https://phys.org/earth-news/environment/ en-us The latest news on the environment, environmental issues, earth science and space exploration. The Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering whether facilities that recycle plastic chemically should be held to the same strict air pollution standards as incinerators. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-epa-ease-chemical-plastic-recycling.html Environment Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:40:03 EDT news695464497 New research reveals a powerful yet overlooked driver of climate change: intensifying ocean eddies. These swirling currents—that break off from major currents—are redistributing heat and nutrients in the ocean and amplifying climate extremes in key coastal ecosystems. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ocean-eddies-amplifying-climate-extremes.html Earth Sciences Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:05 EDT news695380692 A new study by Hashem Akbari, a professor in the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, offers a simplified way of calculating the degree to which surface reflectivity, known as albedo, can offset carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The method, which builds on previous research, makes it easier to calculate these effects at regional and national scales using widely available weather data. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-simpler-cool-roofs-climate-payoff.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:40:03 EDT news695399101 Microplastics and nanoplastics are tiny plastic particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic products due to sunlight, waves, and other environmental conditions. In recent years, these particles have been increasingly detected in aquatic environments, raising concerns about their potential harmful effects on aquatic life and ecosystems. Even though awareness of this issue is growing, there is still no safe, practical, and established method to filter these particles from polluted water. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-mushroom-slime-microplastics.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:20:04 EDT news695397961 Models of glacial flow and retreat rely on estimates of glacial ice viscosity, the measure of the ice's resistance to flow. Ice viscosity is dependent on the stress applied to the glacier. Most ice sheet models use a standard equation to model ice flow that includes the variable n, called the stress exponent. A larger value of n means ice viscosity is more sensitive to changes in stress. For decades, glaciologists have, almost exclusively, used an assumed n value of 3 in the models they use to predict ice flow. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-glaciers-ocean-quickly.html Earth Sciences Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:20:05 EDT news695391001 A new study led by the University of Exeter examined the alpine "vegetation line" (the upper limit of continuous plants) in six regions across the Himalaya, from Ladakh, India in the far west of the mountain range, to the extreme east in Bhutan. The researchers found that plants are growing higher up mountains across the Himalayan region. The paper is published in the journal Ecography. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-higher-himalaya-region-climate.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:00:07 EDT news695384704 Coastal groundwater is a key source of drinking water in many regions of the world. However, it is threatened by overabstraction and the potential for salinization. Rising sea levels are further exacerbating the situation. This is demonstrated by a recent study published in Nature Water by a research team led by Professor Robert Reinecke from the Institute of Geography at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and Annika Nolte from the Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS) in Hamburg. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-saltwater-coastal-groundwater-billions-food.html Earth Sciences Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:50:02 EDT news695401861 Mobile phone data on 13 million people in Spain—more than a quarter of the population—show that hot days reduce individual mobility, thereby reducing social mixing and making city centers less vibrant. As the climate warms, heat could reshape society, increasing heat-related illness, shifting some physical and outdoor activities to evening and night hours, and altering daily movement patterns. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-climate-urban-vitality.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:20:05 EDT news695391241 Mark Clementz, a professor in the University of Wyoming Department of Geology and Geophysics, and colleagues have produced a compelling study that shows that an increase in volcanic activity in the Andes in the Late Miocene Epoch likely resulted in a cooling of Earth between 5.4 million and 7 million years ago. Their findings are in a new article, titled "Andean volcanism, ocean fertilization, marine ecosystem turnover, and global cooling in the Late Miocene," published in Communications Earth & Environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-andean-volcanic-eruptions-late-miocene.html Earth Sciences Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:50:01 EDT news695399821 Arsenic contamination in drinking water is a global issue, with over 200 million people estimated to be at risk. While water treatment plants remove the metal, the problem persists in low-resource areas or undertreated well water. So, researchers reporting in ACS Omega have designed a simple solution: an arsenic-removing teabag. The system is inexpensive, costing around 7 cents to clean a liter of water, and highly effective, removing over 90% of the arsenic ions present. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-high-school-student-teabags-arsenic.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:00:03 EDT news695384929 Beavers (Castor canadensis) are widely recognized as ecosystem engineers, building dams that reshape water flow and alter the physical structure of rivers and streams. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-beaver-worse-beavers-culprits.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:40:05 EDT news695381222 It's a catchy tune, but The Lovin Spoonful's "Summer in the City" doesn't paint the picture of an appealing environment with its description of a sidewalk as "hotter than a match head." New research from Northeastern University may offer relief from those conditions, however, finding that extreme heat and air pollution don't necessarily go hand in hand when the concrete jungle is made a little more green. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-hazy-hot-shady-street-trees.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:00:08 EDT news695378882 An Adelaide University study has revealed that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in tap water, at levels currently considered safe, affected the development of embryos, causing irreversible damage that may be passed on to future generations. The researchers examined the effects of tap water on female mice following daily consumption for four weeks or six months. The results, published in Environmental Research, showed exposure to PFAS chemicals, even in trace amounts, disrupts female fertility, causing cellular damage to ovulated eggs and embryos. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-weeks-safe-pfas-exposure-embryo.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:27:10 EDT news695377555 Tasmania's logged forests burn significantly more severely in a bushfire than old growth, University of Tasmania scientists have found in a study that provides the strongest evidence yet on a question with real consequences for how the state manages its forests. The research team, led by Professor David Bowman from the University of Tasmania's Fire Center, seized on a natural experiment when the 2019 Riveaux Road fire swept through the Huon Valley. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-forests-severely-growth-tasmanian.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:00:04 EDT news695370901 Human urine—often flushed away without thought—could be key to making agriculture and wastewater treatment more sustainable and energy efficient, according to new research from the University of Surrey. Although urine only makes up around 1% of wastewater, it contains the majority of essential nutrients for plants, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-human-urine-tackle-global-fertilizer.html Environment Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:40:02 EDT news695368561 Rising living costs, energy insecurity, widening inequality, and escalating climate impacts are fueling discussions on fairness and justice in climate policy. Yet, assumptions in global emission scenarios that determine who benefits and who bears the costs are often only made implicitly. A new IIASA-led study addresses this gap by offering a practical way to assess and design emission scenarios that explicitly account for distributive justice. The research is published in the journal npj Climate Action. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-envisioning-futures-framework-justice-explicit.html Environment Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:20:01 EDT news695319422 Tiny organisms on the ground—bacteria and fungi—have a "superpower" that allows them to reach up into the atmosphere and pull down the rain, according to a recent study. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-hidden-soil-fungi-bacterial-dna.html Environment Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:00:02 EDT news695294847 A new study finds that the most intense and destructive rainstorms in Portugal, particularly those fueled by atmospheric rivers, are not the most chaotic but are among the most predictable. These events form within large, well-organized atmospheric systems that strengthen winds and channel moisture efficiently, producing significantly heavier rainfall while also creating clearer, more coherent signals in the atmosphere. As a result, the very storms that pose the greatest risk to infrastructure and public safety may also offer the best opportunity for earlier and more reliable forecasts. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-rivers-sky-stronger.html Environment Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:00:05 EDT news695292751 Urban emissions of methane—a potent greenhouse gas—are rising faster than bottom-up accounting estimates anticipated, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering. The discrepancy was found with satellite measurements of methane over 92 major cities around the world. For 72 of the cities, there were sufficient data to track changes in methane emissions between 2019 and 2023. Overall, global urban methane emissions in 2023 were 6% higher than 2019 levels and 10% higher than 2020 levels, although they tended to decrease in European cities. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-satellites-reveal-city-methane-emissions.html Earth Sciences Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:50:01 EDT news695320261 Heat, air pollution, and flooding can affect a city and the health of city residents. Yet few cities have a comprehensive network of weather stations providing accurate measurements of rainfall, humidity, and air temperature across different neighborhoods. Some of this information can be filled in by community members' personal weather stations, like those connected through Weather Underground. But because of a lack of sensors and inconsistencies in data collection, these types of community networks are often not reliable on their own. Furthermore, most personal weather stations are located in higher-income neighborhoods, with very few in lower-income, underserved neighborhoods. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-baltimore-unequal-weather-coverage.html Environment Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:40:01 EDT news695305178 When extreme weather looms, timely and accurate warnings can give people the chance to adjust their plans, brace for danger and, in the most severe cases, make decisions that keep them safe. Does that mean improving weather forecasts could save more lives in a warming climate? https://phys.org/news/2026-04-weather-deaths-climate.html Environment Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:00:08 EDT news695293261 It often starts with something small, such as a new bird in a branch, a vibrant butterfly in a yard, a colorful plant growing through a crack in the sidewalk, or as part of a lawn. Suddenly, you are engaged and can't help but snap a photo with your smartphone to satisfy that curiosity to learn the species' name, where it comes from, and more. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-curiosity-citizen-science-children-adults.html Environment Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:08 EDT news695297162 Tiny particles bubbling up from the tops of melting sea ice into the Arctic sky may be a key, understudied element of cloud formation in that climate-sensitive region. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tiny-particles-arctic-ponds-play.html Earth Sciences Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:00:01 EDT news695035062 Scientists have developed a new method to measure ocean surface currents over large areas in greater detail than ever before. Called GOFLOW (Geostationary Ocean Flow), the approach applies deep learning to thermal images from weather satellites already in orbit, requiring no new hardware to achieve what the researchers describe as a major advancement in ocean observation. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-deep-weather-satellite-thermal-imagery.html Earth Sciences Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:00:04 EDT news695047081 Worsening wildfires, soaring heat waves and rising water levels have prompted Greek officials to take a closer look at protecting priceless archaeological sites that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-greece-ancient-sites-climate-checkup.html Environment Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:50:02 EDT news695273277 It has been said that Persian Gulf countries are both blessed and cursed by their vast oil and gas reserves. Geologic forces over millions of years have meant the region is an energy-rich global flash point, as it is now with a war underway that's causing a global energy crisis. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-persian-gulf-oil-gas-earth.html Earth Sciences Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:00:02 EDT news694861667 Frightening headlines predicting a Super El Niño or even a Godzilla El Niño amp up anxiety levels for farmers and residents of bushfire-prone regions. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-phrase-super-el-nio-australian.html Environment Sat, 11 Apr 2026 15:00:03 EDT news694950815 Marine heat waves are supercharging damage caused by hurricanes and tropical cyclones across the globe, a new study found. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-worsening-ocean-supercharging-hurricane.html Earth Sciences Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:47:48 EDT news695090805 When Jasper Baur was a freshman at New York's Binghamton University, his interests centered on earth sciences. Then he got involved in a seemingly unrelated pursuit: harnessing drone-mounted geophysical instruments to aid in the slow, dangerous work of detecting land mines. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-drones-geophysics-artificial-intelligence.html Environment Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:20:04 EDT news695028784 U.S. cities are rapidly becoming urban heat islands, where these cities are significantly warmer than their surrounding area. Vast expanses of asphalt and concrete trap heat, while large, densely packed buildings disrupt wind flow and intensify the effect. But beyond parking lots and skyscrapers, recent research points to highways as another cause behind America's urban heat islands. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-highway-widening-cities-faster-curb.html Environment Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:00:04 EDT news695028398