The future challenge is to develop analytic strengths that span the organisation and not just areas of expertise.

The extent of marine litter in the Mediterranean Basin has been revealed by a new study. Researchers reviewed previous studies to show that the northwest Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot for plastic debris. They found that marine litter harmed 134 species in the Mediterranean Sea and call for more to be done to manage the growing problem of debris, especially plastics, littering the Sea.

Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) are likely being exposed to microplastics and associated toxic additives in the Mediterranean Sea, finds new research. The research analysed levels of microplastics and biological and chemical markers of exposure in whales from the Mediterranean Sea and the comparatively pristine Sea of Cortez, off the coast of Mexico. The results suggest that the vulnerable Mediterranean fin whale may be suffering as a consequence of microplastic pollution.

A new study has assessed the value of ecosystem-based approaches to mitigating climate changes and conserving biodiversity in Germany. The researchers highlight the trade-offs and synergies between climate adaptation and nature conservation and suggest that effective ecosystem-based climate policy requires improved coordination between different sectors, such as agriculture, forestry and energy.

Combinations of antibiotics have been found in high enough concentrations to pose a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems, in a recent Spanish study. Antibiotics can have toxic effects on the bacteria and algae that form the basis of aquatic ecosystems.

Fragments of microplastics are readily incorporated into groups of microscopic algae, altering the rate at which the plastics move through seawater, a recent study has found. In laboratory tests, polystyrene microbeads, which usually sink to the bottom of seawater at a rate of 4 mm a day, sank at a rate of several hundreds of metres a day when part of microalgae aggregates.

Combinations of antibiotics used in veterinary medicine could harm the growth of algal communities when they pass into water bodies from treated livestock, according to recent European research. Algae play vital roles in ecosystems by cycling nutrients and producing energy from photosynthesis; veterinary use of antibiotics should, therefore, be monitored in the environment, including for any biological impacts on algal species, the study recommends.

European policy permits the application of nutrient-rich sewage sludge on agricultural land as a means of recycling1. However, contamination of sludge with microplastics may pose a risk to ecosystems. This study looked at the characteristics of microplastics in sewage sludge after three types of waste-water treatment, finding that anaerobic digestion should be explored as a method of microplastic reduction.

Advances in nanotechnology mean that a rapidly increasing number of products are being produced using engineered nanomaterials, for example, nano-enabled thermoplastics. Many of these nano-enabled products are destined to reach their end-of-life through waste incineration or accidental fire. Now, an original study has revealed that the presence of nanofiller in thermoplastics significantly enhances both the concentration and toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) produced during thermal decomposition at the product’s end- of-life, resulting in concentrations of total PAHs and more toxic PAHs that are up to eight times higher than those found in pure (non nano-enabled) thermoplastics. This finding has significant environmental health implications.

Nano-sized particles of plastic can be more damaging to marine species than larger sized microplastics, a new study shows. Lab tests revealed that nanoplastics can damage cell membranes in tiny marine creatures called rotifers (Rotifera), disrupting their natural defences against toxicants. The researchers found that rotifers that had been exposed to nanoparticles of polystyrene were significantly more susceptible to the lethal effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Microplastics, polymer-based particles of less than five millimetres in size, have become an archetypal sign of anthropogenic waste and environmental pollution. This German study explores how microplastics in soil affect plants, screening the potential effects of six different microplastics on the soil environment, plant traits and function using a terrestrial plant-soil model based on the spring onion (Allium fistulosum). The researchers find that plants react strongly to microplastic exposure, with significant changes observed in the physical parameters of soil, plant root and leaf traits and plant biomass.

The title function is the third most commonly-used function in my 13 years of writing this blog, after imshow and imread. You have probably all used this function many times.... read more >>

Baylis, Françoise, 1961- author

Health impact assessments (HIAs) provide information on the potential health impacts of policies, and are important for developing regulation on air pollution. In this study, researchers evaluated the metrics currently used in air quality HIAs to provide recommendations for their use in policy.

Synthetic biology has the potential to address global issues, such as clean energy and affordable vaccines, but it also carries potential risks. Policy makers are currently faced with the challenge of regulating this emerging science and a new US report has made recommendations for minimising risks without restricting progress based on five ethical principles.

The chemical 1,4-dioxane, a solvent suspected of causing cancer, is very difficult to clean up once it enters the environment. However, hope is offered by recent scientific developments that use plants, bacteria and fungi to decontaminate water resources. Scientists provided a round-up of these 1,4-dioxane bioremediation techniques in a recent analysis.

High-throughput ‘omics’ technologies, which allow exact and synchronised study of thousands of DNA, RNA, proteins and other molecules, are rapidly becoming more advanced and affordable. As these technologies develop, it is becoming quicker, easier and more affordable to generate unprecedented amounts of biological data, much of which could usefully inform environmental management. So far, however, the application of omics information in environmental management has failed to keep pace with the rapid development of omics-based research, meaning there is untapped potential. A recent study highlights the value of bringing omics information into environmental management and outlines practical ways in which omics can contribute to the risk assessment and management of chemicals.

Myke is sick, Grey hits two million YouTube subscribers, and they are both very upset about Apple Pencil support in iOS 9.3.

Topics #SystemWebFigure Figure: depiction of WebHome, ReferenceManual, ManagingTopics, ManagingWebs, MainFeatures topics contained in the System web #TopicDefinition ... (last changed by ProjectContributor)

Two of England’s most versatile pianists will herald the arrival of spring at a concert in Rickmansworth on Saturday, February 29.

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In the next decade, the tropics will suffer unprecedented climate change effects, long before the Arctic and its polar bears see big shifts.

A geothermal loop will keep a fancy new elephant house toasty with the captured heat generated by the cooling system in the polar bear habitat.

Video: Robots help surgeons transcend human limits.

Video: The best animators know that physics will make their animation more lifelike.

Herbals and natural food alternatives may offer you a chance to skip the pills next time you're sick.

Research is finding that probiotics might be useful in treating high blood pressure, anxiety, eczema and other maladies.

The future looks uncertain for an industry on the brink of making huge gains in Washington this year.

The aurora may hold the secret of a magnetic phenomenon related to the nuclear fusion powering the sun.

Just imagine floating high above the city in a clear-bottomed swimming pool. Or not.

The British Airways i360 isn't even due to open until August.

Sprouted grains, legumes, nuts and vegetables are showing up on the store shelves. Here’s what you need to know for a basic understanding.

A new Sierra Club campaign urges environmentalists to fight oil sands to preserve winter sports.

U.S. Postal Service expands electronics recycling program. Customers can trade in old cellphones for cash at 3,100 USPS retail locations.

A report issued earlier this week caused quite a stir in the organic food world. See what some respected organic food advocates are saying about it.

New study finds microplastics in the most popular brands of bottled water, but experts are unclear on the risks.

Chemists at Colorado State University think they've found a polymer that's similar to plastic and can be easily manufactured and recycled.

Drinking straws are one item that's days are numbered as Ikea vows to eliminate throwaway plastic products from its product range and in-store eateries.

A study found that microplastics can be kept inside water-dwelling creatures, like mosquitoes, as they age.

Many countries, states and municipalities are getting serious about reducing the use of plastic bags, utensils and containers.

Complimentary or not, Thomas Paino welcomes the attention being lavished on his super-efficient Long Island City rowhouse.

159 coral reefs were examined in the Asian-Pacific region, and 89 percent of those reefs were contaminated with plastics and disease.

A new EPA proposal attempts to limit toxic emissions of air pollutants from coal and oil-fired power plants.

Today HP unveils a breakthough in powerful computer chip technology that can process data, store memory and stack 3-dimensionally.. just like a brain synapse.

Dell makes recycling its old laptops fairly easy, but most companies make it tough for customers to return no-longer-usable electronics for safe disposal.

Center for Environmental Health's new guide attempts to consolidate electronic buying guides from many nonprofits.

The future of electronics recycling may be in donating used items. With the proliferation of household as well as personal consumer electronics, there’s a ser

A light-emitting diode (LED) developed at MIT operates at 230-percent efficiency. That's not a typo. LEDs will provide 70 percent of the world's general lightin

There are many reasons to recycle electronics, including copper, steel, gold, silver. The wiring in some older desk tops may yield up to 5 pounds of copper.

The ultrathin New Apple MacBook laptop has been called one of the "least repairable, least recyclable" computers on the market. Sustainability was not included