City Stories
A key challenge in this new Human Age is to lessen the ecological footprint of the world’s cities, even as their populations expand. The Anthropocene tells the stories about resilient urban coastal infrastructure, low carbon transportation systems, and nature-inspired architectural designs.
Discarded electronics could become a huge source of gold in the United States. Here’s how.
In a first, researchers assessed the kinds of electronics that will be discarded in the future and the materials they contain to see how a national e-waste recycling strategy might pan out.
New Year’s fireworks can give migratory birds a surprisingly long hangover
The link between fireworks and wildlife disturbance is well-established. This study of migratory geese is the first to look at long-term effects
The key to sustainable cities may lie in increasingly sophisticated digital twins
Researchers offer the first rigorous analysis “In silico" equivalents of urban areas as a powerful tool for sustainable development
Researchers have hit on a widely available solution for decarbonizing fertilizer production
On multiple environmental measures, “peecycling” almost always comes out ahead
Circular trash management is a powerful but overlooked climate solution
Garbage accounts for 8% of human-caused emissions of methane. A recent analysis found that switching to circular waste management could reduce emissions from garbage by as much as 88% by 2050.
Habitat with Humanity
Making creative accommodations for the urban wild
Transparent wood product could give windows an insulation boost
Using cellulose nanofibers from wood pulp, a team have made a clear gel that can be sandwiched between existing window panes.
Water-Harvesting and Arid-Adapted Agrobiodiversity
A revival of rainwater harvesting is occurring around the world, as desert communities restore traditional systems known as rain gardens, ak-chin agriculture, floodwater farming, gavias, karez, qanats and fogarras.
The rise of the carbon-negative building
Wooden structures that store more carbon than is emitted in their construction point to a flaw in green building schemes
Instead of Trump’s Wall, Let’s Build a Border of Solar Panels
A solar border would alleviate a range of binational problems. For one, it would have a civilizing effect.
