Levels of air pollution significantly increase on the island of Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic when tourist cruise ships are present, according to a recent study. With shipping levels rising in the region, the researchers recommend that stricter emissions regulations are introduced in order to limit the impact of pollution on the Arctic environment.
Gas flaring and residential combustion are significant sources of soot, or black carbon, pollution in the Arctic, but their role has been underestimated until now, according to a recent study. The research indicates that flaring from oil and gas developments is the largest source of this pollutant, responsible for 42% of black carbon pollution in the Arctic.
Groups of chemicals used as flame retardants were present in the bodies of Antarctic rock cod (Trematomus bernacchii), young gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), and brown skua seabird (Stercorarius antarcticus) collected from King George Island, Antarctica. This study is the first to find some of these chemicals in Antarctica, confirming that they undergo long-range transport and can reach isolated areas where they are not widely produced or used.
Dangerously high air pollution in the vicinity of shipbreaking yards has been detected by a recent study, where the concentrations of toxic chemicals in the air were found to be above carcinogenic risk limits (as set by the World Health Organisation). The research, carried out in Chittagong, Bangladesh, noted that shipbreaking activities and the subsequent processing and treatment of materials – particularly the burning of waste — result in emissions of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) enter the environment in large quantities via the combustion of fossil fuels and organic matter. They are a cause for concern given their known toxicity, potential to cause cancer and ability to move large distances in the atmosphere — meaning that they are found in remote or protected areas, such as the Arctic, even if not emitted there. This study explores how PAH levels in the Arctic atmosphere have changed over the past 20 years at three sites in Canada, Norway and Finland. The results show that, despite a global decrease in PAH emissions in the same timeframe, the air concentrations in the Arctic are not significantly declining — possibly partly as a result of local warming causing more volatile PAHs to move from the surface to the air.
Bioremediation is a technique that harnesses the power of nature to treat contaminated soils and groundwater. This study explored a technology that is effective at capturing groundwater pollutants and shows promise in extreme environments — the Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB).
New tool helps Housing Connector place individuals and families experiencing homelessness into privately owned homes and apartments quickly and efficiently
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More than half of borrowers spend five hours or less shopping for home financing options, according to Zillow survey
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The company will pursue opportunities in the current "compelling acquisition environment".
Researchers from NTU Singapore have developed a semi-autonomous robot that can disinfect large surfaces quickly. Named eXtreme Disinfection roBOT (XDBOT), it can be wirelessly controlled via a laptop or tablet, removing the need for cleaners to be in contact with surfaces, thereby reducing the risk of picking up the virus from potentially contaminated areas....
Following the repudiation of a proposed English Channel bridge, a less costly 'Celtic Connection' between Scotland and Northern Ireland gains traction.
ncreasing fathers' support during pregnancy may lower rates of premature babies and babies born too small.
Researchers discover several new species of sharks that can walk along shallow reefs on their fins.
The demand for gasoline in the United States reached a new high in March with an average of 9.3 million barrels of gasoline being produced per day.
Nature photographer Florian Schulz says the oil spill in the Gulf must serve as a warning as the U.S. seeks oil in the Arctic.
Greenpeace ship blocked en route to protesting new oil find off the coast of Greenland.
Pine Island Glacier holds back part of the massive West Antarctic Ice Sheet, whose thinning ice is contributing to sea level rise.
NASA's new map combined radar, sound waves and electromagnetic instruments to peer beneath Antarctica's ice.
This winter, the Arctic ice cap expanded to a total of 5.76 million square miles — one of the lowest areas on record since 1979.
If a small chunk of ice currently plugging the edge of an ice sheet in Antarctica were to melt, it could release massive amounts of ice into the ocean.
As ice melts, Antarctica's ground is rebounding at a surprising rate. Scientists think it's because the Earth's mantle is flowing faster there.
Antarctica's melting glaciers launched so many icebergs into the ocean 14,600 years ago that sea level rose 6.5 feet in just 100 years.
Arctic sea ice — the ice that freezes and floats on Arctic waters — is thinning at a steadier and faster rate than researchers previously thought.
Geologists say they have found a range of volcanoes beneath the ice of Antarctica that rival those of east Africa and North America.
Antarctica ice loss was only contributing 0.2 millimeters per year to sea level rise, but that number has jumped to 0.6 millimeters since 2012.
Parents may be teaching babies to use food as a comfort, which leads to obesity later in life, studies show. But as a parent, I'm not buying it.
A Barcelona design duo work impressive DIY restoration magic on a long-abandoned comital residence-turned-storehouse-turned-apartment.
The Institute of Medicine has raised the amount of potatoes, corn and peas it recommends you eat each week.
"Vertical Churches" give viewers a head-turning look at some of the most beautiful architecture in the world.
Artifacts uncovered at the bottom of Lake Titicaca show this religion pre-dated the Incas by 500 years.
A new forecast from Pike Research says California and New York will be the most popular states for PEV sales.
As gas prices rose in March 2011, so did sales of the Toyota Prius and other hybrid vehicles. The rise in sales of the best-selling hybrid mimic the trend set d
Multi-university project asks how organic farmers can control these pests and protect their crops.
Scientists have improved on a method that uses an acidic solution to remove radioactive material from soil.
At a tiny outpost in the middle of Antarctica, Russian scientists are poised to become the first humans to reach a massive liquid lake that has been cut off fro
The Mapdwell project at MIT combines Google Maps, solar power data and some smart algorithms to calculate the costs and benefits of installing solar panels.
Though they're perceived as destructive, volcanoes may actually play an important part in promoting biodiversity, a new study suggests.