Hong Kong’s skyline generates vast amounts of construction waste through daily demolition. While some of this waste is used for land reclamation, much still ends up in landfills. Prof. C.S. Poon, Michael Anson Professor in Civil Engineering and Distinguished Research Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, is dedicated to advancing construction waste recycling and had developed a new semi-wet carbonation technique, transforming waste into valuable building aggregates and promoting more sustainable construction practices in the city. 

SAN ANTONIO — September 10, 2025 — A new study led by Southwest Research Institute’s Dr. Michael Starkey has provided observational evidence from the SwRI-led Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission of pickup ions (PUIs) and associated wave activity in the near-Earth solar wind environment. The MMS mission, launched by NASA in 2015, placed four spacecraft in orbit to observe Earth’s magnetosphere, a magnetic field around the planet that shields it from harmful solar and cosmic radiation.

Camelina sativa, a promising biofuel crop, has recently been the subject of an in-depth study exploring its genetic diversity, subgenome structure, and expression dominance. 

Recovery colleges (RCs) support personal recovery through education, skill development and social support for people with mental health problems, carers and staff. Guided by co-production and adult learning principles, RCs represent a recent mental health innovation. Since the first RC opened in England in 2009, RCs have expanded to 28 countries and territories. However, most RC research has been conducted in Western countries with similar cultural characteristics, limiting understanding of how RCs can be culturally adapted. The 12-item Recovery Colleges Characterisation and Testing (RECOLLECT) Fidelity Measure (RFM) evaluates the operational fidelity of RCs based on 12 components, but cultural influences on these components remain underexplored. The authors aimed to assess associations between Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and RFM items to identify cultural influences on fidelity components.

A newly implemented method can significantly reduce uncertainty in future global warming projections. As a result, these “constrained projections” should be viewed not just as hypothetical possibilities, but as skillful predictions.

In a comprehensive meta-analysis that delves into the environmental benefits of biochar, researchers are exploring its impact on reducing N2O emissions from fertilized cropland soils. The study, titled "Biochar Reduces N2O Emission from Fertilized Cropland Soils: A Meta-Analysis," is led by Prof. Xingliang Xu from the Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China, and the College of Resources and Environment at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Huairou District, Beijing, China. This research provides a detailed examination of how biochar can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural settings.

Farmers in northwestern Colorado have long used flood irrigation, channeling water from the White River across their fields instead of relying on sprinklers. A new Colorado State University study shows that about 75% of this water eventually returns to the river through groundwater, while also supporting wetlands important for wildlife and recreation. The findings, published in the Journal of Hydrology, provide insights that can guide future water management and planning in the face of changing climate and water needs.

Ever wondered how we can clean wastewater more efficiently? Scientists have discovered that biofilters made from pyrite and sawdust can remove harmful nitrogen compounds through a fascinating mix of bacteria and chemical reactions. Learn how these simple materials could transform wastewater treatment!

The development of female cannabis inflorescences is tightly regulated by day length and plant hormones, with direct implications for fiber, seed, and cannabinoid production. 

Looking for greener building solutions? Scientists have found that non-traditional materials like volcanic ash and calcined clay can be used as sustainable alternatives to cement. These materials offer lower carbon emissions and similar performance to conventional binders. Discover how they work and their potential impact on the construction industry in this new study.