As electricity demand grows and becomes harder to predict, power grid planners face a difficult question: how do they build for a future shaped by extreme weather, renewable energy, and the rapid rise…
India is the world's largest groundwater-based economy, with more than half its 1.5 billion population depending on agriculture for their livelihoods — making groundwater depletion a critical threat.…
Microplastics are turning up in unexpected places, including tidal freshwater marshes. Researchers are uncovering how these ecosystems trap plastics before they reach the ocean, leading to long-term…
Long-distance wildfire smoke is emerging as a serious health risk in the Northeast U.S., where many residents have little experience navigating hazardous air. Conflicting messages from apps, agencies,…
How do you keep a building comfortable without wasting energy? A Penn State team is tackling that question with an innovative smart window. Using a responsive polymer, the window can block visible…
The Amazon, home to rich biodiversity and vital carbon-storing ecosystems, is also the ancestral land of Indigenous communities who are grappling with the devastating effects of oil extraction across…
Heat significantly affects pregnant women and infants, increasing risks like dehydration, heat exhaustion, and developmental issues in children. Expectant mothers are more vulnerable due to…
Cooling is energy-intensive, with air conditioning consuming a significant portion of electricity in homes and commercial buildings, while also contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate…
Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas with nearly 300 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide, making even small emissions highly impactful. Agriculture, particularly soil management, is the…
PFAS, synthetic chemicals found in countless everyday products, have made their way into humans and animals around the globe. Although their health effects remain unclear, their widespread presence…
