Research News
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New Study Challenges Data Heat Island Claims Around Hyperscale Data Centres
A new study published in Environmental Research Letters has found little evidence that hyperscale data centres cause significant heating of surrounding land. While a previous study suggested data centres heat surrounding land by about 2 °C on average (up to 9 °C), reaching 10 kilometres away, 13 years of satellite data reveals that server waste […]
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Red Tape Carries €110m Price Tag for Single Offshore Wind Projects
Long development timelines increase the cost of energy from offshore wind (OSW) farms, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. The research estimates that cutting approval timelines by just one year for a one-gigawatt (GW) OSW farm lowers its energy costs by around €1 per megawatt-hour; roughly €110m over the plant’s 25-year operational […]
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New scientific method can now tell real Van Goghs from fakes
A new study published in the peer reviewed journal Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties introduces a pioneering, non‑invasive technique that can distinguish authentic artworks from forgeries, offering museums, collectors and auction houses a major advantage in tackling art fraud. The study, developed at the Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France introduces a method that analyses the microscopic “texture” of a painting by converting high-resolution images into 3D‑like maps allowing researchers to measure […]
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AI shows promise for flood forecasting and water security in data scarce regions
New research reveals that ‘foundation models’ trained on vast, general time‑series data may be able to forecast river flows accurately, even in regions with little or no local hydrological records. The approach could improve flood warnings, drought planning and water-resource management in parts of the world where monitoring data is limited. The study, published in Machine Learning: Earth, […]
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Wildfire Smoke Linked to Rise in Violent Assaults, New 11-Year Study Finds
A new study spanning eleven years of data has revealed a clear link between wildfire smoke pollution and an increase in violent assaults in Seattle. Published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, these findings represent the first direct causal evidence that short-term exposure to wildfire-driven air pollution can increase interpersonal violence in an urban environment. As wildfires intensify around the world due to climate change, Lion […]
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AI Adoption in the U.S. Adds ~900,000 Tonnes of CO₂ Annually, Equal to 0.02% of National Emissions
A new study published in Environmental Research Letters finds that continued growth in artificial intelligence (AI) use across the United States could add approximately 900,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. This is not a small amount but equates to a relatively minor increase when viewed in the context of nationwide emissions. While AI adoption is expected […]
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Climate intervention may not be enough to save coffee, chocolate and wine, new study finds
A new study published in Environmental Research Letters reveals that even advanced climate intervention strategies may not be enough to secure the future of wine grapes, coffee and cacao. These crops are vital to many economies and provide livelihoods for farmers worldwide. However, they are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures […]
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3D-Printed Kidney Tumours Show Potential for More Targeted Treatment
Scientists at Tsinghua University have developed a method to grow kidney tumours in the lab using cells from real patients, offering a potential new tool in the fight against renal cancer. Their research, published in the journal Biofabrication, outlines how 3D bioprinting technology can be used to replicate the unique characteristics of each patient’s tumour. The […]
