Berkeley, CA

A new chemical process can essentially vaporize plastics that dominate the waste stream today and turn them into hydrocarbon building blocks for new plastics. The catalytic process, developed at the University of California, Berkeley, works equally well with the two dominant types of post-consumer plastic waste: polyethylene, the component of most single-use plastic bags; and polypropylene, the stuff of hard plastics, from microwavable dishes to luggage. It also efficiently degrades a mix of these types of plastics.

Catalytic process vaporizes plastic bags and bottles, yielding gases to make new, recycled plastics

Corvallis, OR

Oregon State University researchers working on a way to make cleaner hydrogen have been busy beavers. As a result, they have developed a material that leverages sunlight to separate hydrogen from water, OSU reported. The science is happening on the molecular level — measured in tiny micromoles. But the team...

Game-changing material turns sunlight and water into clean fuel: 'Sustainable and efficient energy solutions'

ScienceAlert


There are literal oceans' worth of liquid water hiding out on Mars. There's just one big problem. That water is actually in Mars, at depths that are too far below the surface for us to access.



					
			

That's according to new analysis of seismic data collected by the  Mars InSight lander, for which huge reservoirs of liquid water are the best explanation. And, although that water is out of reach, it is an important piece of the strange puzzle of the aquatic history of our dry, desiccated, dusty neighbor.
"Understanding the Martian water cycle is critical for understanding the evolution of the...

Scientists Just Found Oceans of Liquid Water on Mars – But There's a Catch

Ozone can be an agent of good or harm, depending on where you find it in the atmosphere. Way up in the stratosphere, the colorless gas shields the Earth from the sun's harsh ultraviolet rays. But closer to the ground, ozone is a harmful air pollutant that can trigger chronic health problems including chest pain, difficulty breathing, and impaired lung function.

Scientists find a human 'fingerprint' in the upper troposphere's increasing ozone

Chinese scientists and international partners are turning heterogeneous solid-state batteries into homogeneous ones. Their cathode tinkering could solve some performance problems that have plagued promising solid-state power-pack life cycles and other metrics, according to a lab report from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The research was completed at the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology.

Scientists make breakthrough discovery with potential to solve major problem in EV batteries: 'This approach is a game-changer'

Solar-powered power banks seem like a fantastic idea -- attach some solar panels to a power bank, and you have a free power source whenever the sun is shining. However, the reality is different from this idyllic vision of limitless energy. Also: The best portable power stations you can buy:...

Why you should stop using your solar-powered power bank

Situated in the constellation Tucana, the Tucana Dwarf is a distant and isolated galaxy observed by the Hubble Space Telescope. It’s notable for its older stars and sparse dust, lying far from the Local Group’s center. This galaxy helps astronomers explore the early stages of galaxy formation and the universe’s history.

Hubble Observes a Lonely Beacon in the Cosmic Dark

Researchers have discovered that the same principles governing air turbulence in the troposphere also apply to the thermosphere. A study published in Geophysical Research Letters reveals that turbulence in the thermosphere follows the same physical laws as wind in the lower atmosphere. Additionally, the study found that wind in the thermosphere mainly rotates cyclonically, meaning it turns counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

New Study Links Earth’s Weather to the Mysterious Thermosphere

Christina Zielinski and her team have discovered that sodium chloride can enhance the activity of specific immune cells in combating cancer. Sodium chloride, commonly known as “table salt,” was once a highly prized commodity. Today, it is both affordable and essential in the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, salt has also made its way into our everyday language, often carrying negative connotations. However, the phrase “rubbing salt into the wound” may soon take on a positive meaning, particularly in the context of cancer therapy.

Surprise Discovery: Scientists Discover New Anti-Cancer Potential of Salt

Interesting Engineering

Aquaria's line of atmospheric water generators can provide clean drinking water to drought-stricken regions.

Solar-powered box extracts 264 gallons of drinking water from air per day

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NewsNinja

One Walmart shopper is issuing a warning against buying meat at the massive retail chain—but the reason why isn’t strictly tied to Walmart. It seems that customers at stores such as Walmart believe it's acceptable to grab perishable items, such as meat or dairy, and then place them on any available shelf if they decide they no longer want them.

Walmart customer shares why they will never shop for meat at the store leaving viewers torn

Brain overgrowth in children with autism is linked to more severe symptoms, potentially influenced by the enzyme Ndel1. A team of researchers from Brazil and the United States have identified a link between brain overgrowth and the severity of social and communication symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Autism Severity Linked to Brain Overgrowth, Research Shows

Experts from a collection of universities have their laser beams aimed at the world's massive plastic pollution problem. And the result of their experiments could one day be realized each time we hit "save" on our devices. The University of Texas-led research uses lasers and two-dimensional materials to reduce hard-to-breakdown...

Scientists make breakthrough discovery with the power to permanently change plastic pollution: 'Transforming ... pollutants into valuable, reusable chemicals'

A new study shows humans arrived in the western Mediterranean much earlier than previously believed. Led by a University of South Florid geologist, a team of researchers examined a submerged 25-foot bridge to tackle a long-lasting archaeological controversy: When humans settled on the islands in the western Mediterranean. Their findings narrow a historical gap between the settlement timelines of the eastern and western Mediterranean regions.

Secrets of the Sunken Bridge: Unveiling Early Human Settlements

Texas State

In summer 2024, the Amistad Reservoir along the U.S.-Mexico border reached historically low water levels, holding less than a quarter of its capacity. This alarming drop was part of broader severe drought conditions in southern Texas and northern Mexico, affecting local agriculture, energy production, and water supply. Heatwaves and prolonged droughts have exacerbated the situation, setting records for high temperatures and pushing the region’s water resources to their limits.

Running on Empty: The Crisis at Amistad Reservoir

Albuquerque, NM

Micro- and nanoplastics are an unfortunate inevitability in this day and age, and their ubiquity has led it to one of the most important organs in the human body. A new study led by a team from the University of New Mexico used pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze post-mortem human liver, kidney, and brain samples from 2016 and 2024.

Scientists sound the alarm after discovering microplastics in human brains: 'Imperative to declare a global emergency'

A yearlong randomized controlled trial revealed that daily consumption of prunes slowed the progression of bone loss associated with osteoporosis. Dairy isn’t the only food beneficial for bone health. According to a new study led by Penn State researchers, prunes may also help protect bone structure and strength in postmenopausal women. The findings, published in Osteoporosis International, indicate that consuming prunes daily can slow the progression of age-related bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures.

A Surprising Superfood: Scientists Discover New Health Benefits of Prunes

A breakthrough in nanotechnology could revolutionize secure quantum communications. Researchers have successfully used 3D printing to create an optical system that can transmit single photons with nanometer precision. This advancement is key to enhancing quantum communication, a rapidly growing field that relies on highly secure data transmission. Quantum communication relies...

An advanced 3d printer is helping build reliable quantum communication

A study reveals that densely planted sunflowers use random movements to ensure optimal sunlight capture, highlighting circumnutation’s role in plant growth and mutual support. A team of researchers from Tel Aviv University has discovered that plants growing in dense environments can optimize sunlight capture and minimize mutual shading through...

Puzzling Scientists for Hundreds of Years – New Research Solves Sunflower Dance Mystery

Odessa, TX

A solar panel recycling company that recovers materials to feed back into the supply chain is taking the concept of a circular economy one step further. SolarCycle has just set up its own 500-kilowatt photovoltaic array using secondhand panels to power its plant in Odessa, Texas, as Electrek reported. That should generate about half of the plant's electricity needs.

Company unveils revolutionary solar panel recycling facility powered by secondhand panels: 'Addressing the most critical waste problem of the solar industry'

NewsBreak

Revolutionizing Recycling: New Technique Turns Plastic Waste Into Wealth

Chemical recycling offers a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic recycling by breaking down plastics into high-quality products. Researchers have optimized this process with a new mathematical...

Revolutionizing Recycling: New Technique Turns Plastic Waste Into Wealth

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