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Categories: Biology: Botany, Energy: Technology
Published The world's most prolific CO2-fixing enzyme is slowly getting better
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has found that rubisco -- the enzyme that fuels all life on Earth -- is not stuck in an evolutionary rut after all. The largest analysis of rubisco ever has found that it is improving all the time -- just very, very slowly. These insights could potentially open up new routes to strengthen food security.
Published Marine algae implants could boost crop yields
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered the gene that enables marine algae to make a unique type of chlorophyll. They successfully implanted this gene in a land plant, paving the way for better crop yields on less land.
Published Nanodevices can produce energy from evaporating tap or seawater
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered that nanoscale devices harnessing the hydroelectric effect can harvest electricity from the evaporation of fluids with higher ion concentrations than purified water, revealing a vast untapped energy potential.
Published Healable cathode could unlock potential of solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers developed a cathode material for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries that is healable and highly conductive, overcoming longstanding challenges of traditional sulfur cathodes. The advance holds promise for bringing more energy dense and low-cost Li-S batteries closer to market.
Published Invasive plant time bombs: A hidden ecological threat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Invasive plants can stay dormant for decades or even centuries before rapidly expanding and wreaking ecological havoc, finds a new study.
Published Microalgae with unusual cell biology
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A globally distributed single-celled organism that occurs in harmful algal blooms has been found to exhibit an unusual organisation of photosynthesis. Researchers have taken a closer look at the unusual cell biology of the species Prorocentrum cordatum from the group of dinoflagellates. The results of their study could help to better understand the role of the species in the environment and the increased occurrence of algal blooms at higher water temperatures.
Published Plant Lavender, Marjoram and Ivy on your green wall to clean up the air
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Green walls can strip pollution from the air -- and some plants do it better than others, according to new research. Researchers planted 10 species on a custom-built 1.4m green wall.
Published An inside look at Beech tree disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study found differences at the cellular level of leaves from infected Beech trees -- variations that may account for tree mortality.
Published Scientists put forth a smarter way to protect a smarter grid
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have put forth a new approach to protect the electric grid, creating a tool that sorts and prioritizes cyber threats on the fly.
Published An evolutionary mystery 125 million years in the making
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plant biologists have uncovered an evolutionary mystery over 100 million years in the making. It turns out that sometime during the last 125 million years, tomatoes and Arabidopsis thaliana plants experienced an extreme genetic makeover. Just what happened remains unclear. But the mystery surrounds CLV3, a gene key to healthy plant growth and development.
Published Photosynthetic secrets come to light
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Secrets of photosynthesis have been discovered at atomic level, shedding important new light on this plant super-power that greened the earth more than a billion years ago.
Published In wake of powerful cyclone, remarkable recovery of Pacific island's forests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source After one of the most intense cyclones in world history tore through the Pacific island of Tanna in Vanuatu, new research showed the resilience of the island's forests.
Published Convergent evolution of algal CO2-fixing organelles
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers identified the proteins of a CO2-fixing organelle, namely, 'pyrenoid,' in the marine algal group Chlorarachniophyta and revealed various pyrenoid-associated proteins among algal groups, suggesting the independent evolution of pyrenoids in different algal groups.
Published Unlocking the potential of lithium-ion batteries with advanced binders
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Lithium-ion batteries employ binders that encounter challenges such as poor conductivity and expansion during charging. In a recent study, scientists have developed a high-performing binder using poly(vinylphosphonic acid) for silicon oxide-based anodes in lithium-ion batteries. This binder offers enhanced performance as demonstrated by the superior durability, and discharging capacity of the anodes compared to conventional options. With patents filed internationally, this technology holds promise for broader applications in electric vehicles and beyond.
Published Light into the darkness of photosynthesis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers succeed at generating 3D visualizations of chloroplasts' copying machines.
Published Lithium-ion batteries from drones might find second lives in less 'stressful' devices
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Taking flight can be stressful -- especially for a lithium-ion battery that powers a drone. Too much strain on these cells causes damage and shortens a device's overall lifespan. Research shows the potential to improve batteries in aerial electric vehicles that take off and land vertically. The team developed a new electrolyte to address these challenges and said the 'stressed out' batteries could also have second lives in less strenuous applications.
Published Hurricanes and power grids: Eliminating large-scale outages with a new approach
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Large scale-power outages caused by tropical cyclones can be prevented almost entirely if a small but critical set of power lines is protected against storm damages, a new study finds. Scientists developed a new method that can be used to identify those critical lines and increase the system's resilience.
Published Improving energy security with policies focused on demand-side solutions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Energy systems essential to supporting our everyday activities face increasing threats from wars, pandemics, climate change, and other unexpected events. An international team of researchers found that demand-oriented solutions have a significantly greater potential to reduce our vulnerability to energy crises compared to supply measures.
Published Cyber-physical heating system may protect apple blossoms in orchards
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Spring frosts can have devastating effects on apple production, and a warming climate may be causing trees to blossom early, making them more susceptible to the damaging effects of extreme cold events. Growers' attempts to prevent the flowers from freezing by attempting to heat the canopies of their orchards largely have been inefficient.
Published Refrigerate lettuce to reduce risk of E. coli contamination
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Leafy green vegetables are important sources of dietary fiber and nutrients, but they can harbor harmful pathogens. In particular, lettuce has often been involved in outbreaks of foodborne illness across the U.S. A new study examines factors that affect E. coli contamination on five different leafy greens -- romaine lettuce, green-leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, and collards.