Ecosystems
Does it work to pay people not to cut the forest?
Evidence that paying people to save trees, preserve ecosystems and reduce carbon emissions is scarce. But it can succeed if it’s done right.
How much CO2 can the world emit while keeping warming below 1.5°C and 2°C?
Researchers estimate how much more CO2 we can emit to keep temperatures below 1.5°C and 2°C to combat climate change.
Plants are likely to absorb more CO₂ in a changing climate than we thought – here’s why
New research shows that plants might take up more CO₂ than previously thought, but still can't do the heavy lifting to stop climate change.
Why this startup is creating edible oil from sawdust
ÄIO's main goal is to replace palm oil with oil upcycled from low-value industry organics in order to prevent further deforestation.
CRISPR is helping “de-extinct” the Tasmanian tiger
"De-extinction” researchers believe they might be able resurrect the Tasmanian tiger and restore ecological balance in Australia.
What Arizona and other drought-ridden states can learn from Israel’s pioneering water strategy
Israel’s approach to desalination offers insights that Arizona would do well to consider for managing droughts.
Why astronomers are excited about carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere of an alien world
Scientists reported chemical traces in the atmosphere of planet K2-18b, including a substance which on Earth is only produced by living things.
Reflecting sunlight to cool the planet will cause other global changes
MIT researchers find that extratropical storm tracks would change significantly with solar geoengineering efforts.
The underappreciated benefits of wild bees
The plight of wild bees has largely been overshadowed by concern about threats to domestic bees. Many people don't even know the difference.
This “living material” self-destructs and cleans up polluted water
A 3D-printed “living material” packed with genetically engineered bacteria could be an eco-friendly way to clean up polluted water.