https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. The rivers, lakes and ponds in cities—urban blue spaces also known as UBS—are increasingly recognized for their ecological and social roles. However, their contributions to sustainable food systems remain understudied. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-urban-blue-spaces-quietly-food.html Ecology Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:33:26 EST news683915581 Canadians are paying more for food than ever. Canada's Food Price Report 2025 estimates that a family of four will spend up to $801 more on food this year, with overall prices expected to rise 3% to 5%. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-pains-ontario-city-urban-agriculture.html Economics & Business Tue, 25 Nov 2025 13:16:04 EST news683298961 Carbon offsets are a way for companies or countries that pollute the air to "cancel out" some of their carbon emissions by funding projects that protect forests, plant trees, or provide clean energy—sometimes on the other side of the world. Polluting companies in the US, Europe, Asia or elsewhere can buy one carbon credit from a green project anywhere in exchange for emitting one metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO₂). https://phys.org/news/2025-11-cop30-zimbabwe-forest-energy-reveal.html Environment Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:12:05 EST news682254722 After a semester in a class, most students gain new knowledge, skills and maybe some new friends. For students in Assistant Professor Mitzy Porras' Biology class, several undergraduates also walked away with a peer-reviewed research paper about zombie bees in a scientific journal—a major résumé boost for any student. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-undergraduates-zombie-bees.html Plants & Animals Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:17:05 EDT news679558622 At a time of growing concern about declines in insect populations, native plants are having a moment, with local fans such as Amanda Nugent showcasing them in parkways and front yards and community garden walks featuring them alongside the traditional roses, salvias and lilies. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-gaining-ground-native-surge-gardeners.html Ecology Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:20:02 EDT news677146806 A new review published in Current Opinion in Psychology focuses on the potential of community gardens to support individual wellness and community resilience. The article was authored by Dr. Chiara D'Amore, Executive Director of CEI, along with Loni Cohen, Justin Chen, and Paige Owen (all of CEI), and Dr. Calvin Ball, County Executive of Howard County, Maryland. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-community-gardens-highlighted-social-capital.html Social Sciences Wed, 10 Sep 2025 13:00:07 EDT news676727812 In Texas, surface mine reclamation is a decades-long process—one that requires scientific precision, environmental insight and strong collaboration. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-restoring-mined-lands-through-research.html Environment Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:12:05 EDT news675331921 In an age where billionaires and conspicuous consumption are increasingly on display, new Otago-led research shows a simple life really is a happier life. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-materialism-simple-life-happier.html Social Sciences Tue, 12 Aug 2025 06:57:57 EDT news674200672 A community garden in the heart of a city can be an oasis—an island of greenery where people can escape the sounds of traffic, sink their hands into the earth, and connect with the natural world. These spaces can be especially important in lower-income neighborhoods, where historical and ongoing discrimination means people have less access to greenspace and all its benefits: nature's mental health benefits and urban nature in particular. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-insights-birds-san-francisco-community.html Plants & Animals Fri, 09 May 2025 11:08:45 EDT news666007722 The early morning light spills over the raised beds of a thriving community garden in Harlem, New York. It's a Saturday, and people of all ages move among the plants—harvesting collard greens, making compost and packing bags of fresh vegetables. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-foraging-food-common-cities.html Social Sciences Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:40:02 EDT news664719957 Spring is approaching in the northern hemisphere, and with it come the perennial considerations about which kinds of flowers to plant and where. These questions go far beyond mere aesthetics. Flowers are an essential source of food for birds and insects, including the dozens upon dozens of species of wild bees found in most cities. For them, what's on the menu is a matter of life or death. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-wild-bees-diverse-communities.html Plants & Animals Tue, 11 Mar 2025 14:15:03 EDT news660921302 Urban agriculture takes many forms, among them community, school or rooftop gardens, commercial urban farms, and hydroponic or aquaponic systems. These activities have been shown to promote sustainable cities in a number of ways. They enhance local food security and foster economic opportunities through small-scale farming initiatives. They also strengthen social cohesion by creating shared spaces for collaboration and learning. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-urban-food-gardens-vegetables-bonds.html Social Sciences Mon, 27 Jan 2025 12:40:01 EST news657202123 Urban soils often contain chemical contaminants, such as heavy metals or trace amounts of antibiotics, along with higher levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. New research from the University of Maryland suggests that, in some cases, boosting urban soil health with compost and treated manure may reduce the amount of "bad" bacteria. Understanding these dynamics has important implications for improving the quality and safety of fresh produce in urban agriculture. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-manure-compost-probiotics-antibiotic-resistance.html Agriculture Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:21:03 EDT news642871261 In a new study published today in the journal Plants, People, Planet, scientist Jenny Williams from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, highlights how the use of drones can help curb the loss of Madagascar's biodiverse forests through illegal deforestation. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-drone-flights-3d-scans-scientist.html Ecology Wed, 07 Aug 2024 20:10:01 EDT news642168403 Public bodies can make or break local initiatives like community gardens, pantries, and food partnerships, and they should use that power for good, say researchers from the University of Surrey. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-healthier-greener-food.html Social Sciences Mon, 05 Aug 2024 10:20:01 EDT news642071425 Amid the growing local government bankruptcy crisis, as many as half of the local authorities in England and Wales might be forced to cut their green spaces budgets. The situation in Scotland and Northern Ireland is not much better. A survey by the Local Government Association in February 2024 found that 48% of local authorities say they plan to defund, to varying degrees, the parks and other green spaces within their areas. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-uk-cities-greener.html Environment Wed, 05 Jun 2024 12:11:05 EDT news636808262 Community gardens in higher-income Boulder neighborhoods have fewer varieties of bees than their medium-income counterparts, new CU Boulder research suggests. Scientists suggest that people in these neighborhoods tend to apply more landscaping practices, such as using fertilizers, which could impact bees' habitats. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-wealthier-neighborhoods-boulder-bee-diversity.html Ecology Fri, 31 May 2024 12:38:27 EDT news636377901 Access to gardens and citizen science projects at school can help promote pro-conservation behavior among pupils, a new study shows. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-access-gardens-citizen-science-children.html Education Wed, 15 May 2024 15:59:56 EDT news635007591 Canada is home to more than 800 species of wild bees—few may have noticed the diversity of native bees buzzing around, but bees play a significant role in the survival of native plant populations. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-wild-bees-threat-domestic-invasive.html Plants & Animals Tue, 30 Apr 2024 12:50:08 EDT news633700206 Strolling along the promenade by the lake, walking through the city by the river, playing ping-pong in the park—everyday things like these are what increase our sense of well-being. Things we take for granted and around which we organize our free time—until, suddenly, the things we take for granted are no longer possible. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-urban-planners-focus-equitable-access.html Social Sciences Thu, 29 Feb 2024 12:36:03 EST news628432560 What if one of the things known for helping and reducing stress and anxiety, becomes such a commitment, it leads to burn-out? https://phys.org/news/2024-02-gardening-good-soul-pressure.html Social Sciences Mon, 19 Feb 2024 12:57:04 EST news627569821 On a chilly day in December, a crowd gathered in the shadow of City Hall in lower Manhattan to chant, listen to speeches and wave signs crafted for the occasion. "No cuts to compost!" read one held by a man with shoulder-length gray hair. "Compost Adams" read another, with a picture of the New York City mayor. One sign featured a rat-faced Statue of Liberty. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-nyc-community-composting-curbside.html Environment Mon, 05 Feb 2024 14:20:01 EST news626343198 Amsterdammers are proud of their city. But it turns out that people who have moved there from other parts of the world are just as concerned about keeping the place green and pleasant. We surveyed Amsterdam residents and found, among other things, that recent migrants were just as likely to recycle as those born and raised in the city. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-migration-good-environment.html Social Sciences Sun, 21 Jan 2024 10:40:02 EST news624882893 In 1950, as part of the Group Areas Act, South Africa's apartheid government banished people of color to outlying areas, away from central business districts. The Cape Flats are one such area, sprawling to the east of central Cape Town. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-healthy-food-hard-cape-town.html Social Sciences Tue, 16 Jan 2024 16:50:01 EST news624631698 Over the past quarter-century, the idea has taken hold among politicians across the spectrum that one of the best ways to address inequality is to give local communities the resources to do the work themselves. Provide them with funding, and they can spend it on the projects that their communities really need. But our research has shown that while many of these projects can be very positive, they can also entrench existing inequalities. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-millions-residents-neighborhoods-entrenching-inequality.html Social Sciences Wed, 20 Dec 2023 13:30:01 EST news622300834 A fresh approach to urban agriculture could help Glasgow's 'food deserts' flourish into sources of healthy, affordable produce to help reduce inequality, new research suggests. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-urban-agriculture-alleviate-glasgow-food.html Agriculture Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:47:00 EST news619714016 Up to 3.7 million Australian households have been hit by food insecurity this year—many for the first time. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-food-foraging-tackle-ballooning-grocery.html Social Sciences Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:07:04 EDT news617627222 If you're aged between 25 and 34, you're part of the age group least likely to take part in volunteering. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-friends-role-volunteering-youre-20s.html Social Sciences Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:10:06 EDT news616849801 An international group of scientists, including botanists at the University of Oxford's Botanic Garden, has issued an urgent call for coordinated action to save the iconic genus Rafflesia, which contains the world's largest flowers. This follows a new study that found that most of the 42 species are severely threatened, yet just one of these is listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Red List of Threatened Species. Furthermore, over two-thirds (67%) of the plants' habitats are unprotected and at risk of destruction. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-issue-urgent-world-largest-rafflesia.html Plants & Animals Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:00:02 EDT news614358333 The visuals accompanying climate change are hard to ignore: communities engulfed in flames, neighborhoods submerged by floods, habitats like coral reefs—once teeming with life and vibrance—now bleached, brittle and barren. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-eco-grief-real.html Environment Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:01:04 EDT news613231261