Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General
Published

Study unlocks nanoscale secrets for designing next-generation solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers has revealed ways to optimize efficiency and better control degradation, by engineering the nanoscale structure of perovskite devices.

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Researchers improve the stability of perovskite solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Perovskite solar cells are considered the strongest contender to replace silicon solar cells. While they achieve high power conversion energy, they also suffer from lead leakage and perovskite degradation due to moisture. Now scientists leverage the technique of interfacial passivation, where lead ions are bound by crown ether B18C6, obtaining 21.7% power conversion energy. The crown ether also resists degradation due to moisture for 300 hours at room temperature and 85% humidity.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research
Published

Genetic research revealed several new fern species in tropical America      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have clarified the evolutionary history of a previously poorly known group of ferns from the tropical rainforests of America using DNA methods. The study discovered many new fern species, 18 of which have now been given official names and species descriptions.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature
Published

A new plant's name that tells a story      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new species and genus of fairy lantern, tiny glass-like white plants that feed on fungi, has been discovered in Japan. In the country renowned for its extensive flora research, the discovery of a new plant genus is extremely rare and has not occurred in almost 100 years.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Researchers closer to understanding hydrogen's great challenge      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Embrittlement is one of the biggest obstacles facing the transition to a global hydrogen economy. A new process uncovered by researchers is helping shed light on how to better prevent it.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature
Published

Counting rays: Aerial surveys reveal ample populations in Southeast Florida      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A unique long-term study quantified the abundance of whitespotted eagle and giant manta rays in Southeast Florida. Researchers conducted 120 survey flights between 2014 and 2021 from Miami north to the Jupiter Inlet. One or both species were seen on nearly every flight and both populations appear to be stable in the region. The giant manta rays were more abundant in the south and the whitespotted eagle rays were found all along the coast. Neither species seems to be deterred by the greater human population density in Fort Lauderdale/Miami.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

New study unveils scalable and efficient photoelectrode modules for green hydrogen production      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study has achieved a remarkable technological breakthrough in the production of green hydrogen.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Physics: General
Published

Researchers use Hawk supercomputer and lean into imperfection to improve solar cell efficiency      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Solar energy is one of the most promising, widely adopted renewable energy sources, but the solar cells that convert light into electricity remains a challenge. Scientists have turned to the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart to understand how strategically designing imperfections in the system could lead to more efficient energy conversion.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

What will it take for China to reach carbon neutrality by 2060?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

To become carbon neutral by 2060, China will have to build eight to 10 times more wind and solar power installations than existed in 2022, according to a new study. Reaching carbon neutrality will also require major construction of transmission lines.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Physics: Optics
Published

New world record for CIGS solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new record for electrical energy generation from CIGS solar cells has been reached. Scientists have achieved a 23.64 percent efficiency.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Common plant could help reduce food insecurity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An often-overlooked water plant that can double its biomass in two days, capture nitrogen from the air -- making it a valuable green fertilizer -- and be fed to poultry and livestock could serve as life-saving food for humans in the event of a catastrophe or disaster, a new study suggests.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Biomolecular condensates -- regulatory hubs for plant iron supply      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Iron is a micronutrient for plants. Biologists now show that regulatory proteins for iron uptake behave particularly dynamically in the cell nucleus when the cells are exposed to blue light -- an important signal for plant growth. They found that the initially homogeneously distributed proteins relocated together into 'biomolecular condensates' in the cell nucleus shortly after this exposure.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature
Published

Altering the circadian clock adapts barley to short growing seasons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

To ensure that plants flower at the right time of year, they possess an internal clock, which enables them to measure the amount of daylight during a day. Biologists now describe that the mutation of a specific gene makes the flowering time of barley almost entirely independent of day length. This mutation can be useful for breeding varieties adapted to altered climatic conditions with relatively mild winters and hot, dry summers.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Increasingly similar or different? Centuries-long analysis suggests biodiversity is differentiating and homogenizing to a comparable extent      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The tendency of communities and the species within them to become more similar or more distinct across landscapes -- biotic homogenization and differentiation -- are approximately balanced, according to a new study. This analysis is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive assessment of how local and regional biodiversity changes combine across landscapes over centuries.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General
Published

New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study shows that UK solar parks, if managed correctly, can provide vital resources to help stem the decline in the nation's bees and butterflies. The new research provides peer-reviewed field data of insect pollinators at solar parks in the UK, covering 15 sites.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Revolutionary breakthrough in solar energy: Most efficient QD solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has unveiled a novel ligand exchange technique that enables the synthesis of organic cation-based perovskite quantum dots (PQDs), ensuring exceptional stability while suppressing internal defects in the photoactive layer of solar cells.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Physics: Optics
Published

Scientists invent ultra-thin, minimally-invasive pacemaker controlled by light      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of researchers has developed a wireless device, powered by light, that can be implanted to regulate cardiovascular or neural activity in the body. The feather-light membranes, thinner than a human hair, can be inserted with minimally invasive surgery and contain no moving parts.