Planting a billion trees won’t save the climate, however, the right ones might
The appeal of reforestation is almost intuitive. Trees absorb carbon dioxide. The planet has too much carbon dioxide.…
New international study traces plant viruses back to the last Ice Age
Recent research findings indicate that many of the plant pathogens affecting agriculture today originated during an earlier era…
How ancient shorelines played a crucial role in the survival of early sea creatures
Coastlines can look like simple lines on a map. Over Earth’s history, they acted more like gates and…
New platinum-free photocatalyst turns sunlight and water into renewable energy
A small beaker of water can look ordinary. Under the right light, it can also become a quiet…
Tardigrades and water reveal potential for food growth on Mars
Tardigrades have a reputation for being nearly indestructible. These microscopic animals, often nicknamed water bears, can dry out…
Recycled waste could make the moon or Mars suitable for growing food
Tiny pits, webbing patterns, and a dusting of nanoparticles are not what most people picture when they think…
228-meter sediment core may predict future Antarctic ice sheet loss
A tube of mud can look like nothing special at first. Pull it from half a kilometer under…
Flexible nylon film generates electricity from compression
A thin sheet of nylon does not look like much on its own. But in lab tests, a…
Warming ice awakens microbes that could speed climate change
Across the coldest places on Earth, something quiet but powerful is happening beneath your feet and under the…
Study finds microbes used oxygen far earlier than scientists thought
Oxygen fills the air today, but for most of Earth’s early history it barely existed. Scientists say the…
Chemists convert plastic waste into a powerful new tool to capture carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide levels keep climbing, even after years of promises to cut emissions. At the same time, plastic…
Coral reefs have helped control earth’s climate for 250 million years
For more than a quarter billion years, coral reefs did far more than brighten shallow seas. Long before…