Revolutionary invention transforms seawater into hydrogen fuel

Believe it or not seawater makes an excellent base for fuel. That’s because seawater contains a cocktail of elements like hydrogen oxygen sodium and others all of which are essential for life on Earth to thrive. The fuel part here comes from the hydrogen found in seawater. Unfortunately pulling the hydrogen gas from the rest of the elements has been quite a challenge at least until now.

According to a new paper published in the journal Joule researchers with the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Stanford University the University of Oregon and Manchester Metropolitan University have created a device that can safely pull hydrogen from seawater allowing the researchers to make hydrogen fuel.

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Characterization of just one atom using synchrotron X-rays

Since the discovery of X-rays by Roentgen in 1895 its use has been ubiquitous from medical and environmental applications to materials sciences12345. X-ray characterization requires a large number of atoms and reducing the material quantity is a long-standing goal. Here we show that X-rays can be used to characterize the elemental and chemical state of just one atom. Using a specialized tip as a detector X-ray-excited currents generated from an iron and a terbium atom coordinated to organic ligands are detected. The fingerprints of a single atom the L23 and M45 absorption edge signals for iron and terbium respectively are clearly observed in the X-ray absorption spectra.

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Clean energy investment is extending its lead over fossil fuels, boosted by energy security strengths

Global investment in clean energy is on course to rise to USD 1.7 trillion in 2023 with solar set to eclipse oil production for the first time

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Transparent 'Grätzel' solar cells achieve a new efficiency record

Mesoscopic dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) often known as the renowned Grätzel cells were developed 32 years ago by Brian ORegan and Michael Grätzel. DSCs use photosensitizers to turn light into electricity.

Researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have discovered a way to create transparent photosensitizers molecules that can be activated by light and adsorb light across the entire visible light spectrum. Previous versions of DSCs were largely dependent on direct sunlight.

COVID-19: Without masks, two meters distancing is not enough, research finds

Simulations track the spread of coughs and safe physical distancing indoors
Date: October 5 2021
Source: McGill University
Summary: To prevent the spread of COVID-19 indoors the two meters physical distancing guideline is not enough without masks according to researchers. However wearing a mask indoors can reduce the contamination range of airborne particles by about 67 percent.

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Breathtaking new map of the X-ray Universe

Behold the hot energetic Universe.

A German-Russian space telescope has just acquired a breakthrough map of the sky that traces the heavens in X-rays.

The image records a lot of the violent action in the cosmos - instances where matter is being accelerated heated and shredded.

Feasting black holes exploding stars and searingly hot gas.

Physicists Just Quantum Teleported Information Between Particles of Matter

By making use of the spooky laws behind quantum entanglement physicists think have found a way to make information leap between a pair of electrons separated by distance.

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Satellites Reveal Major New Gas Industry Methane Leaks

LONDON (Reuters) - Last fall European Space Agency satellites detected huge plumes of the invisible planet-warming gas methane leaking from the Yamal pipeline that carries natural gas from Siberia to Europe.

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Turning Plastic into Bricks Using a New Rubber Polymer

A team of scientists from Australia have discovered a new method of recycling waste materials into bricks which could be used to construct houses. In a study conducted by Flinders University in Adelaide and published in the journal Chemistry Europe the researchers were able to use a novel rubber polymer to convert PVC sand or plant fibres into usable construction materials.

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Newly discovered plant gene could boost phosphorus intake

Date: June 16 2020


Source: University of Copenhagen


Summary: Researchers have discovered an important gene in plants that could help agricultural crops collaborate better with underground fungi -- providing them with wider root networks and helping them to absorb phosphorus. The discovery has the potential to increase agricultural efficiency and benefit the environment.

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Physicists May Have Solved Long-Standing Mystery of Matter and Antimatter

TOPICS:AntimatterAstrophysics
By UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND JUNE 14 2020
An element that could hold the key to the long-standing mystery around why there is much more matter than antimatter in our Universe has been discovered by a University of the West of Scotland (UWS)-led team of physicists.

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Climate crisis to blame for $67bn of Hurricane Harvey damage – study

Exclusive: new figure far higher than previous estimates of direct impact of global heating
At least 67bn of the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 can be attributed directly to climate breakdown according to research that could lead to a radical reassessment of the costs of damage from extreme weather.
Harvey ripped through the Caribbean and the US states of Texas and Louisiana causing at least 90bn of damage to property and livelihoods and killing scores of people.

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