A new study reveals that a small but powerful component of biochar, known as dissolved organic matter, plays a surprisingly large role in capturing toxic lead from contaminated water. The research, published in Biochar, uncovers how this dissolved material enhances the metal-binding power of biochar and offers molecular-level insights that could guide safer and more effective cleanup strategies.

A new study published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences reveals that the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) plays a dominant role in driving interdecadal changes of compound hot drought events in Northern East Asia. By analyzing observational datasets and conducting climate model experiments, researchers demonstrate that AMO-induced Rossby wave trains modulate the subtropical westerly jet, leading to decades-long fluctuations in heat and drought risks across the region. The findings offer critical insights for improving decadal climate prediction and disaster preparedness.

Restoring vegetation is widely promoted as a natural way to fight climate change, but new research shows that its effects on soil carbon are not always straightforward. A study published in Carbon Research by scientists Lei Deng and Zhouping Shangguan from Northwest A&F University, China, reveals that soil organic carbon (SOC) can either rise or fall in the early stages of vegetation restoration, depending largely on the soil’s initial carbon content.

A new study has revealed that the lasting effects of biochar depend strongly on the material it is made from, with straw-derived biochar offering clear advantages for maize productivity under limited-water conditions. The research, published in Biochar, shows that combining wheat-straw biochar with an alternate partial root-zone drying irrigation system can boost crop yield and resource efficiency for at least two growing seasons after a single biochar application.