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Learn more about our research categoriesThe High Price of Losing the War Against Urban Heat
Climate Change, Energy & Pollution Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Economic Development
Ranked as one of the American cities with the highest intensity of urban heat island effect (UGI), Baltimore's temperature can soar into triple digits in the summertime. Architects and health researchers are now urging officials to adopt ‘smart’ surfaces in the city building design, particularly to focus investment in lower-income …
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Painting one turbine blade black reduces bird fatalities by 72%, says study
Climate Change, Energy & Pollution
“Contrast painting” is the practice of painting a single bald of a wind turbine black. Scientists in Norway have found that this practice can lead to a 72% decrease in the death of birds that result from collisions with the turbine. The research was done by the Norwegian Institute for …
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In Western Texas, the natural gas industry continues to release methane into the atmosphere through its fracking operations. Fracking is a 21st-century innovation in the industry that has allowed access to more natural gas than before through the deep drilling and extraction of underground reserves. Fracking resulted in cheaper gas …
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As summers continue to get hotter each year, wild animals are not well-equipped to survive such temperatures. During the summer, animals mostly need water and shade and on the fleeting occasion, a little help from us humans. The biggest threat to animals during the extreme heat is dehydration. There are …
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World's first crewless, zero-emissions cargo ship will set sail in Norway
Climate Change, Energy & Pollution Smart Cities
Developed by the Norwegian company Yara Birkeland, this crewless, zero-emissions cargo ship could lead to a change in the shipping industry. The fully electric-powered, autonomous design aims to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, which are both toxic pollutants and greenhouse gases (GHG). If proven successful for commercial use, the technology …
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While industries are usually excited about the rollout of new clean energy technologies in transportation, widespread implementation is often difficult to achieve due to the small scale and high carbon price. But this may not be the case for rail transport. A recent trial operation done by France’s Alstom ALO …
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China prepares to test thorium-fuelled nuclear reactor
Climate Change, Energy & Pollution
Scientists in China are working on an experimental nuclear reactor that would use thorium as fuel. Scientists say that this reactor will have molten salts inside instead of water, having the “potential to produce nuclear energy that is relatively safe and cheap, while also generating a much smaller amount of …
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