Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, but when drained for agriculture, they can become powerful sources of greenhouse gases. A new two year study shows that combining moderate water table management with biochar application can significantly reduce emissions, offering a promising strategy for climate mitigation.

Researchers at The University of Manchester have shown that microbial communities from terrestrial hot springs could be harnessed to convert industrial CO₂ emissions into useful products, offering new routes towards a circular, low-carbon economy.

A novel study has revealed a link between extreme weather and the risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged and older adults in 157 Chinese cities. Based on a city’s climate and location, exposure to extreme heat, cold, and precipitation each increases the risk of heart disease. The findings of the study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, provide evidence for policymakers across different regions to develop targeted strategies protecting vulnerable populations during extreme climate events.

 

Scientists have discovered that deep-water corals in the Galápagos region vanished for more than 1,000 years before eventually recovering. The findings reveal that deep-water coral ecosystems may be more susceptible to climate change than previously thought. 

A new study published in Landscape Ecology shows how fast-growing poplar plantations can improve functional connectivity for forest birds in fragmented agricultural landscapes, provided they are strategically located and species have moderate to high dispersal capacity.

Researchers led by Andrew Barnabas Wong at the National University of Singapore have developed a simple, low-cost method to significantly improve the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide into valuable fuels and chemicals, offering a potential pathway to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. By coating copper catalysts with nanometre-thin films of biopolymers derived from waste materials such as seafood shells and wood, the team achieved up to 90% selectivity for multicarbon products like ethylene at industrially relevant reaction rates, while also replacing expensive and environmentally harmful PFAS-based materials commonly used in such systems. Reported in Nature Energy, the approach enhances efficiency by concentrating CO₂ at the catalyst surface and suppressing unwanted reactions, demonstrating a scalable route towards greener, more cost-effective production of fuels and chemical feedstocks using renewable electricity.

Record volcanic eruptions in the Andes could explain the mysterious death of dozens of whales about 5 to 8 million years ago, according to a study led by University of Arizona researchers. Volcanic ash fertilizing the Southern Ocean provides a missing puzzle piece in the Earth's climate system that could help scientists better understand its buffering capacity in the context of a warming world.

Assisted evolution could help corals survive future heatwaves, but careful trait choice and strong repeated selection will be needed for it to be effective.