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Categories: Environmental: General, Space: The Solar System
Published Inexpensive, carbon-neutral biofuels are finally possible
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When it comes to making fuel from plants, the first step has always been the hardest -- breaking down the plant matter. A new study finds that introducing a simple, renewable chemical to the pretreatment step can finally make next-generation biofuel production both cost-effective and carbon neutral.
Published 3D printed nanocellulose upscaled for green architectural applications
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, a hydrogel material made of nanocellulose and algae has been tested as an alternative, greener architectural material. The study shows how the abundant sustainable material can be 3D printed into a wide array of architectural components, using much less energy than conventional construction methods.
Published New method to more accurately spot underground nuclear tests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A more accurate way of identifying underground nuclear tests, including those conducted in secret, has been developed.
Published Warmer water may help rivers keep antimicrobial resistance at bay
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New study suggests that temperature can influence the microbial competition in rivers.
Published MXene-coated devices can guide microwaves in space and lighten the payload
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source One of the most important components of satellites that enable telecommunication is the waveguide, which is a metal tube for guiding radio waves. It is also one of the heaviest payloads satellites carry into orbit. As with all space technology, reducing weight means reducing the amount of expensive and greenhouse gas-producing fuel it takes to launch a rocket, or increasing the number of devices carried by the same rocket to space. Researchers are trying to lighten the load by creating and testing a waveguide made from 3D-printed polymers coated with a conductive nanomaterial called MXene.
Published Japan's electric vehicle transition by 2035 may be insufficient to combat the climate crisis, but there are solutions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers report that Japan's policy of banning the sale of new gas vehicles by 2035 may be insufficient to reduce the country's CO2 emissions. The team's analysis showed that to effectively reach their climate goals, Japan must also implement policies that extend vehicle lifetime, implement more renewable energy into its energy sector, and decarbonize the manufacturing process of vehicles.
Published New study finds 'sweet spot' for length of yarn-shaped supercapacitors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified a 'sweet spot' at which the length of a threadlike energy storage technology called a 'yarn-shaped supercapacitor' (YSC) yields the highest and most efficient flow of energy per unit length.
Published Researchers reveal elusive bottleneck holding back global effort to convert carbon dioxide waste into usable products
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Think of it as recycling on the nanoscale: a tantalizing electrochemical process that can harvest carbon before it becomes air pollution and restructure it into the components of everyday products. The drive to capture airborne carbon dioxide from industrial waste and make it into fuel and plastics is gaining momentum after a team of researchers uncovered precisely how the process works and where it bogs down.
Published Complex tree canopies help forests recover from moderate-severity disturbances
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Extreme events wipe out entire forests, dramatically eliminating complex ecosystems as well as local communities. Researchers have become quite familiar with such attention-grabbing events over the years. They know less, however, about the more common moderate-severity disturbances, such as relatively small fires, ice storms, and outbreaks of pests or pathogens.
Published New study points to more climate extremes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has found similarities between long-term climatic changes in South Australia and temperate agricultural areas in Argentina -- highlighting similarities across these Southern Hemisphere countries. As temperature records tumble, and the threat of bushfires and dry conditions looms large, researchers renew the urgency of calls to make more concerted efforts to prepare for climate extremes in South Australia.
Published Thailand's Iron Age Log Coffin culture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A mortuary practice known as Log Coffin culture characterizes the Iron Age of highland Pang Mapha in northwestern Thailand. Between 2,300 and 1,000 years ago, individuals were buried in large wooden coffins on stilts, mostly found in caves and rock shelters.
Published Improving fuel cell durability with fatigue-resistant membranes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In hydrogen fuel cells, electrolyte membranes frequently undergo deformation and develop cracks during operation. A research team has recently introduced a fatigue-resistant polymer electrolyte membrane for hydrogen fuel cells, employing an interpenetrating network of Nafion (a plastic electrolyte) and perfluoropolyether (a rubbery polymer). This innovation will not only improve fuel cell vehicles but also promises advancements in diverse technologies beyond transportation, spanning applications from drones to desalination filters and backup power sources.
Published Newly discovered carbon monoxide-runaway gap can help identify habitable exoplanets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A carbon monoxide (CO)-runaway gap identified in the atmospheres of Earth-like planets can help expand the search for habitable planets. This gap, identified through atmospheric modeling, is an indicator of a CO-rich atmosphere on Earth-like planets orbiting Sun-like stars. CO is an important compound for the formation of prebiotic organic compounds, which are building blocks for more complex molecules for the formation of life.
Published How plants obtain nitrogen by supplying iron to symbiotic bacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered peptide factors that function in the shoot and root systems to transport iron into the root nodules colonized by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Moreover, these peptide factors regulate nitrogen homeostasis by maintaining a balance between nitrogen and iron concentrations in plants without rhizobial symbiosis.
Published Understanding the moon's history with Chang'e-5 sample
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source China's Chang'e-5, the first lunar sample return mission since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976, delivered 1.73 kilograms of regolith from the Oceanus Procellarum, a plane named for its vast size. The sample landed with CE-5 in late 2020 and included a new mineral, Changesite-(Y), as well as a perplexing combination of silica minerals. Researchers now compare CE-5's material composition to other lunar and Martian regolith samples and examine potential causes and origins for the lunar sample's unique makeup.
Published Ammonia attracts the shipping industry, but researchers warn of its risks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Switching to ammonia as a marine fuel, with the goal of decarbonization, can instead create entirely new problems. This is shown in a study where researchers carried out life cycle analyses for batteries and for three electrofuels including ammonia. Eutrophication and acidification are some of the environmental problems that can be traced to the use of ammonia -- as well as emissions of laughing gas, which is a very potent greenhouse gas.
Published Microbial division of labor produces higher biofuel yields
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have found a way to boost ethanol production via yeast fermentation, a standard method for converting plant sugars into biofuels. Their approach relies on careful timing and a tight division of labor among synthetic yeast strains to yield more ethanol per unit of plant sugars than previous approaches have achieved.
Published Study challenges the classical view of the origin of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and warns of its vulnerability
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The Circumpolar Current works as a regulator of the planet's climate. Its origins were thought to have caused the formation of the permanent ice in Antarctica about 34 million years ago. Now, a study has cast doubt on this theory, and has changed the understanding of how the ice sheet in Antarctic developed in the past, and what this could mean in the future as the planet's climate changes.
Published Green steel from toxic red mud
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An economical process with green hydrogen can be used to extract CO2-free iron from the red mud generated in aluminum production.
Published Understanding how soil traps carbon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With 2,500 billion tons of carbon, soil is one of Earth's largest carbon sinks. Researchers used experiments and computational modeling to study interactions between carbon molecules and clay minerals in soil. New research gives clues to why some plant-based carbon molecules are sequestered in soils but others are respired as CO2. Findings show that electrostatic charges, surrounding nutrients in soil and competition from other molecules all play roles in facilitating carbon trapping.