Reducing Downtime & Material Waste in Automated Production Lines
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Automation gets so much attention for making production faster and more efficient. But the real story here is something else entirely: waste. When those automated production lines run smoothly, manufacturers can cut down on scrap, make less rework, get a more consistent product, and make better use of the materials they’ve got on hand. But […]
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British biogas could shield households from Gulf energy shock, says industry
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Britain could reduce the impact of rising global gas prices and supply concerns caused by the conflict in the Gulf by rapidly increasing domestic green gas production, according to the UK’s anaerobic digestion industry. Trade association the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) says existing biomethane plants could increase production by almost a third within […]
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Granular activated carbon-sorbed PFAS can be used to extract lithium from brine
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The method utilises PFAS taken from firefighting foam samples. A group at Rice University in Houston, Texas have developed a process to use PFAS to extract lithium from high-salinity brine pools, in a study recently published in Nature Water. “Extracting lithium from brine can be less environmentally damaging than conventional mining, but it still faces […]
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Luisa Colón Joins the Sabin Center as Assistant Director of Operations
We welcome Luisa Colón, who recently joined the Sabin Center as Assistant Director of Operations. She will work with the leadership team to design and manage systems supporting projects, budgets, and resources. Her work focuses on strengthening organizational infrastructure and facilitating partnerships among researchers, practitioners, and students. Previously, Luisa managed interdisciplinary initiatives at Bard […]
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Q&A: Why does gas set the price of electricity – and is there an alternative?
A surge in gas prices triggered by the Iran war has caused a knock-on spike in the price of electricity in the UK, Italy and many other European markets. This is because gas almost always sets the price of power in these countries, even though a significant share of their electricity comes from cheaper sources. […]
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DeBriefed 13 March 2026: War and oil | Why gas drives electricity prices | Japan’s ‘vulnerability’ to Iran crisis
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week War and oil HISTORIC: Leaders from 32 countries agreed to the “biggest emergency oil release in history” in response to the energy crisis sparked by the Iran war, reported Politico. The coordinated release of 400m barrels of […]
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Q&A: How climate change and war threaten Iran’s water supplies
Climate change, war and mismanagement are putting Iran’s water supply under major strain, experts have warned. The Middle Eastern country has faced years of intense drought, which scientists have found was made more intense due to human-caused climate change. In recent years, Iranian citizens have protested against the government’s management of water supplies, pointing the […]
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Water regarded as national security priority, says FCDO
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Delegates at the British Water International Reception 2026. Water resilience should be regarded as a national security priority, delegates to the British Water International Forum 2026 heard on 23 February. Speaking at the event in London, Andy Roby, senior water resources advisor for the UK government’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), said, that there […]
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New conference will shine a light on waste crime amid record incidents
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Fly-tipping on a housing estate. A new national conference taking place on 19 March (online) will address the growing challenge of waste crime, following new Government data showing that fly‑tipping incidents in England have risen to their highest level since records began. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Waste Crime Conference, supported by the […]
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Glasgow fire renews concerns over lithium-ion battery safety
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The fire in Glasgow on 8 March. A major fire in a building next to Glasgow Central station on 8 March – which forced the closure of Scotland’s busiest railway hub – has put the spotlight once again on longstanding concerns about the safety of lithium-ion batteries. More than 200 firefighters1 battled the blaze which […]
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Can AI help predict which heart-failure patients will worsen within a year?
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Characterized by weakened or damaged heart musculature, heart failure results in the gradual buildup of fluid in a patient’s lungs, legs, feet, and other parts of the body. The condition is chronic and incurable, often leading to arrhythmias or sudden cardiac arrest. For many centuries, bloodletting and leeches were the treatment of choice, famously practiced […]
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Reluctance to rely on China for green technology could slow climate action
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Photovoltaic circuit board production in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, in 2021. New research suggests that concerns about relying too heavily on Chinese manufacturing are shaping climate policy – and could even delay the adoption of green technologies around the world. The study by Dr James Jackson from The University of Manchester, working alongside Dr Mathias Larsen […]
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Cost of Net Zero by 2050 less than a single fossil fuel price shock, says CCC
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The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has released a new report to complement its 2025 advice on the UK’s Seventh Carbon Budget. The independent, statutory body tested its cost and energy security conclusions against different scenarios. It found that the total additional cost of a single fossil fuel price spike of 2022 magnitude is likely to […]
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Best Practices for Minimizing Construction Impact on Natural Habitats
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Photo courtesy of Freepik As urbanization continues to expand, the need for balancing development with conservation becomes increasingly vital. Construction projects often disrupt natural habitats, leading to loss of biodiversity and ecological damage. To mitigate these effects, it’s essential to adopt construction practices that prioritize environmental sustainability. This article aims to explore best practices that […]
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3 Questions: On the future of AI and the mathematical and physical sciences
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Curiosity-driven research has long sparked technological transformations. A century ago, curiosity about atoms led to quantum mechanics, and eventually the transistor at the heart of modern computing. Conversely, the steam engine was a practical breakthrough, but it took fundamental research in thermodynamics to fully harness its power. Today, artificial intelligence and science find themselves at […]
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Cropped 11 March 2026: Iran water worries | Seabed-mining treaty progress | Women farmers and climate change
We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight. This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s fortnightly Cropped email newsletter. Subscribe for free here. Key developments Fertiliser disruption in Middle East FOOD RISKS: The US-Israel war on Iran is “disrupting” the production and […]
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Analysis: Why clean energy will cut UK gas imports by more than North Sea drilling
The Iran war has spurred a range of commentators to renew calls for the UK government to issue new licences for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. They argue that new domestic drilling could boost energy security at a time of volatility in major oil-and-gas producing countries in the Middle East. However, such […]
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New MIT class uses anthropology to improve chatbots
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Young adults growing up in the attention economy — preparing for adult life, with social media and chatbots competing for their attention — can easily fall into unhealthy relationships with digital platforms. But what if chatbots weren’t mere distractions from real life? Could they be designed humanely, as moral partners whose digital goal is to […]