Earth & Environment
Mechanochemistry: A new route to sustainable polymer recycling
Plastics and rubbers are some of the most important materials in advanced societies, and hundreds of millions of tonnes are produced every year. Devising efficient and cost-effective ways to recycle these materials has become a crucial environmental concern. Although degradable plastic-based materials can be produced, their practical use is limited by their vulnerability under environmental stress. Professor Junpeng Wang and […]
Sustainable building strategies to combat climate change in Africa
In response to climate change, we often resort to energy-intensive heating and cooling systems to maintain thermal comfort within buildings. However, passive solar systems (which harness solar radiation) and smart building designs (that create optimal indoor conditions) are now being adopted across Africa to reduce energy consumption. Building on previous investigations into passive solar systems and design, Michael Santos and […]
Multiple benefits of molasses nutrient blocks for cattle: Helping the fight against climate change
In Southeast Asia, with its burgeoning economies, smallholder livestock production is in a promising transition stage, yet overall remains inefficient. Dr Peter Windsor, Professor Emeritus at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney, Australia, and a team of researchers in Laos, have adapted the humble feed block into an effective multi-intervention livestock development strategy that could […]
Predicting and managing flood risks from extreme rain events in Japan
Japan has seen an increase in extreme rain events in recent years, resulting in catastrophic flooding with substantial loss of human life and destruction of property. As climate change is likely to increase the severity and frequency of flooding, governments and other organisations are rightly becoming more concerned. Research conducted by Shakti P.C. and colleagues at Japan’s National Research Institute […]
When less is more: Downscaling climate data for improved modelling
Accurate climate modelling requires long-term, high-resolution, and high-quality time series data. However, such datasets are often not available, especially in the Global South. Dr Andrew Fullhart (US Department of Agriculture) is utilising global climate datasets and machine learning to improve global coverage of gridded data. The results provide accurate monthly and daily time series for precipitation across Africa and South […]
Triharmony/Trilemma of Water Assets in tropical peatland
In tropical peatland, the three key elements Water, Carbon, and Nutrients are interrelated, interconnected, and interact. When these elements are in balance, a Triharmony state arises. Conversely, a Trilemma state occurs when these elements are out of balance. Here, we focus on Water Assets in the context of tropical peatland. To achieve Triharmony, scientists at Sumitomo Forestry Co, Ltd, and […]
Triharmony/Trilemma of Nutrients Assets in tropical peatland
Peatland soils and water are characterised by low nutrient concentrations. Despite this, biomass in native tropical peatlands is abundant and has adequate nutrients. At Hokkaido University, Sumitomo Forestry Co Ltd, Japan, and BRIN, Indonesia, scientists studying nutrient cycling in peatlands have developed an innovative nutrients management system for agriculture. Their approach – AeroHydro culture – involves cultivation using high groundwater […]
Triharmony/Trilemma of Carbon Assets in tropical peatland
Tropical peatlands provide globally important reservoirs of water and carbon, and the cycles of these two elements are intricately connected. At Hokkaido University, Sumitomo Forestry Co, Ltd, Japan, and BRIN, Indonesia, scientists have developed a model for mapping carbon emissions from tropical peatlands. Their integrated monitoring, reporting, and verifying (iMRV) system measures dynamic changes in water and carbon cycles, biomass […]
Exiguobacterium degradation of polystyrene: Enlisting bacteria in the war against plastic
Polystyrene is a chemically stable recalcitrant plastic that pollutes many natural environments. Unfortunately, few mechanisms can break down this man-made polymer into its naturally occurring components. Research into the polystyrene-digesting capabilities of the bacteria genus Exiguobacterium sp RIT 594 by Dr André Hudson and his team at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, USA, has uncovered the specific […]
Atmospheric species and their effect on solar radiation and our health
Our atmosphere is a giant chemical reactor that helps keep us safe from the potentially damaging and warming effects of solar radiation. It consists of a hugely complex mixture of atmospheric liquids, gases, and particles with constantly varying compositions. Professor Jianhui Bai at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor Rui Chen at the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology […]