 | Termites strike gold: Ant and termite colonies unearth gold in Australia Dec 11th 2012, 14:50 Ant and termite nests could lead to hidden treasure, according to researchers in Australia. Scientists have found that at a test site in the West Australian goldfields termite mounds contained high concentrations of gold. This gold indicates there is a larger deposit underneath. | | Mining ancient ores for clues to early life Dec 10th 2012, 18:35 An analysis of sulfide ore deposits from one of the world's richest base-metal mines confirms oxygen levels were extremely low on Earth 2.7 billion years ago, but also shows that microbes were actively feeding on sulfate in the ocean and influencing seawater chemistry during that geological period. The research provides new insight into how ancient metal-ore deposits can be used to better understand the chemistry of the ancient oceans -- and the early evolution of life. | | Scientists examine effects of manufactured nanoparticles on soybean crops Aug 20th 2012, 20:10 Sunscreens, lotions, and cosmetics contain tiny metal nanoparticles that wash down the drain at the end of the day, or are discharged after manufacturing. Those nanoparticles eventually end up in agricultural soil, which is a cause for concern, according to a group of environmental scientists that recently carried out the first major study of soybeans grown in soil contaminated by two manufactured nanomaterials. | | Teaching a microbe to make fuel Aug 20th 2012, 18:39 A genetically modified organism could turn carbon dioxide or waste products into a gasoline-compatible transportation fuel. | | Fueling the future with renewable gasoline and diesel Aug 20th 2012, 16:10 A new process for converting municipal waste, algae, corn stalks and similar material to gasoline, diesel and jet fuel is showing the same promise in larger plants as it did in laboratory-scale devices, the developers have reported. | | New process doubles production of alternative fuel while slashing costs Aug 14th 2012, 16:11 A new discovery should make the alternative fuel butanol more attractive to the biofuel industry. Scientists have found a way around the bottleneck that has frustrated producers in the past and could significantly reduce the cost of the energy involved in making it as well. | | Scientists use microbes to make 'clean' methane Jul 27th 2012, 18:45 Microbes that convert electricity into methane gas could become an important source of renewable energy, according to scientists. Researchers are raising colonies of microorganisms, called methanogens, which have the remarkable ability to turn electrical energy into pure methane -- the key ingredient in natural gas. The scientists' goal is to create large microbial factories that will transform clean electricity from solar, wind or nuclear power into renewable methane fuel and other valuable chemical compounds for industry. | | Calculations reveal fine line for hydrogen release from storage materials Jul 17th 2012, 12:49 Scientists have shed new light on the kinetics of hydrogen release, or dehydrogenation, from aluminum hydride, a material that is highly promising for energy storage. Their computer simulations also illuminate the basic mechanisms governing these chemical reactions in general. | | Replacing coal with natural gas would reduce global warming Jul 17th 2012, 01:43 A debate has raged in the past couple of years as to whether natural gas is better or worse overall than coal and oil from a global warming perspective. The back-and-forth findings have been due to the timelines taken into consideration, the details of natural gas extraction, and the electricity-generating efficiency of various fuels. A new analysis which focuses exclusively on potential warming and ignores secondary considerations, such as economic, political, or other environmental concerns, finds that natural gas is better for electricity generation than coal and oil under all realistic circumstances. | | Catalysis: Blueprint for a break-up Jul 5th 2012, 17:33 Computer simulations reveal how rhodium catalysts with 'stepped' surface structures break ethanol molecules into hydrogen atoms and why they are so efficient | | New fuel cell keeps going after the hydrogen runs out Jun 30th 2012, 01:19 Materials scientists have demonstrated a solid-oxide fuel cell that converts hydrogen into electricity but can also store electrochemical energy like a battery. This fuel cell can continue to produce power for a short time after its fuel has run out. | | Sorghum should be in the biofuel crop mix, experts say Jun 20th 2012, 14:09 Sweet and biomass sorghum would meet the need for next-generation biofuels to be environmentally sustainable, easily adopted by producers and take advantage of existing agricultural infrastructure. | | Ionic liquid improves speed and efficiency of hydrogen-producing catalyst Jun 16th 2012, 18:55 The design of a nature-inspired material that can make energy-storing hydrogen gas has gone holistic. Usually, tweaking the design of this particular catalyst -- a work in progress for cheaper, better fuel cells -- results in either faster or more energy efficient production but not both. Now, researchers have found a condition that creates hydrogen faster without a loss in efficiency. | | New energy source for future medical implants: Sugar Jun 13th 2012, 17:31 An implantable fuel cell could power neural prosthetics that help patients regain control of limbs. Engineers have developed a fuel cell that runs on the same sugar that powers human cells: glucose. This glucose fuel cell could be used to drive highly efficient brain implants of the future, which could help paralyzed patients move their arms and legs again. | | Green fuel from carbon dioxide Jun 13th 2012, 17:29 Scientists agree that carbon dioxide has an effect on global warming as a greenhouse gas, but we still pump tons and tons of it into the atmosphere every day. Scientists have now developed a new system for producing methanol that uses CO2 and hydrogen. Methanol can, for example, be used as an environmentally friendly alternative for gasoline. The goal of the scientists is to harness the power of CO2 on a large scale and integrate it into the utilization cycle as a sustainable form of energy production. | | Environmental benefit of biofuels is overestimated, new study reveals Jun 8th 2012, 14:05 Two scientists are challenging the currently accepted norms of biofuel production. Calculations of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions from bioenergy production are neglecting crucial information that has led to the overestimation of the benefits of biofuels compared to fossil fuels, a new analysis shows. | | Artificial leaf device produces hydrogen in water using only sunlight May 23rd 2012, 14:20 Scientists have developed, using nanotechnology, a device with semiconductor materials which generate hydrogen independently in water using only sunlight. This technology, which has been named artificial photosynthesis, was inspired by photosynthesis which occurs naturally. The device is submerged in an aqueous solution which, when illuminated with a light source, forms hydrogen gas bubbles. | | Secrets of the first practical artificial leaf May 9th 2012, 16:39 A detailed description of development of the first practical artificial leaf -- a milestone in the drive for sustainable energy that mimics the process, photosynthesis, that green plants use to convert water and sunlight into energy -- has just been published. The article notes that unlike earlier devices, which used costly ingredients, the new device is made from inexpensive materials and employs low-cost engineering and manufacturing processes. | | Probing hydrogen under extreme conditions Apr 13th 2012, 14:13 How hydrogen -- the most abundant element in the cosmos -- responds to extremes of pressure and temperature is one of the major challenges in modern physical science. Moreover, knowledge gleaned from experiments using hydrogen as a testing ground on the nature of chemical bonding can fundamentally expand our understanding of matter. New work has enabled researchers to examine hydrogen under pressures never before possible. | | Two-in-one device uses sewage as fuel to make electricity and clean the sewage Mar 29th 2012, 00:36 Scientists have described a new and more efficient version of an innovative device the size of a washing machine that uses bacteria growing in municipal sewage to make electricity and clean up the sewage at the same time. Commercial versions of the two-in-one device could be a boon for the developing world and water-short parts of the U.S. | | More economical way to produce cleaner, hotter natural gas Mar 27th 2012, 13:11 New technology is offering the prospect of more economical production of a concentrated form of natural gas with many of the advantages — in terms of reduced shipping and storage costs — of the familiar frozen fruit juice concentrates, liquid laundry detergents and other household products that have been drained of their water, scientists report. | |
