ENVIRONMENT

Feb 18 2025ENVIRONMENT

Cracks in Clay: How Dry Weather Affects Water Flow in Landfills

Clay is tricky to understand when it comes to water flow, especially when it's dry and cracked. These cracks, called desiccation cracks, are a big deal in extreme weather. They make it hard to figure out how much water is getting into the soil. This is a big problem for landfills, where we need to k

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Feb 18 2025ENVIRONMENT

Plastics' Hidden Dangers: Unseen Threats in Our Water

Plastic waste is a huge problem that everyone talks about. But, there's more to it than what we can see. Plastics are made with various additives, like plasticisers, to make them useful. When these plastics end up in water, the additives can leak out. This is bad news for aquatic life. Scientists ha

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Feb 17 2025ENVIRONMENT

Why Some Countries Lead in Climate Action

Climate change is a big challenge, and many people want to know why some countries are taking big steps to fight it while others are not. Most studies focus on the problems that stop countries from taking action. But what if we look at it differently? What if we ask, "What helps countries take big s

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Feb 17 2025ENVIRONMENT

Keeping Cool: How Batteries Stay Charged and Lightweight

In today's world, making transportation greener is a big deal. Governments are pushing for cleaner technologies to cut down on pollution and climate change. But even electric vehicles aren't perfect. They still need to tackle issues like limited range and long charging times. One way to make electri

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Feb 17 2025ENVIRONMENT

Los Angeles' Air: A Seasonal Breakdown of Pollution Sources

Los Angeles is a bustling city, but it's also a place where air quality can be a big problem. In 2023-2024, scientists took a close look at the tiny particles in the air, known as PM2. 5, to figure out where they come from and how they form. These particles are so small that they can get into your

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Feb 17 2025ENVIRONMENT

Feed Famine: How Seasons Affect Food for Animals and People in Southern Africa

In Southern Africa, livestock farming is a big deal for food security and rural communities. But there's a big problem: the feed for these animals changes with the seasons, and not in a good way. When the dry season hits, plants die back, and leaves fall off trees. This means less food for the anima

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Feb 17 2025ENVIRONMENT

Climate Change and the Spread of Biting Midges

Biting midges, especially those in the Culicoides family, are more than just a nuisance. They can cause allergic reactions in horses and spread serious viruses like bluetongue and African horse sickness. Scientists are using advanced technology to understand and predict where these midges will thriv

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Feb 17 2025ENVIRONMENT

Mind-Altering Meds in Our Water: What's the Big Deal?

Psychotropic drugs are everywhere. They're among the most commonly prescribed medicines worldwide. These drugs can have serious effects on the environment. They can hurt other organisms even in tiny amounts. But what happens to these drugs when they go down the drain? Not much, it turns out.

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Feb 17 2025ENVIRONMENT

Water and Health: The Power of Data

Imagine having a magical map that shows where water is being used, where pollution is happening, and where diseases are spreading. That's exactly what the Water Health Open Knowledge Graph (WHOW-KG) does. It's not just a map; it's a tool designed to help us make smart decisions about water and healt

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Feb 17 2025ENVIRONMENT

Turning Food Waste into Clean Water: The Science Behind It

Imagine turning food waste into clean water. This is not just a dream but a reality. Food waste is a big problem, but methane fermentation can help. This process creates a liquid that has lots of ammonium, which is hard to deal with. That's where partial nitrification (PN) comes in. It's a crucial s

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