sustainability
Electricity generation by U.S. state
U.S. states vary radically in terms of electricity generation. Vermont is the cleanest, while Delaware is the dirtiest.
National parks are great. Now, let’s create a World Park
To preserve biodiversity and ecosystems, protected areas should be connected into a gigantic World Park.
Meet the world’s first ‘digital species’ for conservation
The Seychelles magpie-robin is up for sale – yes, for sale – as a digital nature collectible.
Thanks to Iceland, the four-day workweek is coming
A new study from Iceland confirms that a shorter workweek improves productivity.
New research finds that reforesting Europe would increase rainfall, fighting a drying trend
Trees store carbon dioxide, have a cooling effect in cities, and reduce flood risks.
Protecting space stations from deadly space debris
Tiny specks of space debris can move faster than bullets and cause way more damage. Cleaning it up is imperative.
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Modular construction: Using Lego-like blocks to build structures of the future
Buildings don't have to be permanent — modular construction can make them modifiable and relocatable.
Humans aren’t overpopulated. We’re aging and shrinking
Too few babies — not overpopulation — is likely to be a major problem this century.
Water recycling: “Toilet to tap” is future of clean drinking water
As droughts threaten water supplies across the planet, some municipalities aim to utilize an untapped resource: sewage water.
Vertical farming: disrupting agriculture
A new agricultural revolution could forever change the planet.
We need sustainable space tech. One solution – bees?
It's time to rethink how satellites and other objects are made and eventually destroyed.
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Catacombs of Paris: The city of darkness finds its new raison d’être
Ancient corridors below the French capital have served as its ossuary, playground, brewery, and perhaps soon, air conditioning.
From the bowels of the earth to the sky: Rethinking civilization growth
A revolution of the mind must occur in order for humanity to succeed on a finite planet.
How Europe will beat China on batteries
Map shows Europe's imminent Great Leap Forward in battery cell production
World’s blackest black? Purdue made the world’s whitest white
In paint form, the world's "whitest white" reflects so much light that surfaces become cooler than the surrounding air.
Moral and economic lessons from Mario Kart
The design of a classic video game yields insights on how to address global poverty.
This zero-energy ‘daylight harvesting’ device can send sunlight underground
Researchers in Singapore invented a novel device that may help the island nation illuminate its growing underground infrastructure.
How your daily coffee can help tropical forests grow back
Researchers find that the coffee pulp is valuable in its own right.
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) won’t save the planet
Their success is based on us adopting a plant-based diet, too.
Don’t let your business become anti-human: Watch for these 2 dangers.
Anti-human business practices deteriorate their charges, and there’s perhaps no greater warning of this end result than the life of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel. Nobel invented dynamite in 1867 with […]
Here’s a 10-step plan to save our oceans
By 2050, there may be more plastic than fish in the sea.
Why cities are critical to achieving a carbon-neutral world
In May 2018, the city of Paris set an ambition to be carbon-neutral by 2050.
2020 ties for hottest year on record, says NASA and NOAA
In a joint briefing at the 101st American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, NASA and NOAA revealed 2020's scorching climate data.
From NASA to your table: A history of food from thin air
A fairly old idea, but a really good one, is about to hit the store shelves.
7 expert perspectives on what COVID-19 means for the planet
At the height of the first wave, many people took heart from the drop in air pollution resulting from global lockdowns.
It takes a lot of energy for machines to learn – here’s why AI is so power-hungry
Can we ever make energy efficient AI?
New tech turns space urine into plant fertilizer
An important step toward figuring out our space station future.
Manmade objects now weigh more than all living things on Earth
Humans churn out about 30 gigatons (30,000,000,000 tons) of material every year.
This is how we can design a more sustainable digital economy
The biggest risk comes from doing nothing at all.
9 of the most shocking facts about global extinction – and how to stop it
Across the world, wildlife is under severe threat.