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Categories: Energy: Batteries, Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published Scientists convert waste paper into battery parts for smartphones and electric vehicles


Scientists have developed a technique to convert waste paper, from single-use packaging and bags, and cardboard boxes, into a crucial component of lithium-ion batteries. Through a process called carbonisation which converts paper into pure carbon, the researchers turned the paper's fibers into electrodes, which can be made into rechargeable batteries that power mobile phones, medical equipment, and electric vehicles.
Published 1,700-year-old spider monkey remains discovered in Teotihuacán, Mexico



The complete skeletal remains of a spider monkey -- seen as an exotic curiosity in pre-Hispanic Mexico -- grants researchers new evidence regarding social-political ties between two ancient powerhouses: Teotihuacán and Maya Indigenous rulers. The remains of other animals were also discovered, as well as thousands of Maya-style mural fragments and over 14,000 ceramic sherds from a grand feast. These pieces are more than 1,700 years old.
Published Engineers solve a mystery on the path to smaller, lighter batteries


A new discovery could finally usher the development of solid-state lithium batteries, which would be more lightweight, compact, and safe than current lithium batteries. The growth of metallic filaments called dendrites within the solid electrolyte has been a longstanding obstacle, but the new study explains how dendrites form and how to divert them.
Published Footprints claimed as evidence of ice age humans in North America need better dating, new research shows


The preserved footprints found in New Mexico's Lake Otero Basin would upend scientific understanding of how, and when, humans first arrived in North America, if they are accurately dated. A new study brings the age claim into question.
Published Welsh 'weird wonder' fossils add piece to puzzle of arthropod evolution



International team of researchers describe new fossil species discovered in fossil deposit near Llandrindod Wells in mid-Wales. The fossil, Mierridduryn bonniae, shares many features with Cambrian 'weird wonder' Opabinia, but is 40 million years younger. Robust phylogenetic analyses suggest that Mierridduryn is either the third opabiniid ever discovered, or is a distinct group that is key for understanding the evolution of the arthropod head.
Published Understanding a cerium quirk could help advance grid-scale energy storage


An explanation for why flow batteries using the metal cerium in a sulfuric acid electrolyte fall short on voltage could pave the way for better battery chemistry.
Published Prehistoric predator? Artificial intelligence says no


Artificial intelligence has revealed that prehistoric footprints thought to be made by a vicious dinosaur predator were in fact from a timid herbivore.
Published Oldest evidence of the controlled use of fire to cook food, researchers report



The remains of a huge carp fish mark the earliest signs of cooking by prehistoric human to 780,000 years ago, predating the available data by some 600,000 years, according to researchers.
Published Putting the brakes on lithium-ion batteries to prevent fires


Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are used to power everything from smart watches to electric vehicles, thanks to the large amounts of energy they can store in small spaces. When overheated, however, they're prone to catching fire or even exploding. But recent research offers a possible solution with a new technology that can swiftly put the brakes on a Li-ion battery, shutting it down when it gets too hot.
Published Previously unseen processes reveal path to better rechargeable battery performance


To design better rechargeable ion batteries, engineers and chemists have collaborated to combine a powerful new electron microscopy technique and data mining to visually pinpoint areas of chemical and physical alteration within ion batteries.
Published New pterosaur species found in sub-Saharan Africa



With wings spanning nearly 16 feet, a new species of pterosaurs has been identified from the Atlantic coast of Angola.
Published First sentence ever written in Canaanite language discovered: Plea to eradicate beard lice


Researchers have unearthed an ivory comb from 1700 BCE inscribed with a plea to eradicate lice. The finding provides direct evidence for the use of the Canaanite alphabet in daily activities some 3700 years ago.
Published Earth's oldest stromatolites and the search for life on Mars


The earliest morphological traces of life on Earth are often highly controversial, both because non-biological processes can produce relatively similar structures and because such fossils have often been subjected to advanced alteration and metamorphism. Stromatolites, layered organo-sedimentary structures reflecting complex interplays between microbial communities and their environment, have long been considered key macrofossils for life detection in ancient sedimentary rocks; however, the biological origin of ancient stromatolites has frequently been criticized.
Published A stone age child buried with bird feathers, plant fibers and fur


Archaeological researchers have identified human remains as a child, who may have been laid on a bed of down in a Stone Age burial site discovered in Eastern Finland. There may also have been a canid at the child's feet. It reveals interesting details of how Stone Age humans buried their dead about 8000 years ago.
Published 500 million year-old fossils reveal answer to evolutionary riddle



An exceptionally well-preserved collection of fossils discovered in eastern Yunnan Province, China, has enabled scientists to solve a centuries-old riddle in the evolution of life on earth, revealing what the first animals to make skeletons looked like.
Published Water for drinking? Nope, water for batteries


A research team develops aqueous rechargeable batteries based on zinc anodes. Polymeric artificial interphase to improve battery stability.
Published 2D nanosheets as anodes in Li-ion batteries: The answer is in the sheets


Researchers use titanium diboride nanosheets as anode material in lithium-ion batteries to enable fast charging and extend battery life.
Published Batteries without critical raw materials


The market for rechargeable batteries is growing rapidly, but the necessary raw materials are limited. Sodium-ion batteries, for example, could offer an alternative. Researchers have investigated new combinations of electrolyte solutions and electrode materials for this purpose.
Published Researchers design next-generation electrolytes for lithium metal batteries


A team of researchers has discovered a new mechanism to stabilize the lithium metal electrode and electrolyte in lithium metal batteries. This new mechanism, which does not depend on the traditional kinetic approach, has potential to greatly enhance the energy density of batteries.
Published Limits of lithium extraction from thermal water


Pumping up thermal water, separating lithium, and using it to produce batteries for electric mobility -- the idea of lithium as an environmentally compatible and regionally available by-product of geothermal energy plants appears highly promising. However, it has not been clear so far whether domestic lithium extraction is really worthwhile. A team of researchers has now summarized the state of the art, analyzed raw materials markets, and assessed technologies.