The issue with burning fossil fuels in vehicles is that when the fuels burn, carbon dioxide is produced and released into the air contributing to pollution. Researchers are at work on synthetic fuels that are known as carbon-neutral fuels that would be better for the environment. Chemists working on these synthetic fuels recently made a significant breakthrough.
In April, the United States' renewable energy capacity tipped past coal for the first time, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This is a milestone for the nation, representing the rapid growth of clean energy as a sustainable alternative to coal. Coal consumption in the US was at its peak in 2008; it now sits around its lowest point in four decades despite the current administration's attempt to prop up the industry.
On June 11, the World Health Organization announced that officials have confirmed the presence of Ebola virus disease in Uganda, marking the first known instance of the virus spreading from the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On Friday, officials will gather in a meeting to decide whether the Ebola epidemic should be declared an emergency situation that may potentially impact international populations.
Every spring when climbing conditions are more favorable, hundreds of people make the trek up Mount Everest alongside porters and guides in hopes of conquering the world's highest mountain. Popularity has increased over the years, resulting in a large quantity of trash scattered along the hiking route. A recent cleanup effort by the Nepal government sought to remove some of this waste.
A concerning new study published in Scientific Reports reveals that Monterey Bay on the California coast is full of tiny plastic particles known as microplastics. The news comes only hours after a different study warned that Americans are consuming thousands of these tiny particles in food and water every year. The latest research indicates the same may be true for fish.
Americans consume thousands of microplastic particles every year, according to a new study. Unlike the larger bits of plastic you may find in products, such as microbeads used in exfoliants, microplastic particles are very tiny, typically microscopic, and they often result from larger plastic products that have started to degrade or shed. The health effects of consuming these tiny plastic particles remain unclear.
Nestle is about to launch a competitor for the Impossible Burger, and it's called 'Awesome Burger.' The awfully similar name aside, Nestle's plant-based burger targets vegetarians, eco-conscious consumers, and anyone who wants to reduce their personal meat consumption. The product will be launched in the United States later this year, and it'll be a bit different than classic veggie meats.
NASA has announced the availability of ICESat-2 global data containing height measurements for regions around the globe, including measurements of the sea ice around Antarctica and glaciers in Greenland. The Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) was launched in September 2018; it uses 10,000 laser pulses per second to take height measurements in what NASA calls 'unprecedented detail.'
A new study warns that antibiotics levels in rivers around the world are at levels up to 300 times higher than what is considered safe. The research involved the 14 most commonly used antibiotics, which were found at 65-percent of monitored rivers across 72 countries. An antibiotic called metronidazole, which is commonly used for bacterial infections, was found in the highest concentrations.
Around this time last year, a study was published revealing that at least one entity somewhere in the world was likely engaging in the production of a banned ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbon gas called CFC-11. Scientists had discovered that CFC-11 levels were rising despite its ban in 2010, indicating that it was still being used somewhere in the world, though no one could definitely point toward the source at that time.
If climate change is allowed to continue at its current rate, the world may face a 6.5ft rise in ocean levels by the year 2100. The warning comes from nearly two dozen ice sheet experts who were quizzed on plausible sea level rise (SLR) based on anticipated ice sheet melting under global temperature increase projections. Such a drastic ocean level increase would be catastrophic for many coastal cities around the world.
Food scientists are developing a milk carton suitable for a future in which most people own a smartphone, Cornell University has announced. The cartons would reduce food waste by helping consumers tell whether their milk (and, presumably, other beverages) are still in good quality and suitable for consumption. In comparison, existing 'Best by' dates are often imprecise.