Unhealthy levels of arsenic in water could exacerbate health concerns when used to boil rice

Rice, staple of over half of humanity, already has more arsenic than other grains; washing or boiling it with arsenic-contaminated water poses …

Carbon capture plants are underperforming — why are we so optimistic about them?

IPCC noted that CCS has the highest cost and lowest possible contribution to net emission reduction in both energy and industry sectors

Wars over water

Two-thirds of the world’s water-related conflicts since 1990 were witnessed in the past decade 

A giant dolphin once resided in the Peruvian Amazon. Its closest living relatives today inhabit the Indus and Ganga

At 3.5 metres long, the Pebanista yacuruna was the largest river dolphin that ever existed  

Simply Put: Tsar Vladimir

Simply Put: South Asian unity

Forests’ lingering question

Nearly three decades have passed since the Supreme Court ruling in 1996, which mandated the use of dictionary definition to delineate forests. …

Can Europa support life? Scientists estimate thickness of Jupiter moon’s ice shell to help figure it out

Europa’s icy crust found to be at least 20 kilometres thick

We know loneliness is a big problem. What we do not know is just how big: Christopher Mikton

Technical Officer at WHO and part of the Secretariat on Social Connection speaks to Down To Earth about loneliness on International …

World Sparrow Day 2024: How a Mysuru woman is trying to bring sparrows back to the city

Kokila Ramesh Jain makes customised terracotta nests to help attract the birds; she also organises citizen awareness events to highlight their …

How does the urban world commute? Study finds over half prefer cars

Global study reveals car dependence in urban areas worldwide, but high regional variances

DTE Coverage: WMO State of the Global Climate 2023 Report

Last year broke all records; DTE deconstructs document's main points

The middle-aged brain changes a lot — and it’s key to understanding dementia

The brain may be going through accelerating, as opposed to gradual, change during our 40s and 50s

Humanity produced 62 billion kg of e-waste in 2022. In 2030, that number will be 82 billion kg: UN

Easiest solution for all e-waste issues is still not to generate any e-waste in the first place, urges report  

‘Lianas threaten Earth’s carbon sinks’

Field ecologist Alain Ngute explains how lianas have lower carbon sequestering capacity than trees & when they compete for sunlight in the …

Simply Put: International Day of Happiness 2024

India was third-most polluted country globally in 2023, right behind top-ranking Bangladesh and Pakistan

Begusarai in Bihar most polluted city in world, New Delhi the most polluted capital; Africa continues to be most underrepresented continent

The year 2023 smashed several climate records, with some being ‘chart-busting’: WMO report

Greenhouse gas levels, surface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice cover and glacier retreat reached …

WMO highlights socioeconomic impacts of 2023 weather, and climate hazards, intertwined with inequality crisis

Extreme weather events hit many parts of the world in 2023, affecting water and food security as well as human welfare, report by …

Simply Put: Priorities

Investing in ending TB: WHO study shows potential benefit of $39 for every dollar spent in screening, prevention

Released modelling study for Brazil, Georgia, Kenya and South Africa ahead of World Tuberculosis Day on March 24

76% of Africa’s energy could come from renewable sources by 2040: here’s how

The 76% from renewables would be met by 82% hydropower, 11% solar power and 7% wind power

Malawi and maize: Prices have spiked on the back of bad weather and trade bans

Sustained excess margins in Malawi indicate that regional trade is not working well

That lonely feeling

WHO has recognised loneliness as a public health crisis and is trying to devise a way to measure the condition that affects a quarter of the …

Climate crisis everywhere, all at once: Record-breaking temperature in 10 countries across 4 continents

Indonesia, South Africa, Gabon, Kenya, South Sudan, Algeria, Tunisia, Guyana, Colombia and Rio burning up