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Published

Optical-fiber based single-photon light source at room temperature for next-generation quantum processing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Single-photon emitters quantum mechanically connect quantum bits (or qubits) between nodes in quantum networks. They are typically made by embedding rare-earth elements in optical fibers at extremely low temperatures. Now, researchers have developed an ytterbium-doped optical fiber at room temperature. By avoiding the need for expensive cooling solutions, the proposed method offers a cost-effective platform for photonic quantum applications.

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Published

Study links changes in global water cycle to higher temperatures      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study takes an important step toward reconstructing a global history of water over the past 2,000 years. Using geologic and biologic evidence preserved in natural archives -- including 759 different paleoclimate records from globally distributed corals, trees, ice, cave formations and sediments -- the researchers showed that the global water cycle has changed during periods of higher and lower temperatures in the recent past.

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Published

Human emissions increased mercury in the atmosphere sevenfold      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers estimated that before humans started pumping mercury into the atmosphere, it contained on average about 580 megagrams of mercury. However, in 2015, independent research that looked at all available atmospheric measurements estimated the atmospheric mercury reservoir was about 4,000 Mg -- nearly 7 times larger than the natural condition estimated in this study.  

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Efficient biohybrid batteries      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Formic acid, which can be produced electrochemically from carbon dioxide, is a promising energy carrier. A research team has now developed a fast-charging hybrid battery system that combines the electrochemical generation of formic acid as an energy carrier with a microbial fuel cell. This novel, fast-charging biohybrid battery system can be used to monitor the toxicity of drinking water, just one of many potential future applications.

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Published

Humans are disrupting natural 'salt cycle' on a global scale, new study shows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new paper revealed that human activities are making Earth's air, soil and freshwater saltier, which could pose an 'existential threat' if current trends continue. Geologic and hydrologic processes bring salts to Earth's surface over time, but human activities such as mining and land development are rapidly accelerating this natural 'salt cycle.'

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Microplastics' shape determines how far they travel in the atmosphere      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Micron-size microplastic debris can be carried by the jet stream across oceans and continents, and their shape plays a crucial role in how far they travel.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

How common desert shrub efficiently harvests water from the air      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of scientists has revealed the mechanism a desert plant native to the United Arab Emirates uses to capture moisture from the desert air in order to survive.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Late not great -- imperfect timekeeping places significant limit on quantum computers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Quantum physicists show that imperfect timekeeping places a fundamental limit to quantum computers and their applications. The team claims that even tiny timing errors add up to place a significant impact on any large-scale algorithm, posing another problem that must eventually be solved if quantum computers are to fulfill the lofty aspirations that society has for them.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Engineers develop an efficient process to make fuel from carbon dioxide      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers developed an efficient process that can convert carbon dioxide into formate, a nonflammable liquid or solid material that can be used like hydrogen or methanol to power a fuel cell and generate electricity.

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

How robots can help find the solar energy of the future      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

To quickly and accurately characterize prospective materials for use in solar energy, researchers built an automated system to perform laboratory experiments and used machine learning to help analyze the data they recorded. Their goal is to identify semiconductor materials for use in photovoltaic solar energy, which are highly efficient and have low toxicity.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Drawing a tube of blood could assess ALS risk from environmental toxin exposure      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Investigators have developed a new risk score that assesses a person's risk for developing ALS, as well as for survival after diagnosis, using a blood sample based on exposure to toxins in the environment, a new study shows.

Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Controlling waves in magnets with superconductors for the first time      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Quantum physicists have shown that it's possible to control and manipulate spin waves on a chip using superconductors for the first time. These tiny waves in magnets may offer an alternative to electronics in the future, interesting for energy-efficient information technology or connecting pieces in a quantum computer, for example. The breakthrough primarily gives physicists new insight into the interaction between magnets and superconductors.

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Published

A superatomic semiconductor sets a speed record      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The search is on for better semiconductors. A team of chemists describes the fastest and most efficient semiconductor yet: a superatomic material called Re6Se8Cl2. 

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Conduction electrons drive giant, nonlinear elastic response in Sr2RuO4      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The hardness of a material normally is set by the strength of chemical bonds between electrons of neighboring atoms, not by freely flowing conduction electrons. Now a team of scientists has shown that current-carrying electrons can make the lattice much softer than usual in the material Sr2RuO4.

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Published

Major milestone achieved in new quantum computing architecture      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers report a significant advance in quantum computing. They have prolonged the coherence time of their single-electron qubit to an impressive 0.1 milliseconds, nearly a thousand-fold improvement.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

A potentially cheaper and 'cooler' way for hydrogen transport      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new hydrogen energy carrier material capable storing hydrogen energy efficiently and potentially more cheaply. Each molecule can store one electron from hydrogen at room temperature, store it for up the three months, and can be its own catalyst to extract said electron. Moreover, as the compound is made primarily of nickel, its cost is relatively low.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Do or dye: Synthetic colors in wastewater pose a threat to food chains worldwide      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Dyes widely used in the textile, food and pharmaceutical industries pose a pressing threat to plant, animal and human health, as well as natural environments around the world, a new study has found. Billions of tons of dye-containing wastewater enter water systems every year, and a group of researchers say that new sustainable technologies including new membrane-based nano-scale filtration are needed to solve the issue, adding that legislation is needed to compel industrial producers to eliminate colorants before they reach public sewage systems or waterways.

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Published

Physicists simulate interacting quasiparticles in ultracold quantum gas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In physics, quasiparticles are used to describe complex processes in solids. In ultracold quantum gases, these quasiparticles can be reproduced and studied. Now scientists have been able to observe in experiments how Fermi polarons -- a special type of quasiparticle -- can interact with each other.

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Published

Analysis finds diversity on the smallest scales in sulfur-cycling salt marsh microbes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have discovered that even among the sulfur-cycling microbes that are responsible for the 'rotten egg gas' smell in salt marsh air, diversity extends all the way to genomes and even to individual nucleotides.