In 1945, U-864 Nazi submarine carrying 67 tonnes of mercury sank near an Scandinavian island, 81 years later it's still threatning NorwayA German U-boat sunk off Norway in 1945 is still posing an environmental challenge because it may contain up to 67 tonnes of mercury. The w...
Seattle’s low-income efficiency programs served 376 households in 2021; ACEEE reported 1,996 MWh in energy savings across those customersSeattle has launched innovative green initiatives aimed specifically at improving energy efficiency for low-income households. In 2021, the...
In 2024, ESA flew bouncing hexapods to 256 km on a Swedish sounding rocket; six minutes of microgravity showed how complex grains collide and transfer energyA Swedish rocket successfully launched miniature brass crosses designed for microgravity research. Scientists are investigating how these i...
In 1997, NASA grew Brassica rapa on Mir for 122 days to test a full life cycle; seed-to-seed cycles succeeded, but space-grown seeds were smallerIn an exciting development, researchers have achieved seed-to-seed cycling of plants in microgravity environments, demonstrating gravity in...
Irvine coated a half-mile stretch of two connected streets with cool pavement; August and September measurements found the treated asphalt ran about 7-10°F coolerCities worldwide are turning to cool pavement technologies to tackle urban heat. In Irvine, California, treated roads have experienced a re...
Use undiluted 5% white vinegar at 130°F for 1 minute; Colorado State Extension says it can reduce Listeria, E. coli, and Salmonella by over 99.999% on hard surfacesWhite vinegar demonstrates effectiveness in reducing prevalent kitchen pathogens when used under controlled laboratory conditions. When hea...
In 1972, Apollo 17 sealed core sample 73001 under vacuum on the Moon; in 2022, NASA opened it after 50 years and extracted lunar gas at Johnson Space CenterAfter fifty long years, a lunar sample collected in 1972 has been meticulously opened for analysis, promising to revolutionize our understa...
Meet Ryan Hickman, the California boy who started collecting neighbours’ bottles at 3 and had recycled about 1.6 million cans and bottles by 12Ryan Hickman began recycling at age three, initially for money. His motivation shifted to environmental protection as he grew older. By twe...
AI data centers are less thirsty now, tech giants sayData centers are running into a wall of public anger in the United States over their thirst for water and power. "There are incentives," Re...
In 1991, Berkeley transformed a landfill into Cesar Chavez Park. 35 years later, the former dump is a scenic waterfront park with an annual kite festival for localsAtlas Obscura identifies César Chávez Park as a former landfill that hosts an annual kite festival and notes that the Berkeley Kite Festiva...
"Winning here gives us confidence": Satwik-Chirag eye Asian Games glory after China Masters winSatwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured their maiden China Masters badminton title. They defeated China's He Ji Ting and Ren Xian...
In 1966, Gemini 9 and Gemini 12 exposed fungal spores and viruses directly to space; a 0.4 mm aluminum shield kept fungal spores alive and boosted virus survival 3,000-foldEarly space missions tested microbial survival outside spacecraft without protection. Fungal spores and viruses showed very low survival ra...
In 1983, NASA flew six rats in Challenger’s crew cabin for a 6-day test; the cage kept them healthy, but engineers called for a 20% more water safety marginIn 1983, six brave rats embarked on an experimental journey aboard the Challenger shuttle. Their specially designed enclosure ensured prote...
Lake 223 acid rain experiment: Scientists added sulfuric acid to an Ontario lake for 17 years. The water recovered, but the fish didn’tA 17-year acid rain experiment at Canada’s Lake 223 changed its water chemistry and disrupted its ecosystem. Although the lake’s acidity ha...
They were trapped 1,575 feet below the Atlantic for 76 hours. Then came a rescue with only 12 minutes of air leftIn 1973, Roger Mallinson and Roger Chapman became trapped 1,575 feet beneath the Atlantic after theirPisces IIIsubmersible was damaged and ...
In 1972, English photographer bought a remote island in south Atlantic Ocean with rats. Today, 2 million seabird pairs and 5 penguin species call it homeIn 1972, English naturalist and photographer Ian Strange bought New Island in the Falklands with Roddy Napier, finding it overgrazed and af...
In the late 1800s, California introduced red foxes for hunting and fur farms; at Seal Beach, they drove light-footed Ridgway's rails down to just 5 pairs in 7 yearsIn the late 1800s, non-native red foxes wreaked havoc on the population of Ridgway's rails, bringing them perilously close to extinction. F...