Category: Sustainability

What is direct heating and how does it impact our future? With some simple calculations, two scientists estimate that Earth will be unlivable by 2370 due to direct heating, which, despite how it sounds, is not related to climate change.

Posted on January 7, 2021November 16, 2021 by Ryn Orr 318 views

You hear people panicking about climate change. But what about direct heating? Even if there was no climate change, our energy use still…

Is humanity ready to live in space? To live in space, we will need inter-generational cooperation to pull it off, and perhaps a sense of altruism for the future. We may be up to the technical challenge, but what about the sociopolitical challenges?

Posted on December 1, 2020November 16, 2021 by Andrew Bieler 535 views

This article explores incentives for projects spanning millennia, and determines which of those incentives would provide the most successful…

Fungi may be able to help clean up polluted water A few species of fungi were tested for their ability to clean up wastewaters contaminated with selenium. With additional nutrients added, it mostly worked. The fungi Alternaria showed great potential for cleaning up water polluted with selenite.

Posted on November 24, 2020April 1, 2021 by Mary Sabuda 629 views

Human activities such as coal mining and processing can cause high levels of selenium contamination, which can be harmful to human health.…

A new kind of battery that removes carbon dioxide from the air Engineers at MIT invented a device that uses something called "electro-swing absorption" to take carbon dioxide from the air and allow it to be stored or used for other industries.

Posted on November 2, 2020November 16, 2021 by Adam Suttle 1k views

Nature has been able to filter out CO2 from our air for millions of years. So how might a battery prove to be our own artificial tree?…

Growing plants on the surface of the Moon and Mars Researchers tested the growth of 10 different common food crops in simulated regolith, a rocky substance lacking organic material found on the surface of Mars and the Moon.

Posted on October 5, 2020November 16, 2021 by Jéssica Carneiro Oliveira 1k views

The reality of being able to live and settle on Martian or lunar bases can seem like it is getting close. To do this, we need to be able to…

Deep-sea mining impacts on diverse ocean ecosystems Microorganisms in the dark depths of the ocean turn minerals into food that supports unique ecosystems. When we mine those minerals, the microorganisms suffer, and we could lose valuable resources.

Posted on September 1, 2020April 7, 2021 by Andrea Corpolongo 453 views

Sunlight does not reach the deepest parts of the ocean, but life still thrives in the darkness. Below depths of 200 meters, where sunlight…

How would we establish a society on Mars? Humans are not built for Mars. Or rather, Mars isn't built for us. Understanding the sacrifices such a massive undertaking needs is important to its success.

Posted on August 20, 2020November 16, 2021 by Tammy Witzens 1k views

Humans are not built for Mars. Or rather, Mars isn't built for us, yet. Understanding the sacrifices such a massive undertaking needs is…

A new model for predicting human population growth Scientists at University of Washington have attempted to improve upon previous population models developed by the United Nations and the Austrian Wittgenstein Centre by using different calculation techniques for two key factors - fertility and migration.

Posted on July 17, 2020July 27, 2021 by Gina Misra 898 views

Scientists at University of Washington have attempted to improve upon previous population models developed by the United Nations and the…

Contaminants in groundwater can take over 20 years to break down But scientists have a method for removing the contaminants more quickly, using a underground barrier. This study demonstrates that an iron-based barrier can remain an effective and sustainable method for the removal of a toxic solvent.

Posted on January 8, 2020November 16, 2021 by Kristen Amodeo 197 views

Have you ever driven past an old factory building and wondered what ever happened to the harsh chemicals that were used there? If you…

Bacteria with nanowires can electrocute metals instead of breathe Scientists found that bacteria Geobacter can collect metals in the environment in large particles that scientists can then harvest for different uses such as producing batteries.

Posted on July 3, 2019April 6, 2021 by Hunter Dulay 275 views

All life on Earth has to respire. For us this means inhaling oxygen to fuel our metabolism and exhaling waste gases like carbon dioxide.…

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