An international team of researchers, including scientists from Utrecht University and the University of Maryland, has reconstructed the concentration of clumped isotopes of methane in air from the past for the first time. This provides new insights into how atmospheric methane concentrations have changed since the start of the industrial era, around 1850. For the study, the scientists used air roughly forty years old, preserved in compacted snow (firn) in Greenland. The results were published in Science Advances.

In an innovative gas fermentation process, reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide was found to significantly improve microbial production of the biodegradable plastic, poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]. Researchers found that hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria grown under safe, nonflammable gas conditions enable more efficient production of biodegradable plastic at lower CO₂ levels. The study provides a promising strategy for sustainable carbon recycling and efficient CO₂ utilization.

Airborne particulate matter from the deserts of North Africa is reaching Europe in ever-increasing quantities. This has implications for health and for solar energy installations. A comprehensive study led by the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI published in Nature shows that this type of pollution is on the rise – a trend that could be further exacerbated by climate change.

The effects of extreme space weather may be larger than previously thought reveals research in Nature led by Dr Nithin Sivadas of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. An example of space weather are extreme geomagnetic storms which are temporary disturbances in the plasma and magnetic field around the Earth causing disruptions in global satellite communication, extensive power outages, and even how much radiation astronauts and pilots are exposed to.

The team found evidence from more than a million solar wind measurements taken by Earth-orbiting NASA spacecraft, very close to our planet. Analysis of these observations showed a direct relationship between the strength of the solar wind and the currents in the upper atmosphere, suggesting there is no upper limit but rather Earth’s response will continue to increase along with the solar wind strength, and impacts to technology can increase as well.

In a nutshell:

Rivers are a major source: Emissions of the highly potent greenhouse gas methane in areas along rivers and tributaries are up to four times higher than previously calculated.

Discrepancy between model and measurement: The largest discrepancies between model predictions and measurements occur in large river deltas, reservoirs, and regularly flooded areas across the Amazon Basin. In river deltas alone, methane emissions were underestimated by up to 26%.

For reliable climate projections: The findings underscore the need to strengthen observational infrastructure in tropical regions and to calibrate climate models with real-world measurements.

Researchers review the latest results and understanding of mechanisms behind this new field of research where seeds show higher yields and resilience following flash treatment in low-temperature plasma.