Search

Find uplifting stories about heroes, innovations, and solutions

13 results for "environmental monitoring"

Landsat 9 Tracks Earth Changes Every 8 Days from Space
Videos9h ago

Landsat 9 Tracks Earth Changes Every 8 Days from Space

For over 50 years, NASA's Landsat satellites have watched our planet change, and the newest one is capturing sharper images than ever before. Landsat 9 helps map the entire Earth every eight days, spotting everything from wildfires to melting glaciers with stunning clarity.

NASA3 min read
Tiny Chip Monitors Air Quality Without Moving Parts
InnovationFeb 13

Tiny Chip Monitors Air Quality Without Moving Parts

Engineers created a 15mm chip that analyzes air pollutants using heat instead of mechanical pumps, bringing lab-quality gas testing to your home. The breakthrough could transform industrial safety monitoring and help families track indoor air quality affordably.

Phys.org - Technology3 min read
New 3D Camera Spots Gas Leaks in Under One Second
InnovationFeb 13

New 3D Camera Spots Gas Leaks in Under One Second

Chinese scientists created a camera system that can "see" dangerous gas leaks in three dimensions, pinpointing their exact location and size in just 200 milliseconds. The breakthrough could prevent explosions and save lives at industrial sites worldwide.

Phys.org - Technology3 min read
New Chip Makes pH Testing Simpler for Medical, Farm Use
InnovationFeb 13

New Chip Makes pH Testing Simpler for Medical, Farm Use

German scientists have created a durable chip that makes pH testing more reliable and portable, replacing fragile equipment that often broke down. The breakthrough could transform how doctors, farmers, and environmental teams test water and biological samples in the field.

Phys.org3 min read
NASA Sensor Finds Sewage Spills and Ocean Plastic From Space
InnovationFeb 12

NASA Sensor Finds Sewage Spills and Ocean Plastic From Space

A NASA sensor designed to map desert dust just discovered it can spot pollution from orbit. The breakthrough could help us track and clean up our oceans like never before.

Google: NASA discovery2 min read
NASA Tracks Every Glacier on Earth Using Satellite Data
Planet WinsFeb 4

NASA Tracks Every Glacier on Earth Using Satellite Data

For the first time ever, scientists have mapped how all of Earth's glaciers speed up and slow down throughout the year. This breakthrough reveals crucial patterns about how our planet's ice responds to warming temperatures.

NASA3 min read
NASA's Libera Instrument Ready to Track Earth's Energy
InnovationJan 31

NASA's Libera Instrument Ready to Track Earth's Energy

A new NASA instrument has passed all its tests and is ready to continue a 50-year mission tracking the energy that powers all life on Earth. Libera will launch in 2027 to help scientists forecast weather, plan agriculture, and protect our planet.

NASA2 min read
New NASA Satellite Sees Through Clouds to Map Earth
InnovationJan 30

New NASA Satellite Sees Through Clouds to Map Earth

A groundbreaking U.S.-Indian satellite just proved it can photograph Earth's surface right through cloudy skies, revealing details that other satellites miss completely. The technology promises to help communities track crops, protect wetlands, and respond faster to natural disasters.

Phys.org3 min read
NASA Satellite Sees Through Clouds to Map Louisiana Wetlands
InnovationJan 30

NASA Satellite Sees Through Clouds to Map Louisiana Wetlands

A new Earth-watching satellite just proved it can see what other cameras can't: the ground beneath thick clouds. NASA and India's space agency captured stunning details of Louisiana's coast on a cloudy day when regular satellites saw nothing.

NASA2 min read
Cities Could Track 70% More Progress With Citizen Scientists
SolutionsJan 27

Cities Could Track 70% More Progress With Citizen Scientists

New research reveals cities are missing a huge opportunity to measure sustainability. Citizen science could help track 70% of urban progress indicators but is only used for 4% right now.

Phys.org3 min read
Moon Observations Reveal Earth's Climate 'Fingerprint
Planet WinsJan 27

Moon Observations Reveal Earth's Climate 'Fingerprint

Scientists in China have discovered a revolutionary way to track Earth's climate by observing our planet's radiation patterns from the moon. This breakthrough offers a clearer picture of global climate change than ever before.

Phys.org2 min read
Earthquake Sensors Now Track Falling Space Junk in Real Time
InnovationJan 26

Earthquake Sensors Now Track Falling Space Junk in Real Time

Scientists have discovered that earthquake sensors can detect sonic booms from falling space debris, helping predict where dangerous objects will land. The breakthrough could prevent weeks-long searches for toxic spacecraft fragments.

Smithsonian2 min read
Ocean Device Powers Sensors From Water Temperature Alone
InnovationJan 21

Ocean Device Powers Sensors From Water Temperature Alone

Scientists created a floating generator that turns tiny ocean temperature differences into electricity for marine sensors. The foot-long device works even when water and air differ by less than 10 degrees.

Phys.org - Technology3 min read