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    As the global plastic crisis deepens, a new generation of packaging is emerging with a clear message: break down naturally or don’t exist at all. Design and materials company Sway has evolved its compostable plastic bags made from seaweed, offering an alternative to conventional plastic packaging that is designed to return to the soil rather than linger in landfills or oceans for decades. Unlike traditional plastics that rely on recycling systems often stretched to their limits, these bags are intentionally created for composting. The goal, the company says, is not to recycle plastic endlessly, but to eliminate long-term plastic waste altogether. Sway’s packaging is made using a blend of seaweed, plant-based materials and compostable polymers. Seaweed, a fast-grow...

    January 2026 ranked as the fifth warmest January globally, even as large parts of Europe and North America endured an intense cold spell driven by a highly unstable Arctic jet stream, according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts’ Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The global average temperature for the month was 1.47 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average (1850–1900), making it 0.28 degrees Celsius cooler than the record-breaking January 2025 anomaly of 1.75 degrees Celsius. Despite frigid conditions across parts of the Northern Hemisphere, extreme heat in the Southern Hemisphere and persistently warm oceans kept global temperatures among the highest on record. Throughout January, a wavier-than-normal Arctic jet stream domina...

    Mumbai’s drinking water supply is set for a significant transformation over the next few years, with French water and wastewater management major Veolia expected to meet nearly 60% of the city’s total potable water demand by the end of the decade. According to Guillaume Dourdin, Chief Executive Officer and Country Director of Veolia India, two large-scale water treatment facilities currently under development at Bhandup and Panjrapur will together supply close to 3,000 million litres per day (MLD) of drinking water by 2030. The plants are scheduled to become operational in phases, with the Bhandup facility expected to go live by 2029 and the Panjrapur plant by 2030. The projects are part of Mumbai’s long-term efforts to modernise its ageing water infrastructure an...

    NEW DELHI: Scientists have confirmed the discovery of a previously unknown species of dragonfly in the low-lying coastal farmlands of Kerala, marking a significant addition to India’s biodiversity. The species has been named Lyriothemis keralensis and is commonly referred to as the Slender Bombardier. The identification comes after more than ten years of field research and analysis. The findings were published in the International Journal of Odonatology following extensive examination of both live specimens and historical records. The dragonfly was first observed in 2013 in the Varappetty region of Kothamangalam in central Kerala. At the time, researchers believed it belonged to Lyriothemis acigastra, commonly known as the Little Bloodtail, a species typically fou...

    High on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, a vast expanse of dark-blue solar panels stretches across what was once an unforgiving alpine desert. Located in China’s Qinghai Province, the country largest cluster of solar farms is now capable of producing nearly 17,000 megawatts of electricity, making it one of the most powerful solar installations in the world. Beyond its role in clean energy generation, new scientific evidence suggests the project is also transforming the fragile desert ecosystem beneath it. The Qinghai solar cluster spans semi-desert terrain at elevations close to 3,000 metres, where extreme cold, strong winds and scarce rainfall have historically limited both human activity and vegetation. The hub includes multiple large-scale installations, most nota...

As carbon dioxide levels continue to rise in the atmosphere, scientists have long believed that forests would grow faster, absorb more carbon, and help slow climate change. The idea seemed logical: plants use carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to produce sugars and grow. More carbon in the air should mean more growth. But real-world forests are not responding the way simple theories once predicted. Long-term measurements from forests across the world show a mixed and often confusing picture. In some places, tree growth has increased slightly. In others, it has stayed flat or even declined. This inconsistency has left scientists questioning why higher carbon dioxide does not consistently translate into stronger forest growth and higher carbon storage. A new study by researchers from ...

    As plastic pollution mounts worldwide and extreme heat continues to damage road infrastructure, engineers are turning to an unexpected solution: mixing recycled plastic into asphalt. New research and real-world trials suggest that plastic-infused roads could last longer, resist cracking under high temperatures and reduce the burden of plastic waste choking landfills and waterways. Globally, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year, yet less than 10% is recycled. Much of the remainder is burned, dumped or carried into rivers and oceans. At the same time, cities across hot regions are spending billions repairing roads damaged by heat, traffic and ageing materials. Researchers now say one problem could help solve the other. Turning plastic waste...

    More than one lakh people pouring into Bikaner on February 2 was not just a protest against the cutting of a tree. The massive mobilisation to save the Khejri (Prosopis cineraria) marked a growing alarm across western Rajasthan over the rapid transformation of the Thar Desert’s fragile ecology and social fabric. Protesters demanded firm legal assurances from the state government to halt the felling of Khejri trees until a clear conservation framework is put in place, reflecting anxieties that go far beyond a single environmental dispute. At the surface, the agitation is directed at the unchecked expansion of large solar energy projects in border districts of Rajasthan. But beneath this immediate trigger lies a complex web of structural, ecological and cultural concer...

    For years, scientists watching deep-sea footage were left baffled by a strange, softly glowing creature drifting through the ocean’s darkest depths. It did not crawl like typical sea slugs, appeared almost jelly-like, and displayed a rare ability to shed parts of its body and regenerate them later. Now, after extensive research and technological advances, scientists have confirmed that the elusive organism is a previously unknown species of deep-sea nudibranch. The discovery marks a significant milestone in marine science, shedding light on the hidden biodiversity of the deep ocean and highlighting how much of Earth’s life remains undocumented. The glowing nudibranch had been captured repeatedly by remotely operated vehicles exploring the ocean’s “midnight zone,” ...

    A new study has shown that social media and citizen science platforms can play a crucial role in tracking the consumption of sharks and rays in India, revealing patterns and species records that traditional scientific surveys often miss. By analysing thousands of online posts shared over nearly two decades, researchers uncovered evidence of widespread interaction with rare, endangered, and legally protected marine species along India’s coast. The research was conducted by scientists associated with InSeason Fish, an initiative that promotes sustainable seafood consumption, and universities in India and abroad. The study examined 1,293 posts related to sharks and rays uploaded between 2004 and 2022 across six platforms, including social media and citizen science websi...