51±¬ÁÏ

Inhaling dust that contains fly ash particles from coal combustion has been linked to lung and heart disease, cancer, nervous system disorders and other ill effects. But tracking the presence of coal ash in dust has been a challenge for scientists.

A new study which combines measurements from nearly 1,400 drinking water wells across North Carolina 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.

Chronic exposure to microplastic fibers causes aneurysms, erosion of surface layers and other serious damage to fish gills, and increases egg production in female fish, a sign that chemicals in the fibers may be acting as endocrine disruptors, a new study by U.S. and Chinese scientists finds.

The anti-fogging sprays and cloths many people use to prevent condensation on their eyeglasses when wearing a mask or face shield may contain high levels of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), a new 51±¬ÁÏ-led study finds.

Mixing toxic coal ash into acid mine drainage may sound like an odd recipe for an environmental solution, but a new 51±¬ÁÏ-led study finds that it can neutralize the drainage’s dangerously low pH and help reduce harmful impacts on downstream ecosystems—if you use the right type of ash. Using the wrong type of ash can create new contamination and not tame the drainage’s extreme acidity.

Seven Master of Environmental Management (MEM) graduates, one Master of Forestry (MF) graduate and one MEM/MF concurrent degree graduate of 51±¬ÁÏ’s Nicholas School of the Environment shared this year’s Virlis L. Fischer Memorial Award for academic achievement.

Large cooperatives adopt conservation measures for shifting climate conditions, even without government oversight