Water


Hybrid Power Plants Can Help Industry Go Green

Hybrid cars, powered by a mixture of gas and electricity, have become a practical way to "go green" on the roads. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) are applying the term "hybrid" to power plants as well.

Climate Change Affects Ants and Biodiversity

Some people may consider them pests, but ants are key to many plants’ survival.

Geologists Find Ponds Not the Cause of Arsenic Poisoning in India's Groundwater

The source of arsenic in India's groundwater continues to elude scientists more than a decade after the toxin was discovered in the water supply of the Bengal delta in India. But a recent study with a Kansas State University geologist and graduate student, as well as Tulane University, has added a twist -- and furthered the mystery.

Coral Population Stable and Sea Urchins Are on the Rise in Florida Keys

Over the past decade, the populations of staghorn and elkhorn corals in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary have remained steady after dramatic declines in the last century. Long-term monitoring conducted by researchers from the University of North Carolina - Wilmington (UNCW), has revealed that while populations of the iconic branching corals remain far below their historic numbers, the surviving populations of both species have not suffered further declines.

Link Between Air Pollution and Cyclone Intensity in Arabian Sea

Pollution is making Arabian Sea cyclones more intense, according to a study in this week's issue of the journal Nature.

Farming After The Flood

Flooding events in 2011 and previous years have greatly impacted America’s prime farmland. Floodwaters left sediment and debris, eroded large parts of producers’ fields and, in many cases, left land devastated.

Penn State Research Finds Humans and Climate Contributed to Extinctions of Large Ice-Age Mammals

Both climate change and humans were responsible for the extinction of some large mammals, according to research that is the first of its kind to use genetic, archeological, and climatic data together to infer the population history of large Ice-Age mammals.

EPA Takes Next Step to Cancel 20 Mouse and Rat Control Products Used in Homes

In an effort to reduce human exposure to harmful chemicals, the EPA is taking the necessary steps by lifting certain rodent repellent products from store shelves.



IEA Urges Greece to Reform its Eergy Market and Boost Economy

Increasing competition and reducing the role of the state in Greece’s energy sector could make a significant contribution to the country’s economic recovery, according to a review of Greek energy policies published today by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Solar Power Could Get Boost From New Light Absorption Design

Solar power may be on the rise, but solar cells are only as efficient as the amount of sunlight they collect. Under the direction of a new professor at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, researchers have developed a new material that absorbs a wide range of wavelengths and could lead to more efficient and less expensive solar technology.

Greenhouse Gases to Overpower Ozone Hole

One set of human-created gases is starting to relinquish its hold on Antarctic climate as another group of emissions produced by human activity is starting to take hold, according to a paper in Nature Geoscience, co-authored by ARC Laureate Fellow Professor Matthew England, co-director of the UNSW Climate Change Research Centre.

Urine Could Be The Answer to Cheaper Electricity

Urine can be an abundant fuel for electricity generation, according to British scientists in the first study of its kind.

EPA Awards Universities Grants to Help Design Sustainable Technologies

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Phase I grants for the 2011-2012 school year. The grants were awarded to 45 teams of college and university students across the country.

Study Finds Forests Not Keeping Pace with Climate Change

More than half of eastern U.S. tree species examined in a massive new Duke University-led study aren't adapting to climate change as quickly or consistently as predicted.

Drying Intensifying Wildfires Release Carbon Ninfold, According to Study

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, is the first to investigate the effect of drainage on carbon accumulation in northern peatlands and the vulnerability of that carbon to burning.

Tips Tuesday: Winter Energy Efficiency Tips from Energy Star

The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are dropping - do you know what that means? Time to break out the coats and turtle necks for the winter season. It can also mean increased energy consumption and higher electricity bills for businesses and consumers.

EPA Grants Clean Air Act Petition to Improve Air Quality in New Jersey

Action protects public health and cuts harmful emissions from Pennsylvania power plant.

Aluminum Alloy Overcomes Obstacles on the Path to Making Hydrogen a Practical Fuel Source

Hydrogen offers great promise as a renewable energy source. It's staggeringly plentiful (the most abundant element in the Universe) and environmentally friendly (used in a fuel cell, it gives off only water). Unfortunately, storing and transporting hydrogen for personal use is a significant engineering challenge.

Mapping The Formation of an Underwater Volcano

On Oct. 9, an underwater volcano started to emerge in waters off El Hierro Island in the Canaries, Spain. Researchers of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO, Ministry of Science and Innovation) only needed 15 days to map its formation in high resolution. The volcanic cone has reached a height of 100 m and the lava tongue flows down its side, even though its activity has slowed down in the past few days.

Next-Generation Charging Technology for Environmentally Friendly Vehicles

Plug-in electric vehicles represent a new direction for environmentally friendly transportation. Unfortunately, plug-in electric cars are currently grid-tie power electronics that can require large quantities of energy -- and time -- to charge. As plug-in cars become more and more widely used, large amounts of power will be required to quickly charge these vehicles.