As the frequency and size of wildfires continues to increase worldwide, new research from Carnegie Mellon University scientists shows how the chemical aging of the particles emitted by these fires can lead to more extensive cloud formation and intense storm development in the atmosphere. 

Up, up, and … back down! On Jan. 27, scientists on an island in Indonesia launched a weather balloon carrying an ozonesonde – an instrument that measures ozone throughout the layers of Earth’s atmosphere.

NASA researchers have found a small but unexpected decrease in air pollution over some parts of Africa despite growing use of fossil fuels in many countries due to development and economic growth.

Their report, authored by 38 Australian, UK and US scientists from universities and government agencies, is published today in the international journal Global Change Biology.

Alkanes, an important component of fuels for combustion engines and an important class of urban trace gases, react via another reaction pathways than previously thought. 

A new study shows that a widespread decline in abundance of emergent insects – whose immature stages develop in lakes and streams while the adults live on land – can help to explain the alarming decline in abundance and diversity of aerial insectivorous birds (ie preying on flying insects) across the US.

Savannah ecosystems, and regions with extreme wet or dry seasons were found to be the most sensitive to changes in fire frequency.

Researchers have developed a new sensor that could allow practical and low-cost detection of low concentrations of methane gas. 

Atmospheric air pollution kills more than 10,000 people every day. The biggest threat to human health has been assumed to be the mass accumulation of atmospheric particles with diameter smaller 2.5 µm: the higher the mass and loss of visibility, the bigger the threat.

The researchers of the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) at the University of Helsinki together with collaborators in China discovered that if we want to solve the accumulation of the biggest particles, we need to start with the smallest.

Until recent studies, very little attention had been given to the ultrafine particles, smaller than 100 nm in diameter, since their weight and surface area are comparably negligible. It has been controversial whether these particles can grow to relevant sizes where they can affect visibility and human health.

“We found that the smallest particles matter the most”, says Academician Markku Kulmala from the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR).

Read more at: University of Helsinki

Researchers followed the growth and chemical composition of the freshly formed particles until those reached sizes where they contribute to mass accumulation. (Photo Credit: Lubna Dada)

The use of the polymeric flame retardant PolyFR in “eco-friendly” foam plastic building insulation may be harmful to human health and the environment, according to a new commentary in Environmental Science & Technology.