Capturing carbon dioxide with electricity: A microbial enzyme inspires electrochemistry
Humans continuously emits greenhouse gases, worsening global warming. For example, carbon dioxide (CO2) accumulates dramatically over the years and is chemically very stable. Yet, some microbes capture CO2 using highly efficient enzymes. Scientists f.....»»
Purple crabs clobber blue carbon: Study shows how they disrupt carbon cycling in salt marshes along US East Coast
Millions of purple marsh crabs are churning through salt marshes along the East Coast, significantly disrupting the storage of carbon within these ecosystems......»»
AI model enables reliable and accurate protein-ligand complex prediction
Understanding protein–ligand interactions is fundamental to molecular biology and biochemistry. These interactions are at the heart of many cellular processes, from enzyme catalysis to signal transduction. The foundational knowledge of protein–li.....»»
Approaching the unexplored "plasma phase-space" with data science
Fusion energy is being researched and developed as a new source of electric power that will contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society. At the National Institute for Fusion Science, research on magnetically confined plasma is being con.....»»
Ocean density identified as a key driver of carbon capture by marine plankton
New findings, published in Royal Society Open Science, have revealed that changes in ocean density have a significant impact on the rate at which marine plankton incorporate carbon into their shells. This has profound implications for carbon cycling.....»»
New catalyst can convert methane into useful polymers
Although it is less abundant than carbon dioxide, methane gas contributes disproportionately to global warming because it traps more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, due to its molecular structure......»»
Chemical structure"s carbon capture ability doubled by new research
Oregon State University scientists have found a way to more than double the uptake ability of a chemical structure that can be used for scrubbing carbon dioxide from factory flues......»»
Q&A: What fossils reveal about ancient Australian forests and fire
Australia's forest ecosystems, renowned for their extraordinary diversity of rare plants and animals, also play a vital role in mitigating climate change by absorbing and storing carbon. However, fossils from these ancient forests are reshaping the u.....»»
Enzyme study sheds light on the molecular mechanism behind "sleepiness"
Recent research has observed that chemical modifications called phosphorylation of proteins in brain neurons dynamically regulate sleep and wakefulness. But the protein kinases that suppress sleep and the dephosphorylation enzymes that control sleep.....»»
Cheerios effect inspires novel robot design
A popular science classroom demonstration could one day lead to applications in powering tiny robots. There's a common popular science demonstration involving "soap boats," in whi.....»»
Stable perovskite catalyst achieves selective oxidation of light alkanes
Light alkanes are relatively simple molecules made entirely of carbon and hydrogen, arranged in linear or branching structures. Their oxidized counterparts, which include alcohols, epoxides, ketones, and aldehydes, are ubiquitous in the chemical indu.....»»
AI-enhanced satellite carbon monoxide fast retrieval
A recent study presents a radiative transfer model-driven machine learning technique for retrieving carbon monoxide from the world's first hyperspectral Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder (GIIRS) onboard Fengyun-4B (FY-4B) satellite, prov.....»»
Scientists create an enzyme not found in nature for use in efficient synthetic metabolic pathways
A team of researchers led by Tobias Erb at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg has succeeded in developing a new enzyme. The "lactyl-CoA mutase" can efficiently convert a key metabolic compound into valuable products......»»
Resurrecting an ancestral protein as a novel tool to study RNA biology
By deducing the possible ancient forms of a bacterial enzyme, OIST scientists have resurrected one of its ancestral versions, with a comparably higher ability to chemically modify RNA......»»
Global teabag study shows warming temperatures may shrink wetland carbon sinks
A major global study using teabags as a measuring device shows warming temperatures may reduce the amount of carbon stored in wetlands......»»
Researchers encourage switching planes for trains to decarbonize holidays
Up to 41% of Britons holidaying abroad could travel by rail instead of air to cut down on carbon emissions, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Leeds......»»
Biochemists uncover a new enzyme subclass in antimicrobial lanthipeptide biosynthesis
Biochemists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered a new subclass of trifunctional enzymes in gram-positive bacteria, which play a critical role in the biosynthesis of an antimicrobial lanthipeptide......»»
Researchers use eDNA metabarcoding to identify pollinators, aiming to boost crop production
A Curtin University study has revealed that a new method of capturing DNA could provide farmers with a valuable tool for boosting crop production—while also benefiting the environment......»»
Bio-inspired droplet-based systems herald a new era in biocompatible devices
Oxford University researchers have made a significant step toward realizing a form of "biological electricity" that could be used in a variety of bioengineering and biomedical applications, including communication with living human cells. The work wa.....»»
Capturing complex atoms in optical tweezers
A team led by Francesca Ferlaino has set a new milestone in atomic physics by trapping individual erbium atoms in optical tweezers for the first time. Taking advantage of erbium's complex electronic structure, which opens up new degrees of freedom an.....»»
China experiences reduction in food system inequality and carbon footprint alongside economic development
Humans have persistent food needs that trigger considerable greenhouse gas emissions, varying significantly by region. However, the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint and inequality in the food system are not well assessed within countries......»»