Research on more sustainable materials and systems. Covers nature-inspired manufacturing, resource disparities, mood-supporting materials, and low-carbon concrete.
The OS10 programme aims to develop open science infrastructure in accordance with UNESCO's Recommendation on Open Science. The collaboration between National Science Library, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and PLOS will explore cooperation in sharing scientific research and open science resources.
Researchers developed a new experimental approach using high pressurization in a wind tunnel to simulate the flow physics in the atmosphere, offering new insights into optimizing turbine alignment, blade pitch angles, and tip speed to boost power output. The study also validated a computationally lightweight model for testing different...
A new study shows that Hurricane Helene deposited nearly one-fifth of annual microplastics at one North Carolina site, intensifying storm-induced microplastic pollution. Microplastic deposition was three to 22 times higher than before the storm, with significant implications for human health and biodiversity.
The Groningen Sustainability Conference 2027 will bring together civil society, policymakers, and business to discuss the future of the SDGs. Key experts will contribute to formulating a core message for the final SDG Summit.
A University of Cambridge-led team has created detailed 3D maps of the Cairngorms National Park, revealing the beginnings of large-scale recovery of native woodland. The maps show over six million individual trees, with 40% under five meters tall, and provide insights into habitat type and tree regeneration.
Piezocatalysis, a process that converts mechanical energy into chemical driving forces, can break down biomass's complex lignocellulosic structure under mild conditions. The review highlights the potential of piezocatalysis to drive cleaner biomass conversion, with promising applications in fuels, resins, and biodegradable polymers.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has selected Mississippi State University to host its new Cooperative Institute in the Northern Gulf of America, advancing environmental research, forecasting, and sustainable resource management. The institute will generate discoveries that benefit coastal communities and strengthen ...
The 12th World Sustainability Forum (WSF-12) recognized scientific excellence through Oral Awards and Poster Awards, celebrating outstanding research contributions. The MDPI Sustainability Foundation Awards honored three researchers for advancing sustainability science and delivering meaningful societal impact.
The IIT's new treatment makes wood temporarily flexible, allowing for easy shaping, and uses a green solvent derived from cellulose. The method provides a sustainable alternative to current, more polluting or energy-intensive processes, supporting a circular economy.
A NUS study examines the relationship between corporate deforestation and ESG scores, finding that ratings track public image, not actual deforestation. The study suggests that incorporating satellite-based environmental data into sustainable investing frameworks could improve ESG assessments.
Research shows that weather information alone won't shield poor livestock farmers from climate change impacts, highlighting the need for paired climate forecasts and risk-smoothing measures
The Frontiers Science House roadshow brings together world leaders and climate experts to address unresolved scientific disputes and policy bottlenecks in governance of climate intervention technologies and power, rewired: building the climate-energy future. The event aims to facilitate discussions and find solutions to pressing issues...
A new study has calculated the weight of 606 million buildings globally, revealing patterns in material-use efficiency across cities. Cities with dense, uniformly short buildings maximize floor space per person while minimizing materials used.
Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns, and acts to reduce food waste and spoilage. The system uses AI to interpret signals from sensors embedded in the packaging, enabling real-time monitoring and adaptive responses to minimize waste and optimize food distribution.
This technology leverages predicted occupant counts to optimize HVAC control, accounting for misprediction costs to minimize energy consumption. By updating thermal states and misprediction distributions, the system achieves weighted occupant thermal comfort while minimizing total expected misprediction costs.
A new study projects significant disparities in access to food, water, and energy by 2050, with lower-income groups facing significant challenges. The study finds that in some regions, lower-income people could spend up to 50% of their income on food, while higher-income groups spend only 5%.
Scientists at Kyoto University's iCeMS created a foam-based technology that mimics nature to produce brilliant white materials with water repellency. The technology, called Deep Foam Photolithography (DFP), uses precisely engineered porous structures to scatter light and control water repellency.
Research at Kyushu University found that using Igusa mats increases brain activity related to concentration and engagement. Participants reported reduced tension and anxiety after using Igusa mats, indicating potential benefits for stress resilience.
Researchers investigated three concrete mixes in four locations with varying climatic conditions. Their study shows that climate plays a significant role in how quickly steel in the concrete rusts. Key findings include that low-carbon concrete can last for 50 years or more in some locations, but may suffer damage sooner under different...
A new AI-powered system is being developed to discover new polymeric materials, reducing waste and accelerating innovation. The system integrates multiple tools, including polymer databases, predictive models, and automated laboratories, to create a self-automated workflow that refines itself.
Researchers at The University of Osaka developed a light-responsive adhesive that can selectively detach from an illuminated surface without residue. The adhesive can be reused after heating, demonstrating reversible interfacial switching
A €8 million Horizon Europe grant will fund a project to develop practical tools and a transferable framework for creating sustainable neighborhoods. The Regenerative Neighbourhood Design Tool will help communities play a more active role in planning decisions, using immersive AR and VR tools to model and evaluate designs.
A research team from Chiba University developed a flexible bio-based plastic that can be chemically converted into fertilizer after use, improving environmental sustainability. The plasticizer improves the flexibility of the plastic, increasing its potential for future applications.
A new Concordia study suggests that reducing fast fashion's environmental impact can be achieved through changes in manufacturing, transportation, and consumer use. By producing fewer garments, designing them with longevity in mind, and cutting back on air freight, the fashion industry can achieve significant environmental benefits.
The study provides a practical framework for choosing biodiesel feedstocks by weighing climate impact and air pollution, offering solutions for climate change mitigation. Waste-derived feedstocks demonstrated lower GHG emissions, while plant-based options had varying pollution levels, highlighting the importance of considering air-poll...
A study by the University of Copenhagen found that only 13% of workplaces in Denmark are ready to introduce more plant-based lunches, while 42% are resistant to change. Workplaces with high tertiary activities and employees who eat less meat tend to be more open to change.
Researchers have developed an interactive platform to identify future trafficking hotspots, revealing where criminal networks are most likely to strike next. The tool combines landscape ecology with criminology to identify high-risk corridors, particularly across southeastern Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula.
Researchers found that natural gas drilling can lead to elevated radium content in local drinking water due to increased salt levels. This can pose serious health risks, including an increased risk of cancer. The study used private water wells and springs to collect samples and found a connection between drilling operations and radium ...
MIT engineers develop a tool that generates plausible extreme events and worst-case scenarios without relying on extreme data, enabling planners to prepare for unprecedented scenarios. The algorithm takes a statistical approach to learn from available data, excluding implausible weather scenarios, and projects how extreme events might ...
A randomized trial in 21 Japanese elementary schools found that students respond more strongly to environmental education when nature is framed around its human benefits rather than its intrinsic value. This approach increased students' short-term interest in the environment. In contrast, students who received an ecocentric framing sho...
The EU battery regulations have the potential to improve global sustainability governance by establishing standardized data and calculation methods for environmental performance. This could lead to more comparable and transparent data across the market, but also raises challenges around representativeness and rigor.
A machine learning pipeline developed by LMU researchers reveals notable imbalances in global health aid allocation, with non-communicable diseases receiving only 2.5% of disease-specific aid funding despite making up 60% of the global disease burden. The study's findings suggest that health aid is being directed to the wrong areas, an...
The team created a tile that captures, holds, and slowly evaporates water, cooling surfaces without fans or compressors. The tile's unique design, inspired by African elephant skin, allows it to maintain a stable temperature of 89.6° Fahrenheit under infrared heating and periodic watering.
Researchers investigated adding iron to the ocean to boost CO2 removal, finding varying effects on marine ecosystems. The Southern Ocean offers a favorable balance of climate impact and ecological consequences, while other regions face more severe consequences.
A team of researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo has developed a novel, one-step synthesis method for producing highly active nickel-cerium oxide catalysts. These catalysts achieve outstanding methanation performance while being suitable for large-scale production, offering a practical route toward carbon-neutral fuel technologies.
A study reveals weaknesses in farm sustainability monitoring, finding that one in four cocoa farm entries showed manipulated data. Auditors were more likely to make changes when aware of the target value required for certification, highlighting the need for independent verification.
Researchers found that electrifying kilns and using DAC can significantly reduce cement production's climate impact. The technology removes more CO₂ than it generates over its lifecycle, with efficiencies ranging from 85-96% depending on the energy mix used.
A team of researchers has developed a compact, rechargeable supercapacitor that can be disassembled into reusable components, reducing electronic waste. The device uses zinc ions in a water-based electrolyte and dissolvable adhesives, allowing it to be recycled multiple times with minimal loss of performance.
Industrial-scale illegal fishing accounts for 8-15% of global marine wild capture, with impacts unevenly distributed globally. Eliminating harmful subsidies and strengthening enforcement are key to addressing the issue.
Researchers have developed a durable, compostable leather-like fabric from mycelium fibers. The production process is promising and could enable large-scale production of affordable, eco-friendly materials.
Research from University of Georgia suggests that focusing on personal benefits can encourage people to participate in environmental cleanup efforts. Exercise and physical activity were found to be key motivators for many participants, who saw picking up litter as a way to improve their health and well-being.
Concordia researchers have developed a scalable technique that cuts waste while producing catalysts that convert carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals. The new method uses resonant acoustic mixing and dramatically reduces water usage compared to conventional methods.
A new study combines satellite imagery, environmental data, and habitat surveys carried out by citizen scientists to create detailed maps of lowland heathland. The approach enables conservationists to identify small pockets of heathland that can often be missed by broader national mapping products.
A new holistic scoring system for dietary protein evaluates environmental impact, health, affordability, and availability. The analysis found plant-based foods dominate the highest-scoring quintile while animal-based products are in the lowest-scoring group.
Research team identifies best strategies for managing native cacao trees in Peru, resulting in 59% higher yields after three years. Grafting native 'Blanco de Piura' cacao varieties onto fully grown trees increases productivity levels comparable to commercial clones.
Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a catalytic process to transform carbon dioxide into recyclable, high-performance materials. These new materials can replace today's plastics in many situations and feature sought-after characteristics such as high mechanical strength and flexibility. The foundational building blo...
A new carbon calculator, SPA-DEC, allows spas and wellness centers to measure emissions per visit in real-time. The calculator combines live data with normalized figures to allocate total emissions to individual visits across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
A new study by Hanyang University ERICA researchers reveals how air exposure can trigger chemical changes in manganese-coated batteries, accelerating degradation. The team proposes a simple solution to suppress defective surface phases and restore stable manganese-oxygen bonding, leading to improved long-term durability.
Researchers have created a new, recyclable yarn that mimics the properties of spandex-based yarns, offering an alternative to non-recyclable stretchy garments. The yarn is made from a form of plastic and can be melted down and reused multiple times without losing its strength and flexibility.
A new study reveals that green cryptocurrencies are better at transmitting volatility compared to traditional green assets, offering limited hedging effectiveness. Portfolio analysis shows that Cardano and Stellar are key drivers of volatility, while green bonds and ESG investments absorb disturbances.
Researchers propose three principles for sustainable robots: minimally invasive, universally accessible, and symbiotic. They emphasize the importance of considering robots' environmental and social impacts in design.
A new international study reveals that age plays a significant role in shaping global food-related greenhouse gas emissions. The research found that adolescents and young adults consistently have the highest per-capita dietary greenhouse gas emissions globally, while population aging has become an increasingly important driver of total...
A global review of 411 studies found that river sand and gravel mining is removing sand faster than it can be replenished, threatening rivers, infrastructure, and communities. The study recommends better tracking, measurement, and regulation to manage extraction and protect the environment.
Researchers at Hasanuddin University developed a biodegradable plastic film with oxygen-scavenging properties, using cellulose from fermented coconut water to improve strength and functionality. The film breaks down quickly in soil, but maintaining flexibility and barrier performance remains a challenge.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed high-performance silk with 50% greater tensile strength and reduced shrinkage after wetting. By altering silkworm diets, they added plant-derived cellulose nanofibers to improve silk fibers' properties.
Researchers are engineering biochar-based composites to overcome limitations, such as insufficient adsorption capacity and limited selectivity for certain emerging pollutants. The new review highlights the importance of balancing treatment performance with environmental safety throughout the material's life cycle.
A shift to healthier diets could lead to a significant reduction in global agricultural land use and livestock production value, with potential benefits for human health and the environment. The study suggests that transforming food systems could result in a 42% decline in global livestock production value compared to 2020.
Reducing carbon dioxide concentration improves microbial production of biodegradable plastic, such as poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]. Lower CO2 levels trigger adaptive cellular responses that enhance carbon utilization efficiency.
A new study by Hanyang University researchers found that carbon-based pricing can increase pro-environmental behavioral intentions among tourists. Participants who knew wasteful consumption could increase their costs reported stronger conservation intentions.
A study analyzing 2.9 million sustainability indicators from 10 years of annual reports found that companies are increasingly disclosing climate data, but coverage of value chains and social factors remains patchy. Sustainability performance and transparency are converging, with a significant increase in disclosed indicators.