Climate Change

The distribution of traditional wild food sources in the Republic of Sakha could change significantly, affecting the diets and incomes of Indigenous rural communities who depend on them.

Scientists unearth a clue to the molecular mechanisms involved in N2O reduction by deep-sea hydrothermal vent bacteria.

Just like we recycle waste, repurposing excess CO₂ from the atmosphere could be one way to abate the worsening climate crisis. In electrochemical reduction, CO₂ is converted into industrial products like carbon monoxide, methane, or ethanol. However, scientists have difficulty tailoring the reaction to produce specific products. Now, an international research team has harnessed the versatility of copper to find a solution to this conundrum.

Venice of the Pacific, Membrane transformers, Diverse meals, Nano dots and spirals & Extinct swimmers. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how to make a mouse from a single-celled organism, stimulating tastebuds in VR and how moving water actually ends up moving the planet.

Balancing environmental conditions with energy-saving performance

With the global rise in electric vehicles’ popularity, the demand for lithium-ion batteries has surged, leading to a considerable increase in discarded batteries. The issue of how to efficiently use “retired” batteries has become urgent, and to address this Prof Tang Xiaopeng, Assistant Professor of the Science Unit at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, recently published a groundbreaking research paper titled "Lifespan-based Battery Classification towards Second-life Utilisation", which won the Best Paper Award at the prestigious 2024 IEEE 25th China Conference on System Simulation Technology and its Application (CCSSTA). It was one of only four papers out of 278 submissions to receive recognition.

Researchers have developed a platinum-nickel core-shell catalyst for oxygen reduction reactions. The design improves efficiency and stability, addressing key challenges in catalyst performance, and could open the door to breakthroughs in renewable energy research.

In a pivotal move ahead of COP29, Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has partnered with leading global scientific organisations to issue a unified call to action, spotlighting microbial solutions as pivotal in combating climate change. In a strategic publication, released in multiple high-impact scientific journals at once, the joint paper advocates for the establishment of a global science-driven climate task force. This initiative aims to expedite the deployment of microbiome technologies, providing stakeholders worldwide with access to effective and immediate solutions

Combination enhances microorganisms’ growth environment, uptake of ammonium and phosphate ions

Research suggests that urban areas could reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by optimizing their urban form. However, the relationship between urban form and emissions is highly context-dependent and generalizations cannot be made.

The international team, led by Distinguished Chair Professor Chuan-Chou Shen of the Department, of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, uncovered Nan Madol's history by analyzing the ages of the site's coral rubbles. The research found that subsidence-related sea level rise and climate change posed serious threated to the construction and maintenance of Nan Madol, ultimately leading to the collapse of the chiefdom and abandonment of the site.

Data could help rethink climate change models regarding sources of carbon and CO2 sinks

GDC 2024 will explore how social, economic, and political factors influence the effectiveness of climate resilience strategies.

A new scientific study reveals the complex relationship between the impacts of climate change and the adaptive responses of coastal fishers in the southern coasts of Japan.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how a chatbot prompt can send hackers your personal information, the discovery of tiny crystals first predicted almost 100 years ago, and how microbes influence our brain and our planet.

City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) researchers have made a remarkable scientific breakthrough in developing next-generation passive radiative cooling technology. Their pioneering work on cooling ceramics, pavements and textiles helps mitigate heat impacts without additional energy consumption. This innovation has promising application potential in buildings, roads and clothing, addressing issues such as urban heat islands and greenhouse gas emissions to combat the challenges of climate change.

The equatorial Pacific plays a crucial role in regulating tropical cloud formation and regional weather extremes, earning it the nickname “the pacemaker of global warming.” Though its impact may seem subtle, this oceanic region has been a silent hero, slowing the pace of global warming. Now, climate scientists are on a quest to discover whether this protective mechanism will continue to pulsate in our favor.

This global event will showcase groundbreaking innovations aimed at advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), bringing together industry leaders, researchers, policymakers, and innovators from around the world.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how AI helped uncover mysterious Nazca lines, a battery made from a glowing crystal, and how 1 in 3 children are nearsighted.

Study shows that ancient reef-building stromatoporoids survived the Late Devonian extinction and continued to thrive during the Carboniferous Period

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an electrochemical process in which water or hydroxide ions are oxidized to produce oxygen gas, playing a crucial role in water splitting and energy conversion. The OER requires efficient catalysts, and now a research group has enhanced the efficiency of traditional cobalt oxide catalysts by doping them with erbium.

As global demand for clean energy solutions grows, the development of cost-effective and efficient catalysts will be pivotal in advancing renewable energy systems. Now, a group of researchers has made significant progress in this regard by employing chromium doping on transition metal hydroxides.

Ammonia plays a vital role in food production, industrial development, and the emerging hydrogen economy. However, efficient synthesis methods are crucial since the conventional process is energy-intensive. An international group of researchers has focused on nitrate reduction, discovering a more efficient way to produce ammonia and unveiling new insights into sustainable catalytic processes.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how choosing the right drink can reduce your chance of developing gout, how warmer waters mean tougher conditions for some fish, and combining crystals with dye to reinforce anti-counterfeit labels.

If we are to realize better renewable energy technologies, it is vital that scientists develop catalysts that improve the oxygen evolution reaction. A group of researchers has done just that by introducing rare-earth single atoms into manganese oxide.

Ammonia is a gas that plays a crucial role in agriculture and industry and has the potential to become a zero-carbon fuel for energy conversion and storage technologies. However, the current methods of producing ammonia are highly energy-intensive, contributing to approximately 1.8% of global CO2 emissions. By focusing on spinel cobalt oxides, a research team has revealed how understanding and optimizing these catalysts could offer a solution to this challenge.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how playing video games can help you feel better, how we age rapidly in two “bursts”, and a spider that tricks male fireflies into its web.

One of the smallest lifeforms may have the biggest impact on marine ecosystems. Researchers at Tohoku University modeled how climate change can affect phytoplankton – and our future.

Over millions of years, Earth has experienced cycles of ice ages and warm periods. Today, we find ourselves in a warm period heavily influenced by human activities. As greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere rise, global warming intensifies, causing ice sheets to melt rapidly, sea levels to rise, and posing severe threats to global ecosystems and human societies. Understanding the mechanisms behind these warming periods by studying past extreme warm periods is a crucial task for modern scientists.