Environment + Energy – Views & Research

Thirsty? deepblue4you/E+ via Getty Images

Nearly 60 million Americans don’t drink their tap water, research suggests – here’s why that’s a public health problem

Asher Rosinger, Penn State

Longleaf pines support one another through mycorrhizae – mutually beneficial relationships between certain fungi and the trees’ roots. Justin Meissen/Flickr

Plants thrive in a complex world by communicating, sharing resources and transforming their environments

Beronda L. Montgomery, Michigan State University

How big a deal is carbon leakage, anyway? AP Photo/Virginia Mayo

The EU wants a carbon tax on imports – but would it be the climate solution officials expect?

Timothy Hamilton, University of Richmond

Tampa Bay’s sea grass meadows need sunlight to thrive. Algae blooms block that light and can be toxic to marine life. Joe Whalen Caulerpa/Tampa Bay Estuary Program via Unsplash

Water being pumped into Tampa Bay could cause a massive algae bloom, putting fragile manatee and fish habitats at risk

Larry Brand, University of Miami

Ghost forest panorama in coastal North Carolina. Emily Ury

Sea level rise is killing trees along the Atlantic coast, creating ‘ghost forests’ that are visible from space

Emily Ury, Duke University

Wind turbines and fighter jets both rely on imported critical minerals. U.S. Air Force; Dennis Schroeder/NREL

The US is worried about its critical minerals supply chains – essential for electric vehicles, wind power and the nation’s defense

Jordy Lee, Colorado School of Mines and Morgan Bazilian, Colorado School of Mines

Marine life is fleeing the equator to cooler waters. History tells us this could trigger a mass extinction event

Anthony Richardson, The University of Queensland; Chhaya Chaudhary, University of Auckland; David Schoeman, University of the Sunshine Coast, and Mark John Costello, University of Auckland

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s Pine Tree Wind Farm and Solar Power Plant in Tehachapi, Calif., 115 miles from LA. Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The US needs a macrogrid to move electricity from areas that make it to areas that need it

James D. McCalley, Iowa State University

The ocean is becoming more stable – here’s why that might not be a good thing

Phil Hosegood, University of Plymouth

Government policies sparked rapid growth and technology innovation in solar energy, wind energy and battery markets. Michael Hall/Getty Images

Technology innovation gives government leverage to drive down emissions fast – here’s how

Jessika E. Trancik, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

City dwellers gained more access to public spaces during the pandemic – can they keep it?

Katharine Lusk, Boston University

Giant kelp (*Macrocystis pyrifera*) is a potential energy crop. Linking Tourism & Conservation/Flickr

Move over, corn and soybeans: The next biofuel source could be giant sea kelp

Diane Kim, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Ignacio Navarrete, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and Jessica Dutton, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Building a U.S. offshore wind industry will require more than just fast-tracking permits. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The US just set ambitious offshore wind power targets – what will it take to meet them?

Erin Baker, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Matthew Lackner, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Solar geoengineering could mean taking steps to alter the formation of clouds. Matt Dutcher/Getty Images

Solar geoengineering is worth studying but not a substitute for cutting emissions, study finds

James W. Hurrell, Colorado State University; Ambuj D Sagar, The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and Marion Hourdequin, Colorado College

In the Netherlands, some flood control systems are designed to adapt to future climate change. Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

How to make sure Biden’s infrastructure plan can hold up to climate change – and save money

Jeremy Bricker, University of Michigan

An African forest elephant (*Loxodonta cyclotis*) in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of the Congo. Nicolas Deloche/Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Africa’s 2 elephant species are both endangered, due to poaching and habitat loss

George Wittemyer, Colorado State University

Jeremiah Kiarie rounds up tilapia at Green Algae Highland fish farm in central Kenya on April 29, 2017. Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images

Farming fish in fresh water is more affordable and sustainable than in the ocean

Ben Belton, Michigan State University; Dave Little, University of Stirling, and Wenbo Zhang, Shanghai Ocean University

Some companies’ net-zero plans include continuing to emit climate-warming greenhouse gases for decades. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Why corporate climate pledges of ‘net-zero’ emissions should trigger a healthy dose of skepticism

Oliver Miltenberger, The University of Melbourne and Matthew D. Potts, University of California, Berkeley

Residents of the Jacob Riis Settlement in New York City hold photographs of leaks, mold, peeling paint and other issues during a community town hall meeting on March 7, 2019. AP Photo/Kathy Willens

March 24, 2021

How to improve public health, the environment and racial equity all at once: Upgrade low-income housing

Jonathan Levy, Boston University

Building retrofits are no joke: They make dwellings healthier and more energy-efficient. And when they're done in low-income housing, they also reduce inequality.

An insect-friendly wildflower swath at California State University, Fullerton’s arboretum. TDLucas5000/Flickr

March 22, 2021

To help insects, make them welcome in your garden – here’s how

Brian Lovett, West Virginia University

Looking for a new gardening challenge? Turning your yard into an insect-friendly oasis could mean less work and more nature to enjoy.

Migrant workers in a Florida community hit hard by Hurricane Irma line up for donated supplies. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

March 18, 2021

Losing cultural context in emergency communication can be a matter of life and death

Amer Hamad Issa Abukhalaf, University of Florida and Jason von Meding, University of Florida

Misunderstanding disaster warnings can have catastrophic consequences. New research shows how easily modern emergency communications can get lost in translation.