More Climate Action – Page 4
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NewsClean air policies inadvertently boost wetland methane emissions by up to 34m tonnes
A new study suggests that the decline of global sulphur emissions as the result of clean air policies, coupled with the warming and fertilization effects of carbon dioxide emissions lifts a lid on wetland methane production, resulting in increased emissions.
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NewsA new process with zero emissions for truly biodegradable plastics
A new approach to producing biodegradable plastics - polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) - was discovered as a promising alternative that requires minimal organic materials and is naturally produced by photosynthetic microorganisms.
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NewsWeather change linked to increased risk of Salmonella outbreaks
A research study has shown a significant impact on Salmonella outbreaks from weather changes, which can be used as a tool to predict risk of outbreaks and implement preventative measures, under a climate change scenario.
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NewsStudy reveals how microbes help detoxify our atmosphere
A new study from the Greening Lab reveals at an atomic level how microbes consume carbon monoxide present in the atmosphere. They use a special enzyme, called the CO dehydrogenase, to extract energy from this universally present but highly toxic gas.
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NewsA novel approach to mapping and engineering enzymes for enhanced plastic recycling
Researchers have successfully engineered PETases, enzymes that are capable to depolymerize commercial plastic - polyethylene terephthalate (PET), through the innovative landscape profiling of enzymes’ genetic sequences and subsequently engineered them.
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NewsScientists discover unique microbes in Amazonian peatlands that could influence climate change
Researchers have identified an unknown family of microbes uniquely adapted to the waterlogged, low-oxygen conditions of tropical peatlands in Peru’s northwestern Amazonian rainforest.
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NewsCoastal waters: An underestimated source of methane
A new study revealed that methane emissions in coastal habitats are highly influenced by natural factors like tides and seasonal changes, which also affect the activity of methane-eating microbes.
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NewsMicrobial solutions for boosting seaweed farming and carbon capture
A new study reveals how manipulating the microscopic life living on seaweed can contribute to developing industrial-scale seaweed farming and boost its potential for fighting climate change.
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Long ReadsFree-living amoebae and emerging public health challenges in a warming world
The year 2023 was the warmest since global temperature records were established in 1850. Discover the role of free-living amoebae in the transmission of waterborne pathogens and human infection, in the context of rising global temperatures.
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NewsMeet the Global Ambassadors: Our Q&A with Petr Heděnec
The Microbiologist chats with our new Global Ambassador for Malaysia, Petr Heděnec, who is an Assistant Professor/University Lecturer at the Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.
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NewsGlobal research on hydrothermal pretreatment: A green leap for biorefineries
From a global analysis of the research in hydrothermal pretreatment, a bibliometric study highlights its use as the future of biorefineries for sustainable biomass conversion.
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NewsLooking to Kenya’s Lake Victoria for what may come for Lake Erie
Scientists conducted a genetic survey on cyanobacteria in the Winam Gulf of Kenya’s Lake Victoria, which serves as a model for the cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanHABs) in Lake Erie under the warming climate.
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NewsCycle of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef now at ‘catastrophic’ levels
Marine scientists have published the first peer-reviewed study documenting the devastating coral bleaching events that occurred on the southern Great Barrier Reef in early 2024. 66 per cent of the colonies were bleached by February 2024 and 80 per cent by April.
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NewsExtreme rain heightens E. coli risks for communities of color in Texas
New research shows that communities of color in Texas face pronounced risks of E. coli exposure in nearby waters following storms that dump abnormally high amounts of rain.
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NewsGene-edited soil bacteria could provide third source of nitrogen for corn production
If corn was ever jealous of soybean’s relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, advancements in gene editing could one day even the playing field. A recent study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows that gene-edited bacteria can supply the equivalent of 35 pounds of nitrogen from the air during early corn ...
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NewsReview offers guidance to clinicians on animal-borne infections in the Canadian Arctic
A new review on zoonotic infections in the Canadian Arctic provides timely guidance to clinicians as the region experiences heightened global interest as well as climate change, which threatens the region and increases risk of disease transmission.
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NewsBeach guardians: How hidden microbes protect coastal waters in a changing climate
Coastal water quality is closely impacted by the microbial compositions living in groundwater within beach sands due to the rising sea level, a new study reveals.
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NewsA new way to make microbial fuel cell - a 3D-printed fungal battery
Researchers have developed a full functional, non-toxic and biodegradable fungal battery, with enough to power a temperature sensor, which can be used in agriculture or in environmental research for several days.
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NewsBacteria linked to successful restoration of elkhorn coral colonies
Coral restoration should prioritize shallower depths with faster currents in low-nutrient environments to promote a healthier microbial community, a new study suggests.
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NewsScientists uncover key step in how diazotrophs ‘fix’ nitrogen
There are only two ways of fixing nitrogen, one industrial and one biological. To better understand a key component of the biological process, researchers took a multi-pronged approach.