Nuclear fusion is often described as the holy grail of clean energy: a process that could one day provide abundant power without carbon emissions or long-lived radioactive waste. It has so much promise, but it's difficult. This article on fusion explains why. But turning fusion into a practical energy source depends on solving a set of extremely difficult physics problems. One of the most important is how to keep plasma — a super-hot, electrically charged gas — dense, stable, and confined long enough to produce useful energy.
Read more
Soil pollution levels in parts of Basra are 1,200% to 3,300% higher than those typically measured in cities like Toronto or New York, according to new comparative soil data. It's getting into water.
Read more
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, scientists delivered another stark update: global fossil-fuel emissions are set to rise yet again this year. But for the first time, there are credible signs the world may be nearing a turning point. The timing of that peak — and what happens afterward — will depend largely on one country: […]
Read more
The 2025 Aga Khan Award for Architecture honors seven projects from Bangladesh to Iran that blend sustainability, cultural heritage, and community empowerment — from flood-resilient homes to the revival of Egypt’s historic Esna — showcasing how design can tackle climate, social, and urban challenges with beauty and purpose.
Read more
Still, the science is no longer ambiguous. Plastic is no longer just littering beaches — it’s in the rain, the food, in our brains, and now, the very cells of the ocean's smallest life forms. As the world prepares for the final treaty talks, the question is no longer whether action is needed, but whether global leaders will agree on what that action should be.
Read more
Chinese fermented foods have a rich history stretching back thousands of years, forming a core part of traditional diets and medicine. Staples like doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste), douchi (fermented black soybeans), jiang (soy sauce-type pastes), fermented tofu, pickled vegetables, and rice wines such as Shaoxing wine are not only prized for their deep umami flavor but also valued for their digestive and health benefits.
Read more
In a sweeping analysis of drylands across Central Asia, scientists have found that natural environmental forces—particularly declining snow levels and rising temperatures—are more responsible for desertification than human activity.
Read more
The trend held across most individual symptoms—except constipation. “Choosing to eat fewer processed foods and more whole, nutritious foods could be a good strategy for maintaining brain health,” said Gao. “More studies are needed to confirm our finding that eating less processed food may slow down the earliest signs of Parkinson's disease.”
Read more
The deployment of a nuclear power plant on the Moon raises questions about the legal frameworks governing space activities. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by over 100 countries including China, Russia, and the United States, stipulates that celestial bodies are not subject to national appropriation and must be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.
Read more
Tea cultivation, beloved globally, thrives in fertile, acidic soils. However, the overuse of chemical fertilizers has led to soil degradation, negatively affecting both the yield and quality of tea. Intercropping—growing multiple crops together—has emerged as a potential solution to enhance soil health and mitigate environmental damage. This is also known as permaculture.
Read more
A new study published in Risk Analysis found that bioaerosol concentrations of two bacteria -- Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) -- exceeded acceptable levels established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) after toilet flushing. Inhaling these biological particles can produce symptoms like abdominal cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Read more
China has become the world's leading producer of solar energy. This desert plant will power all of Beijing.
Read more
The world's soils are becoming too salty for farming. These man-made problems are cause for concern but remediation of soils can be done.
Read more
According to Jewish legend, in the first days of creation when water and land were separated, the world's first water, a spring gushed forth out of the center of Jerusalem. The water source is still accessible under the Western Wall, the original wall that surrounded the Jewish Holy Temple.
Read more
Turkey imposes tariffs on solar panels when it hurts its local economy but it speaks from the other side of its mouth when it stiffs Europe by helping China evade high tariffs on electric vehicles sold in Europe.
Read more
