Climate action
Today we are seeing climate change in action, increased concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases have led to a rise in sea levels, temperatures, and extreme weather patterns. Researchers have acknowledged the pivotal role microorganisms in producing sustainable biofuels, increasing carbon sequestration via soil microbes and reducing methane emissions in landfill sites. Microbial innovation will be vital in moving towards a low carbon economy.
News
Friendly soil microbes can boost protein in staple crops
Researchers investigated how a bacterium naturally found in the soil that is beneficial to human health can enhance the levels of the amino acid and antioxidant ergothioneine in spring wheat.
Read story
NewsBiochar shows big promise for climate-friendly soil management
Turning agricultural and organic waste into biochar could help store more carbon in the soil and slow climate change, according to a new study. Recent findings show that biochar improves soil health, boosts microbial diversity, and captures carbon.
NewsFertilizer boosts soil’s ability to lock away carbon
The 180-year experiment at Rothamsted — the world’s longest-running agricultural trial — has revealed that long-term application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers can significantly increase the amount of carbon stored in farmland soils, helping to mitigate climate change.
NewsLake Tahoe algae experiment suggests seasonal shifts ahead
As the climate warms and nutrient inputs shift, algal communities in cool, clear mountain lakeswill likely experience seasonal changes, according to a new study. The effects of climate warming were especially pronounced in the colder months.
More Climate change
News
Scientist invents MICROCAP, an algae-based oxygen generator that removes CO₂ and purifies indoor air
A lecturer in Thailand has invented the MICROCAP air purifier, which uses photosynthetic algae to absorb carbon dioxide and produce 20 times more oxygen than trees.
NewsClimate change may increase the spread of neurotoxin in the oceans
Climate-driven oxygen loss in the Black Sea thousands of years ago triggered the expansion of microorganisms capable of producing the potent neurotoxin methylmercury. That is shown in a new study which suggests that similar processes could occur in today’s warming oceans.
NewsRevolutionizing bioplastics: a microbial platform for fully bio-based long-chain polyesters
Researchers have developed a scalable, end-to-end microbial process transforming plant oils into sustainable polyesters comparable to petroleum-based plastics.
NewsEarth’s oxygen boom: a fresh perspective for a billion-year-old problem
A new study examines nickel and urea in early microbial habitats, showing how ancient cyanobacteria adapted to their chemical surroundings. By recreating Archean conditions in the lab, researchers uncovered clues about the delicate balances that shaped early cyanobacterial life.
NewsTiny architects, titanic climate impact: scientists call for coccolithophores to get their own day
Five European research organisations have launched an initiative to make 10 October International Coccolithophore Day, highlighting their crucial role in regulating the planet’s carbon balance, producing oxygen, and sustaining the ocean ecosystems that underpin all life.
NewsChemobiological platform enables renewable conversion of sugars into core aromatic hydrocarbons of petroleum
Researchers have developed a chemobiological platform that converts renewable carbon sources such as glucose and glycerol into oxygenated precursors, which are deoxygenated in the same solvent system to yield benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and p-xylene (BTEX).
NewsScientists discover regulatory pathway behind cyanobacteria’s carbon-fixing factories
A new study illuminates a key regulatory pathway between cyanobacteria’s light-harvesting systems and the inner compartments where carbon fixation happens, helping us to understand how cyanobacteria balance their energy demands.
NewsWastewater plants produce twice as much greenhouse gases as officially estimated
Wastewater plants emit about twice as much greenhouse gas as previously believed, according to a new study. Collectively sewer plants produced 1.9 times the nitrous oxide gas estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency and 2.4 times the methane.
NewsBiodegradable microplastics rewire carbon storage in farm fields
A pioneering two-year field study has revealed that biodegradable microplastics, often hailed as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastics, are quietly reshaping the chemistry of farmland soils in unexpected and complex ways. They attracted a special group of microbes known as K-strategists—slow-growing, efficient decomposers.
NewsResearchers wake up microbes trapped in permafrost for thousands of years
In a new study, a team of geologists and biologists resurrected ancient microbes that had been trapped in ice—in some cases for around 40,000 years.
NewsMarine heatwaves have hidden impacts on ocean food webs and carbon cycling
A new study analyzing data from robotic floats and plankton records reveals how marine heatwaves reshape ocean food webs and slow transport of carbon to the deep sea.
NewsViruses help cut farm greenhouse gas emissions by targeting soil microbes
A new study reveals that soil viruses can reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by selectively infecting the microbes responsible for producing this potent greenhouse gas.
NewsAI can be valuable tool to strengthen pandemic preparedness
Artificial intelligence could be a valuable tool for detecting emerging diseases earlier, researchers from five European universities and research institutes argue.
NewsAncient plankton hint at steadier future for ocean life
A team of scientists has uncovered a rare isotope in microscopic fossils, offering fresh evidence that ocean ecosystems may be more resilient than once feared. They analyzed nitrogen isotopes preserved in the shells of tiny plankton called foraminifera.
NewsHigh-latitude phytoplankton particularly sensitive to climate change
A team of researchers have investigated how high-latitude phytoplankton communities responded to ancient climate warming. High-latitude communities are historically understudied and likely to be particularly sensitive to human-driven climate change.
NewsCorals might be adapting to climate change, study shows
Researchers showed that despite a gradual increase in ocean acidity levels over the past 200 years, some corals seem to be able to adjust and continue to generate their hard, stony skeleton structures.
NewsCould bacteria help fix the smoky taste of wildfire-tainted wine?
New laboratory experiments show that a bacterium that lives on grape plants can break down guaiacol—an unpleasant-tasting substance which ruins wines made from grapes exposed to wildfire smoke.
NewsInvasive mosquito vector species detected in surveillance traps in UK
A study describes the detection of invasive mosquito eggs in the United Kingdom in 2023 and 2024, suggesting an increasing incidence of importation of these species, potentially putting new populations at risk of disease transmission.
NewsBacteria transform waste polystyrene into nylon precursors
Scientists have succeeded in getting bacteria to break down the molecular building blocks of polystyrene and convert them into useful chemicals.