Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Volcanoes
Published

Crucial third clue to finding new diamond deposits      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers studying diamond-rich rocks from Western Australia's Argyle volcano have identified the missing third key ingredient needed to bring valuable pink diamonds to the Earth's surface where they can be mined, which could greatly help in the global hunt for new deposits.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR)
Published

Assessing unintended consequences in AI-based neurosurgical training      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study shows that human instruction is still necessary to detect and compensate for unintended, and sometimes negative, changes in neurosurgeon behavior after virtual reality AI training. This finding has implications for other fields of training.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Remote work can slash your carbon footprint -- if done right      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Remote workers can have a 54% lower carbon footprint compared with onsite workers, according to a new study, with lifestyle choices and work arrangements playing an essential role in determining the environmental benefits of remote and hybrid work.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Study finds significant chemical exposures in women with cancer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like PFAS and phenols are implicated in hormone-mediated cancers of the breast, ovaries, skin and uterus. To learn more about the environmental exposures experienced by women who developed these cancers, researchers analyzed data from NHANES and found that women who reported having cancer had significantly higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

What is the carbon footprint of a hospital bed?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers completed an assessment of a hospital to reveal its total environmental footprint and specific carbon emission hotspots.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Groundbreaking soft valve technology enabling sensing and control integration in soft robots      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has developed groundbreaking 'soft valve' technology -- an all-in-one solution that integrates sensors and control valves while maintaining complete softness.

Ecology: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Polar experiments reveal seasonal cycle in Antarctic sea ice algae      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Results provide the first measurements of how sea-ice algae and other single-celled life adjust to the dramatic seasonal rhythms in the Southern Ocean. The results provide clues to what might happen as this ecosystem shifts under climate change.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Genetically modified bacteria break down plastics in saltwater      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have genetically engineered a marine microorganism to break down plastic in salt water. Specifically, the modified organism can break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a plastic used in everything from water bottles to clothing that is a significant contributor to microplastic pollution in oceans.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Verbal nonsense reveals limitations of AI chatbots      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The era of artificial-intelligence chatbots that seem to understand and use language the way we humans do has begun. Under the hood, these chatbots use large language models, a particular kind of neural network. But a new study shows that large language models remain vulnerable to mistaking nonsense for natural language. To a team of researchers, it's a flaw that might point toward ways to improve chatbot performance and help reveal how humans process language.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Graphene Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Making hydrogen from waste plastic could pay for itself      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have found a way to harvest hydrogen from plastic waste using a low-emissions method that generates graphene as a by-product, which could help offset production costs.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Evolution wired human brains to act like supercomputers      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have confirmed that human brains are naturally wired to perform advanced calculations, much like a high-powered computer, to make sense of the world through a process known as Bayesian inference.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Researchers make strides in harnessing low-grade heat for efficient energy conversion      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has achieved significant breakthroughs in harnessing low-grade heat sources (<100 °C) for efficient energy conversion.

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

Breakthrough: Highly efficient electrocatalyst for clean energy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has achieved a groundbreaking advancement in nanomaterials by successfully developing a highly efficient electrocatalyst which can enhance the generation of hydrogen significantly through electrochemical water splitting. This major breakthrough has great application potential for the clean energy industry.

Chemistry: General Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Electrifying vehicles in Chicago would save lives, reduce pollution inequities      (via sciencedaily.com) 

If the Chicago region replaced 30% of all on-road combustion-engine vehicles -- including motorcycles, passenger cars and trucks, buses, refuse trucks and short- and long-haul trucks -- with electric versions, it would annually save more than 1,000 lives and over $10 billion, according to a new study.

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

Scientists invent a bright way to upcycle plastics into liquids that can store hydrogen energy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have created a process that can upcycle most plastics into chemicals useful for energy storage, using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a commercially available catalyst, all at room temperature. The new process is very energy-efficient and can be easily powered by renewable energy in the future, unlike other heat-driven recycling processes like pyrolysis. Currently, only nine per cent of plastics globally are recycled and the rest are typically discarded in landfills or incinerated.

Biology: Zoology Chemistry: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Some spiders can transfer mercury contamination to land animals      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Sitting calmly in their webs, many spiders wait for prey to come to them. Arachnids along lakes and rivers eat aquatic insects, such as dragonflies. But, when these insects live in mercury-contaminated waterways, they can pass the metal along to the spiders that feed on them. Now, researchers have demonstrated how some shoreline spiders can move mercury contamination from riverbeds up the food chain to land animals.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Pixel-by-pixel analysis yields insights into lithium-ion batteries      (via sciencedaily.com) 

By mining X-ray images, researchers have made significant new discoveries about the reactivity of lithium iron phosphate, a material used in batteries for electric cars and in other rechargeable batteries.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ecology: General Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Ecology and artificial intelligence: Stronger together      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Many of today's artificial intelligence systems loosely mimic the human brain. In a new paper, researchers suggest that another branch of biology -- ecology -- could inspire a whole new generation of AI to be more powerful, resilient, and socially responsible. The paper argues for a synergy between AI and ecology that could both strengthen AI and help to solve complex global challenges, such as disease outbreaks, loss of biodiversity, and climate change impacts.