Angle - a news agency for science and the environment

The system diagram. Illustration by Ran Levy RNLV-Design

Desalination, the nanorobot version

Futuristic water purification? An Israeli company is developing a new desalination method in which nano-robots will clean seawater of problematic salts; This, without removing from them substances that are important for our health
The various ways in which Indians worship the Ganges also pollute it. Photo: balouriarajesh, Pixabay

polish to earth

Special for the holiday: these are the stories of some of the most polluted places on our planet, which would not be harmed by a "Pesach cleaning". A dirty trip around the world

The scientist leading the Amazon rescue

A transformation is currently taking place in the Amazon forest, and behind it stands a researcher: Prof. Paulo Artaxo, one of the most important scientists in the world, put together the plan that is currently being implemented in Brazil to rehabilitate and glorify the injured rain forest. on the occasion of his visit
Although the attacking ants far outnumber the attackers, they are not able to defend themselves against them - nor do they try. A polyergus ant surrounded by enslaved formica anthills, photo: Adrian A. Smith, CC BY 2.5

We were slaves to the ant and the butterfly

Special for Passover: It turns out that slavery is not limited to humans, and various insects survive and multiply in nature thanks to the "slavery" of other species. So what do an army of small ants and Sparta have in common? What were cow barbers?
The webbing of the clustered citrus bar is unique. Photo: Olaf Leillinger, CC BY-SA 2.5

Spiders for tomatoes

Why do untamed dolphins cooperate with humans? The human-dolphin collaboration in the lagoon in Brazil. Photo: Dr. Bianca Romeu, courtesy of Oregon State University

Dolphin, do you like fishing?

For several decades dolphins and fishermen have been hunting together on the beaches of southern Brazil. New international research reveals how this cooperation contributes to marine mammals' chances of survival and what we must do to
environmental credit. Illustration: depositphotos.com

A debt to the environment

Opinion: The human relationship to the climate and the environment is similar to intensive borrowing - except that we have no intention of regaining our peace. We must change our ways of working with the "bank" - because otherwise, we will sink
Many studies testify to the positive effects of green spaces on our health. Photo by Myan Nguyen on Unsplash

What is denser is greener?

The new house was built in Shiga Prefecture in central Japan, next to the largest freshwater lake in the country. Photo: Ushijima Architects

Advance construction for flooding

Guarding the house: a Japanese architectural firm has designed a private house that will remain stable and protect its residents - even if the floods hit it hard
The plastic that reaches the bottom remains available to the animals in the sea. Photo by PublicDomainPictures on Pixabay

When the seabed is covered with plastic

Plastic continues to dominate every good plot: new research reveals that the amount of microscopic plastic on the ocean floor has tripled in just 20 years. Moreover, the microplastic at the bottom of the sea almost did not disintegrate
The body bones of various chameleons glow through their skin under ultraviolet light. Photo: Prötzel et al., Scientific Reports, CC BY 4.0

The chameleon in disguise

The decoration of chameleons is not limited to their outer part - and the bones of many of them glow through their skin under ultraviolet light. This way the chameleons never stop surprising with original costumes that can be an inspiration for the holiday
In our country there are close to 750 known species of mushrooms. A swamp artist is eaten, photo: Tamar Levinson

A small poisonous mushroom

Poisoning in Israel - like mushrooms after the rain? A new study reveals the patterns of poisoning from wild mushrooms in our country. The main victims: children up to the age of 6, and also men. And what is the space where most poisonings occur? No,
White bear - polar bear. Able to switch from hibernation to active mode in one second. The Bronx Zoo. Photo: Avi Blizovsky

Cold feet: the secret of walking on the ice of polar bears

Special for Polar Bear Day: American researchers have discovered the reason why polar bears walk without difficulty on ice and snow surfaces that would cause each and every one of us to slip - microscopic bumps that line the
In recent winters we have all seen images of flooded streets and submerged cars. A military truck transports civilians trapped following the floods in Nahariya, January 2020. Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit, CC BY-SA 3.0

We do not overflow: the development that will prevent flooding

A new Israeli development based on rainwater storage tanks that are placed in residential buildings and controlled by a computerized system - may reduce the load on the drainage systems in cities, thus helping to minimize the
Simulation of an underwater gas pipeline explosion similar to the Russian gas pipeline that was blown up by the Russians to prevent gas from Europe during its invasion of Ukraine. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The war on energy

Due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, Europeans are turning to the sun and wind: according to the estimates of a new report, in 2022 there will be a significant increase in the establishment of renewable energy production systems in Europe, following the energy crisis created by the war.
At the center of the new invention is the use of a wind turbine of a type not many people are familiar with - a vertical axis turbine. Illustration: David Kaiser

spiritual desalination

A new Israeli invention makes it possible to dewater water with the help of a unique wind turbine whose axis of rotation is vertical, which operates without any use of electricity. This is to deal with the problem of the enormous energy consumption of the desalination process,
Arganite crystal. Illustration: depositphotos.com

What happens when failures have a fever?

Bad surprise: Israeli research has found large amounts of mineral matter in the eastern Mediterranean whose formation process releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. What it means? That our ocean emits more greenhouse gases than we thought
A swarm of bees returns to the hive. The researchers found that the bees created an electric field in the range of 1,000-100 volts per meter. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Is there electricity in the air? These are the bees

The power of a group - the electrifying version: British researchers discovered that swarms of bees carry a particularly powerful electrical charge. It turns out that the buzz is literal
The researchers recently applied for a patent for the method they developed, and are currently looking for industry partners. Photo from the study: Nanyang Technological University

Nes Pech Hashemin, the vegetable version

Researchers from Singapore have succeeded in making the plant produce a greater amount of oil in its seeds - which may help in the fight against food insecurity in the world and make it possible to reduce deforestation for agricultural purposes. the mother
In the research it was discovered that the protein that makes up the shoton does not have one fixed form, but can exist in at least 11 states. Photo by CDC on Unsplash

And even so, the bacterium moves and moves

For many years, researchers from all over the world have debated the question: how do bacteria move? A new international study sheds light on the movement mechanism of those microscopic creatures, through a reexamination of the proteins that make them up
Northabout in the Arctic Circle. Photography: Thomas Bour

Northern exposure

The most significant threat to the Great Barrier Reef is warming ocean waters, which creates coral bleaching. Photo by QUI NGUYEN on Unsplash

Is the reef recovering?

Good news from the world's most famous coral reef: an Australian report indicates that large parts of the Great Barrier Reef are undergoing significant recovery. But alongside the success, the evidence also points to some alarming findings worth diving into
a toilet Illustration: depositphotos.com

Your urine is worth more

A new Swedish development turns urine into fertilizer, and may prevent wasting the precious resource (yes, pee is important), and also reduce the pollution created by human waste. Are we facing a revolution in the toilet field?
"When you read the contents and the schedules, you understand that there is a serious plan here." Photo: Tokyo Metropolitan Government

The Green City - the Japanese version

In Tokyo, a futuristic city is being planned, which is completely sustainable and economically viable. Green utopia or ecological fantasy?
Logo of the climate conference in Sharm El Sheikh.

From Glasgow to Sharm: The climate conference opens today in a conflicted world

A year after the conference in Glasgow, in which countries such as the USA, China, Russia, the European Union and Israel, committed to goals of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and 2060 - the question arises: do the countries
Persistent pollutants are everywhere. Image: depositphotos.com

Rain of pollutants

A new Swedish study reveals that the concentration of harmful chemical compounds of the PFAS type in rain has passed the point of no return. We will probably have to work hard so that the concept of "blessing rains" does not become a painful chapter in history lessons
Jason Hickel believes that it is precisely the economic model that dominates the world today, capitalism, that has brought us to the point of poverty.

What is the solution to the climate crisis?

Three books from the past year offer us three different ways to fight the climate crisis. So what is the right way?
The danger of extinction may be real for the lizards, and this is due to the climate crisis that causes a shortening of their lifespan. Photo: Ocrdu, CC BY-SA 4.0

The lizards are born old

A new French study found that lizards living in France were born "older". It is not about a sequel to "The Amazing Story of Benjamin Button", but about another item on the list of damages from the climate crisis
One of the main ways to help protect the reserve is to completely avoid using single-use plastic utensils in these areas. Photo: Shahar Chaikin

Are there fish in the margins?

A new Israeli study examined how the fish are doing in the Rosh Hankara marine reserve. Diving deeper into the issue showed that the protection of the fish decreases as they move away from its center. So how do we protect the locos that came down?
This year's convention was held against the backdrop of a steep increase in the number and severity of extreme weather events in the world - a phenomenon caused by the climate crisis. Credit: Raafat, CC BY-SA 4.0

On the way to Sharm

In about a month, the UN's international climate conference will open in Sharm el-Sheikh, where world leaders will gather to try and fight the climate crisis. What is expected to be there? What opportunities does it hold? And what about Israel?
The climate crisis: if we are all to blame - then none of us is to blame. Image: depositphotos.com

The real soul-searching we need

Opinion: Yom Kippur is an opportunity to take stock of our vulnerability to the environment. We must prioritize our well-being over more and more profits, and start the social change that will lead us away from a culture of "use and throw away"
Apparently, it will be impossible to repair the vulnerabilities in these pipelines in the coming months. Part of the Nordstrom pipeline. Photo: Vuo, CC BY-SA 4.0

Environmental terrorism from Europe may also reach Israel

Marveling in front of the giant tree "General Sherman", whose age is estimated at 2,700-2,200 years, reminds us that there are things much bigger than us - literally and metaphorically. Photo: Jim Bahn, CC BY 2.0

How much is nature worth? Depends on how you measure

A new UN report indicates that lawmakers around the world only look at the immediate economic benefit that can be derived from nature - and ignore its value in aspects that are harder to quantify in numbers, such as its impact on
Inside the car, the air comes from the air conditioner. Image: depositphotos.com

Will you open a window? The air pollution inside the car

When the car is barely making progress on the busy city roads, it is comforting to think to ourselves that at least within its walls we are protected from the urban air pollution. But a new study calls us to actually get out of the vehicles: it turns out that it's quite polluted inside
The "Space Bubbles" project is an example of climate engineering: an active and large-scale intervention in the Earth's climate, with the aim of dealing with the global climate crisis. PR photo

Make bubbles in space

A new development from MIT proposes to launch into space giant bubbles that will serve as a shield against solar radiation. A logical solution to the climate crisis or crossing a red line?
Alrazi High School. Courtesy of Jalgolia Local Council

Renewable energy for the teachers' struggle?

An American school used profits from placing solar panels on the building's roof and energy efficiency to raise teachers' salaries. Coming Soon? Ask your local authority
immune system. Image: depositphotos.com

Is the body attacking itself? His mouth may be too dirty

A new Canadian study reveals a significant link between air pollution and autoimmune diseases. Could it be that our immune system reacts even before us to the changing world outside?
Illustration - Renewed Hope: Dealing with the problem of flooding in an old urban fabric, a moral paradise, within the framework of the Climate Crisis and Environment Studio _ LandBasics Local Landscapes under the guidance of: Matanya Zak, Aliza Broida, Isabella Levy. Final project in landscape architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning - Technion

The architects of change

A green city? This is not a paradox. An optimistic look at a differently designed future, through the final projects of the landscape architecture course at the Technion, which dealt with creative solutions for a more sustainable planning of the Israeli space
working and sweating. Image: depositphotos.com

How can you work in this heat?

New findings reveal that heat stress affects the bodies of those of us who work mostly outdoors, and may also impair work efficiency. In the coming years, given the climate crisis, the phenomenon is only expected to get worse. will in the future
"The foreign algae have the possibility to compensate for some of the functions of the local algae: both as a habitat, and in the restoration of the loss of blue carbon." Photograph by Rilov Laboratory

Algae invades for the reef

Until now, the common perception was that invasive plants and animals threaten the ecological diversity in the place they invaded. However, a new Israeli study that examined algae that invaded the Mediterranean Sea presents a possibility that the solution
While the use of geothermal energy is associated with the danger of earthquakes - the new technology seeks to solve this troubling problem as well. Geothermal power plant, Photo by WikiImages on Pixabay

Drill for a better tomorrow

Can you imagine a day when your air conditioner will work on energy drawn from the depths of the earth? A new development by an American company may allow easier, safer, and cheaper drilling than ever before into the heart of our planet

Even in Eilat Bay, corals begin to bleach and die

A new Israeli study reveals that, contrary to what was thought until now, the deep coral reefs in the Gulf of Eilat are vulnerable to the phenomenon of coral bleaching, which endangers many reefs around the world
"The bottom line of the research, which was clear to us from day one, is that the turbines do not serve the locals." Photo: Dr. Nurit Shamshoni-Yepa

It is not enough to make a spirit

A wind turbine farm established in an arid area in Kenya could have been a success story, promoting the local residents, who are disconnected from the electricity grid. However, the electricity was channeled to the big cities - and the residents were skipped
Dr. Jane Goodall, UN peace ambassador and environmental activist who is best known for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees in the 60s in a lecture before the Israeli Ecology Society. Screenshot

talk around

Legendary explorer Jane Goodall, NASA Chief Scientist Dr. Kathryn Calvin, academics, government, civil society, students and the curious: all met at the 50th Annual Science and Environment Conference. "Only with the smart mind and heart
climate shelter. Courtesy of Barcelona City Council

A refuge from the climate

In light of the continuing rise in temperatures in Europe, "climate shelters" have been set up throughout the city of Barcelona, ​​where residents can find refuge from the increasingly hot summer. Should Israel also prepare for the establishment of such shelters?
Ecological crossing over highway 70, near the Ein Tut interchange. Recommended solution, but expensive. Photo: Marev Zaks

Let live cross

More than two thousand animals are run over per year - and these are only the reported accidents, the real number is much higher. A new study examined how the characteristics of the road affect animal trampling, and what can be done about it
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a very common bacterium in Israel and the world, found in soil, water, plants and rarely even in human health. Photo: Nathan Reading, Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Bacteria, congregate!

New Israeli research reveals that, contrary to what was thought until now, bacteria are able to congregate around a predator, cooperate - and kill it with joint forces. This is how dramas unfold under the lens of the microscope
The climate crisis - you don't see it on TV. Image: depositphotos.com

Why is the climate crisis absent from the Israeli media?

A new study sheds light on the difficult challenges facing even the most determined environmental reporters in Israel - from a misconception of the public's indifference to the issue among editors to financial interests. Research editor: "Journalist
The heat load is consistently higher in the north of Israel, due to the higher humidity that prevails in the region. The average heat load in the north and south, illustration: from the study

Hotter, more humid, more dangerous

According to a new Israeli study conducted at the Technion, heat stress - the oppressive combination of temperature and humidity - is only increasing in Israel. Just like we all feel. It's not "just" unpleasant - it is
Smart agriculture. Image: depositphotos.com

The robotic farmers of the future

Researchers from the Technion are developing an unusual solution to the problem of the lack of picking hands in agriculture: robots that use small drones, which create a computerized image of the trees, to carry out agricultural operations in fruit orchards