Feature Channels: Environmental Health

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Columbia University Irving Medical Center will host the first scientific conference highlighting research on far-UVC light as a safe and effective technology for disinfecting indoor air.

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University of Miami climate and aerosol experts, who are members of the Center for Aerosol Science and Technology, explain the dangers from the smoke flowing in from Canada, which is resulting in people donning masks.

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The growing frequency and intensity of heat waves around the globe pose “a substantial, persistent ‘non-combat threat’” to military training and operations, according to experts in environmental, thermoregulatory and cardiovascular physiology.

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Experts from Indiana University are available to comment on the health and environmental impact of Canadian wildfires on U.S. air quality.

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A successful long-term experiment with live hogs indicates Nebraska scientists may be another step closer to achieving a safe, long-lasting and potentially universal vaccine against swine flu.

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A new paper in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health makes the case that pandemic prevention requires a global taboo whereby humanity agrees to leave bats alone—to let them have the habitats they need, undisturbed.

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A new study by Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf, a researcher at the Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response Center in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, will map infrastructure and assets that are threatened by flooding in Bay County, Florida.

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UC San Diego Health was honored with six different awards for its health care sustainability efforts by Practice Greenhealth.

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Researchers at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) have developed photocatalytic concrete that can effectively remove fine particulate matter on roads.

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An international team of marine biologists has discovered the remnants of ancient RNA viruses embedded in the DNA of symbiotic organisms living inside reef-building corals.

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Plastic made from cane sugar also threatens the environment. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have found that perch change their behaviour when exposed to so-called bioplastic.

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A research team has taken a dive deep into the biology and integrated pest management of lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), a species of darkling beetle that wreaks havoc on poultry farms.

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A team at Sandia National Laboratories is developing materials to tackle what has become one of the biggest problems in the world: human exposure to a group of chemicals known as PFAS through contaminated water and other products. Sandia is now investing more money to take their research to the next level.

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As summer temperatures climb, heat illnesses become a more serious risk, particularly for young children, older adults, outdoor workers, athletes and people with chronic conditions. It is important to understand the impact of prolonged periods of high heat and humidity on your body. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) encourages people of all ages to stay cool this summer by taking proper precautions to preventing heat illness.

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New survey data from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine reveals that one-third (33%) of Americans “always or often” experience disrupted sleep due to pets, and younger generations are more likely to be impacted.

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Researchers at UC San Diego have spent many years developing a biodegradable plastic alternative made from algae. This algae-based polymer has already been used to make surfboards, flip flops and walking shoes. A new book, published by Elsevier, details the basic science of creating bio-based polymers, lifecycle assessments and a techno-economic analysis.

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Tick season is here, along with the increased danger of Lyme disease, and it turns out the tiny arachnids are even tougher than scientists previously thought.

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As climate change increases the severity, frequency and duration of heat waves around the world, researchers at the University of California, Irvine and other institutions are sounding an alarm about what they consider to be an added threat to human health: humidity. Heat extremes increase the risk of illness and death, with the worst outcomes among people who are older, have chronic diseases, live in hot climates and are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

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A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has identified how the influenza A virus manages to penetrate cells to infect them.

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A team of researchers from around the world is urging the international community to recognize the full environmental and health threat of plastics and categorize them as persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) pollutants.

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Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have discovered H5N1 avian influenza viruses gained the ability to cause severe disease and target the brain in mammals as they spread across North America.

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A detailed plan to transform product packaging and significantly cut plastic production and pollution has been developed by researchers.

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Seaside residents and holidaymakers have felt it for centuries, but scientists have only recently started to investigate possible health benefits of the coast. Using data from 15 countries, new research led by Sandra Geiger from the Environmental Psychology Group at the University of Vienna confirms public intuition: Living near, but especially visiting, the seaside is associated with better health regardless of country or personal income.

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The weather is warming up which means it's time to watch out for ticks. One way to protect yourself from tick-borne illnesses is to rethink landscaping choices, from the municipal level down to individual yards, according to a Virginia Tech medical geography expert who studies how Lyme cases are associated with certain land cover characteristics and configurations.

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With the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season officially starting on June 1 and ending Nov. 30, several Florida Atlantic University faculty experts are available to discuss various issues surrounding hurricane preparedness, evacuation and aftermath.

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Experts from Indiana University are available to comment on trending news topics for the week of May 22, including many safety topics during the Memorial Day weekend.

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Tracing volatile organic compounds is important for public safety and all “smell” related issues. To this end, in Applied Physics Reviews, Liu et al. introduce a fluid mechanics-based chamber design for an electronic nose that consistently detects VOCs at low concentrations. The strategy, which includes using a shuntlike device to control the behavior of fluid flow, is a step forward in e-nose technology development.

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A new study led by climate researchers at Columbia Engineering and the University of Exeter demonstrates that the treaty’s impact reaches all the way into the Arctic: its implementation is delaying the occurrence of the first ice-free Arctic by as much as 15 years.

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A large proportion of Australian rental properties are in such poor condition that they are putting residents’ health and wellbeing at risk, according to new research from the University of South Australia.