The Neil Gehrels’ Swift Observatory is plummeting toward Earth, and NASA is spending $30 million to try to stop it.
business & industry
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Rocket Launches and Reentries Harm Earth’s Ozone Layer
Solid-state fuels—recently used to help launch astronauts to the Moon for the first time in decades—appear to be the fuel type with the most detrimental effects on the ozone.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Sand Demand Outpaces Sustainable Extraction
Demand for sand in the building sector is expected to rise 45% by the year 2060, outpacing current efforts to sustainably harvest it.
Posted inFeatures
Chemical Companies Are Churning Out New PFAS. Where in the World Are They Ending Up?
Bans on older versions of “forever chemicals” seem to be working. But emerging variants behave in ways that scientists are only beginning to pin down.
Posted inOpinions
The Genesis Mission Needs Hydrology: Here’s How to Incorporate It
By positioning water security as one of the “most challenging problems of this century,” the Genesis Mission can become the sandbox in which AI reshapes how the United States measures, models, and manages water.
Posted inNews
Hurricane Helene Ravaged Farmers’ Topsoil. They’re Still Fighting to Build It Back.
“We’re dirt farmers. Our primary job is to tend the dirt. That’s the basis of everything.”
Posted inFeatures
Salt of the Earth: Vast Underground Salt Caverns Are Preserving Our History—and Just Might Power Our Future
From health spas to film storage, salt mine caverns have been put to use in surprising ways—and they’re now poised to contribute to the generation and storage of clean energy.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Trump Administration to Speed Up Permitting for Deep Sea Mining, Even Beyond U.S. Boundaries
NOAA has finalized a rule that will expedite the permit and license application process for deep seabed mining and allow companies to mine beyond U.S. jurisdictional boundaries.
Posted inFeatures
The Looming Data Loss That Threatens Public Safety and Prosperity
Cuts to funding and staff needed to maintain trusted datasets of reference Earth system observations could limit their availability and quality, undermining hazard predictions and risk assessments.
Posted inNews
Garment Factories Are Heating Up. Here’s How Workers Can Stay Cool
The solutions are simple, but economic barriers remain high.