In Washington state, fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria might not complain about jet lag. But like humans, their physiologies adhere to a roughly 24-hour cycle of behavioral patterns in the absence of external cues. Organisms that experience recurring day and night cycles have evolved a biochemical oscillator or circadian clock. This clock determines which activities, from […]
In Minnesota, a new study establishes that environmental damage caused by corn production results in 4,300 premature deaths annually in the United States, representing a monetized cost of $39 billion. The paper, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Sustainability, presents how researchers have estimated for the first time the health damages caused by corn production […]
In Washington, D.C., new research prepared by the University of California-Davis, Kansas State University, and University of Wisconsin provides the most detailed and comprehensive assessment to date of the direct connection between U.S. biofuels policy and specific economic and field-level environmental changes following passage of the Renewable Fuel Standard 10 years ago, according to the […]
In Sweden, in recent years, researchers have tried to capture the electrical current that bacteria generate through metabolism. So far, however, the transfer of current from the bacteria to a receiving electrode has been highly inefficient. Now, researchers from institutions including Lund University have achieved a slightly more efficient transfer of electrical current. The results […]
In Australia, CO2CRC has been awarded funding to conduct important research into reducing greenhouse gas emissions in steel production. The year-long study has been made possible by a grant from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (Coal Innovation NSW Fund). The project will explore pathways for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in steel production, including […]
In Pennsylvania, a new technique to spin starch fibers using Lego pieces could have future applications for lab-grown “clean” meat, according to a team of food scientists from Penn State and the University of Alabama. To produce fine starch fibers using electrospinning, electricity is applied to a starch solution as it dispenses from a nozzle. […]
In the UK, as the world is looking to combat the catastrophic effects of climate change, many hope that bio-based chemicals and fuels will help in the necessary move away from fossil fuels. The conversion of Acetone, Ethanol and Butanol (ABE) produced from sugar fermentation, into valuable chemicals through condensation reactions is seen as a […]
In North Carolina, researchers at North Carolina State University discovered that a bacterium found in camel crickets is capable of breaking down lignin – the stuff that makes wood tough – opening new research pathways for the development of biofuels and chemical manufacturing. The study also highlights the potential inherent in using ecosystem analysis as […]
In China, researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics have developed an energy-dense drop-in aviation biofuel using cellulosic feedstocks that they say will allow planes to fly further than using conventional aviation fuel, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions during takeoff and landing. With 10% more energy density than conventional aviation fuel, the researchers […]
In Finland, a researcher at the University of Finland has taken a first step towards creating a precise measuring device for radioactive methane. The new method is an optical one based on spectroscopy. Previously, radioactive methane has been measured with accelerator mass spectrometry, involving expensive and huge machines. Optical measuring could be a cheaper and […]
