Energy

an overhead shot of land split in three. the left side is dry and dusty. the middle has some vegetation, and the right side has a lot.

Desertification is destroying fertile land. Here’s how we’re fighting it.

a female presenting person in a lab coat holding a solar cell

New “tandem” solar cell breaks world record

A new tandem solar cell containing layers of silicon and perovskite has demonstrated an unprecedented efficiency of 33.7%.

Kristin Houser

Clean Energy

These 4 charts show the unstoppable growth of solar

Solar is growing fast enough to displace fossil fuels from the entire global economy before 2050, but infrastructure needs to keep up.

Andrew Blakers

Clean Energy

New motionless tech harnesses wind energy from rooftops

Aeromine Technologies’ motionless wind energy system promises to increase the amount of renewable energy generated from rooftops.

Kristin Houser

Climate Crisis

Is ancient technology better than modern air conditioning?

Wind catchers — an ancient technique to beat the heat — could help us once more in our quest for emissions-free cooling.

Teresa Carey

Ecosystems

Meanwhile, Antarctica’s snow is turning green

On the Antarctic Peninsula, so-called snow algae are turning the snow green, which could lay the groundwork for a whole new ecosystem.

Frank Jacobs

Sustainability

New process could make plastic recycling more profitable

A new process that combines chemical recycling with engineered bacteria could make plastic recycling more profitable.

Kristin Houser

Climate Crisis

New MIT system could cool buildings up to 10℃— without electricity

MIT’s new “passive cooling” system could break the spiral of more air conditioning.

Sam Jarman

Climate Crisis

World’s whitest paint is now thin enough for cars, planes

A new, thinner version of the world’s whitest paint could slash the need for climate-harming air conditioning in cars, airplanes, and more.

Kristin Houser

Animals

Sea turtles in Seychelles have recovered from the brink

The green turtles of Seychelles – once almost hunted to extinction – are now thriving again thanks to conservation efforts.

Cheryl Sanchez and Adam Pritchard and April Burt

Startups

You could soon get a piece of $700 million Liquid Death

Canned water startup Liquid Death, now valued at $700 million, is considering going public in the next two years.

Kristin Houser

Ecosystems

This floating fence can catch plastic waste before it hits the sea

The majority of oceanic plastic waste comes from rivers and coasts. Floating fences may help stop it at the source.

B. David Zarley

Clean Energy

Brick batteries may be a key to decarbonizing heavy industry

By storing renewable energy as heat in brick “batteries,” Rondo Energy believes they can decarbonize heavy industry.

B. David Zarley

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