Artificial intelligence reveals hundreds of millions of trees in the Sahara

(University of Copenhagen) There are far more trees in the West African Sahara and Sahel than most would expect. A combination of artificial intelligence and detailed satellite imagery allowed a team from the University of Copenhagen and international collaborators to count all trees across a 1.3 million km2 area of West Africa.

Management of a popular game fish, the smallmouth bass

For recreational fishing enthusiasts, the thrill of snagging their next catch comes with discovering what’s hooked on the end of the line. In many freshwater streams and rivers — across the central and eastern parts of the U.S. — anglers are often catching a popular freshwater game fish: the smallmouth bass. Now, scientists have discovered a new level of biodiversity within that species.

Cheaters don’t always win: Species that work together do better

The sign of a healthy personal relationship is one that is equally mutual – where you get out just as much as you put in. Nature has its own version of a healthy relationship. A team of researchers investigated these interactions, known as mutualisms, and why they are so critical for healthy environments.

Cheaters don’t always win: Species that work together do better

The sign of a healthy personal relationship is one that is equally mutual – where you get out just as much as you put in. Nature has its own version of a healthy relationship. A team of researchers investigated these interactions, known as mutualisms, and why they are so critical for healthy environments.

A first-of-its-kind catalyst mimics natural processes to break down plastics

A team of scientists has developed a first-of-its-kind catalyst that is able to process polyolefin plastics, types of polymers widely used in things like plastic grocery bags, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, toys, and food containers.

Scientists Create Transparent Wood Nearly As Clear as Glass To Make Stronger, Better Insulating Windows

3.5 percent of the energy used in the United States goes right out the window—wasted because of inefficient glass panes in winter and summer. Now scientists have given us a way to utilize sustainable tree products as a replacement for the costly glass. A researcher at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Junyong Zhu, has collaborated […]

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Freezing cold war: militaries move in as Arctic ice retreats – photo essay

This month Arctic sea ice reached its second lowest extent on record, and modeling shows it will completely melt in summer by 2035. But where many see a disaster, some global powers discern an opportunity to secure geopolitical and commercial…

Supergene discovery leads to new knowledge of fire ants

A unique study conducted by entomologists led to the discovery of a distinctive supergene in fire ant colonies that determines whether young queen ants will leave their birth colony to start their own new colony or if they will join one with multiple queens.

Plastic bags could be ‘eco-friendlier’ than paper and cotton

Scientists have modeled the cradle-to-grave environmental impact of using different types of shopping bags and report that in cities like Singapore, single-use plastic bags (made from high-density polyethylene plastic) have a lower environmental footprint than single-use paper and multi-use cotton bags.

Clean and clear: How being more transparent over resources helps cut carbon emissions

Countries that sign up to improved financial transparency over oil, gas, and mining revenues benefit from significant reductions in carbon emissions, a new study reveals.