Air pollution in Poland, particularly in urban areas, remains a significant environmental and public health issue. A substantial portion of the particulate matter suspended in the air is attributed to the combustion of solid fuels in individual heating systems.
Researchers at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences have discovered that superworms are more adept at consuming and digesting plastics than their mealworm counterparts.
In 2024, AlphaFold, an AI model developed by the tech company DeepMind (now a part of Google), received widespread recognition, including a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for its groundbreaking ability to predict protein structures.
Smog and poor air quality are not the same. Smog situations are high concentrations of pollutants that last for a relatively short time. Although they do have a negative impact on health, air pollution is much more important because it has a long-term, everyday impact, says Dr. Krzysztof Skotak from the Institute of Environmental Protection - National Research Institute.
The Pomorzany Sewage Treatment Plant is testing a pilot station that detects and removes PFAS compounds and micropollutants. The research results will enable the construction of an effective level 4 treatment installation, in accordance with the new EU urban wastewater treatment directive.
Forest anthills can be 'environmental islands' for fungi, say scientists from the Botanical Garden and the Faculty of Biology at the University of Warsaw, who discovered the presence of a specific group of fungi in the hills of the wood ant, different from those in the surrounding forest litter. The presence of anthills can therefore promote local biodiversity.
Scientists have counted tardigrades living in Denmark. They recorded a four-fold increase in the number of species, including at least nine previously unknown ones. This was possible thanks to the help of hundreds of children who collected over 8,000 lichens and mosses, even from the most remote areas of Denmark.
The increase in air pollution in cities is related to increased traffic during morning commutes to schools, according to research from the University of Warsaw. Scientists believe that the situation can be improved by changing the habits of children and parents, not by traffic bans.
Cryptobiosis is a condition thanks to which tardigrades are able to survive in the most extreme conditions. The cell cytoskeleton may also participate in this phenomenon. Scientists from the Adam Mickiewicz University have just received a grant to study this topic.