Have you ever wondered how to make composting more efficient? A recent study found that combining special bacteria with iron can speed up the breakdown of plastics and keep more nitrogen in the soil. These scientists used a mix of biochar (which is like charcoal made from plants) and specific bacter
You know how water can go from having lots of oxygen to none at all? This is called the aerobic-anoxic transition. During this switch, tiny pieces of dirt, called suspended sediment (SPS), can play a big role in how much nitrogen, specifically nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), stays in the water. NO3-N chan
Bats play a vital role in keeping pests under control, especially in areas with lots of agriculture. But figuring out how to include bat management in conservation plans is tough. The way a landscape looks can greatly influence where bats live, how many different types there are, and how well they d
Did you know that frogs living near the Yangtze River need different homes as they grow from eggs to adults? Unfortunately, these homes are disappearing due to climate change and cities getting bigger. Scientists found a clever way to figure out which spots are most important to save. They looked at
Red mud, a waste product from alumina production, is highly alkaline and poses significant environmental risks when disposed of in large quantities. The problem lies in its high alkali content, which can cause harm to ecosystems. The study dives into the makeup and properties of these alkaline compo
Scientists are exploring a new way to keep an eye on nuclear reactors. They want to use special towers called eddy covariance towers to detect heat released by reactors. These towers are often used to study how ecosystems exchange heat and water vapor. The idea is to see if we can tell when a reacto
Did you know that soil can be contaminated with lead, which is really harmful to humans? Scientists are testing a cool new method to clean this up. They've been mixing enzymes and charcoal, calling it UCB technology. How does it work? They set up a sand column filled with lead and let water flow thr
Let’s take a look at the Morandi Bridge collapse in Italy as an example of how communities can bounce back after trauma. The disaster wasn’t just about rebuilding infrastructure; it was about rebuilding a sense of community too. The Beyond the Bridge Project was involved in this process. We talked
You might think that farms mainly use water for their animals to drink. But here's a surprising fact: the food these animals eat also needs a lot of water. A recent study dug into this by looking at 140 different types of animal feed in 262 countries. They found out that the water used comes in two
As we become more aware of our environment, we're paying closer attention to tiny particles that can pollute the air we breathe. Scientists are working on new, eco-friendly materials for air filters that are both efficient and easy to use. One promising material is a blend of zein and ethylcellulose
