U.S. Pours $82 Million Into Next-Generation Nuclear Reactor Research

China is mobilizing 60,000 soldiers to plant trees across 84,000 square kilometers, aiming to raise forest coverage from 21% to 23% in 2018. The initiative targets heavily polluted Hebei province, but experts caution that trees alone won't solve the smog crisis. This move complements earlier measures like factory closures and a diesel car ban.

A new waterproof device called the FrogPhone lets scientists monitor frog calls from up to 150 meters away without repeated site visits. Developed by researchers and published in the British Ecological Society, the tool aims to make ecological surveys more efficient and frequent, supporting conservation efforts.

A new theoretical model suggests that objects, including spacecraft, could survive passage through a black hole's wormhole, challenging traditional views. The research, published in Classical and Quantum Gravity, replaces the central singularity with a finite-sized wormhole, offering a potential path to another universe.

New Zealand's new prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has pledged to make the nation's electricity grid fully renewable by 2035. The country already sources over 80 percent of its power from renewables, but faces challenges in maintaining reliability and affordability without fossil fuel backup. The plan is part of a broader strategy to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.

A new study reveals microplastics in all 19 snow samples collected in Antarctica, challenging assumptions about the continent's pristine environment. The findings, published in the journal Cryosphere, highlight the global reach of plastic pollution.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a method to produce biodegradable plastic from seaweed using marine microorganisms, avoiding the need for fertile land and fresh water. This approach could help mitigate ocean plastic pollution and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Researchers at Osaka University have developed a method using sunlight to convert seawater into hydrogen peroxide, a fuel that can generate electricity. This process offers a safer, more efficient alternative to hydrogen gas production, potentially advancing green energy storage and transport.

China now manufactures enough solar panels annually to generate a terawatt of power, a scale that is driving down global electricity costs and challenging fossil fuel dominance. With 64% of worldwide utility-scale renewable construction underway, the country's output is reshaping energy economics.

A stretch of Venice's Grand Canal turned fluorescent green over the weekend, prompting an investigation. Officials confirmed the color came from fluorescein, a non-toxic chemical used in infrastructure testing, though its source remains unclear. Police have not ruled out environmental activism.

A physicist's new paper suggests life could theoretically exist in a two-dimensional universe, challenging long-held assumptions about the necessity of three spatial dimensions for biology and gravity.

Researchers in Siberia have extracted liquid blood from a 42,000-year-old foal preserved in permafrost, raising hopes for cloning the extinct Lena horse. The discovery, announced by the Mammoth Museum in Yakutsk, marks one of the best-preserved Ice Age animals ever found. Scientists caution that viable cells are needed for cloning, a process that has failed 20 times before.

A Caltech team proposes that the hypothetical Planet Nine, with its massive size and tilted orbit, is responsible for the Sun's six-degree axial tilt, a mystery that has puzzled astronomers for 150 years. The theory, presented at a planetary science meeting, adds to the growing evidence for the planet's existence, though direct observation remains years away.

Researchers at the Australian National University have used the Molonglo telescope to confirm that fast radio bursts originate from space, not terrestrial interference. The finding narrows the search for the source of these millisecond-long energy flashes, which may hold clues to the universe's mechanics.

The Environmental Protection Agency has rolled back Obama-era methane leak regulations for the oil and gas industry, reducing the obligation to detect and repair leaks. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler says the move cuts redundant paperwork, but critics warn it could worsen climate change.

Physicists at CERN's Large Hadron Collider have found that numbers used to calculate collision outcomes match a class of pure math values called periods. This unexpected overlap with algebraic geometry could streamline complex calculations and deepen our understanding of quantum mechanics.

A new book by The Atlantic's Edward-Isaac Dovere details Senator Bernie Sanders' travel preferences, including 60-degree hotel rooms and a fondness for private jets, contrasting with his climate advocacy. The revelations, based on campaign staff accounts, have sparked questions about his environmental stance.

New CDC data links most EVALI cases to THC vaping products, with Dank Vapes accounting for over half. The agency warns that vitamin E acetate is associated with the illness, but other causes remain under investigation.

A new study in Joule reveals that Americans spent eight more days at home in 2012 than in 2003, leading to a 1.8% drop in national energy demand. The shift, driven by technology-enabled remote work and online shopping, reduced transportation-related energy use significantly.

New data from the Global Carbon Project projects a 2% rise in fossil fuel emissions for 2017, ending a three-year plateau. The findings, released ahead of COP23, challenge hopes that emissions had peaked and underscore the urgency for stronger climate action.

New simulations reveal that a hypothetical super-Earth placed between Mars and Jupiter could destabilize the entire solar system, potentially ejecting Earth and other planets. The study, led by astrophysicist Stephen Kane, underscores the delicate gravitational balance that makes our system uniquely suited for life.