Latest research

Researchers at Stanford and Colorado State University used machine learning to determine how much global warming has influenced extreme weather events in the U.S. and elsewhere in recent years. Their approach could change how scientists study and predict the impact of climate change on extreme weather.

A new method for extracting lithium from briny water offers a more efficient, cost-effective, and environmental alternative to traditional lithium production. It could also help solve lithium supply chain issues.

Researchers have developed a new thermochemical reactor that can generate the immense heat needed for industrial processes using electricity instead of fossil fuels.

In Brazil, climate and other human-made environmental changes threaten efforts to fight schistosomiasis, a widespread and debilitating parasitic disease. Stanford and Brazilian researchers have now developed models that can predict how disease risk will shift in response to environmental changes.

E-IPER PhD student Hannah Melville-Rea describes her research and why she believes that a local approach can be the most effective for addressing a global problem.

Earth system science professor Rob Jackson’s new book illustrates clean energy transition challenges and success around the world.

New research underscores the close relationship between dust plumes transported from the Sahara Desert in Africa and rainfall from tropical cyclones along the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida.

Stanford researchers are working to reveal secrets of a massive, intricate underground fungal network. The resulting knowledge could help scientists engineer fungi-plant interaction to store large amounts of carbon underground and break down toxins, such as plastics and pesticides, among other advances.

A new study reveals social factors that increase the risk of dying from air pollution and finds stark racial disparities.

Oceans advanced lecturer Robin Elahi and civil and environmental engineering Assistant Professor Christine Baker share tips for bringing a scientist’s perspective to your next trip to the coast.

Soaring water utility bills force many households to ration water use for essential needs while still falling behind on payments. Stanford scientists offer a new approach to measuring water affordability that could help utilities and government agencies identify and aid those most at risk.

Stanford researchers and others are assessing an innovative curriculum and infrastructure maintenance program that could provide a blueprint for more effective school-based sanitation and hygiene interventions.

New research provides the clearest evidence to date that a rapid burst of evolution 540 million years ago could have been caused by a small increase in oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere and shallow ocean waters.

Environmental law expert Deborah Sivas discusses the implications of the Supreme Court overturning the Chevron decision, which had established 40 years of precedent related to the independence of government agencies.

Supported by a Sustainability Accelerator grant, a multidisciplinary team is exploring policy options such as prescribed burning with the goal of reducing wildfire risk in California.

Stanford researchers are developing a technology to analyze wastewater for a range of pathogens. Their approach could lead to more timely and comprehensive public health guidance on issues such as drug-resistant pathogens and emerging diseases.

Leaders and experts from across sectors and countries show how investing in nature is an antidote to local and global crises and the foundation of a better future.

In two courses during winter and spring quarters, student groups developed policy reports with the goal of informing government decisions about how to incorporate fisheries and aquaculture into Indonesia’s national development strategy.

The study simulated the economic, environmental, and climate impacts of new hydropower projects using computer models, seeking optimal outcomes across sectors.