As renewable energy demand rises, mining for critical minerals in the Amazon is at a critical point

Mining operations can damage both communities and the natural world. Yet, the demand for critical minerals to supply the renewable energy industry is rising.

Yolanda Ariadne Collins, Lecturer, International Relations, University of St Andrews • conversation
Sept. 9, 2024 ~7 min

Global timber supply threatened as climate change pushes cropland northwards

Climate change will move and reduce the land suitable for growing food and timber, putting the production of these two vital resources into direct competition,

Cambridge University News • cambridge
Aug. 29, 2024 ~6 min


Ancient Rome had ways to counter the urban heat island effect – how history’s lessons apply to cities today

As summer temperatures rise, finding ways to build cities that don’t hold in the heat and can provide some cooling is increasingly important.

Brian Stone Jr., Professor of Environmental Planning, Georgia Institute of Technology • conversation
Aug. 19, 2024 ~8 min

Trees compete for space, light and resources, and those clashes can leave battle scars

For trees, growing to maturity involves much more than just reaching upward.

Wayne K. Clatterbuck, Professor Emeritus of Silviculture and Forest Management, University of Tennessee • conversation
Aug. 15, 2024 ~8 min

We pumped extra CO₂ into an oak forest and discovered trees will be ‘woodier’ in future

But this is no long-term solution for storing carbon.

Richard Norby, Research Professor, University of Tennessee Knoxville, and Honorary Professor, Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, University of Birmingham • conversation
Aug. 13, 2024 ~6 min

Forests destroyed by wildfires emit carbon long after the flames die – new study

Carbon loosed by a 2018 fire season in Sweden could take 40 years to return to trees and soil.

Julia Kelly, Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University • conversation
Aug. 5, 2024 ~7 min

Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy – new research

A broad review of shark research shows that sharks play critical roles in keeping ocean ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds healthy.

Michael Heithaus, Executive Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education and Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University • conversation
Aug. 1, 2024 ~8 min

Trees don’t like to breathe wildfire smoke, either – and they’ll hold their breath to avoid it

An unplanned experiment when wildfire smoke rolled through Colorado shows how trees keep some of the smoke out.

Mj Riches, Postdoctoral Researcher in Environmental and Atmospheric Science, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
July 30, 2024 ~8 min


Extreme wildfires have doubled in just 20 years – here’s the science

Satellites used satellite sensors to identify the 0.01% ‘most extreme’ fires worldwide.

Cristina Santín, Honorary Associate Professor, Biosciences, Swansea University • conversation
June 27, 2024 ~5 min

How to get health benefits from ‘forest bathing’

"Forest bathing has been shown to benefit the nervous system, heart rate, and blood pressure." Here are tips to get started.

Johns Hopkins University • futurity
June 25, 2024 ~8 min

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