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Categories: Energy: Technology, Space: The Solar System
Published Move over lithium-ion: Zinc-air batteries a cheaper and safer alternative
(via sciencedaily.com) Zinc-air batteries have emerged as a better alternative to lithium in a recent study into the advancement of sustainable battery systems.
Published Groundbreaking green propane production method
(via sciencedaily.com) New research reveals a promising breakthrough in green energy: an electrolyzer device capable of converting carbon dioxide into propane in a manner that is both scalable and economically viable.
Published Demon hunting: Physicists confirm 67-year-old prediction of massless, neutral composite particle
(via sciencedaily.com) In 1956, theoretical physicist David Pines predicted that electrons in a solid can do something strange. While they normally have a mass and an electric charge, Pines asserted that they can combine to form a composite particle that is massless, neutral, and does not interact with light. He called this particle a 'demon.' Now, researchers have finally found Pines' demon 67 years after it was predicted.
Published Researchers design efficient iridium catalyst for hydrogen generation
(via sciencedaily.com) Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers converts surplus electric energy into transportable hydrogen energy as a clean energy solution. However, slow oxygen evolution reaction rates and high loading levels of expensive metal oxide catalysts limit its practical feasibility. Now, researchers have developed a new tantalum oxide-supported iridium catalyst that significantly boosts the oxygen evolution reaction speed. Additionally, it shows high catalytic activity and long-term stability in prolonged single cell operation.
Published Microbial corrosion of iron
(via sciencedaily.com) Iron is well-known for rusting, but this doesn't just happen on contact with oxygen and water. Some bacteria are also able to able to decompose iron anaerobically in a process referred to as electrobiocorrosion. The sediment-dwelling bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens uses electrically conductive protein threads for this purpose. They produce magnetite from the iron, which promotes further corrosion in a positive feedback loop.
Published Hundred-year storms? That's how long they last on Saturn
(via sciencedaily.com) Megastorms regularly appear on Saturn, marring the relatively bland surface before disappearing. But radio observations show that the storms have long-lasting effects deeper in the atmosphere, in particular in the distribution of ammonia. Using NRAO's Very Large Array, astronomers see such impacts from storms that happened hundreds of years ago. The findings will help explain the differences between storms on the gas giants Saturn and Jupiter.
Published Zentropy and the art of creating new ferroelectric materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Systems in the Universe trend toward disorder, with only applied energy keeping the chaos at bay. The concept is called entropy, and examples can be found everywhere: ice melting, campfire burning, water boiling. Zentropy theory, however, adds another level to the mix.
Published Could artificially dimming the sun prevent ice melt?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With methods of so-called geoengineering, the climate could theoretically be artificially influenced and cooled. Researchers have now investigated whether it would be possible to prevent the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet by artificially 'dimming the sun'. The results show that artificial influence does not work without decarbonization and entails high risks.
Published After seventeen years, a spacecraft makes its first visit home
(via sciencedaily.com) On Aug. 12, 2023, NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft will pass between the Sun and Earth, marking the first Earth flyby of the nearly 17-year-old mission. The visit home brings a special chance for the spacecraft to collaborate with NASA missions near Earth and reveal new insights into our closest star.
Published Chloride ions from seawater eyed as possible lithium replacement in batteries of the future
(via sciencedaily.com) Sodium, Potassium and zinc have all been promising contenders for lithium's place in rechargeable batteries of the future, but researchers have added an unusual and more abundant competitor to the mix: chloride, the richest negatively charged ions in seawater. Xiaowei Teng, the James H. Manning professor of Chemical Engineering at WPI, has discovered a new redox chemistry empowered by chloride ions for the development of seawater green batteries.
Published Possible seasonal climate patterns on early Mars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New observations of mud cracks made by the Curiosity Rover show that high-frequency, wet-dry cycling occurred in early Martian surface environments, indicating that the red planet may have once seen seasonal weather patterns or even flash floods.
Published Chemical contamination on International Space Station is out of this world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Concentrations of potentially harmful chemical compounds in dust collected from air filtration systems on the International Space Station (ISS) exceed those found in floor dust from many American homes, a new study reveals.
Published Quantum material exhibits 'non-local' behavior that mimics brain function
(via sciencedaily.com) New research shows that electrical stimuli passed between neighboring electrodes can also affect non-neighboring electrodes. Known as non-locality, this discovery is a crucial milestone toward creating brain-like computers with minimal energy requirements.
Published Geomagnetic field protects Earth from electron showers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Geophysicists studied the activity of high energy electrons and clarified the unexpected protective role of the geomagnetic field surrounding the Earth.
Published Single drop of ethanol to revolutionize nanosensor manufacture
(via sciencedaily.com) Engineers have developed a breakthrough technique to make the processing of nanosensors cheaper, greener and more effective by using a single drop of ethanol to replace heat processing of nanoparticle networks, allowing a wider range of materials to be used to make these sensors.
Published Scientists discover the highest-energy light coming from the sun
(via sciencedaily.com) New research details the discovery of the highest-energy light ever observed from the sun. The international team behind the discovery also found that this type of light, known as gamma rays, is surprisingly bright. That is, there's more of it than scientists had previously anticipated.
Published Study examines Earth and Mars to determine how climate change affects the paths of rivers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The study investigated why the paths of meandering rivers change over time and is a step toward understanding what the hydroclimate on Mars was like when there was still surface water.
Published New exoplanet discovery builds better understanding of planet formation
(via sciencedaily.com) An international team of scientists have discovered an unusual Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a low-mass star called TOI-4860, located in the Corvus constellation.
Published James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning images of the Ring Nebula
(via sciencedaily.com) NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has recorded breath-taking new images of the iconic Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57.
Published Mussel-inspired membrane can boost sustainability and add value to industrial wastewater treatment
(via sciencedaily.com) Engineers have developed a new kind of membrane that separates chemicals within wastewater so effectively that they can be reused, presenting a new opportunity for industries to improve sustainability, while extracting valuable by-products and chemicals from wastewater.