Comprehensive coverage

environmental issues

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 wounded rain forest. On the occasion of his visit to Israel, he tells how change is being made, explains why the deforestation carried out by the Bolsonaro government was against the constitution - and in fact unnecessary, and delivers a message as clear as the sun in the forest: "It's not too late yet"
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 the ladybugs telling their psychologist? And who survives thanks to an army of drugged security guards?
The webbing of the clustered citrus bar is unique. Photo: Olaf Leillinger, CC BY-SA 2.5

Spiders for tomatoes

A diagram describing the main points of development

Optical detection of impurities inside water pipes

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Researchers have succeeded in developing a flexible sensing sheet that is inside a pipe in order to continuously monitor the quality of the liquid in it. By measuring the voltage induced within a layer of carbon nanotubes, it is possible to determine the concentrations of various substances. This research could lead to significant improvements in the field of food quality and environmental cleaning
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. A new international study reveals how this cooperation contributes to the marine mammals' chances of survival and what we must do so that it does not disappear from the world
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 into "bankruptcy" from which we will not be able to rise
reducing consumption. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The climate crisis will not be alleviated until we reduce consumption, and not just look for substitutes

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According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources alone is not a solution without reducing demand and radical changes in energy consumption
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
Coral reef in the Red Sea. Image: depositphotos.com

The heavy price that corals may pay due to climate change

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Global warming affects life in the sea in many ways when it causes a decrease in dissolved oxygen in the ocean water on the one hand, and on the other hand, an increase in the metabolism of marine animals, which further increases their need for oxygen
A poster calling for the reduction of sea pollution with microplastics. Illustration: shutterstock

It is important to promote legislative policies and effective regulations aimed at solving plastic pollution

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It is important to promote legislative policies and effective regulations aimed at solving the global plastic problem. Consumers should also be encouraged to choose sustainable products and producers should be required to produce environmental and recycled products. In addition, emphasis should be placed on education and information
We are rapidly approaching the dangerous limit of 1.5 degrees above average at the beginning of the industrial revolution. Illustration: depositphotos.com

IPCC: despite measures to reduce greenhouse gases, warming continues, acceleration is required in the fight against the climate crisis

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This is according to a monitoring report of the findings of the sixth report of the International Panel on Climate Change IPCC. In the last decade, the global surface temperature reached 1.1 degrees Celsius above the average in the years 1850-1900
Carbon tax and trade. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Tax policy may not be enough to combat climate change

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New research suggests that this is because the standard model does not take into account the slow nature of technological progress. As a result, the standard model overestimates the reduction in cumulative energy use achieved by a given energy tax
Storage of hazardous materials. Illustration: depositphotos.com

A common detergent is linked to a significant increase in the incidence of Parkinson's disease

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For the past hundred years, the chemical trichloroethylene [TCE] has been used in decaffeinated coffee, metal cleaners, and dry-cleaned clothes. The substance itself is known to be a carcinogen, it is associated with miscarriages, congenital heart disease and a fivefold increase in the incidence of Parkinson's disease
Lystrosaurus, an amphibian that went extinct in the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, also known as the Great Dying, was the largest mass extinction in Earth's history. It occurred about 252 million years ago and wiped out about 90% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species. (Figure) Illustration: depositphotos.com

New research helps detail past mass extinction events to draw lessons for the sixth extinction

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The Permian Mass Extinction (LPME) that occurred approximately 250 million years ago was the largest extinction event in Earth's history to date, resulting in the loss of 80-90% of life on Earth. Despite extensive research, the exact cause of the dramatic changes in climate during this period is still unknown, but researchers now believe that volcanic eruptions caused the slow death of the animals and plants
Summer at the beach in Tel Aviv. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The forecast: continuous and deadly heat waves throughout the summer

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New research points to an alarming future increase in extreme heat waves, which could increase mortality tenfold. "One heat wave is expected to cause excess mortality equal to the number of deaths in road accidents in a year"
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 crumble or break down even after decades
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 is how the chameleons never stop surprising with original costumes that can be an inspiration for our most colorful 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, we are not talking about dense forests - but rather the lawns that we all know
Indoor storage. Furniture and scientific equipment that are not needed at the institute are offered to the Rehovot municipality or donated to associations and social bodies

First hand researcher!

There is lab2 – a new sustainability initiative putting used scientific equipment back into the market
The mass of mammals in the world. Only 6% are animals in Remy weighs more? The biomass of humans, of farm and pet animals, and of wild mammals (Illustration: Itay Reva)

Life at stake: the weight of wild mammals dwarfs that of farm animals

The biomass of cows, pigs, sheep and other farm animals is currently 30 times greater than that of all elephants, elk and other wild land mammals combined
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 their furry feet
Ocean Based's Salvador Garcia (left) explains to Gian Paolo Bassi, senior vice president, 3DEXPERIENCE WORKS about the system the company is building to enrich sea life to absorb carbon at the 3Dexperience Word 2023 conference in Nashville. Photo: Avi Blizovsky

Bloom the marine wilderness and absorb carbon from the atmosphere

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The American company Ocean-Based Climate Solutions has developed a pump system that will pump nutrients from a depth of 400 meters to the surface and allow the growth of tiny algae that will carry out the process of photosynthesis and absorb the carbon in the atmosphere, so that it will eventually sink to the bottom of the ocean
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