#1
Replacing Coal with Gas or Renewables Saves Billions of Gallons of Water
The ongoing transition from coal to natural gas and renewables in the U.S. electricity sector is dramatically reducing the industry’s water use, a new study finds.
#2
Vinyl Flooring, Flame-Retardant Foam Expose Children to Harmful SVOCs
Children living in homes with all vinyl flooring or flame-retardant chemicals in the sofa have significantly higher concentrations of potentially harmful semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) than children from homes where these materials are not present, according to recent findings.
#3
New Study Confirms Beaked Whales' Incredible Diving Abilities
A new study by Duke Marine Lab researchers showcases the remarkable diving abilities of beaked whales and provides new clues on how they make a living at the extremes of depth and cold.
#4
Duke Conservation Scientist Stuart Pimm to Receive International Prize
Stuart Pimm, the Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, has been awarded the 2019 International Cosmos Prize.
#5
Half of Piedmont Drinking Wells May Exceed NC’s Hexavalent Chromium Standards
A new study estimates that more than half of the wells in the state’s central region contain levels of cancer-causing hexavalent chromium in excess of state safety standards.
#6
Algae May be Key to Combating Climate Change
New research shows algae may hold the key to helping scientists devise a negative-emissions technology that produces electricity and provides protein for millions of people worldwide while simultaneously removing substantial amounts of carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere and reducing deforestation.
#7
Duke University Begins Work on 10,000-Acre ‘Carbon Farm’ in N.C.
Duke University has acquired rights to create a 10,000-acre “carbon farm.” When fully operational, the farm could potentially store enough carbon to help Duke meet its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2024.
#8
$5 Million Grant Will Fund New Laboratory for Environmental Analysis
Duke University has received a five-year, $5 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to develop a new environmental analysis laboratory.
#9
Changes in Tuna’s Carbon Ratios Signal a Global Shift in Oceanic Food Web
The ratio of carbon isotopes in three common species of tuna has changed substantially since 2000, suggesting major shifts are taking place in phytoplankton populations that form the base of the ocean’s food web, a new international study finds.
#10
Sand Tiger Sharks Return to Same Shipwrecks Off N.C. Coast
Photos taken months, and in some cases years, apart by scuba divers show female sand tiger sharks returning to the same shipwrecks off the North Carolina coast, a new study reveals.
Tim Lucas
(919) 613-8084
tdlucas@duke.edu