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Categories: Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Geoscience: Geochemistry

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Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Cobalt-free batteries could power cars of the future      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new battery material could offer a more sustainable way to power electric cars. The lithium-ion battery includes a cathode based on organic materials, instead of cobalt or nickel.

Biology: Zoology Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Rain can spoil a wolf spider's day, too      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers found that wolf spiders can't signal others or perceive danger from predators as easily on rain-soaked leaves compared to dry ones. Even communicating with would-be mates is harder after it rains.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
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Higher measurement accuracy opens new window to the quantum world      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team has developed a new measurement method that, for the first time, accurately detects tiny temperature differences in the range of 100 microkelvin in the thermal Hall effect. Previously, these temperature differences could not be measured quantitatively due to thermal noise. Using the well-known terbium titanate as an example, the team demonstrated that the method delivers highly reliable results. The thermal Hall effect provides information about coherent multi-particle states in quantum materials, based on their interaction with lattice vibrations (phonons).

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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US air pollution rates on the decline but pockets of inequities remain      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Our latest study shows there are racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in air pollution emissions reductions, particularly in the industry and energy generation sectors. The findings provide a national investigation of air pollution emission changes in the 40 years following the enactment of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Until now, studies have primarily focused on evaluating air pollution disparities at a single time point, focusing on pollutant concentrations instead of emissions. A focus on emissions, however, has more direct implications for regulations and policies. In this study, the researchers used county-level data to evaluate racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in air pollution emissions changes in the contiguous U.S. from 1970 to 2010.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Mathematics: Modeling
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New AI makes better permafrost maps      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New insights from artificial intelligence about permafrost coverage in the Arctic may soon give policy makers and land managers the high-resolution view they need to predict climate-change-driven threats to infrastructure such as oil pipelines, roads and national security facilities.

Biology: Botany Chemistry: General Ecology: Endangered Species Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Artificial 'power plants' harness energy from wind and rain      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Fake plants are moving into the 21st century! Researchers developed literal 'power plants' -- tiny, leaf-shaped generators that create electricity from a blowing breeze or falling raindrops. The team tested the energy harvesters by incorporating them into artificial plants.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology
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Advancement in thermoelectricity could light up the Internet of Things      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have improved the efficiency of heat-to-electricity conversion in gallium arsenide semiconductor microstructures. By judicious spatial alignment of electrons within a two-dimensional electron gas system with multiple subbands, one can substantially enhance the power factor compared with previous iterations of analogous systems. This work is an important advance in modern thermoelectric technology and will benefit the global integration of the Internet of Things.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Physicists identify overlooked uncertainty in real-world experiments      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The rules of statistical physics address the uncertainty about the state of a system that arises when that system interacts with its environment. But they've long missed another kind. In a new paper, researchers argue that uncertainty in the thermodynamic parameters themselves -- built into equations that govern the energetic behavior of the system -- may also influence the outcome of an experiment.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

More aerosol particles than thought are forming over Siberia, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study finds that, contrary to previous beliefs, large amounts of aerosol particles can form over vast areas of the West Siberian taiga in the spring. When temperatures rise, this can have a significant impact on the climate.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Reflective materials and irrigated trees: Study shows how to cool one of the world's hottest cities by 4.5°C      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A combination of cooling technologies and techniques could reduce the temperature and energy needs of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology
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Scientists use heat to create transformations between skyrmions and antiskyrmions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In an experiment that could help the development of new spintronics devices with low energy consumption, researchers have used heat and magnetic fields to create transformations between spin textures -- magnetic vortices and antivortices known as skyrmions and antiskyrmions -- in a single crystal thin plate device. Importantly, they achieved this at room temperature.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: Optics
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Capturing greenhouse gases with the help of light      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers use light-reactive molecules to influence the acidity of a liquid and thereby capture of carbon dioxide. They have developed a special mixture of different solvents to ensure that the light-reactive molecules remain stable over a long period of time. Conventional carbon capture technologies are driven by temperature or pressure differences and require a lot of energy. This is no longer necessary with the new light-based process.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics
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Spying on a shape-shifting protein      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers are using crystallography to gain a better understanding of how proteins shapeshift. The knowledge can provide valuable insight into stopping and treating diseases.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology
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Study uncovers potential origins of life in ancient hot springs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team investigated how the emergence of the first living systems from inert geological materials happened on the Earth, more than 3.5 billion years ago. Scientists found that by mixing hydrogen, bicarbonate, and iron-rich magnetite under conditions mimicking relatively mild hydrothermal vent results in the formation of a spectrum of organic molecules, most notably including fatty acids stretching up to 18 carbon atoms in length.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Bulky additives could make cheaper solar cells last longer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An insight into preventing perovskite semiconductors from degrading quickly could help enable solar cells estimated to be two to four times cheaper than today's thin-film solar panels.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed a way to convert carbon dioxide (CO2), a potent greenhouse gas, into carbon nanofibers, materials with a wide range of unique properties and many potential long-term uses. Their strategy uses tandem electrochemical and thermochemical reactions run at relatively low temperatures and ambient pressure and could successfully lock carbon away to offset or even achieve negative carbon emissions.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Molecular Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
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Toxic algae blooms: Study assesses potential health hazards to humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Water samples from 20 sites were tested using a panel of immortalized human cell lines corresponding to the liver, kidney and brain to measure cytotoxicity. Results show that each control toxin induced a consistent pattern of cytotoxicity in the panel of human cell lines assayed. Known toxins were seen only during blooms. Because cell toxicity was seen in the absence of blooms, it suggests that there might be either emergent toxins or a combination of toxins present at those times. Findings suggest that other toxins with the potential to be harmful to human health may be present in the lagoon.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: Optics
Published

Dry-cleaning fluid becomes a synthetic chemist's treasure      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The widely used dry-cleaning and degreasing solvent perc can be converted to useful chemicals by a new clean, safe and inexpensive procedure. The discovery using on-demand UV activation may open the path to upcycling perc and thus contribute to a more sustainable society.