142 articles from MONDAY 23.5.2022
Glass and the energy reform: Sustainable production thanks to electricity?
2022 is the international year of glass. And yet many glass factories are struggling to survive. High energy costs and considerable CO2 emissions mean that glass production faces a challenging future. Researchers at FAU and Technische Hochshchule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm are currently conducting research aimed at finding a solution to make glass production more sustainable without relying on...
Microbes can degrade the toughest PFAS
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 22:28
Engineers now report selective breakdown of a particularly stubborn class of PFAS called fluorinated carboxylic acids (FCAs) by common microorganisms. Under anaerobic conditions, a carbon-carbon double bond is crucial for the shattering the ultra-strong carbon-fluorine bond by microbial communities. The resulting products could be relayed to other microorganisms for defluorination under in aerobic...
Low-cost gel film can pluck drinking water from desert air
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 22:28
Researchers developed a low-cost gel film made of abundant materials that can pull drinkable water from the air in even the driest climates.
Asian Americans armed themselves during the pandemic in response to racial acts, study finds
Asian Americans who experienced increased acts of racism at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to acquire firearms and ammunition for self-defense, according to a study by researchers at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.
Fighting fire with fire: Controlled burns remain essential as US wildfires intensify
In 2015, the Lake Fire burned 31,000 acres in this popular hiking forest northeast of Los Angeles. It destroyed four buildings, came perilously close to the resort town of Big Bear Lake and took more than 1,900 firefighters five days to contain at a cost of almost $40 million.
Deadly heat wave in India and Pakistan a 'sign of things to come,' scientists say
The devastating heat wave that has baked India and Pakistan in recent months was made more likely due to climate change, according to a study by an international group of scientists released on Monday. This, they say, is a glimpse of what the future holds for the...
Temperature records broken across the US as UN warns of continued climate disruption
A heat wave gripping parts of the nation added an exclamation point to a series of announcements this week about the world's warming climate.
Carbon capture takes sponge-like form with new cost-effective method
An international team of scientists is using porous, sponge-like materials that can trap carbon dioxide in their cavities while allowing other gases such as nitrogen to pass through.
Under anaerobic conditions, common microbial communities can break the ultra-strong carbon-fluorine bond
Engineers at University of California Riverside are the first to report selective breakdown of a particularly stubborn class of PFAS, called fluorinated carboxylic acids (FCAs), by common microorganisms.
New study explains how to broaden strategy to avert catastrophic climate change
Slashing emissions of carbon dioxide, by itself, cannot prevent catastrophic global warming. But a new study concludes that a strategy that simultaneously reduces emissions of other largely neglected climate pollutants would cut the rate of global warming in half and give the world a fighting chance to keep the climate safe for humanity.
Scientists turn tomatoes into a rich source for vitamin D
Knocking out one gene boosts levels of a precursor to the essential nutrient
New 'CRISPR-Combo' method boosts genome editing power in plants
Ten years ago, a new technology called CRISPR-CAS9, made it possible for scientists to change the genetic code of living organisms. As revolutionary as it was, the tool had its limitations. Like the first cell phones that could only perform one function, the original CRISPR method can perform one function: removing or replacing genes in a genetic sequence. Later iterations of CRISPR were developed...
Designers find better solutions with computer assistance, but sacrifice creative touch
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 21:07
A computer-guided approach to design can propose more solutions and balance out human inexperience and design fixation.
Researchers have developed a potential super wheat for salty soils
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 21:06
Researchers have developed several new varieties of wheat that tolerate soils with higher salt concentrations. After having mutated a wheat variety from Bangladesh, they now have a wheat with seeds that weigh three times more and that germinate almost twice as often as the original variety.
Charting a safe course through a highly uncertain environment
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 21:06
Researchers have developed a trajectory-planning system for autonomous vehicles that enables them to travel from a starting point to a target location safely, even when there are many different uncertainties in the environment, such as unknown variations in the shapes, sizes, and locations of obstacles.
Air pollution linked to deadly heart rhythm disorder
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 21:06
Life-threatening arrhythmias are more common on days with highly polluted air, according to new research.
Taste buds can adapt to low salt diet
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 21:06
A taste adaptation intervention lowers salt intake and increases enjoyment of a sodium restricted diet in patients with hypertension, according to a small study.
Small adaptations, major effect: Researchers study potential of future public transportation
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 21:06
Being mobile individually, at any time -- without owning a car: To facilitate this, public transportation authorities cooperate with service providers for new forms of mobility such as bicycle sharing, car sharing, or ridepooling. Researchers have studied how publicly available mobility options in the Karlsruhe region in the future can optimally fulfill the citizens' needs. The result: Widespread...
Twisted soft robots navigate mazes without human or computer guidance
- ScienceDaily
- 22/5/23 21:06
Researchers have developed soft robots that are capable of navigating complex environments, such as mazes, without input from humans or computer software.
South Asia's intense heat wave a 'sign of things to come'
The devastating heat wave which has baked India and Pakistan in recent months was made more likely due to climate change, according to a study by an international group of scientists on Monday. This, they say, is a glimpse of what the future holds for the region.
One step closer to making terahertz technology usable in the real world
Researchers have discovered in two-dimensional conductive systems a new effect that promises improved performance of terahertz detectors.
Foreign fishing fleets and trade are taking fish nutrients away from malnourished people
Foreign fishing fleets, as well as international seafood trade, are diverting vital micronutrients away from malnourished populations, a new study reveals.
Low-cost gel film can pluck drinking water from desert air
More than a third of the world's population lives in drylands, areas that experience significant water shortages. Scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a solution that could help people in these areas access clean drinking water.
Atlantic Loop needed as part of energy mix as coal is phased out: study
The proposed energy corridor to connect the four Atlantic provinces to hydroelectricity from Quebec and Labrador is important for helping the region reach zero carbon emissions, but the project isn't enough, a new study...
Burrowing owls released onto Alberta prairie as part of efforts to bolster endangered species
Still only owlets when they were brought to the Calgary Zoo last summer, 20 burrowing owls have since been returned to the wild in southeastern...