Sustainability

Aerial view of construction work on the Maya Train on August 31, 2023

First Section of Mexico's Controversial Maya Train Opens

The rail system, built to connect tourist destinations, has been criticized for endangering archaeological and environmental sites

See-through wood has a number of interesting properties that researchers hope to exploit.

The Surprising Possibilities of See-Through Wood

Stronger than plastic and tougher than glass, the resin-filled material is being exploited for smartphone screens, insulated windows and more

Evolyn aims to launch a new rail service between London's St. Pancras International station and Paris' Gare du Nord station.

New High-Speed Rail Service Between London and Paris Is Coming in 2025

The startup Evolyn plans to challenge the 30-year monopoly held by Eurostar, which is currently the only rail operator that links the two capitals

Could this innovation provide a solution to one of our era’s biggest scourges?

Scientists Have Created Synthetic Sponges That Soak Up Microplastics

Made from starch and gelatin, the biodegradable sponges remove as much as 90 percent of microplastics in tap water and seawater

Consumer products made from carbon capture can't undo the damage we’ve done to our planet—but each of them exists thanks to innovations that could. 

Little Luxuries Made With Captured Pollution Hint at Big Frontiers in Climate Science

Entrepreneurs are using jewelry, fragrances and clothing to demonstrate what’s possible with repurposed carbon—and environmentalists have questions

A train in Austria displays an ad for the Klimaticket.

Austria Offers Free Rail Travel in Exchange for Getting a Tattoo

Six people with a "Klimaticket" tattoo received an unlimited one-year public transit pass

House Between Forest and Field in Dutchess County, New York, was designed by nARCHITECTS, the winner of this year's National Design Award for architecture.

Meet the Innovative Winners of This Year's National Design Awards

Cooper Hewitt recognizes talented trailblazers who are at the forefront of their fields

The new Orient Express La Dolce Vita train, which is set to launch next year, is one part of Italy's new train tourism strategy.

Grappling With Climate Change and Overtourism, Italy Is Betting Big on Train Travel

New rail routes will help throngs of tourists get around the country in a sustainable way

The ban would apply to ships arriving at Cruise Port Amsterdam, currently located in the city's center.

Amsterdam Bans Cruise Ships to Combat Pollution and Overtourism

The city council has approved a plan to close and relocate the cruise terminal in the city's center

Twenty Blues trains are now running—and plans are in the works to bring more than 100 into operation.

Europe's First Battery-Powered Trains Are Here

The tribrid trains now running in Italy can switch between battery power, electricity and diesel

A chicken nugget made from cell-cultivated meat. The companies plan to start by selling their product to restaurants. 

USDA Approves First Lab-Grown Chicken in the United States

Two companies have received the green light to produce and sell chicken they have cultivated from cells

The tiny device generates electricity from the air in a way that resembles how clouds make the electricity we see in lightning bolts.

This New Device Generates Electricity From Thin Air

Nearly any material covered with tiny holes can derive energy from humidity, per a new study, opening doors to more sustainable power

The Colorado River's Glen Canyon Dam, which creates Lake Powell.

States Propose Landmark Deal to Conserve the Colorado River

The water cuts suggested by California, Arizona and Nevada are not as ambitious as those proposed by the federal government, but they will buy time

Range anxiety is still a major hurdle for prospective EV buyers.

What Will It Take to Charge Electric Vehicles Faster?

To get more EVs on the road, these scientists are working to charge a car in the same time that it takes to fuel up at a gas station

Ski resorts in the Rocky Mountains received record-setting snowfall this year, which likely inspired more people to go skiing and snowboarding.

Ski Areas Reported More Visits Than Ever This Past Winter

Heavy snowfall—particularly in the Rocky Mountains—attracted record numbers of American skiers and snowboarders

The Neo P1 starts at $179, roughly five to ten times the price of a normal pothos plant.

Could Genetically Modified Houseplants Clean the Air in Your Home?

A Parisian start-up wants to filter harmful chemicals indoors with engineered pothos plants

Electric cars from Tesla, photographed in 2018

EPA Proposes Tightest-Ever Emissions Limits for Cars

If approved, the rules could lead to electric vehicles comprising 67 percent of new car sales by 2032

Driver-optional e-tractors promise to increase efficiency while cutting emissions.

Could Electric Tractors Revolutionize Farming?

The vehicles may change the agricultural landscape by scaling sustainability and increasing efficiency

Dairy farms like this one run by the Barstow family in Hadley, Massachusetts, make smart use of a substance cows produce in abundance.

How Dairy Farmers Are Turning Manure Into Money

These New Englanders have found a way to help the planet and convert more than 9,000 tons of cow waste annually into electricity

Solar panels float on a mountain lake in Switzerland. The first such system was installed in 2008.

Are Floating Solar Panels the Future of Clean Energy Production?

“Floatovoltaics” could drastically raise power generation and conserve water in reservoirs, according to a new study

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