Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Scientists propose guidelines for solar geoengineering research      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

To guide future research into solar geoengineering, an international group of scientists is making specific recommendations for evaluating proposals in order to identify the most feasible and legitimate scenarios for stratospheric aerosol intervention.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: Water Environmental: Wildfires
Published

New gels could protect buildings during wildfires      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a sprayable gel that creates a shield to protect buildings from wildfire damage. It lasts longer and is more effective than existing commercial options.

Space: Astronomy Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Meteor showers shed light on where comets formed in the early solar system      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers studying meteor showers have found that not all comets crumble the same way when they approach the Sun. In a new study, they ascribe the differences to the conditions in the protoplanetary disk where comets formed 4.5 billion years ago.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Physics: General Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
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Extraterrestrial chemistry with earthbound possibilities      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Who are we? Why are we here? We are stardust, the result of chemistry occurring throughout vast clouds of interstellar gas and dust. To better understand how that chemistry could create prebiotic molecules, researchers investigated the role of low-energy electrons created as cosmic radiation traverses through ice particles. Their findings may also inform medical and environmental applications on our home planet.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Physics: Optics
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Chalk-based coating creates a cooling fabric      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In the scorching heat of summer, anyone who spends time outside could benefit from a cooling fabric. While there are some textiles that reflect the sun's rays or wick heat away, current options require boutique fibers or complex manufacturing processes. But now, demonstrations of a durable chalk-based coating show it can cool the air underneath treated fabric by up to 8 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Eco-friendly cooling device with record-breaking efficiency      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed an eco-friendly refrigeration device with record-breaking cooling performance in the world, setting to transform industries reliant on cooling and reduce global energy use. With a boost in efficiency of over 48%, the new elastocaloric cooling technology opens a promising avenue for accelerating the commercialization of this disruptive technology and addressing the environmental challenges associated with traditional cooling systems.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Computer Science: General Energy: Nuclear Physics: General
Published

Quenching the intense heat of a fusion plasma may require a well-placed liquid metal evaporator      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New fusion simulations of the inside of a tokamak reveal the ideal spot for a 'cave' with flowing liquid lithium is near the bottom by the center stack, as the evaporating metal particles should land in just the right spot to dissipate excess heat from the plasma.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
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Sharing risk to avoid power outages in an era of extreme weather      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Heat waves, droughts, and fires place growing stress on the West's electric grid. New research suggests that more integrated management of electricity resources across the region could significantly reduce the risk of power outages and accelerate the transition to clean energy.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Explanation found for X-ray radiation from black holes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have succeeded in something that has been pursued since the 1970s: explaining the X-ray radiation from the black hole surroundings. The radiation originates from the combined effect of the chaotic movements of magnetic fields and turbulent plasma gas.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Spectacular increase in the deuterium/hydrogen ratio in Venus' atmosphere      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Our understanding of Venus' water history and the potential that it was once habitable in the past is being challenged by recent observations.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New twist on synthesis technique promises sustainable manufacturing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers developed a new method known as flash-within-flash Joule heating (FWF) that could transform the synthesis of high-quality solid-state materials, offering a cleaner, faster and more sustainable manufacturing process.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Space Paleontology: General Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Tracking down the asteroid that sealed the fate of the dinosaurs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The asteroid that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago probably came from the outer solar system.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Revolutionizing thermoelectric technology: Hourglass-shaped materials achieve a 360% efficiency boost      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A groundbreaking technology has been unveiled that improves the efficiency of thermoelectric materials, which are key in converting waste heat into electricity, by altering their geometry to resemble an hourglass. Unlike previous research that solely depended on the material properties of thermoelectric substances, this new approach is expected to have widespread applications in thermoelectric power generation.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Intelligent soft robotic clothing for automatic thermal adaptation in extreme heat      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As global warming intensifies, people increasingly suffer from extreme heat. For those working in a high-temperature environment indoors or outdoors, keeping thermally comfortable becomes particularly crucial. A team has now developed thermally-insulated and breathable soft robotic clothing that can automatically adapt to changing ambient temperatures, thereby helping to ensure worker safety in hot environments.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Engineers conduct first in-orbit test of 'swarm' satellite autonomous navigation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

With 2D cameras and space robotics algorithms, astronautics engineers have created a navigation system able to manage multiple satellites using visual data only. They just tested it in space for the first time.

Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Rocks collected on Mars hold key to water and perhaps life on the planet: Bring them back to Earth      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Between July and November of 2022, NASA's Perseverance rover collected seven samples of sediment from an ancient alluvial fan in Jezero crater. While onboard analysis gave researchers some information about their origins, only detailed analysis on Earth can retrieve evidence of when water flowed on Mars and whether life arose there. Geophysicists had hoped to get these samples back by 2033, but NASA's sample return mission may be delayed beyond that date.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
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Rocks from Mars' Jezero Crater, which likely predate life on Earth, contain signs of water      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists report that rock samples from Mars' Jezero Crater contain minerals that are typically formed in water. While the presence of organic matter is inconclusive, the rocks could be scientists' best chance at finding remnants of ancient Martian life.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

SwRI-led team finds evidence of hydration on Asteroid Psyche      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have confirmed hydroxyl molecules on the surface of the metallic asteroid Psyche. The presence of hydrated minerals suggests a complex history for Psyche, important context for the NASA spacecraft en route to this interesting asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Measuring Martian winds with sound      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Martian landers have been able capture measurements of wind speeds -- some gauging the cooling rate of heated materials when winds blow over them, others using cameras to image 'tell-tales' that blow in the wind -- but there's still room for improvement. Researchers now demonstrate a novel sonic anemometric system featuring a pair of narrow-band piezoelectric transducers to measure the travel time of sound pulses through Martian air. The study accounted for variables including transducer diffraction effects and wind direction.