Environment

Houston flooding polluted reefs more than 100 miles offshore

Flower Garden Banks fouled by runoff from 2017's Harvey and 2016's Tax Day floods, Rice research finds.

Tires turned into graphene that makes stronger concrete

Rice scientists optimize a process to turn rubber from discarded tires into soluble graphene.

Rice study to examine how ice melt in one area impacts sea level rise in another

How does ice melted by climate change in Greenland hit the shores of Honolulu?

Boron nitride destroys PFAS 'forever' chemicals PFOA, GenX

Rice chemical engineers discovered a photocatalyst that can destroy 99% of the “forever” chemical PFOA

Rice lab turns trash into valuable graphene in a flash

Scientists at Rice University are using high-energy pulses of electricity to turn any source of carbon into turbostratic graphene in an instant. The process promises environmental benefits by turning waste into valuable graphene that can then strengthen concrete and other composite materials.

Rice University launches bold climate change initiative with Shell

With initial support from Shell, Rice University has launched Carbon Hub, a climate change research initiative to fundamentally change how the world uses hydrocarbons. Carbon Hub's goal is a zero-emissions future in which hydrocarbons are not burned. Instead, they are split to make clean hydrogen energy and valuable carbon materials.