In California, scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have demonstrated a new technique, modeled after a metabolic process found in some bacteria, to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into liquid acetate, a key ingredient in producing “liquid sunlight” or solar fuels through artificial photosynthesis. The new approach, reported in Nature Catalysis, could help advance […]
In Sweden, plastics used in home furnishings and constructions materials could be replaced with a new kind of wood-based degradable plastic with semi-structural strength. Unlike thermoplastic, the material can be broken down without harm to the environment, researchers at KTH have reported. One of the goals of renewable wood composite development is to make materials […]
In Austria, scientists have dubbed the new innovative substance “MycelioTronics” and researchers Johannes Kepler University Linz believe it’s a “global first” that could result in more sustainable electronics. At any rate, the fungal skin is an “ingenious barrier”. As described in the journal “Science Advances”, the approach was “more or less an accidental discovery”. Tnstitute […]
In Germany, biodegradable microplastic particles in soils can lead to an increased rise in CO₂ emissions to the Earth’s atmosphere. This is shown by an interdisciplinary study published in “Applied Soil Ecology” by the Collaborative Research Centre 1357 “Microplastics” at the University of Bayreuth. In this study, experts in soil ecology and ecological microbiology compare […]
In Washington, Washington State University (WSU) said that researchers in eight programs among three colleges on two campuses are exploring energy sources, testing, supply-chain logistics and policy in the quest for sustainable air transportation. The university noted that it is a co‑leader with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology of ASCENT, a consortium of research universities, […]
In Singapore, scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a technique to convert waste paper, from single-use packaging and bags, and cardboard boxes, into a crucial component of lithium-ion batteries. Through a process called carbonization which converts paper into pure carbon, the NTU researchers turned the paper’s fibers into electrodes, which can […]
In the UK, an ambitious plan to sequence the genomes of all known species of euglenoids over the next decade has been launched. The network of scientists behind the initiative believe it has the potential to drive breakthroughs ranging from new biofuels and sustainable foods to cancer medicines. The Euglena International Network (EIN), founded in […]
In the Netherlands, researchers from the University of Twente, in collaboration with Shell, developed a new mechanism that makes the conversion of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, which is an essential feedstock in the production of chemicals. Within this project under the umbrella of the Advanced Research Center Chemical Building Blocks Consortium (ARC CBBC), the […]
In Illinois, a Nature Catalysis study from six chemists at the University of Chicago shows an innovative new system for artificial photosynthesis that is more productive than previous artificial systems by an order of magnitude. Unlike regular photosynthesis, which produces carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, artificial photosynthesis could produce ethanol, methane, or other fuels. […]
\In the UK, the Business Magazine reported that UK company Biome Technologies, have secured a grant from Innovate UK in order to scale their range of natural plastic packaging and coatings. The grant amount of $332,000 will assist the company to increase the natural plastics it has developed in small amounts in the lab to […]
