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Categories: Ecology: Invasive Species, Energy: Technology
Published Potential for 110% electricity increases in U. S. urban buildings



A research study tackled the critical issue of how city-scale building energy consumption in urban environments will evolve under the influence of climate change.
Published As surging threats teeter electrical power grids, scientists offer insights to make them more resilient



Power grids -- the web of electrical networks that sprawl across countries and continents -- are under stress. Extreme weather events and volatile energy demands often push the system to the brink. Although these high-impact events can be very damaging, often overlooked is the impact of minor disruptions that trigger a domino effect throughout the system, according to a study analyzing European power blackouts. The findings showed that recovering power within 13 hours can reduce up to 52% of the power loss stemming from cascading events.
Published From a five-layer graphene sandwich, a rare electronic state emerges



When stacked in five layers in a rhombohedral pattern, graphene takes on a rare 'multiferroic' state, exhibiting both unconventional magnetism and an exotic electronic behavior known as ferro-valleytricity.
Published Orchid without bumblebee on island finds wasp, loses self



Because the bumblebee that an orchid relies on for pollination does not exist on a remote island, the plant gets pollinated by an island wasp. Researchers found that this came at the cost of being hybridized with another orchid species adapted to being pollinated by the wasp. The finding showcases how plants in ecological relationships adapt to changing circumstances.
Published Critical step made for managing brushtail possums



Researchers say mapping the genetic code of the brushtail possum will benefit those working to both conserve and control the animal.
Published How to help save plants from extinction



Now is the time to identify the conditions that cause plants to die. Doing so will allow us to better protect plants by choosing conservation targets more strategically, botanists argue.
Published World may have crossed solar power 'tipping point'



The world may have crossed a 'tipping point' that will inevitably make solar power our main source of energy, new research suggests.
Published Decontamination method zaps pollutants from soil



A rapid, high-heat electrothermal soil remediation process flushes out both organic pollutants and heavy metals in seconds without damaging soil fertility.
Published Harnessing molecular power: Electricity generation on the nanoscale



Researchers tested a molecular energy harvesting device that captures the energy from the natural motion of molecules in a liquid. Their work showed molecular motion can be used to generate a stable electric current. To create the device, they submerged nanoarrays of piezoelectric material in liquid, allowing the movement of the liquid to move the strands like seaweed waving in the ocean, except in this case the movement is on the molecular scale, and the strands are made of zinc oxide. When the zinc oxide material waves, bends, or deforms under motion, it generates electric potential.
Published Study reveals our European ancestors ate seaweed and freshwater plants



Researchers say they have found 'definitive' archaeological evidence that seaweeds and other local freshwater plants were eaten in the mesolithic, through the Neolithic transition to farming and into the Early Middle Ages, suggesting that these resources, now rarely eaten in Europe, only became marginal much more recently.
Published AI models identify biodiversity from animal sounds in tropical rainforests



Animal sounds are a very good indicator of biodiversity in tropical reforestation areas. Researchers demonstrate this by using sound recordings and AI models.
Published Solar design would harness 40% of the sun's heat to produce clean hydrogen fuel



Engineers have designed a system that can efficiently produce 'solar thermochemical hydrogen.' It harnesses the sun's heat to split water and generate hydrogen -- a clean fuel that emits no greenhouse gas emissions.Â
Published An electrical switch to control chemical reactions



New pharmaceuticals, cleaner fuels, biodegradable plastics: in order to meet society's needs, chemists have to develop new synthesis methods to obtain new products that do not exist in their natural state. A research group has discovered how to use an external electric field to control and accelerate a chemical reaction, like a 'switch'. This work could have a considerable impact on the development of new molecules, enabling not only more environmentally friendly synthesis, but also very simple external control of a chemical reaction.
Published Endemic malaria found in high, dry northwestern Kenya



Turkana County in northwestern Kenya was thought to be too dry for the mosquitoes that harbor malaria-causing parasites. But that assumption may have been wrong, according to a new study by malaria researchers. The arrival of a new mosquito and a more pernicious species of parasite could reverse the progress East Africa has made in controlling malaria.
Published Revolutionizing energy storage: Metal nanoclusters for stable lithium--sulfur batteries



Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) offer a higher energy storage potential. However, issues like formation of lithium polysulfides and lithium dendrites lead to capacity loss and raise safety concerns. Now, researchers have developed a graphene separator embedded with platinum-doped gold nanoclusters, which enhance lithium-ion transport and facilitate redox reactions. This breakthrough addresses the long-standing issues associated with LSBs, setting the stage for their commercialization.
Published Bouldering in south-central Madagascar: A new 'rock-climbing' gecko species of the genus Paroedura



A new Paroedura gecko species was reported at two small forest sites, Anja Reserve and Tsaranoro Valley forest, in the south-central plateau of Madagascar. Thanks to the recently collected samples, it was described and named after its preferred habitat, the boulders surrounded by the last remaining forests at these sites. Its conservation status was evaluated as Critically Endangered given its tiny distributional range.
Published Magnetoelectric material can reconnect severed nerves



Neuroengineers designed the first self-rectifying magnetoelectric material and showed it can not only precisely stimulate neurons remotely but also reconnect a broken sciatic nerve in a rat model.
Published Wireless, battery-free electronic 'stickers' gauge forces between touching objects



Engineers developed electronic 'stickers' that measure the force exerted by one object upon another. The force stickers are wireless, run without batteries and fit in tight spaces, making them versatile for a wide range of applications, from surgical robots to smart implants and inventory tracking.
Published Modular dam design could accelerate the adoption of renewable energy



Scientists have developed a new modular steel buttress dam system designed to resolve energy storage issues hindering the integration of renewable resources into the energy mix. The new modular steel buttress dam system facilitates the rapid construction of paired reservoir systems for grid-scale energy storage and generation using closed-loop pumped storage hydropower, cutting dam construction costs by one-third and reducing construction schedules by half.
Published Tropical ecosystems more reliant on emerging aquatic insects, study finds, potentially putting them at greater risk



Researchers have found that tropical forest ecosystems are more reliant on aquatic insects than temperate forest ecosystems, making them more vulnerable to disruptions to the links between land and water. This is a significant finding, as tropical forests play a vital role in global biodiversity and climate regulation. The study's authors warn that any disruption to the land-water connections in these ecosystems could have serious consequences for their health and resilience.