A new study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that romantic partners can significantly influence each other's views on climate change, with only 38% alignment in climate beliefs and 31% alignment in behaviors. The study suggests that conversations about climate change can help shift public support and increase e...
A Yale School of Environment study found that efficiencies in new home construction, energy consumption, and household appliances have contributed to lower emissions, but other factors may cancel out progress. The researchers suggest shifting from single-family housing to multi-family housing could reduce energy demand by up to 47%.
A new study published in Nature Geoscience found that aquatic ecosystems are a significant source of global methane emissions, accounting for at least half of the total methane emissions budget. Human activities such as agriculture, fertilization runoff, and aquaculture contribute to these emissions.
A research team has created a high-quality bioplastic from wood byproducts, showing promise for producing durable and sustainable plastics. The resulting material exhibits high mechanical strength, stability, and UV-light resistance, making it suitable for various applications, including packaging and automobile manufacturing.
Researchers found that considering soil organic matter improves water retention, mitigating crop yield losses from drought. Including this data in insurance premiums could reduce liabilities by 36% while increasing corn yields by 35 bushels per acre.
A Yale-led research team created a new method to track how Aedes aegypti mosquitoes move through the environment, combining genetic and environmental data. The results suggest that these mosquitoes travel through a mix of natural and human-aided dispersal, making eco-friendly control methods more crucial than ever.
A study conducted by Michelle Bell found a concerning imbalance in submissions to a major peer-reviewed journal during the pandemic. Women's submissions increased only 7.9% compared to men's 23.8%, highlighting existing inequities in academia.
A new study finds that electronic waste generated by Americans has been declining since 2015, mainly due to the decrease of bulky CRT displays. This decline poses challenges for e-waste recycling regulations and the recovery of critical elements like cobalt and indium.
A recent study reveals that nitrous oxide emissions are increasing at an alarming rate, with growing emissions in emerging economies driven by agricultural activity. The researchers predict that N2O emissions will continue to grow unless sustainable practices are adopted, such as best management practices for farming.
A new Yale-led study finds that a decline in green energy spending during the global crisis could outweigh the short-term environmental benefits of reduced carbon emissions and local air pollution. The economic downturn may lead to a significant setback in clean energy innovation, with potential impacts on human health.
A new study by Yale researchers finds that natural disasters can trigger catastrophic domino effects through urban trade networks, with secondary economic impacts often exceeding local costs. Regional cities most vulnerable due to dependence on industrial supplies and limited suppliers.
New research advances understanding and methods for assessing novel technologies' environmental impacts. LCA inventories and scenarios are linked to climate change modeling, improving innovation cycle management.
Research shows that personal energy choices can be contagious, influenced by social norms, observation, word-of-mouth communication, and trusted community leaders. The study identifies factors that affect the impact of peer influence, including individual characteristics, relationship strength, learning processes, and behavior complexity.
Researchers from Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies argue that the IPCC guidelines need improvement to accurately calculate and report greenhouse gas emissions. They suggest using satellite imagery and machine-learning tools to expedite quantitative synthesis and address data gaps.
Designing mid-rise urban buildings with engineered timber could create a 'bank vault' storing 10 to 68 million tons of carbon annually. This would drastically reduce carbon emissions associated with the construction sector.
A Yale-led research team outlines key principles for a green chemistry future, emphasizing the importance of systemic sustainability in all chemical processes. The paper highlights recent achievements in green chemistry and its potential to revolutionize various industries, from energy generation to electronics.
The study found that suburban expansion is the predominant pattern in cities worldwide, driving inefficient and unsustainable development. Notable exceptions exist in East and Southeast Asia, where high-rise construction is on the rise.
A new Yale research model provides a more comprehensive understanding of environmental impacts by incorporating capital assets into production supply chains. The analysis shows that capital assets account for 13% of economy-wide carbon, energy, and material footprints in 2012.
Researchers from Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies propose a new framework for understanding same-sex behavior in animals, arguing that these behaviors are not costly but rather neutral and advantageous. They suggest that these tendencies likely evolved in the earliest forms of sexual behavior and may be more common than ...
A new study projects that urban expansion will trigger 'extra' warming due to the urban heat island effect, increasing extreme heat risks for half of the world's future urban population. The study forecasts temperatures may rise up to 3 degrees C in some locations, particularly in tropical regions.
A group of scientists from the Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP) urge policymakers to take action on soil carbon despite ongoing debates. They highlight the importance of rebuilding soil carbon for environmental and agricultural benefits, such as sustainable agriculture systems and water quality.
Researchers used a massive NASA dataset to develop a framework explaining the sensitivity of local temperatures to aerosols. The study found that the longwave effect of aerosols is more significant than previously thought, contributing to a smaller terrestrial diurnal temperature range.
A new Yale study uncovers key relationship between storm events, ecology, and topography in moderating greenhouse gas release from rivers and streams. Concentrations of three greenhouse gases increase during rainstorms in wetland streams but decrease or remain constant in forested streams.
A new study challenges the US Department of Energy's plan to expand offshore wind power, citing supply chain issues with rare earth metals like neodymium. The researchers found that creating a domestic program could raise questions about natural resource consumption and recyclability.
A study suggests that policymakers must recognize the growing role of recreational fishing in affecting fish populations and aquatic ecosystems. The authors propose five suggestions for guiding reform, including integrating angling targets into management and improving monitoring to moderate impacts on fish stocks.
Research found that microbes specialize at the genotype level, promoting diversity by killing common species and making room for rare ones. This leads to increased seed dispersal, creating landscapes that allow pathogens to effectively promote diversity.
A new paper by Yale researchers confirms that increasing soil organic carbon boosts yields until concentrations reach about 2 percent, after which returns diminish. Roughly two-thirds of agricultural soils dedicated to maize and wheat fall below this threshold, suggesting vast potential for policies promoting increased SOM.
A new study identifies four key areas to combat climate misinformation: public inoculation, legal strategies, political mechanisms, and financial transparency. The research proposes coordinated strategies to counter false content and expose the institutional network enabling its spread.
A new algorithm developed by Yale Ph.D. student TC Chakraborty creates a more comprehensive and consistent estimate of urban heat islands worldwide. The Global Surface UHI Explorer map uses urban agglomerations instead of administrative city boundaries, providing surface UHI intensity estimates for over 10,000 urban clusters.
A study by Yale scientists reveals that native species dominate New York City's natural areas, containing over 5 million trees, rather than just street trees. This finding highlights the need for conservation policies and management strategies focused on these spaces to manage biodiversity and ecosystem services.
A new study reveals that animal movements can trigger direct or indirect feedback effects altering landscapes' capacity to absorb or release carbon. This integration of animal ecology and remote sensing can improve predictions and management of carbon cycling across ecosystems.
A Yale-led study finds that fragmentation weakens impact of fungal pathogens and insect herbivores, enabling some tree species to thrive near edges. Researchers tested the effect of natural enemies on seedling diversity in fragmented forests, finding that suppression of these enemies led to biodiversity decline.
A new paper urges creation of a coordinating global body to assure neutral evaluation of gene editing's benefits and risks. The technologies have breathtaking promise but also profound concerns about unintended consequences, requiring careful review and inclusion of local communities.
A new study by Yale researchers found that brand cache plays a significant role in extending smartphone lifespans, with iPhones lasting up to 67 months compared to Samsung phones' 54.5 months. The study analyzed over 500,000 secondhand phone listings on eBay and found that Apple's brand reputation contributes to its longer lifespan.
A new Yale study examines the role of 'natural enemies' in promoting tropical species diversity. However, findings suggest that disparities in enemy susceptibility can make communities less stable. The research contradicts a long-held hypothesis, highlighting the need for alternative explanations.
The EXIOBASE 3 database provides new clarity on the links between international trade, consumption, and environmental impact. Researchers found some level of decoupling between economic growth and environmental impact, but efficiency was reduced for material use increasing at a faster rate than GDP.
A new Yale study finds that global lake evaporation will increase 16 percent by the end of the century as a result of climate change. The specific mechanisms driving this phenomenon are not what scientists expected, with other factors such as shortened ice periods and changes in heat energy allocation playing a crucial role.
A Yale-led study found that GDP remains linked to metal use even as affluence grows, with a 1% rise in GDP increasing the nation's metal footprint by 1.9%. This challenges the long-held theory that metal use plateaus when GDP reaches $15,000 per person.
A Yale-led survey found that long-term research is crucial for advancing knowledge, particularly in addressing global change impacts. Scientists prioritize multi-site, observational, and experimental approaches over short-term experiments.
A new special issue of Yale's Journal of Industrial Ecology investigates the environmental, energy, and health impacts of additive manufacturing. The research reveals that while 3D printing offers local production and zero-waste potential, its environmental performance depends on machine usage patterns and material configurations.
The Yale Initiative on Sustainable Finance (YISF) will provide high-quality research on capital flows into sustainability-oriented projects. YISF aims to investigate challenges in sustainable finance by partnering with market participants, non-profit organizations and WBCSD. The project focuses on clarifying ESG materiality for companies.
A growing number of businesses and governments have adopted the circular economy framework, aiming to keep resources in use for longer. The Journal of Industrial Ecology special issue explores the concept's complexities and opportunities, including product design methods, social forces, and challenges of implementing circularity efforts.
Researchers found that using holistic ecosystem management increases the value of stored natural capital in the Baltic Sea fishery ecosystem over five decades. The study highlights the critical role of interactions between commercially important species and how these interactions impact the overall system's wealth.
A new study by Yale researchers found that maintaining a diverse collection of species in fungal communities not only safeguards weaker species but also protects the genetic diversity of the larger community. This phenomenon, known as biodiversity begetting biodiversity, can help protect threatened ecosystems like coral reefs.
A new Yale study finds that Lyme disease causes people in the Northeast to forego 1 billion fewer trips per year, costing them about 9 hours of outdoor time annually. The total cost is estimated to be between $2.8 and $5 billion due to the large number of affected individuals.
A new Yale-led study reveals a connection between drought exposure and adverse human health among older adults in the US. Researchers found that severe drought conditions increase the risk of mortality among adults 65 or over, as well as cardiovascular disease risk, particularly in areas where droughts are rare.
The Environmental Leadership & Training Initiative (ELTI) has received a $4.9 million grant from Arcadia to continue its work empowering leaders in tropical landscapes through field-based training, leadership support, and innovative online instruction. The program has reached over 5,000 individuals since 2006.
A new Yale-led study reveals significant market potential for renewable thermals in Connecticut, with the technology able to competitively serve 19% of thermal demand. To realize this potential, public policy and financing tools are needed to spur consumer demand.
A new study predicts that global warming will drive the loss of at least 55 trillion kilograms of carbon from soils by mid-century, more than double projected human-related emissions. This loss is expected to be greatest in high latitudes, where cold conditions have allowed massive carbon stocks to build up over thousands of years.
Research found road salt reduces female frogs by 10%, affecting population viability, while maple leaf litter has no impact. The study suggests a masculinizing effect of sodium in salt on tadpoles, potentially triggering sex reversal during development.