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Categories: Energy: Technology, Paleontology: General
Published Decarbonizing the world's industries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Harmful emissions from the industrial sector could be reduced by up to 85% across the world, according to new research. The sector, which includes iron and steel, chemicals, cement, and food and drink, emits around a quarter of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions -- planet-warming gases that result in climate change and extreme weather.
Published Scientists pinpoint growth of brain's cerebellum as key to evolution of bird flight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Evolutionary biologists report they have combined PET scans of modern pigeons along with studies of dinosaur fossils to help answer an enduring question in biology: How did the brains of birds evolve to enable them to fly?
Published Artificial muscles -- lighter, safer, more robust
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed artificial muscles that are lighter, safer and more robust than their predecessors. The newly developed actuators have a novel type of shell structure and use a high-permittivity ferroelectric material that can store relatively large amounts of electrical energy. They therefore work with relatively low electrical voltage, are waterproof, more robust and safer to touch.
Published How did humans learn to walk? New evolutionary study offers an earful
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study, which centers on evidence from skulls of a 6-million-year-old fossil ape, Lufengpithecus, offers important clues about the origins of bipedal locomotion courtesy of a novel method: analyzing its bony inner ear region using three-dimensional CT-scanning. The inner ear appears to provide a unique record of the evolutionary history of ape locomotion.
Published Sound-powered sensors stand to save millions of batteries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are developing a new type of sensor that reacts to certain sound waves, causing it to vibrate. The sensor is a metamaterial that acquires its special properties through the structuring of the material. Passive sound-sensitive sensors could be used to monitor buildings, earthquakes or certain medical devices and save millions of batteries.
Published Locusts' sense of smell boosted with custom-made nanoparticles
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have harnessed the power of specially made nanostructures to enhance the neural response in a locust's brain to specific odors and to improve their identification of those odors.
Published How to shift gears in a molecular motor
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have long strived to develop artificial molecular motors that can convert energy into directed motion. Researchers have now presented a solution to a challenging problem: how motion can be transferred in a controlled manner from one place to another through a 'molecular gear'. Molecular motors have the potential for use in, for example, energy storage applications and medicine.
Published Polymer power: Researchers enhance the safety of lithium batteries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Lithium-ion batteries face safety concerns as a result of internal separator issues which often lead to short circuits. Scientists have now developed a method to improve the stability and properties of separators with a layer of silicon dioxide and other functional molecules. Batteries employing these separators demonstrated improved performance and reduced growth of disruptive root-like structures, paving the way for high-safety batteries that can aid the adoption of electric vehicles and advanced energy storage systems.
Published Liquid lithium on the walls of a fusion device helps the plasma within maintain a hot edge
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Emerging research suggests it may be easier to use fusion as a power source if liquid lithium is applied to the internal walls of the device housing the plasma. Past experiments studied solid lithium coatings and found they could enhance a plasma. The researchers were pleased they could yield similar results with liquid lithium, as it's better suited for use in a large-scale tokamak.
Published DNA from preserved feces reveals ancient Japanese gut environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source DNA from ancient feces can offer archaeologists new clues about the life and health of Japanese people who lived thousands of years ago, according to a new study.
Published Self-powered movable seawall for tsunami protection and emergency power generation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A movable seawall system, capable of generating sufficient electricity to raise gates and protect ports against tsunamis, has been proposed by researchers. The system has been found feasible in areas prone to Nankai Trough earthquake tsunamis. Additionally, it can generate surplus energy to supply emergency power to ports during power outages that commonly occur in natural disasters. This innovative system integrates disaster prevention with the use of renewable energy.
Published Ancient brown bear genomes sheds light on Ice Age losses and survival
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The brown bear is one of the largest living terrestrial carnivores, and is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Unlike many other large carnivores that went extinct at the end of the last Ice Age (cave bear, sabretoothed cats, cave hyena), the brown bear is one of the lucky survivors that made it through to the present. The question has puzzled biologists for close to a century -- how was this so?
Published Offshore wind farms are vulnerable to cyberattacks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have presented a new study on cyberattack risks to offshore wind farms in Glasgow, United Kingdom. They looked specifically at wind farms that use voltage-source-converter high-voltage direct-current (VSC-HVDC) connections, which are rapidly becoming the most cost-effective solution to harvest offshore wind energy around the world. They found that their complex, hybrid-communication architecture presents multiple access points for cyberattacks.
Published Fast-charging lithium battery seeks to eliminate 'range anxiety'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have created a new lithium battery that can charge in under five minutes -- faster than any such battery on the market -- while maintaining stable performance over extended cycles of charging and discharging.
Published Water, water everywhere and now we may have drops to drink
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have achieved a major breakthrough in Redox Flow Desalination (RFD), an emerging electrochemical technique that can turn seawater into potable drinking water and also store affordable renewable energy.
Published Major climate benefits with electric aircraft
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have performed the world's first life cycle assessment (LCA) of an existing, two-seater, all-electric aircraft, with a direct comparison to an equivalent fossil fuel-powered one. According to the study, after just one quarter of the expected lifespan of the electric aircraft, the climate impact is lower than that of the fossil fuel-based aircraft, provided that green electricity is used. The downside, however, is increased mineral resource scarcity.
Published Manipulated hafnia paves the way for next-gen memory devices
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study outlines progress toward making bulk ferroelectric and antiferroelectric hafnia available for use in a variety of applications, including high-performance computing.
Published Student discovers 200-million-year-old flying reptile
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Gliding winged-reptiles were amongst the ancient crocodile residents of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, researchers at the have revealed.
Published The megalodon was less mega than previously believed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows the Megalodon, a gigantic shark that went extinct 3.6 million years ago, was more slender than earlier studies suggested. This finding changes scientists' understanding of Megalodon behavior, ancient ocean life, and why the sharks went extinct.
Published A window into plant evolution: The unusual genetic journey of lycophytes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of researchers has uncovered a remarkable genetic phenomenon in lycophytes, which are similar to ferns and among the oldest land plants. Their study reveals that these plants have maintained a consistent genetic structure for over 350 million years, a significant deviation from the norm in plant genetics.