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Disused coal mines could help heat our homes

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UK: Largest ever research and development budget

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%20quickly%20revoked%20to%20demonstrate%20that%20we%20stand%20united%20with%20Ukraine.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20British%20Academy%20will%20provide%20further%20information%20on%20the%20Ukrainian%20Researchers%20at%20Risk%20Fellowship%20scheme%20in%20the%20near%20future.

UK boosts support for Ukrainian research community

Central%20Park%2C%20New%20York%20City's%20843-acre%20green%20lung%20created%20in%201858%2C%20has%20been%20turned%20into%20a%20climate%20change%20laboratory.%20Researchers%20hope%20the%20idea%20will%20help%20parks%20nationwide%20become%20more%20resilient.%0A%0AThe%20Central%20Park%20Climate%20Lab%20team%20wants%20to%20use%20data%20from%20satellites%20and%20on%20the%20ground%20to%20study%20seasonal%20patterns%20and%20how%20plant%20and%20animal%20life%20respond%20to%20shifting%20weather.%0A%0A%22We%20want%20to%20understand%20how%20the%20park%20is%20part%20of%20the%20solution%2C%22%20says%20Karen%20Seto%2C%20professor%20of%20geography%20and%20urbanisation%20science%20at%20the%20Yale%20School%20of%20the%20Environment.%0A%0A%22How%20much%20carbon%20does%20the%20park%20sequester%3F%20How%20much%20cooling%20relief%20does%20the%20park%20offer%20to%20both%20people%20who%20come%20to%20the%20park%2C%20but%20also%20residents%20around%20the%20park%3F%22%0A%0AThe%20lab%20was%20launched%20with%20two%20New%20York%20City-based%20nonprofits%2C%20Central%20Park%20Conservancy%20and%20Natural%20Areas%20Conservancy%2C%20earlier%20this%20year.%0A%0A'Cities%20are%20part%20of%20the%20solution%20to%20climate%20change'%0A%0A%22Cities%20are%20going%20to%20have%20to%20be%20part%20of%20the%20climate%20change%20solution%2C%22%20says%20Seto.%20%22We're%20hoping%20to%20inform%20policy%20in%20terms%20of%20how%20best%20to%20manage%20the%20assets%20here%20in%20the%20park%20...%20so%20that%20the%20green%20space%20can%20continue%20to%20provide%20cooling%20relief%2C%20cleaning%20air%2C%20etc.%22%0A%0AOver%20the%20past%20decade%2C%20Central%20Park%20has%20been%20subject%20to%20numerous%20extreme%20weather%20events%20including%20heavy%20rain%2C%20blizzards%2C%20high%20winds%2C%20and%20extreme%20heat%20and%20cold.%0A%0AIn%20September%202021%2C%20Hurricane%20Ida%20dropped%203.15%20inches%20of%20rain%20on%20the%20park%20in%20one%20hour%2C%20beating%20the%20record%20set%20just%2010%20days%20prior.%0A%0AStanding%20by%20an%20uprooted%20tree%2C%20Peter%20Haupt%2C%20tree%20care%20manager%20for%20the%20Central%20Park%20Conservancy%2C%20says%20the%20project%20is%20installing%20tools%20to%20measure%20incremental%20growth%20in%20trees.%0A%0AThe%20aim%20is%20to%20%22eventually%20get%20to%20the%20point%20where%20we%20can%20make%20some%20conclusions%20about%20how%20climate%20change%20is%20impacting%20the%20park%2C%22%20adds%20Haupt%2C%20who%20has%20worked%20in%20the%20park%20for%20almost%2013%20years.%0A%0A

NYC's Central Park turns into a climate change lab

An%20international%20team%20of%20researchers%20has%20successfully%20split%20seawater%20without%20pre-treatment%20to%20produce%20green%20hydrogen.%0AAn%20international%20team%2C%20led%20by%20the%20University%20of%20Adelaide%E2%80%99s%20Professor%20Shizhang%20Qiao%20and%20Associate%20Professor%20Yao%20Zheng%2C%20has%20split%20seawater%20without%20pre-treatment%20to%20produce%20green%20hydrogen.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20have%20split%20natural%20seawater%20into%20oxygen%20and%20hydrogen%20with%20nearly%20100%25%20efficiency%2C%20to%20produce%20green%20hydrogen%20by%20electrolysis%2C%20using%20a%20non-precious%20and%20cheap%20catalyst%20in%20a%20commercial%20electrolyser%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Professor%20Qiao.%0A%0AA%20non-precious%20catalyst%20is%20conventionally%20comprised%20of%20cobalt%20oxide%20with%20chromium%20oxide%20on%20its%20surface.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20used%20seawater%20as%20a%20feedstock%20without%20the%20need%20for%20any%20pre-treatment%20processes%20like%20reverse%20osmosis%20desolation%2C%20purification%2C%20or%20alkalisation%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Associate%20Professor%20Zheng.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20performance%20of%20a%20commercial%20electrolyser%20with%20our%20catalysts%20running%20in%20seawater%20is%20close%20to%20the%20performance%20of%20platinum%2Firidium%20catalysts%20running%20in%20a%20feedstock%20of%20highly%20purified%20deionised%20water.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20research%2C%20titled%20%E2%80%98Direct%20seawater%20electrolysis%20by%20adjusting%20the%20local%20reaction%20environment%20of%20a%20catalyst%2C%E2%80%99%20is%20published%20in%20the%20journal%20Nature%20Energy.%0A%0AAdvantages%20and%20barriers%20to%20seawater%20electrolysis%0A%E2%80%9CCurrent%20electrolysers%20are%20operated%20with%20highly%20purified%20water-electrolyte.%20Increased%20demand%20for%20green%20hydrogen%20to%20partially%20or%20totally%20replace%20energy%20generated%20by%20fossil%20fuels%20will%20significantly%20increase%20scarcity%20of%20increasingly%20limited%20freshwater%20resources%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Associate%20Professor%20Zheng.%0A%0ASeawater%20is%20considered%20a%20natural%20feedstock%20electrolyte%2C%20and%20is%20an%20almost%20infinite%20resource%2C%20so%20is%20very%20practical%20for%20regions%20with%20long%20coastlines%20and%20abundant%20sunlight.%20However%2C%20it%20is%20impractical%20for%20regions%20where%20seawater%20is%20scarce.%0A%0AAlso%2C%20seawater%20electrolysis%20is%20still%20in%20early%20development%20compared%20with%20pure%20water%20electrolysis%20due%20to%20electrode%20side%20reactions%20and%20corrosion%20arising%20from%20the%20complexities%20of%20using%20seawater.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20always%20necessary%20to%20treat%20impure%20water%20to%20a%20level%20of%20water%20purity%20for%20conventional%20electrolysers%20including%20desalination%20and%20deionisation%2C%20which%20increases%20the%20operation%20and%20maintenance%20cost%20of%20the%20processes%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Associate%20Professor%20Zheng.%0A%0A%E2%80%9COur%20work%20provides%20a%20solution%20to%20directly%20utilise%20seawater%20without%20pre-treatment%20systems%20and%20alkali%20addition%2C%20which%20shows%20similar%20performance%20as%20that%20of%20existing%20metal-based%20mature%20pure%20water%20electrolyser.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20team%E2%80%99s%20work%20will%20generate%20green%20hydrogen%20for%20commercial%20uses%20in%20the%20future%0ANow%2C%20the%20team%20will%20begin%20to%20scale%20up%20the%20system%20by%20using%20a%20larger%20electrolyser%20so%20that%20it%20can%20be%20used%20in%20commercial%20processes%20such%20as%20green%20hydrogen%20generation%20for%20fuel%20cells%20and%20ammonia%20synthesis.%20Hydrogen%20fuel%20cell%20technology%20is%20extremely%20energy-efficient%2C%20enabling%20a%20higher%20energy%20production%20per%20pound%20of%20fuel%20than%20other%20sources.%0A%0AThe%20team%E2%80%99s%20work%20will%20have%20a%20place%20in%20the%20global%20transition%20to%20clean%20energy%2C%20as%20green%20hydrogen%20does%20not%20emit%20greenhouse%20gases%20in%20either%20its%20production%20or%20combustion.

Seawater split to produce 'green' hydrogen

Microbes%20that%20can%20digest%20plastics%20at%20low%20temperatures%20have%20been%20discovered%20by%20scientists%20in%20the%20Alps%20and%20the%20Arctic%2C%20which%20could%20be%20a%20valuable%20tool%20in%20recycling.%0A%0AMany%20microorganisms%20that%20can%20do%20this%20have%20already%20been%20found%2C%20but%20they%20can%20usually%20only%20work%20at%20temperatures%20above%2030C%20(86F).%20This%20means%20that%20using%20them%20in%20industrial%20practice%20is%20prohibitively%20expensive%20because%20of%20the%20heating%20required.%20It%20also%20means%20using%20them%20is%20not%20carbon%20neutral.%0A%0AScientists%20from%20the%20Swiss%20Federal%20Institute%20WSL%20have%20found%20microbes%20that%20can%20do%20this%20at%2015C%2C%20which%20could%20lead%20to%20a%20breakthrough%20in%20microbial%20recycling.%20Their%20findings%20have%20been%20published%20in%20the%20journal%20Frontiers%20in%20Microbiology.%0A%0ADr%20Joel%20R%C3%BCthi%20from%20WSL%20and%20colleagues%20sampled%2019%20strains%20of%20bacteria%20and%2015%20of%20fungi%20growing%20on%20free-lying%20or%20intentionally%20buried%20plastic%20kept%20in%20the%20ground%20for%20one%20year%20in%20Greenland%2C%20Svalbard%20and%20Switzerland.%20They%20let%20the%20microbes%20grow%20as%20single-strain%20cultures%20in%20the%20laboratory%20in%20darkness%20at%2015C%20and%20tested%20them%20to%20see%20if%20they%20could%20digest%20different%20types%20of%20plastic.%0A%0AThe%20results%20showed%20that%20the%20bacterial%20strains%20belonged%20to%2013%20genera%20in%20the%20phyla%20actinobacteria%20and%20proteobacteria%2C%20and%20the%20fungi%20to%2010%20genera%20in%20the%20phyla%20ascomycota%20and%20mucoromycota.%0A%0AThe%20plastics%20tested%20included%20non-biodegradable%20polyethylene%20(PE)%20and%20the%20biodegradable%20polyester-polyurethane%20(PUR)%20as%20well%20as%20two%20commercially%20available%20biodegradable%20mixtures%20of%20polybutylene%20adipate%20terephthalate%20(PBAT)%20and%20polylactic%20acid%20(PLA).%0A%0ANone%20of%20the%20strains%20were%20able%20to%20digest%20PE%2C%20even%20after%20126%20days%20of%20incubation%20on%20these%20plastics.%20But%2019%20strains%20(56%25)%2C%20including%2011%20fungi%20and%20eight%20bacteria%2C%20were%20able%20to%20digest%20PUR%20at%2015C%2C%20while%2014%20fungi%20and%20three%20bacteria%20were%20able%20to%20digest%20the%20plastic%20mixtures%20of%20PBAT%20and%20PLA.%0A%0AR%C3%BCthi%20said%3A%20%E2%80%9CHere%20we%20show%20that%20novel%20microbial%20taxa%20obtained%20from%20the%20%E2%80%98plastisphere%E2%80%99%20of%20alpine%20and%20arctic%20soils%20were%20able%20to%20break%20down%20biodegradable%20plastics%20at%2015C.%20These%20organisms%20could%20help%20to%20reduce%20the%20costs%20and%20environmental%20burden%20of%20an%20enzymatic%20recycling%20process%20for%20plastic.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AHe%20said%20it%20was%20surprising%20that%20a%20large%20fraction%20of%20the%20tested%20strains%20were%20able%20to%20degrade%20at%20least%20one%20of%20the%20tested%20plastics.%0A%0AThe%20scientists%20also%20tested%20for%20the%20best%20performers%20and%20found%20that%20they%20were%20two%20uncharacterised%20fungal%20species%20in%20the%20genera%20neodevriesia%20and%20lachnellula%2C%20which%20could%20digest%20all%20of%20the%20tested%20plastics%20except%20PE.%0A%0AWhile%20plastics%20have%20only%20been%20in%20wide%20use%20since%20the%201950s%2C%20microbes%20can%20degrade%20polymers%20because%20they%20resemble%20some%20structures%20found%20in%20plant%20cells.%0A%0ADr%20Beat%20Frey%2C%20one%20of%20the%20study%20authors%2C%20explained%3A%20%E2%80%9CMicrobes%20have%20been%20shown%20to%20produce%20a%20wide%20variety%20of%20polymer-degrading%20enzymes%20involved%20in%20the%20breakdown%20of%20plant%20cell%20walls.%20In%20particular%2C%20plant-pathogenic%20fungi%20are%20often%20reported%20to%20biodegrade%20polyesters%2C%20because%20of%20their%20ability%20to%20produce%20cutinases%2C%20which%20target%20plastic%20polymers%20due%20their%20resemblance%20to%20the%20plant%20polymer%20cutin.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20scientists%20only%20tested%20the%20microbes%20at%20one%20temperature%2C%20so%20have%20not%20yet%20found%20the%20best%20one%20to%20use.%20Nevertheless%2C%20they%20say%20it%20works%20well%20between%204C%20and%2020C.%0A%0AFrey%20said%3A%20%E2%80%9CThe%20next%20big%20challenge%20will%20be%20to%20identify%20the%20plastic-degrading%20enzymes%20produced%20by%20the%20microbial%20strains%20and%20to%20optimise%20the%20process%20to%20obtain%20large%20amounts%20of%20proteins.%20In%20addition%2C%20further%20modification%20of%20the%20enzymes%20might%20be%20needed%20to%20optimise%20properties%20such%20as%20protein%20stability.%E2%80%9D

Microbes can digest plastics at low temperatures

In%20a%20concerted%20effort%20with%20collaborators%20from%20the%20University%20College%20London%2C%20Professor%20Zhengxiao%20Guo%20from%20the%20Department%20of%20Chemistry%2C%20The%20University%20of%20Hong%20Kong%20(HKU)%2C%20and%20Professor%20Junwang%20Tang%2C%20now%20at%20the%20Department%20of%20Chemical%20Engineering%2C%20Tsinghua%20University%2C%20have%20jointly%20developed%20a%20highly%20active%20and%20selective%20catalytic%20material%20that%20can%20efficiently%20convert%20methane%2C%20a%20potent%20greenhouse%20gas%2C%20into%20formaldehyde%2C%20an%20essential%20chemical%20in%20a%20waste-free%20manner.%0A%0AThis%20innovative%20material%2C%20derived%20from%20tungsten%20trioxide%20(WO3%20catalyst)%2C%20features%20a%20dual%20active%20site%20comprising%20copper%20and%20tungsten%20atomic%20species%20that%20work%20in%20tandem%20to%20ensure%20an%20effective%20and%20selective%20conversion%20process.%20The%20conversion%20process%20can%20achieve%20nearly%20100%25%20selectivity%20under%20visible%20light%2C%20which%20avoids%20unwanted%20byproducts%20and%20increase%20efficiency%2C%20making%20it%20an%20eco-friendly%20alternative%20to%20current%20production%20methods.%20The%20findings%20have%20just%20been%20published%20in%20the%20journal%20Nature%20Communications.%0A%0AChange%20the%20unchanged%3A%20Methane%20conversion%0A%0AMethane%2C%20the%20principal%20component%20of%20natural%20gas%2C%20is%20a%20widely%20used%20carbon%20source%20for%20numerous%20chemicals.%20Nevertheless%2C%20it%20is%20also%20a%20potent%20greenhouse%20gas%2C%20with%20more%20than%2070%20times%20the%20global%20warming%20potential%20of%20carbon%20dioxide.%20The%20catalytic%20conversion%20of%20methane%20(converting%20methane%20into%20other%20chemicals)%2C%20therefore%2C%20presents%20a%20tremendous%20opportunity%20for%20achieving%20net-zero%20energy%20and%20chemical%20supplies%20while%20simultaneously%20addressing%20environmental%20concerns.%0A%0AHowever%2C%20methane%20is%20an%20extremely%20stable%20molecule%2C%20making%20it%20resistant%20to%20activation%2C%20particularly%20under%20mild%20or%20ambient%20conditions.%20Thus%2C%20achieving%20high%20activity%20and%20selectivity%20in%20methane%20conversion%20is%20a%20significant%20challenge%2C%20and%20the%20selective%20activation%20of%20the%20intermolecular%20carbon-hydrogen%20bond%20is%20often%20considered%20by%20many%20chemists%20as%20one%20of%20the%20most%20elusive%20%22holy%20grails%22%20in%20catalysis.%0A%0AFormaldehyde%2C%20on%20the%20other%20hand%2C%20is%20a%20high-volume%20commodity%20chemical%20with%20a%20market%20value%20of%20USD%208%20billion%2C%20expanding%20at%20a%20compound%20annual%20growth%20rate%20(CAGR)%20of%205.7%25.%20It%20is%20used%20in%20household%2C%20commercial%2C%20aviation%2C%20medical%20and%20automotive%20products%20and%20serves%20as%20a%20valuable%20precursor%20for%20melamine%2C%20urea-formaldehyde%20and%20phenolic%20resins%2C%20among%20others.%20Formaldehyde%20is%20also%20safely%20used%20in%20the%20manufacture%20of%20vaccines%2C%20anti-infective%20drugs%20and%20hard-gel%20capsules.%20Currently%2C%20it%20is%20produced%20through%20methanol%20oxidation-dehydrogenation%20using%20silver%20or%20metal-oxide%20catalysts%20at%20high%20reactor%20temperatures%20of%20more%20than%20500%C2%B0C%E2%80%93600%C2%B0C%2C%20resulting%20in%20substantial%20carbon%20dioxide%20emissions%20and%20energy%20penalties.%0A%0AHarnessing%20sunlight%20to%20convert%20methane%0AIn%20their%20study%2C%20the%20team%20discovers%20a%20new%20way%20of%20turning%20methane%20gas%20into%20formaldehyde%20using%20sunlight.%20They%20found%20that%20a%20mixture%20of%20atomically%20dispersed%20copper%20and%20partially%20reduced%20tungsten%20species%20over%20tungsten%20oxide%20worked%20really%20well%E2%80%94the%20synergistic%20ensemble%20enabling%20exceptional%20photocatalytic%20methane%20conversion%20to%20formaldehyde%20under%20ambient%20visible%20light.%20The%20process%20exhibited%20nearly%20100%25%20selectivity%20and%20high%20conversion%20efficiency%2C%20significantly%20outperforming%20previously%20reported%20photocatalysts%20(with%20a%20turnover%20frequency%2C%20TOF%20%3D%208.5%C3%97106%20%CE%BCmol%20(HCHO)%C2%B7g-1(cocatalyst)%C2%B7h-1).%0A%0AThrough%20mechanistic%20analysis%2C%20they%20figured%20out%20that%20the%20copper%20helped%20to%20move%20electrons%20around%20and%20create%20reactive%20molecular%20species%20while%20the%20tungsten%20helped%20to%20activate%20the%20methane%20gas.%20Specifically%2C%20the%20copper%20acted%20as%20electron%20acceptors%20and%20promoted%20photo-induced%20electron%20transfer%20from%20the%20conduction%20band%20to%20dioxygen%2C%20generating%20reactive%20hydroperoxyl%20radicals%20(HOO%C2%B7).%20Meanwhile%2C%20the%20adjacent%20tungsten%20atom%20that%20had%20a%20partial%20positive%20charge%20functioned%20as%20hole%20acceptors.%20The%20preferred%20adsorption%20and%20activation%20site%20of%20water%20produced%20hydroxyl%20radicals%20and%20effectively%20activated%20methane%20to%20methyl%20radicals.%20The%20synergy%20of%20the%20adjacent%20dual%20active%20sites%20greatly%20enhances%20the%20overall%20efficiency%20and%20selectivity%20of%20the%20conversion%20process.%0A%0AThis%20finding%20paves%20the%20way%20for%20further%20research%20and%20development%20of%20new%20photo-catalysts%20for%20a%20variety%20of%20chemical%20conversions%2C%20promoting%20more%20sustainable%20and%20efficient%20processes%20in%20the%20chemical%20industry.%0A%0A%22Solar%20conversion%20of%20methane%20is%20highly%20desirable%20for%20both%20low-carbon%20and%20high-value-added%20chemical%20syntheses.%20However%2C%20product%20selectivity%20and%20production%20efficiency%20are%20key%20to%20success.%20This%20requires%20an%20in-depth%20understanding%20of%20the%20conversion%20mechanism%2C%20careful%20design%20of%20the%20catalyst%2C%20and%20complementary%20techniques%20to%20confirm%20its%20performance%E2%80%94a%20good%20case%20of%20multidisciplinary%20tasks%20that%20require%20strong%20collaborative%20dedication.%20That's%20exactly%20what%20the%20team%20has%20managed%20to%20do%E2%80%94with%20much%20value-added%20outcome%2C%22%20said%20Professor%20Zhengxiao%20Guo%2C%20one%20of%20the%20corresponding%20authors%20of%20the%20paper.

Сatalyst transforms methane in valuable chemicals

A%20huge%20phosphate%20rock%20deposit%20discovered%20in%20Norway%20contains%20enough%20minerals%20to%20meet%20the%20global%20demand%20for%20batteries%20and%20solar%20panels%20for%20the%20next%20100%20years%2C%20according%20to%20the%20mining%20company%20that%20controls%20it.%0A%0ANorge%20Mining%20said%20up%20to%2070%20billion%20tonnes%20of%20the%20non-renewable%20resource%20may%20have%20been%20uncovered%20in%20south-western%20Norway%2C%20alongside%20deposits%20of%20other%20strategic%20minerals%20like%20titanium%20and%20vanadium.%0A%0APhosphate%20rock%20contains%20high%20concentrates%20of%20phosphorus%2C%20which%20is%20a%20key%20component%20for%20building%20green%20technologies%20but%20currently%20faces%20significant%20supply%20issues.%0A%0APhosphorus%20was%20first%20discovered%20in%201669%20by%20German%20scientist%20Hennig%20Brandt%2C%20who%20was%20searching%20for%20the%20philosopher%E2%80%99s%20stone.%20While%20it%20proved%20ineffective%20in%20turning%20ordinary%20metals%20into%20gold%2C%20it%20has%20become%20an%20essential%20component%20in%20lithium-iron%20phosphate%20batteries%20in%20electric%20cars%2C%20as%20well%20as%20for%20solar%20panels%20and%20computer%20chips.%0A%0ARussia%20previously%20controlled%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20largest%20ultra-pure%20phosphate%20rock%20deposits%2C%20with%20the%20European%20Union%20warning%20that%20these%20%E2%80%9Ccritical%20raw%20materials%E2%80%9D%20have%20a%20high%20supply%20risk.%0A%0AThe%20EU%20is%20currently%20almost%20entirely%20dependent%20on%20imports%20of%20phosphate%20rock%20from%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20world%2C%20according%20to%20a%20report%20from%20The%20Hague%20Centre%20for%20Strategic%20Studies%2C%20with%20China%2C%20Iraq%20and%20Syria%20also%20home%20to%20large%20deposits.%0A%0AThe%20report%2C%20which%20was%20published%20before%20the%20discovery%20of%20the%20massive%20Norwegian%20deposit%2C%20warned%20that%20the%20EU%20should%20be%20%E2%80%9Cconcerned%20about%20phosphate%20rock%20shortages%E2%80%9D.%0A%0AAn%20article%20in%20the%20scientific%20journal%20Nature%20last%20year%20warned%20of%20imminent%20supply%20disruptions%20of%20phosphorus%2C%20citing%20Russia%E2%80%99s%20invasion%20of%20Ukraine%20and%20the%20subsequent%20economic%20sanctions%20as%20a%20potential%20cause%20of%20market%20volatility.%0A%0AThe%20global%20economy%20consumes%20an%20estimated%2050%20million%20tonnes%20of%20phosphorus%20each%20year%2C%20with%20scientists%20warning%20earlier%20this%20year%20that%20the%20planet%20could%20face%20a%20%E2%80%9Cphosphogeddon%E2%80%9D%20if%20supply%20trends%20continue.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20buyers%E2%80%99%20market%20is%20becoming%20increasingly%20crowded%20by%20limited%20trade%20%E2%80%93%20due%20to%20political%20instability%20in%20several%20source%20countries%2C%20as%20well%20as%20international%20sanctions%20imposed%20on%20others%2C%E2%80%9D%20Norge%20Mining%20noted%20in%20a%20June%20blog%20post.%20%E2%80%9CThis%20is%20forcing%20importers%20to%20fear%20an%20impending%20crisis.%E2%80%9D%0A%0ANorway%E2%80%99s%20minister%20of%20trade%20and%20industry%2C%20Jan%20Christian%20Vestre%2C%20said%20last%20month%20that%20the%20government%20was%20considering%20fast-tracking%20a%20giant%20mine%20in%20Helleland%20once%20analysis%20is%20completed%20on%2047%20miles%20of%20drill%20cores.%20If%20approval%20is%20given%2C%20the%20first%20major%20mine%20could%20begin%20operation%20by%202028.%0A%0AThe%20politician%20said%20Norway%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%9Cobligation%E2%80%9D%20was%20to%20develop%20%E2%80%9Cthe%20world%E2%80%99s%20most%20sustainable%20mineral%20industry%E2%80%9D%20following%20the%20discovery%20of%20the%20minerals.%0A%0AThe%20mining%20plans%20already%20have%20the%20support%20of%20the%20European%20Raw%20Materials%20Alliance%2C%20according%20to%20local%20reports%2C%20while%20local%20consultations%20continue.%0A%0AA%20spokesperson%20for%20the%20European%20Commission%20described%20the%20discovery%20as%20%E2%80%9Cgreat%20news%E2%80%9D%20for%20meeting%20the%20objectives%20of%20the%20Commission%E2%80%99s%20raw%20material%20objectives%2C%20with%20Norge%20Mining%20telling%20Euractiv%20that%20the%20projected%204%2C500-metre-deep%20ore%20body%20would%20theoretically%20be%20capable%20of%20meeting%20global%20demand%20for%20the%20next%20century.

Massive phosphate deposit found in Norway

Plastics%20are%20everywhere.%20They%E2%80%99re%20used%20to%20make%20food%20packaging%2C%20bags%2C%20water%20bottles%20and%20for%20many%20other%20common%20applications.%20As%20they%20break%20down%2C%20their%20tiny%20particles%20%E2%80%94%20known%20as%20microplastics%20%E2%80%94%20end%20up%20in%20the%20ocean%2C%20on%20the%20highest%20mountaintops%2C%20in%20our%20lungs%20and%20in%20our%20blood.%0A%0AThe%20problem%20with%20plastics%20is%20that%20they%20stay%20in%20the%20environment%20for%20years%2C%20posing%20hazards%20for%20humans%2C%20animals%20and%20the%20environment.%20But%20what%20if%20there%20were%20a%20different%20kind%20of%20plastic%20that%20would%20biodegrade%20in%20your%20backyard%20compost%20bin%20about%20as%20quickly%20as%20a%20banana%20peel%3F%0A%0AA%20group%20of%20researchers%20led%20by%20scientists%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Washington%20have%20come%20up%20with%20new%20bioplastics%20that%20biodegrade%20naturally%20and%20relatively%20quickly%20%E2%80%94%20unlike%20traditional%20plastics%2C%20which%20do%20not%20biodegrade%2C%20or%20other%20types%20of%20bioplastics%2C%20which%20need%20to%20be%20processed%20in%20commercial%20facilities%20in%20order%20to%20biodegrade%20%E2%80%94%20and%20they%E2%80%99re%20made%20from%20the%20cells%20of%20the%20blue-green%20cyanobacteria%20known%20as%20spirulina.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20were%20motivated%20to%20create%20bioplastics%20that%20are%20both%20bio-derived%20and%20biodegradable%20in%20our%20backyards%2C%20while%20also%20being%20processable%2C%20scalable%20and%20recyclable%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20senior%20author%20of%20the%20study%20Eleftheria%20Roumeli%2C%20a%20UW%20assistant%20professor%20of%20materials%20science%20and%20engineering%2C%20in%20a%20press%20release%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Washington.%20%E2%80%9CThe%20bioplastics%20we%20have%20developed%2C%20using%20only%20spirulina%2C%20not%20only%20have%20a%20degradation%20profile%20similar%20to%20organic%20waste%2C%20but%20also%20are%20on%20average%2010%20times%20stronger%20and%20stiffer%20than%20previously%20reported%20spirulina%20bioplastics.%20These%20properties%20open%20up%20new%20possibilities%20for%20the%20practical%20application%20of%20spirulina-based%20plastics%20in%20various%20industries%2C%20including%20disposable%20food%20packaging%20or%20household%20plastics%2C%20such%20as%20bottles%20or%20trays.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AFor%20the%20study%2C%20the%20researchers%20formed%20spirulina%20powder%20into%20a%20multitude%20of%20shapes%20using%20heat%20and%20pressure%2C%20which%20is%20the%20same%20way%20conventional%20plastics%20are%20processed%20and%20created.%20The%20mechanical%20properties%20of%20the%20spirulina%20plastics%20are%20similar%20to%20single-use%20plastics%20derived%20from%20petroleum.%0A%0AThe%20study%2C%20%E2%80%9CFabricating%20Strong%20and%20Stiff%20Bioplastics%20from%20Whole%20Spirulina%20Cells%2C%E2%80%9D%20was%20published%20in%20the%20journal%20Advanced%20Functional%20Materials.%0A%0AThe%20scientists%20chose%20spirulina%20for%20their%20bioplastics%20because%20it%20is%20already%20being%20used%20for%20cosmetics%20and%20foods%20and%20can%20be%20cultivated%20on%20a%20large%20scale.%20As%20they%20grow%2C%20spirulina%20cells%20also%20sequester%20carbon%20dioxide%2C%20which%20means%20as%20a%20raw%20material%20for%20plastics%20spirulina%20is%20not%20only%20carbon%20neutral%2C%20but%20has%20the%20potential%20to%20be%20carbon%20negative.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CSpirulina%20also%20has%20unique%20fire-resistant%20properties%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20lead%20author%20of%20the%20study%20Hareesh%20Iyer%2C%20a%20UW%20materials%20science%20and%20engineering%20doctoral%20student%2C%20in%20the%20press%20release.%20%E2%80%9CWhen%20exposed%20to%20fire%2C%20it%20instantly%20self-extinguishes%2C%20unlike%20many%20traditional%20plastics%20that%20either%20combust%20or%20melt.%20This%20fire-resistant%20characteristic%20makes%20spirulina-based%20plastics%20advantageous%20for%20applications%20where%20traditional%20plastics%20may%20not%20be%20suitable%20due%20to%20their%20flammability.%20One%20example%20could%20be%20plastic%20racks%20in%20data%20centers%20because%20the%20systems%20that%20are%20used%20to%20keep%20the%20servers%20cool%20can%20get%20very%20hot.%E2%80%9D%0A%0ABecause%20the%20research%20team%20used%20a%20similar%20processing%20approach%20as%20traditional%20plastics%20with%20their%20bioplastics%2C%20large-scale%20manufacturing%20of%20the%20spirulina-based%20materials%20would%20be%20easier.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThis%20means%20that%20we%20would%20not%20have%20to%20redesign%20manufacturing%20lines%20from%20scratch%20if%20we%20wanted%20to%20use%20our%20materials%20at%20industrial%20scales%2C%E2%80%9D%20Roumeli%20said.%20%E2%80%9CWe%E2%80%99ve%20removed%20one%20of%20the%20common%20barriers%20between%20the%20lab%20and%20scaling%20up%20to%20meet%20industrial%20demand.%20For%20example%2C%20many%20bioplastics%20are%20made%20from%20molecules%20that%20are%20extracted%20from%20biomass%2C%20such%20as%20seaweed%2C%20and%20mixed%20with%20performance%20modifiers%20before%20being%20cast%20into%20films.%20This%20process%20requires%20the%20materials%20to%20be%20in%20the%20form%20of%20a%20solution%20prior%20to%20casting%2C%20and%20this%20is%20not%20scalable.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AMaking%20bioplastics%20out%20of%20spirulina%20has%20been%20done%20before%2C%20but%20the%20bioplastics%20the%20UW-led%20research%20team%20came%20up%20with%20are%20stiffer%20and%20stronger.%20They%20are%20also%20recyclable.%20The%20researchers%20changed%20processing%20conditions%20like%20time%2C%20pressure%20and%20temperature%20to%20improve%20the%20bonding%20and%20microstructure%20within%20the%20bioplastics%2C%20studying%20their%20stiffness%2C%20toughness%20and%20strength%20along%20the%20way.%0A%0AThe%20plastics%20still%20have%20some%20hurdles%20before%20they%20will%20be%20ready%20for%20industrial%20use%2C%20like%20being%20sensitive%20to%20water%20and%20somewhat%20brittle.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CYou%20wouldn%E2%80%99t%20want%20these%20materials%20to%20get%20rained%20on%2C%E2%80%9D%20Iyer%20said%20in%20the%20press%20release.%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20are%20still%20examining%20the%20bioplastics%E2%80%99%20fundamental%20principles%2C%20and%20hope%20to%20create%20an%20assortment%20of%20bioplastics%20for%20various%20uses%2C%20similar%20to%20petroleum-based%20plastics.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CBiodegradation%20is%20not%20our%20preferred%20end-of-life%20scenario%2C%E2%80%9D%20Roumeli%20said.%20%E2%80%9COur%20spirulina%20bioplastics%20are%20recyclable%20through%20mechanical%20recycling%2C%20which%20is%20very%20accessible.%20People%20don%E2%80%99t%20often%20recycle%20plastics%2C%20however%2C%20so%20it%E2%80%99s%20an%20added%20bonus%20that%20our%20bioplastics%20do%20degrade%20quickly%20in%20the%20environment.%E2%80%9D

New biodegradable plastics made with spirulina

In%20a%20world%20where%20fire%20threatens%20more%20and%20more%20homes%2C%20scientists%20have%20developed%20a%20surprising%20type%20of%20material%20that%20might%20keep%20some%20buildings%20safer%3A%20wafer-thin%20sheets%20of%20fungi.%0A%0AUnderneath%20every%20mushroom%20is%20a%20sprawling%2C%20branching%20network%20of%20rootlike%20structures%20called%20a%20mycelium.%20Now%20researchers%20have%20successfully%20grown%20these%20networks%20into%20Pop%20Tart%E2%80%93size%20sheets%20that%20could%20act%20as%20a%20fire%20retardant%20in%20building%20materials%2C%20according%20to%20a%20new%20study%20in%20Polymer%20Degradation%20and%20Stability.%0A%0AUsing%20a%20biological%20material%20like%20mycelium%20has%20enormous%20benefits%2C%20says%20senior%20author%20Everson%20Kandare.%20Unlike%20asbestos%2C%20which%20is%20still%20sometimes%20added%20to%20building%20materials%20as%20a%20fire%20retardant%2C%20mycelium%20does%20not%20shed%20noxious%20compounds%20when%20exposed%20to%20fire.%20%E2%80%9CWhen%20there%20is%20a%20building%20fire%2C%20it%20%5Boften%5D%20isn't%20the%20flame%20intensity%20or%20the%20heat%20that%20kills%20or%20injures%20people%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Kandare%2C%20an%20engineer%20at%20RMIT%20University%20in%20Melbourne%2C%20Australia.%20%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20the%20fumes%20and%20the%20toxic%20metal%20that%20comes%20out%20of%20building%20materials.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20new%20mycelium%20sheets%2C%20grown%20into%20their%20unique%20shape%20in%20a%20plastic%20container%20and%20stacked%20into%20protective%20mats%20up%20to%20a%20few%20millimeters%20thick%2C%20could%20prevent%20such%20building%20materials%20from%20burning%20in%20the%20first%20place.%20Mycelium%20contains%20a%20lot%20of%20carbon.%20When%20exposed%20to%20fire%2C%20the%20sheet%20briefly%20burns%2C%20releasing%20water%20and%20carbon%20dioxide%20into%20the%20air%2C%20before%20petering%20out%20and%20leaving%20behind%20a%20black%20layer%20of%20carbon.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CIn%20order%20for%20fire%20to%20spread%2C%20it%20has%20to%20burn.%20If%20you're%20left%20with%20an%20area%20you%20can't%20burn%2C%20then%20that%20stops%20the%20fire%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Chris%20Hobbs%2C%20a%20polymer%20chemist%20at%20Sam%20Houston%20State%20University%20in%20Texas%2C%20who%20was%20not%20involved%20in%20the%20new%20study%20but%20says%20he%20considers%20the%20material%20promising.%0A%0AScientists%20have%20known%20about%20mycelium's%20flame-retardant%20properties%20for%20several%20years%2C%20but%20Kandare%20says%20this%20study%20is%20the%20first%20to%20incorporate%20these%20properties%20into%20a%20useful%20building%20material.%20He%20suggests%20mycelium%20could%20replace%20the%20fire-retardant%20foam%20that%20insulates%20many%20commercial%20buildings%2C%20which%20can%20produce%20carbon%20monoxide%20and%20other%20toxic%20products%20when%20it%20combusts.%0A%0AThe%20RMIT%20team%20has%20been%20reaching%20out%20to%20mushroom%20farmers%20to%20see%20whether%20they%20could%20scale%20the%20technology%20for%20commercial%20use.%20Kandare%20is%20optimistic%20because%20mycelium%20can%20grow%20in%20the%20dark%2C%20which%20means%20its%20energy%20needs%20are%20relatively%20minimal%E2%80%94and%20the%20team%20fed%20its%20prototype%20with%20ordinary%20molasses.%20Even%20better%2C%20mycelium%20is%20a%20biological%20material%2C%20and%20any%20waste%20it%20leaves%20behind%20is%20compostable.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CIf%20the%20product%20reaches%20the%20end%20of%20its%20life%2C%20you%20can%20just%20chuck%20that%20mycelium%20in%20your%20garden%2C%E2%80%9D%20Kandare%20says.%20%E2%80%9CJust%20toss%20it%20in%20the%20green%20beans.%E2%80%9D

Fungi Make Safer Fireproofing Material

Rare%20earth%20elements%20are%20essential%20components%20of%20electric%20cars%2C%20wind%20turbines%20and%20smartphones.%20Retrieving%20these%20metals%20from%20raw%20ore%20requires%20processing%20with%20acids%20and%20solvents.%0A%0ANow%2C%20Cornell%20scientists%20have%20characterized%20the%20genome%20of%20Shewanella%20oneidensis%E2%80%94a%20metal-loving%20bacteria%20with%20an%20affinity%20for%20rare%20earth%20elements%E2%80%94to%20replace%20the%20harsh%20chemical%20processing%20with%20a%20benign%20practice%20called%20biosorption.%0A%0ATheir%20research%2C%20%22Genomic%20characterization%20of%20rare%20earth%20binding%20by%20Shewanella%20oneidensis%2C%22%20was%20published%20in%20Scientific%20Reports.%0A%0A%22The%20problem%20with%20the%20current%20methods%20of%20rare%20earth%20element%20purification%20is%20that%20they%20rely%20heavily%20on%20organic%20solvents%20and%20harsh%20chemicals%2C%22%20said%20senior%20author%20Buz%20Barstow%2C%20assistant%20professor%20of%20biological%20and%20environmental%20engineering%20in%20the%20College%20of%20Agriculture%20and%20Life%20Sciences.%20%22These%20methods%20are%20costly%20and%20environmentally%20damaging.%20Here%20we%20have%20a%20green%20alternative%20that%20uses%20microbes%20to%20selectively%20adsorb%20and%20purify%20rare%20earth%20elements%2C%20eliminating%20the%20need%20for%20harmful%20chemicals.%20We're%20making%20the%20purification%20process%20greener.%22%0A%0AThe%20microbe%20selectively%20adsorbs%E2%80%94or%20clings%E2%80%94to%20these%20rare%20earth%20elements%2C%20making%20it%20an%20ideal%20candidate%20to%20carry%20out%20an%20eco-friendly%20purification%20procedure.%0A%0AGenerally%2C%20S.%20oneidensis%20prefers%20dining%20on%20the%20f-block%20elements%20residing%20in%20the%20sixth%20row%20of%20the%20periodic%20table%2C%20known%20as%20the%20lanthanides.%20Specifically%2C%20the%20microbe%20favors%20europium.%0A%0ACharacterizing%20the%20S.%20oneidensis's%20genome%20allows%20scientists%20to%20tweak%20its%20preference%20for%20processing%20the%20other%20rare%20earth%20elements.%0A%0AThe%20scientists%20screened%203%2C373%20parts%20of%20the%20S.%20oneidensis%20genome%20and%20found%20242%20genes%20that%20influence%20it.%0A%0AThe%20mutant%20genes%20found%20in%20the%20bacteria%20by%20the%20scientists%20can%20reduce%20the%20length%20of%20that%20rare%20earth%20element%20purification%20process%20by%20almost%20one-third%E2%80%94compared%20with%20the%20wild%20variety%20of%20S.%20oneidensis%E2%80%94and%20offers%20a%20roadmap%20for%20honing%20this%20green%20method.%0A%0A%22Our%20work%20points%20to%20key%20genes%20that%20control%20membrane%20composition%20that%20are%20traditionally%20responsible%20for%20cell%20adhesion%20and%20biofilm%20formation%20in%20rare%20earth%20element%20biosorption%2C%22%20said%20lead%20author%20Sean%20Medin%2C%20a%20doctoral%20student%20in%20Barstow's%20lab%20and%20a%20founder%20of%20REEgen.%20%22This%20work%20advances%20the%20mechanisms%20responsible%20for%20rare%20earth%20elements%20biosorption%20in%20S.%20oneidensis.%22%0A%0AThis%20work%20has%20the%20potential%20to%20make%20processing%20rare%20earths%20cleaner%20and%20scalable%2C%20Medin%20said.%20%22Currently%20all%20the%20purification%20of%20rare%20earth%20elements%20is%20done%20abroad%2C%20due%20to%20stringent%20environmental%20regulations%20and%20high%20infrastructure%20costs%20of%20building%20a%20separations%20plant%2C%22%20he%20said.%20%22Our%20process%20would%20make%20environmentally%20harmful%20solvents%20unnecessary.%22%0A%0A%22Our%20process%20potentially%20would%20be%20significantly%20less%20land-%20and%20capital-intensive%20to%20build%2C%22%20Medin%20said%2C%20%22as%20our%20separations%20could%20be%20done%20with%20repeated%20enrichment%20through%20columns%20full%20of%20immobilized%20bacteria%20instead%20of%20mixer-settler%20plants%20that%20are%20miles%20long.%22%0A%0AWhile%20the%20technology%20is%20still%20in%20development%2C%20the%20researchers%20are%20optimistic%20about%20potential%20impact.%20This%20technology%20could%20help%20develop%20a%20stable%20U.S.%20supply%20of%20rare%20earth%20elements%20for%20technology%20and%20defense%20applications%2C%20said%20Barstow%2C%20a%20faculty%20fellow%20at%20the%20Cornell%20Atkinson%20Center%20for%20Sustainability.%0A%0AThe%20group%20anticipates%20creating%20a%20pilot-scale%20purification%20system%20by%202028.%0A%0A%22This%20research%20gives%20us%20a%20genetic%20blueprint%20for%20making%20a%20microbe%20that%20lets%20allows%20us%20to%20purify%20rare%20earths%20in%20an%20environmentally%20friendly%20way%2C%22%20Barstow%20said.%20%22If%20you%20want%20to%20reduce%20climate%20change%2C%20this%20allows%20us%20to%20build%20a%20sustainable%20energy%20infrastructure%E2%80%94things%20like%20improving%20electric%20vehicles%2C%20wind%20turbines%2C%20creating%20superconductors%20and%20offering%20high-efficiency%20lighting.%20That's%20the%20ultimate%20payoff.%22

Metal-loving microbes could replace chemical

Researchers%20have%20developed%20breakthrough%20technology%20to%20commercialise%20cheaper%2C%20safer%2C%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries.%0ALed%20by%20Dr%20Oh%20Si%20Hyoung%20of%20the%20Energy%20Storage%20Research%20Center%20at%20the%20Korea%20Institute%20of%20Science%20and%20Technology%20(KIST)%2C%20the%20team%20has%20developed%20safe%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries%20to%20offer%20a%20timely%20substitute%20that%20meets%20the%20cost%20and%20safety%20needs.%0A%0ADespite%20the%20lower%20energy%20density%20achievable%2C%20these%20batteries%20have%20a%20significant%20economic%20advantage%20as%20the%20cost%20of%20raw%20materials%20is%20much%20lower%20than%20the%20more%20commonly%20used%20lithium-ion%20battery.%0A%0AThe%20research%2C%20%E2%80%98Highly%20safe%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries%20via%20electrolyte%20regeneration%20using%20Pd%E2%80%93MnO2%20catalytic%20cycle%2C%E2%80%99%20was%20published%20in%20Energy%20Storage%20Materials.%0A%0AUnpredictable%20weather%20has%20increased%20the%20demand%20for%20energy%20storage%20systems%0AThis%20summer%2C%20the%20planet%20suffered%20from%20unprecedented%20heat%20waves%20and%20heavy%20rainfalls.%0A%0ADeveloping%20renewable%20energy%20and%20expanding%20associated%20infrastructure%20has%20become%20an%20essential%20survival%20strategy%20to%20ensure%20the%20planet%E2%80%99s%20sustainability%20in%20crisis.%20Still%2C%20it%20has%20obvious%20limitations%20due%20to%20the%20volatility%20of%20electricity%20production.%0A%0AFor%20this%20reason%2C%20the%20demand%20for%20energy%20storage%20systems%20(ESS)%20that%20can%20store%20and%20supply%20electricity%20as%20needed%20is%20ever-increasing.%20However%2C%20lithium-ion%20batteries%20currently%20employed%20in%20ESS%20are%20costly%20and%20prone%20to%20potential%20fire%2C%20so%20there%20is%20an%20urgent%20need%20to%20develop%20cheaper%20and%20safer%20alternatives%2C%20such%20as%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries.%0A%0AMaking%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries%20safe%20for%20commercial%20use%0AOne%20issue%20with%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries%20is%20that%20inveterate%20hydrogen%20gas%20generated%20from%20parasitic%20water%20decomposition%20causes%20a%20gradual%20rise%20in%20internal%20pressure%20and%20eventual%20depletion%20of%20the%20electrolyte.%20This%20poses%20a%20sizeable%20threat%20to%20battery%20safety%2C%20making%20commercialisation%20difficult.%0A%0AUntil%20now%2C%20researchers%20have%20often%20tried%20to%20evade%20this%20issue%20by%20installing%20a%20surface%20protection%20layer%20that%20minimises%20the%20contact%20area%20between%20the%20metal%20anode%20and%20the%20electrolyte.%0A%0AHowever%2C%20the%20corrosion%20of%20the%20metal%20anode%20and%20accompanying%20decomposition%20of%20water%20in%20the%20electrolyte%20is%20inevitable%20in%20most%20cases%2C%20and%20continuous%20accumulation%20of%20hydrogen%20gas%20can%20cause%20a%20potential%20detonation%20in%20long-term%20operation.%0A%0ATo%20cope%20with%20this%20critical%20issue%2C%20the%20research%20team%20has%20developed%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries%20consisting%20of%20manganese%20dioxide%20and%20palladium%2C%20which%20are%20capable%20of%20automatically%20converting%20hydrogen%20gas%20generated%20inside%20the%20cell%20into%20water.%20This%20ensures%20both%20the%20performance%20and%20safety%20of%20the%20cell.%0A%0AManganese%20dioxide%20does%20not%20react%20with%20hydrogen%20gas%20under%20normal%20circumstances%2C%20but%20when%20a%20small%20amount%20of%20palladium%20is%20added%2C%20hydrogen%20is%20readily%20absorbed%20by%20the%20catalysts%2C%20being%20regenerated%20into%20water.%0A%0AIn%20the%20prototype%20cell%20loaded%20with%20the%20newly%20developed%20catalysts%2C%20the%20internal%20pressure%20of%20the%20cell%20was%20maintained%20well%20below%20the%20safety%20limit%2C%20and%20no%20electrolyte%20depletion%20was%20observed.%0A%0AThe%20team%20managed%20to%20overcome%20critical%20safety%20issues%0AThe%20results%20of%20this%20research%20effectively%20solved%20one%20of%20the%20most%20concerning%20safety%20issues%20in%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries%2C%20making%20a%20significant%20stride%20towards%20commercial%20application%20to%20ESS%20in%20the%20future.%0A%0AReplacing%20lithium%20batteries%20with%20cheaper%20and%20safer%20aqueous%20batteries%20can%20even%20trigger%20a%20rapid%20growth%20of%20the%20global%20market%20for%20ESS.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThis%20technology%20pertains%20to%20a%20customised%20safety%20strategy%20for%20aqueous%20rechargeable%20batteries%2C%20based%20on%20the%20built-in%20active%20safety%20mechanism%2C%20through%20which%20risk%20factors%20are%20automatically%20controlled%2C%E2%80%9D%20explained%20Dr%20Oh%20Si%20Hyoung.%0A%0AHe%20concluded%3A%20%E2%80%9CIt%20can%20be%20applied%20to%20various%20industrial%20facilities%20where%20hydrogen%20gas%20leakage%20is%20one%20of%20the%20major%20safety%20concerns%20to%20protect%20public%20safety.%E2%80%9D

Aqueous rechargeable batteries

What%20if%20your%20house%20plant%20could%20tell%20you%20your%20water%20isn't%20safe%3F%20Scientists%20are%20closer%20to%20realizing%20this%20vision%2C%20having%20successfully%20engineered%20a%20plant%20to%20turn%20beet%20red%20in%20the%20presence%20of%20a%20banned%2C%20toxic%20pesticide.%0A%0ATo%20achieve%20this%2C%20UC%20Riverside%20researchers%20had%20to%20solve%20an%20engineering%20puzzle%3A%20how%20to%20enable%20a%20plant%20to%20sense%20and%20react%20to%20a%20chemical%20in%20the%20environment%20without%20damaging%20its%20ability%20to%20function%20normally%20in%20all%20other%20respects.%0A%0A%22The%20biggest%20piece%20here%20is%20we've%20created%20an%20environmental%20sensor%20without%20modifying%20the%20plant's%20native%20metabolism%2C%22%20said%20Ian%20Wheeldon%2C%20associate%20professor%20of%20chemical%20and%20environmental%20engineering%20at%20UCR.%20%22Previously%2C%20the%20biosensor%20component%20would%20have%20messed%20up%20the%20plant's%20ability%20to%20grow%20toward%20light%20or%20stop%20using%20water%20when%20stressed.%20This%20won't.%22%0A%0AA%20new%20paper%20detailing%20the%20chemistry%20behind%20the%20achievement%20has%20been%20published%20in%20the%20journal%20Nature%20Chemical%20Biology.%20The%20engineering%20process%20begins%20with%20a%20protein%20called%20abscisic%20acid%2C%20or%20ABA%2C%20that%20helps%20plants%20acclimate%20to%20stressful%20changes%20in%20the%20environment.%0A%0ADuring%20a%20drought%2C%20soil%20dries%20and%20plants%20produce%20ABA.%20Additional%20proteins%2C%20called%20receptors%2C%20help%20the%20plant%20recognize%20and%20respond%20to%20ABA.%20This%20in%20turn%20tells%20the%20plant%20to%20close%20pores%20in%20its%20leaves%20and%20stems%20so%20less%20water%20evaporates%2C%20and%20the%20plant%20is%20less%20likely%20to%20wilt.%0A%0ALast%20year%20the%20research%20team%20demonstrated%20that%20ABA%20receptor%20proteins%20can%20be%20trained%20to%20bind%20to%20chemicals%20other%20than%20ABA.%20Now%20the%20team%20has%20shown%20that%20once%20the%20receptors%20bind%20to%20this%20other%20chemical%2C%20the%20plant%20will%20turn%20beet%20red.%0A%0AFor%20this%20demonstration%20the%20team%20used%20azinphos-ethyl%2C%20a%20pesticide%20banned%20in%20many%20places%20because%20it%20is%20toxic%20to%20humans.%20%22People%20we%20work%20with%20are%20trying%20to%20sense%20information%20about%20chemicals%20in%20the%20environment%20from%20a%20distance%2C%22%20said%20Sean%20Cutler%2C%20UCR%20professor%20of%20plant%20cell%20biology.%20%22If%20you%20had%20a%20field%20of%20these%20and%20they%20turned%20red%2C%20that%20would%20be%20pretty%20obvious%2C%20visually.%22%0A%0AAs%20part%20of%20the%20same%20experiment%2C%20the%20research%20team%20also%20demonstrated%20the%20ability%20to%20turn%20another%20living%20organism%20into%20a%20sensor%3A%20yeast.%20The%20team%20was%20able%20to%20show%20a%20response%20in%20yeast%20to%20two%20different%20chemicals%20at%20the%20same%20time.%20However%2C%20this%20is%20not%20yet%20possible%20in%20plants.%0A%0A%22It%20would%20be%20great%20if%20we%20could%20eventually%20design%20one%20plant%20to%20sense%20100%20banned%20pesticides%2C%20a%20one-stop%20shop%2C%22%20said%20Cutler.%20%22The%20more%20you%20can%20stack%2C%20the%20better%2C%20especially%20for%20applications%20involving%20environmental%20health%20or%20defense.%20But%20there%20are%20limits%20to%20what%20we%20can%20engineer%20for%20these%20new%20sensing%20capacities%20at%20this%20time.%22%0A%0ATo%20be%20clear%2C%20these%20plants%20are%20not%20being%20grown%20commercially.%20That%20would%20require%20regulatory%20approvals%20that%20would%20take%20many%20years.%20It%20is%20also%20a%20new%20technology%2C%20with%20a%20suite%20of%20issues%20that%20would%20need%20to%20be%20addressed%20before%20it%20could%20be%20used%20in%20farmers'%20fields%2C%20or%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20real%20world.%20However%2C%20the%20discovery%20opens%20up%20possibilities.%0A%0A%22This%20paper%20demonstrated%20a%20visual%20response%20to%20one%20chemical%20in%20plants.%20We're%20trying%20to%20be%20able%20to%20sense%20any%20chemical%20in%20an%20environment%2C%22%20Cutler%20said.%20%22Other%20pesticides%20but%20also%20drugs%20like%20birth%20control%20pills%20or%20Prozac%20in%20the%20water%20supply%2C%20things%20people%20are%20worried%20about%20being%20exposed%20to.%20These%20are%20applications%20within%20reach%20now.%22

Plants become detectors of hazardous chemicals

The%20satellite%20launched%20by%20a%20Canadian%20company%20will%20be%20able%20to%20detect%20carbon%20emissions%20from%20sites%20like%20coal%20plants%20from%20space%20for%20the%20first%20time.%0A%0ACanadian%20emissions%20monitoring%20company%20GHGSat%20on%20Saturday%20launched%20a%20satellite%20aimed%20at%20detecting%20carbon%20dioxide%20emissions%20from%20individual%20facilities%20like%20coal%20plants%20and%20steel%20mills%20from%20space%20for%20the%20first%20time.%0A%0AThe%20satellite%20-%20named%20Vanguard%20-%20launched%20from%20Vandenberg%20Space%20Force%20Base%20in%20California%2C%20GHGSat%20said.%0A%0ASpace-age%20technology%20is%20increasingly%20being%20used%20to%20hold%20polluting%20industries%20accountable%20for%20their%20contributions%20to%20climate%20change.%0A%0AGHGSat's%20data%20is%20available%20for%20sale%20to%20industrial%20emitters%20who%20want%20to%20reduce%20their%20emissions%2C%20as%20well%20as%20to%20governments%20and%20scientists.%0A%0AVanguard%20will%20build%20on%20the%20growing%20network%20of%20satellites%20that%20are%20already%20spotting%20plumes%20of%20methane%2C%20an%20invisible%20greenhouse%20gas%20that%20is%20difficult%20to%20detect%20because%20it%20tends%20to%20leak%20from%20an%20array%20of%20small%20sources%20including%20pipelines%2C%20drill%20sites%2C%20and%20farms.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EMonitoring%20carbon%20dioxide%20emissions%3C%2Fh2%3E%0ACarbon%20dioxide%20accounts%20for%20nearly%2080%20per%20cent%20of%20US%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions%20from%20human%20activities%20and%20tends%20to%20enter%20the%20atmosphere%20from%20large%20industrial%20sources%20like%20power%20plants.%20%0A%0ASatellites%20monitoring%20carbon%20dioxide%20in%20the%20atmosphere%20currently%20are%20not%20focused%20on%20facility-level%20emissions%2C%20GHGSat%20said.%0A%0AThe%20data%20collected%20by%20Vanguard%20will%20help%20substantiate%20common%20practices%20of%20monitoring%20and%20measuring%20carbon%20dioxide%20emissions%2C%20according%20to%20Stephane%20Germain%2C%20CEO%20of%20Montreal-based%20GHGSat.%0A%0A%22Often%20what%20we%20find%20is%20a%20mix%20of%20direct%20measurements%20and%20estimates%20-%20therefore%20having%20a%20direct%20measurement%20of%20the%20entire%20facility%20from%20a%20satellite%20will%20act%20as%20a%20validation%2C%22%20Germain%20said%20in%20an%20interview.%0A%0ASatellites%20have%20already%20shown%20that%20methane%20emissions%20are%20broadly%20higher%20than%20estimated%20and%20Germain%20said%20he%20suspected%20the%20same%20is%20true%20of%20carbon%20dioxide.%0A%0AThe%20information%20will%20help%20bolster%20the%20accuracy%20of%20government%20emissions%20inventories%20and%20scientific%20modeling%20and%20will%20improve%20the%20quality%20of%20corporate%20greenhouse%20gas%20reporting%20for%20investors%2C%20GHGSat%20said.

New satellite will detect and share CO2 data

The%20abundance%20of%20climate-heating%20gases%20in%20the%20atmosphere%20reached%20record%20highs%20in%202022%2C%20the%20UN%E2%80%99s%20World%20Meteorological%20Organization%20(WMO)%20has%20reported.%0A%0AThe%20WMO%20said%20%E2%80%9Cthere%20is%20no%20end%20in%20sight%20to%20the%20rising%20trend%E2%80%9D%2C%20which%20is%20largely%20driven%20by%20the%20burning%20of%20fossil%20fuels.%0A%0AThe%20concentration%20of%20carbon%20dioxide%2C%20the%20main%20greenhouse%20gas%2C%20is%20now%2050%25%20higher%20than%20before%20the%20start%20of%20the%20Industrial%20Revolution.%0A%0AThe%20Earth%20has%20not%20experienced%20similar%20levels%20of%20CO2%20for%203-5%20million%20years%2C%20when%20the%20global%20temperature%20was%202-3C%20warmer%20and%20sea%20level%20was%2010-20%20metres%20higher%20than%20today%2C%20the%20WMO%20said.%0A%0AThe%20concentrations%20of%20the%20two%20other%20key%20greenhouse%20gases%2C%20methane%20and%20nitrous%20oxide%2C%20also%20grew%2C%20according%20to%20the%20report%2C%20published%20ahead%20of%20the%20UN%E2%80%99s%20Cop28%20climate%20summit%2C%20which%20begins%20on%2030%20November.%0A%0AGreenhouse%20gas%20levels%20will%20continue%20to%20increase%20until%20emissions%20are%20cut%20all%20the%20way%20down%20to%20net%20zero%2C%20meaning%20global%20heating%20and%20the%20impacts%20of%20extreme%20weather%20will%20also%20continue%20to%20increase.%0A%0AHowever%2C%20countries%20are%20failing%20to%20deliver%20on%20almost%20every%20policy%20required%20to%20cut%20emissions%2C%20despite%20progress%20on%20renewable%20energy%20and%20electric%20cars%2C%20according%20to%20a%20report%20published%20on%20Tuesday.%20It%20said%2C%20for%20example%2C%20that%20coal%20must%20be%20phased%20out%20seven%20times%20faster%20than%20is%20happening%20to%20avoid%20the%20worst%20impacts%20of%20global%20heating.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CDespite%20decades%20of%20warnings%20from%20the%20scientific%20community%2C%20thousands%20of%20pages%20of%20reports%20and%20dozens%20of%20climate%20conferences%2C%20we%20are%20still%20heading%20in%20the%20wrong%20direction%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Prof%20Petteri%20Taalas%2C%20the%20WMO%E2%80%99s%20secretary-general.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20current%20level%20of%20greenhouse%20gas%20concentrations%20puts%20us%20on%20the%20pathway%20of%20an%20increase%20in%20temperatures%20well%20above%20the%20Paris%20agreement%20targets%20by%202100%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThis%20will%20be%20accompanied%20by%20more%20extreme%20weather%20%5Band%5D%20the%20socioeconomic%20and%20environmental%20costs%20will%20soar.%20We%20must%20reduce%20the%20consumption%20of%20fossil%20fuels%20as%20a%20matter%20of%20urgency.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20past%20year%20has%20seen%20temperatures%20described%20as%20%E2%80%9Cgobsmackingly%20bananas%E2%80%9D%20by%20scientists%20shatter%20records%2C%20and%20intensifying%20extreme%20weather%20events%20take%20lives%20and%20livelihoods%20across%20the%20globe.%0A%0AThe%20WMO%20report%20found%20that%20the%20heating%20effect%20of%20greenhouse%20gases%20in%20the%20atmosphere%20rose%20by%2050%25%20between%201990%20and%202022%2C%20with%20CO2%20accounting%20for%20about%2080%25%20of%20this%20increase.%0A%0AMethane%20is%20a%20potent%20greenhouse%20gas%2C%20with%20the%20human%20sources%20being%20the%20fossil%20fuel%20industry%2C%20cattle%20and%20waste%20dumps.%20Levels%20of%20methane%20rose%20again%20in%202022%20and%20scientists%20are%20concerned%20that%20a%20recent%20acceleration%20of%20methane%20emissions%20may%20be%20driven%20by%20the%20effect%20of%20global%20heating%20on%20wetlands%2C%20producing%20a%20potential%20feedback%20effect.%0A%0AThe%20increase%20in%20nitrous%20oxide%20levels%20in%202022%20was%20the%20highest%20ever%20recorded.%20This%20greenhouse%20gas%20is%20produced%20by%20overuse%20of%20fertilisers%2C%20crop%20waste%20burning%20and%20industry.%0A%0AThe%20International%20Energy%20Agency%20said%20in%20September%20that%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20demand%20for%20oil%2C%20gas%20and%20coal%20would%20begin%20to%20decline%20this%20decade%20in%20%E2%80%9Cthe%20beginning%20of%20the%20end%E2%80%9D%20of%20the%20fossil%20fuel%20era.%20But%20the%20IEA%20said%20this%20was%20still%20%E2%80%9Cnowhere%20near%20steep%20enough%E2%80%9D%20to%20limit%20global%20temperature%20rises%20to%201.5C%2C%20the%20internationally%20agreed%20limit.%0A%0AA%20recent%20UN%20report%20found%20that%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20fossil%20fuel%20producers%20were%20planning%20expansions%20that%20would%20blow%20the%20planet%E2%80%99s%20carbon%20budget%20twice%20over.%20Experts%20called%20the%20plans%20%E2%80%9Cinsanity%E2%80%9D%20which%20%E2%80%9Cthrow%20humanity%E2%80%99s%20future%20into%20question%E2%80%9D.

Climate-heating gases reach record highs

Many%20of%20the%20gravest%20threats%20to%20humanity%20are%20drawing%20closer%2C%20as%20carbon%20pollution%20heats%20the%20planet%20to%20ever%20more%20dangerous%20levels%2C%20scientists%20have%20warned.%0A%0AFive%20important%20natural%20thresholds%20already%20risk%20being%20crossed%2C%20according%20to%20the%20Global%20Tipping%20Points%20report%2C%20and%20three%20more%20may%20be%20reached%20in%20the%202030s%20if%20the%20world%20heats%201.5C%20(2.7F)%20above%20pre-industrial%20temperatures.%0A%0ATriggering%20these%20planetary%20shifts%20will%20not%20cause%20temperatures%20to%20spiral%20out%20of%20control%20in%20the%20coming%20centuries%20but%20will%20unleash%20dangerous%20and%20sweeping%20damage%20to%20people%20and%20nature%20that%20cannot%20be%20undone.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CTipping%20points%20in%20the%20Earth%20system%20pose%20threats%20of%20a%20magnitude%20never%20faced%20by%20humanity%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Tim%20Lenton%2C%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Exeter%E2%80%99s%20Global%20Systems%20Institute.%20%E2%80%9CThey%20can%20trigger%20devastating%20domino%20effects%2C%20including%20the%20loss%20of%20whole%20ecosystems%20and%20capacity%20to%20grow%20staple%20crops%2C%20with%20societal%20impacts%20including%20mass%20displacement%2C%20political%20instability%20and%20financial%20collapse.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20tipping%20points%20at%20risk%20include%20the%20collapse%20of%20big%20ice%20sheets%20in%20Greenland%20and%20the%20West%20Antarctic%2C%20the%20widespread%20thawing%20of%20permafrost%2C%20the%20death%20of%20coral%20reefs%20in%20warm%20waters%2C%20and%20the%20collapse%20of%20one%20oceanic%20current%20in%20the%20North%20Atlantic.%0A%0AUnlike%20other%20changes%20to%20the%20climate%20such%20as%20hotter%20heatwaves%20and%20heavier%20rainfall%2C%20these%20systems%20do%20not%20slowly%20shift%20in%20line%20with%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions%20but%20can%20instead%20flip%20from%20one%20state%20to%20an%20entirely%20different%20one.%20When%20a%20climatic%20system%20tips%20%E2%80%93%20sometimes%20with%20a%20sudden%20shock%20%E2%80%93%20it%20may%20permanently%20alter%20the%20way%20the%20planet%20works.%0A%0AScientists%20warn%20that%20there%20are%20large%20uncertainties%20around%20when%20such%20systems%20will%20shift%20but%20the%20report%20found%20that%20three%20more%20may%20soon%20join%20the%20list.%20These%20include%20mangroves%20and%20seagrass%20meadows%2C%20which%20are%20expected%20to%20die%20off%20in%20some%20regions%20if%20the%20temperatures%20rise%20between%201.5C%20and%202C%2C%20and%20boreal%20forests%2C%20which%20may%20tip%20as%20early%20as%201.4C%20of%20heating%20or%20as%20late%20as%205C%0A%0AThe%20warning%20comes%20as%20world%20leaders%20meet%20for%20the%20Cop28%20climate%20summit%20in%20Dubai.%20On%20Tuesday%2C%20Climate%20Action%20Tracker%20estimated%20that%20their%20emissions%20targets%20for%202030%20put%20the%20planet%20on%20track%20to%20heat%202.5C%20by%20the%20end%20of%20the%20century%2C%20despite%20promises%20from%20countries%20at%20a%20previous%20summit%20to%20try%20to%20limit%20it%20to%201.5C.%0A%0AThe%20tipping%20point%20report%2C%20produced%20by%20an%20international%20team%20of%20200%20researchers%20and%20funded%20by%20Bezos%20Earth%20Fund%2C%20is%20the%20latest%20in%20a%20series%20of%20warnings%20about%20the%20most%20extreme%20effects%20of%20climate%20change.%0A%0AScientists%20have%20warned%20that%20some%20of%20the%20shifts%20can%20create%20feedback%20loops%20that%20heat%20the%20planet%20further%20or%20alter%20weather%20patterns%20in%20a%20way%20that%20triggers%20other%20tipping%20points.%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20said%20the%20systems%20were%20so%20tightly%20linked%20they%20could%20not%20rule%20out%20%E2%80%9Ctipping%20cascades%E2%80%9D.%20If%20the%20Greenland%20ice%20sheet%20disintegrates%2C%20for%20instance%2C%20it%20could%20lead%20to%20an%20abrupt%20shift%20in%20the%20Atlantic%20Meridional%20Overturning%20Circulation%2C%20an%20important%20current%20that%20delivers%20most%20of%20the%20heat%20to%20the%20gulf%20stream.%20That%2C%20in%20turn%2C%20can%20intensify%20the%20El%20Ni%C3%B1o%20southern%20oscillation%2C%20one%20of%20the%20most%20powerful%20weather%20patterns%20on%20the%20planet.%0A%0AThe%20co-author%20Sina%20Loriani%2C%20from%20the%20Potsdam%20Institute%20for%20Climate%20Impact%20Research%2C%20said%20tipping-point%20risks%20could%20be%20disastrous%20and%20should%20be%20taken%20very%20seriously%2C%20despite%20the%20remaining%20uncertainties.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CCrossing%20these%20thresholds%20may%20trigger%20fundamental%20and%20sometimes%20abrupt%20changes%20that%20could%20irreversibly%20determine%20the%20fate%20of%20essential%20parts%20of%20our%20Earth%20system%20for%20the%20coming%20hundreds%20or%20thousands%20of%20years%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%0A%0AIn%20its%20latest%20review%20of%20climate%20change%20science%2C%20the%20Intergovernmental%20Panel%20on%20Climate%20Change%20found%20that%20tipping%20thresholds%20were%20unclear%20but%20the%20dangers%20would%20grow%20more%20likely%20as%20the%20planet%20heats%20up%0A%0AIt%20said%3A%20%E2%80%9CRisks%20associated%20with%20large-scale%20singular%20events%20or%20tipping%20points%2C%20such%20as%20ice-sheet%20instability%20or%20ecosystem%20loss%20from%20tropical%20forests%2C%20transition%20to%20high%20risk%20between%201.5C%20to%202.5C%20and%20to%20very%20high%20risk%20between%202.5C%20to%204C.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20tipping%20point%20report%20also%20looked%20at%20what%20it%20called%20%E2%80%9Cpositive%20tipping%20points%E2%80%9D%2C%20such%20as%20the%20plummeting%20price%20of%20renewable%20energy%20and%20the%20growth%20in%20sales%20of%20electric%20vehicles.%20It%20found%20that%20such%20shifts%20do%20not%20happen%20by%20themselves%20but%20need%20to%20be%20enabled%20by%20stimulating%20innovation%2C%20shaping%20markets%2C%20regulating%20business%2C%20and%20educating%20and%20mobilising%20the%20public.%0A%0AA%20study%20from%20the%20report%E2%80%99s%20co-author%20Manjana%20Milkoreit%20last%20year%20warned%20against%20overusing%20the%20label%20of%20social%20tipping%20points%20by%20promising%20solutions%20that%20did%20not%20exist%20at%20scale%20or%20could%20not%20be%20controlled.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWhile%20scholarship%20benefits%20from%20hope%2C%20we%20need%20to%20exercise%20caution%20when%20offering%20social%20tipping%20points%20as%20potential%20solutions%20to%20the%20temporal%20squeeze%20of%20climate%20change%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20wrote.%0A%0A%20This%20article%20was%20amended%20on%206%20December%202023.%20An%20earlier%20version%20incorrectly%20referred%20to%20%E2%80%9Catmospheric%20circulation%E2%80%9D%2C%20rather%20than%20oceanic%20current%2C%20in%20the%20North%20Atlantic.

Five catastrophic climate tipping points on Earth

Synthetic%2C%20non-biodegradable%20plastics%20are%20major%20sources%20of%20environmental%20pollution%20and%20have%20prompted%20rising%20interest%20in%20sustainable%2C%20biodegradable%20alternatives%20derived%20from%20natural%20polymers.%20%22Tara%20gum%2C%22%20derived%20from%20the%20seeds%20of%20the%20tara%20tree%20(Caesalpinia%20spinosa)%2C%20stands%20out%20as%20a%20promising%20solution.%0A%0AThis%20natural%2C%20water-soluble%20substance%20contains%20polysaccharides%20(complex%20carbohydrates)%2C%20including%20the%20widely%20used%20%22galactomannan%2C%22%20which%20is%20employed%20in%20coatings%2C%20edible%20films%2C%20and%20as%20a%20stabilizer%20and%20thickener.%0A%0AThe%20biocompatibility%2C%20biodegradability%2C%20and%20safety%20of%20tara%20gum%20also%20make%20it%20valuable%20in%20industries%20like%20food%20and%20drug%20delivery.%20Moreover%2C%20the%20adaptable%20nature%20of%20the%20groups%20within%20tara%20gum%20polysaccharides%20renders%20it%20valuable%20for%20tailoring%20physicochemical%20and%20mechanical%20properties%20for%20specific%20applications.%0A%0AIn%20a%20study%20published%20in%20Carbohydrate%20Polymers%20on%201%20January%202024%2C%20a%20team%20of%20researchers%2C%20led%20by%20Professor%20Sangkil%20Lee%20from%20Chung-Ang%20University%20in%20the%20Republic%20of%20Korea%2C%20has%20now%20conducted%20a%20thorough%20and%20critical%20examination%20of%20modification%20methods%20(%22grafting%22)%20applied%20to%20tara%20gum.%20The%20study%20explores%20the%20applications%20of%20these%20modifications%20in%20the%20food%20and%20drug%20industry%2C%20including%20the%20development%20of%20pH-sensitive%20food%20packaging%20and%20drug%20delivery%20systems.%0A%0AProf.%20Lee%20explains%2C%20%22Our%20team%20has%20a%20keen%20interest%20in%20natural%20polysaccharides%20and%20their%20role%20in%20drug%20delivery%2C%20and%20we%20have%20been%20working%20on%20tara%20gum%20and%20other%20natural%20polysaccharides%20to%20extend%20their%20applications.%20Various%20researchers%20have%20explored%20the%20wide%20range%20of%20applications%20for%20its%20various%20modified%20forms.%20However%2C%20this%20is%20the%20first%20review%20article%20on%20recent%20advancements%20in%20tara%20gum%20and%20its%20modified%20materials%2C%20and%20their%20potential%20role%20in%20food%20and%20drug%20delivery.%22%0A%0AThe%20team%20presents%20a%20systematic%20and%20detailed%20overview%20of%20various%20advancements%20in%20tara%20gum%20research.%20They%20describe%20methods%20for%20the%20extraction%2C%20isolation%2C%20and%20characterization%20of%20tara%20gum%20polysaccharides.%20Additionally%2C%20the%20toxicology%20and%20rheological%20(deformation)%20behavior%20of%20tara%20gum%2C%20along%20with%20its%20behavior%20in%20the%20presence%20of%20other%20polysaccharides%2C%20are%20thoroughly%20examined.%0A%0AThe%20review%20paper%20also%20delves%20into%20the%20applications%20of%20tara%20gum%20and%20its%20modified%20derivatives%20in%20the%20food%20industry.%20These%20include%20the%20use%20in%20biopolymer%20packaging%2C%20monitoring%20seafood%20and%20milk%20spoilage%2C%20acting%20as%20a%20gelation%20agent%2C%20providing%20short-term%20protection%20of%20food%20from%20oxidation%2C%20and%20safeguarding%20fatty%20foods.%0A%0AThe%20applications%20of%20tara%20gum%20and%20its%20modified%20materials%20have%20been%20detailed%20for%20the%20pharmaceutical%20industry%20as%20well%2C%20including%20the%20controlled%20release%20of%20vitamin%20D-3%2C%20antibacterial%20hydrogel%20development%2C%20iron%20delivery%20in%20both%20infants%20and%20adults%2C%20controlled%20release%20of%20drugs%2C%20and%20restoration%20of%20the%20physiological%20barrier%20of%20the%20gut.%0A%0A%22The%20physicochemical%20property%20of%20tara%20gum%20and%20its%20products%20can%20be%20enhanced%20using%20various%20kinds%20of%20monomers%2C%20crosslinkers%2C%20or%20other%20polysaccharides.%20Furthermore%2C%20the%20improvement%20of%20antibacterial%20properties%20might%20be%20achieved%20through%20the%20incorporation%20of%20chitosan%20or%20other%20natural%20polymers%2C%20as%20well%20as%20inorganic%20materials%20such%20as%20copper%20and%20zinc%20nanoparticles%2C%22%20says%20Prof.%20Lee.

Tara gum to be used as an alternative to plastic

A%20Japanese%20firm%20said%20Monday%20it%20had%20successfully%20launched%20a%20spacecraft%20tasked%20with%20inspecting%20potentially%20dangerous%20man-made%20junk%20floating%20around%20the%20Earth.%0A%0AThe%20European%20Space%20Agency%20(ESA)%20estimates%20that%20around%20one%20million%20pieces%20of%20debris%20from%20satellites%20and%20rockets%20larger%20than%20a%20centimeter%E2%80%94big%20enough%20to%20%22disable%20a%20spacecraft%22%E2%80%94are%20in%20orbit.%0A%0AThe%20Active%20Debris%20Removal%20by%20Astroscale-Japan%20(ADRAS-J)%20is%20meant%20to%20rendezvous%20with%20and%20examine%20the%20remains%20of%20a%20Japanese%20H2A%20rocket%20floating%20in%20space%20for%20the%20last%2015%20years%2C%20Astroscale%20Japan%20said.%0A%0AThe%20probe%20was%20launched%20from%20New%20Zealand%20at%201452%20GMT%20on%20Sunday%2C%20and%20Astroscale%20%22has%20successfully%20made%20contact...%20and%20is%20ready%20to%20start%20operations%22%2C%20project%20manager%20Eijiro%20Atarashi%20said%20in%20a%20statement.%0A%0AThe%20precise%20location%20and%20orbital%20position%20of%20the%20H2A%20upper%20stage%20rocket%20body%2C%20launched%20by%20Japan%20Aerospace%20Exploration%20Agency%20(JAXA)%20space%20agency%20in%202009%20and%20around%20the%20size%20of%20a%20bus%2C%20is%20not%20known.%0A%0ABut%20using%20observation%20data%20from%20Earth%2C%20the%20estimated%20location%20will%20be%20determined%20and%20ADRAS-J%20will%20approach%20%22from%20a%20safe%20distance%22%20and%20then%20gather%20images%20to%20assess%20the%20structure's%20movements%20and%20condition.%0A%0AThe%20ADRAS-J%20spacecraft%E2%80%94which%20Astroscale%20says%20is%20the%20first%20of%20its%20kind%E2%80%94was%20selected%20by%20JAXA%20for%20the%20first%20phase%20of%20a%20program%20aimed%20at%20removing%20large%20debris%20of%20Japanese%20origin%20in%20cooperation%20with%20private%20companies.%0A%0AJunk%20like%20used%20satellites%2C%20parts%20of%20rockets%20and%20wreckage%20from%20collisions%20has%20been%20piling%20up%20since%20the%20space%20age%20began%2C%20with%20the%20problem%20accelerating%20in%20recent%20decades.%0A%0APotential%20solutions%20include%20using%20a%20laser%20beam%20to%20push%20objects%20into%20a%20new%20orbit%20and%20Astroscale's%20own%20space%20%22tow-truck%22%2C%20which%20uses%20a%20magnet%20to%20collect%20and%20move%20out-of-service%20satellites.%0A%0AThe%20launch%20of%20the%20ADRAS-J%20mission%20came%20after%20Japan%20successfully%20blasted%20off%20its%20new%20flagship%20H3%20rocket%20on%20Saturday%20after%20years%20of%20delays%20and%20two%20previous%20failed%20attempts.%0A%0AIt%20also%20followed%20the%20country's%20successful%20landing%20last%20month%20of%20an%20unmanned%20probe%20on%20the%20Moon%E2%80%94albeit%20at%20a%20wonky%20angle%E2%80%94making%20it%20just%20the%20fifth%20country%20to%20achieve%20a%20%22soft%22%20lunar%20landing.

Japanese space debris inspection probe launched

University%20of%20Alaska%20Fairbanks%20researchers%20have%20devised%20a%20way%20to%20remotely%20detect%20large%20landslides%20within%20minutes%20of%20occurrence%20and%20to%20quickly%20determine%20whether%20they%20are%20close%20to%20open%20water%20and%20present%20a%20tsunami%20hazard.%0A%0AThey%20write%20in%20a%20new%20paper%20that%20their%20method%20of%20determining%20a%20landslide's%20location%2C%20volume%20and%20potential%20impact%20is%20rapid%20enough%20to%20support%20the%20National%20Oceanic%20and%20Atmospheric%20Administration's%20goal%20of%20issuing%20a%20tsunami%20warning%20within%20five%20minutes%20of%20a%20landslide.%0A%0A%22The%20warming%20climate%20is%20causing%20glaciers%20to%20retreat%2C%20leaving%20behind%20valleys%20whose%20mountainsides%20and%20hillsides%20have%20lost%20their%20support%2C%22%20said%20research%20seismologist%20Ezgi%20Karas%C3%B6zen%20of%20the%20UAF%20Geophysical%20Institute.%20%22This%20is%20important%2C%20especially%20in%20regions%20like%20southern%20coastal%20Alaska%2C%20because%20huge%20masses%20of%20land%20can%20and%20do%20spill%20into%20water%20and%20cause%20tsunamis.%22%0A%0AKaras%C3%B6zen%20and%20Michael%20West%2C%20director%20of%20the%20Alaska%20Earthquake%20Center%20at%20the%20Geophysical%20Institute%2C%20detailed%20their%20method%20in%20a%20paper%20published%20Feb.%209%20in%20the%20journal%20The%20Seismic%20Record.%20West%20also%20serves%20as%20Alaska%20state%20seismologist.%0A%0ATheir%20paper%20calls%20attention%20to%20the%20danger%20by%20pointing%20to%20a%202015%20landslide%20that%20sent%20100%20million%20cubic%20yards%20of%20rock%20into%20Alaska's%20Taan%20Fjord%2C%20located%20off%20Icy%20Bay%2C%2065%20miles%20northwest%20of%20Yakutat.%20The%20slide%20created%20a%20tsunami%20that%20stripped%20vegetation%20as%20high%20as%20620%20feet%20above%20waterline.%0A%0AA%20prototype%20system%20by%20Karas%C3%B6zen%20and%20West%20capable%20of%20real-time%20detection%20has%20been%20in%20place%20since%20August%20in%20the%20area%20of%20the%20Barry%20Arm%20of%20Prince%20William%20Sound.%20It%20uses%20data%20from%20seismic%20stations%20already%20in%20the%20Alaska%20network.%0A%0AState%20and%20federal%20agencies%20fear%20a%20landslide%20and%20tsunami%20could%20occur%20at%20Barry%20Arm%2C%20where%20Barry%20Glacier%20has%20retreated%20and%20left%20behind%20an%20unsupported%20fjord%20wall%20that%20has%20slumped%20about%20650%20feet%20in%20recent%20decades.%20Retrospective%20analysis%20of%20seismic%20station%20data%20at%20Barry%20Arm%20revealed%20three%20landslides%20that%20occurred%20in%202020%20and%202021.%0A%0AKaras%C3%B6zen%20and%20West%20write%20that%20the%20instability%20%22has%20prompted%20concerns%20that%20a%20catastrophic%20failure%20could%20generate%20a%20tsunami%20with%20several%20meters%20of%20peak%20wave%20height%20reaching%20nearby%20communities%20in%20just%2020%20minutes.%22%0A%0AThe%20U.S.%20Geological%20Survey%20is%20leading%20the%20multifaceted%20interagency%20monitoring%20of%20the%20area.%0A%0A%22With%20an%20earthquake%2C%20there%20are%20instruments%20that%20measure%20ocean%20wave%20heights%2C%20and%20tsunami%20warning%20centers%20are%20on%20alert%20after%20an%20earthquake%2C%22%20Karas%C3%B6zen%20said.%20%22But%20landslides%20aren't%20systematically%20monitored%20in%20Alaska%20or%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20world.%20If%20a%20landslide-triggered%20tsunami%20were%20to%20happen%2C%20we%20wouldn't%20know.%20That's%20a%20major%20concern.%22%0A%0AThe%20method%20by%20Karas%C3%B6zen%20and%20West%20involves%20quickly%20identifying%20a%20landslide's%20long-period%20waves%20amid%20a%20seismic%20record%20busy%20with%20short-period%20waves%20created%20not%20only%20by%20a%20landslide%20but%20also%20by%20nearby%20earthquakes%20and%20glaciers%20and%20by%20human-caused%20activity.%0A%0AA%20landslide's%20initial%20onset%20generally%20registers%20as%20short-period%20waves%3B%20it%20isn't%20until%20the%20slide%20accelerates%20that%20the%20identifiable%20long-period%20waves%20materialize.%20Landslides%20produce%20disproportionately%20more%20long-period%20energy%20compared%20with%20other%20sources.%20Most%20earthquake%20ruptures%20last%20only%20seconds%2C%20while%20landslides%20routinely%20last%20a%20minute%20or%20more.%0A%0ACoastal%20fjords%20present%20a%20significant%20challenge%20for%20landslide%20detection%20because%20glaciers%20can%20create%20hundreds%20of%20prominent%20seismic%20events%20daily%2C%20the%20researchers%20write.%0A%0AKaras%C3%B6zen%20and%20West%20created%20an%20algorithm%20to%20continually%20scan%20seismic%20data%20from%20multiple%20seismic%20stations%20to%20look%20for%20a%20landslide%20wave%20signature.%20Finding%20a%20match%2C%20their%20system%20will%20estimate%20the%20slide's%20location%20and%20volume.%20In%20areas%20with%20good%20seismic%20station%20coverage%2C%20location%20can%20be%20estimated%20to%20within%20a%20few%20miles.%0A%0AThe%20goal%20is%20to%20have%20the%20system%20alert%20tsunami%20and%20seismology%20agency%20personnel%2C%20but%20more%20work%20remains%20be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Now, landslide tsunamis can be detected in minutes

A%20new%20satellite%20backed%20by%20Alphabet%20Inc's%20Google%20(GOOGL.O)%2C%20opens%20new%20tab%20and%20the%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecohubmap.com%2Fcompany%2FNGO%2Fenvironmental-defense-fund-edf%2F83q4m1kqekp8qzdxy%22%3EEnvironmental%20Defense%20Fund%3C%2Fa%3E%20group%20will%20launch%20from%20California%20on%20Monday%20with%20a%20mission%20to%20pinpoint%20oil%20and%20gas%20industry%20methane%20emissions%20from%20space.%0A%0AThe%20MethaneSAT%20sattelite%20will%20add%20to%20a%20growing%20fleet%20of%20spacecraft%20in%20orbit%20that%20are%20meant%20to%20help%20fight%20climate%20change%20by%20publishing%20data%20on%20emissions%20of%20the%20invisible%20but%20potent%20greenhouse%20gas.%0A%0AWhile%20the%20European%20Space%20Agency%20and%20another%20satellite-based%20tracker%20called%20GHGSat%20are%20already%20providing%20methane%20emissions%20data%2C%20MethaneSAT%20will%20provide%20more%20detail%20and%20have%20a%20much%20wider%20field%20of%20view%2C%20its%20backers%20say.%0A%0AThe%20Environmental%20Defense%20Fund%20(EDF)%20said%20the%20data%20will%20bring%20accountability%20to%20the%20more%20than%2050%20oil%20and%20gas%20companies%20that%20pledged%20at%20the%20Dubai%20COP28%20climate%20summit%20in%20December%20to%20zero%20out%20methane%20and%20eliminate%20routine%20gas%20flaring%2C%20and%20help%20those%20preparing%20to%20comply%20with%20forthcoming%20methane%20regulations%20in%20the%20EU%20and%20the%20U.S.%2C%20including%20a%20methane%20pollution%20fee.%0A%0A%22We'll%20be%20able%20to%20see%20who%20the%20laggards%20are%2C%20but%20hopefully%20they%20will%20use%20that%20information%20in%20a%20constructive%20way%20to%20improve%20their%20performance%2C%22%20said%20Mark%20Brownstein%2C%20senior%20vice%20president%20for%20energy%20transition%20at%20EDF.%0A%0AMethaneSAT%20was%20developed%20in%20conjunction%20with%20the%20New%20Zealand%20Space%20Agency%20and%20Harvard%20University%2C%20among%20others%2C%20and%20its%20data%20will%20be%20available%20to%20the%20public%20later%20this%20year%2C%20EDF%20said.%20Google%20Cloud%20will%20provide%20the%20computing%20capabilities%20to%20process%20the%20information.%0A%0AMethane%20emissions%20-%20which%20come%20from%20oil%20and%20natural%20gas%20production%2C%20agricultural%20waste%2C%20and%20landfills%20-%20are%20many%20times%20more%20potent%20than%20carbon%20dioxide%20as%20a%20greenhouse%20gas.%0A%0AOil%20industry%20group%20the%20American%20Petroleum%20Institute%20said%20emissions%20data%20from%20third%20parties%20should%20not%20be%20used%20for%20regulatory%20purposes%20without%20verification.%0A%0A%22The%20environmental%20regulator%20is%20still%20going%20to%20be%20paramount%20here%20as%20the%20authority%20in%20terms%20of%20validating%20the%20data%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Aaron%20Padilla%2C%20API%20vice%20president%20of%20corporate%20policy.

New Satellite to Track Global Methane Emissions

In%20Alameda%2C%20scientists%20are%20embarking%20on%20a%20novel%20attempt%20to%20cool%20the%20Earth%20%E2%80%94%20by%20spraying%20salt%20into%20clouds.%0A%0AThe%20work%2C%20known%20as%20marine%20cloud%20brightening%2C%20is%20controversial%20and%20is%20just%20one%20method%20of%20geoengineering%20%E2%80%94%20which%20describes%20interventions%20meant%20to%20slow%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20warming.%20But%20proponents%20say%20the%20technology%20may%20be%20needed%20to%20mitigate%20climate%20change.%0A%0ATo%20brighten%20clouds%2C%20researchers%20spray%20microscopic%20sea%20salt%20into%20the%20air%20over%20the%20ocean%20to%20boost%20clouds%E2%80%99%20reflectivity.%20This%20means%20less%20sunlight%20is%20absorbed%2C%20leading%20to%20a%20planetary%20cooling%20effect.%0A%0AOn%20Tuesday%2C%20scientists%20from%20the%20Marine%20Cloud%20Brightening%20Program%20scaled%20up%20their%20research%20from%20the%20laboratory%20to%20the%20flight%20deck%20of%20the%20decommissioned%20aircraft%20carrier%20Hornet%20in%20Alameda%2C%20kicking%20off%20a%20field%20campaign%20that%20will%20continue%20until%20autumn.%0A%0AThe%20scientists%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Washington%20are%20experimenting%20with%20the%20size%20and%20concentration%20of%20sea%20salt%20particles%20emitted%20from%20a%20spray%20machine.%20Cloud%20brightening%20has%20been%20simulated%20by%20computer%20models%2C%20but%20the%20field%20work%20is%20the%20first%20of%20its%20kind%20in%20North%20America%20and%20only%20the%20second%20of%20its%20kind%20in%20the%20world.%20The%20foggy%20climate%20of%20the%20Bay%20Area%2C%20the%20researchers%20say%2C%20is%20ideal%20for%20these%20experiments.%0A%0AThe%20group%20hopes%20to%20refine%20their%20formula%20for%20artificial%20sea%20salt%20and%20determine%20whether%20their%20recipe%20could%20brighten%20clouds%20and%20cool%20the%20planet%20in%20a%20significant%20way.%0A%0A%3Cb%3EHow%20marine%20cloud%20brightening%20works%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0AIn%20order%20for%20clouds%20to%20form%2C%20water%20vapor%20droplets%20need%20a%20surface%20on%20which%20to%20stick.%20Over%20land%2C%20dust%2C%20pollen%20and%20ash%20serve%20as%20seeds%20for%20cloud%20droplets%2C%20while%20marine%20clouds%20are%20mainly%20composed%20of%20sea%20salt%20particles.%0A%0AScientists%20hypothesize%20that%20by%20manually%20increasing%20the%20number%20of%20particles%20in%20the%20atmosphere%2C%20clouds%20will%20reflect%20more%20sunlight%20back%20to%20space%2C%20causing%20Earth%20to%20cool.%0A%0AWhen%20clouds%20reflect%20more%20sunlight%2C%20they%20look%20brighter%20and%20whiter%20to%20the%20human%20eye.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CA%20white%20car%20in%20a%20parking%20lot%20on%20a%20sunny%20day%20is%20going%20to%20be%20cooler%20than%20a%20black%20car%20%E2%80%A6%20same%20idea%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Lynn%20Russell%2C%20an%20atmospheric%20chemist%20at%20UC%20San%20Diego%E2%80%99s%20Scripps%20Institution%20of%20Oceanography%2C%20who%20is%20not%20involved%20in%20the%20project.%0A%0ABut%20scientists%20are%20just%20beginning%20to%20test%20cloud%20brightening%20in%20the%20real%20world%2C%20and%20they%20aren%E2%80%99t%20yet%20sure%20whether%20it%20will%20actually%20work.%20Simulations%20project%20that%20if%2015%25%20of%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20marine%20clouds%20were%20brightened%2C%20the%20globe%20would%20cool%20by%20roughly%20a%20degree%2C%20said%20Rob%20Wood%2C%20the%20lead%20scientist%20for%20the%20project%20and%20a%20professor%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Washington.%20%0A%0A%E2%80%9CIf%20you%20increase%20the%20number%20of%20cloud%20droplets%20by%20increasing%20the%20number%20of%20sea%20salt%20particles%2C%20it%E2%80%99s%20like%20increasing%20the%20number%20of%20mirrors%20to%20reflect%20sunlight%20back%20to%20space%2C%E2%80%9D%20Wood%20said.%0A%0AIn%20fact%2C%20particles%20from%20human%20pollution%2C%20such%20as%20wood%20burning%20and%20vehicular%20exhaust%2C%20provide%20a%20cooling%2C%20a%20slight%20offset%20to%20the%20greenhouse%20warming%20effect.%20Bad%20air%20quality%20is%20linked%20to%20health%20problems%20like%20asthma%2C%20so%20over%20the%20last%20decades%2C%20officials%20have%20ratcheted%20up%20regulations%2C%20and%20global%20air%20quality%20has%20generally%20improved.%20But%20recent%20studies%20find%20clouds%20are%20becoming%20less%20reflective%20as%20pollution%20declines%2C%20accelerating%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20warming%20trend.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CHow%20much%20extra%20warming%20we%20get%20now%20from%20aerosol%20reductions%20is%20kind%20of%20telling%20us%20how%20much%20cooling%20we%20could%20have%20if%20those%20aerosols%20were%20somehow%20returned%20into%20the%20system%2C%E2%80%9D%20Wood%20said.%0A%0AOne%20way%20to%20do%20that%3A%20Seed%20clouds%20with%20salt.%0A%0AFrom%20a%20large%20machine%20resembling%20a%20giant%20snow%20maker%2C%20the%20group%20at%20the%20Hornet%20sprays%20salt%20water%20into%20the%20air.%20As%20the%20salty%20plume%20moves%20downwind%2C%20the%20water%20evaporates%2C%20leaving%20behind%20tiny%20salt%20particles%20nearly%20a%20thousand%20times%20smaller%20than%20the%20width%20of%20a%20human%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An engineering experiment to cool the earth

A%20new%20carbon%20storage%20technology%20works%20much%20faster%20than%20current%20methods%20without%20the%20harmful%20chemical%20accelerants%20they%20require.%0A%0ADeveloped%20by%20researchers%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Texas%20at%20Austin%2C%20the%20carbon%20storage%20technology%20works%20through%20the%20ultrafast%20formation%20of%20carbon%20dioxide%20hydrates.%0A%0AThese%20unique%20ice-like%20materials%20can%20bury%20carbon%20dioxide%20in%20the%20ocean%2C%20preventing%20it%20from%20being%20released%20into%20the%20atmosphere.%20%E2%80%8B%0A%0AVaibhav%20Bahadur%2C%20a%20professor%20in%20the%20Walker%20Department%20of%20Mechanical%20Engineering%20who%20led%20the%20research%2C%20explained%3A%20%E2%80%9CHydrates%20offer%20a%20universal%20solution%20for%20carbon%20storage.%20For%20them%20to%20be%20a%20major%20piece%20of%20the%20carbon%20storage%20pie%2C%20we%20need%20the%20technology%20to%20grow%20them%20rapidly%20and%20at%20scale.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%E2%80%99ve%20shown%20that%20we%20can%20quickly%20grow%20hydrates%20without%20using%20any%20chemicals%20that%20offset%20the%20environmental%20benefits%20of%20carbon%20capture.%E2%80%9D%0A%0A%3Cb%3EIssues%20with%20widely%20used%20storage%20technologies%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0ACarbon%20dioxide%20is%20the%20most%20common%20greenhouse%20gas%20and%20a%20major%20driver%20of%20climate%20change.%0A%0ACarbon%20capture%20and%20sequestration%20takes%20carbon%20out%20of%20the%20atmosphere%20and%20stores%20it%20permanently.%20And%20it%20is%20seen%20as%20a%20critical%20aspect%20of%20decarbonising%20our%20planet.%0A%0AToday%2C%20the%20most%20common%20carbon%20storage%20method%20involves%20injecting%20carbon%20dioxide%20into%20underground%20reservoirs.%20This%20technique%20has%20the%20dual%20benefits%20of%20trapping%20carbon%20and%20also%20increasing%20oil%20production.%0A%0AHowever%2C%20this%20technique%20faces%20significant%20issues%2C%20including%20carbon%20dioxide%20leakage%20and%20migration%2C%20groundwater%20contamination%20and%20seismic%20risks%20associated%20with%20injection.%0A%0AMany%20parts%20of%20the%20world%20also%20lack%20suitable%20geologic%20features%20for%20reservoir%20injection.%0A%0A%3Cb%3EA%20%E2%80%98plan%20B%E2%80%99%20for%20gigascale%20carbon%20storage%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0AHydrates%20represent%20a%20%E2%80%98plan%20B%E2%80%99%20for%20gigascale%20carbon%20storage%2C%20Bahadur%20said%2C%20but%20they%20could%20become%20%E2%80%98plan%20A%E2%80%99%20if%20some%20of%20the%20main%20issues%20can%20be%20overcome.%0A%0AUntil%20now%2C%20the%20process%20of%20forming%20these%20carbon-trapping%20hydrates%20has%20been%20slow%20and%20energy-intensive%2C%20holding%20it%20back%20as%20a%20large-scale%20means%20of%20carbon%20storage.%0A%0AIn%20the%20new%20study%2C%20researchers%20achieved%20a%20sixfold%20increase%20in%20the%20hydrate%20formation%20rate%20compared%20with%20previous%20methods.%0A%0AThe%20speed%20combined%20with%20the%20chemical-free%20process%20makes%20it%20easier%20to%20use%20these%20hydrates%20for%20mass-scale%20commercialisation.%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20used%20magnesium%2C%20which%20acts%20as%20a%20catalyst%20that%20eliminates%20the%20need%20for%20chemical%20promoters.%0A%0AThis%20is%20aided%20by%20the%20high%20flow%20rate%20bubbling%20of%20CO2%20in%20a%20specific%20reactor%20configuration.%20This%20technology%20works%20well%20with%20seawater%2C%20which%20makes%20it%20easier%20to%20implement%20because%20it%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20rely%20on%20complex%20desalination%20processes%20to%20create%20fresh%20water.%0A%0A%3Cb%3ENext%20steps%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0A%E2%80%9CHydrates%20are%20attractive%20carbon%20storage%20options%20since%20the%20seabed%20offers%20stable%20thermodynamic%20conditions%2C%20which%20protects%20them%20from%20decomposing%2C%E2%80%9D%20Bahadur%20said.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20are%20essentially%20making%20carbon%20storage%20available%20to%20every%20country%20on%20the%20planet%20that%20has%20a%20coastline%3B%20this%20makes%20storage%20more%20accessible%20and%20feasible%20on%20a%20global%20scale%20and%20brings%20us%20closer%20to%20achieving%20a%20sustainable%20future.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20implications%20of%20this%20breakthrough%20extend%20beyond%20carbon%20sequestration.%20%E2%80%8BUltrafast%20formation%20of%20hydrates%20has%20potential%20applications%20in%20desalination%2C%20gas%20separation%20and%20gas%20storage%2C%20offering%20a%20versatile%20solution%20for%20various%20industries.%20%E2%80%8B%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20and%20UT%20have%20filed%20for%20a%20pair%20of%20patents%20related%20to%20the%20technology%2C%20and%20the%20team%20is%20considering%20a%20startup%20to%20commercialise%20it.

Fastest carbon storage technology unveiled

The%20rechargeable%20lithium-ion%20batteries%20that%20power%20your%20cellphone%2C%20laptop%2C%20and%20other%20gadgets%20use%20liquid%20or%20gel%20electrolytes.%20Scientists%20want%20to%20replace%20these%20batteries%20with%20rechargeable%20solid-state%20lithium%20batteries%2C%20but%20why%3F%20%0A%20%0AThis%20is%20because%20solid-state%20batteries%20are%20stable%2C%20have%20a%20higher%20energy%20density%2C%20and%20are%20much%20safer%20since%20they%20are%20not%20flammable%20like%20conventional%20Li-ion%20batteries.%20%20%0A%20%0AFor%20instance%2C%20an%20electric%20vehicle%20powered%20by%20a%20solid-state%20lithium%20battery%20would%20offer%20a%20greater%20range%20and%20perform%20well%20under%20different%20temperature%20conditions%20compared%20to%20a%20similar%20EV%20with%20a%20conventional%20lithium%20battery.%20Similarly%2C%20a%20cellphone%20with%20a%20solid-state%20battery%20will%20last%20multiple%20days%20on%20a%20single%20charge.%20%0A%0AThere%20is%20one%20big%20problem%2C%20though.%20Recycling%20solid-state%20lithium%20batteries%20is%20much%20more%20complex%20and%20challenging%2C%20making%20them%20a%20disaster%20for%20the%20environment.%20Even%20at%20present%2C%20about%2095%20percent%20of%20conventional%20lithium%20batteries%20(which%20are%20easier%20to%20recycle)%20go%20unrecycled%20and%20end%20up%20polluting%20land%20and%20water.%0A%0ASolid-state%20lithium%20batteries%20can%20worsen%20the%20situation.%20However%2C%20a%20new%20study%20from%20researchers%20at%20Penn%20State%20University%20(PSU)%20reveals%20a%20practical%20and%20efficient%20way%20to%20recycle%20solid-state%20batteries.%20Here%E2%80%99s%20how%20it%20works%3A%0A%0A%3Cb%3EUsing%20polymers%20to%20recycle%20solid-state%20lithium%20batteries%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0AWhen%20lithium%20batteries%20are%20recycled%2C%20they%20turn%20into%20a%20black%20mass%20comprising%20different%20materials.%20%E2%80%9CThis%20black%20mass%20is%20rich%20in%20materials%20needed%20for%20batteries%20but%20separating%20them%20out%20remains%20a%20challenge%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20study%20authors%20note.%20%0A%0AHowever%2C%20in%20solid-state%20batteries%2C%20the%20use%20of%20solid%20electrolytes%20compounds%20this%20problem%2C%20as%20they%20become%20intermixed%20with%20the%20black%20mass%2C%20the%20study%20authors%20added.%20The%20PSU%20team%20figured%20out%20an%20interesting%20way%20to%20solve%20this%20problem.%20%0A%0AThey%20took%20a%20solid-state%20lithium%20coin%20cell%20battery%20and%20placed%20two%20polymer%20layers%20at%20the%20junctions%20between%20its%20electrode%20and%20electrolyte.%20Next%2C%20they%20subjected%20the%20battery%20to%20the%20recycling%20process%20used%20to%20recycle%20conventional%20Li-ion%20batteries.%20This%20caused%20the%20polymer%20to%20dissolve%20between%20the%20electrolyte%20and%20electrode%2C%20preventing%20them%20from%20mixing.%0A%20%0A%E2%80%9CWithout%20the%20polymer%20layer%20separating%20them%2C%20you%20would%20have%20the%20electrode%20and%20electrolyte%20mixed%20together%2C%20which%20makes%20them%20hard%20to%20recycle%2C%E2%80%9D%20Yi-Chen%20Lan%2C%20first%20author%20of%20the%20study%20and%20a%20doctoral%20student%20at%20PSU%2C%20said.%20%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20then%20separated%20the%20different%20battery%20materials.%20They%20combined%20the%20recovered%20metals%20and%20electrodes%20using%20cold%20sintering.%20It%20is%20a%20process%20in%20which%20a%20powdered%20mixture%20of%20different%20materials%20is%20pressed%20and%20treated%20with%20a%20solvent%20at%20low%20temperatures%20until%20it%20turns%20into%20one%20solid%20object%20that%20can%20be%20used%20to%20make%20a%20new%20battery.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20used%20cold%20sintering%20to%20combine%20the%20recovered%20electrodes%20with%20recovered%20composite%20solid%20electrolyte%20powders%2C%20then%20reconstructed%20the%20battery%20with%20the%20polymer%20layers%20added.%20This%20enables%20us%20to%20recycle%20the%20whole%20battery%2C%20which%20we%20are%20then%20able%20to%20recycle%20again%20after%20its%20use%2C%E2%80%9D%20Po-Hao%20Lai%2C%20one%20of%20the%20study%20authors%2C%20said.%20%20%0A%0A%3Cb%3ETesting%20the%20recycled%20solid-state%20battery%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0AThe%20PSU%20team%20integrated%20the%20recycled%20solid%20material%20from%20the%20coin%20cell%20into%20a%20new%20battery%20and%20tested%20its%20performance.%20The%20recycled%20battery%20had%20over%2092%20percent%20of%20the%20discharge%20capacity%20of%20the%20original%20coin%20cell%20battery.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CFully%20recovered%20full%20cells%20with%20Li-metal%20and%20LTO%20anodes%20show%2092.5%25%20and%2093.8%25%20of%20original%20discharge%20capacity%20at%200.05%20C%20and%20room%20temperature%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20study%20authors%20note.%0A%0ASolid-state%20battery%20technology%20is%20still%20in%20the%20early%20development%20phase.%20However%2C%20this%20experiment%20successfully%20demonstrates%20that%20it%20is%20possible%20to%20recycle%20such%20batteries%20and%20harness%20their%20potential%20without%20harming%20the%20environment.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWhile%20we%E2%80%99re%20not%20quite%20there%20yet%2C%20the%20long-term%20goal%20is%20to%20apply%20this%20innovation%20to%20larger%20batteries%20that%20could%20be%20used%20in%20devices%20like%20cell%20phones%20and%20laptops%2C%20once%20all-solid-state%20technology%20becomes%20more%20prevalent%2C%E2%80%9D%20Lan%20said.

Complete recycle of solid-state batteries possible

A%20new%20method%20to%20break%20down%20perfluoroalkyl%20substances%20(PFAS)%20using%20visible%20LED%20light%20offers%20a%20promising%20solution%20for%20sustainable%20fluorine%20recycling%20and%20PFAS%20treatment.%0A%0AResearchers%20have%20developed%20a%20promising%20new%20method%20which%20uses%20light%20to%20clean%20up%20forever%20chemicals%20at%20room%20temperature.%20%0A%20%0AThe%20method%20to%20decompose%20perfluoroalkyl%20substances%20(PFASs)%20using%20visible%20LED%20light%20offers%20a%20promising%20solution%20for%20sustainable%20fluorine%20recycling%20and%20PFAS%20treatment.%20%0A%20%0AThe%20method%20can%20be%20used%20to%20recover%20fluorine%20from%20waste%20PFAS%2C%20reducing%20the%20need%20for%20new%20fluorine%20production.%20%0A%20%0AThe%20research%20was%20carried%20out%20by%20a%20team%20from%20the%20Ritsumeikan%20University%2C%20Japan%2C%20which%20was%20led%20by%20Professor%20Yoichi%20Kobayashi.%0A%0A%3Cb%3EProblems%20posed%20by%20forever%20chemicals%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%20%0APFASs%2C%20which%20are%20also%20called%20forever%20chemicals%2C%20are%20a%20growing%20environmental%20and%20health%20threat.%20%0A%20%0ASince%20the%20invention%20of%20Teflon%20in%201938%20PFASs%20have%20been%20used%20extensively%20around%20the%20world%20for%20their%20stability%20and%20resistance%20to%20heat%20and%20water.%20%0A%20%0AThey%20are%20used%20in%20countless%20applications%2C%20ranging%20from%20cookware%20and%20clothing%20to%20firefighting%20foam.%20%20%0A%20%0AHowever%2C%20the%20same%20stability%20also%20poses%20an%20ecological%20challenge%20as%20the%20forever%20chemicals%20refuse%20to%20break%20down%20and%20accumulate%20in%20water%2C%20soil%20and%20even%20animal%20bodies.%20In%20humans%2C%20they%20have%20been%20known%20to%20cause%20carcinogenic%20effects%20and%20hormonal%20disruptions.%20%0A%20%0ATo%20decompose%20the%20forever%20chemicals%2C%20temperatures%20exceeding%20752%C2%B0F%20(400%C2%B0C)%20are%20needed%2C%20which%20is%20rather%20challenging%20to%20achieve.%20%0A%20%0ATherefore%2C%20the%20new%20method%20is%20a%20path%20breaking%20one%20as%20it%20can%20be%20used%20to%20decompose%20PFASs%20at%20room%20temperature%20using%20visible%20LED%20light.%20%0A%20%0AResearchers%20at%20achieved%20a%20100%25%20breakdown%20of%20perfluorooctanesulfonate%20(a%20type%20of%20PFAS)%20in%20just%20eight%20hours%20and%20an%2081%25%20breakdown%20of%20Nafion%20(a%20fluoropolymer)%20in%2024%20hours%2C%20according%20to%20a%20press%20release%20by%20Ritsumeikan%20University.%0A%0AThe%20study%20details%20a%20photocatalytic%20method%20that%20uses%20visible%20light%20to%20break%20down%20PFAS%20and%20other%20fluorinated%20polymers%20(FPs)%20at%20room%20temperature%20into%20fluorine%20ions.%20%20%0A%20%0A%3Cb%3EThe%20method%20to%20break%20PFAS%20at%20room%20temperature%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%20%0AThe%20method%20involves%20irradiating%20visible%20LED%20light%20onto%20cadmium%20sulfide%20(CdS)%20nanocrystals%20and%20copper-doped%20CdS%20(Cu-CdS)%20nanocrystals%20with%20surface%20ligands%20of%20mercaptopropionic%20acid%20(MPA)%20in%20a%20solution%20containing%20PFAS%2C%20FPs%2C%20and%20triethanolamine%20(TEOA).%20%20%0A%20%0AThe%20researchers%20found%20that%20irradiating%20these%20semiconductor%20nanocrystals%20generates%20electrons%20with%20a%20high%20reduction%20potential%20that%20break%20down%20the%20strong%20carbon-fluorine%20bonds%20in%20PFAS%20molecules.%20%0A%20%0AFor%20the%20photocatalytic%20reaction%2C%20the%20researchers%20added%200.8%20mg%20of%20CdS%20nanocrystals%20(NCs)%2C%200.65%20mg%20of%20PFOS%2C%20and%2020%20mg%20of%20TEOA%20to%201.0%20ml%20of%20water.%20They%20then%20exposed%20the%20solution%20to%20405-nanometer%20LED%20light%20to%20initiate%20the%20photocatalytic%20reaction.%0A%0AThe%20light%20excites%20the%20nanoparticles%2C%20generating%20electron-hole%20pairs%20and%20promoting%20the%20removal%20of%20MPA%20ligands%20from%20the%20surface%20of%20the%20nanocrystals%2C%20creating%20space%20for%20PFOS%20molecules%20to%20adsorb%20onto%20the%20NC%20surface.%20%0A%20%0ATo%20prevent%20photoexcited%20electrons%20from%20recombining%20with%20holes%2C%20TEOA%20is%20added%20to%20capture%20the%20holes%20and%20prolong%20the%20lifetime%20of%20the%20reactive%20electrons%20available%20for%20PFAS%20decomposition.%20%0A%20%0AThese%20electrons%20undergo%20an%20Auger%20recombination%20process%2C%20where%20one%20exciton%20(an%20electron-hole%20pair)%20recombines%20non-radiatively%2C%20transferring%20its%20energy%20to%20another%20electron%2C%20and%20creating%20highly%20excited%20electrons.%20%0A%20%0AThese%20highly%20excited%20electrons%20possess%20enough%20energy%20to%20participate%20in%20chemical%20reactions%20with%20the%20PFOS%20molecules%20adsorbed%20on%20the%20NC%20surface.%20The%20reactions%20lead%20to%20the%20breaking%20of%20carbon-fluorine%20(C-F)%20bonds%20in%20PFOS%2C%20resulting%20in%20the%20removal%20of%20fluorine%20ions%20from%20the%20PFAS%20molecules.%0A%0AThe%20presence%20of%20hydrated%20electrons%2C%20generated%20by%20Auger%20recombination%2C%20was%20confirmed%20by%20laser%20flash%20photolysis%20measurements%2C%20which%20identified%20transient%20species%20based%20on%20the%20absorption%20spectrum%20upon%20laser%20pulse%20excitation.%20%20%0A%20%0AThe%20defluorination%20efficiency%20depended%20on%20the%20amount%20of%20NCs%20and%20TEOA%20used%20in%20the%20reaction%20and%20increased%20with%20the%20period%20of%20light%20exposure.%20%0A%20%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20proposed%20methodology%20is%20promising%20for%20the%20effective%20decomposition%20of%20diverse%20perfluoroalkyl%20substances%20under%20gentle%20conditions%2C%20thereby%20significantly%20contributing%20towards%20the%20establishment%20of%20a%20sustainable%20fluorine-recycling%20society%2C%E2%80%9D%20Kobayashi%20said.%20%0A%20%0A%E2%80%9CThis%20technique%20will%20contribute%20to%20the%20development%20of%20recycling%20technologies%20for%20fluorine%20elements%2C%20which%20are%20used%20in%20various%20industries%20and%20support%20our%20prosperous%20society.%E2%80%9D

Research reveals LED light could break down PFAS

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Scientists discover entirely new wood type

Scientists%20have%20formed%20an%20unusual%20new%20alliance%20in%20their%20fight%20against%20climate%20change.%20They%20are%20using%20bacteria%20to%20help%20them%20extract%20rare%20metals%20vital%20in%20the%20development%20of%20green%20technology.%20Without%20the%20help%20of%20these%20microbes%2C%20we%20could%20run%20out%20of%20raw%20materials%20to%20build%20turbines%2C%20electric%20cars%20and%20solar%20panels%2C%20they%20say.%20%0A%20%0AThe%20work%20is%20being%20spearheaded%20by%20scientists%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Edinburgh%20and%20aims%20to%20use%20bacteria%20that%20can%20extract%20lithium%2C%20cobalt%2C%20manganese%20and%20other%20minerals%20from%20old%20batteries%20and%20discarded%20electronic%20equipment.%20These%20scarce%20and%20expensive%20metals%20are%20vital%20for%20making%20electric%20cars%20and%20other%20devices%20upon%20which%20green%20technology%20devices%20depend%2C%20a%20point%20stressed%20by%20Professor%20Louise%20Horsfall%2C%20chair%20of%20sustainable%20biotechnology%20at%20Edinburgh.%20%0A%20%0A%E2%80%9CIf%20we%20are%20going%20to%20end%20our%20dependence%20on%20petrochemicals%20and%20rely%20on%20electricity%20for%20our%20heating%2C%20transport%20and%20power%2C%20then%20we%20will%20become%20more%20and%20more%20dependent%20on%20metals%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Horsfall.%20%E2%80%9CAll%20those%20photovoltaics%2C%20drones%2C%203D%20printing%20machines%2C%20hydrogen%20fuel%20cells%2C%20wind%20turbines%20and%20motors%20for%20electric%20cars%20require%20metals%20%E2%80%93%20many%20of%20them%20rare%20%E2%80%93%20that%20are%20key%20to%20their%20operations.%E2%80%9D%20%0A%20%0APolitics%20is%20also%20an%20issue%2C%20scientists%20warn.%20China%20controls%20not%20only%20the%20main%20supplies%20of%20rare%20earth%20elements%2C%20but%20dominates%20the%20processing%20of%20them%20as%20well.%20%E2%80%9CTo%20get%20around%20these%20problems%20we%20need%20to%20develop%20a%20circular%20economy%20where%20we%20reuse%20these%20minerals%20wherever%20possible%2C%20otherwise%20we%20will%20run%20out%20of%20materials%20very%20quickly%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Horsfall.%20%E2%80%9CThere%20is%20only%20a%20finite%20amount%20of%20these%20metals%20on%20Earth%20and%20we%20can%20no%20longer%20afford%20to%20throw%20them%20away%20as%20waste%20as%20we%20do%20now.%20We%20need%20new%20recycling%20technologies%20if%20we%20want%20to%20do%20something%20about%20global%20warming.%E2%80%9D%20%0A%20%0AAnd%20the%20key%20to%20this%20recycling%20was%20the%20microbe%2C%20said%20Horsfall.%20%E2%80%9CBacteria%20are%20wonderful%2C%20little%20crazy%20things%20that%20can%20carry%20out%20some%20weird%20and%20wonderful%20processes.%20Some%20bacteria%20can%20synthesise%20nanoparticles%20of%20metals%2C%20for%20example.%20We%20believe%20they%20do%20this%20as%20a%20detoxification%20process.%20Basically%20they%20latch%20on%20metal%20atoms%20and%20then%20they%20spit%20them%20out%20as%20nanoparticles%20so%20that%20they%20are%20not%20poisoned%20by%20them.%E2%80%9D%20%0A%20%0AUsing%20such%20strains%20of%20bacteria%2C%20Horsfall%20and%20her%20team%20have%20now%20taken%20waste%20from%20electronic%20batteries%20and%20cars%2C%20dissolved%20it%20and%20then%20used%20bacteria%20to%20latch%20on%20to%20specific%20metals%20in%20the%20waste%20and%20deposit%20these%20as%20solid%20chemicals.%20%E2%80%9CFirst%20we%20did%20it%20with%20manganese.%20Later%20we%20did%20it%20with%20nickel%20and%20lithium.%20And%20then%20we%20used%20a%20different%20strain%20of%20bacteria%20and%20we%20were%20able%20to%20extract%20cobalt%20and%20nickel.%E2%80%9D%20%0A%20%0ACrucially%20the%20strains%20of%20bacteria%20used%20to%20extract%20these%20metals%20were%20naturally%20occurring%20ones.%20In%20future%2C%20Horsfall%20and%20her%20team%20plan%20to%20use%20gene-edited%20versions%20to%20boost%20their%20output%20of%20metals.%20%E2%80%9CFor%20example%2C%20we%20need%20to%20be%20able%20to%20extract%20cobalt%20and%20nickel%20separately%2C%20which%20we%20cannot%20do%20at%20present.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20next%20part%20of%20the%20process%20will%20be%20to%20demonstrate%20that%20these%20metals%2C%20once%20removed%20from%20old%20electronic%20waste%2C%20can%20then%20be%20used%20as%20the%20constituents%20of%20new%20batteries%20or%20devices.%20%E2%80%9CThen%20we%20will%20know%20if%20we%20are%20helping%20to%20develop%20a%20circular%20economy%20for%20dealing%20with%20green%20technologies.%20New%20legislation%20has%20decreed%20that%20by%20the%20next%20decade%20recycled%20metals%20will%20have%20to%20be%20used%20at%20significant%20levels%20for%20manufacturing%20new%20green%20technology%20devices.%20Those%20goals%20will%20be%20hard%20to%20achieve%20and%20bacteria%20will%20be%20vital%20in%20achieving%20them.%E2%80%9D

Bacteria extracts rare metals from old batteries

Whereas%20conventional%20dissipation%20devices%20employ%20steel%20to%20mitigate%20earthquake%20damage%2C%20the%20%E2%80%9Cunique%E2%80%9D%20patent%20impressively%20only%20requires%20sand%20to%20protect%20buildings%20from%20seismic%20attacks.%20%0A%20%0AUniversity%20of%20Sharjah%20professors%20manufactured%20a%20system%20of%20containers%20filled%20with%20sand%20or%20other%20granular%20material%20that%20can%20effectively%20and%20efficiently%20%E2%80%9Cdissipate%20seismic%20attacks%20and%20protect%20buildings%E2%80%9D%20from%20harm.%20%0A%20%0ADescribed%20as%20%E2%80%9Can%20innovative%20energy%20dissipation%20device%20designed%20for%20seismic-resistant%20structures%2C%20it%20can%20flexibly%20withstand%20tremors.%20It%20can%20also%20better%20secure%20a%20structure%20from%20small%20and%20moderate%20winds%20or%20vibrations%20from%20trains.%0A%0APatent%20owners%20Prof.%20Moussa%20Leblouba%20and%20Prof.%20Mostafa%20Zahri%20invented%20numerous%20systems%20in%20a%20straightforward%20device%20dubbed%20the%20%E2%80%9CParticle-Based%20Energy%20Dissipation%20Device.%E2%80%9D%20%0A%20%0AExperimental%20studies%20showed%20that%20%E2%80%9Cthe%20device%20improved%20energy%20dissipation%20efficiency%20and%20structural%20stability%2C%20making%20it%20an%20accessible%20solution%20for%20low-budget%20and%20retrofitted%20construction%20projects%2C%E2%80%9D%20Prof.%20Leblouba%20extrapolated.%20%0A%20%0A%E2%80%9COur%20work%20demonstrates%20the%20untapped%20potential%20of%20natural%20granular%20materials%20to%20provide%20an%20economical%20and%20reliable%20solution%20for%20seismic%20resistance%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Prof.%20Leblouba%20in%20a%20recent%20press%20release.%20%E2%80%9CUnlike%20conventional%20systems%2C%20it%20requires%20no%20external%20power%20and%20is%20highly%20cost-effective.%E2%80%9D%20%20%0A%20%0AFurthermore%2C%20the%20press%20release%20continues%20that%20%E2%80%9Cthe%20effective%20damping%20ratio%20was%20estimated%20to%20be%20between%2037%25%20and%2075%25%2C%20which%20is%20higher%20than%20many%20expensive%20passive%20damping%20systems.%E2%80%9D%20%0A%20%0A%3Cb%3ESand%20strong%20enough%20to%20withstand%20earthquakes%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%20%0AThe%20invention%20document%20states%20that%20the%20container%20can%20adapt%20to%20any%20size%20and%20shape%20related%20to%20a%20rectangle%2C%20cuboid%2C%20and%20others.%20It%20includes%20at%20least%20one%20movable%20plate%20made%20of%20thick%20welded%20steel%2C%20a%20slot%2C%20at%20least%20two%20holes%2C%20and%20two%20rods.%20The%20container%20includes%20a%20top%20plate%20that%20is%20horizontally%20slotted%20on%20the%20container.%20%0A%20%0AOnce%20filled%20with%20aggregates%20such%20as%20sand%20or%20even%20steel%20balls%20with%20specific%20diameters%2C%20the%20%E2%80%9Cspecially%20designed%20container%E2%80%9D%20can%20absorb%20and%20dissipate%20seismic%20energy.%20The%20granular%20approach%20dampers%20robust%20%E2%80%9Chysteresis%E2%80%9D%20behavior.%20%0A%20%0AThe%20term%20refers%20to%20%E2%80%9Ca%20lag%20between%20input%20and%20output%20in%20a%20system%20once%20a%20change%20in%20direction%20occurs%2C%E2%80%9D%20as%20per%20the%20press%20release.%20The%20earthquake%20triggers%20or%20turns%20on%20the%20device%2C%20eliminating%20the%20need%20for%20external%20power.%0A%0A%20Sand%E2%80%99s%20natural%20properties%20allow%20it%20to%20adapt%20and%20shift%20under%20unstable%20conditions%2C%20most%20notably%20compress%2C%20which%20reduces%20vibrations.%20%0A%20%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20dual%20configuration%2C%E2%80%9D%20Prof.%20Leblouba%20continues%2C%20%E2%80%9Cenhances%20stability%20and%20energy%20dissipation%20under%20medium-to-high%20loads.%20More%20silhouettes%20can%2C%20of%20course%2C%20be%20added%20to%20the%20device%20to%20achieve%20higher%20performance.%E2%80%9D%20%0A%20%0ADual%20configuration%20involves%20using%20two%20silhouettes.%20The%20rectangular%20steel%20plate%20pushes%20the%20particles%20back%20and%20forth%2C%20and%20more%20silhouettes%20can%20be%20added%20if%20needed.%20%0A%20%0A%3Cb%3EA%20cost-effective%20solution%20that%20works%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%20%0AMost%20systems%20currently%20in%20the%20market%20are%20%E2%80%9Ccostly%20and%20hard%20to%20manufacture.%E2%80%9D%20However%2C%20the%20%E2%80%9CParticle-Based%20Energy%20Dissipation%20Device%E2%80%9D%20is%20inexpensive%20and%20easy%20to%20assemble%20with%20parts%20that%20can%20be%20purchased%20in%20a%20hardware%20shop.%20%0A%20%0AThe%20patent%2C%20granted%20by%20the%20United%20States%20Patent%20and%20Trademark%20Office%2C%20represents%20a%20significant%20leap%20forward%20in%20making%20earthquake%20protection%20accessible%20to%20communities%20worldwide%2C%20ensuring%20safety%20without%20compromising%20affordability.%20%0A%20%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20results%20highlight%20the%20simplicity%20and%20effectiveness%20of%20using%20natural%20materials%2C%20proving%20that%20innovation%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20always%20have%20to%20come%20with%20a%20high%20price%20tag.%E2%80%9D

New sand-based device cuts earthquake damage

In%20the%20Andes%20Mountains%20along%20the%20Argentina-Chile%20border%2C%20a%20massive%20deposit%20of%20copper%2C%20gold%2C%20and%20silver%20%E2%80%93%20described%20as%20one%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20largest%20%E2%80%93%20has%20been%20uncovered.%0A%0AThis%20incredibly%20large%20find%20is%20located%20in%20the%20Vicu%C3%B1a%20Mineral%20Resource%2C%20which%20is%20situated%20in%20the%20San%20Juan%20Province%20of%20Argentina%20and%20the%20Atacama%20Region%20of%20Chile.%0A%0AEstimates%20suggest%20the%20deposit%20contains%2013%20million%20tons%20of%20copper%2C%2032%20million%20ounces%20of%20gold%2C%20and%20659%20million%20ounces%20of%20silver.%20Interestingly%2C%20this%20is%20the%20biggest%20gold%2C%20copper%2C%20and%20silver%20deposit%20discovered%20in%20the%20past%20three%20decades.%0A%0ACompanies%20Lundin%20Mining%20and%20BHP%20control%20the%20Vicu%C3%B1a%20Mineral%20Resource.%20%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20initial%20Mineral%20Resource%20has%20highlighted%20the%20potential%20for%20one%20of%20the%20highest%20grade%20undeveloped%20open%20pit%20copper%20projects%20in%20the%20world%20and%20one%20of%20the%20largest%20gold%20and%20silver%20resources%20globally%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Jack%20Lundin%2C%20President%20and%20CEO%20of%20Lundin%20Mining.%20%0A%0A%3Cb%3EPrecious%20metals%20importance%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0AApart%20from%20use%20in%20jewelry%2C%20gold%20is%20a%20vital%20metal%20for%20our%20modern%20world.%0AIt%20plays%20an%20important%20role%20in%20the%20development%20of%20computers%2C%20and%20even%20the%20spacecraft%20that%20reach%20for%20the%20stars.%0A%0ACopper%20is%20mostly%20used%20for%20its%20excellent%20electrical%20and%20thermal%20conductivity%20in%20wiring%2C%20electronics%2C%20machinery%2C%20and%20clean%20energy%20tech.%20On%20the%20other%20hand%2C%20silver%20is%20prized%20for%20its%20luster%20in%20jewelry%20and%20silverware%2C%20and%20for%20its%20superior%20electrical%20conductivity%20in%20electronics%20and%20solar%20technology.%0A%0AThe%20formation%20of%20these%20precious%20metals%20is%20the%20result%20of%20colossal%20geological%20forces%20at%20play%20over%20a%20large%20timescale.%0A%0AThe%20collision%20of%20tectonic%20plates%20caused%20molten%20rock%20to%20rise%2C%20carrying%20mineral-rich%20fluids%20through%20the%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20crust.%20The%20cooling%20process%20of%20these%20fluids%20within%20the%20cracks%20and%20faults%20resulted%20in%20the%20formation%20of%20metal%20veins.%0A%0AErosion%20and%20water%20movement%20over%20time%20can%20further%20shift%20these%20deposits%2C%20creating%20placer%20deposits%20in%20areas%20like%20seabeds%20and%20floodplains.%20%0A%0AIt%20now%20seems%20this%20South%20American%20region%20possesses%20even%20more%20resources%20than%20initially%20estimated.%0A%0A%3Cb%3ELargest%20copper%20deposits%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0AVicu%C3%B1a%20Mineral%20Resource%20encompasses%20two%20main%20deposits%2C%20Filo%20del%20Sol%20and%20Josemaria.%0A%0AAs%20per%20IFL%20Science%2C%20the%20Vicu%C3%B1a%20district%20is%20among%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20ten%20largest%20known%20copper%20deposits%20%E2%80%94%20thanks%20to%20the%20combined%20resources%20of%20the%20Filo%20del%20Sol%20and%20Josemar%C3%ADa%20projects.%0A%0AThe%20press%20release%20highlights%20that%20Filo%20del%20Sol%20contains%20over%20600%20million%20tons%20at%201.14%25%20Copper%20Equivalent%20(CuEq)%2C%20and%20Josemaria%20holds%20almost%20200%20million%20tons%20at%200.73%25%20CuEq.%20%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20see%20the%20potential%20for%20Vicu%C3%B1a%20to%20be%20not%20only%20a%20significant%20copper%20producer%20but%20also%20one%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20largest%20gold%20and%20silver%20mines%20as%20well%2C%E2%80%9D%20noted%20Lundin.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CFilo%20del%20Sol%20and%20the%20Vicu%C3%B1a%20district%20are%20poised%20to%20develop%20into%20a%20world-class%20deposit%20that%20will%20support%20a%20globally%20ranked%20mining%20complex%2C%E2%80%9D%20Lundin%20added.%0A%0AEarth.com%20noted%20that%20the%20financial%20analysts%20anticipate%20Argentina%20will%20significantly%20benefit%20from%20this%20major%20discovery%2C%20expecting%20it%20to%20boost%20job%20creation%2C%20trade%2C%20and%20infrastructure%20development.%20%0A%0AMoreover%2C%20the%20local%20communities%20hope%20the%20government%20will%20manage%20the%20generated%20wealth%20responsibly%20and%20allocate%20funds%20towards%20improving%20essential%20services%20like%20medical%20centers%2C%20schools%2C%20and%20roads%20in%20underdeveloped%20regions.%0A%0AReportedly%2C%20the%20companies%20now%20aim%20to%20complete%20a%20comprehensive%20technical%20report%20by%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202026.%20This%20report%20will%20outline%20the%20exploration%20strategy%2C%20project%20timeline%2C%20and%20economic%20forecasts%20for%20the%20medium%20and%20long%20term.

Geologists find massive copper-gold-silver deposit

Scientists%20from%20the%20Institute%20of%20Applied%20Ecology%20of%20the%20Chinese%20Academy%20of%20Sciences%20have%20developed%20an%20automated%20monitoring%20system%20to%20continuously%20track%20methane%20absorption%20by%20forest%20soils.%20A%20four-year%20study%20at%20a%20temperate%20forest%20site%20revealed%20a%20strong%20correlation%20between%20soil%20temperature%2C%20moisture%2C%20and%20methane%20uptake%20rates%2C%20enhancing%20understanding%20of%20methane%20oxidation%20dynamics.%0A%0AMethane%20(CH4)%20is%20a%20potent%20greenhouse%20gas%20with%20a%20global%20warming%20potential%2028%20to%2034%20times%20greater%20than%20carbon%20dioxide%20(CO2)%20over%20a%20century.%20Forest%20soils%20serve%20as%20a%20major%20biological%20sink%20for%20atmospheric%20methane%2C%20naturally%20removing%20it%20through%20a%20process%20called%20methane%20oxidation.%20This%20process%20is%20carried%20out%20by%20methanotrophic%20bacteria%20in%20the%20soil%2C%20which%20utilize%20methane%20as%20an%20energy%20source.%0A%0ATraditional%20methods%20of%20measuring%20methane%20uptake%2C%20often%20involving%20infrequent%20manual%20sampling%2C%20may%20not%20capture%20the%20rapid%20changes%20in%20environmental%20conditions%20such%20as%20rainfall%2C%20limiting%20the%20ability%20to%20fully%20capture%20how%20soil%20temperature%20and%20moisture%20affect%20methanotrophic%20activity.%0A%0ATo%20overcome%20this%2C%20the%20researchers%20led%20by%20Professor%20Fang%20Yunting%20established%20an%20automated%20monitoring%20system%20at%20the%20Qingyuan%20National%20Forest%20Ecosystem%20Research%20Station%2C%20conducting%20continuous%20measurements%20over%20four%20years.%0A%0AThe%20study%2C%20published%20in%20the%20journal%20Agricultural%20and%20Forest%20Meteorology%2C%20showed%20that%20the%20forest%20soil%20consistently%20acted%20as%20a%20methane%20sink%2C%20absorbing%20an%20average%20of%205.24%20kilograms%20of%20methane-carbon%20per%20hectare%20per%20year.%20The%20rate%20of%20methane%20absorption%20varied%20seasonally%2C%20peaking%20in%20the%20summer%20at%20244%20micrograms%20of%20carbon%20per%20square%20meter%20per%20hour%20and%20decreasing%20to%20a%20low%20of%200.8%20micrograms%20of%20carbon%20per%20square%20meter%20per%20hour%20in%20the%20winter.%0A%0AAnalysis%20shows%20that%20methane%20absorption%20in%20these%20soils%20is%20primarily%20controlled%20by%20soil%20temperature%20and%20moisture.%20While%20the%20abundance%20of%20methane-oxidizing%20bacteria%20and%20soil%20organic%20carbon%20also%20play%20a%20role%2C%20simple%20linear%20regression%20models%20showed%20that%20soil%20temperature%20alone%20explained%2036%25%20of%20the%20variability%20in%20methane%20uptake%2C%20and%20soil%20moisture%20accounted%20for%2056%25.%20A%20dual-factor%20model%20considering%20both%20temperature%20and%20water-filled%20pore%20space%20(Temp-WFPS)%20explained%2086%25%20of%20the%20annual%20variation%20in%20methane%20uptake.%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20also%20found%20that%20traditional%20monthly%20sampling%20can%20bias%20annual%20methane%20absorption%20by%20up%20to%2019%25.%20The%20high-frequency%20monitoring%20provides%20detailed%20daily%2C%20seasonal%2C%20and%20annual%20measurements%20of%20methane%20absorption%20and%20its%20response%20to%20changing%20environmental%20factors%2C%20offering%20valuable%20insights%20into%20the%20regulatory%20mechanisms%20of%20soil%20temperature%20and%20moisture%20on%20methane%20uptake.%0A%0AThis%20advancement%20aids%20the%20refinement%20of%20biogeochemical%20models%20and%20improves%20global%20methane%20budget%20estimates%2C%20providing%20essential%20knowledge%20for%20climate%20change%20mitigation%20efforts.

Automated system tracks methane in forest soils

Researchers%20have%20created%20a%20system%20to%20detect%20and%20measure%20the%20impacts%20of%20moorland%20fires%2C%20which%20will%20form%20part%20of%20a%20response%20to%20government%20proposals%20on%20heather%20and%20grassland%20burning%20in%20England.%0A%0ADr%20Maria%20Val%20Martin%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Sheffield%2C%20one%20of%20the%20three%20universities%20involved%2C%20explained%3A%20%E2%80%9CI%20studied%20wildfire%20smoke%20impacts%20in%20the%20western%20US%2C%20and%20experienced%20smoke%20and%20air%20quality%20alerts%20first-hand%20while%20living%20and%20working%20in%20Colorado%2C%20but%20I%20never%20expected%20to%20encounter%20similar%20conditions%20here%20in%20the%20UK.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThat%20changed%20on%209%20October%202023%2C%20when%20smoke%20from%20prescribed%20burns%20in%20the%20Peak%20District%20covered%20the%20entire%20city%20of%20Sheffield.%20Everyone%20in%20the%20team%20is%20based%20in%20Sheffield%2C%20and%20we%20all%20experienced%20the%20event.%E2%80%9D%0A%0ASmoke%20lingered%20in%20the%20city%20for%20approximately%20six%20hours.%20Its%20source%20was%20official%20burns%20to%20manage%20the%20moorland%20for%20various%20purposes%2C%20including%20game%20bird%20shooting.%20Particle%20pollution%20in%20Sheffield%20reached%20its%20highest%20values%20for%20eight%20months%2C%20but%20there%20was%20no%20data%20from%20villages%20closer%20to%20fires.%20The%20research%20team%20set%20up%20a%20pilot%20system%20for%20the%202024%20burn%20season%20called%20FireUp%2C%20combining%20satellite%20data%20and%2010%20ground-based%20sensors%20in%20part%20of%20the%20Peak%20District%20national%20park.%0A%0AVal%20Martin%20said%3A%20%E2%80%9CSatellite%20imagery%20can%20help%20us%20detect%20where%20and%20when%20burns%20are%20happening%2C%20but%20in%20the%20UK%20they%20often%20miss%20events%20because%20of%20cloud%20cover%20or%20short%20burn%20times.%20We%20therefore%20need%20ground%20data%20too.%E2%80%9D%0A%0ADr%20Rebecca%20Brownlow%20from%20Sheffield%20Hallam%20University%20explained%3A%20%E2%80%9COur%20sensors%20require%20mains%20power%2C%20so%20we%20asked%20local%20residents%20to%20host%20them.%20The%20response%20was%20very%20positive.%20Many%20people%20living%20and%20working%20in%20the%20Peak%20District%20wanted%20to%20take%20part.%20They%20also%20shared%20their%20personal%20experiences%20of%20smoke%20events%20and%20their%20concerns%20about%20air%20quality%20and%20their%20own%20health.%E2%80%9D%0A%0ADr%20Joe%20Glentworth%20added%3A%20%E2%80%9COn%2011%20November%202024%2C%20one%20of%20our%20sensors%20recorded%20a%20big%20increase%20in%20particle%20pollution.%20It%20was%20in%20a%20small%20residential%20area.%20Local%20residents%20also%20began%20sending%20us%20photos%20via%20WhatsApp.%20This%20combination%20of%20community%20reporting%20and%20high-resolution%20monitoring%20allowed%20us%20to%20capture%20a%20short-lived%20but%20significant%20pollution%20event%20that%20may%20have%20otherwise%20gone%20unnoticed.%E2%80%9D%0A%0ATriangulating%20data%20from%20the%20ground-based%20sensors%20and%20instruments%20on%20the%20PlanetScope%20and%20Sentinel-2%20satellites%20enabled%20the%20team%20to%20pinpoint%20the%20fire%20locations.%0A%0AA%20next%20step%20will%20be%20an%20app%20to%20make%20it%20easier%20for%20residents%2C%20visitors%20and%20organisations%20to%20log%20both%20wildfires%20and%20prescribed%20burns.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CEngland%E2%80%99s%20peatland%20burning%20is%20releasing%20harmful%20levels%20of%20air%20pollution%20that%20current%20monitoring%20fails%20to%20capture%2C%20and%20existing%20regulations%20struggle%20to%20control%2C%E2%80%9D%20Val%20Martin%20said.%20%E2%80%9CPolicymakers%20now%20have%20both%20the%20means%20and%20the%20mandate%20to%20address%20this%20long-overlooked%20issue%2C%20ensuring%20that%20upland%20land%20management%20better%20reflects%20contemporary%20climate%2C%20health%20and%20environmental%20priorities.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20approach%20used%20in%20FireUp%20could%20also%20be%20used%20to%20assess%20the%20impacts%20of%20landscape%20fires%20across%20other%20parts%20of%20the%20UK.%0A%0AAfter%20an%20exceptionally%20dry%20spring%2C%20there%20have%20been%20more%20than%2030%20moorland%20fires%20in%20the%20Peak%20District%20and%20south%20Pennines%2C%20prompting%20a%20new%20system%20of%20fire%20risk%20warnings%20for%20visitors.%0A%0AIn%202018%20fires%20on%20Winter%20Hill%20and%20Saddleworth%20Moor%20burned%20for%20seven%20weeks%2C%20causing%20air%20pollution%20problems%20across%20Manchester%20and%20more%20than%2060km%20(40%20miles)%20away%20in%20St%20Helens%2C%20Merseyside%2C%20with%20more%20than%204.5%20million%20people%20exposed%20to%20air%20pollution%20that%20exceeded%20the%20World%20Health%20Organization%E2%80%99s%20daily%20guidelines.%20The%20resulting%20health%20burden%20was%20estimated%20at%20between%2014%20and%2042%20early%20deaths.

Air quality logging system for moorland fires

Researchers%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Cambridge%20have%20identified%20a%20family%20of%20microbes%20naturally%20present%20in%20the%20human%20digestive%20system%20that%20can%20absorb%20and%20trap%20PFAS%2C%20the%20toxic%20%E2%80%98forever%20chemicals%E2%80%99%20linked%20to%20a%20range%20of%20serious%20health%20conditions.%0A%0AThese%20findings%20offer%20promising%20hope%20for%20reducing%20PFAS%20accumulation%20in%20the%20human%20body%2C%20potentially%20opening%20the%20door%20to%20new%20probiotic%20supplements%20designed%20to%20enhance%20gut%20bacteria%E2%80%99s%20ability%20to%20neutralise%20these%20harmful%20substances.%0A%0ADr%20Kiran%20Patil%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Cambridge%E2%80%99s%20MRC%20Toxicology%20Unit%20and%20senior%20author%20of%20the%20report%2C%20said%3A%20%E2%80%9CGiven%20the%20scale%20of%20the%20problem%20of%20PFAS%20forever%20chemicals%2C%20particularly%20their%20effects%20on%20human%20health%2C%20it%E2%80%99s%20concerning%20that%20so%20little%20is%20being%20done%20about%20removing%20these%20from%20our%20bodies.%E2%80%9D%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20found%20that%20certain%20species%20of%20human%20gut%20bacteria%20have%20a%20remarkably%20high%20capacity%20to%20soak%20up%20PFAS%20from%20their%20environment%20at%20a%20range%20of%20concentrations%2C%20and%20store%20these%20in%20clumps%20inside%20their%20cells.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CDue%20to%20the%20aggregation%20of%20PFAS%20in%20these%20clumps%2C%20the%20bacteria%20themselves%20seem%20protected%20from%20the%20toxic%20effects.%E2%80%9D%0A%0A%3Cb%3EWhat%20are%20PFAS%20and%20why%20are%20they%20dangerous%3F%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0APFAS%20(perfluoroalkyl%20and%20polyfluoroalkyl%20substances)%20are%20a%20group%20of%20over%204%2C700%20artificial%20chemicals%20widely%20used%20for%20their%20resistance%20to%20water%2C%20heat%2C%20and%20oil.%0A%0AFound%20in%20everything%20from%20non-stick%20cookware%20to%20waterproof%20clothing%20and%20food%20packaging%2C%20PFAS%20persist%20in%20the%20environment%20for%20thousands%20of%20years%20and%20have%20become%20a%20growing%20health%20concern.%0A%0AExposure%20to%20PFAS%20has%20been%20linked%20to%20a%20variety%20of%20issues%2C%20including%20reduced%20fertility%2C%20developmental%20delays%20in%20children%2C%20weakened%20immune%20response%2C%20and%20increased%20risks%20of%20cancer%20and%20cardiovascular%20disease.%0A%0ABecause%20of%20their%20chemical%20structure%2C%20some%20PFAS%20compounds%20remain%20in%20the%20human%20body%20for%20years%2C%20making%20them%20particularly%20difficult%20to%20eliminate.%0A%0AGut%20microbes%20that%20fight%20back%0AIn%20their%20experiment%2C%20scientists%20introduced%20nine%20specific%20strains%20of%20human%20gut%20bacteria%20into%20mice%2C%20effectively%20%E2%80%98humanising%E2%80%99%20the%20animals%E2%80%99%20gut%20microbiomes.%0A%0AWhen%20the%20mice%20consumed%20PFAS-contaminated%20food%2C%20these%20bacteria%20rapidly%20absorbed%20the%20chemicals%20and%20helped%20expel%20them%20via%20faeces.%0A%0AEven%20as%20PFAS%20levels%20in%20the%20mice%20increased%2C%20the%20microbes%20continued%20to%20work%20efficiently%2C%20soaking%20up%20between%2025%25%20and%2074%25%20of%20PFAS%20within%20minutes%20of%20exposure.%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20also%20found%20that%20the%20bacteria%20clustered%20the%20chemicals%20into%20clumps%20inside%20their%20cells%2C%20seemingly%20shielding%20themselves%20from%20PFAS%20toxicity%20in%20the%20process.%0A%0AWhile%20these%20results%20are%20preliminary%20and%20not%20yet%20tested%20directly%20in%20humans%2C%20they%20mark%20the%20first%20known%20instance%20of%20gut%20bacteria%20playing%20a%20meaningful%20role%20in%20PFAS%20detoxification.%0A%0AFuture%20of%20probiotics%20in%20PFAS%20detox%0AInspired%20by%20this%20discovery%2C%20the%20research%20team%20has%20co-founded%20a%20startup%20called%20Cambiotics%20to%20develop%20targeted%20probiotic%20treatments%20that%20can%20help%20the%20human%20body%20eliminate%20PFAS%20more%20effectively.%0A%0AThe%20company%2C%20supported%20by%20Cambridge%20Enterprise%2C%20is%20working%20on%20ways%20to%20enhance%20the%20performance%20of%20these%20microbes%20to%20create%20powerful%20dietary%20supplements.%0A%0AUntil%20such%20products%20become%20available%2C%20the%20scientists%20advise%20practical%20steps%20to%20reduce%20exposure%2C%20such%20as%20avoiding%20PFAS-coated%20pans%20and%20using%20high-quality%20water%20filtration%20systems.%0A%0A%3Cb%3EMounting%20concern%20and%20a%20call%20to%20action%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0AThe%20UK%20launched%20a%20parliamentary%20inquiry%20into%20PFAS%20regulation%20in%20April%202025%2C%20reflecting%20growing%20concern%20over%20the%20long-term%20health%20and%20environmental%20impacts%20of%20these%20chemicals.%0A%0AThough%20some%20PFAS%20are%20excreted%20quickly%2C%20many%20with%20longer%20molecular%20structures%20remain%20in%20the%20body%20for%20decades%2C%20making%20effective%20removal%20strategies%20increasingly%20critical.%0A%0AThis%20new%20research%20adds%20a%20vital%20tool%20to%20the%20arsenal%20against%20PFAS%2C%20suggesting%20that%20boosting%20specific%20gut%20bacteria%20may%20help%20mitigate%20the%20long-term%20risks%20posed%20by%20these%20persistent%20toxins.%0A%0AWhile%20there%E2%80%99s%20still%20much%20to%20explore%2C%20scientists%20are%20optimistic%20that%20the%20gut%20microbiome%20could%20be%20the%20key%20to%20flushing%20out%20the%20forever%20chemicals%20threatening%20our%20health.

Scientists discover protection from PFAS chemicals

Researchers%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Birmingham%20have%20developed%20a%20powerful%20new%20method%20to%20detect%20harmful%20blue-green%20algae%20in%20freshwater%20lakes.%20Their%20method%2C%20which%20involves%20advanced%20mass%20spectrometry%20technology%2C%20can%20identify%20toxin%20producing%20blue-green%20algae%20before%20they%20become%20damaging%20in%20recreational%20waters%20and%20pose%20threat%20to%20public%20health.%0A%0ABlue-green%20algae%20(scientifically%20named%20as%20cyanobacteria)%20are%20micro-organisms%20commonly%20found%20in%20ponds%2C%20lakes%2C%20and%20oceans%20worldwide.%20In%20optimum%20growth%20conditions%2C%20they%20can%20form%20huge%20%E2%80%9Cblooms%E2%80%9D%20that%20appear%20like%20green%20slime%20covering%20the%20surface%20of%20the%20water.%0A%0AAlthough%20these%20blooms%20are%20extremely%20effective%20at%20carbon%20capture%20and%20oxygen%20production%2C%20certain%20varieties%20produce%20toxins%20that%20are%20harmful%20for%20aquatic%20life%2C%20animals%20and%20humans.%0A%0APublished%20in%20the%20Journal%20of%20The%20American%20Chemical%20Society%2C%20the%20groundbreaking%20study%20analysed%20samples%20from%20lakes%20across%20the%20UK%20and%20found%20that%20lakes%20differ%20in%20their%20blue-green%20algae%20content.%0A%0AUnlike%20traditional%20methods%20such%20as%20microscopy%20or%20genetic%20sequencing%2C%20the%20new%20approach%20focussed%20on%20the%20blue%20component%20of%20the%20blue-green%20algae.%20The%20researchers%20from%20the%20School%20of%20Biosciences%20and%20the%20School%20of%20Chemical%20Engineering%20noticed%20that%20blue-green%20algae%E2%80%99s%20blue%20component%20differed%20subtly%20in%20size%20between%20different%20cyanobacterial%20species.%20This%20enabled%20them%20to%20discriminate%20between%20blue-green%20algae%20that%20produces%20toxins%20and%20those%20that%20do%20not.%0A%0AJaspreet%20Sound%2C%20PhD%20researcher%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Birmingham%20and%20first%20author%20of%20the%20paper%20commented%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%9COur%20approach%20is%20quick%20and%20really%20sensitive%2C%20so%20can%20be%20used%20to%20monitor%20how%20all%20the%20cyanobacteria%20are%20competing%20for%20growth%20within%20lake%20water%20prior%20to%20the%20domination%20of%20a%20single%20toxic%20strain%20emerging.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20technique%20can%20also%20simultaneously%20detect%20the%20presence%20of%20the%20toxins%2C%20known%20as%20cyanotoxins%2C%20which%20are%20known%20to%20cause%20liver%20damage%20and%20neurological%20effects%20in%20humans%20and%20animals.%0A%0ADr%20Tim%20Overton%2C%20Reader%20in%20Microbial%20Biotechnology%20at%20the%20School%20of%20Chemical%20Engineering%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Birmingham%2C%20commented%3A%0A%0A%22The%20new%20technique%20advances%20existing%20approaches%20and%20will%20not%20only%20help%20improve%20water%20quality%20for%20human%20use%20but%20also%20plays%20a%20role%20in%20understanding%20how%20to%20protect%20critical%20wetland%20environments.%E2%80%9D%0A%0ADr%20Aneika%20Leney%2C%20Associate%20Professor%20of%20Biological%20Mass%20Spectrometry%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Birmingham%20and%20senior%20author%20of%20the%20study%20commented%3A%0A%0A%22As%20climate%20change%20increases%2C%20so%20will%20the%20variability%20and%20complexity%20of%20bloom%20dynamics%2C%20so%20the%20ability%20to%20identify%20bloom%20composition%20and%20toxin%20presence%20will%20help%20us%20make%20data-driven%20decisions%20about%20water%20use%20restrictions%2C%20treatment%2C%20and%20public%20health%20advisories.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThe%20technology%20impacts%20several%20UN%20Sustainable%20Development%20Goals%2C%20such%20as%20Clean%20Water%20and%20Sanitation%20and%20Good%20Health%20and%20Wellbeing%2C%20which%20aim%20to%20improve%20human%20lives%20and%20protect%20the%20environment%20by%20tackling%20the%20effects%20of%20climate%20change.%0A%0ALakes%20frequently%20have%20toxin%20levels%20exceeded%20World%20Health%20Organization%20(WHO)%20guidelines%20for%20drinking%20water%2C%20highlighting%20the%20urgent%20need%20for%20early%20detection%20tools%20to%20protect%20both%20the%20public%20and%20local%20ecosystems.%20The%20team%20believe%20their%20mass%20spectrometry%20technique%20could%20play%20a%20vital%20role%20in%20protecting%20water%20quality%20and%20public%20health%20in%20the%20coming%20years.

New method detects toxic algae before blooms

Scientists%20have%20discovered%20a%20massive%20hydrogen-rich%20hydrothermal%20system%20beneath%20the%20western%20Pacific%20seafloor.%20The%20system%20was%20explored%20using%20the%20crewed%20submersible%20Fendouzhe.%0A%0AThe%20system%20offers%20a%20new%20glimpse%20into%20deep-sea%20serpentinization%E2%80%94a%20process%20in%20which%20iron-%20and%20magnesium-rich%20rocks%20chemically%20react%20with%20water%20to%20form%20serpentine%20minerals%20and%20release%20hydrogen.%0A%0AScientists%20from%20the%20Institute%20of%20Oceanology%20of%20the%20Chinese%20Academy%20of%20Sciences%20(IOCAS)%20revealed%20that%20the%20system%20is%20critical%20to%20understanding%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20internal%20processes%20and%20the%20conditions%20that%20may%20have%20fostered%20life%E2%80%99s%20origins.%0A%0A%3Cb%3EHundred%20times%20larger%20than%20the%20Lost%20City%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0AResearchers%20revealed%20that%20the%20Kunlun%20hydrothermal%20field%E2%80%94a%20tectonically%20active%20site%20roughly%2080%20kilometers%20west%20of%20the%20Mussau%20Trench%20on%20the%20Caroline%20Plate%E2%80%94comprises%2020%20large%20seafloor%20depressions%20(some%20exceeding%20one%20kilometer%20in%20diameter)%20clustered%20together%20like%20a%20pipe%20swarm%2C%20a%20group%20of%20vertical%20or%20steeply%20inclined%20cylindrical%20rock%20structures%20that%20funnel%20liquid%20or%20gas%20from%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20interior.%0A%0AThe%20total%20area%20is%2011.1%20square%20kilometers%2C%20i.e.%2C%20over%20a%20hundred%20times%20larger%20than%20the%20Lost%20City%2C%20a%20unique%20deep-sea%20hydrothermal%20field%20located%20on%20the%20Atlantis%20Massif%2C%20a%20section%20of%20the%20Mid-Atlantic%20Ridge.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20Kunlun%20system%20stands%20out%20for%20its%20exceptionally%20high%20hydrogen%20flux%2C%20scale%2C%20and%20unique%20geological%20setting%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Prof.%20SUN%20Weidong%2C%20the%20study%E2%80%99s%20corresponding%20author.%20%E2%80%9CIt%20shows%20that%20serpentinization-driven%20hydrogen%20generation%20can%20occur%20far%20from%20mid-ocean%20ridges%2C%20challenging%20long-held%20assumptions.%E2%80%9D%0A%0A%3Cb%3ELarger%20craters%20were%20prospected%3C%2Fb%3E%0A%0APublished%20in%20the%20Science%20Advances%2C%20the%20study%20reveals%20that%20the%20four%20of%20the%20larger%20craters%20were%20prospected%20using%20the%20human%20occupied%20vehicle%20Fendouzhe%20and%20have%20steep%20walls%20similar%20to%20those%20of%20kimberlite%20pipes%2C%20with%20depths%20of%20up%20to%20130%20meters.%20Ecosystems%20have%20been%20observed%20in%20smaller%20pits%20on%20the%20bottom%20of%20these%20pipes.%20Hydrogen%20concentrations%20of%20~5.9%20to%206.8%20millimoles%20per%20kilogram%20in%20hydrothermal%20fluids%20have%20been%20obtained%20using%20in%20situ%20Raman%20spectra.%0A%0ABased%20on%20discharge%20area%20mapping%20and%20flow%20velocity%20analysis%2C%20the%20Kunlun%20field%E2%80%99s%20annual%20hydrogen%20flux%20is%20estimated%20at%204.8%20%C3%97%201011%20mol%2Fyear%2C%20representing%20at%20least%205%25%20of%20the%20global%20abiotic%20hydrogen%20output%20from%20all%20submarine%20sources%E2%80%94a%20notable%20contribution%20for%20a%20single%20system%2C%20according%20to%20a%20press%20release.%0A%0AGeological%20features%E2%80%94including%20steep-walled%20craters%20resembling%20kimberlite%20pipes%2C%20explosive%20breccia%20deposits%2C%20and%20layered%20carbonate%20structures%E2%80%94suggest%20the%20hydrothermal%20activity%20has%20followed%20a%20staged%20evolution%3A%20gas-driven%20eruptions%20first%2C%20followed%20by%20prolonged%20hydrothermal%20circulation%20and%20mineral%20deposition%2C%20as%20per%20the%20release.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWhat%E2%80%99s%20particularly%20intriguing%20is%20its%20ecological%20potential%2C%E2%80%9D%20Prof.%20SUN%20said.%20%E2%80%9CWe%20observed%20diverse%20deep-sea%20life%20thriving%20here%E2%80%94shrimp%2C%20squat%20lobsters%2C%20anemones%2C%20and%20tubeworms%E2%80%94species%20that%20may%20depend%20on%20hydrogen-fueled%20chemosynthesis.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AResearchers%20claimed%20that%20this%20discovery%20provides%20a%20natural%20laboratory%20for%20studying%20links%20between%20hydrogen%20emissions%20and%20primitive%20life%E2%80%99s%20emergence.%20Alkaline%2C%20hydrogen-rich%20fluids%20like%20those%20at%20Kunlun%20are%20thought%20to%20mirror%20early%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20chemical%20environment.%0A%0AThe%20research%20team%20claims%20that%20Kunlun%20hydrothermal%20system%20not%20only%20expands%20our%20knowledge%20of%20deep-sea%20hydrogen%20processes%2C%20but%20also%20opens%20new%20avenues%20for%20identifying%20untapped%20submarine%20hydrogen%20resources.%0A

Rare deep-sea hydrothermal system found

A%20research%20team%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Basel%20in%20Switzerland%20has%20created%20a%20groundbreaking%20molecule%20inspired%20by%20the%20natural%20process%20of%20photosynthesis.%20This%20innovation%20can%20simultaneously%20store%20two%20positive%20and%20two%20negative%20charges%20when%20exposed%20to%20light%2C%20a%20key%20step%20toward%20converting%20sunlight%20into%20carbon-neutral%20fuels%20such%20as%20hydrogen%2C%20methanol%2C%20and%20synthetic%20gasoline.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EHow%20photosynthesis%20inspired%20the%20research%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AIn%20nature%2C%20plants%20absorb%20sunlight%20to%20transform%20carbon%20dioxide%20(CO%E2%82%82)%20into%20energy-rich%20sugars%2C%20a%20process%20known%20as%20photosynthesis.%20These%20sugars%20fuel%20life%20on%20Earth%2C%20as%20animals%20and%20humans%20consume%20and%20metabolize%20them%2C%20releasing%20CO%E2%82%82%20back%20into%20the%20atmosphere%20and%20completing%20the%20cycle.%0A%0AResearchers%20are%20now%20working%20to%20replicate%20this%20process%20artificially.%20If%20successful%2C%20artificial%20photosynthesis%20could%20produce%20renewable%20solar%20fuels%20that%20emit%20only%20the%20same%20amount%20of%20CO%E2%82%82%20required%20for%20their%20production%E2%80%94making%20them%20fully%20carbon-neutral%20and%20sustainable%20alternatives%20to%20fossil%20fuels.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EA%20molecule%20with%20unique%20charge%20storage%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AIn%20their%20study%20published%20in%20Nature%20Chemistry%2C%20Professor%20Oliver%20Wenger%20and%20doctoral%20researcher%20Mathis%20Br%C3%A4ndlin%20unveiled%20a%20molecule%20that%20can%20hold%20four%20charges%20under%20light%20irradiation%E2%80%94two%20positive%20and%20two%20negative.%0A%0AThis%20ability%20is%20crucial%2C%20as%20storing%20multiple%20charges%20enables%20the%20conversion%20of%20solar%20energy%20into%20chemical%20energy.%20These%20charges%20can%20then%20be%20directed%20to%20power%20vital%20reactions%20such%20as%20splitting%20water%20into%20hydrogen%20and%20oxygen%2C%20a%20central%20process%20for%20clean%20hydrogen%20fuel%20production.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EHow%20the%20molecule%20works%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0A%20The%20molecule%20is%20made%20of%20five%20interconnected%20components%2C%20each%20with%20a%20dedicated%20role%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Two%20donor%20units%20release%20electrons%2C%20becoming%20positively%20charged.%0A%E2%80%A2%20Two%20acceptor%20units%20capture%20electrons%2C%20becoming%20negatively%20charged.%0A%E2%80%A2%20A%20central%20photosensitive%20unit%20absorbs%20light%20and%20initiates%20the%20electron%20transfer%20process.%0A%0ABy%20exposing%20the%20molecule%20to%20two%20successive%20flashes%20of%20light%2C%20the%20team%20successfully%20generated%20two%20positive%20and%20two%20negative%20charges.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EEfficient%20even%20in%20low%20light%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AUnlike%20earlier%20experiments%20that%20required%20intense%20laser%20beams%2C%20the%20Basel%20team%E2%80%99s%20molecule%20functions%20with%20much%20weaker%20light%20sources%2C%20close%20to%20the%20natural%20intensity%20of%20sunlight.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20stepwise%20excitation%20lets%20us%20work%20with%20significantly%20dimmer%20light%2C%20moving%20much%20closer%20to%20real%20sunlight%2C%E2%80%9D%20explains%20Br%C3%A4ndlin.%20Importantly%2C%20the%20charges%20in%20the%20molecule%20remain%20stable%20long%20enough%20to%20drive%20additional%20chemical%20reactions%E2%80%94making%20the%20system%20practical%20for%20future%20applications.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EA%20key%20step%20toward%20artificial%20photosynthesis%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AWhile%20this%20molecule%20does%20not%20yet%20constitute%20a%20complete%20artificial%20photosynthesis%20system%2C%20it%20represents%20a%20vital%20milestone%20in%20sustainable%20energy%20research.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%E2%80%99ve%20identified%20and%20implemented%20an%20essential%20piece%20of%20the%20puzzle%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Professor%20Wenger.%20%E2%80%9CThese%20findings%20deepen%20our%20understanding%20of%20electron%20transfers%2C%20which%20are%20at%20the%20heart%20of%20artificial%20photosynthesis.%E2%80%9D%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EToward%20a%20sustainable%20energy%20future%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20University%20of%20Basel%20team%E2%80%99s%20discovery%20brings%20scientists%20closer%20to%20developing%20scalable%20solar-to-fuel%20technologies.%20With%20continued%20advances%2C%20artificial%20photosynthesis%20could%20become%20a%20transformative%20solution%20for%20clean%20energy%2C%20offering%20carbon-neutral%20fuels%20that%20help%20fight%20climate%20change%20and%20reduce%20dependence%20on%20fossil%20resources.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20hope%20our%20work%20opens%20new%20pathways%20toward%20a%20sustainable%20energy%20future%2C%E2%80%9D%20concludes%20Wenger.

Swiss breakthrough in artificial photosynthesis

European%20researchers%20are%20pioneering%20bio-based%20fertilisers%20that%20reduce%20pollution%2C%20save%20energy%2C%20and%20could%20help%20cut%20the%20continent%E2%80%99s%20dependence%20on%20Russian%20imports.%20One%20of%20the%20most%20promising%20solutions%20comes%20from%20an%20unexpected%20source%3A%20algae%20grown%20on%20wastewater.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3ETurning%20wastewater%20into%20plant%20food%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AIn%20western%20France%2C%20farmers%20are%20testing%20an%20algae-based%20powder%20fertiliser%20produced%20from%20wastewater%20effluents.%20The%20early%20results%20are%20striking%E2%80%94when%20combined%20with%20mineral%20fertilisers%2C%20the%20algae-based%20product%20reduces%20chemical%20fertiliser%20use%20by%20up%20to%2025%25%20without%20lowering%20crop%20yields.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CWe%20grew%20unicellular%20algae%20on%20dairy%20effluents%20from%20a%20food%20processing%20plant%2C%E2%80%9D%20explained%20Orhan%20Grignon%2C%20agriculture%20and%20environment%20advisor%20at%20the%20Chamber%20of%20Agriculture%20in%20Charente-Maritime.%0A%E2%80%9CThe%20algae%20feed%20on%20organic%20matter%20in%20the%20wastewater%2C%20transforming%20it%20into%20plant%20biomass.%20We%20dehydrate%20that%20biomass%20and%20spread%20it%20on%20fields%20as%20a%20nitrogen-rich%20fertiliser.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AField%20trials%20on%20wheat%20plots%20showed%20that%20algae%20powder%20alone%20cannot%20yet%20match%20the%20performance%20of%20mineral%20fertilisers.%20But%20when%20used%20as%20a%20supplement%2C%20it%20offers%20equal%20yields%20while%20reducing%20reliance%20on%20synthetic%20inputs.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EBenefits%20and%20challenges%20of%20algae-based%20fertilisers%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AUnlike%20chemical%20fertilisers%2C%20which%20provide%20instant%20nitrogen%20release%2C%20algae%20fertilisers%20release%20nutrients%20more%20slowly%2C%20requiring%20farmers%20to%20plan%20and%20manage%20application%20more%20carefully.%0A%0AStill%2C%20the%20advantages%20are%20clear%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Lower%20chemical%20use%20while%20maintaining%20productivity.%0A%E2%80%A2%20Easier%20transport%20compared%20to%20sewage%20sludge%2C%20thanks%20to%20dehydration.%0A%E2%80%A2%20Potential%20for%20use%20in%20regions%20where%20spreading%20sludge%20is%20restricted.%0A%0AThis%20innovation%20is%20part%20of%20WALNUT%2C%20a%20European%20initiative%20focused%20on%20giving%20wastewater%20a%20second%20life%20by%20recovering%20nutrients%20and%20reducing%20pollution.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EWastewater%20nutrient%20recovery%20in%20Spain%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AOne%20standout%20example%20is%20in%20Ourense%2C%20northern%20Spain%2C%20home%20to%20one%20of%20Europe%E2%80%99s%20most%20advanced%20water%20treatment%20plants.%20Covering%20nearly%2030%2C000%20square%20meters%2C%20the%20facility%20processes%20over%20600%20litres%20of%20wastewater%20per%20second.%0A%0AInstead%20of%20simply%20removing%20harmful%20compounds%2C%20researchers%20are%20recovering%20valuable%20nutrients%20like%20nitrogen%20and%20phosphorus%20for%20agricultural%20use.%0A%0ACecilia%20Lores%20Fern%C3%A1ndez%2C%20a%20researcher%20at%20CETAQUA%2C%20explains%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%9CResidual%20streams%20from%20sludge%20treatment%20are%20very%20rich%20in%20nitrogen%2C%20an%20essential%20nutrient%20for%20plants.%20We%20capture%20this%20nitrogen%20using%20zeolite%20beds%2C%20extract%20it%20with%20sodium%20hydroxide%2C%20and%20transform%20it%20into%20ammonium%20sulphate%20for%20farming.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AThis%20method%20provides%20a%20low-carbon%20alternative%20to%20conventional%20nitrogen%20production%2C%20which%20consumes%20vast%20amounts%20of%20energy%20and%20releases%20greenhouse%20gases.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EBuilding%20resilient%20and%20sustainable%20food%20systems%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0ATraditionally%2C%20Europe%20has%20relied%20heavily%20on%20energy-intensive%20synthetic%20fertilisers.%20By%20recovering%20nutrients%20from%20wastewater%20and%20scaling%20algae-based%20solutions%2C%20the%20continent%20could%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Cut%20fertiliser%20imports%20and%20increase%20self-sufficiency.%0A%E2%80%A2%20Lower%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions%20linked%20to%20fertiliser%20production.%0A%E2%80%A2%20Reduce%20water%20pollution%20by%20recycling%20nutrients%20that%20would%20otherwise%20be%20lost.%0A%0AWhile%20more%20research%20is%20needed%20to%20optimise%20these%20bio-fertilisers%2C%20the%20progress%20is%20promising.%20From%20algae%20grown%20on%20dairy%20effluents%20in%20France%20to%20nitrogen%20recovery%20in%20Spain%2C%20these%20innovations%20demonstrate%20how%20Europe%20could%20close%20the%20loop%20between%20waste%20and%20food%20production.

Wastewater-based algae fertiliser in Europe

A%20groundbreaking%20innovation%20by%20researchers%20in%20China%20has%20unveiled%20a%20revolutionary%20method%20to%20capture%20carbon%20dioxide%20(CO%E2%82%82)%20directly%20from%20ocean%20water%20and%20transform%20it%20into%20succinic%20acid%20%E2%80%94%20a%20vital%20ingredient%20in%20producing%20biodegradable%20plastics%20such%20as%20polybutylene%20succinate%20(PBS).%20The%20study%2C%20recently%20published%20in%20Nature%20Catalysis%20(Nat.%20Catal.%202025%2C%20DOI%3A%2010.1038%2Fs41929-025-01416-4)%2C%20highlights%20a%20scalable%20pathway%20toward%20eco-friendly%20materials%2C%20sustainable%20fuels%2C%20and%20green%20chemical%20production.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EHarnessing%20ocean%20carbon%20for%20clean%20manufacturing%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20new%20system%2C%20developed%20by%20Chuan%20Xia%20and%20Xiang%20Gao%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Electronic%20Science%20and%20Technology%20of%20China%20and%20the%20Shenzhen%20Institute%20of%20Advanced%20Technology%2C%20offers%20a%20practical%20alternative%20to%20energy-intensive%20air%20capture%20technologies.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CThis%20process%20leverages%20the%20ocean%E2%80%99s%20dissolved%20carbon%20to%20produce%20low-carbon%20chemicals%2C%E2%80%9D%20explains%20Xia.%20%E2%80%9CIt%20eliminates%20the%20high%20energy%20costs%20of%20direct%20air%20capture%20while%20supporting%20coastal%2C%20renewable-powered%20manufacturing.%E2%80%9D%0A%0AWhile%20global%20efforts%20focus%20on%20large-scale%20carbon%20capture%20from%20the%20atmosphere%2C%20the%20ocean%20already%20absorbs%20about%20one-third%20of%20human-generated%20CO%E2%82%82.%20Extracting%20carbon%20from%20seawater%20%E2%80%94%20known%20as%20Direct%20Ocean%20Capture%20(DOC)%20%E2%80%94%20is%20emerging%20as%20a%20more%20efficient%2C%20sustainable%20solution.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EFirst%20to%20convert%20captured%20ocean%20CO%E2%82%82%20into%20bioplastics%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AUntil%20now%2C%20no%20system%20had%20successfully%20integrated%20DOC%20with%20chemical%20conversion.%20%E2%80%9CThis%20is%20the%20first%20demonstration%20of%20transforming%20ocean-captured%20CO%E2%82%82%20directly%20into%20a%20bioplastic%20feedstock%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20CX%20Xiang%2C%20materials%20scientist%20at%20Caltech%20and%20CTO%20of%20DOC%20start-up%20Captura%2C%20who%20was%20not%20involved%20in%20the%20project.%0A%0AThe%20process%20uses%20electrochemistry%20and%20microbial%20fermentation%20in%20a%20five-chamber%20reactor.%20Each%20compartment%20is%20separated%20by%20specialized%20membranes%20to%20prevent%20scaling%20and%20fouling%20%E2%80%94%20common%20issues%20in%20seawater-based%20systems.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EHow%20the%20ocean%20carbon%20capture%20system%20works%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0A1.%20Electrolysis%20and%20Ion%20Separation%3A%0AThe%20reactor%20splits%20water%20into%20hydroxide%20and%20hydrogen%20ions%20using%20an%20electric%20field.%20Sodium%20and%20chloride%20ions%20are%20also%20separated%2C%20forming%20sodium%20hydroxide%20in%20the%20process.%0A%0A2.%20CO%E2%82%82%20Extraction%20from%20Seawater%3A%0AAcidified%20seawater%20in%20one%20chamber%20converts%20dissolved%20carbonate%20ions%20into%20CO%E2%82%82%20gas.%0A%0A3.%20Catalytic%20Conversion%3A%0AThe%20CO%E2%82%82%20passes%20through%20a%20bismuth-based%20metal-organic%20framework%20catalyst%2C%20converting%20it%20into%20formic%20acid.%0A%0A4.%20Microbial%20Fermentation%3A%0AEngineered%20Vibrio%20natriegens%20bacteria%20ferment%20the%20formic%20acid%2C%20producing%20succinic%20acid%20%E2%80%94%20a%20core%20monomer%20for%20biodegradable%20plastics.%0AResearchers%20note%20the%20system%20could%20be%20adapted%20to%20make%20other%20chemicals%20like%20lactic%20acid%2C%20alanine%2C%20or%20butanediol%2C%20supporting%20broader%20bio-manufacturing.%0A%0A5.%20Ocean-Safe%20Discharge%3A%0AThe%20remaining%20seawater%20is%20neutralized%20with%20the%20produced%20sodium%20hydroxide%2C%20ensuring%20safe%20return%20to%20the%20ocean%20ecosystem.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EEfficiency%2C%20longevity%2C%20and%20cost%20competitiveness%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AUnlike%20previous%20DOC%20systems%20that%20degrade%20within%20hours%2C%20Xia%E2%80%99s%20design%20ran%20continuously%20for%20over%20530%20hours%20using%20real%20seawater%20from%20Shenzhen%20Bay.%20It%20extracted%206.54%20liters%20of%20CO%E2%82%82%20from%20177%20liters%20of%20seawater%2C%20achieving%20a%2070%25%20carbon%20capture%20efficiency.%0A%0AThe%20reactor%20consumed%20only%203%20kWh%20of%20energy%20per%20kilogram%20of%20CO%E2%82%82%2C%20with%20a%20projected%20capture%20cost%20of%20%24230%20per%20metric%20ton%20%E2%80%94%20comparable%20to%20existing%20carbon%20capture%20technologies.%0A%0AAlthough%20Captura%E2%80%99s%20approach%20boasts%20higher%20efficiency%20(around%2090%25)%20and%20lower%20energy%20use%2C%20Xiang%20acknowledges%20that%20this%20new%20system%E2%80%99s%20true%20innovation%20lies%20in%20CO%E2%82%82%20utilization.%20%E2%80%9CThe%20key%20breakthrough%20isn%E2%80%99t%20just%20capturing%20carbon%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20says%2C%20%E2%80%9Cbut%20converting%20it%20directly%20into%20valuable%20bioplastics%20that%20could%20transform%20sustainable%20manufacturing.%E2%80%9D

Turning ocean CO₂ into biodegradable plastic

Wood%20has%20long%20been%20valued%20for%20its%20beauty%2C%20resilience%2C%20and%20versatility%20%E2%80%94%20and%20now%2C%20it%E2%80%99s%20inspiring%20a%20revolutionary%20new%20form%20of%20carbon%20stronger%20than%20ever%20imagined.%0A%0AA%20groundbreaking%20study%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Toronto%20has%20revealed%20that%20biochar%20made%20from%20wood%20can%20reach%20hardness%20levels%20comparable%20to%20mild%20steel%20%E2%80%94%20depending%20on%20the%20direction%20it%E2%80%99s%20tested.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EUnlocking%20the%20strength%20hidden%20in%20wood%E2%80%99s%20structure%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AResearchers%20discovered%20that%20the%20orientation%20of%20biochar%20testing%20dramatically%20influences%20its%20hardness%20%E2%80%94%20by%20as%20much%20as%2028%20times.%20This%20directional%20difference%2C%20or%20anisotropy%2C%20arises%20from%20the%20natural%20grain%20and%20pore%20architecture%20preserved%20from%20the%20original%20wood.%0A%0AThe%20findings%20open%20new%20pathways%20for%20sustainable%20carbon-based%20materials%20with%20applications%20in%20energy%20storage%2C%20filtration%2C%20and%20lightweight%20structural%20systems%20%E2%80%94%20all%20made%20possible%20by%20nature%E2%80%99s%20design.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EWhat%20is%20biochar%3F%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0ABiochar%20is%20a%20carbon-rich%20substance%20produced%20when%20biomass%2C%20such%20as%20wood%2C%20is%20heated%20in%20the%20absence%20of%20oxygen%20%E2%80%94%20a%20process%20known%20as%20pyrolysis.%20Traditionally%20recognized%20for%20its%20role%20in%20soil%20improvement%20and%20pollution%20remediation%2C%20biochar%E2%80%99s%20mechanical%20potential%20has%20remained%20largely%20untapped%20%E2%80%94%20until%20now.%0A%0AThe%20new%20research%20challenges%20previous%20assumptions%2C%20positioning%20biochar%20not%20just%20as%20an%20environmental%20tool%20but%20as%20a%20high-performance%2C%20eco-friendly%20material%20for%20next-generation%20engineering.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EInside%20the%20experiment%3A%20turning%20wood%20into%20steel-like%20carbon%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0ALed%20by%20Professor%20Charles%20Jia%20of%20the%20Green%20Technology%20Laboratory%2C%20the%20research%20team%20analyzed%20monolithic%20biochar%20%E2%80%94%20solid%20blocks%20that%20retain%20the%20wood%E2%80%99s%20original%20grain%20and%20pore%20structure.%0A%0ASamples%20from%20seven%20species%2C%20including%20maple%2C%20pine%2C%20bamboo%2C%20and%20African%20ironwood%2C%20were%20heated%20between%20600%C2%B0C%20and%201%2C000%C2%B0C.%20The%20results%20were%20striking%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20African%20ironwood%20biochar%20achieved%20an%20axial%20hardness%20of%202.25%20gigapascals%2C%20matching%20that%20of%20mild%20steel.%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Hemlock%20biochar%20displayed%20extreme%20directional%20variation%2C%20with%20along-grain%20hardness%20exceeding%20cross-grain%20values%20by%20a%20factor%20of%2028.5.%0A%0AUsing%20micro-%20and%20nano-indentation%20testing%2C%20the%20researchers%20confirmed%20that%20at%20the%20nanoscale%2C%20hardness%20remained%20consistent%20across%20species%20%E2%80%94%20suggesting%20that%20the%20cell-wall%20carbon%20structure%20is%20universally%20strong.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EFrom%20renewable%20waste%20to%20high-performance%20material%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20study%20also%20identified%20a%20clear%20link%20between%20hardness%2C%20density%2C%20and%20carbon%20content%3A%20denser%20biochar%20with%20higher%20carbon%20concentration%20proved%20significantly%20more%20resistant%20to%20deformation.%0A%0A%E2%80%9CBiochar%20is%20not%20just%20an%20environmental%20material%20%E2%80%94%20it%E2%80%99s%20a%20structural%20one%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Professor%20Jia.%20%E2%80%9CBy%20preserving%20the%20natural%20architecture%20of%20wood%2C%20we%20can%20engineer%20carbon%20materials%20with%20customized%20mechanical%20properties%20for%20diverse%20industrial%20uses.%E2%80%9D%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EA%20sustainable%20blueprint%20for%20future%20engineering%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0APotential%20applications%20include%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20%20High-strength%20carbon%20electrodes%20for%20energy%20storage%20systems%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20%20Lightweight%20composites%20for%20aerospace%20and%20automotive%20industries%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20%20Directional%20flow%20filters%20for%20water%20and%20air%20purification%0A%0AEngineers%20could%20even%20design%20materials%20that%20are%20rigid%20in%20one%20direction%20and%20flexible%20in%20another%2C%20emulating%20wood%E2%80%99s%20natural%20mechanical%20balance.%0A%0ABy%20decoding%20wood%E2%80%99s%20internal%20architecture%2C%20the%20University%20of%20Toronto%20team%20has%20laid%20the%20foundation%20for%20a%20new%20generation%20of%20biochar-based%20carbon%20materials%20that%20unite%20strength%2C%20sustainability%2C%20and%20design%20precision%20%E2%80%94%20a%20perfect%20harmony%20of%20nature%20and%20technology.%0A

Biochar from wood matches the strength of steel

Scientists%20in%20Hong%20Kong%20have%20created%20an%20advanced%20artificial%20intelligence%20system%20capable%20of%20predicting%20severe%20storms%20and%20heavy%20rainfall%20up%20to%20four%20hours%20in%20advance%E2%80%94significantly%20extending%20current%20forecasting%20limits%20of%2020%20minutes%20to%20two%20hours.%0A%0AThe%20breakthrough%20technology%2C%20developed%20by%20researchers%20at%20the%20Hong%20Kong%20University%20of%20Science%20and%20Technology%20(HKUST)%2C%20is%20designed%20to%20strengthen%20disaster%20preparedness%20and%20improve%20emergency%20response%20as%20climate%20change%20increases%20the%20frequency%20of%20extreme%20weather%20events.%0A%0AProject%20leader%20Professor%20Su%20Hui%2C%20Chair%20of%20Civil%20and%20Environmental%20Engineering%20at%20HKUST%2C%20explained%20that%20the%20system%20combines%20artificial%20intelligence%20with%20satellite%20imagery%20to%20deliver%20more%20accurate%20and%20timely%20weather%20predictions.%20%E2%80%9COur%20goal%20is%20to%20use%20AI%20and%20space-based%20data%20to%20enhance%20early%20warnings%20for%20severe%20weather%2C%20helping%20communities%20stay%20safer%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%0A%0AThe%20new%20forecasting%20model%20focuses%20on%20predicting%20intense%20rainfall%20and%20thunderstorm%20activity.%20It%20uses%20generative%20AI%20methods%20that%20introduce%20controlled%20noise%20into%20training%20datasets%2C%20allowing%20the%20system%20to%20learn%20how%20to%20refine%20and%20reconstruct%20weather%20patterns%20for%20improved%20precision.%0A%0ADeveloped%20in%20partnership%20with%20China%E2%80%99s%20meteorological%20agencies%2C%20the%20platform%20updates%20forecasts%20every%2015%20minutes%20and%20has%20increased%20prediction%20accuracy%20by%20over%2015%20percent%2C%20according%20to%20the%20research%20team.%20The%20findings%20were%20published%20in%20the%20Proceedings%20of%20the%20National%20Academy%20of%20Sciences%20in%20December.%0A%0AThe%20innovation%20comes%20at%20a%20critical%20time%2C%20as%20southern%20China%20and%20Hong%20Kong%20experienced%20unusually%20high%20levels%20of%20typhoons%20and%20extreme%20rainfall%20in%202025.%20The%20Hong%20Kong%20Observatory%20reported%20record-breaking%20weather%20alerts%2C%20including%20five%20highest-level%20rainstorm%20warnings%20and%20sixteen%20second-highest%20alerts%20during%20the%20year.%0A%0ABoth%20the%20China%20Meteorological%20Administration%20and%20the%20Hong%20Kong%20Observatory%20are%20preparing%20to%20integrate%20the%20AI%20model%20into%20their%20operational%20forecasting%20systems.%0A%0AKnown%20as%20the%20Deep%20Diffusion%20Model%20based%20on%20Satellite%20Data%20(DDMS)%2C%20the%20framework%20was%20trained%20using%20infrared%20brightness%20temperature%20measurements%20collected%20by%20China%E2%80%99s%20Fengyun-4%20satellite%20between%202018%20and%202021.%20These%20satellite%20observations%20enable%20earlier%20detection%20of%20cloud%20development%20than%20traditional%20radar-based%20methods.%0A%0AResearchers%20combined%20the%20satellite%20data%20with%20meteorological%20expertise%20to%20track%20the%20evolution%20of%20storm%20systems.%20The%20model%20was%20later%20tested%20using%20seasonal%20data%20from%202022%20and%202023%2C%20confirming%20its%20reliability%20and%20forecasting%20performance.%0A%0AWith%20its%20ability%20to%20deliver%20faster%20and%20more%20accurate%20storm%20predictions%2C%20the%20AI-powered%20system%20represents%20a%20major%20step%20forward%20in%20climate%20resilience%20and%20disaster%20risk%20management%20across%20the%20region.

Hong Kong scientists create AI weather system

Researchers%20have%20unveiled%20an%20innovative%20bioelectronic%20sensor%20powered%20by%20living%20bacteria%20that%20produces%20measurable%20electrical%20signals%20when%20exposed%20to%20targeted%20chemical%20substances.%20This%20breakthrough%20in%20microbial%20bioelectronics%20opens%20the%20door%20to%20durable%2C%20self-sustaining%20environmental%20sensors%20for%20applications%20in%20wastewater%20management%2C%20food%20safety%20testing%2C%20and%20industrial%20process%20monitoring.%0A%0ADeveloped%20by%20scientists%20at%20Rice%20University%2C%20the%20cutting-edge%20device%20leverages%20naturally%20electroactive%20bacteria.%20These%20microorganisms%20generate%20electrical%20currents%20when%20they%20encounter%20specific%20chemicals%2C%20known%20as%20analytes%2C%20enabling%20real-time%20biological%20detection%20through%20electronic%20readouts.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EWhy%20microbial%20bioelectronic%20sensors%20matter%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AMicrobial%20biosensors%20have%20gained%20significant%20attention%20due%20to%20their%20unique%20advantages%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Multifunctionality%20%E2%80%93%20Bacteria%20can%20detect%2C%20adapt%2C%20and%20respond%20to%20multiple%20chemical%20signals.%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Resilience%20%E2%80%93%20Many%20strains%20survive%20extreme%20or%20contaminated%20environments.%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Self-regeneration%20%E2%80%93%20Living%20cells%20can%20reproduce%2C%20offering%20long-term%20operational%20stability.%0A%0AHowever%2C%20integrating%20living%20microbes%20into%20electronic%20systems%20has%20historically%20posed%20major%20challenges.%20In%20liquid%20environments%2C%20electron-shuttling%20molecules%E2%80%94called%20mediators%E2%80%94often%20diffuse%20away%20from%20the%20electrode%20surface.%20Additionally%2C%20some%20mediators%20are%20toxic%2C%20limiting%20their%20commercial%20and%20environmental%20applications.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EA%20biohybrid%20solution%3A%20hydrogel-based%20bacterial%20containment%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0ATo%20overcome%20these%20obstacles%2C%20researchers%20engineered%20a%20biohybrid%20hydrogel%20material%20that%20securely%20houses%20bacteria%20while%20maintaining%20a%20stable%20electrical%20interface%20with%20an%20electrode.%0A%0A%3Ch3%3EHydrogel%20Traps%20Active%20Bacteria%20Near%20the%20Electrode%3C%2Fh3%3E%0A%0AThe%20team%20developed%20a%20soft%20hydrogel%20composed%20of%20chitosan%2C%20a%20biodegradable%20polymer%20derived%20from%20crustacean%20shells.%20This%20hydrogel%20functions%20as%20a%20semi-permeable%20matrix%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20It%20keeps%20bacteria%20immobilized%20close%20to%20the%20electrode%20surface%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20It%20allows%20liquids%20containing%20analytes%20to%20pass%20through%20freely%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20It%20creates%20a%20stable%20microenvironment%20for%20long-term%20sensing%0A%0AAccording%20to%20study%20co-author%20Rafael%20Verduzco%2C%20chitosan%20acts%20like%20a%20protective%20shell%2C%20preventing%20bacteria%20from%20escaping%20while%20preserving%20their%20biological%20activity.%0A%0ATo%20further%20enhance%20performance%2C%20the%20researchers%20chemically%20modified%20the%20chitosan%20polymer%20to%20anchor%20redox%20mediators%E2%80%94specialized%20molecules%20responsible%20for%20transferring%20electrons%20from%20bacteria%20to%20the%20electrode.%20These%20modifications%20ensure%20consistent%20and%20efficient%20electrical%20signal%20transmission.%0A%0A%3Ch3%3ERedox-active%20polymer%20enables%20signal%20transmission%3C%2Fh3%3E%0A%0AThe%20key%20technological%20innovation%20is%20the%20integration%20of%20a%20redox-active%20polymer%2C%20capable%20of%20accepting%20electrons%20from%20bacterial%20cells%20and%20relaying%20them%20directly%20to%20the%20electrode.%20This%20design%20eliminates%20the%20instability%20problems%20seen%20in%20earlier%20microbial%20sensors%20and%20significantly%20improves%20signal%20reliability.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EReal-world%20application%3A%20detecting%20sakacin%20P%20in%20milk%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0ATo%20validate%20the%20system%2C%20researchers%20built%20a%20functional%20biosensor%20capable%20of%20detecting%20sakacin%20P%2C%20an%20antimicrobial%20peptide%20sometimes%20used%20as%20a%20natural%20food%20preservative.%0A%0AThe%20team%20engineered%20a%20strain%20of%20Lactiplantibacillus%20plantarum%20(formerly%20known%20as%20L.%20plantarum)%2C%20a%20probiotic%20bacterium%20commonly%20found%20in%20fermented%20dairy%20products.%20When%20exposed%20to%20sakacin%20P%2C%20the%20modified%20bacteria%20generate%20a%20small%20but%20measurable%20electrical%20current.%0A%0AEmbedded%20within%20the%20chitosan%20hydrogel%20and%20connected%20to%20an%20electrode%2C%20the%20bacteria%20successfully%20detected%20sakacin%20P%20in%20milk%20samples.%20Within%20just%20a%20few%20hours%2C%20the%20system%20produced%20a%20clear%20electrical%20signal%E2%80%94demonstrating%20rapid%2C%20real-time%20food%20safety%20monitoring%20potential.%0A%0ADoctoral%20researcher%20Xinyuan%20Zuo%2C%20first%20author%20of%20the%20study%2C%20explained%20that%20incorporating%20a%20redox-active%20polymer%20solved%20two%20major%20problems%20at%20once%3A%20stabilizing%20mediator%20molecules%20and%20efficiently%20transmitting%20bacterial%20electrical%20signals%20to%20the%20electrode.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EFuture%20of%20living%20bioelectronic%20devices%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0ABecause%20the%20hydrogel%20is%20composed%20of%20renewable%2C%20food-safe%20materials%20and%20utilizes%20bacteria%20already%20common%20in%20food%20systems%2C%20the%20technology%20has%20broad%20commercial%20and%20environmental%20potential.%20Applications%20may%20include%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Wastewater%20contamination%20monitoring%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Food%20quality%20and%20spoilage%20detection%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Industrial%20bioprocess%20monitoring%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Chemical%20production%20control%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Isolation%20or%20neutralization%20of%20hazardous%20compounds%0A%0AMany%20bacterial%20species%20are%20naturally%20electroactive%2C%20meaning%20they%20can%20transfer%20electrons%20outside%20their%20cells.%20This%20positions%20microbial%20bioelectronic%20sensors%20as%20a%20scalable%20platform%20for%20next-generation%20sustainable%20sensing%20technologies.%0A%0AThe%20newly%20developed%20hydrogel%20framework%20creates%20a%20stable%20electronic%20communication%20pathway%20between%20living%20bacteria%20and%20electronic%20devices%E2%80%94paving%20the%20way%20for%20long-lasting%2C%20self-powered%2C%20and%20environmentally%20friendly%20bioelectronic%20systems.

Bioelectronic sensor uses living bacteria

A%20groundbreaking%20scientific%20study%20has%20revealed%20compelling%20evidence%20of%20a%20vast%20underground%20freshwater%20reservoir%20hidden%20beneath%20the%20Great%20Salt%20Lake.%20Using%20advanced%20airborne%20electromagnetic%20(AEM)%20technology%2C%20researchers%20have%20gained%20unprecedented%20insight%20into%20the%20geological%20structures%20below%20Farmington%20Bay%20and%20Antelope%20Island%20along%20the%20lake%E2%80%99s%20southeastern%20edge.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EAdvanced%20technology%20uncovers%20hidden%20water%20resources%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AScientists%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Utah%20conducted%20a%20helicopter-based%20AEM%20survey%20to%20map%20subsurface%20formations.%20This%20cutting-edge%20method%20allowed%20researchers%20to%20%E2%80%9Csee%E2%80%9D%20beneath%20the%20lake%E2%80%99s%20salty%20surface%20and%20identify%20freshwater%20deposits%20buried%20deep%20underground.%0A%0AThe%20findings%20show%20that%20freshwater%20saturates%20sediment%20layers%20at%20depths%20ranging%20from%203%20to%204%20kilometers%20(10%2C000%E2%80%9313%2C000%20feet)%20beneath%20the%20lake.%20This%20discovery%20followed%20earlier%20observations%20of%20pressurized%20freshwater%20emerging%20through%20the%20lakebed%20in%20Farmington%20Bay%2C%20forming%20unusual%20reed-covered%20mounds.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EBreakthrough%20in%20freshwater%20detection%20beneath%20saltwater%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AAccording%20to%20lead%20researcher%20Michael%20Zhdanov%2C%20the%20study%20marks%20the%20first%20successful%20use%20of%20AEM%20technology%20to%20detect%20freshwater%20beneath%20a%20conductive%20saltwater%20layer%20like%20that%20of%20the%20Great%20Salt%20Lake.%0A%0ABy%20analyzing%20the%20collected%20data%2C%20the%20research%20team%20was%20able%20to%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Map%20the%20extent%20of%20the%20underground%20freshwater%20reservoir%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Estimate%20the%20depth%20of%20water-bearing%20sediments%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Identify%20key%20geological%20structures%20influencing%20water%20distribution%0A%0AUnderstanding%20these%20factors%20is%20crucial%20for%20estimating%20the%20total%20volume%20of%20freshwater%20stored%20beneath%20the%20lake.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EA%20larger%20research%20initiative%20on%20groundwater%20systems%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0APublished%20in%20Scientific%20Reports%2C%20this%20study%20is%20part%20of%20a%20broader%20research%20effort%20aimed%20at%20understanding%20groundwater%20systems%20beneath%20the%20Great%20Salt%20Lake%E2%80%94the%20largest%20terminal%20lake%20in%20the%20Western%20Hemisphere.%0A%0AResearchers%20suggest%20that%20freshwater%20may%20be%20flowing%20toward%20the%20lake%E2%80%99s%20interior%20rather%20than%20entering%20from%20its%20edges%2C%20which%20challenges%20traditional%20hydrological%20assumptions.%0A%0AHydrologist%20Bill%20Johnson%20noted%20that%2C%20typically%2C%20denser%20saltwater%20would%20dominate%20beneath%20the%20lake%2C%20while%20freshwater%20would%20remain%20near%20the%20margins.%20However%2C%20the%20new%20data%20indicates%20that%20freshwater%20may%20extend%20deep%20beneath%20much%20of%20the%20lake%2C%20potentially%20covering%20a%20far%20larger%20area%20than%20previously%20believed.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EEnvironmental%20implications%3A%20a%20potential%20solution%20to%20dust%20pollution%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20discovery%20could%20have%20important%20environmental%20benefits.%20As%20water%20levels%20in%20the%20Great%20Salt%20Lake%20continue%20to%20decline%2C%20large%20sections%20of%20the%20lakebed%E2%80%94known%20as%20playa%E2%80%94have%20become%20exposed.%20These%20dry%20areas%20are%20a%20growing%20source%20of%20toxic%20dust%20pollution%20affecting%20nearby%20communities.%0A%0AResearchers%20are%20exploring%20whether%20this%20underground%20freshwater%20could%20be%20used%20to%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Moisturize%20dry%20lakebed%20areas%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Reduce%20airborne%20dust%20containing%20harmful%20metals%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Improve%20regional%20air%20quality%0A%0AHowever%2C%20scientists%20emphasize%20the%20need%20for%20careful%20study%20before%20any%20extraction%20to%20avoid%20disrupting%20the%20natural%20groundwater%20system.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EMapping%20the%20subsurface%3A%20how%20the%20study%20qorked%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0ATo%20differentiate%20between%20freshwater%20and%20brine%2C%20researchers%20measured%20electrical%20resistivity%2C%20as%20saltwater%20conducts%20electricity%20more%20efficiently%20than%20freshwater.%0A%0ADuring%20the%202025%20survey%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20A%20helicopter%20carried%20electromagnetic%20instruments%20across%20154%20miles%20of%20flight%20paths%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Data%20was%20collected%20across%20Farmington%20Bay%20and%20northern%20Antelope%20Island%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Scientists%20created%20detailed%20maps%20of%20the%20boundary%20between%20saltwater%20and%20freshwater%20layers%0A%0AThe%20results%20showed%20a%20thin%20saline%20layer%20near%20the%20surface%2C%20with%20freshwater%20located%20just%2010%20meters%20below%20in%20some%20areas%2C%20extending%20much%20deeper%20underground.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EGeological%20insights%20and%20future%20exploration%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20study%20also%20revealed%20key%20structural%20features%20beneath%20the%20lake.%20While%20the%20bedrock%20beneath%20Farmington%20Bay%20is%20relatively%20shallow%20in%20some%20areas%2C%20it%20drops%20dramatically%20to%20depths%20of%20several%20kilometers%20in%20others.%20These%20variations%20may%20influence%20how%20freshwater%20is%20stored%20and%20flows%20beneath%20the%20lake.%0A%0AResearchers%20believe%20expanding%20the%20survey%20across%20the%20entire%201%2C500-square-mile%20lake%20could%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Improve%20regional%20water%20resource%20management%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Support%20environmental%20protection%20efforts%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Guide%20similar%20freshwater%20exploration%20projects%20worldwide%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EConclusion%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20discovery%20of%20a%20deep%20freshwater%20reservoir%20beneath%20the%20Great%20Salt%20Lake%20represents%20a%20major%20scientific%20breakthrough.%20Not%20only%20does%20it%20reshape%20our%20understanding%20of%20groundwater%20systems%20in%20saline%20environments%2C%20but%20it%20also%20opens%20the%20door%20to%20potential%20solutions%20for%20environmental%20challenges%20like%20dust%20pollution.%0A%0AFurther%20research%20will%20be%20essential%20to%20determine%20how%20this%20hidden%20resource%20can%20be%20responsibly%20managed%20and%20utilized.%0A

Freshwater found beneath Great Salt Lake 

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China launches deep-sea floating lab in Shanghai

China%20has%20officially%20published%20its%20first-ever%20detailed%20seabed%20chemical%20element%20map%20covering%20its%20eastern%20maritime%20regions%2C%20marking%20a%20major%20milestone%20in%20marine%20science%20and%20resource%20management.%20The%20release%2C%20reported%20by%20CCTV%20News%2C%20is%20based%20on%20nearly%2020%20years%20of%20geological%20surveys%20led%20by%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Natural%20Resources.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EAdvanced%20marine%20data%20strengthens%20ocean%20governance%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AExperts%20highlight%20that%20this%20newly%20released%20dataset%20significantly%20enhances%20China%E2%80%99s%20marine%20data%20capabilities%2C%20enabling%20more%20accurate%20and%20science-driven%20maritime%20governance.%20The%20map%20is%20expected%20to%20play%20a%20crucial%20role%20in%20marine%20spatial%20planning%2C%20environmental%20protection%2C%20and%20offshore%20resource%20exploration.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3ELargest%20geochemical%20dataset%20of%20China%E2%80%99s%20eastern%20seas%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20project%20integrates%20field%20data%20from%20over%2020%2C000%20seabed%20sampling%20locations%2C%20combined%20with%20advanced%20machine-learning%20analysis.%20This%20has%20resulted%20in%20the%20most%20comprehensive%20and%20reliable%20multi-dimensional%20geochemical%20database%20ever%20created%20for%20China%E2%80%99s%20eastern%20waters.%0A%0AResearchers%20conducted%20a%20full-cycle%20study%20of%20seabed%20sediments%2C%20tracing%20their%20transformation%20from%20land-based%20origins%20to%20ocean%20deposition.%20This%20process%20effectively%20delivers%20a%20complete%20%E2%80%9Celemental%20assessment%E2%80%9D%20of%20the%20ocean%20floor%2C%20offering%20new%20insights%20into%20sediment%20composition%20and%20evolution.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EMapping%20key%20elements%20and%20marine%20resources%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20seabed%20map%20identifies%20the%20distribution%2C%20concentration%2C%20and%20patterns%20of%20dozens%20of%20chemical%20elements%2C%20including%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Iron%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Manganese%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Copper%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Rare%20earth%20elements%0A%0AThese%20findings%20form%20a%20detailed%20geochemical%20atlas%2C%20serving%20as%20a%20strategic%20%E2%80%9Cnavigation%20tool%E2%80%9D%20for%20sustainable%20marine%20development%20and%20conservation%20efforts.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EEnvironmental%20monitoring%20and%20pollution%20control%20benefits%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AAccording%20to%20researchers%20from%20the%20Qingdao%20Institute%20of%20Marine%20Geology%2C%20analyzing%20chemical%20element%20distribution%20allows%20for%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Rapid%20identification%20of%20polluted%20marine%20zones%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Detection%20of%20ecologically%20sensitive%20areas%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Improved%20marine%20environmental%20protection%20planning%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Stronger%20pollution%20risk%20management%0A%0AThis%20data%20also%20supports%20the%20establishment%20of%20marine%20ecological%20protection%20boundaries%2C%20ensuring%20more%20effective%20conservation%20policies.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EBoosting%20mineral%20exploration%20and%20scientific%20research%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20seabed%20mapping%20initiative%20enhances%20the%20ability%20to%20locate%20underwater%20mineral%20resources%20with%20greater%20precision%2C%20reducing%20unnecessary%20or%20inefficient%20exploration%20efforts.%20Additionally%2C%20the%20dataset%20provides%20valuable%20information%20for%20scientists%20studying%3A%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20geological%20evolution%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Climate%20change%20patterns%0A%0A%E2%80%A2%20Oceanographic%20history%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EStrategic%20importance%20for%20China%E2%80%99s%20marine%20economy%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AIndustry%20analysts%20emphasize%20that%20this%20achievement%20demonstrates%20China%E2%80%99s%20growing%20capacity%20to%20independently%20survey%20and%20evaluate%20marine%20resources.%20It%20also%20strengthens%20the%20country%E2%80%99s%20ability%20to%20manage%20its%20maritime%20territory%20and%20economic%20interests.%0A%0AChina%E2%80%99s%20eastern%20waters%E2%80%94including%20the%20Bohai%20Sea%2C%20Yellow%20Sea%2C%20and%20East%20China%20Sea%E2%80%94are%20vital%20economic%20and%20ecological%20zones%20linking%20Asia%20to%20the%20Pacific%20Ocean.%20The%20seabed%20in%20these%20regions%20acts%20as%20a%20natural%20archive%2C%20preserving%20records%20of%20continental%20shifts%2C%20climate%20variations%2C%20and%20river%20system%20changes%20over%20millions%20of%20years.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EClosing%20gaps%20in%20global%20marine%20research%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThis%20project%20fills%20a%20long-standing%20gap%20in%20systematic%20seabed%20geochemical%20mapping%2C%20boosting%20China%E2%80%99s%20influence%20in%20global%20marine%20science%E2%80%94particularly%20in%20the%20study%20of%20marginal%20seas.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EBacked%20by%20rapid%20advances%20in%20deep-sea%20technology%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20map%E2%80%99s%20release%20reflects%20broader%20national%20efforts%20to%20strengthen%20marine%20infrastructure.%20China%20has%20made%20significant%20progress%20in%20deep-sea%20exploratio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China releases first seabed chemical map

The%20Royal%20Horticultural%20Society%20and%20Animal%20and%20Plant%20Health%20Agency%20have%20announced%20a%20major%20new%20partnership%20to%20launch%20a%20%C2%A33%20million%20National%20Centre%20for%20Environmental%20Horticulture%20and%20Plant%20Health%2C%20designed%20to%20tackle%20current%20and%20future%20threats%20to%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%20gardens%2C%20landscapes%2C%20and%20horticulture%20industry.%0A%0ABacked%20by%20funding%20from%20the%20UK%20Department%20for%20Environment%2C%20Food%20and%20Rural%20Affairs%20(Defra)%2C%20the%20initiative%20will%20unite%20scientific%20experts%2C%20industry%20leaders%2C%20and%20environmental%20specialists%20to%20strengthen%20plant%20biosecurity%20and%20protect%20Britain%E2%80%99s%2023%20million%20gardens.%20The%20UK%20horticulture%20sector%20currently%20contributes%20around%20%C2%A338%20billion%20to%20the%20national%20economy%20and%20supports%20more%20than%20722%2C000%20jobs%20across%20the%20country.%0A%0AThe%20new%20Centre%20will%20operate%20through%20a%20virtual%20network%20of%20specialists%20working%20across%20RHS%20and%20APHA%20locations%20nationwide.%20Its%20primary%20goal%20will%20be%20to%20identify%20high-risk%20plant%20health%20issues%2C%20develop%20effective%20research-based%20solutions%2C%20and%20provide%20practical%20management%20strategies%20for%20growers%2C%20landscapers%2C%20and%20home%20gardeners.%0A%0AAmong%20the%20major%20plant%20health%20threats%20being%20monitored%20are%20Bemisia%20tabaci%2C%20a%20destructive%20insect%20known%20for%20spreading%20damaging%20crop%20diseases%3B%20Phytophthora%20species%2C%20harmful%20water%20moulds%20responsible%20for%20widespread%20plant%20losses%3B%20and%20Rose%20Rosette%20virus%2C%20a%20serious%20disease%20that%20can%20rapidly%20destroy%20rose%20plants.%0A%0AThe%20RHS%20will%20also%20use%20its%20network%20of%20more%20than%20600%2C000%20members%20to%20improve%20public%20awareness%20around%20plant%20biosecurity%20and%20help%20monitor%20emerging%20garden%20health%20concerns%20throughout%20the%20UK.%20Recent%20RHS%20gardening%20reports%20identified%20honey%20fungus%20and%20phytophthora%20root%20rot%20among%20the%20most%20common%20plant%20diseases%20affecting%20British%20gardens%20in%202025.%0A%0AThe%20announcement%20coincides%20with%20National%20Plant%20Health%20Week%2C%20taking%20place%20from%2011%E2%80%9317%20May%2C%20highlighting%20the%20growing%20importance%20of%20protecting%20plants%2C%20trees%2C%20and%20green%20spaces%20from%20climate-related%20and%20global%20threats.%0A%0ADefra%20Chief%20Plant%20Health%20Officer%20Professor%20Nicola%20Spence%20stated%20that%20climate%20change%20and%20global%20trade%20are%20increasing%20the%20number%20and%20complexity%20of%20risks%20facing%20UK%20plants.%20She%20explained%20that%20the%20new%20Centre%20represents%20a%20major%20advancement%20in%20strengthening%20national%20biosecurity%20through%20scientific%20innovation%20and%20collaborative%20research.%0A%0AAPHA%20Chief%20Executive%20Richard%20Lewis%20added%20that%20the%20partnership%20between%20APHA%2C%20Defra%2C%20and%20the%20RHS%20will%20play%20a%20crucial%20role%20in%20defending%20the%20UK%20against%20existing%20and%20emerging%20plant%20health%20threats%20while%20safeguarding%20borders%20and%20ecosystems.%0A%0ARHS%20Director%20of%20Science%20and%20Collections%20Professor%20Alistair%20Griffiths%20emphasized%20that%20combining%20advanced%20scientific%20research%20with%20practical%20horticultural%20expertise%20will%20help%20support%20a%20thriving%20environmental%20horticulture%20industry%20while%20delivering%20economic%2C%20environmental%2C%20and%20wellbeing%20benefits%20for%20communities%20and%20gardeners%20alike.%0A%0AThe%20National%20Centre%20for%20Environmental%20Horticulture%20and%20Plant%20Health%20also%20supports%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%20Plant%20Biosecurity%20Strategy%20for%20Great%20Britain%202023%E2%80%932028%20and%20aligns%20with%20government%20plans%20to%20drive%20economic%20growth%20through%20innovation%2C%20science%2C%20and%20sustainable%20technology.

UK launches £3M plant health research hub

Chinese%20researchers%20have%20developed%20an%20advanced%20hydrogel%20capable%20of%20capturing%20uranium%20from%20highly%20concentrated%20seawater%2C%20potentially%20opening%20a%20new%20route%20to%20securing%20fuel%20for%20the%20growing%20global%20nuclear%20energy%20industry.%0A%0AThe%20material%20addresses%20one%20of%20the%20biggest%20obstacles%20facing%20uranium%20recovery%20from%20the%20ocean%3A%20extracting%20extremely%20small%20quantities%20of%20uranium%20while%20dealing%20with%20the%20enormous%20concentration%20of%20other%20dissolved%20salts.%0A%0ADeveloped%20by%20researchers%20led%20by%20scientists%20at%20Hainan%20University%2C%20the%20new%20composite%20hydrogel%20performs%20particularly%20well%20in%20concentrated%20seawater%20and%20brine%20produced%20by%20processes%20such%20as%20desalination%20and%20salt%20production.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EA%20vast%20uranium%20resource%20hidden%20in%20the%20ocean%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AUranium%20is%20essential%20to%20most%20commercial%20nuclear%20power%20plants%2C%20but%20conventional%20supplies%20depend%20largely%20on%20mining%20terrestrial%20deposits.%0A%0AThe%20oceans%20represent%20an%20alternative%20resource.%20However%2C%20recovering%20uranium%20directly%20from%20seawater%20is%20technically%20difficult%20because%20uranium%20exists%20at%20extremely%20low%20concentrations%20and%20must%20be%20separated%20from%20many%20competing%20ions.%0A%0AConcentrated%20seawater%20offers%20an%20interesting%20alternative.%0A%0ABrine%20generated%20by%20desalination%20facilities%20and%20solar%20saltworks%20can%20contain%20substantially%20more%20uranium%20than%20ordinary%20seawater.%20According%20to%20the%20researchers%2C%20uranium%20concentrations%20in%20these%20environments%20can%20reach%20roughly%20two%20to%2010%20times%20those%20found%20in%20natural%20seawater.%0A%0AHigher%20concentrations%20could%20make%20uranium%20recovery%20more%20practical%2C%20but%20concentrated%20brine%20creates%20another%20problem%3A%20extreme%20salinity%20can%20reduce%20the%20effectiveness%20of%20conventional%20uranium-absorbing%20materials.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3ENew%20hydrogel%20behaves%20differently%20in%20salty%20water%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20tackled%20the%20problem%20by%20developing%20a%20composite%20material%20combining%20polyvinylphosphonic%20acid%20(PVPA)%20with%20polyamidoxime%20(PAO).%0A%0APAO-based%20materials%20are%20promising%20candidates%20for%20extracting%20uranium%20because%20their%20chemical%20groups%20can%20bind%20to%20uranyl%20ions.%20Unfortunately%2C%20conventional%20PAO%20hydrogels%20can%20shrink%20when%20exposed%20to%20highly%20saline%20environments.%0A%0AThat%20shrinkage%20makes%20some%20of%20their%20uranium-binding%20sites%20less%20accessible%2C%20reducing%20extraction%20performance.%0A%0AThe%20new%20PVPA%E2%80%93PAO%20hydrogel%20is%20designed%20to%20respond%20differently.%0A%0AInstead%20of%20simply%20collapsing%20in%20concentrated%20salt%20solutions%2C%20interactions%20between%20ions%20in%20the%20surrounding%20water%20and%20charged%20groups%20within%20the%20material%20weaken%20some%20of%20the%20electrostatic%20attraction%20between%20its%20polymer%20chains.%0A%0AThis%20phenomenon%2C%20known%20as%20the%20anti-polyelectrolyte%20effect%2C%20allows%20the%20hydrogel%20structure%20to%20expand%20under%20high-salinity%20conditions.%0A%0AThe%20expanded%20network%20exposes%20more%20uranium-binding%20sites%20to%20the%20surrounding%20water%2C%20improving%20the%20material's%20ability%20to%20capture%20uranyl%20ions.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EHydrogel%20captures%2043.89%20mg%20of%20uranium%20per%20gram%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0ATesting%20with%20concentrated%20natural%20seawater%20produced%20particularly%20promising%20results.%0A%0AAfter%20being%20immersed%20for%2024%20days%20in%20concentrated%20seawater%20obtained%20from%20solar%20saltworks%2C%20the%20PVPA%E2%80%93PAO%20hydrogel%20achieved%20a%20uranium%20adsorption%20capacity%20of%2043.89%20milligrams%20per%20gram.%0A%0AThat%20corresponds%20to%20an%20average%20uranium%20uptake%20rate%20of%20approximately%201.83%20mg%20per%20gram%20per%20day.%0A%0AThe%20researchers%20reported%20that%20previously%20studied%20PAO%20hydrogels%20achieved%20capacities%20of%20around%2010%20mg%20per%20gram%20under%20comparable%20concentrated-seawater%20conditions%2C%20highlighting%20the%20potential%20performance%20advantage%20of%20the%20new%20approach.%0A%0A%3Ch2%3EMaterial%20also%20resists%20biofouling%3C%2Fh2%3E%0A%0AEfficiency%20is%20only%20one%20challenge%20facing%20materials%20deployed%20in%20real%20seawater.%0A%0AMicroorganisms%20can%20colonize%20surfaces%20over%20time%2C%20creating%20biofilms%20that%20interfere%20with%20adsorption%20and%20reduce%20long-term%20performance.%20Any%20practical%20uranium%20extraction%20technology%20therefore%20needs%20to%20withstand%20biological%20as%20well%20as%20chemical%20conditions.%0A%0AThe%20PVPA%E2%80%93PAO%20hydrogel%20demonstrated%20strong%20antibacterial%20properties%2C%20with%20the%20researchers%20reporting%20an%20antibacterial%20rate%20of%2099.94%25.%0A%0AIt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China’s new hydrogel extracts seawater uranium

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