A team of researchers has demonstrated that some plant species could help to remove toxic heavy metals and metalloids from contaminated soil.
Groundwater level threatens to fall in Germany due to climate change
Climate change directly affects groundwater resources. Groundwater levels in Germany threaten to fall in the next decades.
Undersea detector proves it’s swell
Highly energetic particles called muons are ever present in the atmosphere and pass through even massive objects with ease. Sensitive detectors installed along the Tokyo Bay tunnel measure muons passing through the sea above them. This allows for changes in the volume of water above the tunnel to be calculated....
A 4 V-class metal-free organic lithium-ion battery gets closer to reality
Organic, metal free, high-energy batteries are a pathway to a greener future. Yet scientists have struggled to find ways to boost the voltage in organic lithium-ion batteries. Now, a study has proposed a small organic molecule known as croconic acid that can maintain a working voltage of around 4 Volts.
New approach enhances muscle recovery in aged mice
Scientists have developed a promising new method to combat the age-related losses in muscle mass that often accompany immobility after injury or illness. Their technique, demonstrated in mice, arrests the process by which muscles begin to deteriorate at the onset of exercise after a period of inactivity.
Bioprinting for bone repair improved with genes
Given enough time and energy, the body will heal, but when doctors or engineers intervene, the processes do not always proceed as planned because chemicals that control and facilitate the healing process are missing. Now, an international team of engineers is bioprinting bone along with two growth factor encoding genes...
Solution to world’s largest waste stream: Make sand
After water, sand is the most exploited natural resource on the planet. However, its extraction from seas, rivers, beaches and quarries has an impact on the environment and surrounding communities. A new study has found that a step-change in mineral processing could drastically reduce mineral waste -- the world's largest...
Deforestation drives climate change that harms remaining forest
Scientists using climate models and satellite data reveal for the first time how protecting tropical forests can yield climate benefits that enhance carbon storage in nearby areas.
You’ve heard of water droughts. Could ‘energy’ droughts be next?
Drawing on 70 years of historic wind and solar-power data, researchers built an AI model to predict the probability of a network-scale 'drought,' when daily production of renewables fell below a target threshold. Under a threshold set at the 30th percentile, when roughly a third of all days are low-production...
Lack of marshaling ports hindering offshore wind industry
A new study finds that the nation's existing and planned marshaling ports, the assembly areas critical to building and deploying offshore wind turbines, will be insufficient by 2023 to meet commitments and will fail to meet projected demand through 2050.