Semi-transparent solar cells boost growth of greenhouse plants

Solar farms and agriculture are competing for land. UCLA Scientists have now tested a way to combine the two by placing semi-transparent solar cells on the glass roofs of greenhouses, finding that they actually improve the growth of plants inside.

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Study suggests a mix of trees works best for cleaning air in cities

We all know that trees help clean the air in cities, but which trees do so best? According to new research conducted in Sweden, a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees will give you the most bang for your buck.

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Feedback loops are overlooked engines of climate change, says study

Researchers have identified 27 feedback loops demonstrating how one effect of climbing temperatures leads to events that further reinforce global warming and the initial event itself. The findings make immediate climate action even more crucial.

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MIT team makes a case for direct carbon capture from seawater, not air

The oceans soak up enormous quantities of carbon dioxide, and MIT researchers say they've developed a way of releasing and capturing it that uses far less energy than direct air capture – with some other environmental benefits to boot.

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Genetically modified worms glow in the presence of indoor air pollution

Although the air in our homes or workplaces may seem OK, it might contain harmful compounds emitted by materials like particleboard and carpeting. New research suggests that we may soon be able to tell if that is the case, using tiny glowing worms.

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Cladding could regulate building temps by solidifying and liquefying

Seeking a passive way to keep buildings cool in hot weather and warmer in the colder months, researchers have developed a new electrochromic shape-shifting material. It switches from solid to liquid and from clear to opaque at set temperatures.

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Solar reactor converts both CO2 and plastic waste into useful products

Greenhouse gases and plastic waste are two of the biggest environmental problems the world faces today. A new reactor from Cambridge tackles both at once, converting CO2 and used plastic bottles into useful materials, powered entirely by sunlight.

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High-efficiency water filter removes 99.9% of microplastics in 10 seconds

Microplastics are a growing environmental problem, but now researchers in Korea have developed a new water purification system that can filter out these tiny fragments, as well as other pollutants, very quickly and with high efficiency.

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Offshore structures could harvest city drinking water from ocean air

It’s a cruel irony that 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in undrinkable water. Scientists have now modeled the feasibility of a hypothetical system that can capture water vapor from ocean air and condense it into drinking water, at a large scale.

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Amount of microplastics on Mediterranean Sea floor triple in 20 years

A new study documenting the accumulation of microplastic particles on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea has shed some new light on plastic pollution, finding that concentrations of this material on the floor of the Med has tripled since 2000.

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