In Georgia, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a concept that would make Martian rocket fuel, on Mars, that could be used to launch future astronauts back to Earth. The bioproduction process would use three resources native to the red planet: carbon dioxide, sunlight, and frozen water. It would also include transporting […]
In Washington state, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed seaweed-based inks and materials for developing colorful 2-D and 3-D shapes and models. The innovation is called ArtSea Inks and Materials. The set of vivid inks—think a futuristic upgrade from yesteryear’s eight-pack of Crayola crayons—was developed using seaweed solutions bolstered with pigments that […]
In Japan, using photocatalysts to reduce CO2 has received a lot of attention recently. Scientists from Tokyo Tech have developed a new osmium complex that can absorb a full wavelength range of visible light and act as a panchromatic redox photosensitizer for CO2 reduction. The team combined this complex with a ruthenium (II) catalyst and […]
In Japan, researchers from Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a new version of the osmium complex which can now absorb full wavelength range of visible light and will act as a panchromatic redox photosensitizer for CO2 reduction. The team combined this complex with a ruthenium (II) catalyst and successfully reduced CO2 into formic acid. Finding […]
In Illinois, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC), located in University Park of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has been awarded $1.9 million though the Rebuild Illinois Wet Lab Capital program by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). NCERC joins seven other laboratories from across the state who received a total investment of […]
In Colorado, more sustainable farming sector, lower industrial emissions, more efficient biochemical production—National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) scientists and industry partners expect sizable benefits from three new projects to commercialize bioinsecticides, enzymatic carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization, and cell-free biocatalysis. Pulling a combined $750,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) and matching […]
In Japan, when liquid meets gas, a unique zone forms. Variable by nature, molecules can cross from one state to another, combining in unique ways to either desirable or unwanted ends. From heat escaping a mug of coffee to increasing molecular concentrations in chemical solutions, gas-liquid interfaces are ubiquitous across nature and engineering. But a […]
In Germany, microbial production of methane from organic material is an essential process in the global carbon cycle and an important source of renewable energy. This natural process is based on a cooperative interaction between different types of microorganisms: the fermenting bacteria and the methane-producing archaea. The former converts so-called primary fermentation products from biomass […]
In New Mexico, in a recent project funded by the Advanced Algal Systems (AAS) Program, researchers from LANL and the New Mexico Consortium are exploring the biofuel candidate Chlorella sorokiniana, developing genetic engineering tools in order to introduce novel traits that would allow the algae to grow faster and accumulate more biomass for biofuel production. […]
In Germany, in two recent studies, soil ecologists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) have shown which microbial community is responsible for degradation, what role the climate plays in this process, and why biodegradable plastics could still be problematic. Plastic that ends up in soils, oceans, or inland waters can harm the organisms […]
