Showing 20 articles starting at article 941
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Chemistry: General, Geoscience: Geography
Published Is natural spa water a fossil of water? Uncover the real ultra-deep water cycles



Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the origins of non-meteoric water in natural spa waters located in central Japan. Based on numerical modeling, their results suggest that this water has been confined within the lithosphere for an extensive period of 1.5-5 million years. They identified three primary sources for this ancient water: the Philippine Sea Plate, the Pacific Plate, and ancient seafloor sediments, particularly in the Niigata and southwest Gunma regions.
Published Solid state battery design charges in minutes, lasts for thousands of cycles



Researchers have developed a new lithium metal battery that can be charged and discharged at least 6,000 times -- more than any other pouch battery cell -- and can be recharged in a matter of minutes. The research not only describes a new way to make solid state batteries with a lithium metal anode but also offers new understanding into the materials used for these potentially revolutionary batteries.
Published Bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of previously uncounted tiny plastic bits



In recent years, there has been rising concern that tiny particles known as microplastics are showing up basically everywhere on Earth, from polar ice to soil, drinking water and food. Formed when plastics break down into progressively smaller bits, these particles are being consumed by humans and other creatures, with unknown potential health and ecosystem effects. One big focus of research: bottled water, which has been shown to contain tens of thousands of identifiable fragments in each container. Now, using newly refined technology, researchers have entered a whole new plastic world: the poorly known realm of nanoplastics, the spawn of microplastics that have broken down even further. For the first time, they counted and identified these minute particles in bottled water. They found that on average, a liter contained some 240,000 detectable plastic fragments -- 10 to 100 times greater than previous estimates, which were based mainly on larger sizes.
Published Protecting coral 'nurseries' as important as safeguarding established coral reefs



New research in the southwestern part of Hawai'i Island shows that identifying and protecting marine ecosystems both down-current and up-current of coral reefs, specifically areas where coral larvae are more likely to survive and thrive, is crucial to future coral conservation and restoration efforts -- especially as reefs face increasing pressure from the devastating effects of climate change.
Published Accounting for plastic persistence can minimize environmental impacts



Researchers have developed a sustainability metric for the ecological design of plastic products that have low persistence in the environment. Adhering to this metric could provide substantial environmental and societal benefits, according to a new study.
Published A novel strategy for extracting white mycelial pulp from fruiting mushroom bodies



Mycelial fibers, the fibrous cells found in fruiting mushroom bodies, have gained momentum as a sustainable material for making faux-leather and packaging owing to their excellent formability. Recently, a team of researchers has found a simple way of obtaining mycelial fibers, called 'mycelial pulp,' from fruiting mushroom bodies and bleaching them using sunlight while keeping their mycelial structures intact.
Published Protected areas for elephants work best if they are connected



The largest analysis yet of African savannah elephant populations shows that conservationists have successfully protected elephants in southern Africa for the last 25 years. However, the pattern varies regionally, with some elephant populations soaring and others still facing large declines. The key to long-term stability appears to be connecting large core areas with neighboring buffer zones, as opposed to well-protected but isolated protected areas known as 'fortress conservation.'
Published Arctic cold snap transforms into a blessing



Scientists investigate the influence of Arctic cold air on carbon dioxide uptake of the east sea.
Published Engineers invent octopus-inspired technology that can deceive and signal



With a split-second muscle contraction, the greater blue-ringed octopus can change the size and color of the namesake patterns on its skin for purposes of deception, camouflage and signaling. Researchers have drawn inspiration from this natural wonder to develop a technological platform with similar capabilities for use in a variety of fields, including the military, medicine, robotics and sustainable energy.
Published Male southern elephant seals are picky eaters



New research suggests these large marine mammals are extremely fussy and only eat their favorite foods.
Published High-performance stretchable solar cells



Engineers have succeeded in implementing a stretchable organic solar cell by applying a newly developed polymer material that demonstrated the world's highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency (19%) while functioning even when stretched for more than 40% of its original state. This new conductive polymer has high photovoltaic properties that can be stretched like rubber. The newly developed polymer is expected to play a role as a power source for next-generation wearable electronic devices.
Published Researchers 3D print components for a portable mass spectrometer



Researchers 3D printed a mini quadrupole mass filter, a key component of a mass spectrometer, that performs as well as some commercial-grade devices. It can be fabricated in hours for a few dollars and is one step toward producing a portable mass spectrometer that could enable effective medical diagnoses or chemical analyses in remote areas.
Published Vitamin discovered in rivers may offer hope for salmon suffering from thiamine deficiency disease



Researchers have discovered vitamin B1 produced by microbes in rivers, findings that may offer hope for vitamin-deficient salmon populations.
Published How does corrosion happen? New research examines process on atomic level



New research reveals how corrosion happens on the atomic level.
Published Better microelectronics from coal



Coal is an abundant resource in the United States that has, unfortunately, contributed to climate change through its use as a fossil fuel. As the country transitions to other means of energy production, it will be important to consider and reevaluate coal's economic role. Coal may actually play a vital role in next-generation electronic devices.
Published Re-calibrating the sail plan for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders in ocean sciences



In Hawaii and across much of Oceania, Pacific Islanders celebrate the connections between their islands and the ocean that surrounds them.
Published Using electricity, scientists find promising new method of boosting chemical reactions



Chemists found a way to use electricity to boost a type of chemical reaction often used in synthesizing new candidates for pharmaceutical drugs. The research is an advance in the field of electrochemistry and shows a path forward to designing and controlling reactions -- and making them more sustainable.
Published New method illuminates druggable sites on proteins



Scientists develop a new, high-resolution technique for finding potential therapeutic targets on proteins in living cells. The findings could lead to more targeted therapeutics for nearly any human disease.
Published Evolution might stop humans from solving climate change



Human culture has evolved to allow humans to extract resources and helped us expand to dominate the biosphere. But the same evolutionary processes may counteract efforts to solve new global environmental threats like climate change, according to a new study. Tackling the climate crisis will require worldwide regulatory, technical and economic systems supported by strong global cooperation. However, this new study concludes that the group-level processes characteristic of human cultural evolution, will cause environmental competition and conflict between sub-global groups, and work against global solutions. Adapting to climate change and other environmental problems will, therefore, require human evolution to change.
Published Understanding climate mobilities: New study examines perspectives from South Florida practitioners



A recent study assessed the perspectives of 76 diverse South Florida climate adaptation professionals. A new study explores the expectations and concerns of practitioners from the private sector, community-based organizations, and government agencies about the region's ability to adapt in the face of increasing sea level rise and diverse consequences for where people live and move, also known as climate mobility.