Energy

Oil pumpjack operating in the oil fields under a twilight sky.

Disaster Response

Shining a light on oil fields to make them more sustainable

Sensors and analytics give oil well operators real-time alerts when things go wrong, so they can respond before they become disasters.

Zach Winn | MIT News Office

Aerial view of a geothermal power plant

US will accelerate geothermal exploration on federal land

The Bureau of Land Management is taking steps to make it easier for public lands to be considered for geothermal power systems.

A high-tech modular structure illuminated by blue lights, standing on a barren, moon-like landscape at night.

World’s biggest battery maker unveils grid-scale storage system

CATL, the world’s biggest battery manufacturer, just unveiled TENER, a new energy storage system for utility companies.

These pioneers are building the sustainable food systems of tomorrow

In a new Freethink original series, Michael O'Shea goes around the world to introduce us to the scientists who are working hard to ensure that we can feed our future world.

This musician transforms scientific data into elaborate melodies

When we convert complex data into sound and listen to it, quite often what emerges is something we can understand through sound, even though we could never understand it visually.

Series| Future of Food

A look inside farms of the future

With a growing population, changing consumption behavior and a climate crisis, how will we feed our future world?...

Disaster Response

A community at the frontlines of the war on wildfire

When facing literal hellfire, this community effort may be the only way to protect homes and lives from devastating wildfires.

Ever wonder what happens to leftover crayons?

This dad is melting down old crayons for kids who need them most.

Hacking surfboard fins to fight climate change

How can a surfboard modification help save the oceans?

The edible six pack ring that's saving marine animals

18 billion pounds of plastic are dumped in the ocean every year. This microbrewery created biodegradable six pack rings to help stem the tide.

“Cybersecurity for plants” can stop germs from hacking our food supply

Computer hackers exploit flaws in code to access systems and take what they want; plant diseases work the same way.

John Herlihy

The cost of sucking carbon out of the air just fell by 85%

It's not there yet, but carbon capture just got interesting.

Organic solar is (finally) efficient enough to compete

Reliable power straight from the sun looks more achievable than ever.

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