Tag Archives: Water

Researchers are killing two birds with one stone: water scarcity and plastic waste.

By | October 16th 2026
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The world is suffocating in plastic waste. Credits: Thirdman, pexels

Discarded plastic packaging, old CDs, and even LEGO bricks can be transformed into materials that absorb significant amounts of humidity. Materials chemists Anastasiia Naryshkina, Paul Schweng, and Robert Woodward from the University of Vienna have converted various types of plastic waste into water-attracting polymer networks. These absorb water even in dry climates and release it again when moderately warmed, for example, by sunlight… Read more »

Public health is at risk: Scientists urgently call for a ban on permanent chemicals.

By | October 2th 2026
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From cardiovascular diseases to cancer: PFAS are harmful to health. Credits: Tima Miroshnichenko, pexels

At the closing event of the five-year EU-funded research and innovation project ZeroPM (Zero Pollution of Persistent, Mobile Substances), project coordinator Hans Peter Arp from the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) made an urgent appeal to those present. Since only 0,2 to 2 percent of persistent chemicals can actually be removed from the water, immediate action is needed… Read more »

Rhineland-Palatinate: “Groundwater suitcase” aims to interest pupils in water and the life in it

By | May 21
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Credits: Heide Stein, Carsten Grabow and Hans Jürgen Hahn, RPTU

Groundwater is invisible to many – yet vital. Not only does it secure our drinking water supply as the largest freshwater reserve, but it is also a fascinating habitat whose diversity and ecological importance have so far received little public attention. Scientists at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU), in cooperation with the Rhineland-Palatinate State Institute for Education, now aim to change this: with a practical… Read more »

Drought: Kassel researchers link drinking water supply and hydrogen production

By | April 11, 2025
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Credits: Tien-seven, pixabay

Germany is once again experiencing drought. A research project at the University of Kassel is now making Kassel a pilot city for a climate-resilient water supply. The "Flexilienz" project aims to ensure a secure drinking water supply even under climate stress, to integrate it with hydrogen production, and also to demonstrate energy-saving and storage potential. The measures will be tested in the supply network of the Kassel municipal utilities. In the North Hessian city… Read more »

Climate change in the forest: Unequal water distribution sets off a chain reaction

By | March 24, 2025
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Credits: Simon Drollinger, University of Göttingen

How does climate change alter the amount and distribution of rain beneath the forest canopy? And what role do trees play in dry and wet years? A research team from the University of Göttingen investigated these questions, studying a beech forest in the Göttingen district for seven years using numerous measuring devices. Among other things, the researchers were able to demonstrate… Read more »

Climate change and water availability: Researchers answer pressing questions

By | March 21, 2025
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Prof. Dr. Harald Kunstmann from the University of Augsburg

For a long time, Germany seemed to have been spared the world's major water crises. But climate change is altering that. Global warming is now increasingly showing its effects in our latitudes as well. For climate and water researcher Prof. Dr. Harald Kunstmann from the University of Augsburg, the rapid pace of these changes is particularly crucial. He discusses the importance of water, which… Read more »

Berlin Water Competence Center proposes robust statistical methods for water analysis

By | February 5, 2025
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Credits: Jens Johnson, pexels

A new study by the Berlin Competence Centre for Water addresses a key problem in the reuse of water in agricultural irrigation: validating that water treatment plants reliably meet the required performance targets. The study examined statistical methods for complying with EU Regulation 2020/741, which stipulates that 90% of the calculated Log10 reduction values ​​used to assess distance performance must meet strict various… Read more »

Mega-droughts are becoming more frequent and intense worldwide

By | January 17, 2025
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Credits: Dirk Karger

A study led by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) shows that prolonged droughts have increased alarmingly over the last 40 years. They are impacting agriculture, energy production, and ecosystems, the research team warns in the journal Science. Northern Chile has been suffering from extreme drought for fourteen years. The southwestern United States recently experienced eight years of extreme dryness, and South Australia three. Read more »

Brazilian rainforest to grow again thanks to training programs

By | January 10, 2025
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(Credits: Pok Rie/pexels)

The rainforest on Brazil's east coast is not only exceptionally biodiverse but also massively threatened. Brazilian legislation therefore mandates its reforestation. To support this effort, TH Cologne and the local environmental organization REGUA have been developing training courses for diverse local target groups since the beginning of 2024 – with success: More than 130 certificates have been issued so far. The Brazilian Atlantic… Read more »