabilized by waves and vanishing sea ice, one of the glaciers lost 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) of ice in 16 months — a possible hint of worse to come.

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  11. Tech

    Balsa wood transistors could usher in ‘greener’ electronics

    Researchers in Sweden coaxed wood to conduct electricity, then used it to make a climate-friendlier building block of electronics.

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  12. Chemistry

    Pollution power? A new device turns carbon dioxide into fuel

    Scientists made a device that converts the greenhouse gas into formate. This salt can then run a fuel cell to make electricity.

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