ScienceDaily: Earth & Climate News

Scientists have developed an innovative way to use NASA satellite data to track the movement of tiny pieces of plastic in the ocean.

Marine biologists tested predictions about biological invasions, first in Panama and then in an experiment of unprecedented geographic scale.

Researchers found a way to reduce cellulosic feedstocks' toxicity to yeast, making it feasible to use these abundant feedstocks to produce ethanol, biodiesel, or bioplastics.

Rising greenhouse gases and declining aerosols have triggered an approximate four-day delay in rainfall over tropical land and the Sahel.

Researchers have created a CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive designed for plants. The new technology, which allows scientists to cut and copy key genetic elements, helps scientists breed plants that defend against crop diseases and withstand the impacts of climate change.

Ozone levels in the earth's troposphere (the lowest level of our atmosphere) can now be forecasted with accuracy up to two weeks in advance, a remarkable improvement over current systems that can accurately predict ozone levels only three days ahead. The new artificial intelligence system could lead to improved ways to control high ozone problems and even contribute to solutions for climate change issues.

Designing a recycling strategy for a new, forthcoming generation of photovoltaic solar cells - made from metal halide perovskites, a family of crystalline materials with structures like the natural mineral calcium titanate - will add a stronger dose of environmental friendliness to a green industry, according to new research.

Roads, bridges, pipelines and other types of infrastructure in Alaska and elsewhere in the Arctic will deteriorate faster than expected due to a failure by planners to account for the structures' impact on adjacent permafrost, according to new research.

Researchers report that small quantities of useful molecules such as hydrocarbons are produced when carbon dioxide and water react in the presence of light and a silver nanoparticle catalyst. Their validation study - made possible through the use of a high-resolution analytical technique - could pave the way for CO2-reduction technologies that allow industrial-scale production of renewable carbon-based fuels.

A new study of vegetation growth in the Northern Hemisphere over the past 30 years has found that vegetation is becoming increasingly water-limited as global temperatures increase, which has the potential to reduce plants' ability to absorb atmospheric CO2, increasing greenhouse gasses.