From casual acoustic melodies at the coffee shop to throbbing electronic beats at teen clothing outlets, music is used to mold customer experience and behavior. But what impact does it have on employees?

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April was a month of heavy-lifting for Anand Natarajan, COO, DBS Bank India, but the company’s investments made towards building a robust tech infrastructure made pandemic substantially easier for him.

A new study based on high-resolution satellite observations of forests suggests the 'albedo', or reflectivity, of a forest needs to be carefully considered in afforestation schemes designed to mitigate climate change, i.e. carbon balance alone is not a good indicator of mitigation value. The authors argue that the Kyoto Protocol carbon accounting rules grossly overestimate the cooling caused by afforestation, because they do not consider albedo effects.

Relatively simple, low-cost measures, such as insulating walls and installing solar collectors and efficient heaters for hot water can significantly reduce energy consumption in housing developments, according to a recent study from Portugal. Energy-efficient homes not only benefit the environment, but were found to potentially reduce residents’ energy bills by over half in an apartment block studied by the researchers.

Pioneering methods used in the Netherlands combine remediation of brownfield sites with the use of groundwater for heat cold storage (HCS, or ATES: Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage) to achieve both low-cost remediation and sustainable use of energy.

Loss of satellites providing rainfall data could have a negative effect on global flood management, according to new research. However, this could be mitigated by improved international co-operation and the use of more modern satellite technology, the authors say. The study examined the consequences for flood management of the loss of four of the existing 10 dedicated rainfall measuring satellites.

New technology that makes energy capture from waste water and re-use of grey water possible can contribute to energy- and resource efficiency — but the widespread application of such technology requires a new, collaborative approach, shows a new study. Taking radical innovation in urban water systems beyond the pilot stage will require cooperation between a variety of stakeholders, suggest the findings of expert interviews and workshops.

Establishing ecological networks across national boundaries is recognised as essential to supporting biodiversity. New research in Germany has indicated that these networks could be improved through greater exchange of knowledge and better links with land planning.

A case study in Sweden has shown that critically endangered European eels are being lost when they are sucked into the local nuclear power station???s cooling system. A process to pump the eels back into the sea could be beneficial to this species, the researchers conclude.

Species surveys should be standardised across Member State borders to assess conservation status accurately, a new study concludes. The researchers assessed the conservation status of the Eurasian otter across the Republic of Ireland–UK border, finding that it was favourable for the whole island of Ireland. This provides a case study of surveys designed to provide data that is comparable across borders, say the researchers.

The potential effects of nanotechnologies on health are considered in a report by the European Academies Science Advisory Council and European Commission Joint Research Center. The report makes recommendations to help scientists and policymakers coordinate their efforts in maximising the benefits – and minimising any negative health effects – of rapidly developing nanotechnologies, across a wide range of applications.

A range of legislation, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), is designed to ensure the ‘Good Environmental Status’ (GES) of EU seas by 2020. Researchers have assessed the MSFD in relation to existing maritime policies, concluding that coordination between directives is important to achieve GES.

A new study suggests that widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel could have major benefits for tackling climate change and air pollution. The researchers modelled the impacts of replacing petrol with hydrogen as a fuel for cars and claim their methods, which employ a new modelling tool, could be useful in planning and policymaking.

The net cooling effect that aerosols have on the climate will be lost as emissions drop in the future, new research suggests. However, the consequent warming will ultimately be counter balanced if policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are put in place.

Pollutants emitted by human activities have caused declines in air quality and drastic changes to climate. Despite being inextricably linked, these two major environmental issues tend to be viewed separately by policy. However, in certain instances, considering these issues together could lead to strategies that benefit both, according to a newly published review.

Researchers have published a paper providing evidence that a ‘cooling-off effect’ can lead to increased public acceptance of new environmental technologies over time. The scientists analysed survey results from over 1 000 respondents in Germany, using solar radiation management (SRM), a controversial climate-engineering technique, as a test case. They found that, following a cooling-off period of either one month, 12 months, or 18 months, acceptance of SRM increased significantly — and that the longer the cooling-off period, the larger the increase. These findings have far-reaching implications, both for the deployment of SRM and for climate policymakers seeking to more accurately measure the public acceptability of novel interventions.

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Great British Bake Off semi-finalist, Stacey Hart, has taken on a new challenge - creating delicious treats without using refined sugar. Here the baker from Hertfordshire explains what prompted her to make changes and shares her recipes.

Wherever you stand on the plastic straw debate, food writer Melissa Hemsley is right: “You don’t get two in your mojito on a Friday night now!”

Hertfordshire’s leading residential developer, Heronslea Group, has won the top category at last week’s Premier Guarantee Excellence Awards for its ground breaking development, The Residence, in Hadley Wood, North London.

Molson Coors chief communications and corporate affairs officer Adam Collins talks about joining the company amid a rebranding and restructuring, as well as the latest industry news.

Why stay home and cook for your sweetheart, your family, or your friends on Valentine’s Day? Let me show you.

From appetizer to dessert, a menu for Valentine’s Day dinner so you can enjoy time in the kitchen with your sweetheart.

The rare dual-sex butterfly astounded curators at the Natural History Museum in London.

Check out this recipe for a chocolate chip cookie loaded with the perfect supply of nutrients for breastfeeding moms.

Hampton Creek does two things, vegan mayonnaise and cookie dough, and it does them well.

A family proves that even the most ramshackle out buildings can be transformed into cozy, habitable spaces with a bit of hard work and creative design.

Cookstoves that burn more efficiently and channel smoke outside could save millions of lives around the world.

Video: Researchers are developing a robot language so 'bots' can cooperate with each other.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most memorable Science Nation moments in two years of fascinating weekly videos.

This book takes you on a journey to an organic Japanese farm through personal stories and recipes.

The United States has approved construction of new nuclear reactors for the first time in three decades. The two new reactors approved on Feb. 9 for Georgia wou

Even a relatively small regional nuclear war could trigger global cooling, damage the ozone layer and cause droughts for more than a decade.

Chicken in a creamy apricot and ginger sauce makes a satisfying, quick, weeknight meal.

You may be surprised how many of your kitchen staples have a shelf life of decades — even after they've been opened.

Ariyele Ressler features simple, nourishing recipes in her YouTube cooking channel.

Make the holiday season a little healthier with these sweet cookie recipes.

How to add more of this healthful fruit to your diet.

Artichokes have so much more potential than you might suspect.

These bitter cruciferous vegetables are an often-looked superfood — unless you live in the South, that is.

With all that holiday food prep coming up, now may be the perfect time to teach the little ones some kitchen skills.

Apparently touring other people's chicken coops is what all the cool kids are doing these days.

Stephen Colbert cuts through the “locavore flim flam” to find out what is at the heart of Michael Pollan’s latest book.

Obama and Jintao announce sweeping clean energy 'cooperation plan' that could significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Brazen raccoon bandits may be trying to trying to send Toronto a message. They have been showing up in all sorts of places.

GoSun Stove offers a new approach to solar-powered cooking with a heated tube used to prepare food.

It's worth keeping tabs on some of the super-cool clean tech projects being backed by ARPA-E. Here are some of our favorites.