A new study has shown that common levels of traffic pollution can impair human brain function in only a matter of hours. The study was the first to show in a controlled experiment using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that exposure to diesel exhaust disrupts the ability of different areas...
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Reducing steel corrosion vital to combating climate change
Every year, the United States spends nearly a trillion dollars fighting metallic corrosion, an electrochemical reaction that occurs when metals oxidize and begin to rust.
MIT engineers grow “perfect” atom-thin materials on industrial silicon wafers
True to Moore’s Law, the number of transistors on a microchip has doubled every year since the 1960s. But this trajectory is predicted to soon plateau because silicon — the backbone of modern transistors — loses its electrical properties once devices made from this material dip below a certain size.
New mosquito repellents that work better than DEET
In the age-old battle against mosquitoes, DEET has proven effective at keeping this nemesis at bay, but the repellent is smelly and its protection is short-lived. Now, researchers report that they have designed safe alternatives that have some advantages over DEET, including a nice smell and much longer protection from...
Scientists unveil least costly carbon capture system to date
Scientists carve a path to profit from carbon capture by creating a system that efficiently captures CO2 and converts it into one of the world's most widely used chemicals: methanol.
Immense diversity and interdependence in high temp deep-sea microorganism communities
A new study finds that microorganisms live in richly diverse and interdependent communities in high-temperature geothermal environments in the deep sea. By constructing genomes of 3,635 Bacteria and Archaea from 40 different rock communities, researchers discovered at least 500 new genera and have evidence for two new phyla. Samples from...
Global study of hypoxia in rivers shows it is more prevalent than previously thought
New research shows hypoxia in rivers and streams is generally much more prevalent across the globe than previously thought. The research compiles over 118 million readings of dissolved oxygen and temperature taken from over 125,000 locations in rivers across six continents and 93 countries and spanning over 100 years, from...
Study reveals influence of krill availability on humpback whale pregnancies
Scientists show reduced krill supplies lead to fewer pregnancies in humpback whales -- a finding that could have major implications for industrial krill fishing. Data from Antarctica show more humpback whales get pregnant after years with abundant krill than after years when krill were less plentiful.
Virus plus microplastics equal double whammy for fish health
Microplastics -- tiny particles generated as plastics weather and fragment -- pose a growing threat to ecosystem and human health. A new laboratory study shows these threats extend beyond direct physical or chemical impacts, revealing that the presence of microplastics increases the severity of an important viral fish disease.
Startup M2X Energy Partners with UCF’s FSEC, Aims to Convert Greenhouse Gases into Low-carbon Methanol
Most people realize the climate impacts of carbon dioxide.