Sporadic-E is a phenomenon that occurs in the ionosphere that can disrupt radio communications. Through simulations, researchers have found that rising CO₂ levels in our atmosphere could lead to sporadic-E becoming stronger, occur at lower altitudes, and persist longer at night.

As the world marks UN World Cities Day on 31 October – a call to make cities more sustainable – a new international study warns that the global construction sector’s carbon footprint is on track to double by 2050, threatening to derail efforts to meet the Paris Agreement climate targets.

Direct experiences have powerful effects on perception – a truth at the heart of new Stanford-led research showing how immersive VR can make distant places feel more immediate and climate-related impacts, such as flooding, feel personally relevant. Compared to seeing static images, the approach engenders feelings more likely to lead to constructive actions.

The growing global energy demand and worsening climate change highlight the urgent need for clean, efficient and sustainable energy solutions. Among emerging technologies, atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials offer unique advantages in photovoltaics due to their tunable optoelectronic properties, high surface area and efficient charge transport capabilities. This review explores recent progress in photovoltaics incorporating 2D materials, focusing on their application as hole and electron transport layers to optimize bandgap alignment, enhance carrier mobility and improve chemical stability. A comprehensive analysis is presented on perovskite solar cells utilizing 2D materials, with a particular focus on strategies to enhance crystallization, passivate defects and improve overall cell efficiency. Additionally, the application of 2D materials in organic solar cells is examined, particularly for reducing recombination losses and enhancing charge extraction through work function modification. Their impact on dye-sensitized solar cells, including catalytic activity and counter electrode performance, is also explored. Finally, the review outlines key challenges, material limitations and performance metrics, offering insight into the future development of next-generation photovoltaic devices encouraged by 2D materials.