Duke Environment
@dukeenvironment.bsky.social
The Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University is one of the world’s leading graduate and professional schools for the interdisciplinary study of the environment.
Introducing the Research Rundown, a new feature that highlights papers published by faculty and students across the school’s four academic divisions.
This month: electric vs. gas vehicles, microbe-embryo interactions, data center energy demand and classifying small-scale fisheries.
This month: electric vs. gas vehicles, microbe-embryo interactions, data center energy demand and classifying small-scale fisheries.
January 2026 Research Rundown: Electric Vehicles, Microbes and Embryos, Meta’s Energy Demand, Small-Scale Fisheries
Research highlights from across the Nicholas School.
nicholas.duke.edu
January 13, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Introducing the Research Rundown, a new feature that highlights papers published by faculty and students across the school’s four academic divisions.
This month: electric vs. gas vehicles, microbe-embryo interactions, data center energy demand and classifying small-scale fisheries.
This month: electric vs. gas vehicles, microbe-embryo interactions, data center energy demand and classifying small-scale fisheries.
Deepfake whales, lithium mining, urban biodiversity and energy system forecasting are just a few of the topics explored in the Nicholas School’s top research and impact stories of 2025.
2025 in Review: The 10 Most Popular Stories of the Year
Deepfake whales, lithium mining, energy system forecasting: These are just a few of the topics explored in the Nicholas School’s top research and impact stories of 2025.
nicholas.duke.edu
December 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Deepfake whales, lithium mining, urban biodiversity and energy system forecasting are just a few of the topics explored in the Nicholas School’s top research and impact stories of 2025.
A new Duke-led study has identified chemicals of concern in protective gear worn by firefighters.
Study Documents Potentially Hazardous Flame Retardants in Firefighter Gear
The study, led by Heather Stapleton, is the first published research in the U.S. to investigate and document the use of these flame retardants in firefighter turnout gear, worn for protection on the j...
nicholas.duke.edu
December 16, 2025 at 9:29 PM
A new Duke-led study has identified chemicals of concern in protective gear worn by firefighters.
It's been 15 years since an independent performance review of the regulatory bodies that manage fisheries in two-thirds of our oceans. A new analysis led by Gabrielle Carmine, Ph.D.'25, and Pat Halpin’s lab, provides an updated picture.
High Seas Fisheries Management Falls Short of Mandates, Analysis Finds
The review comes as the United Nations prepares to enforce a new oceans treaty that will require collaboration with these management bodies.
nicholas.duke.edu
December 8, 2025 at 7:28 PM
It's been 15 years since an independent performance review of the regulatory bodies that manage fisheries in two-thirds of our oceans. A new analysis led by Gabrielle Carmine, Ph.D.'25, and Pat Halpin’s lab, provides an updated picture.
The late coastal geologist Orrin Pilkey frequently spoke about the dynamic nature of North Carolina's barrier islands. In this essay, Pilkey's son Charles explores the geologic processes that formed those islands, as well as other fascinating ocean features less visible to the eye.
What Lies Beneath
The ocean floor off North Carolina’s coast is a world unto itself, a time capsule of ancient geologic activity punctuated by signs of civilization and creatures rarely seen by human eyes. Essayist Cha...
nicholas.duke.edu
November 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
The late coastal geologist Orrin Pilkey frequently spoke about the dynamic nature of North Carolina's barrier islands. In this essay, Pilkey's son Charles explores the geologic processes that formed those islands, as well as other fascinating ocean features less visible to the eye.
Reposted by Duke Environment
I have a @nytimes.com op-ed today on managing power demand growth. Central point: load growth is an opportunity to *offset* upward rate pressure (and avoid gas overbuild), if we plan the system to make fuller use of infrastructure we’ve already paid for. 🔌💡 www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/o...
November 4, 2025 at 2:04 PM
I have a @nytimes.com op-ed today on managing power demand growth. Central point: load growth is an opportunity to *offset* upward rate pressure (and avoid gas overbuild), if we plan the system to make fuller use of infrastructure we’ve already paid for. 🔌💡 www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/o...
Congrats to Ph.D. student Tyler Norris, @tnorris.bsky.social, who was named to the 2025 TIME100 Climate list. His research on electric power systems is helping the tech and energy industries find ways to meet rising electricity demand using the existing grid.
time.com/collections/...
time.com/collections/...
Tyler Norris: The 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders of 2025
Find out why Tyler Norris is on TIME's 2025 list of the 100 most influential leaders driving business climate action.
time.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Congrats to Ph.D. student Tyler Norris, @tnorris.bsky.social, who was named to the 2025 TIME100 Climate list. His research on electric power systems is helping the tech and energy industries find ways to meet rising electricity demand using the existing grid.
time.com/collections/...
time.com/collections/...
As the anniversary of Hurricane Helene approaches, N.C. educators may be looking for resources to help students navigate challenging times. Ready, Set, Resilience — a middle school program from the Nicholas School and partners — uses nature-based stories to support them.
Roots of Resilience
Two hurricanes and a global pandemic exposed a need for youth mentorship in coastal North Carolina. What began as a training exercise in personal resilience has grown into an expansive middle school c...
nicholas.duke.edu
September 24, 2025 at 8:09 PM
As the anniversary of Hurricane Helene approaches, N.C. educators may be looking for resources to help students navigate challenging times. Ready, Set, Resilience — a middle school program from the Nicholas School and partners — uses nature-based stories to support them.
From studying deepfake whales as a conservation tool to conducting fieldwork in Malawi, it’s been a busy summer at the Nicholas School. Explore recent faculty and student research + impact highlights in our latest newsletter.
Research + Impact: Deepfake Whales and Conservation
mailchi.mp
September 5, 2025 at 3:37 PM
From studying deepfake whales as a conservation tool to conducting fieldwork in Malawi, it’s been a busy summer at the Nicholas School. Explore recent faculty and student research + impact highlights in our latest newsletter.
During a July ceremony at the 2025 Goldschmidt Conference in Prague, Avner Vengosh accepted the Clair C. Patterson Medal from the Geochemical Society. The annual award recognizes innovative contributions to environmental geochemistry, particularly in service to society.
Vengosh Receives Prestigious Patterson Medal for Innovation in Geochemistry
Named for a 20th-century geochemist who determined the age of Earth and the solar system, and who conducted foundational analyses of lead contamination in the environment, the annual award recognizes ...
nicholas.duke.edu
August 29, 2025 at 4:19 PM
During a July ceremony at the 2025 Goldschmidt Conference in Prague, Avner Vengosh accepted the Clair C. Patterson Medal from the Geochemical Society. The annual award recognizes innovative contributions to environmental geochemistry, particularly in service to society.
Duke experts from NSOE and @dukehealth.bsky.social are studying goose‑beaked whales, the ocean’s deepest‑diving mammals. Their extreme tolerance for low oxygen may offer clues for new treatments in humans for stroke, cancer and more. www.yahoo.com/news/article...
The deepest-diving whales could inspire new treatments for stroke and cancer
Goose-beaked whales hold the record for the deepest dive of any mammal. Researchers want to learn their secrets to develop new drugs for human diseases.
www.yahoo.com
August 28, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Duke experts from NSOE and @dukehealth.bsky.social are studying goose‑beaked whales, the ocean’s deepest‑diving mammals. Their extreme tolerance for low oxygen may offer clues for new treatments in humans for stroke, cancer and more. www.yahoo.com/news/article...
About 390 million years ago, rising deep-ocean oxygen levels opened new marine habitats. New research suggests this shift sparked an evolutionary burst among jawed fish — the ancestors of most vertebrates alive today.
Rising Deep-Ocean Oxygen Levels Opened Up New Marine Habitats, Spurred Speciation
Some 390 million years ago in the ancient ocean, marine animals began colonizing depths previously uninhabited. New research indicates this underwater migration occurred in response to a permanent inc...
nicholas.duke.edu
August 27, 2025 at 1:56 PM
About 390 million years ago, rising deep-ocean oxygen levels opened new marine habitats. New research suggests this shift sparked an evolutionary burst among jawed fish — the ancestors of most vertebrates alive today.
Duke is proud to launch a new joint-degree program: the Master in Business, Climate, and Sustainability (MBCS). Designed by @fuqua.duke.edu and the Nicholas School, this pioneering 10-month interdisciplinary program will equip students with core business skills informed by climate science.
New Joint Master Degree in Business, Climate, and Sustainability | Duke Today
today.duke.edu
August 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Duke is proud to launch a new joint-degree program: the Master in Business, Climate, and Sustainability (MBCS). Designed by @fuqua.duke.edu and the Nicholas School, this pioneering 10-month interdisciplinary program will equip students with core business skills informed by climate science.
Deepfake images may be notorious for celebrity spoofing, but in ecology, they could be an important conservation tool. Nicholas School researchers used generative AI to create synthetic whale images. These deepfake whales could be used to train wildlife detection systems.
Deepfake Whales Could Be Key Conservation Tool
AI-generated images of rare species could improve efforts to understand, monitor and protect them.
nicholas.duke.edu
August 13, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Deepfake images may be notorious for celebrity spoofing, but in ecology, they could be an important conservation tool. Nicholas School researchers used generative AI to create synthetic whale images. These deepfake whales could be used to train wildlife detection systems.
Nicholas School researchers studying trends in global photosynthesis found different stories unfolding on land and sea. The findings, published in Nature Climate Change, could inform ecosystem management strategies and climate change mitigation efforts.
nicholas.duke.edu/news/study...
nicholas.duke.edu/news/study...
Study Identifies Global Upswing in Photosynthesis Driven by Land, Offset by Oceans
The findings could inform planetary health assessments, enhance ecosystem management, and guide climate change projections and mitigation strategies.
nicholas.duke.edu
August 4, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Nicholas School researchers studying trends in global photosynthesis found different stories unfolding on land and sea. The findings, published in Nature Climate Change, could inform ecosystem management strategies and climate change mitigation efforts.
nicholas.duke.edu/news/study...
nicholas.duke.edu/news/study...
From coral reefs to rainforests, tropical ecosystems in Belize were immersive classrooms for students in the marine ecology travel course, led by Brian Silliman. Dive into their experience:
Journey to Belize
For students enrolled in the Duke Marine Lab’s Belize travel course, total immersion in tropical ecosystems and hands-on research projects made for an unforgettable learning experience.
nicholas.duke.edu
July 7, 2025 at 4:14 PM
From coral reefs to rainforests, tropical ecosystems in Belize were immersive classrooms for students in the marine ecology travel course, led by Brian Silliman. Dive into their experience:
When it comes to seafood imports, developing countries get more nutritional bang for their buck, according to a new study published by Nicholas School environmental economist Martin Smith and colleagues.
For Developing Countries, Seafood Imports Are a Nutritional Bargain
A new economic analysis found that developing countries pay less for the nutrition in seafood imports than developed countries, largely because developed countries pay a premium for non-nutritional at...
nicholas.duke.edu
July 1, 2025 at 4:56 PM
When it comes to seafood imports, developing countries get more nutritional bang for their buck, according to a new study published by Nicholas School environmental economist Martin Smith and colleagues.
Reposted by Duke Environment
Microplastics are increasingly being detected in our food, water, and even within our bodies.
Researchers at Duke are investigating a critical question: what are the health implications of this invisible exposure?
🔗: today.duke.edu/2025/06/micr...
#MedSky #AcademicSky #DukeMedicine #DukePCB
Researchers at Duke are investigating a critical question: what are the health implications of this invisible exposure?
🔗: today.duke.edu/2025/06/micr...
#MedSky #AcademicSky #DukeMedicine #DukePCB
June 30, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Microplastics are increasingly being detected in our food, water, and even within our bodies.
Researchers at Duke are investigating a critical question: what are the health implications of this invisible exposure?
🔗: today.duke.edu/2025/06/micr...
#MedSky #AcademicSky #DukeMedicine #DukePCB
Researchers at Duke are investigating a critical question: what are the health implications of this invisible exposure?
🔗: today.duke.edu/2025/06/micr...
#MedSky #AcademicSky #DukeMedicine #DukePCB
Greg Merrill, Ph.D.’25, joined PBS North Carolina to discuss the impact of plastic pollution on marine mammals. He also shared how researchers at the Duke Marine Lab are investigating its causes and consequences.
Why whales keep falling for plastic
YouTube video by Sci NC
www.youtube.com
June 27, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Greg Merrill, Ph.D.’25, joined PBS North Carolina to discuss the impact of plastic pollution on marine mammals. He also shared how researchers at the Duke Marine Lab are investigating its causes and consequences.
A Duke-led analysis of satellite data reveals ocean waters are getting greener at the poles and bluer near the equator. If the trend continues, it could reshape marine food webs and impact global fisheries: nicholas.duke.edu/news/ocean-g...
June 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
A Duke-led analysis of satellite data reveals ocean waters are getting greener at the poles and bluer near the equator. If the trend continues, it could reshape marine food webs and impact global fisheries: nicholas.duke.edu/news/ocean-g...
Avner Vengosh, Erika Weinthal and Ginger Sigmon are part of a team looking to establish an interdisciplinary platform for research and education of critical minerals. The project was selected as one of three new hubs funded through the provost’s office.
New Hubs Represent “Big Bets” on Interdisciplinarity at Duke | Office of Interdisciplinary Studies
The Office of the Provost has chosen three faculty-led projects to receive Multiyear Interdisciplinary Hubs grants for research, education and engagement.
interdisciplinary.duke.edu
June 6, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Avner Vengosh, Erika Weinthal and Ginger Sigmon are part of a team looking to establish an interdisciplinary platform for research and education of critical minerals. The project was selected as one of three new hubs funded through the provost’s office.
New Vengosh Lab study finds unique chemistry in critical lithium deposits.
Researchers Discover Unique Chemistry in Critical Lithium Deposits
Much of the world’s lithium occurs in salty waters with fundamentally different chemistry than other naturally saline waters like the ocean, according to a new study published in Science Advances. The...
nicholas.duke.edu
June 4, 2025 at 12:22 PM
New Vengosh Lab study finds unique chemistry in critical lithium deposits.
Congrats to all our graduates! Check out our recap from last weekend's celebrations. duke.is/commencement-weekend...
Commencement Weekend 2025
See the story
new.express.adobe.com
May 15, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Congrats to all our graduates! Check out our recap from last weekend's celebrations. duke.is/commencement-weekend...
Congrats to Andrew Dominguez, Chris Hachtman and Kirsten “Kat” Taylor for receiving the Virlis L. Fischer Award for Academic Achievement. nicholas.duke.edu/news/three...
Three Students Receive Virlis L. Fischer Award for Academic Achievement
The Nicholas School honored Andrew Dominguez, Chris Hachtman and Kirsten “Kat” Taylor with the prestigious award.
nicholas.duke.edu
May 14, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Congrats to Andrew Dominguez, Chris Hachtman and Kirsten “Kat” Taylor for receiving the Virlis L. Fischer Award for Academic Achievement. nicholas.duke.edu/news/three...
The Nicholas School of the Environment honored several students with awards for academic excellence and 22 students who earned Graduation With Distinction. nicholas.duke.edu/news/nicho...
Nicholas School Honors Undergraduates Demonstrating Academic Excellence
Faculty presented awards for high academic achievement and integrity, and recognized Graduates With Distinction.
nicholas.duke.edu
May 14, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The Nicholas School of the Environment honored several students with awards for academic excellence and 22 students who earned Graduation With Distinction. nicholas.duke.edu/news/nicho...