Environment
20 May 2025
Humpback whale population’s recovery could reveal we were wrong about where humpback whales give birth — tropical waters aren’t the only nursery.
Environment
19 May 2025
Macrophotography and bee hotels introduced Dr Kit Prendergast to the world of native bees. Inspired, she began her PhD on protecting native bee biodiversity in urbanised habitats, and investigating the role of the introduced European honey bee on indigenous bee biodiversity and pollination networks. Since completing her PhD, she has worked in diverse roles as an ecological consultant, working to conduct native bee research for not-for-profits, environmental consultancies, Landcare groups, and local and state government, as well as with research institutions. She was awarded a Federal Government Grant to lead a project using bee hotels to help with the recovery of native cavity-nesting bees after the 2019/2020 bushfires. She is also a prolific science communicator, and has won a number of awards for her articles and scientific outreach.
Climate action
09 Apr 2025
Earth Day, an annual event to show support for the protection of the Earth and what’s living on it, is almost upon us. To celebrate, we’re highlighting five recently published Frontiers articles on energy, ecosystems, and the environment.
Environment
08 Apr 2025
By examining mercury concentrations in tree rings, researchers showed that trees could be witnesses to illegal gold mining activities in the Amazon, highlighting their potential as biomonitors
Earth science
11 Mar 2025
By comparing climate models to fossil vegetation, scientists trace the remains of climate chaos following the Permian-Triassic mass extinction — including 10 degrees of global warming caused by CO2 emissions.
Space sciences and astronomy
25 Feb 2025
Scientists successfully identify microbe fossils in terrestrial rocks like those found on Mars, opening up the possibility of searching for fossils on the Red Planet.
Climate action
21 Feb 2025
In May 2024, a type of windstorm called derecho caused considerable damage to the facades of Houston’s tall buildings, which had been designed to withstand stronger, hurricane-strength winds. In contrast, hurricane Beryl in July 2024 caused only minimal damage to the same buildings. Researchers analyzed the damage from this derecho and used wind-tunnel modeling to simulate its unique wind loading effects on miniature tall buildings. They concluded that besides interference between groups of tall buildings, the unique characteristics of local events like derechos worsened the structural damage. This finding has implications for the design of future tall buildings and urban planning.
Environment
20 Feb 2025
A field study spanning a year showed that water collected from fog could ease water scarcity affecting vulnerable populations living in Chile’s Atacama Desert
Environment
18 Feb 2025
Conservation researchers working on grassland restoration in Kenya found that larger areas of restored habitat reduced both social conflicts and human-wildlife conflicts.
Space sciences and astronomy
06 Feb 2025
Scientists explored microbial movement as a possible biosignature to detect life on Mars and beyond, cheaper and faster than ever before.
Space sciences and astronomy
03 Feb 2025
Space belongs to no-one, yet many nations and private entities now plan to lay their claim on its resources. In a recent Frontiers in Space Technologies article, Nishith Mishra, Martina Elia Vitoloni and Dr Joseph Pelton shared their thoughts about how plans to exploit the ocean floors could impact the way resources from space are used and managed.
Climate action
27 Jan 2025
The Amazon rainforest, often called the lungs of Earth, is a vast and intricate ecosystem. It hosts at least 10% of the world’s wildlife and is home to many indigenous peoples and local communities. This vast expanse of rainforest plays an important role in regulating the Earth's climate, sustaining the livelihoods of millions.
Environment
22 Jan 2025
Blue growth rings found in woody plant stems represent years when cells did not lignify properly because of summers too cold for growth.
Climate action
12 Dec 2024
Part of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from railways lie in the energy used to produce and maintain the necessary infrastructure. Researchers from Finland here showed the feasibility of using more eco-friendly railway sleepers from two types of recycled plastic, liquid packaging board and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Carbon emissions saved each year by phasing out concrete sleepers and replacing them with such recycled plastic could amount to the equivalent of heating for 1,200 Finnish households.
Environment
06 Dec 2024
Scientists used CT scans to learn more about the anatomy of hailstones, information which could advance hail formation forecasting
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