Water


Texas A&M Experts Make New Underwater Discoveries

Texas A&M University, one of a few select schools that carries the rare designation of being a land grant, sea grant and space grant institution, has several researchers who have identified new marine species.

Green Fuel From Carbon Dioxide

A research team at the Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF) led by the chemist Prof. Dr. Ingo Krossing has now developed a new system for producing methanol that uses CO2 and hydrogen. Methanol can, for example, be used as an environmentally friendly alternative for gasoline.

Ancient Effect Harnessed to Produce Electricity From Waste Heat

A phenomenon first observed by an ancient Greek philosopher 2,300 years ago has become the basis for a new device designed to harvest the enormous amounts of energy wasted as heat each year to produce electricity. The first-of-its-kind "pyroelectric nanogenerator" is the topic of a report in ACS' journal Nano Letters.

Big Uncertainties in the Global Water Budget

A study in the Journal of Hydrometeorology now outlines significant differences of global models and measurement data sets. As the network of measurement stations worldwide is shrinking dramatically, uncertainties are increased.

Water Conservation on Tap at ACE12

The American Water Works Association’s 131st Annual Conference and Exposition, also known as ACE12, is flowing smoothly at the Dallas Convention Center. About 2,000 water professionals attended the opening session on June 11.

Composite Materials Will Lead to Greener Cars

The use of composite materials is rapidly entering into the automotive industry thanks to a technique developed by the EPFL spin-off EELCEE. This technique promises lighter cars that burn less fuel and, consequently, emit less CO2.

Honeywell Meets Energy Needs With Smart Grid Solution and Building Management System

Honeywell, a Fortune 100 technology and manufacturing company, has created a new building management system and Smart Grid Solutions business to help meet facilities' and providers' energy needs.

Climate Change Will Alter Risks of Wildfire Worldwide, Some Shifts Rapid, Extensive

A Texas Tech University climate scientist said climate change is widely expected to disrupt future fire patterns around the world, with some regions, such as the western United States, seeing more frequent fires within the next 30 years.



Measuring the 'Other' Greenhouse Gases: New Method for Evaluating Short-Lived Pollutants

New research from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has found that levels of methane—a potent greenhouse gas emitted from many man-made sources, such as coal mines, landfills and livestock ranches—are at least one-and-a-half times higher in California than previously estimated.

EPA Issues Framework to Help Local Governments Manage Stormwater Runoff

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new framework to help local governments meet their Clean Water Act obligations.

EPA and Local Puerto Rico Government Reps Meet to Discuss Environmental Challenges

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck met on Thursday, June 7, 2012 in New York City with representatives of local governments from Puerto Rico to discuss environmental challenges facing municipal governments in Puerto Rico, and explore solutions.

Article: Population Growth Leads to Environmental Stress

In an article published in the journal Nature Climate Change, researchers take a critical look at the various factors that have long been prime climate-change suspects. One in particular: The role of population growth.

Great Lakes Initiative Cleanup Helps Restore Grand Calumet River

The recent completion of a $52 million project to rid Roxana Marsh of contaminated sediment will speed the recovery of Indiana’s Grand Calumet River, marking a step forward for one of the Great Lakes’ most complex Area of Concern cleanups.

Nanoparticles in Polluted Air, Smoke Have Serious Impact on Health

New groundbreaking research by scientists at Trinity College Dublin has found that exposure to nanoparticles can have a serious impact on health, linking it to rheumatoid arthritis and the development of other serious autoimmune diseases.

Water Reuse: Restoring Confidence in Our Future

Nearly everyone can recall being told to conserve water at some point in our lives…turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, run the shower only just before entering, don’t wash the car during particularly dry summers. We viewed these directives as minor inconveniences -- the idea of communities experiencing serious water shortages was reserved for developing nations.

Humans are Primary Cause of Global Ocean Warming Over Past 50 Years, Research Shows

The oceans have warmed in the past 50 years, but not by natural events alone. New research shows that the observed ocean warming over the last 50 years is consistent with climate models only if the models include the impacts of observed increases in greenhouse gas during the 20th century.

Global Warming Threat Seen in Fertile Soil of Northeastern U.S. Forests

Vast stores of carbon in U.S. forest soils could be released by rising global temperatures, according to a study by UC Irvine and other researchers in today's online Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.

New Twist On Old Chemical Process Could Boost Energy Efficiency Significantly

Chemical reactions on the surface of metal oxidesare important for applications such as solar cells that convert the sun's energy to electricity. Now scientists have found that a previously unappreciated aspect of those reactions could be key in developing more efficient energy systems.

EPA Proposes Approval of Texas Clean Air Act Plan

The EPA said it will approve revisions submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to the state’s permitting program for major air pollution sources under the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review (NSR) program.

Steel Strength Plastics: Durable Plastic May Replace Metals

As landfills overflow with discarded plastics, scientists have been working to produce a biodegradable alternative that will reduce pollution. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher is making environmentally friendly plastics tougher than ever before.