Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Microscopy: Highest resolution in three dimensions      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed a super-resolution microscopy method for the rapid differentiation of molecular structures in 3D.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

New biosensor reveals activity of elusive metal that's essential for life      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new biosensor offers scientists the first dynamic glimpses of manganese, an elusive metal ion that is essential for life.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

A safe synthesis of hydrogen peroxide inspired by nature      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists report the safe synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an oxidizing agent used in multiple industries including semiconductors, using a new rhodium-based catalyst. The catalyst is based on natural enzymes found in extremophile microorganisms, and the reaction meets three chemical ideals for H2O2 production: safe, use of a single vessel, and direct synthesis.

Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Smoke particles from wildfires can erode the ozone layer      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study finds that smoke particles in the stratosphere can trigger chemical reactions that erode the ozone layer -- and that smoke particles from Australian wildfires widened the ozone hole by 10 percent in 2020.

Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

To help dry forests, fire needs to be just the right intensity, and happen more than once      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Research into the ability of a wildfire to improve the health of a forest uncovered a Goldilocks effect -- unless a blaze falls in a narrow severity range, neither too hot nor too cold, it isn't very good at helping forest landscapes return to their historical, more fire-tolerant conditions.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Wildfires
Published

Wildfires in 2021 emitted a record-breaking amount of carbon dioxide      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Carbon dioxide emissions from wildfires, which have been gradually increasing since 2000, spiked drastically to a record high in 2021, according to an international team of researchers.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

DNA repair discovery could improve biotechnology      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A team of researchers has made a discovery that may have implications for therapeutic gene editing strategies, cancer diagnostics and therapies and other advancements in biotechnology.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Offbeat: Computers and Math Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Quantum chemistry: Molecules caught tunneling      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Quantum effects can play an important role in chemical reactions. Physicists have now observed a quantum mechanical tunneling reaction in experiments. The observation can also be described exactly in theory. The scientists provide an important reference for this fundamental effect in chemistry. It is the slowest reaction with charged particles ever observed.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Degrading modified proteins could treat Alzheimer's, other 'undruggable' diseases      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Certain diseases, including Alzheimer's, are currently considered 'undruggable' because traditional small molecule drugs can't interfere with the proteins responsible for the illnesses. But a new technique that specifically targets and breaks apart certain proteins -- rather than just interfering with them -- may offer a pathway toward treatment. Researchers have now designed a compound that targets and breaks down a post-translationally modified protein closely associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

New purification method could make protein drugs cheaper      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers devised a way to purify protein drugs during manufacturing. Their approach, which uses nanoparticles to rapidly crystallize proteins, could help make protein drugs more affordable and accessible, especially in developing countries.

Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Experts demand fire safety policy change over health impact of widely used flame retardants      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Leading environmental health experts have called for a comprehensive review of the UK's fire safety regulations, with a focus on the environmental and health risks of current chemical flame retardants.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

New hydrogel stem cell treatment repairs injured brain tissue in mice      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new hybrid hydrogel that safely delivers stem cells to brain injury sites in mice has been developed. This solves a major challenge -- keeping stem cells alive for long enough to evolve into the cells required to create new tissue after insertion into a damaged part of the body.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New superacid converts harmful compounds into sustainable chemicals      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have succeeded in producing very special catalysts, known as 'Lewis superacids', which can be used to break strong chemical bonds and speed up reactions. The production of these substances has, until now, proven extremely difficult. The chemists' discovery enables non-biodegradable fluorinated hydrocarbons, similar to Teflon, and possibly even climate-damaging greenhouse gases, such as sulphur hexafluoride, to be converted back into sustainable chemicals.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Chaos on the nanometer scale      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Chaotic behavior is typically known from large systems: for example, from weather, from asteroids in space that are simultaneously attracted by several large celestial bodies, or from swinging pendulums that are coupled together. On the atomic scale, however, one does normally not encounter chaos -- other effects predominate. Now scientists have been able to detect clear indications of chaos on the nanometer scale -- in chemical reactions on tiny rhodium crystals.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Research captures and separates important toxic air pollutant      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A series of new stable, porous materials that capture and separate benzene have been developed.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Electrodes grown in the brain -- paving the way for future therapies for neurological disorders      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The boundaries between biology and technology are becoming blurred. Researchers have now successfully grown electrodes in living tissue using the body's molecules as triggers. The result paves the way for the formation of fully integrated electronic circuits in living organisms.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Novel air filter captures wide variety of pollutants      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An air filter made out of corn protein instead of petroleum products can concurrently capture small particulates as well as toxic chemicals like formaldehyde that current air filters can't. The research could lead to better air purifiers, particularly in regions of the world that suffer from very poor air quality. The more environmentally friendly air filter was able to simultaneously capture 99.5% of small particulate matter, similar to commercial HEPA filters, and 87% of formaldehyde, which is higher than specially designed air filters for those types of toxics.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Theory can sort order from chaos in complex quantum systems      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Theoretical chemists have developed a theory that can predict the threshold at which quantum dynamics switches from 'orderly' to 'random,' as shown through research using large-scale computations on photosynthesis models.