Behind the Paper
The real stories behind the latest research papers, from conception to publication, the highs and the lows
Filtered by: Earth & Environment
Flattening the load: from flocking birds to reducing peak energy demand in buildings.
How do starling flocks relate to energy use in homes? Can neighbourhoods flatten peaks in demand using simple coordination schemes to help prevent blackouts? A recent paper explores these questions and provides striking answers that could help to design robust and efficient local energy systems.
Discovery of Easy Activity Promotion of Photoelectrochemical Reactors: Time & Energy Saving via Coupled Faradaic/Electrostatic Boosting Strategy!
PEC reactors are a type of electrochemical cell, harnessing light as a primary energy source to drive desired redox processes. By utilizing an appropriate semiconducting electrode, a PEC reactor can transform photons into e/h pairs and perform intended processes upon its cathode and anode.
Estimation and usefulness of measurement uncertainty from sampling at different spatial scales: microns to kilometres
Measurements made on samples are the basis of most scientific decision, but always contain uncertainty. Much of this uncertainty arises from how the samples are taken, and this can be quantified using the Duplicate Method, which can be applied at any spatial scale, from kilometre to microns.
HEvOD: The First Database of Hurricane Evacuation Orders in the United States
A comprehensive database of historical hurricane evacuation orders in the United States for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
Tough Choices: Defining national net zero goals is critical for food and land use policy
Development of Net-Zero pathways within the Agriculture Forestry and Other Land Use sector is vital for effective policy, but national definitions lack clarity. An Irish study shows how NZ outcomes vary widely, depending on the applied definition.
Large cities—the supernodes during extreme heatwaves
Heatwaves present numerous challenges to urban sustainability. With global climate change, understanding the mechanisms behind heatwaves is becoming increasingly crucial. How do these extreme conditions develop in cities? Does the size of a city matter in heatwave propagation?
