Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New invention: The oxygen-ion battery      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An oxygen-ion-battery has been invented, based on ceramic materials. If it degrades, it can be regenerated, therefore it potentially has an extremely long lifespan. Also, it does not require any rare elements and it is incombustible. For large energy storage systems, this could be an optimal solution.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Uracil found in Ryugu samples      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Samples from the asteroid Ryugu collected by the Hayabusa2 mission contain nitrogenous organic compounds, including the nucleobase uracil, which is a part of RNA.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Batteries: Passivation layer mystery solved      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In our daily lives, lithium-ion batteries have become indispensable. They function only because of a passivation layer that forms during their initial cycle. As researchers found out via simulations, this solid electrolyte interphase develops not directly at the electrode but aggregates in the solution. Their findings allow the optimization of the performance and lifetime of future batteries.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

High-energy-density, long life-cycle rechargeable lithium metal batteries      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Research shows promise for developing high-energy-density rechargeable lithium-metal batteries and addressing the electrochemical oxidation instability of ether-based electrolytes.

Energy: Batteries
Published

Stalactites and stalagmites in the battery?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

They are considered the 'Holy Grail' of battery research: so-called 'solid-state batteries'. They no longer have a liquid core, as is the case with today's batteries, but consist of a solid material. This leads to several advantages: Among other things, these batteries are more difficult to ignite and can also be manufactured on a miniature scale. Scientists have now turned their attention to the life cycle of such batteries and targeted processes that reduce it. With their findings, more durable solid-state batteries could be realized in the future.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral was historical first in using iron reinforcements in the 12th century      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The Notre-Dame de Paris is the first known cathedral of Gothic-style architecture to be initially constructed with extensive use of iron to bind stones together. The 2019 fire that significantly damaged the cathedral enabled analyses leading to this discovery.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries revealed      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have pioneered a technique to observe the 3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries. This opens up a wide range of areas for the new technique from energy storage and chemical engineering to biomedical applications.

Energy: Batteries Physics: General
Published

3D battery imaging reveals the secret real-time life of lithium metal cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Innovative battery researchers have cracked the code to creating real-time 3D images of the promising but temperamental lithium metal battery as it cycles. A team has succeeded in observing how the lithium metal in the cell behaves as it charges and discharges. The new method may contribute to batteries with higher capacity and increased safety in our future cars and devices.

Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

Electric vehicle batteries could get big boost with new polymer coating      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have developed a polymer coating that could enable longer lasting, more powerful lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. The advance opens up a new approach to developing EV batteries that are more affordable and easy to manufacture.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

Controlling electric double layer dynamics for next generation all-solid-state batteries      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Development of all-solid-state batteries is crucial to achieve carbon neutrality. However, their high surface resistance causes these batteries to have low output, limiting their applications. To this end, researchers have employed a novel technique to investigate and modulate electric double layer dynamics at the solid/solid electrolyte interface. The researchers demonstrate unprecedented control of response speed by over two orders of magnitude, a major steppingstone towards realization of commercial all-solid-state batteries.

Chemistry: General Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

Extreme fast charging capability in lithium-ion batteries      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Lithium-ion batteries dominate among energy storage devices and are the battery of choice for the electric vehicle industry. Improving battery performance is a constant impetus to current research in this field. Towards this end, a group of researchers has synthesized a lithium borate-type aqueous polyelectrolyte binder for graphite anodes. Their new binder helped improve Li-ion diffusion and lower impedance compared to conventional batteries.

Ecology: Extinction Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: General
Published

Dinosaur claws used for digging and display      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Dinosaur claws had many functions, but now a team has shown some predatory dinosaurs used their claws for digging or even for display.

Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New design for lithium-air battery could offer much longer driving range compared with the lithium-ion battery      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have built and tested for a thousand cycles a lithium-air battery design that could one day be powering cars, domestic airplanes, long-haul trucks and more. Its energy storage capacity greatly surpasses that possible with lithium-ion batteries.

Energy: Batteries Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Engineering: Graphene
Published

Ramping up domestic graphite production could aid the green energy transition      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Given the growing importance of graphite in energy storage technologies, a team of esearchers has conducted a study exploring ways to reduce reliance on imports of the in high-demand mineral, which powers everything from electric vehicles (EVs) to cell phones.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

Archaeologists uncover early evidence of brain surgery in Ancient Near East      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A recent excavation in Megiddo, Israel, unearthed the earliest example of a particular type of cranial surgery in the Ancient Near East -- and potentially one of the oldest examples of leprosy in the world.

Computer Science: General Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

New technology turns smartphones into RFID readers, saving costs and reducing waste      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Imagine you can open your fridge, open an app on your phone and immediately know which items are expiring within a few days. This is one of the applications that a new technology would enable.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

Gene variations for immune and metabolic conditions have persisted in humans for more than 700,000 years      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study explores 'balancing selection' by analyzing thousands of modern human genomes alongside ancient hominin groups, such as Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes. The research has 'implications for understanding human diversity, the origin of diseases, and biological trade-offs that may have shaped our evolution,' says evolutionary biologists.

Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Scientists find world's oldest European hedgehog      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The world's oldest scientifically-confirmed European hedgehog has been found in Denmark by a citizen science project involving hundreds of volunteers. The hedgehog lived for 16 years, 7 years longer than the previous record holder.

Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: General
Published

Oldest spinosaur brains revealed      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have reconstructed the brains and inner ears of two British spinosaurs, helping uncover how these large predatory dinosaurs interacted with their environment.