The growing global population and continued economic development will likely require a significant increase in…
River Plants Counter Both Flooding and Drought to Protect Biodiversity
‘Water plants are a nuisance in streams, blocking the flow. You should remove them’. This notion has for many years determined how streams were managed to prevent flooding during high rainfall events.…
Could the Answer to Groundwater Resources Come From High in the Sky?
Groundwater makes up 30 to 50 percent of California’s water supply, but until recently there were few restrictions placed on its retrieval. Then in 2014 California became the last Western state to…
Angling for Underwater WiFi
Aquatic internet that sends data through light beams could enable divers to instantly transmit footage from under the sea to the surface. The internet is an indispensable communication tool, connecting tens of…
Shrub Encroachment on Grasslands Can Increase Groundwater Recharge
Grasslands across the globe, which support the majority of the world’s grazing animals, have been transitioning to shrublands in a process that scientists call “woody plant encroachment.” Managed grazing of drylands is…
Water-Splitting Module a Source of Perpetual Energy
Rice University researchers have created an efficient, low-cost device that splits water to produce hydrogen fuel. The platform developed by the Brown School of Engineering lab of Rice materials scientist Jun Lou…
