Tag: pollution

People exercise less when they live next to noisy traffic

The likelihood of taking daily exercise falls by five per cent for every ten decibels of noise, shows new study.

Industrial pollutants are changing the microbiota of the Greenland ice

Bacteria within the Greenland ice sheet are adapting to cope with pollutants deposited in the ice. These same bacteria may be key to removing some of this contamination before it enters the local food chain.

Plastic waste from Europe and USA ends up in the Arctic

In just a few decades, the Arctic Ocean has become a dumping ground for plastic waste from the USA and Northwest Europe, shows a new study. Over time, plastics from as far away as China could also reach the Arctic.

Pollution can increase the risk of stillbirths

Living in a heavily polluted area can increase the risk of stillbirths, shows new study.

World's fastest chip could make the Internet eco-friendly

Scientists have invented the world's fastest chip, which could help improve the eco-friendly credentials of the Internet.

Why some companies are becoming environmental activists

OPINION: After decades of activists campaigning against companies’ poor environmental records, are companies suddenly becoming environmental activists themselves?

Can noise make you sick?

A new study will examine whether daily exposure to loud noise increases the risk of cancer and diabetes in women.

Women are greener in traffic

Swedish researchers think the planet might be less threatened by air pollution from cars if more men followed the example of women.

Chemical pollution is causing brain damage in polar bears

Toxic chemicals end up in the Arctic where they cause brain damage in polar bears. They could even affect humans, scientists warn.

Arctic sea ice helps remove CO2 from the atmosphere

A new study shows that calcium carbonate in the ice absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere.

Chemical pollution is causing polar bear penises to break

Polar bears' penis bones are eroded by chemical pollution. So much that it might break during intercourse, scientists warn.

Air pollution and noise could be causing diabetes in pregnant women

New research project investigates if women living in noisy and polluted areas face a greater risk of developing pregnancy-related diabetes.

Study reveals: soap is not harmful to the environment

New study shows that soap compounds break down long before they can pose an environmental threat.

Sea creatures are threatened by our medicines

Medication ingested by humans is taken up by algae and sea creatures. Entire ecosystems can be affected, according to a Swedish researcher.

Untested chemicals damage children’s brains

The number of industrial chemicals with a proven neurotoxicity effect on children’s brains has doubled since 2006. Meanwhile, the number of children with developmental disorders such as autism and ADHD is on a rise. Scientists are raising the alarm.

Even tiny oil spills may break Arctic food chain

Drilling for oil in the Arctic may have catastrophic consequences, new study suggests.

Pregnant women who eat fish get chubby daughters

When an expectant mother gets the environmental toxins PCB and DDE into her bloodstream from eating fish, her daughters are likely to become overweight, new Danish/Faroese study reveals.

Air pollution leads to smaller babies

Pregnant women who are exposed to even the tiniest amounts of air pollution risk giving birth to babies with low birth weight.

Helicopter technology to solve Indian water shortage

Danish scientists have developed a special technology which uses a helicopter to locate groundwater. The technique is currently being used to search for clean drinking water in India.

Our homes are filled with soot nanoparticles from candle flames

Cozy candles and sizzling pans make Danish homes as polluted as a typical Beijing apartment, new study finds.

Hydrogen cars now one step closer

Scientists have taken a big step towards making environmentally-friendly hydrogen cars a reality.

Nitrous oxide is the new ozone enemy

Nitrous oxide affects both the ozone layer and global warming when it’s released into the atmosphere. Farmers and wastewater treatment plants are among those who send out gas, and now Danish scientists have set out to figure out how this works.

Proof: graphene can convert sunlight to electricity

Graphene has an excellent ability to convert solar radiation into energy. Now we can see how the material works and why it has the potential to massively boost the efficiency of solar cells.

Fungi and rust can stifle smell of slurry

New study shows how fungal spores and rust can help reduce the stench of slurry in biofilters, which help prevent harmful substances from being released into the atmosphere.

Sweeteners flow out into nature

Sweeteners from diet sodas are discharged into the wastewater from sewage treatment plants, and there are no limits to how much they can discharge. Researcher believes these substances might affect animal behaviour.

Huge X-ray laser reveals new molecular state

Using a specially designed X-ray laser, researchers have managed to photograph what happens when molecules bind to or unbind from the surface of a catalyst. The findings may be an important step in the development of new forms of renewable energy.

Sedatives turn fish into unsociable gluttons

Drug residues in the waterways can have unexpected consequences for our ecosystems, say Swedish researchers after exposing perch to anti-anxiety drugs.

Short-term exposure to high concentrations of wood smoke has no long-term effect: study

New study suggests that inhaling dense wood smoke for a short duration does not trigger severe symptoms in otherwise healthy people.

Mercury pollution robs EU kids of billions

Global mercury pollution affects children’s brain functions and thus also their odds of getting a low-salary job. The total annual loss of life earnings amounts to €9 billion.

Man has affected the climate for 2,000 years

New research using ice cores from Greenland shows that mankind emitted greenhouse gases affecting the climate during the time of the Roman Empire.

Getting Arctic raw materials requires a gentle hand

We must be very careful if we want to preserve the Arctic region’s special natural environment and culture while ensuring that the coming raw materials boom doesn’t turn into a disaster.

Oilfields have reduced their methane emissions

Capturing methane-rich natural gas from oilfields has helped ensure that emissions of methane have been far lower than expected, a new study shows.

Research gives clean drinking water for millions of Vietnamese

Geological studies carried out by Danish researchers are giving hope to the millions of people in Southeast Asia who drink groundwater contaminated by arsenic – a highly poisonous substance.

Magnetic screw helps capture energy from waves

Wave energy is known for its great potential, but so far no-one has found the right way to exploit the movements of waves. Three newly qualified engineers have come up with a great suggestion

Tropical tree extract can clean drinking water

A new extract can prevent parasites from entering a person’s intestines. This is an easy and cheap solution to a widespread problem – it can help over a billion people who have worms in their intestines.

We fear that science will wipe us out

Our ancestors feared that a god would cause the Earth’s destruction. Today we dread man-made viruses, global warming and nuclear bombs – the underside of science and technology.

Computer model predicts tomorrow’s nature

Researchers have developed a computer model that can look into the future. The model’s virtual world makes it possible to explore how man-made changes in nature will impact on animal life in the future.

Air pollution hospitalises small children

Rising numbers of small children are hospitalised with asthma when air pollution increases, new study shows. One surprising finding is that ultra-fine particles from road traffic play only a little role.

Harmful bacteria invade the groundwater

New research reveals that bacteria in farm slurry seep down to the groundwater before they can be broken down in the subsoil.

New theory: CO2 makes you fat

Danish researchers have announced a rather wild hypothesis: Perhaps we are getting fatter and fatter because of the increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

Hormone-impairing substances make daughters fat

Pregnant women with high levels of hormone-impairing substances in their blood have a three times higher risk than other women of giving birth to daughters who will be overweight at the age of 20.

Vietnamese farmers smell health risk of faeces

Vietnamese farmers fertilise the soil by spreading human excrement on the fields with their bare hands. But it is only the smell they believe to be a health risk.

Diesel fumes can affect a foetus for generations

Diesel engine particles can make DNA mutate over generations, mouse trials show. Humans may also be affected.

Now we can learn more about chemicals in the body

Now it will be much easier to examine the effects of chemical substances on humans, thanks to a new computer model which compares data from all over the world.