In 2025, researchers extracted superabsorbent gel from discarded diapers and tested it in sandy soil, where it showed water-retention potential similar to a commercial hydrogelScientists are investigating the potential of repurposing used diaper gel as a source of agricultural water retention. This material exhibi...
22 Aug, 2026, 04.58 PM IST
In June 2026, Spain revealed a rare-earth deposit capable of meeting 33% of Europe’s needs. Now, the find could challenge China’s grip on critical minerals and strengthen continent’s push for mineral independenceA rare-earth deposit identified in Campo de Montiel, central Spain, could become an important source of materials for Europe’s electric veh...
21 Aug, 2026, 10.40 PM IST
Earlier this year, 1,124 wind-turbine blades were sitting in a Wyoming landfill. Now, a Missouri cement plant has given 7,000 more a second life, offering a different ending for retired renewable-energy equipmentWyoming buried 1,124 wind turbine blades. Now, a Missouri cement plant is giving more than 7,000 retired blades a second life. The contrast...
21 Aug, 2026, 09.34 PM IST
Why Nagpur authorities are destroying 36,000 kg of fish seized from 11 ponds across the cityA Nagpur crackdown on banned Thai Mangur farming has resulted in the destruction of more than 36 tonnes of fish recovered from 11 ponds in ...
21 Aug, 2026, 03.24 PM IST
In July 2019, scientists watched mayflies mistake solar-like glass for water; females landed and deposited eggs on the dry surfaceFemale mayflies are confusing solar panels for water surfaces, which is causing difficulties with their reproduction. This issue, termed po...
21 Aug, 2026, 02.10 PM IST
ET Evoke: China has emerged as the greatest environmentalist of our times, says Economics Professor Michael GreenstoneGreenstone, Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago, says air pollution is shortening liv...
20 Aug, 2026, 10.18 PM IST
Researchers studied 20 French solar farms; beneath the panels, pollinators fell 76%, and plant-pollinator interactions plunged 86%Recent studies indicate that shading from solar panels significantly impacts pollinator numbers and interactions with plants. Notably, bee ...
20 Aug, 2026, 06.24 PM IST
During World War II, Japan imported 150 South American nutria for military fur; after mass escapes and releases, their descendants spread across at least 19 prefectures and dug through rice fields and reservoir banksDuring wartime, Japan imported nutria for their lucrative fur farming, which inadvertently gave rise to large invasive populations. Origina...
20 Aug, 2026, 01.10 PM IST
In 1914, USDA researchers imported Australian melaleuca seeds into the United States. 100 years later, the fast-growing tree had conquered 500,000 acres of South Florida after being planted to help dry the EvergladesAustralian melaleuca seeds were imported to the United States in 1914 for agricultural purposes. Later, the Army Corps of Engineers planted...
20 Aug, 2026, 01.11 AM IST
Earlier this year, Los Angeles made 8 trips to Encino Reservoir searching for one endangered bird; they found none, but 60 wildlife species emerged before a 10-acre solar project moved aheadCity biologists made eight separate field trips to Encino Reservoir searching for one endangered songbird. They found zero Least Bell’s vir...
19 Aug, 2026, 06.05 PM IST
In 2006, engineers reused 250,000 cubic yards of dredged sand to restore Elders Point East in Jamaica Bay. 10 years later, the approach had restored 40 acres of wetlands and helped reverse marsh-island erosionA New York Harbor dredging project became an opportunity to restore Jamaica Bay’s declining marsh islands. Beginning in 2006, the U.S. Army...
19 Aug, 2026, 12.24 AM IST
Between 2001 and 2019, satellites watched 250,000 farming areas across the world, revealing how government payments, crop rules and conservation measures can slowly restore degraded cropland and strengthen food securityResearch conducted by the University of Bonn reveals that agri-environmental policies worldwide are beneficial for cropland quality. Analyz...
18 Aug, 2026, 09.41 PM IST
Crew killed in vessel strike in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO saysIran war news: The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Tuesday reported that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile ...
18 Aug, 2026, 09.05 AM IST
In 1976, USACE made a landmark decision to block development that threatened Marco Island's mangrove wetlands. 6 years later, Deltona handed Florida 15,000 acres of habitat and received 160 acres of industrial land in returnIn 1976, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) refused to approve a major dredge-and-fill project proposed by the Deltona Corporation on...
15 Aug, 2026, 12.06 AM IST
Judiciary must ensure environmental laws are implemented in letter and spirit: Jairam RameshCongress leader Jairam Ramesh highlighted a Supreme Court judge's concerns. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan stressed the need for environmental law en...
14 Aug, 2026, 01.21 PM IST
In 1884, Louisiana displayed South American water hyacinth for its lavender flowers; within decades, floating mats covered 126,000 Florida acres and blocked waterwaysOriginating in 1884, water hyacinth transformed into a significant nuisance for Florida by the 1950s. This aggressive floating plant overto...
13 Aug, 2026, 04.10 PM IST
In the early 1970s, Maui planted miconia for its spectacular purple leaves; its descendants spread across East Maui and threatened native forest watershedsIntroduced to Maui in the 1970s, Miconia calvescens, known as the velvet tree, has emerged as a significant invasive species. Its swift spr...
13 Aug, 2026, 03.50 PM IST