290 articles from WEDNESDAY 23.9.2020

Scientists develop 'tiny wind turbine' to scavenge energy from gentle breeze – video report

Scientists have developed a 'tiny wind turbine' that can take energy from a gentle breeze, such as that made as you walk.The device comprises two plastic strips in a tube that flutter or clap together in the presence of airflow. That energy, powered by the contact and separation of two materials, can be bottled up and stored for use, according to researchers.Scientists in China hope the...

Could life exist deep underground on Mars?

Recent science missions and results are bringing the search for life closer to home, and scientists at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) and the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) may have figured out how to determine whether life is—or was—lurking deep beneath the surface of Mars, the Moon, and other rocky objects in the universe.

Antarctic ice loss expected to affect future climate change

In a new climate modeling study that looked at the impacts of accelerated ice melt from the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) on future climate, a team of climate scientists reports that future ice-sheet melt is expected to have significant effects on global climate.

Research helps people, lunar rovers, get there on time

A graduate student relied on the bus system to get to class. He wanted to understand why, despite arriving at the bus stop on time, he was sometimes late to class. He developed a tool that considers transportation variables weighed against how great a margin of error bus riders are willing to accept, which can also apply to getting a lunar rover to its destination, and with a high degree of...

Method to create colloidal diamonds developed

The colloidal diamond could make light waves as useful as electrons in computing, and hold promise for a host of other applications. Researchers have devised a new process for the reliable self-assembly of colloids in a diamond formation that could lead to cheap, scalable fabrication of such structures.

How microbes in a mother's intestines affect fetal neurodevelopment

During pregnancy in mice, the billions of bacteria and other microbes that live in a mother's intestines regulate key metabolites, small molecules that are important for healthy fetal brain development, biologists report. Scientists had not known until now whether the maternal gut microbiota influenced brain development during critical prenatal periods.

Researchers develop method to create colloidal diamonds

The colloidal diamond has been a dream of researchers since the 1990s. These structures—stable, self-assembled formations of miniscule materials—have the potential to make light waves as useful as electrons in computing, and hold promise for a host of other applications. But while the idea of colloidal diamonds was developed decades ago, no one was able to reliably produce the structures....

Scientists develop forecasting technique that could help advance quest for fusion energy

Bringing the power of the sun to Earth requires sound theory, good engineering, and a little finesse. The process entails trapping charged, ultra-hot gas known as plasma so its particles can fuse and release enormous amounts of energy. The most widely used facilities for this process are doughnut-shaped tokamaks that hold plasma in place with strong magnets that are precisely shaped and...

If China plans to go carbon neutral by 2060, why is it building so many coal plants?

China’s president, Xi Jinping, has announced plans for the nation to become carbon neutral by 2060, setting a bold goal for the world’s biggest climate polluter. But it’s hard to reconcile Xi’s pledge, made before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, with the nation’s recent actions. Most notably, China is in the midst of a coal building boom. As of late last year, the country had...

Young People More Likely to Believe Virus Misinformation, Study Says

As public health officials raise alarms about surging coronavirus cases among young people, new research suggests that Americans under 25 are most likely to believe virus-related misinformation about the severity of the disease and how it originated.In a survey of 21,196 people in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, researchers identified a clear generational divide. Respondents 18 to 24...

Grad student finds PFAS in seabirds from Narragansett Bay, Massachusetts Bay, Cape Fear

Evidence continues to accumulate about human and wildlife exposure to chemical compounds called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively referred to as PFAS, and their deleterious effects on the environment. The latest study, by a University of Rhode Island graduate student, found high levels of the compounds in seabirds from offshore Massachusetts and coastal Rhode Island and North...

Extreme wildfires turn smoke apps into the new weather apps

For weeks, smoke has blanketed the west coast. The Bay Area has seen a vast improvement in the past few days, but terrible air lingers in Portland and Seattle. Millions of people have been furiously checking the air quality ratings in their neighborhood regularly. On the worst days, in some places the Air Quality Index (AQI) measured 600. Readings over 150 trigger emergency health warnings if a...