Combining approaches to better discover and cultivate microbial taxa could generate novel microbes for industrial and agricultural applications.

Despite scientific debate, protecting and restoring natural forests is essential for global climate mitigation and adaptation.

Vanillin and thymol replace fossil-based solvents to produce a fully bio-based ultrafiltration membrane that can clarify fruit juices.

A global field survey of dryland sites shows that plant species richness is the strongest predictor of resistance to overgrazing.

When water leaves a hydrophobic material, it acquires an electrical charge that could affect liquid-handling processes.

An ultrathin membrane enables energy-efficient freshwater production from seawater and brines at ambient temperature and pressure.

New electron transfer pathways discovered in Desulfobacterota reveal surprising microbial versatility and energy potential.

A study conducted during COVID-19 travel restrictions sheds light on the relationship between mass gatherings and the spread of antibiotic resistance.

A black fungus that can tolerate extreme salinity and intense radiation in a Mars-like environment provides insights into planet habitability and beyond.

Immediate international collaboration is needed to reverse current trends in global land degradation by transforming food systems.

Swift action to curb methane emissions could rapidly bring down the rate of global warming, modeling shows.

Using anaerobic membrane bioreactors in wastewater treatment plants may help stem the release of antimicrobial resistance genes into the environment.

Uncovering the mechanism of how soil bacteria improve plant resilience to drought and salinity could be important for mitigating effects of climate change on crop production.

As glaciers shrink, a major study reveals remarkable biodiversity across the world’s glacier-fed streams, providing a global reference for future climate-change microbiology studies on this vanishing ecosystem.

Insight into how photoexcited biomass-burning organic aerosols boost sulfate formation could help control wildfire-driven air pollution.

Nanofiltration membranes with bespoke porous architectures enable ultra-selective and energy-efficient separation of complex mixtures.

Interdisciplinary collaboration across all sectors is needed to build a sustainable urban future.

Plastic pipes installed in deep water could stockpile gas, helping the world move away from fossil fuels.

Mangrove soils are affected by the accumulation of plastic waste, but they may also hold a key to reduce its environmental impacts.

Drier climate and livestock grazing pressure jointly help to shape the diversity of plant traits in drylands worldwide.

Beneficial bacteria localize and flourish within coral tissues, boosting resilience to heat and other stressors.

A new solar-powered system efficiently extracts moisture from the air, offering a sustainable solution for irrigation.

Analyses of sediment cores highlight declining nutrient availability and increased trace metal pollution in the Red Sea.

Researchers propose a pathway to create sustainable greening initiatives in the Middle East using existing technologies.

Bio-inspired membrane materials from fungi mycelium are set to revolutionize separation technologies.

A superabsorbent film promises ecofriendly cooling solutions against heat stress and global warming.

Marine ecosystem models should account for vast fluctuation in dissolved oxygen.

A complex interplay of factors influences the spread of superbug genes during wastewater treatment and reuse.

Cool heads clear a pathway for the development of a sustainable cooling technology.

An electroactive bacterium generates well-defined nanosized metal catalysts with remarkable water-splitting performance.

Plant-derived biosolvents enable the sustainable conversion of plastic waste into valuable membrane materials.

Multifunctional porous conductive membranes help microbes eat their way to a faster carbon dioxide conversion.

Polymer-based membranes that selectively separate hydrocarbon and crude oil mixtures could eclipse current industrial thermal processes.

A sand-based mulch could help reduce irrigation on desert farms.

Unmanned aerial vehicles show promise for monitoring coastal water flows over large areas.

A solar-driven system to generate electricity and produce water for crops in arid areas may help a decentralized approach to food, water and energy security. 

Hydrogen peroxide only forms in the presence of ozone in water microdroplets.

Combining two chemical-free treatments shows promise as an approach for reducing biofilm build-up on anaerobic bioreactor membranes. 

A wax-based treatment for jute bags improves water repellency and reduces loss of stored food grains.

Understanding how liquid marbles behave as they evaporate provides valuable insights into these unique structures and their potential applications.

Sustainable electricity-free appliance can harness solar energy to reduce temperatures on hot days.

Theoretical modeling helps boost the efficiency of a device that generates both clean drinking water and electricity.

An enigmatic bacterium proves a useful ally for the synthesis of single-atom catalysts to split hydrogen from water.

Technologies that use the metabolic properties of microbial communities to treat wastewater and generate energy will transform water reuse.

Solar-powered brine crystallization could alleviate the environmental impacts of seawater desalination.

A pioneering framework will monitor groundwater use for agricultural irrigation across Saudi Arabia.

Microbiologist Peiying Hong explains current research into COVID-19 monitoring and surveillance using wastewater.

Ultrathin porous films that can pluck out specific nanoscopic molecules could refine oil purification and drug development.

A polyelectrolyte coating enables clean seawater desalination systems without harmful chemicals.

An experiment, elegant in its simplicity, helps explain why water becomes electrified when it touches hydrophobic surfaces.

A new electroactive bacterium could help fuel wastewater treatment reactors.

Combining solar-harvesting materials with carbon-dioxide–consuming microbes could be an efficient way to generate clean fuels.

Light-responsive building blocks provide organic membranes with light-controlled permeability and selectivity.

Models based on images from unmanned aerial vehicles and satellites can help farmers to monitor the health of individual trees.

High-capacity oil-adsorbing mats could be deployed in oil spill emergencies to limit ecological damage. 

More energy-efficient wastewater treatment may be possible by harnessing anammox bacteria’s surprising ability to "breathe" solid-state matter.

A study of marine Halobates species highlights how their waterproofing techniques, size and acceleration capability helped them colonize the ocean.

Polymers that absorb water from the atmosphere can make it easier to run photovoltaic devices in hot climates.

Carbon dioxide bubbles could be a fast and environmentally friendly way to unclog seawater filters and keep the supply of drinking water flowing.

With about half the world’s population living close to the coast, using seawater to flush toilets could be possible with a salt-tolerant bacterium.

Ultraviolet light could thwart antimicrobial resistance by damaging DNA material in wastewater.

Discarded PET bottles could find a new life in the chemical industry.

The dynamics behind microbial communities in granular-based wastewater treatment systems.

Accounting for the quality of energy needed to run a desalination plant shows benefits of using waste heat.

An integrated system seamlessly harnesses sunlight to cogenerate electricity and fresh water.

A biohybrid material that combines reduced graphene oxide with bacterial cells offers an eco-friendly option to help store renewable energy.

Insect-inspired design principles lead to first-ever water-repellent membranes made from water-wet materials.

Global water challenges addressed through improvements to desalination techniques and limits to waste.

A graphene-oxide membrane design inspired by nature swiftly separates solvent molecules.

High-resolution imaging data collected by small satellites could transform how we monitor freshwater use in agriculture.

Unique membrane design prevents salt crusts from being produced during the distillation of brine water.

Aerial imaging of plant heights could help farmers manage field crops more effectively to increase yields and preserve resources.

Environmentally friendly method for making membranes adds greener options for processing industrial waste.

Electrosprays of water cannot reliably probe the air-water interface.

A combined treatment may help tackle the rise of E. coli PI-7 in Saudi Arabia’s wastewater systems.

Helpful microbes inhale CO₂ through a porous cylindrical electrode and exude useful chemicals.

An inexpensive hydrogel-based material efficiently captures moisture even from low-humidity air and then releases it on demand.

Immersion could become the ultimate test for assessing the wetting properties of coating-free microtextured surfaces. 

Research to optimize aquaponics systems could inform a new era of urban food production.

Tiny nature-inspired cavities that trap air can stop liquids from sticking to surfaces without the need for coatings.

A low-cost method for collecting water from the atmosphere could be used to provide potable water to dry, inland regions.

A plant scientist, a water specialist and a petroleum engineer walk onto a panel, “how do you define sustainability?” one asks.

A 3D solar-steam generator design squeezes every last drop of energy from sunlight to produce fresh water.

A fast and safe method to prepare a 3D porous material that mimics the shape of a honeycomb could have broad applications from catalysis to drug delivery or for filtering air to remove pollutants or viruses.

A grimy layer on wastewater filters could slow the spread of antibiotic resistance.  

The availability of high-resolution data collected by miniaturized satellites heralds a turning point in Earth and environmental sensing from space.

Safety assurance is the first step in bringing valuable wastewater into use, says Peiying Hong.

Trapping molecules on custom-designed porous surfaces becomes easier with a new model that unifies previous theories of adsorption.

Tailor-made membranes offer a cleaner method for the industrial-scale separation of chemical mixtures, says Suzana Nunes. But first we need to make their manufacture greener.

Treating wastewater with solar irradiation shows promise in reducing two E. coli strains but a resilient strain persists.

Promising electrochemical technologies for cleaning wastewater are boosted by discovery of extremophilic microbes in the Red Sea.

Emerging technologies are poised to transform how we observe the Earth.

Surface wettability has little effect on atmospheric water gathering, but edge structure is crucial.

A nature-based technique paves the way for cheaper and environmentally friendly liquid-repellent materials.

A floating membrane that uses sunlight to evaporate water shows potential for water purification.

An antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria found circulating in Jeddah’s municipal wastewater could have severe implications for public health.

A material made by combining a metal and a polymer can help generate hydrogen and fresh water from wastewater.

KAUST researchers are working to find new ways of monitoring irrigation, crop health and yields.

Certain bacteria-based water treatment systems may help prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Biology has inspired new ways to harvest and collect water.