Emerging environmental research highlights critical ecosystem and climate dynamics. A team from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart identified soil bacteria in Italy’s Veneto region capable of biodegrading persistent PFAS contaminants, offering promising bioremediation avenues for these ‘forever chemicals’. Studies of boreal forests reveal that pine-dominated regions store significantly more soil organic carbon than spruce forests, impacting carbon cycle modeling. Artificial light pollution in urban areas has been found to extend plant growing seasons beyond effects attributed to temperature changes, posing ecological considerations. Researchers also released MammAlps, a comprehensive AI-annotated dataset of mammal behavior in the Swiss Alps, advancing wildlife monitoring and conservation efforts.