Biochar-infused concrete: Greener and stronger
From Korea University 11/09/23 Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities are the primary drivers of climate change and rising global temperatures. Among the many anthropogenic activities resulting in CO2 emissions, those undertaken by the construction industry have a significant carbon footprint. Therefore, it is essential to mitigate these emissions by switching to low-carbon sustainable […]
Watt’s up, E. coli? Engineered bacteria generate electricity from sewage
From Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne 12/09/23 “We engineered E. coli bacteria, the most widely studied microbe, to generate electricity,” says Professor Ardemis Boghossian at EPFL. “Though there are exotic microbes that naturally produce electricity, they can only do so in the presence of specific chemicals.” “E. coli can grow on a wide range of sources, which allowed […]
Flood risk: Analysis reveals destruction of global floodplains
From University of Texas at Arlington 12/09/23 A University of Texas at Arlington hydrologist’s study in the Nature journal Scientific Data provides the first-ever global estimate of human destruction of natural floodplains. The study can help guide future development in a way that can restore and conserve vital floodplain habitats that are critical to wildlife, […]
Innovators grow pig embryo with humanised kidneys inside surrogate sow
From Cell Press 11/09/23 Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health researchers have successfully created chimeric embryos containing a combination of human and pig cells. When transferred into surrogate pig mothers, the developing humanized kidneys had normal structure and tubule formation after 28 days. This is the first time that scientists have been able to grow […]
Revolutionising lithium production on a string
From Princeton University, Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment 11/09/23 A vital component of the batteries at the heart of electric vehicles and grid energy storage, lithium is key to a clean energy future. But producing the silvery-white metal comes with significant environmental costs. Among them is the vast amount of land and time […]
Stuck on you: Non-toxic bio-glues could help repair coral reefs
Patent-pending formulations could be used to restore coral reefs and have applications in construction, biomedical, dental, food, cosmetics and other fields. From Purdue Research Foundation 11/09/23 Patent-pending adhesive formulations developed at Purdue University from fully sustainable, bio-based components establish bonds that grow stronger when underwater or exposed to wet conditions. Gudrun Schmidt, an associate professor […]
Emission impossible: Korea’s hydrogen combustion engine cuts carbon by 99 percent
From National Research Council of Science & Technology 11/09/23 Emissions of carbon dioxide and fine dust reduced by 99% and 90%, respectively. Amid the fierce competition throughout the globe to develop hydrogen mobility technologies to achieve carbon neutrality, a new technology for a 2-liter class hydrogen-fueled engine (a passenger car hydrogen engine) capable of running […]
Innovators decipher the fingertip’s ‘memory’
A study has demonstrated that tactile neurons transmit information about previous forces experienced by the fingertip, potentially aiding the brain in navigating daily manual tasks From eLife 09/09/23 Scientists have detailed how the activity of tactile neurons in the fingertip in response to an applied force is influenced by the fingertip’s mechanical memory of previous […]
New redox flow battery could store grid scale green energy more cheaply
From University of Cincinnati 09/09/23 Redox-flow battery eliminates costly and inefficient membrane. Jimmy Jiang envisions a future where every house is powered by renewable energy stored in batteries. In his chemistry lab, Jiang and his students at the University of Cincinnati have created a new battery that could have profound implications for the large-scale energy […]
Mushrooming hope: Can psychedelic psilocybin uplift the downcast?
From Wolters Kluwer Health 09/09/23 A growing body of evidence suggests that psychedelic drugs may be useful in treating various mental health conditions. However, many challenges remain in defining their clinical benefits and overcoming the complex regulatory obstacles to their use. The September issue of Journal of Psychiatric Practice presents a research review and update […]