Plants are amazing little powerhouses, converting sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into energy. Over the last few years humans have tried to mimic this with artificial leaves, but they’re never quite up to scratch. Now, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have designed a new version that could work under real-world conditions, sucking carbon dioxide out of the […]

Millions of metric tons of plastic are produced each year and in reality, very little of it is recycled. But what if there were more ways of turning this waste into something valuable, such as new plastics or different types of fuel? Scientists at Purdue University have taken a promising step towards this goal with a new technology that can […]

If we’re going to reach the goal of keeping Earth from warming more than 1.5° C (2.7° F) this century, it’s not enough to just reduce our carbon dioxide emissions – we need to actively clean it out of the atmosphere too. Inspired by the ocean’s role as a natural carbon sink, researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and […]

When cooking in the kitchen, where do your food scraps go? Hopefully, in the compost bin rather than the trash. Since organic matter naturally breaks down, composting vegetable and fruit scraps, egg shells, and more is a more sustainable option than willingly sending that matter to the landfill. But did you know that for some fruits and vegetables, there’s an […]

Food and beverage giant Nestlé is ramping up its efforts to rein in plastic pollution, outlining plans to phase out plastic straws and hard plastics as part of a wider plan to use purely recyclable and reusable materials in its products by 2025. Nestlé’s plans around plastic pollution and alternative materials have been gathering steam for a little while now. […]

Many of Spain’s Paradores — a chain of state-owned, luxury hotels — are ancient castles and monasteries that have been around for, well, forever. But the country is embracing the future by introducing renewable energy at all 97 locations. The country announced that, beginning on the first of January, the Paradores will only get their electricity from renewable sources as […]

A solar-powered desalination method inspired by plants could produce up to twice the amount of clean water as typical solar methods. Developed by a team from Politecnico di Torino, the prototype desalination system relies on a porous membrane that collects seawater as it floats on the water’s surface. The water is then heated by solar energy, with the process facilitated […]

Each year, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) conducts a review of tall building trends. The influential body offers some fascinating insights in its 2018 Year in Review, including the continued importance of China as the world leader in tall building commissions. 2018 saw a total of 143 buildings measuring at least 200 m (656 ft) completed, […]

There is a growing contingent of environmentally minded startups and researchers looking to recycle CO2 into useful products, with the possibilities including everything from foam mattresses, to lightweight carbon fiber to concrete. The soda industry is one place where you can bet there will be a massive demand for the gas, and its about to get a little bit cleaner […]

In one of the most comprehensive studies to date examining teenage sleep patterns and high school start times, it’s been revealed that later starts increased sleep duration and improved overall attendance and grades. Our circadian rhythms dominate when our body wants us to eat, sleep and wake. Studies have shown that the onset of puberty dramatically alters an adolescent’s circadian […]