AI can see you

A sophisticated and frightening face-recognition algorithm being employed by technology firms could be the end of privacy as we know it

As the world heats up, solar panels will degrade faster – especially in hot, humid areas. What can we do?

We’ll need to incorporate new ways of cooling panels and improve the materials used. We also need to improve manufacturing processes and …

Book Excerpt: Have you ever tried a sustainable safari in Africa?

In safari tourism, the balance between humans, development, and wildlife is a difficult one to strike; but there are safari companies trying to …

A new virus-like entity has just been discovered – ‘obelisks’ explained

Obelisks have a circular single-stranded RNA genome and no protein coat but, like viruses, their genomes contain genes that are predicted to code …

Simply Put: Alone

IPCC Special Report: Climate risks require India to rethink its approach

The report warns of increased risk of coastal flooding, heatwaves, food scarcity and vector-borne diseases

COVER STORY: Why are governments across Africa on a legislation spree to regulate seeds market

Countries and economic blocs across Africa are on a legislating spree to regulate the continent’s seed markets, ostensibly to overcome …

Megadrought along border strains US - Mexico water relations

A landmark 1944 US-Mexico treaty that governs water relations between the two countries, is buckling under the enormous strain of climate change

World seeing signs of climate breakdown: Antonio Guterres

UN Pact for Future must prioritise communities bearing brunt of climate emergency, says UN secretary-general 

Robots develop new semiconductor materials in tests that are 10 times faster & greener

With the technology, scientists have been able to develop alloys with perovskites materials that can improve solar cells

Loss and damage: Displacements

Globally, disasters, mostly cyclones and floods, triggered most internal displacements, or movements, in 2021.

Opinion: Earthquakes are a boon for Earth

Earthquakes are natural but huge losses of life and property during the incidence of an earthquake are anthropogenic

Road to COP15: DTE’s coverage in the run-up to Montreal

The 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity will be held from December 7-19, 2022

James Webb Telescope captures clearest view of Neptune’s rings after 3 decades

Webb images vividly display Neptune’s fainter dust bands in addition to many brilliant, narrow rings

We’ve been tracking birds in a small Nigerian forest for 18 years: What we found & why it matters

Population changes locally for both migrant and resident bird species were similar, being reasonably stable or increasing

Basic water services in South Africa are in decay after years of progress

In South Africa, the right to water is enshrined in the constitution

Single-use plastic ban: Environment lessons India can learn from East Africa

Import, manufacturing or sale of single-use plastic bags in Kenya could earn a fine of $40,000 for companies and $500 for individuals

COVID-19: The poor must wait years for the jab

Intellectual property rights can act as a barrier against wide access to vaccines, treatments for the novel coronavirus disease  

All that happened at UNCCD COP14

The 14th Conference of Parties in New Delhi saw delegates discuss desertification in detail. Here are the discussions they did and decisions they made

‘We expect to find more interstellar comets in the future’

Nasa scientist Davide Farnocchia, who was one of the first to make observations about the new interstellar comet, speaks to Down To Earth

‘Rejuvenation treatment can delay onset of heart diseases, cancer’

Steve Horvath, a geneticist who was able to reverse nine people’s biological clock recently, spoke to Down To Earth about the study

Pacific heatwave: ‘More research needed to find what causes this’

Down To Earth speaks to marine heatwave experts Nicholas Bond about the high sea surface temperature anomaly in the Pacific and its significance

Extreme anomalies

Between January and June 2019 extreme weather events across the world broke the century-mark

US biologist found dead during Crete conference, police suspect homicide

Suzanne Eaton was working as a developmental biologist at Germany’s Max Planck institutes

Five countries had zero malaria cases in 2018: WHO

While China and El Salvador reported no cases for second consecutive year; Iran, Malaysia & Timor-Leste had zero cases of the …