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Categories: Energy: Technology, Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published Towards A Better Way of Releasing Hydrogen Stored in Hydrogen Boride Sheets



Hydrogen stored in hydrogen boride sheets can be efficiently released electrochemically, report scientists. Through a series of experiments, they demonstrated that dispersing these sheets in an organic solvent and applying a small voltage is enough to release all the stored hydrogen efficiently. These findings suggest hydrogen boride sheets could soon become a safe and convenient way to store and transport hydrogen, which is a cleaner and more sustainable fuel.
Published Scandinavia's first farmers slaughtered the hunter-gatherer population, study finds



Following the arrival of the first farmers in Scandinavia 5,900 years ago, the hunter-gatherer population was wiped out within a few generations, according to a new study. The results, which are contrary to prevailing opinion, are based on DNA analysis of skeletons and teeth found in what is now Denmark.
Published Smart earrings can monitor a person's temperature



Researchers introduced the Thermal Earring, a wireless wearable that continuously monitors a user's earlobe temperature. Potential applications include tracking signs of ovulation, stress, eating and exercise. The smart earring prototype is about the size and weight of a small paperclip and has a 28-day battery life.
Published Japan's electric vehicle transition by 2035 may be insufficient to combat the climate crisis, but there are solutions



Researchers report that Japan's policy of banning the sale of new gas vehicles by 2035 may be insufficient to reduce the country's CO2 emissions. The team's analysis showed that to effectively reach their climate goals, Japan must also implement policies that extend vehicle lifetime, implement more renewable energy into its energy sector, and decarbonize the manufacturing process of vehicles.
Published New study finds 'sweet spot' for length of yarn-shaped supercapacitors



Researchers have identified a 'sweet spot' at which the length of a threadlike energy storage technology called a 'yarn-shaped supercapacitor' (YSC) yields the highest and most efficient flow of energy per unit length.
Published Ancient Australian air-breathing fish from 380 million years ago



The rivers of Australia, which once flowed across its now dry interior, used to host a range of bizarre animals -- including a sleek predatory lobe-finned fish with large fangs and bony scales. The newly described fossil fish discovered in remote fossil fields west of Alice Springs has been named Harajicadectes zhumini by palaeontologists.
Published Microbial division of labor produces higher biofuel yields



Scientists have found a way to boost ethanol production via yeast fermentation, a standard method for converting plant sugars into biofuels. Their approach relies on careful timing and a tight division of labor among synthetic yeast strains to yield more ethanol per unit of plant sugars than previous approaches have achieved.
Published Rare 3D fossils show that some early trees had forms unlike any you've ever seen



In the fossil record, trees typically are preserved with only their trunks. They don't usually include any leaves to show what their canopies and overall forms may have looked like. In a new study, researchers describe fossilized trees from New Brunswick, Canada with a surprising and unique three-dimensional crown shape.
Published Photonics-based wireless link breaks speed records for data transmission



Researchers demonstrated a 300 GHz-band wireless link that was able to transmit data over a single channel at a rate of 240 gigabits per second. The wireless communication system employs signal generators based on lasers that have ultra-low phase noise in the sub-terahertz band. This rate is the highest so far reported at these frequencies and is a substantial step forward in 300 GHz-band communications for 6G networks.
Published Decarbonizing the world's industries



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 Artificial muscles -- lighter, safer, more robust



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 Sound-powered sensors stand to save millions of batteries



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 Excavated dolmen in Sweden one of the oldest in Scandinavia



The first analysis results now confirm that the grave in Tiarp is one of the oldest stone burial chambers in Sweden. The researchers noted that some parts of the people buried in the grave are missing, such as skulls and thigh bones, posing intriguing questions for archaeologists.
Published Locusts' sense of smell boosted with custom-made nanoparticles



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



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



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



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



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



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 Offshore wind farms are vulnerable to cyberattacks



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.