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Categories: Biology: Biotechnology, Environmental: General
Published More electricity from the sun



A coating of solar cells with special organic molecules could pave the way for a new generation of solar panels. This coating can increase the efficiency of monolithic tandem cells made of silicon and perovskite while lowering their cost -- because they are produced from industrial, microstructured, standard silicon wafers.
Published Strong El Nino makes European winters easier to forecast



Forecasting European winter weather patterns months in advance is made simpler during years of strong El Ni o or La Ni a events in the tropical Pacific Ocean, a new study has found.
Published Green hydrogen: 'Artificial leaf' becomes better under pressure



Hydrogen can be produced via the electrolytic splitting of water. One option here is the use of photoelectrodes that convert sunlight into voltage for electrolysis in so called photoelectrochemical cells (PEC cells). A research team has now shown that the efficiency of PEC cells can be significantly increased under pressure.
Published Unraveling a key junction underlying muscle contraction



Using powerful new visualization technologies, researchers have captured the first 3-D images of the structure of a key muscle receptor, providing new insights on how muscles develop across the animal kingdom and setting the stage for possible future treatments for muscular disorders.
Published Genes or environment? A new model for understanding disease risk factors



Researchers have developed a model that more accurately predicts how genetics and air pollution levels causally influence disease development.
Published Injury dressings in first-aid kits provide a new technique to reveal shark species after bite incidents



Scientists have revealed that injury dressings found in first-aid kits can reliably be used to identify shark species involved in bite incidents by deploying medical gauze to gather DNA samples from aquatic equipment, such as surfboards.
Published Precise genetics: New CRISPR method enables efficient DNA modification



A research group has developed a new method that further improves the existing CRISPR/Cas technologies: it allows a more precise and seamless introduction of tags into proteins at the gene level. This technology could significantly improve research on proteins in living organisms and opens up new possibilities for medical research.
Published Scientists using new sound tech to save animals from extinction



Scientists are using new technology to help endangered animals by listening to their sounds.
Published North Sea oil and gas extraction spikes pollution by 10,000 percent, study finds



North Sea oil and gas extraction can cause pollution to spike by more than 10,000 percent within half a kilometer around off-shore sites, a study has found. The research has uncovered the true impact on Britain's seabed life -- with the number of species plummeting nearly 30 percent near platforms.
Published What shapes a virus's pandemic potential? SARS-CoV-2 relatives yield clues



Two of the closest known relatives to SARS-CoV-2 -- a pair of bat coronaviruses discovered by researchers in Laos -- may transmit poorly in people despite being genetically similar to the COVID-19-causing virus, a new study reveals. The findings provide clues as to why some viruses have greater 'pandemic potential' than others and how researchers might go about identifying those that do before they become widespread.
Published Organic nanozymes have broad applications from food and agriculture to biomedicine



Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications. They are typically made from inorganic materials, including metal-based elements, which makes them unsuitable for many purposes due to their toxicity and high production costs. Organic-based nanozymes partially overcome some of these problems and have the potential for a broader range of applications, including food and agriculture, but they are still in the early stages of development. A new paper provides an overview of the current state of organic nanozymes and their future potential.
Published New more sustainable method for manufacturing microchips and other nanoscale devices



Researchers develop a more environmentally friendly approach to manufacturing nano-scale microchip devices using water as a solvent in place of toxic chemicals. The method not only cleans up the manufacturing waste stream, but also enables the integration of electronic and biological components.
Published Platypus and chicken reveal how chromosomes balance between the sexes



Geneticists uncover new insights into how sex chromosome systems work in the platypus and the chicken -- which will lead to better understandings of our own sex chromosome evolution and gene regulation.
Published How researchers turn bacteria into cellulose-producing mini-factories



Researchers have modified certain bacteria with UV light so that they produce more cellulose. The basis for this is a new approach with which the researchers generate thousands of bacterial variants and select those that have developed into the most productive.
Published Is that glass bottle of OJ better for the planet than a plastic container?



Which packaging type for a 12-ounce, single-serve container of orange juice would you choose as the most sustainable option: Aluminum/canned, made with recycled material; Carton, described as biodegradable/compostable; Glass, 100% recyclable; or Plastic, described as biodegradable/compostable? If you were like the U.S. consumers surveyed by food scientists you'd prefer glass and believe it was the most sustainable choice. And you all would be mistaken.
Published NASA data shows July 22, 2024 was Earth's hottest day on record



July 22, 2024, was the hottest day on record, according to a NASA analysis of global daily temperature data. July 21 and 23 of this year also exceeded the previous daily record, set in July 2023. These record-breaking temperatures are part of a long-term warming trend driven by human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases.
Published From genes to jeans: New genetic insights may lead to drought resilient cotton



Cotton is woven into the very fabric of our lives, from soft T-shirts to comfortable jeans and cozy bedsheets. It's the world's leading renewable textile fiber and the backbone of a global industry worth billions. As climate change intensifies, cotton farmers face increasing challenges from drought and heat. However, new research offers hope for developing more resilient varieties that can maintain high yields even under water-stressed conditions.
Published California a botanical and climate change hot spot



Climate-driven shifts in California's biodiversity call for innovation and continued environmental stewardfship, says a new study. California's 30x30 Initiative and efforts to harmonize biodiversity with renewable energy are promising steps, while wildfire strategies need to further adapt.
Published New progress in research into malignant catarrhal fever in cattle



A research team has published a groundbreaking study on malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). This disease is caused by the alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1), which infects its natural host, the wildebeest. This study sheds light on the mechanisms by which this virus, which is asymptomatic and latent in the wildebeest, causes an oligoclonal expansion of CD8+ T lymphocytes in cattle, leading to the development of MCF.
Published Local food production saves costs and carbon



Emphasizing local food production over imported substitutes can lead to significant cost and carbon savings, according to data from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Canadian Arctic. The research shows potential annual savings of more than 3.1 million Canadian dollars and roughly half the carbon emissions when locally harvested food is used instead of imported food. The study underscores the importance of climate change policies that take local food systems into account. Weakening of these local systems could lead to increased emissions and jeopardize the health and food security of remote communities.