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Categories: Energy: Technology, Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published Climate and human land use both play roles in Pacific island wildfires past and present
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source It’s long been understood that human settlement contributes to conditions that make Pacific Islands more susceptible to wildfires, such as the devastating Aug. 8 event that destroyed the Maui community of Lahaina. But a new study from fire scientist shows that climate is an undervalued part of the equation.
Published Groundbreaking mathematical proof: New insights into typhoon dynamics unveiled
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has provided irrefutable proof that certain spherical vortices exist in a stable state.
Published Researchers dynamically tune friction in graphene
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The friction on a graphene surface can be dynamically tuned using external electric fields, according to researchers.
Published Capturing CO2 with electricity: A microbial enzyme inspires electrochemistry
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humanity continuously emits greenhouse gases and thereby worsens global warming. Increasing research efforts go into developing strategies to convert these gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), into valuable products. CO2 accumulates dramatically over the years and is chemically very stable, thus challenging to transform. Yet, for billions of years, some microbes have actively captured CO2 using highly efficient enzymes. Scientists have now isolated one of these enzymes. When the enzyme was electronically branched on an electrode, they observed the conversion of CO2 to formate with perfect efficiency. This phenomenon will inspire new CO2-fixation systems because of its remarkable directionality and rates.
Published A new twist on rechargeable battery performance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Rechargeable battery performance could be improved by a new understanding of how they work at the molecular level. Researchers upend what's known about how rechargeable batteries function.
Published Important additional driver of insect decline identified: Weather explains the decline and rise of insect biomass over 34 years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Combinations of unfavorable weather conditions over several years can cause a decline in insect biomass.
Published Milestone for novel atomic clock
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international research team has taken a decisive step toward a new generation of atomic clocks. The researchers have created a much more precise pulse generator based on the element scandium, which enables an accuracy of one second in 300 billion years -- that is about a thousand times more precise than the current standard atomic clock based on caesium.
Published New research reveals extreme heat likely to wipe out humans and mammals in the distant future
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows unprecedented heat is likely to lead to the next mass extinction, akin to when the dinosaurs died out, eliminating nearly all mammals in some 250 million years time.
Published Copper-based catalysts efficiently turn carbon dioxide into methane
(via sciencedaily.com) Copper-based catalysts developed by materials scientists help speed up the rate of carbon dioxide-to-methane conversion.
Published How weather patterns will change in the future
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a warming Pacific Northwest, summers are getting hotter and winters less cold, but the atmospheric patterns that influence the weather aren't necessarily expected to become stronger or more frequent by the end of the century, according to a new study.
Published New study definitively confirms Gulf Stream weakening, understanding the changes could help predict future trends in extreme events
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The Gulf Stream transport of water through the Florida Strait has slowed by 4% over the past four decades, with a 99% certainty that this weakening is more than expected from random chance, according to a new study.
Published Nanofluidic device generates power with saltwater
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source There is a largely untapped energy source along the world's coastlines: the difference in salinity between seawater and freshwater. A new nanodevice can harness this difference to generate power.
Published No shortcuts: New approach may help extract more heat from geothermal reservoirs
(via sciencedaily.com) Geothermal heat offers a promising source of renewable energy with almost zero emissions, but it remains a relatively expensive option to generate electricity. A new technique may help prevent 'short-circuits' that can cause geothermal power plants to halt production, potentially improving the efficiency of geothermal power, the researchers said.
Published New method for purifying drinking water could be used in disaster zones
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists have developed a new desalination method that pumps water through a membrane without using any external pressure.
Published Long-lasting La Nina events more common over past century
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Multiyear La Niña events have become more common over the last 100 years, according to a new study. Five out of six La Nina events since 1998 have lasted more than one year, including an unprecedented triple-year event.
Published Researchers reveal the origins of zirconium nitride's superior performance
(via sciencedaily.com) A group of researchers have unraveled the mysteries behind a recently identified material -- zirconium nitride (ZrN) -- that helps power clean energy reactions. Their proposed framework will help future designs for transition metal nitrides, paving a path for generating cleaner energy.
Published One-atom-thick ribbons could improve batteries, solar cells and sensors
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers created nanoribbons made of phosphorus and tiny amounts of arsenic, which they found were able to conduct electricity at temperatures above -140 degrees Celsius, while retaining the highly useful properties of the phosphorus-only ribbons.
Published Riddle of varying warm water inflow in the Arctic now solved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the 'weather kitchen,' the interplay between the Azores High and Icelandic Low has a substantial effect on how much warm water the Atlantic transports to the Arctic along the Norwegian coast. But this rhythm can be thrown off for years at a time. Experts finally have an explanation for why: Due to unusual atmospheric pressure conditions over the North Atlantic, low-pressure areas are diverted from their usual track, which disrupts the coupling between the Azores High, the Icelandic Low and the winds off the Norwegian coast. This finding is an important step toward refining climate models and more accurately predicting the fate of Arctic sea ice in the face of progressing climate change.
Published Material would allow users to 'tune' windows to block targeted wavelengths of light
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have demonstrated a material for next generation dynamic windows, which would allow building occupants to switch their windows between three modes: transparent, or 'normal' windows; windows that block infrared light, helping to keep a building cool; and tinted windows that control glare while maintaining the view.
Published Sustainable energy for aviation: What are our options?
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists and industry leaders worldwide are looking for answers on how to make aviation sustainable by 2050 and choosing a viable sustainable fuel is a major sticking point. Aerospace engineers took a full inventory of the options to make a data-driven assessment about how they stack up in comparison. He reviewed over 300 research projects from across different sectors, not just aerospace, to synthesize the ideas and draw conclusions to help direct the dialogue about sustainable aviation toward a permanent solution.