After a closet cleanout, what options are there for recyling our old threads? Not many. Apart from bringing

While recycling is a mathematically obvious response to the finite, non-renewable nature of many resources, the economic math is often challenging. For many materials, it can be hard to compete with virgin materials on a cost basis. Fast-moving technologies like electric vehicles throw in an added complication: By the time a car is scrapped, the industry may have moved on to a different battery chemistry. That reduces the value of recycling the car’s battery back into the production chain.

Still, a study led by Xin Xiong at Nanjing University finds that in China, recycling could become the dominant source of many key materials needed to manufacture EV components over the coming decades.

Modeling manufacturing needs

The researchers set out to model how the supply of recycled materials compares to manufacturing demand in China between 2010 and 2050. It covers materials relevant to batteries across hybrid, battery-electric, and even fuel-cell vehicles (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, phosphorus, sodium, sulfur, and graphite), as well as several critical elements used in electric motors (copper, neodymium, dysprosium, samarium, and cerium).

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While recycling is a mathematically obvious response to the finite, non-renewable nature of many resources, the economic math is often challenging. For many materials, it can be hard to compete with virgin materials on a cost basis. Fast-moving technologies like electric vehicles throw in an added complication: By the time a car is scrapped, the industry may have moved on to a different battery chemistry. That reduces the value of recycling the car’s battery back into the production chain.

Still, a study led by Xin Xiong at Nanjing University finds that in China, recycling could become the dominant source of many key materials needed to manufacture EV components over the coming decades.

Modeling manufacturing needs

The researchers set out to model how the supply of recycled materials compares to manufacturing demand in China between 2010 and 2050. It covers materials relevant to batteries across hybrid, battery-electric, and even fuel-cell vehicles (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, phosphorus, sodium, sulfur, and graphite), as well as several critical elements used in electric motors (copper, neodymium, dysprosium, samarium, and cerium).

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Researchers redesigned a hard plastic so it can be broken down and rebuilt.

The advance could provide a scalable route to clean energy while making plastic recycling more effective. A discarded bottle, shopping bag or car part can remain in the waste stream long after its useful life ends. Although plastic is everywhere in modern society, recycling it remains difficult because most systems require different types to be [...]

Researchers are turning toxic, centuries-old ammunition into highly efficient and cheap solar panels.

Syntetica, a French startup that has developed a novel approach to recycling nylon, has already obtained big-name partners and investors.

In a groundbreaking decade-long study analyzing São Paulo’s urban landscape, researchers have revealed how the expansion of bike lanes and public parks profoundly influences physical activity and public health. Between 2014 and 2024, the city’s bike lane network surged from 242 to 743 kilometers, complemented by the addition of 15 municipal parks. This urban transformation was linked to increased transport-related cycling, emphasizing the critical role of accessible infrastructure within a 500-meter radius of residents’ homes.

The study’s multidisciplinary approach combined longitudinal surveys of 1,500 residents with geospatial datasets from the Geosampa platform, enabling precise correlation between environmental changes and behavior. Findings indicate that proximity to bike lanes significantly counteracts declining bicycle use trends, suggesting these facilities serve as protective factors promoting sustained physical activity. Such activity reduction directly translates to lower risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and improved mental health outcomes like reduced anxiety and depression.

Importantly, the research underscores active transportation infrastructure not only as a logistical planning tool but as a vital public health strategy. By reducing reliance on automobiles, these interventions diminish air pollution and traffic-related accidents, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation efforts. However, the study highlights uneven developments: wealthier neighborhoods received disproportionate infrastructure investments, calling for policy shifts to equip underserved zones with similar amenities.

Beyond infrastructural improvements, the researchers emphasize that sociocultural elements and affordability constraints also limit cycling uptake. Despite increased bike lanes, economic barriers such as the high cost of bicycles and gender disparities in cycling participation suggest that integrated approaches—encompassing recreational street design, bike-sharing expansions, and commuter support facilities—are necessary for meaningful behavioral shifts.

An illustrative testimony comes from a local photographer who transitioned from motorbike to bicycle commuting due to new bike bridges providing direct, safer routes. While embracing cycling’s growth, he voices concerns about road space allocation favoring cars and the emerging challenges of cyclists’ vulnerability amid the rise of faster electric bikes. Additionally, issues of public safety and bike theft remain barriers to broader adoption.

Overall, the findings reveal that São Paulo’s urban planning efforts over the past decade represent a promising model of how thoughtfully designed public open spaces can foster healthier, more sustainable cities. Still, ensuring equitable access and addressing multifaceted cultural and socioeconomic factors remain essential for realizing the full potential of active transport systems.

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Subject of Research: Public open spaces and transport-related cycling in urban environments
Article Title: A decade-long study on public open spaces and transport-related cycling in the largest Brazilian city
News Publication Date: 13-Apr-2026
Web References: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2026.102323
Image Credits: Phelipe Janning/Agência FAPESP

Keywords

Urban planning, Transportation, Public health, Cycling, Active transportation, São Paulo, Infrastructure, Mental health

In an unprecedented exploration of Earth’s dynamic geological processes, researchers have delved deep into the sedimentary history of China, unraveling the intertwined influences of natural climate fluctuations and human activities on sediment transfer since the Last Glacial Maximum. This expansive study, published in Communications Earth & Environment, ushers in a new era of understanding about how sediment movement across this vast and ecologically diverse landmass has evolved over tens of thousands of years, with profound implications for environmental science, climate change, and land management strategies worldwide.

Sediment transfer—the movement of soil, rock, and organic material across landscapes by rivers, wind, and human activity—is a critical process governing terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It affects soil fertility, landscape morphology, water quality, and carbon cycling, thereby linking the geosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. Until now, however, the relative roles of climate versus anthropogenic disturbances in shaping sediment dynamics over millennial timescales remained unclear, particularly in regions like China, where dramatic climatic shifts and massive population expansions have coexisted.

The research team, led by Li M., Huang H., and Izumi K., embarked on a multidisciplinary journey combining sediment core analyses, isotope geochemistry, paleoclimatic reconstructions, and historical land-use records. Their approach integrated high-resolution dating techniques and advanced computational modeling to discriminate between sediment deposition patterns driven by natural glacial-interglacial cycles and those triggered by human interventions such as agriculture, deforestation, and urbanization.

One of the cornerstone revelations from this study centers on the prominent sediment flux variations linked to the Last Glacial Maximum approximately 21,000 years ago. During this period, extensive glaciation and colder, drier conditions significantly altered river regimes and erosion dynamics. The researchers documented pronounced reductions in sediment supply due to diminished vegetation cover and altered precipitation patterns, highlighting the impact of climatic extremes on Earth surface processes.

Moving forward into the Holocene epoch, the warming climate catalyzed vegetation recovery and increased precipitation, resulting in intensified sediment mobilization. Yet, what sets China apart is the overlay of accelerating human activity from the Neolithic period onward. The study meticulously characterizes how early agricultural expansion began reshaping erosion rates and sediment exports, effectively modulating the natural sedimentary balance established by climate alone.

The team’s integration of paleoenvironmental datasets with archaeological evidence allowed them to trace how intensive land use, particularly during the last 5,000 years, drove landscape erosion that amplified sediment transfer into river basins and eventually into marine sediments. This co-evolution of human societies and sediment dynamics speaks volumes about the Anthropocene’s footprint extending much deeper into antiquity than previously assumed.

Perhaps most strikingly, the researchers observed that over the past two millennia, rapid urban growth, industrial development, and large-scale engineering projects such as dam construction have profoundly altered sediment pathways. The modification of river networks and sediment trapping in reservoirs markedly reduced sediment load downstream, disrupting natural sediment replenishment processes essential for delta stability and ecosystem health.

Equally significant was the finding that climate variability continued to exert influence, occasionally exacerbating or mitigating human-driven sediment trends. For instance, severe droughts and flooding events integrally tied to climate oscillations periodically accelerated soil erosion or sediment deposition, showcasing a complex feedback loop between climate systems and anthropogenic pressures.

From a methodological standpoint, the study demonstrates the power of coupling sedimentological evidence with emerging geospatial technologies and modeling frameworks. The team’s innovative analytical pipeline enabled unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution, paving the way for predictive assessments of sediment flux responses under future climate and development scenarios.

This comprehensive chronicle of sediment transfer across China also underscores broader global concerns. Given China’s pivotal role in regional and global biogeochemical cycles, understanding its sediment dynamics is vital for anticipating downstream impacts—ranging from river delta subsidence and coastal erosion to nutrient loading that affects marine ecosystems far beyond national borders.

Importantly, this work highlights sediment transport as an essential climate indicator and environmental parameter, providing valuable insights into past Earth system behavior. Such knowledge empowers policymakers to devise sustainable land and water management policies that balance developmental goals with ecosystem preservation.

The implications for global sediment budgets are profound, as similar interactions between climate variation and human land use are occurring worldwide. As countries grapple with increasing pressures on landscapes due to population growth and climate change, the lessons from China’s sedimentary history resonate widely, emphasizing the necessity of integrated environmental monitoring and adaptive land management.

By revealing the subtle dance between climate forces and human footprints over millennia, this research reshapes our perception of Earth surface processes as deeply interconnected socio-natural phenomena. It urges the scientific community to look beyond simplistic cause-effect paradigms and embrace complexity when addressing environmental challenges.

In essence, the study represents a paradigm shift in sedimentology and environmental science, illustrating how ancient and modern drivers converge to craft the landscapes we inhabit today. The elegant synthesis of data and theory presented by Li, Huang, Izumi, and colleagues sets a gold standard for future inquiries into Earth’s dynamic sedimentary record.

As the climate crisis advances and human transformations accelerate, understanding these profound historical sediment transfer mechanisms from China offers a crucial blueprint for safeguarding ecological and societal resilience across the Anthropocene epoch.

Subject of Research: Anthropogenic and climatic influences on sediment transfer dynamics across China since the Last Glacial Maximum

Article Title: Anthropogenic and climatic controls on sediment transfer across China since the Last Glacial Maximum

Article References:
Li, M., Huang, H., Izumi, K. et al. Anthropogenic and climatic controls on sediment transfer across China since the Last Glacial Maximum. Commun Earth Environ (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03767-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

Uma experiência mostra que os smartphones velhos e usados podem tornar-se uma solução barata e sustentável para tarefas de computação, sendo capazes de rivalizar com centros de dados.

The post Investigadores transformam smartphones velhos em centros de dados que podem ser usados em escolas appeared first on Tek Notícias.

A groundbreaking new study has unveiled compelling evidence of enhanced marine burial of terrestrial organic carbon during one of Earth’s most dramatic climate events: the Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). Spanning roughly 55 million years ago, the PETM represents a window into rapid global warming, often considered a natural analogue to modern anthropogenic climate change. This research harnesses innovative biomarker proxies paired with sophisticated mixing models and climate simulations to unravel the complex pathways of carbon cycling between land and ocean during this pivotal interval.

At the heart of this investigation lie branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) and long-chain n-alkanes, molecular fossils derived from bacterial and terrestrial plant sources, respectively. These biomarkers serve as unique fingerprints that allow scientists to distinguish inputs of organic carbon originating from soils and vascular plants, versus that synthesized or deposited within marine systems. By compiling and analyzing brGDGT and n-alkane data from multiple PETM-aged sediment cores spread across geographically diverse sites—from the High Arctic to the Tasman Sea—the researchers bridged geographic and depositional contexts to create a comprehensive view of carbon sourcing.

The methodology builds on carefully extracted lipid fractions separated via microwave-assisted and accelerated solvent extractions, followed by advanced chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. Gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was leveraged for hydrocarbon analyses such as n-alkanes, while high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) targeted polar fractions containing brGDGTs. These high-resolution extraction and detection methods ensured robust molecular quantification critical for downstream proxy calculations.

Several key indices were calculated to differentiate terrestrial versus marine organic carbon sources. The branched-to-isoprenoid tetraether (BIT) index quantitatively captures the balance between soil-derived branched GDGTs and marine archaeal crenarchaeol, with soil endmember values derived from an extensive modern peat and soil database, and marine endmember values from distal ocean sediments. Complementarily, the terrestrial-to-aquatic ratio (TAR), based on the abundance of long-chain versus short-chain n-alkanes, serves as a proxy for vascular plant contributions. These indicators were integrated into a rigorous three-endmember mixing model, facilitating the quantification of soil, plant, and marine fractions in PETM sedimentary organic carbon.

A significant innovation in the study is how the mixing model accounts for conservative tracers insensitive to certain endmembers, enabling refined calculations even when biomarkers partially constrain source inputs. This non-negative least squares approach, solved within a Monte Carlo framework incorporating endmember uncertainty and allowing for minor contributions from uncharacterized sources, generates statistically robust source apportionment. The approach was validated against modern Gulf of Mexico sediments, demonstrating high fidelity in reconstructing known terrestrial versus marine carbon contributions.

Quantifying historical carbon mass accumulation rates (MARs) involved integrating fractionated organic carbon proportions with independently derived sedimentation rates and bulk densities from multiple PETM sedimentary records. Standardizing dry bulk density assumptions based on typical detrital and clay mineral densities ensured consistency across sites. This multi-site MAR assessment revealed nuanced shifts in terrestrial carbon burial efficiency during the PETM, reflecting changes in sediment supply, organic carbon preservation, and coastal-marine interactions under extreme warming conditions.

Climate modeling experiments provided the contextual framework for interpreting these geochemical findings. Utilizing the DeepMIP ensemble within the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project (PMIP4) and the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), simulations were executed with varying atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, ranging from pre-industrial levels to multiples up to sixfold. Normalized mean annual precipitation fields extracted from multi-model means enabled the assessment of hydrologic impacts of elevated greenhouse gas forcing on terrestrial and marine carbon dynamics.

Further nuance is provided by the Hadley Centre’s coupled atmosphere-land model configuration incorporating the MOSES2.1 land surface scheme and TRIFFID dynamic vegetation and carbon cycle model. Spanning two key atmospheric CO₂ scenarios bracketing the PETM transition, this framework allowed estimation of changes in vegetation distribution, soil carbon stocks, and ecosystem productivity under palaeoclimate boundary conditions. These models affirm the plausibility of enhanced terrestrial organic carbon export and subsequent marine burial under PETM warming, as observed in empirical sediment biomarker records.

The sophisticated integration of geochemical proxies, sedimentological data, and model simulations collectively advances our understanding of carbon cycling feedbacks during hyperthermal intervals. Accelerated burial of terrestrial organic carbon in marine sediments would have acted as an important carbon sink mechanism, potentially modulating atmospheric CO₂ levels and climate evolution through the PETM. This insight bridges a critical knowledge gap regarding organic carbon fluxes from continents to oceans during rapid warming events in Earth’s deep past.

Moreover, the study’s methodological framework—combining conservative tracer endmember mixing with uncertainty quantification—represents a transferable approach applicable to other geological intervals characterized by coupled climate-carbon perturbations. It highlights the vital role of molecular-level biomarker analyses in reconstructing paleoecosystem structure and sedimentary carbon sources, deepening our ability to predict carbon cycle sensitivity to future climatic changes.

These findings challenge simplistic interpretations of terrestrial carbon loss during warming, revealing instead that significant portions were transferred and buried in marine environments, emphasizing complex cross-system connectivity. This underlines the importance of integrated biogeochemical and climate modeling perspectives to reconstruct feedbacks governing Earth system resilience and tipping points.

Crucially, the validation of biomarker endmembers via modern analogs—such as the Mississippi–Atchafalaya River system—strengthens confidence in the approach’s accuracy and relevance. By demonstrating model outputs consistent with contemporary river-coastal sediment organic carbon distributions, the study underscores the robustness of proxy-based quantitative source apportionment.

This multidisciplinary effort pushes the frontier in paleoenvironmental science, with implications extending from fundamental deep-time carbon cycle reconstructions to informing projections of future organic carbon dynamics under anthropogenic climate forcing. It exemplifies how state-of-the-art analytical chemistry, sedimentology, and Earth system modeling converge to unravel complex Earth processes critical to understanding planetary climate stability.

Further research building on these results might explore finer temporal resolution biomarker studies, integration with isotopic measurements, and expanded geographic coverage to refine the spatial heterogeneity of organic carbon sources and burial efficiencies. Additionally, investigating mechanisms underpinning organic matter preservation in marine sediments under elevated temperatures could illuminate pathways controlling long-term carbon sequestration.

In conclusion, this seminal work presents unprecedented insights into the enhanced burial of terrestrial organic carbon in marine settings during the PETM, a period typified by rapid, profound climate change. Through an elegant fusion of biomarker geochemistry and climate simulation, it opens new vistas in deciphering Earth’s carbon cycle responses and offers a potent analog to contemporary global warming scenarios.

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Subject of Research: Enhanced marine burial of terrestrial organic carbon during the Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum

Article Title: Enhanced marine burial of terrestrial organic carbon through the Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum

Article References:
Inglis, G.N., Hemingway, J.D., Stockey, R.G. et al. Enhanced marine burial of terrestrial organic carbon through the Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum. Nat. Geosci. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-02012-2

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-02012-2

Humanity has littered the sky with the refuse of fossil fuel use, releasing enough CO₂ to change the planet’s climate. We are also chucking incredible sums of carbon in the form of plastics into landfills and into the environment around (and inside of) us. What if cleaning up one of these problems could also help clean up the other?

A new study led by Ruth Ebenbauer at Aarhus University experiments with this idea by upcycling discarded polystyrene into (part of) a material commonly used in carbon-capture systems.

Adding amines

This material is based on amines—a simple chemical group that conveniently acts like a sponge for CO₂. An amine will grab CO₂ molecules when exposed to them, but let go of the CO₂ when heated or depressurized, leaving it ready to go again. The first “CO₂ scrubbers” tried in smokestacks used amines dissolved in water to do this, but solid amines are used in all kinds of carbon-capture systems now because they require less energy. These solid materials—often made into granules similar to the activated carbon in a water filter—have high surface area and high porosity, so the amines can efficiently partner up with CO₂ molecules.

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Thousands of electric vehicles in Waymo’s autonomous robotaxi fleet may eventually give up their used batteries for a very different purpose—contributing up to hundreds of megawatt-hours of stationary energy storage to local power grids.

That prospect comes from a “strategic supply agreement” announced by Waymo and B2U Storage Solutions on June 4. B2U has been repurposing thousands of used batteries from various electric vehicles by installing them in large stationary energy storage projects. Such energy storage facilities can capture excess renewable energy during low demand periods and release such energy when local power grids are experiencing peak demand periods.

“Our business is getting the full residual value out of electric vehicle batteries after they're no longer suitable for automotive use,” Freeman Hall, CEO of B2U Storage Solution, told Ars. “Waymo puts a lot of miles on EVs and their model is expanding rapidly, and so we're just very pleased and honored to be able to work with them.”

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Over 20 million tons of polystyrene plastic are produced annually, yet only a small fraction is recycled worldwide. Current recycling methods consume large amounts of energy and often rely on harsh and toxic chemicals to break the strong molecular chains that make up polystyrene. One possible solution is the use of sulfur, which is an inexpensive byproduct formed when refining crude oil. Its unique chemical structure allows it to break up strong chemical chains in long plastic molecules. Despite its abundance, sulfur has very limited applications, and converting it into more usable forms tends to require a lot of heat, rendering it unused for long periods of time. 

Researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics hypothesized that sulfur could help break down polystyrene waste to form more valuable chemicals. To power this reaction, they converted sunlight into heat energy through a process called photothermal conversion. They used this heat to transform polystyrene and sulfur into valuable chemicals like 2,4-diphenylthiophene, or chemical D, and 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene, or chemical T, which are used to make semiconductors and chemical sensors. 

To test this, the team mixed ground polystyrene and sulfur at a molar ratio of 1:0.5 in a glass test tube. They sealed the tube with a balloon and secured it onto an iron stand. Then, they focused sunlight onto the bottom of the tube using a curved mirror. As the mixture heated up, the yellow-white solids gradually melted and transformed into a reddish-black liquid after 2 minutes. After heating, the researchers removed the mirror and allowed the system to cool before collecting the gaseous products from the balloon and dissolving the remaining solids for further purification and analysis. 

The researchers then adjusted the reaction conditions to understand what factors influenced their results. They tested the reaction without sulfur, varied the sulfur ratios from 0.2 to 0.8, and replaced elemental sulfur with other sulfur-containing compounds. They also explored adding known photothermal agents, specifically metal oxide additives, to the mixture. 

To compare the difference between sunlight and artificial light, the researchers repeated the experiment indoors using a 100 Watt LED bulb and monitored temperature changes with a thermal camera. They also ran a control experiment using only polystyrene to check how sulfur affected the yield under LED light. They also tested exposure times from 1 to 6 minutes in 1-minute increments to determine how long it took to achieve the highest yields under LED. The researchers used these tests to identify which conditions were necessary for the reaction to occur and how different factors influenced its outcome.

They found that without sulfur or with alternative sulfur-containing compounds, the reaction did not produce chemical D or T under sunlight. In contrast, reactions that included sulfur successfully produced these target products, with the highest yields of 34% for D and 16% for T at a sulfur ratio of 0.5. When they added metal oxides, the chemical yields decreased to 22% and 12%, respectively, suggesting that these additives interfered with the desired reactions. In addition, when the researchers switched from sunlight to LED, the reaction yields dropped to 26% for D and 13% for T. 

Next, they examined how reaction time influenced product formation. They found that yields increased gradually before reaching the maximum at 4 minutes and leveling off. They also noted that mixtures containing sulfur heated up from room temperature to 320°C (608°F), while the control setup only showed a slight temperature increase. The researchers interpreted these results as confirmation of sulfur’s dual role as a reactant and a light-to-heat converter that enables the conversion of polystyrene to useful chemicals.

Taking it a step further, the researchers tested their method on real-world polystyrene wastes, including food packaging, cup lids, and foamed plastics. They successfully produced chemicals D and T from these materials, demonstrating that their process works beyond laboratory samples.

The team concluded that their study presents a simple, fast, and solvent-free approach to converting 2 abundant waste materials into valuable chemicals using sunlight. By combining polystyrene waste and excess sulfur, the researchers offer a new pathway for sustainable polymer upcycling that uses clean energy and is broadly applicable to everyday plastics.

The post Upcycling polystyrene with sunlight and sulfur appeared first on Sciworthy.