Protecting our Planet
Providing solutions to our planet’s environmental challenges is part of Weizmann’s business.
Weizmann scientists have achieved much already and will continue to work hard to solve the environmental puzzles we face.
Some of the ways they are doing this are by developing mathematical formulas to more accurately predict rainfall; creating crops designed to grow in harsh climates with less reliance on pesticides; developing nanomaterials for engine lubricants to help reduce air pollution; looking at ways to protect and preserve our treasured water; discovering how the earth moves to help predict volcanic eruptions and earthquakes; and studying CO2 by growing a forest in the desert.
Facts
By enriching wheat with protein it produces a 40% higher yield
Killing parasitic weeds is helping 100 million Africans from losing 50% of their crops
Searching for solutions to treat the 97% of the Earth’s water that is too salty to drink
Understanding air pollution which kills around 1.3 million people a year
Prof. Ron Milo, IB 2021
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Selected achievements
Seeking out nature for fuel – such as algae!
Seeking to address world hunger with wheat that is strong, resilient and plentiful
Seeking to pollinate crops in new and better ways
Now used throughout the world, Weizmann was the first to create hybrid cucumber seeds without hand pollination.
Protecting our Planet Related Articles
Seeding the Passion
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Weizmann Institute of Science Moves to 100% Green Electricity
The Weizmann Institute of Science is switching to the use of only green electricity and is becoming an almost fully renewable energy campus – alongside making sustainability and climate change a central theme of its research efforts. This shift brings many benefits,...
Hunting Down Giant Viruses That Attack Tiny Algae
A mysterious menace lurks in the oceans – threatening algal blooms. Now, Weizmann Institute researchers have developed a new way to track the culprit – giant viruses – and identify their traces in specific types of tiny algae that they attack. They were said to come...
Stormy Findings and Hot Discoveries
How are humans affecting the Northern Hemisphere’s wind patterns? A new Weizmann Institute of Science study shows how. The summer of 2024 was the hottest on record and was unfortunately no surprise. Summers have been getting hotter and drier around the world,...
Into the Light
Will a better understanding of photosynthesis help us grow plants under artificial light? New research at the Weizmann Institute of Science is looking to answer this question. Photosynthesis, the process by which plants, algae and certain kinds of bacteria convert...
When Dryness Intrudes, Floods Ensue
New findings from the Weizmann Institute of Science may improve flood warnings for millions living on the Indian subcontinent. In 2018, in the Indian state of Kerala, more than 400 people died in a single series of floods that displaced millions. Flooding is a regular...
The Solar Forest
A new Weizmann Institute study shows that building solar farms in arid regions is a far more effective way to tackle the climate crisis than planting forests. A verdant forest is one of the most iconic symbols of the power of nature, from the abundance of plant and...
Tracking the Winds of Climate Change
Why do parts of Earth become rainforests, whereas others turn into deserts? A new study from the Weizmann Institute of Science and Massachusetts Institute of Technology exposes the far-reaching impact of human activity on a global airflow phenomenon that crucially...
The Weight of Responsibility: Biomass of Livestock Dwarfs That of Wild Mammals
We often think that our world is an infinite realm comprising great plains, jungles and oceans, teeming with wild animals featured in memorable nature shows like the BBC’s Planet Earth. But the first global census of wild mammal biomass, conducted by Weizmann...
Building Better Enzymes – by Breaking Them Down
In a major step toward greener industry, Weizmann Institute scientists have created a computational method for generating effective enzymes with unprecedented efficiency. This new study is now published in Science, and brings this vision closer to reality. Enzymes...