Kitchen sponges are among the most frequently used household items – and may also represent a previously underestimated source of microplastics.
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Tire Pollution May Threaten Human Health, Study Finds
Tiny particles of rubber cast off by car tires, which have long been known to harm wildlife, may also pose a risk to humans, according to a new study.
When Too Much of a Good Thing Becomes Dangerous
In the absence of human interference, the soil beneath the world’s forests normally exhales carbon steadily and consistently.
Coal Pollution is Cutting Solar Power Output, Study Finds
The new study mapped and assessed more than 140,000 solar PV installations worldwide using satellite data.
Environmental Engineers Reshape Understanding of Airborne Pollution Particles
From sizzling bacon in the kitchen to wildfire smoke in the sky, cooking and pollution release microscopic particles that affect humans' health, the air they breathe, and even weather and climate.
Carbon Dioxide and Water Played Key Role in Historic Mount Etna Eruption
The plumbing systems of volcanos are vast and complex. But they aren’t consistent, even in the same volcano.
A hidden pollutant is changing how the world’s forests breathe
A massive global analysis found that nitrogen pollution can either speed up or dramatically slow the natural "breathing" of forest soils, depending on the ecosystem's condition. The results reveal hidden tipping points that could affect how forests store carbon and cope with climate change.
The secret underground system keeping the Grand Canyon alive
Scientists are venturing into the Grand Canyon’s hidden cave networks to solve a mystery: how snowmelt travels underground to supply the park’s vital springs. Their discoveries could help protect the canyon’s water from drought, contamination, and other growing threats.
This blood-feeding fly sacrifices its sight after finding a host
Deer keds rely on flight and vision to find a host, but everything changes once they land. After shedding their wings forever, these parasites reduce the activity of key vision-related genes by about half. Scientists believe they are effectively trading sharp eyesight for extra energy that can be used for...
Your brain starts making social decisions before you do
Researchers found that social behavior begins in the brain before it becomes visible as movement. In zebrafish, a coordinated pattern of activity spread across the brain several seconds before the animals approached another fish. A higher brain region called the pallium played a key role, and fish with stronger neural...