Generative artificial intelligence uses massive amounts of energy for computation and data storage and billions of gallons of water to cool the equipment at data centers. Now, legislators and regulators — in the U.S. and the EU — are starting to demand accountability.
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Solutions
Flying Green: The Pursuit of Carbon-Neutral Aviation Revs Up
To eliminate global aviation’s sizable carbon footprint, researchers are working on a range of alternatives to fossil jet fuel. Recent test flights powered only by hydrogen or biofuels have been successful, but steep challenges remain before aviation can become carbon-free.
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Cities
How Parking Reform Is Helping Transform American Cities
In cities across the U.S., planners are pushing to eliminate mandates requiring parking spaces in new buildings. The reforms — along with banning street parking or adding meters — help to reduce car dependency, create public and green spaces, and lower housing costs.
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Energy
Natural Hydrogen: A Potential Clean Energy Source Beneath Our Feet
As studies show far more natural hydrogen underground than believed, well-funded efforts to drill for the gas are underway around the globe. Boosters see a plentiful green replacement for fossil fuels, but skeptics say its large-scale use may not be practical or cost-effective.
Biodiversity
How DNA from the Dead Is Helping Boost Species on the Brink
Historical and ancient DNA from museum specimens is enabling scientists to establish baselines of genetic diversity for species in decline. That information is guiding key decisions on how best to protect imperiled wildlife, from Galápagos tortoises to African rhinos.
E360 Digest
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After a Long Stretch of Record Heat, El Niño Begins to Wane
El Niño, when warm waters in the eastern Pacific fuel hotter weather globally, is beginning to recede, scientists say. More about After a Long Stretch of Record Heat, El Niño Begins to Wane →
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Amid Record Drop in Fossil Power, Europe Sees Wind Overtake Natural Gas
Europe saw a record drop in fossil fuel power last year, according to a new analysis. For the first time, wind supplied more electricity than natural gas. More about Amid Record Drop in Fossil Power, Europe Sees Wind Overtake Natural Gas →
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UN Carbon Removal Estimates 'By No Means Feasible,' Scientists Warn
U.N. estimates of the amount of carbon that humans can remove from the atmosphere are deeply unrealistic, scientists warn. A new paper offers more plausible carbon removal targets. More about UN Carbon Removal Estimates 'By No Means Feasible,' Scientists Warn →
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CONSERVATION
Rethinking Monarchs: Does the Beloved Butterfly Need Our Help?
The Eastern monarch butterfly has long been thought to be in peril, but new studies indicate that its U.S. populations are not in decline. Scientists say the biggest threat the species faces is from well-meaning people who rear the butterflies at home and release them.
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Biodiversity
The Beleaguered Whitebark Pine Is in Trouble. Can It Be Saved?
Once common in the West, whitebark pine is being wiped out by a deadly fungus, ravaging beetles, and climate change. Scientists hope advances in gene sequencing and a recent federal listing as threatened will speed the hunt for trees that can be replanted and seed the future.
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Biodiversity
When Species Names Are Offensive, Should They Be Changed?
Amid a wider social justice reckoning, some scientists are calling for scrapping species names that honor people considered objectionable, including dictators and enslavers, or use offensive words. Others question whether such a monumental effort is worthwhile or even possible.
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WILDLIFE
Deep in the Wilderness, the World’s Largest Beaver Dam Endures
The largest beaver dam on Earth was discovered via satellite imagery in 2007, and since then only one person has trekked into the Canadian wild to see it. It’s a half-mile long and has created a 17-acre lake in the northern forest — a testament to the beaver’s resilience.
