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. China's sweeping efforts to clean up its air have delivered one of the biggest public health success stories of recent decades. Since the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan was launched in 2013, coal-fired power plants have been fitted with scrubbers, heavy industry has been modernized and pollution standards tightened, leading to an over 50% reduction in atmospheric particulate matter. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-china-emissions-policies-climate-problem.html Earth Sciences Tue, 10 Feb 2026 07:50:01 EST news689850775 The world is warming. This fact is most often discussed for Earth's surface, where we live. But the climate is also changing from the top of the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean. And there is a clear fingerprint of humanity's role in causing these changes through greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-climate-fingerprints-human-atmosphere-bottom.html Environment Sat, 07 Feb 2026 09:30:01 EST news689356091 Implementing novel management practices in dairy farming, one of the commonwealth's major agricultural industries, could help alleviate a large source of both nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, according to a multidisciplinary team led by researchers at Penn State. Those practices include continuous cover—keeping fields covered with vegetation year-round—and anaerobic digestion—a microbial process that converts manure and plant organic matter, called biomass, into biogas—a combustible fuel consisting mostly of methane. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-simulation-grass2gas-biogas-dairy-emissions.html Biotechnology Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:00:04 EST news689599560 Climate change and worsening environmental conditions have brought into sharp relief how we must reconcile development with sustainability. This issue is nowhere more starkly relevant than among the fastest-growing economies. Research published in the International Journal of the Energy-Growth Nexus that examined the BRICS countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, suggests that investment in education and training might play a significant role in reducing environmental harm, a role that has often been overlooked. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-human-capital-brics-linked-emissions.html Economics & Business Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:20:01 EST news689519997 Researchers with Lehigh University's Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience, led by anthropologist David G. Casagrande, have identified two urgent challenges the United States faces in adapting to climate change: a potential disaster insurance crisis and the lack of comprehensive relocation policies for communities facing chronic flooding. Their paper, titled "Climate Change and Insurance: Embracing Resilience for Private Market Survival," is published in Sustainable Development. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-resilience-bonds-solution-climate.html Economics & Business Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:56:35 EST news689270161 Sandstone beneath the North Sea could be used to store carbon dioxide, a study has claimed. The British Geological Survey (BGS) report shows how sandstone beneath the North Sea could assist with the U.K.'s plans for carbon capture and storage (CCS). https://phys.org/news/2026-02-north-sea-sandstone-carbon-dioxide.html Earth Sciences Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:20:32 EST news689239140 Ditches and canals are the underdog of the freshwater world. These human-made waterways are often forgotten, devalued, and perceived negatively—think "dull as ditchwater." But these unsung heroes have a hidden potential for climate change mitigation, if they're managed correctly. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-emissions-ditches-canals.html Earth Sciences Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:50:07 EST news688989009 The adverse health impacts associated with emissions across the full life cycle of plastics could double by 2040 unless immediate action is taken, new research suggests. The study identified health harms at every stage of the life cycle of the plastics we use: from the extraction of fossil fuels, the feedstocks for more than 90% of plastics, and material production to their eventual disposal or release to the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-global-health-impacts-plastics.html Environment Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:17:13 EST news688709447 Even as global warming causes sea levels to rise worldwide, sea levels around Greenland will likely drop, according to a new paper published in Nature Communications. "The Greenland coastline is going to experience quite a different outcome," says lead author Lauren Lewright, a Ph.D. student in geophysics working at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia Climate School. "Sea level in Greenland is actually projected to fall." https://phys.org/news/2026-01-sea-greenland-fall.html Earth Sciences Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:07:42 EST news688662421 Ammonia is an essential chemical used across many industries worldwide. Beyond its traditional role as a fertilizer, it is also a promising liquid hydrogen carrier and low-carbon fuel that could help reduce reliance on fossil fuels. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-dual-chemical-looping-method-efficient.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:31:25 EST news688228261 As Earth warms due to climate change, oceans are heating up, becoming more acidic, and losing oxygen. These changes threaten marine life, food webs, and global fisheries. Scientists agree that cutting greenhouse gas emissions is essential, but current efforts are not enough to keep global warming below the 1.5–2 degrees Celsius targets set by the Paris Agreement. Because of this, researchers are exploring climate intervention strategies as possible additions to emissions cuts. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-scientists-key-oceanic-unknowns-climate.html Earth Sciences Sat, 17 Jan 2026 16:10:01 EST news687629168 President Donald Trump's administration is finalizing its repeal of a foundational scientific determination that underpins the US government's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, with an announcement expected in the coming weeks. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-repeal-basis-climate.html Environment Sat, 17 Jan 2026 08:00:03 EST news687858912 A new study shows that increasing production on farms and reducing emissions can go hand-in-hand, with researchers finding that improved farm productivity has been the driving force in keeping greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in check. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-higher-farm-productivity-linked-slower.html Environment Sat, 17 Jan 2026 07:48:26 EST news687858459 Dallas is discharging less greenhouse gas than it did a decade ago, according to a newly released environmental report from the city. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-dallas-greenhouse-gas-emissions-fall.html Environment Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:10:01 EST news687769642 The well-being benefits of nature are often linked to forests or habitats that support diverse pollinators. Spending time in green spaces reduces stress and anxiety, for example. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-seagrass-meadows-good-health-theyre.html Plants & Animals Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:10:02 EST news687694118 Many cities are making great strides in the fight against climate change, such as improving building energy efficiency, reducing traffic congestion and switching to renewable power sources. But there is another often overlooked problem, and that is the environmental impact of construction. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-emissions-higher-thought-solution-isnt.html Environment Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:20:01 EST news687698307 For the first time, a study by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego integrates climate-related damages to the ocean into the social cost of carbon—a measure of economic harm caused by greenhouse gas emissions. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ocean-impacts-economic-climate.html Earth Sciences Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:00:07 EST news687607168 Climate change is already fueling dangerous heat waves, raising sea levels and transforming the oceans. Even if countries meet their pledges to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change, global warming will exceed what many ecosystems can safely handle. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-climate-oceans-reshaping-marine-life.html Environment Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:13:43 EST news687622381 Policymakers and financial institutions are underestimating climate risks that could undermine the global financial system, according to a new report from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) and University of Exeter. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-underestimates-global-pose-major-climate.html Environment Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:43:28 EST news687606181 The planet logged its third hottest year on record in 2025, extending a run of unprecedented heat, with no relief expected in 2026, global climate monitors said Wednesday. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-hottest-year-eu-experts.html Environment Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:45:11 EST news687587651 Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States rose last year, snapping a two-year streak of declines as cold winter temperatures drove demand for heating fuel and the AI boom led to a surge in power generation, a think tank said Tuesday. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-cold-winter-ai-boom-emissions.html Environment Tue, 13 Jan 2026 10:00:08 EST news687520349 McGill engineering researchers have introduced an open-source model that makes it easier for experts and non-experts alike to evaluate greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. natural gas supply chains and yields more accurate results. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-source-accurately-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html Earth Sciences Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:16:29 EST news687456961 This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), launched with United Nations backing in 2006. Today, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) related non-financial information—such as greenhouse gas emissions, pollution control, and diversity metrics—is routinely analyzed alongside traditional financial data. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-good-pays-environmentally-socially-responsible.html Economics & Business Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:00:02 EST news686997167 Projects funded by Washington's Climate Commitment Act have not been nearly as effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions as previously thought, state officials acknowledged this week. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-washington-state-overestimates-climate-law.html Environment Thu, 08 Jan 2026 07:10:25 EST news687078581 A Rice University-led team has unveiled how tiny molecular structures on industrial catalysts behave during the manufacture of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), a core ingredient in adhesives, paints, coatings, packaging, textiles and many other products people use every day. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-catalyst-behavior-emissions-stabilize-everyday.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:01:31 EST news686937661 Researchers are proposing a new strategy for local governments to make municipalities more resilient against climate change. The "compounded resilience" strategy lays out how local governments can take advantage of opportunities to both limit adverse impacts of climate change on their communities and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-communities-resilient-climate.html Environment Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:27:36 EST news686917621 Like much of the rest of the planet, the climate in Norway is changing—both the air and the ocean are getting warmer. The weather is getting harsher at the same time as sea levels are rising, increasing the risk of storm surges and coastal flooding. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-storm-surges-impact-coastal-workplaces.html Environment Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:22:13 EST news686848921 Italy is preparing to host the 25th Winter Olympic Games next month—from Feb. 6 to the 22nd, followed by the Paralympic Games from March 6 to the 15th. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-milan-winter-olympics-approach-environmental.html Environment Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:46:43 EST news686839442 Ammonia (NH3) is a colorless chemical compound comprised of nitrogen and hydrogen that is widely used in agriculture and in industrial settings. Among other things, it is used to produce fertilizers, as well as cleaning products and explosives. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-sunlight-driven-nanoparticles-enable-cleaner.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:40:01 EST news685704860 The Maryland Commission on Climate Change released its 2025 annual report on Dec. 23, offering a new set of recommendations aimed at helping the state meet aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals while preparing communities for the growing impacts of climate change. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-maryland-climate-commission-state-action.html Environment Wed, 24 Dec 2025 19:40:01 EST news685791421