Mixing steel and wood to cut construction emissions
MIT team's new tool could let builders design timber–steel trusses that cut the material-related emissions of structures by over 10%
Dec 2021 2
Prachi Patel
Prachi Patel is a Pittsburgh-based freelance journalist who writes about energy, materials science, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and computing. Writes for Scientific American, IEEE Spectrum, Chemical & Engineering News, and MRS Bulletin. Find her at www.lekh.org.
Nov 2021 25
How about powering ocean cleanup ships with the plastic they collect
Converting plastic waste into ship fuel would eliminate new fossil emissions and cut down on cleanup time
Nov 2021 18
Battery-electric trains could clean up the rail sector and save money
A large freight train retrofitted with a boxcar carrying a 14 MWh battery could travel 240 km on a single charge—saving billions in
climate and health damages
Nov 2021 11
Rooftop solar reactor makes liquid fuels with water and CO2 drawn from air
Producing all the jet fuel needed for global aviation would require solar fuel plants covering only 0.5% of the Sahara desert.
Oct 2021 28
Researchers have now made wood that you can fold and mold
It is 6x stronger than the raw wood that the researchers start with—and could become a sustainable alternative to plastics and aluminum in cars, buildings, and furniture
Oct 2021 21
In a first, study explores how airborne microplastics affect the climate
They are a bit of a mixed bag: on one hand, they scatter sunlight causing cooling; on the other, they absorb radiation and contribute to warming
Oct 2021 14
Combining 3 existing technologies makes emissions-free plastics possible. . .and affordable
In a simulation where recycling, bioplastics, and carbon dioxide-utilization were used together in an optimal way, emissions dropped slightly below zero, while saving energy and costs.
Oct 2021 7
The outsized potential of the wealthy and well-connected to accelerate climate action
Yes, they are conspicuous consumers, but researchers have identified five example-setting behaviors that could have a larger and more positive impact.
Sep 2021 30
Methane capture technology is way behind its CO2 counterpart. That needs to change, fast.
On dairy farms, methane concentrations can be 1000x the average atmospheric concentration, so that’s one place to start
Sep 2021 23
Salt + sunlight powers an innovative electricity-free cooling system
Low-cost and low-emission cooling systems based on this approach could be used for air-conditioning and food refrigeration in remote regions or off-grid communities
