Fossil footprint discoveries and what they tell us
Footprints on a sandy surface don't usually last long: they're washed away by water, wiped out by wind or covered over by new tracks. At certain sites in southern Africa, though, some traces of animals have lasted for many thousands or even millions.....»»
Fossil places extinct saber-toothed cat on Texas coast
Important scientific finds don't always come in the biggest, buzziest packages. Sometimes new discoveries come in little ugly rocks. Such is the case of a 6-centimeter-wide, nondescript mass of bone and teeth that helped a scientist at The University.....»»
It"s hard to find fossil skin, but a rare discovery reveals clues about the evolution from water to land
Fossilized skin and other soft tissues are exceedingly rare, and it is only under special conditions that these rarest of fossils are preserved......»»
Climate and health benefits of wind and solar dwarf all subsidies
By displacing fossil fuels, wind and solar saved the US $250 billion over 4 years. Enlarge (credit: Ashley Cooper) When used to generate power or move vehicles, fossil fuels kill people. Particulates and ozone resulting.....»»
Florida fossil porcupine solves a prickly dilemma 10 million years in the making
There's a longstanding debate simmering among biologists who study porcupines. There are 16 porcupine species in Central and South America, but only one in the United States and Canada. DNA evidence suggests North America's sole porcupine belongs to.....»»
Study introduces a cleaner way to produce ammonia at room temperature and pressure
Ammonia is the starting point for the fertilizers that have secured the world's food supply for the last century. It's also a main component of cleaning products, and is even considered as a future carbon-free replacement for fossil fuels in vehicles.....»»
Q&A: Plastic waste is a global problem, but carbon recycling can help
Heavy industries such as aviation and chemical manufacturing contribute to about 20% of overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and will continue to depend on fossil fuels......»»
Submerged homes, heat waves fuel Mexico climate angst
Waves wash over abandoned homes in a Mexican village slowly being swallowed by the sea—a symbol of the climate change effects being felt by the major fossil fuel producer......»»
Italy could be the next country to receive a billion-dollar AWS boost
Amazon Web Services could invest billions into Italy’s tech sector to expand its data center and cloud footprint......»»
Scientists say they can make zero-emission cement
Researchers on Wednesday said they were a step closer to solving one of the trickiest problems in tackling climate change—how to keep making cement despite its enormous carbon footprint......»»
New discoveries about the nature of light could improve methods for heating fusion plasma
Both literally and figuratively, light pervades the world. It banishes darkness, conveys telecommunications signals between continents and makes visible the invisible, from faraway galaxies to the smallest bacterium. Light can also help heat the plas.....»»
Improving MgH₂ hydrogen storage with oxygen vacancy-enriched H-V₂O₅ nanosheets as an active H-pump
With the depletion of fossil fuels and global warming, there is an urgent need to seek green, clean, and efficient energy resources. Against this backdrop, hydrogen is considered a potential candidate for replacing fossil fuels due to its high energy.....»»
Researchers report a simpler method for precise molecular orbital visualization
Discoveries and progress in materials science often lay the foundation for technological breakthroughs that reshape many industrial and commercial fields, including medicine, consumer electronics, and energy generation, to name a few......»»
A metal-free organic framework for electrocatalytic production of ethylene from carbon dioxide
Use of the greenhouse gas CO2 as a chemical raw material would not only reduce emissions, but also the consumption of fossil feedstocks. A novel metal-free organic framework could make it possible to electrocatalytically produce ethylene, a primary c.....»»
We get more useful energy out of renewables than fossil fuels
It costs less energy to get fossil fuels, but we can't use them as efficiently. Enlarge (credit: Yaorusheng) It doesn't take a lot of energy to dig up coal or pump oil from the ground. In contrast, most renewable source.....»»
PPG plans first new U.S. auto coatings plant in 15 years as part of $300 million investment
Coatings manufacturer PPG Industries plans to open its first new plant in the U.S. in 15 years as part of a $300 million investment in its North American footprint to support its automotive business......»»
Can coal mines be tapped for rare earth elements?
Deposits of designated critical minerals needed to transition the world's energy systems away from fossil fuels may, ironically enough, be co-located with coal deposits that have been mined to produce the fossil fuel most implicated in climate change.....»»
South African communities vs Shell: High court victories show cultural beliefs and practices count in climate cases
When the Shell petroleum company announced in 2021 that it wanted to explore for fossil fuels off South Africa's pristine Wild Coast, Indigenous communities in the area immediately fought back through the country's courts......»»
Researchers calculate the carbon footprint of building a wooden house in Japan
Researchers at Kyushu University have published a comprehensive analysis on the carbon footprint of constructing a wooden house in Japan. The study covered the total amount of emissions produced, taking into consideration the entire supply chain incl.....»»
Why banks consider renewable energy to be a riskier investment than fossil fuels
The financial sector is among the world's most heavily regulated industries—and for good reason. Financial rules, which force banks to hold capital in reserve when making riskier investments, are designed to prevent financial crises. Other financia.....»»
Fossil captures starfish splitting itself in two—showing this has been happening for 155 million years
One of the wildest wonders of nature is the ability of some animals to reproduce by splitting in half. There is still so much we don't know about this process. So the discovery of a 155-million-year-old starfish fossil frozen partway through this pro.....»»