A new study of 1960s maps, many of which were created by young people, has provided important fresh evidence of the timing and extent of habitat losses caused by agricultural intensification and urban growth in England and Wales. 

Prior to the analysis by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), there were gaps in understanding about how our landscape gradually changed in the intervening years between the 1930s and 1990.  

As global temperatures climb, a critical but often-overlooked component of our ecosystems is stepping into the spotlight: dissolved organic matter, or DOM. Found everywhere from river water to forest soils, DOM acts as a powerful mover of carbon, nutrients, and pollutants. A new review led by scientists from Kunming University of Science & Technology and international partners finds DOM to be both a buffer and a potential accelerator of climate change, playing a surprisingly complex role in the planet’s environmental balance.

A new study published in Nitrogen Cycling presents the most comprehensive assessment to date of how China can reduce nationwide nitrogen pollution while continuing to meet the rising food demands of its population. The research analyzes nearly six decades of data and concludes that smarter nitrogen management could reduce fertilizer use by more than one third, significantly improving air and water quality without compromising crop yields.

As global temperatures rise and heatwaves intensify, a new textile innovation co-developed by University of South Australia scientists promises to keep people cooler, drier, and more comfortable in extreme heat.

Using lasers as tweezers to understand cloud electrification might sound like science fiction but at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) it is a reality. By trapping and charging micron-sized particles with lasers, researchers can now observe their charging and discharging dynamics over time. This method, published in Physical Review Letters, could provide key insights into what sparks lightning.

CU Boulder researchers introduced a backyard sanitation system in Cambodia that lets families treat human waste themselves. But while households reported that they liked the new system, a crucial piece was missing: using it correctly.