Novel carbon capture: Microbe enzyme-coated electrode sucks in gas
Scientists isolate a microbial enzyme and branch it on an electrode to efficiently and unidirectionally convert CO2 to formate From Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology 04/10/23 Seeking microorganisms that efficiently capture the greenhouse gas CO2. “The enzymes employed by the microorganisms represent a fantastic playground for scientists as they allow highly specific reactions at […]
Supreme intelligence: Future AI should mimic ecological systems as well as the brain
From Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies 13/09/23 Many of today’s artificial intelligence systems loosely mimic the human brain. In a new paper, researchers suggest that another branch of biology — ecology — could inspire a whole new generation of AI to be more powerful, resilient, and socially responsible. Published September 11 in Proceedings of the National […]
The search for the super potato
From McGill University 01/09/23 As climate change continues to pose severe challenges to ensuring sustainable food supplies around the world, scientists from McGill University are looking for ways to improve the resilience and nutritional quality of potatoes. Professor Martina Strömvik and her team have created a potato super pangenome to identify genetic traits that can […]
Harvesting and decontaminating water from fog using nanoengineered reactive meshes
From ETH Zurich 18/08/23 In countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Chile, it’s not uncommon for people who live in foggy areas to hang up nets to catch droplets of water. The same is true of Morocco and Oman. These droplets then trickle down the mesh and are collected to provide water for drinking, cooking […]
Deep sea internet cable used to track sea ice extent in the Arctic
From Seismological Society of America 18/08/23 A telecommunications fiber optic cable deployed offshore of Oliktok Point, Alaska recorded ambient seismic noise that can be used to finely track the formation and retreat of sea ice in the area, researchers report in The Seismic Record. Andres Felipe Peña Castro of the University of New Mexico and […]
‘Planting’ rocks in farms could help remove carbon from atmosphere
From American Geophysical Union 17/08/23 Farmers around the world could help the planet reach a key carbon removal goal set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by mixing crushed volcanic rocks into their fields, a new study reports. The study also highlights wet, warm tropics as the most promising locations for this climate […]
New technique for making plant-based meat more palatable without adding fat
From University of Leeds 16/08/23 One of the biggest obstacles to the uptake of plant-based alternatives to meat is their very dry and astringent feel when they are eaten. Scientists, led by Professor Anwesha Sarkar at the University of Leeds, are revolutionising the sensation of plant proteins, transforming them from a substance that can be […]
Sun ‘umbrella’ tethered to asteroid might help mitigate climate change
From UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA, 02/08/23 Earth is rapidly warming and scientists are developing a variety of approaches to reduce the effects of climate change. István Szapudi, an astronomer at the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy, has proposed a novel approach—a solar shield to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth, combined with […]
‘Time-traveling’ pathogens in melting permafrost pose likely risk to ecosystems
From FLINDERS UNIVERSITY 01/08/23 Climate change could hasten the release of ‘time-travelling’ pathogens from melting permafrost and ice that have been trapped for millennia. Their emergence increases threats to the global environment and even humanity itself. While melting glaciers and permafrost risk the re-emergence of many types of dormant pathogens, the potential destruction to modern […]