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Categories: Chemistry: General, Environmental: Ecosystems
Published Extreme complexity in formation of rare earth mineral vital for tech industry
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have unveiled that myriad, intricate factors influence the genesis and chemistry of bastnasite and rare earth carbonates, which are critically needed for today's tech industry and its hardware outputs. Their work unveils a newly acquired depth of understanding that had previously been unexplored in this field. In combination, the findings mark a significant advancement and promise to reshape our understanding of rare earth mineral formation.
Published Cloudy waters causes African fish to develop bigger eyes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Variations in water quality can impact the development of the visual system of one species of African fish, suggests a new study.
Published Subduction zone splay faults compound hazards of great earthquakes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Groundbreaking research has provided new insight into the tectonic plate shifts that create some of the Earth's largest earthquakes and tsunamis.
Published Record low Antarctic sea ice 'extremely unlikely' without climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have found that the record-low levels of sea ice around Antarctica in 2023 were extremely unlikely to happen without the influence of climate change. This low was a one-in-a-2000-year event without climate change and four times more likely under its effects.
Published How heatwaves are affecting Arctic phytoplankton
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The basis of the marine food web in the Arctic, the phytoplankton, responds to heatwaves much differently than to constantly elevated temperatures. This has been found by the first targeted experiments on the topic. The phytoplankton's behavior primarily depends on the cooling phases after or between heatwaves.
Published Can we revolutionize the chemical industry and create a circular economy? Yes, with the help of catalysts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new commentary paper puts forth a transformative solution to the unsustainable reliance on fossil resources by the chemical industry: catalysis to leverage sustainable waste resources, ushering the industry from a linear to a circular economy.
Published Zombie cells in the sea: Viruses keep the most common marine bacteria in check
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Marine microbes control the flux of matter and energy essential for life in the oceans. Among them, the bacterial group SAR11 accounts for about a third of all the bacteria found in surface ocean waters. A study now reveals that at times nearly 20% of SAR11 cells are infected by viruses, significantly reducing total cell numbers. The viruses can also transform these once thriving bacteria into zombies, a phenomenon observed for the first time and widespread in the oceans.
Published Ancient arachnid from coal forests of America stands out for its spiny legs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The spiny legged 308-million-year-old arachnid Douglassarachne acanthopoda was discovered the famous Mazon Creek locality.
Published Airborne technology brings new hope to map shallow aquifers in Earth's most arid deserts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The new technique will map the top of the aquifer, called the 'water table,' spanning areas as large as hundreds of kilometers using a radar mounted on a high-altitude aircraft. According to the researchers, Desert-SEA will measure the variabilities in the depth of the water table on a large scale, allowing water scientists to assess the sustainability of these aquifers without the limitations associated with in-situ mapping in harsh and inaccessible environments.
Published Chemists develop new method for making gamma chiral centers on simple carboxylic acids
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source C-H activation-based method should speed drug molecule design and diversification.
Published Otters, especially females, use tools to survive a changing world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools to access their food, and a new study has found that individual sea otters that use tools -- most of whom are female -- are able to eat larger prey and reduce tooth damage when their preferred prey becomes depleted.
Published Breaking bonds to form bonds: Rethinking the Chemistry of Cations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of chemists has achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of chemical synthesis, developing a novel method for manipulating carbon-hydrogen bonds. This groundbreaking discovery provides new insights into the molecular interactions of positively charged carbon atoms. By selectively targeting a specific C--H bond, they open doors to synthetic pathways that were previously closed -- with potential applications in medicine.
Published Wind farms can offset their emissions within two years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source After spinning for under two years, a wind farm can offset the carbon emissions generated across its entire 30-year lifespan, when compared to thermal power plants.
Published Bioengineered enzyme creates natural vanillin from plants in one step
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Vanilla, the most widely used flavoring compound in confectionaries and cosmetics, gets its sweet flavor and aroma from the chemical compound -- 'vanillin'. However, the large-scale production of natural vanillin is impeded by the lack of microbial processes and enzymes which can commercially generate vanillin. Now, researchers have genetically engineered a novel enzyme which can convert ferulic acid from plant waste into vanillin in a one-step sustainable process.
Published From roots to resilience: investigating the vital role of microbes in coastal plant health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Understanding how salt marsh grass stays healthy is of crucial ecological importance, and studying the ways bacteria interact with these plants is key. Thanks to recent advances in genomic technology, biologists have begun to reveal never-before-seen ecological processes.
Published Carbon-capture batteries developed to store renewable energy, help climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are developing battery technologies to fight climate change in two ways, by expanding the use of renewable energy and capturing airborne carbon dioxide. Researchers recently created and tested two different formulations for batteries that store renewable energy; when the energy is later used, an electrochemical reaction converts industrial carbon dioxide emissions into a solid form that has the potential to be used in other products.
Published Making batteries takes a lot of lithium: Some could come from gas well wastewater
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new analysis suggests that if it could be extracted with complete efficiency, lithium from the wastewater of Marcellus shale gas wells could supply up to 40% of the country's demand.
Published Scientists want to know how the smells of nature benefit our health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Spending time in nature is good for us. And knowing more about nature's effects on our bodies could not only help our well-being, but could also improve how we care for land, preserve ecosystems and design cities, homes and parks. Many studies have focused on how seeing nature affects us. A team of scientists from around the world wants to understand what the nose knows. They are calling for more research into how odors and scents from natural settings impact our health and well-being.
Published A novel multifunctional catalyst turns methane into valuable hydrocarbons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The optimal design of a novel zeolite catalyst enables tandem reaction that turns greenhouse gases into value-added chemicals, report scientists. By tuning the separation between different active sites on the catalyst, they achieved the stepwise conversion of methane into methanol and then to hydrocarbons at mild conditions. These findings will help reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions across various industrial fields.
Published Much more than a world first image of radioactive cesium atoms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Thirteen years after the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), a breakthrough in analysis has permitted a world first: direct imaging of radioactive cesium (Cs) atoms in environmental samples.