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The massive 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano appears to have triggered a previously unrecognized chemical process that destroyed methane in the atmosphere according to a study published in Nature Communications. Researchers detected unusually high concentrations of formaldehyde in the volcanic plume using satellite observations. Because formaldehyde is produced during the atmospheric breakdown of methane and remains present for only a few hours, its sustained presence provided evidence that methane oxidation continued inside the plume for more than a week. The Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted beneath the South Pacific on January 15, 2022 sending a huge mixture of volcanic material and seawater into the atmosphere. Researchers estimate that the eruption ...

  ZERO44 has launched a new Carbon Insetting module designed to help ship operators manage FuelEU Maritime compliance while assessing whether emissions reductions from low carbon fuels could generate greater value through carbon insetting. Carbon insetting enables shipping companies to transfer verified emissions reductions from the use of cleaner fuels to cargo owners seeking to reduce supply chain emissions. However, operators must avoid double counting, as emissions reductions sold as voluntary insetting certificates cannot simultaneously be counted towards a vessel’s FuelEU compliance target. ZERO44 new software uses bunker delivery notes and proof of sustainability documents already collected for FuelEU reporting. It evaluates the current value of each fuel volume as eit...

  The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has advised the Delhi government and governments of states in the National Capital Region (NCR) to avoid scheduling physical sports activities and competitions during November and December 2026, citing the air quality conditions typically observed during these months. In an advisory dated September 10, the commission said competitions already scheduled for November and December may be rescheduled. The move follows concerns raised by the Supreme Court over children's exposure to poor and severe air quality while participating in physical sports competitions organised by schools. The matter came up during the hearing of the MC Mehta vs Union of India & Ors case. The Supreme Court subsequently asked the CAQM to issue appropr...

Florida has returned more than 500,000 tonnes of discarded oyster and clam shells to the Gulf of Mexico over the past 16 years turning seafood waste into the foundation for new oyster reefs and supporting the recovery of damaged coastal ecosystems. Between 2007 and 2024 shells collected from seafood restaurants and processing businesses were placed back into Gulf waters as part of efforts to restore oyster habitats. The shells provide a hard surface where young oysters can attach, grow and gradually form new reefs. Oyster populations along the Gulf Coast have suffered major declines over the years. NOAA Fisheries has reported that historic oyster populations in the Gulf have fallen by 85% or more, with overfishing, storms and events such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill contributin...

Greenland and Antarctica have lost a combined 11,309 billion tonnes of ice between 1979 and 2023 contributing 31.4 millimetres to global sea level rise, according to a new international assessment by polar scientists. The assessment, led by researchers at Northumbria University with support from NASA, brings together observations from 42 independent satellite surveys covering 27 satellite missions. Researchers used satellite records dating back to 1972 for Greenland and 1979 for Antarctica to examine changes in the two major ice sheets over several decades. Greenland accounted for the larger share of the overall loss, while Antarctica contributed approximately 13.3 millimetres to global sea level rise during the study period. Glaciers Responsible for Most Ice Loss A key finding...

  A team of Chinese and Swiss researchers has demonstrated solar cells capable of generating electricity at a depth of around 10 metres underwater potentially opening new possibilities for powering submerged sensors, cameras aquaculture monitoring systems and offshore communications equipment. Published in the journal joule the study addresses a major challenge for underwater solar power: sunlight is rapidly weakened and its spectrum changes as it passes through water. Conventional solar cells have generally been tested only at very shallow depths of around two metres. The researchers developed lead-halide perovskite solar cells whose light absorption is matched to the spectrum available underwater at greater depths. Laboratory experiments showed that the cells could effectiv...

A monumental banyan tree in Munger, Bihar, believed for generations to be centuries old, has now been scientifically dated to at least 700 years according to a Cambridge University study. The finding makes it the oldest accurately dated Ficus benghalensis (banyan) tree reported so far. Published on April 26, 2026 the study used advanced radiocarbon dating to determine the tree’s minimum age. Researchers analysed wood samples from its secondary trunk and primary branch, providing scientific evidence for an age that had previously been based largely on local folklore and historical accounts. The development was also officially recognised by the Department of Science and Technology on July 3, 2026, which confirmed that the Munger banyan’s age had been established through radiocarbon met...

Tree planting campaigns are increasingly promoted as a climate solution but large scale planting in drylands can damage ecosystems, reduce water availability and threaten local livelihoods, according to an analysis. The article argues that landscapes without dense tree cover are not necessarily degraded. Grasslands, shrublands and savannas have evolved under conditions of low and variable rainfall, drought and periodic disturbance. Replacing these naturally open ecosystems with forests can therefore cause ecological damage rather than restore them. Global restoration programmes have set ambitious targets for increasing vegetation cover. The Bonn Challenge, for instance, aims to restore 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030. Africa's Great Green Wall Initiative ...

Two large groundwater reserves have been discovered beneath the Taklimakan Desert in northwest China Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, offering new insights into the potential for using underground water resources in desert regions. The discoveries were made near a town in Minfeng County on the southern edge of the desert and in an area south of the Mazartag Mountains in the desert’s interior. The findings emerged from a groundwater exploration project conducted by the Xinjiang Geological Bureau’s Hydrology and Environmental Geology Survey Center. Researchers used satellite remote sensing, aerial geophysical surveys, ground exploration and drilling to investigate the underground water systems. The survey found that the groundwater is not stagnant but is flowing and renewable, with bo...

The world largest battery electric ferry Hull 096 has arrived in Uruguay after travelling thousands of kilometres from Tasmania aboard a heavy lift transport vessel. Built by Australian shipbuilder Incat for South American ferry operator Buquebus the 130 metre long ferry reached Nueva Palmira on September 11 aboard the MV Black Marlin. It was subsequently floated off the transport ship and will be towed to Colonia del Sacramento for final commissioning and testing. The vessel which will operate under the name China Zorrilla is powered by more than 5,000 batteries with a combined capacity of 40 megawatt hours. Its battery system provides an operating endurance of about 90 minutes. The aluminium ferry can carry up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles at the same time. It is equipped...