MS-ESS3-3
Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
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EnvironmentTo 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.
By Skyler Ware -
AnimalsDancing 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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ChemistryAir 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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ChemistryTurning 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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EarthMany 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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PlantsThis 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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EnvironmentBottled 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.
By Laura Allen -
OceansAnalyze 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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Artificial IntelligenceTo ‘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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ClimateWarmer 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.
By Douglas Fox -
TechBalsa 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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ChemistryPollution 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.
By Laura Allen