Articles in 2025

Despite their importance to the Earth system and the well-being of societies, water fluxes occurring below the land surface are poorly constrained observationally and their global estimates remain uncertain. This Perspective proposes a framework that integrates different data sources with conceptual reasoning in order to better understand subsurface water cycling.

Although it is widely recognized that safeguarding air, soil, and water is essential for protecting both animal and human health, efforts to protect the environment remain insufficient.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has protected human health and the environment for over five decades and it has achieved this while operating on a small budget. It is time to recognize the essential role that protecting the environment has on human health and to increase EPA funding rather than reducing it further.

Soil contamination has a huge effect on water quality. This Review first sets the context and presents examples of micropollutant sources to soil, with a focus on resource reuse.

The use of solar power in irrigation raises concerns about sustainable groundwater extraction. However, an empirical study from Bangladesh shows that the energy source is just one piece of a larger puzzle — groundwater sustainability ultimately depends on how solar irrigation systems are managed.

Spatial connections between the timing of droughts and rainfall-induced flooding have only been previously examined over large regional areas. A global analysis of these phenomena exposes unexpected cross-hemisphere synchronizations, with implications for global food supply chains.

Agricultural irrigation extracts large amounts of land surface runoff and groundwater to grow crops. A systematic modelling study now suggests that historical increases in irrigation have led to net losses of both surface and groundwater beyond those caused by climate change.

Disrupting hydrogen-bond networks in water is expected to greatly facilitate its entry and transport through microporous membranes, while reducing vaporization energy. Localized light harvesting on photo-responsive covalent organic framework (COF) membranes has been shown to achieve this effect, enabling effective low-temperature pervaporation desalination.

In areas under siege, the growing of fruits and vegetables and the keeping of livestock have always provided a lifeline for desperate urban populations. Lessons from siege warfare in modern times should be applied to the development of innovative humanitarian interventions aimed at facilitating urban agriculture and food security programmes during future sieges.

Pervaporation is a promising technique for treating high-salinity water, although it requires high temperatures to operate efficiently. By contrast, a solar–vacuum dual-driven desalination system utilizing a photo-responsive covalent organic framework enables highly effective desalination at ambient temperatures and achieves exceptional salt removal and water flux.

Piezoelectric ultrasound transducers generate transient cavitation that removes persistent fouling from mesh filters within seconds. This strategy enables stable, ultrahigh-flux wastewater treatment while substantially reducing energy demands.

Selective shielding of iron d-orbitals directs the crystal growth of lithium iron phosphate nanosheets to expose only the lithium-selective [100] facet, enabling highly selective, efficient and scalable lithium extraction from low-grade brines.

Selective lithium extraction from low-grade brines remains a substantial challenge due to intense competition from coexisting ions such as magnesium and sodium. In pilot-scale electrochemical systems, [100]-oriented LiFePO₄ nanosheets have shown enhanced lithium selectivity, effectively isolating lithium even from brines with extremely high Na/Li and Mg/Li ratios.

Riverine heatwaves have severe consequences for society, the economy and ecosystems and are becoming more frequent with climate change. This Perspective addresses research efforts to better understand, monitor, model and manage these extreme events.

The number of emerging contaminants in our soil–water environments is increasing at an explosive rate. Risk avoidance as a strategy is often overlooked yet may be one of the most effective ways to safeguard human health in the future.

Metal–organic frameworks are evolving from niche materials to mainstream solutions. With continued efforts and interdisciplinary collaboration, their role in water-related technologies will only grow.

This case study on Bangladesh shows that, while there are no large differences in water application between solar- and diesel-irrigated plots under the fee-for-service solar irrigation model in the study area, scaling solar irrigation will require tailored policies to balance groundwater sustainability risks.

Poor wastewater management drives both pollution and rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A molecular-level analysis reveals that hydrogen sulfide accelerates plasmid-driven transfer of AMR genes in water.