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Reflecting sunlight could cool the Earth’s ecosystem

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Researchers in the Climate Intervention Biology Working Group – including Jessica Hellmann from the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment – explored the effect of solar climate interventions on ecology, and their results were published in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.

Composed of climate scientists and ecologists from leading research universities internationally, the team found that more research is needed to understand the ecological impacts of solar radiation modification (SRM) technologies that reflect small amounts of sunlight back into space.

The team focused on a specific proposed SRM strategy – referred to as stratospheric aerosol intervention (SAI) – to create a sulfate aerosol cloud in the stratosphere to reduce a portion of incoming sunlight and radiation. In theory, this cloud could be controlled in size and location. [Read more…] about Reflecting sunlight could cool the Earth’s ecosystem

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  • Raindrops also keep fallin’ on exoplanets
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    Raindrops also keep fallin’ on exoplanetsOne day, humankind may step foot on another habitable planet. That planet may look very different from Earth, but one thing will feel familiar – the rain. In a recent paper, Harvard researchers found that raindrops are remarkably similar across different planetary environments, even planets as drastically different as Earth…
    Tags: surface, climate, earth, understanding, paper, cloud, sciences, university, solar, news

Faraday Institution commits a further £22.6 million to battery research to deliver commercial impact

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The Faraday Institution has announced a £22.6m commitment to build on its momentum in four key research challenges: extending battery life, battery modelling, recycling and reuse and solid-state batteries.

In doing so, and by strengthening the organisation’s commercialisation team and strategy, it is further focusing on those areas of battery research that offer the most potential to deliver commercial impact for the UK.

Recognising its importance in the Faraday Institution’s research agenda, a focused research project on battery safety has been assembled, integrating research previously carried out in several different projects. [Read more…] about Faraday Institution commits a further £22.6 million to battery research to deliver commercial impact

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  • New storage battery more efficient and heat-resistant
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    New storage battery more efficient and heat-resistantAt the beginning of 2020, for the first time ever, renewable energy was able to cover more than half of the electricity consumed in Germany. But the more important renewable energy sources become, the more urgent is the need to store the electricity produced in this way. Green energy could…
    Tags: energy, storage, battery, researchers, news

New material enables the usage of ‘calcium’ for batteries

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Scientists from Tohoku University have developed a new fluorine-free calcium (Ca) electrolyte based on a hydrogen (monocarborane) cluster that could potentially realize rechargeable Ca batteries.

The researchers say the new material, achieved by designing the coordination structure of Ca cation with a weakly coordinating anion and mixed solvents, shows markedly improved electrochemical performances such as high conductivity and high electrochemical stabilities.

Current lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have some drawbacks. They are approaching their demand limits of theoretical energy density and cost, and lithium is not naturally plentiful. [Read more…] about New material enables the usage of ‘calcium’ for batteries

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  • New storage battery more efficient and heat-resistant
    31
    New storage battery more efficient and heat-resistantAt the beginning of 2020, for the first time ever, renewable energy was able to cover more than half of the electricity consumed in Germany. But the more important renewable energy sources become, the more urgent is the need to store the electricity produced in this way. Green energy could…
    Tags: energy, batteries, battery, potential, electrolytes, material, electrolyte, university, suitable, news

Making cleaner, greener plastics from waste fish parts

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Polyurethanes, a type of plastic, are nearly everywhere – in shoes, clothes, refrigerators and construction materials. But these highly versatile materials can have a major downside. Derived from crude oil, toxic to synthesize, and slow to break down, conventional polyurethanes are not environmentally friendly. Today, researchers discuss devising what they say should be a safer, biodegradable alternative derived from fish waste – heads, bones, skin and guts – that would otherwise likely be discarded.

The researchers will present their results today at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS Spring 2021 is being held online April 5-30. Live sessions will be hosted April 5-16, and on-demand and networking content will continue through April 30. The meeting features nearly 9,000 presentations on a wide range of science topics.

If developed successfully, a fish-oil based polyurethane could help meet the immense need for more sustainable plastics, says Francesca Kerton, PhD, the project’s principal investigator. “It is important that we start designing plastics with an end-of-life plan, whether it’s chemical degradation that turns the material into carbon dioxide and water, or recycling and repurposing.” [Read more…] about Making cleaner, greener plastics from waste fish parts

New hydrogel halves recovery time from muscle injuries

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A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the CIBER Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) has designed and tested, at a preclinical level, a new biomaterial for the treatment and recovery of muscle injuries.

It is a boron-loaded alginate hydrogel, which would be administered with a subcutaneous injection. According to the tests carried out so far -in animal models-, it is capable of regenerating damaged muscle very rapidly -specifically, in half the time it takes for it to regenerate naturally.

The scientific advance could also be applied to the prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy associated with aging. The results of the work of these Spanish researchers have been published in the journal Materials Science & Engineering C. [Read more…] about New hydrogel halves recovery time from muscle injuries

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  • Less sugar, please! New studies show low glucose levels might assist muscle repair
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    Less sugar, please! New studies show low glucose levels might assist muscle repairResearchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have shown that skeletal muscle satellite cells, key players in muscle repair, proliferate better in low glucose environments. This is contrary to conventional wisdom that says mammalian cells fare better when there is more sugar to fuel their activities. Because ultra-low glucose environments do not…
    Tags: cells, muscle, team, health

Less sugar, please! New studies show low glucose levels might assist muscle repair

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Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have shown that skeletal muscle satellite cells, key players in muscle repair, proliferate better in low glucose environments. This is contrary to conventional wisdom that says mammalian cells fare better when there is more sugar to fuel their activities.

Because ultra-low glucose environments do not allow other cell types to proliferate, the team could produce pure cultures of satellite cells, potentially a significant boost for biomedical research.

Healthy muscles are an important part of a healthy life. With the wear and tear of everyday use, our muscles continuously repair themselves to keep them in top condition. In recent years, scientists have begun to understand how muscle repair works at the cellular level. [Read more…] about Less sugar, please! New studies show low glucose levels might assist muscle repair

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  • Better diet and glucose uptake in the brain lead to longer life in fruit flies
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    Better diet and glucose uptake in the brain lead to longer life in fruit fliesResearchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered that fruit flies with genetic modifications to enhance glucose uptake have significantly longer lifespans. Looking at the brain cells of aging flies, they found that better glucose uptake compensates for age-related deterioration in motor functions, and led to longer life. The effect was…
    Tags: glucose, cells, life, health
  • Disposable surgical masks best for being heard clearly when speaking, study finds
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    Disposable surgical masks best for being heard clearly when speaking, study findsResearcher Ryan Corey recently heard from a friend who teaches at a school where some of the students have hearing loss. The friend wanted to know if he had any ideas to help her communicate with these students while wearing a mask to slow the spread of Covid-19. Corey, who…
    Tags: life, health, uncategorized
  • How to prevent and treat high blood pressure with exercise
    31
    How to prevent and treat high blood pressure with exerciseThe first personalised advice on the most effective exercise to lower blood pressure is published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The ESC consensus document recommends specific activities according to an individual's current blood pressure level. One in four heart…
    Tags: life, health, uncategorized
  • New hydrogel halves recovery time from muscle injuries
    30
    New hydrogel halves recovery time from muscle injuriesA team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the CIBER Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) has designed and tested, at a preclinical level, a new biomaterial for the treatment and recovery of muscle injuries. It is a boron-loaded alginate hydrogel, which would be administered with a subcutaneous injection.…
    Tags: muscle, cells, team, health

Why the brain enjoys music

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Communication between the brain’s auditory and reward circuits is the reason why humans find music rewarding, according to new research published in JNeurosci.

Despite no obvious biological benefits, humans love music. Neuroimaging studies highlight similarities between how the brain’s reward circuits process music and other rewards like food, money, and alcohol.

Yet neuroimaging studies are correlational by nature. [Read more…] about Why the brain enjoys music

Apples to apples: Neural network uses orchard data to predict fruit quality after storage

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A researcher from Skoltech and his German colleagues have developed a neural network-based classification algorithm that can use data from an apple orchard to predict how well apples will fare in long-term storage. The paper was published in Computers and Electronics in Agriculture.

Before the fruit and vegetables we all like end up on our tables, they have to be stored for quite some time, and during this time they can develop physiological disorders such as flesh browning or superficial scald (brown or black patches on the skin of the fruit).

These disorders contribute to the loss of a substantial amount of product, and a lot of research effort is dedicated to the development of robust methods of disorder prediction – a notoriously difficult task due to the multitude of factors involved, both at the orchard and in the storage facility. [Read more…] about Apples to apples: Neural network uses orchard data to predict fruit quality after storage

Turning wood into plastic: Yale scientists show how wood can be transformed into slurry

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Efforts to shift from petrochemical plastics to renewable and biodegradable plastics have proven tricky – the production process can require toxic chemicals and is expensive, and the mechanical strength and water stability is often insufficient. But researchers have made a breakthrough, using wood byproducts, that shows promise for producing more durable and sustainable bioplastics.

A study published in Nature Sustainability, co-authored by Yuan Yao, assistant professor of industrial ecology and sustainable systems at Yale School of the Environment (YSE), outlines the process of deconstructing the porous matrix of natural wood into a slurry.

The researchers say the resulting material shows a high mechanical strength, stability when holding liquids, and UV-light resistance. It can also be recycled or safely biodegraded in the natural environment, and has a lower life-cycle environmental impact when compared with petroleum-based plastics and other biodegradable plastics. [Read more…] about Turning wood into plastic: Yale scientists show how wood can be transformed into slurry

Ultrasound has potential to damage coronaviruses, study finds

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The coronavirus’ structure is an all-too-familiar image, with its densely packed surface receptors resembling a thorny crown.

These spike-like proteins latch onto healthy cells and trigger the invasion of viral RNA. While the virus’ geometry and infection strategy is generally understood, little is known about its physical integrity.

A new study by researchers in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering suggests that coronaviruses may be vulnerable to ultrasound vibrations, within the frequencies used in medical diagnostic imaging. [Read more…] about Ultrasound has potential to damage coronaviruses, study finds