Earth & Environment
Archaeology from space: Using Earth Observation data to unearth our past
Archaeologists have discovered many relics of our ancestors across the Earth’s surface, but much more remains buried beneath the soil. Archaeological prospection plays an important role in both the identification of these special sites and their protection. Dr Athos Agapiou of the Cyprus University of Technology, at the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics and the Eratosthenes Research Centre, develops […]
Quantum theory for sustainability transformations
Agriculture significantly contributes to environmental issues and requires deep and urgent transformations in order to be sustainable. Agroecological transition is not only technical but involves the evolution of farmers’ ways of seeing and interpreting the world. Dr Cyrille Rigolot at the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), explores the potential of quantum theory as a […]
Adaptation to climate change and increasing CO2 in rice
Improving yield response in rice under increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations will help this crop adapt to the changing climate. Dr Toshihiro Hasegawa, a plant physiologist at Tohoku Agricultural Research Center in Japan, studies the effects of climate change on rice yield and quality. The FACE (free-air CO2 enrichment) platform provides experimental facilities under open-field conditions for modelling how […]
Microplastics pollution in the Pantanal
By now, we all recognise microplastics as a huge problem in our oceans. This awareness peaked when the threat became direct to humans, through the consumption of contaminated marine produce. Unfortunately, the situation is even bleaker than we realised. Dr Pierre Girard from the Federal University of Mato Grosso has discovered microplastics in the remote Brazilian Pantanal, a huge and […]
Disturbance calls for disaster: Why forest fires increase landslides and rockfall hazards
The last thing you want after a forest fire is the imminent threat of natural hazards such as rockfall or landslide. Unfortunately, however, this is quite likely. Fire-injured trees may die, their roots may fail to bolster soil strength, and the ground can easily give way. Built-up areas below forested slopes are especially susceptible, and lives could be in danger. […]
Earthquake forecasting: Small earthquakes show when big ones are more likely
Accurate earthquake forecasting is still a major challenge for geophysicists. The sudden and intense shaking of major earthquakes can cause severe damage to infrastructure and loss of life. Dr David Rhoades and Dr Annemarie Christophersen at GNS Science in New Zealand have developed a forecasting model using the seismicity patterns of earthquake precursors. They hope to make earthquake forecasts more […]
Carbon capture utilisation in the deep ocean: The hydrothermal fuel cell
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are one of the most hostile environments on Earth, and yet they support complex ecosystems. Dr Ryuhei Nakamura of the RIKEN Centre for Sustainable Resource Science and Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, has been researching how hydrothermal vents operate as a fuel cell for microbial life, their potential for deep-sea carbon capture through electrochemical carbon […]
New technology for earthquake prediction: Nankai Trough, Japan
Dr Yusuke Yokota and colleagues at the University of Tokyo are developing so-called GNSS-A technology, which combines satellite positioning technology (GNSS) and acoustic positioning technology (A) to create precise observations of the seafloor position. This has significantly contributed to seismology and earthquake disaster prevention. Dr Yokota is currently focusing on observing so-called slow slip events in which there is a […]
Water and planetary health: Protecting the lifeblood of human civilisation
Water is the lifeblood of planetary health and human civilisation. As a critical source of fresh water, rivers underpin civilisations, past and present. However, rivers constantly change in response to environmental and human pressures. Protecting global river systems from climate change and other anthropogenic activities (e.g., mining, pollution, dam construction), and understanding the interactions with human health (e.g., through the […]
Climate risk mapping provides rice growers with adaptation options in the Mekong River Delta
The Mekong River Delta in Vietnam accounts for over half of the country’s domestic rice production yet is increasingly affected by climate change. Mr Le Thanh Tung, Mr Bui Tan Yen and Mr Nguyen Hong Son from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have jointly worked with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in […]