Earth

  1. Tech

    Explainer: The hydrogen rainbow

    Hydrogen works the same, regardless of its source. But how clean or “green” it is very much hinges on its color-coded name — which points to how it was made.

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  2. Tech

    Engineers cook up a new way to tackle CO2: Make baking soda

    Engineers have found a material that can collect carbon dioxide from the air. When later mixed with water, it forms baking soda that can be shed in the sea.

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  3. Materials Science

    A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air

    The salty gel absorbs more water from the air than similar gels, even in desert climates. This could provide clean water for drinking or farming.

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  4. Earth

    Analyze This: Tropical forests have gotten patchier

    Although many of the world's forests have gotten less fragmented since 2000, tropical forests have gotten more chopped up, putting animals at risk.

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  5. Earth

    To get diamonds perfect for Barbie, make and break a supercontinent

    Most pink diamonds may have formed billions of years ago during the tectonics that led to formation and breakup of Nuna, Earth’s first supercontinent.

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  6. Animals

    Adult corals have been frozen and revived for the first time

    Living corals could be frozen for safekeeping. Scientists could later revive them to restore reef ecosystems that are withering in warming seas.

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  7. Environment

    Ultrasound waves can help remove polluting microplastics in water

    The innovative process concentrates microplastics within a flowing liquid. A two-step process then removes the potentially toxic bits.

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  8. Ecosystems

    The Amazon is in trouble. Here’s why — and why it matters

    Challenges from human-caused climate change, deforestation and degradation leave the fate of this vast forest uncertain.

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  9. Earth

    The sun shines brightest in South America’s Atacama Desert

    Solar rays in this high-altitude desert at times rival the light intensity on Venus.

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  10. Tech

    With tech, farms can double up to produce both food and power

    Agrivoltaics merges agriculture with photovoltaic panels, which generate electricity from sunlight. The combo produces clean energy and edible crops.

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  11. Agriculture

    Crops are being engineered to thrive in our changing climate

    Plants are already the best carbon catchers on Earth. New research could make them even better.

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  12. Animals

    Toothed whales use their noses to whistle and click

    Much as people do, toothed whales, such as dolphins and sperm whales, make noises in three different vocal registers.

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