Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General
Published

Climate change will bring more turbulence to flights in the Northern Hemisphere, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A type of invisible, unpredictable air turbulence is expected to occur more frequently in the Northern Hemisphere as the climate warms. Known as clear air turbulence, the phenomenon also increased in the Northern Hemisphere between 1980 and 2021.

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Indoor solar cells that maximize the use of light energy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chemists have synthesized materials that can improve solar elements for indoor use. Such photovoltaic cells, which can also be integrated into various electronic devices, generate electricity even in low-light conditions.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General
Published

A recipe for zero-emissions fuel: Soda cans, seawater, and caffeine      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers discovered that when the aluminum in soda cans is purified and mixed with seawater, the solution produces hydrogen -- which can power an engine or fuel cell without generating carbon emissions. The reaction can be sped up by adding caffeine.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

A single-molecule-based organic porous material with great potential for efficient ammonia storage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Novel porous crystalline solid shows promise as an efficient and durable material for ammonia (NH3) capture and storage, report scientists. Made through a simple reprecipitation process, the proposed organic compound can reversibly adsorb and release NH3 via simple pressurization and decompression at room temperature. Its stability and cost-effectiveness make this material a promising energy carrier for future hydrogen economies.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Manufacturing perovskite solar panels with a long-term vision      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers working at the forefront of an emerging photovoltaic (PV) technology are thinking ahead about how to scale, deploy, and design future solar panels to be easily recyclable. Solar panels made of perovskites may eventually play an important role amid global decarbonization efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As the technology emerges from the testing stages, it is a perfect time to think critically about how best to design the solar panels to minimize their impact on the environment decades from now.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Physics: General
Published

3D-printed microstructure forest facilitates solar steam generator desalination      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Faced with the world's impending freshwater scarcity, researchers turned to solar steam generators, which are emerging as a promising device for seawater desalination. The team sought design inspiration from trees and harnessed the potential of 3D printing. They present technology for producing efficient SSGs for desalination and introduces a novel method for printing functional nanocomposites for multi-jet fusion. Their SSGs were inspired by plant transpiration and are composed of miniature tree-shaped microstructures, forming an efficient, heat-distributing forest.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: Water
Published

Maximizing hydrogen peroxide formation during water electrolysis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When water is split electrolytically, the result is typically hydrogen -- and 'useless' oxygen. Instead of oxygen, you can also produce hydrogen peroxide, which is required for many branches of industry. This, however, requires certain reaction conditions.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Cracking the code of hydrogen embrittlement      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When deciding what material to use for infrastructure projects, metals are often selected for their durability. However, if placed in a hydrogen-rich environment, like water, metals can become brittle and fail. Since the mid-19th century, this phenomenon, known as hydrogen embrittlement, has puzzled researchers with its unpredictable nature. Now, a study brings us a step closer to predicting it with confidence.

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

'Secret' hidden structure paves new way of making more efficient and stable perovskite solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers has revealed the existence of surface concavities on individual crystal grains -- which are the fundamental blocks -- of perovskite thin films, and have unraveled their significant effects on the film properties and reliability. Based on this discovery, the team pioneered a new way of making perovskite solar cells more efficient and stable via a chemo-elimination of these grain surface concavities.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water
Published

Solar farms with stormwater controls mitigate runoff, erosion, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As the number of major utility-scale ground solar panel installations grows, concerns about their impacts on natural hydrologic processes also have grown. However, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that excess runoff or increased erosion can be easily mitigated -- if these 'solar farms' are properly built.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Environmental: Water
Published

Aussie innovation spearheads cheaper seafloor test for offshore wind farms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Australian engineers have unveiled a clever new device -- based on a modified speargun -- as a cheap and efficient way to test seabed soil when designing offshore wind farms.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Producing hydrogen and fertilizer at the same time      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

This new concept could allow the needs of previously separate industries to be combined: the production of hydrogen and the production of fertilizer.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Hydrogen flight looks ready for take-off with new advances      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The possibility of hydrogen-powered flight means greater opportunities for fossil-free travel, and the technological advances to make this happen are moving fast. New studies show that almost all air travel within a 750-mile radius (1200 km) could be made with hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2045, and with a novel heat exchanger currently in development, this range could be even further.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

First ever 3D reconstruction of 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth chromosomes thanks to serendipitously freeze-dried skin      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international research team has assembled the genome and 3D chromosomal structures of a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth -- the first time such a feat has been achieved for any ancient DNA sample. The fossilized chromosomes, which are around a million times longer than most ancient DNA fragments, provide insight into how the mammoth's genome was organized within its living cells and which genes were active within the skin tissue from which the DNA was extracted. This unprecedented level of structural detail was retained because the mammoth underwent freeze-drying shortly after it died, which meant that its DNA was preserved in a glass-like state.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General
Published

Researchers examine economic effects on technological advancements of blue hydrogen production      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Experience from the deployment of blue hydrogen projects will be helpful in lowering future costs of hydrogen production and will remain cost competitive. Additionally, paired with extended tax incentives for carbon sequestration, costs could be significantly reduced further.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Hexagonal perovskite oxides: Electrolytes for next-generation protonic ceramic fuel cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have identified hexagonal perovskite-related oxides as materials with exceptionally high proton conductivity and thermal stability. Their unique crystal structure and large number of oxygen vacancies enable full hydration and high proton diffusion, making these materials ideal candidates as electrolytes for next-generation protonic ceramic fuel cells that can operate at intermediate temperatures without degradation.