Articles tagged with "environmental-monitoring"
Methane Pollution Has Cheap, Effective Solutions That Aren’t Being Used
The article highlights methane as a potent greenhouse gas that, despite being odorless and colorless, significantly contributes to global warming—trapping up to 84 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a short timeframe. Methane emissions, largely driven by human activities such as energy production and cattle farming, account for nearly a third of the global temperature increase since the Industrial Revolution. Recognizing its impact, over 100 countries pledged in 2021 to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. However, major emitters like Russia and China have not committed, and global methane emissions from energy production continue to rise, partly due to inadequate measurement and reporting. The article also underscores the challenges in tracking methane emissions accurately, as measurement-based data is scarce and emissions often go underreported. Methane leaks occur throughout the natural gas lifecycle—from drilling and transportation to consumption—and from coal mining, which releases even more methane than natural gas production. Despite the availability of low
energymethane-emissionsclimate-changenatural-gasfossil-fuelsenvironmental-monitoringemission-reductionUS scientists use machine learning for real-time crop disease alerts
Purdue University researchers are leveraging advanced AI and machine learning technologies to transform agriculture and environmental management. Their innovations include real-time crop disease detection using semi-supervised models that identify rare diseases from limited data, enabling faster outbreak responses and reduced chemical usage. These AI tools are designed to run efficiently on low-power devices such as drones and autonomous tractors, facilitating on-the-ground, real-time monitoring without relying on constant connectivity. Additionally, Purdue scientists are using AI to analyze urban ecosystems through remote sensing data and LiDAR imagery, uncovering patterns invisible to the naked eye to improve urban living conditions. In agriculture, AI is also being applied to enhance crop yield predictions and climate resilience. For example, machine learning ensembles simulate rice yields under future climate scenarios, improving accuracy significantly. Tools like the “Netflix for crops” platform recommend optimal crops based on soil and water data, aiding farmers and policymakers in making informed, data-driven decisions. Furthermore, Purdue developed an AI-powered medical robot capable of swimming inside a cow’s stomach to
robotAIagriculture-technologymachine-learningmedical-robotscrop-disease-detectionenvironmental-monitoringGeological CO₂ Storage: Massive Scale, Hidden Risks, Eternal Monitoring - CleanTechnica
The article critically examines the viability of geological carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration as a large-scale climate mitigation strategy. While geological storage has gained traction, partly due to less aggressive electrification scenarios and fossil fuel industry influence, real-world experience from enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations raises serious concerns about its effectiveness. EOR wells, which inject tens of millions of tonnes of CO₂ annually, already exhibit non-negligible leakage rates and mechanical integrity failures. These wells operate under less demanding conditions than dedicated sequestration wells, which must contain supercritical CO₂ under high pressure and corrosive environments for centuries or millennia. The higher risks of leakage and containment failure in future sequestration projects pose a significant challenge to meeting climate goals that require near-zero leakage over very long timescales. Scaling geological sequestration to the levels projected by organizations like the International Energy Agency—around 7.6 gigatonnes of CO₂ per year by mid-century—would require an unprecedented expansion of current capacity
energycarbon-capturegeological-storageCO2-sequestrationclimate-mitigationenhanced-oil-recoveryenvironmental-monitoringSeabed sensors to monitor CO2 storage at UK offshore carbon capture site
energycarbon-captureenvironmental-monitoringoffshore-technologysubsea-sensorsnet-zeroCO2-storageNew laser crystals boost quantum tech and cut rare earth reliance
materialslaser-technologyquantum-computingrare-earth-elementsoptical-materialsfiber-opticsenvironmental-monitoringPower of pyrazinacene: This crystal turns violet to expose a pollutant
materialscrystal-technologychemical-sensorscharge-transferenvironmental-monitoringpollution-detectionpyrazinaceneĐập thủy điện cao nhất thế giới bắt đầu trữ nước
robotIoTenergyhydropowerclean-energyconstruction-technologyenvironmental-monitoring