Santa Barbara County residents love their coastline, from the small-town beaches of Carpinteria to Santa Barbara’s waterfront to camping hotspots like Jalama Beach and dramatic Guadalupe Dunes. But drastic changes are in store in coming decades as temperatures and sea levels rise, bringing massive impacts to local ecology and human systems. To help local coastal…

A new study reveals that 90 percent of Utah urban dust comes from dry lakebeds, which not only impacts air quality but also impacting soil and what can grow in it. New research from BYU’s geological sciences department found that about 90 percent of dust in Utah’s Wasatch Front comes from the west desert, an…

A patented process for converting alcohol sourced from renewable or industrial waste gasses into jet or diesel fuel is being scaled up. Two key technologies power the energy-efficient fuel production units. A single-step chemical conversion streamlines what is currently a multi-step process. The new PNNL-patented catalyst converts biofuel (ethanol) directly into a versatile «platform» chemical…

Aedes aegypti are the primary vector for mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever. However, the effects of climate change-related weather anomalies on mosquito populations is not well understood. A new study suggests that early interventions may prevent disease transmission even as extreme climate events may increase the abundance of Ae. aegypti populations. Temperature and rainfall…

A growing population, rising standards of living and quickly changing fashions send mountains of clothing waste to the world’s landfills each year. Although processes for textile recycling exist, they tend to be inefficient and expensive. Now, researchers have reported an efficient, low-cost method that can convert waste denim into viscose-type fibers that are either white…

Researchers model urban airflows to help improve the design of drones, skyscrapers, and natural ventilation systems. Scientists presented the latest findings on modeling and predicting urban airflow — in the hope of building better buildings, cities, and transportation — at the 73rd Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics. The urban…

Knowledge of the detailed accumulation profiles of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and POPs-like contaminants in wild animals is critical for ecological risk assessment. Comprehensive screening of organohalogen compounds in the livers of wild birds from Osaka, Japan using two-dimensional gas chromatography in combination with high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC?GC—HRToFMS) revealed specific accumulation of typically…

Having good room ventilation to dilute and disperse indoor air pollutants has long been recognized, and with the COVID-19 pandemic its importance has become all the more heightened. But new experiments show that certain circumstances will result in poor mixing of room air, meaning airborne contaminants may not be effectively dispersed and removed by building…

Using less material in floors is a viable strategy for improving sustainability in buildings, as it can reduce the structure’s environmental footprint. Prioritizing only this goal, however, can lead to unwanted effects — such as an echo in a room or noise traveling between floors, according to architectural engineers. Penn State researchers explored a method…

Scientists have developed a highly sensitive, accurate and affordable carbon-based nitrogen dioxide sensor. The gas sensor could provide accurate readings of the nitrogen dioxide levels in the local environment in an affordable and portable Internet-of-Things device, which could sync with smartphones and applications. The gas sensor could, for the first time, provide accurate readings of…