Using microbes to get more out of mining waste
Researchers have developed a new mining technique which uses microbes to recover metals and store carbon in the waste produced by mining. Adopting this technique of reusing mining waste, called tailings, could transform the mining industry and create.....»»
Fixing the cormorant disaster on the Columbia: "How could this have come out any worse?"
White streaks of bird waste paint the steel trusses beneath the Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River. Every flat surface and hidey-hole of this bridge is stuffed and stippled with nests. Black birds roost on the girders, evenly spaced as bea.....»»
Trash TV: Streaming giants are failing to educate youth about waste recycling. Why it matters
As a new parent, I've had the joy of watching animated cartoons with my two-year-old son. His favorite show is "Trash Truck," on Netflix, featuring a tight-knit ensemble of five characters: a trash truck, a young boy, a raccoon, a bear and a mouse. T.....»»
Salt, microbes, acid and heat in food preservation
In an era of grocery stores and home refrigerators, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that, for most of history, people have been bound by the seasonality of food. This reality has long presented humanity with a conundrum: how to keep eating after.....»»
Study shows how adding impurities to thermoelectric materials impacts their mechanical properties
According to scientists, waste heat, which enters the environment and remains unused, accounts for more than 70% of global energy consumption losses. With the help of thermoelectric materials—special semiconductors—the dissipated heat can be conv.....»»
Translating nuclear waste site data into microbial ecosystem insights
A flagship seven-year study led by the University of Oklahoma that explores how environmental stresses influence different ecological processes shaping the composition and structure of microbial communities in groundwater, has been published in the j.....»»
Space travel taxes astronauts" brains. But microbes on the menu could help in unexpected ways
Feeding astronauts on a long mission to Mars goes well beyond ensuring they have enough nutrients and calories to survive their multi-year journey......»»
Why Humans Are Putting a Bunch of ‘Coal’ and ‘Oil’ Back in the Ground
Startups are processing plant waste into concentrated carbon to be buried or injected underground. It’s like fossil fuels, but in reverse......»»
Norway’s Deep-Sea Mining Decision Is a Warning
Politicians claim the move could provide vital minerals for the green transition. Critics say opening up exploration creates geopolitical headaches and is environmentally unsound......»»
These Mining Companies Are Ready to Raid the Seabed
Ocean exploration to prepare for deep-sea mining has been greenlit in Norway. These are the startups hoping to benefit......»»
Largest-ever study of ocean DNA creates comprehensive catalog of marine microbes
The ocean is the world's largest habitat, yet much of its biodiversity is still unknown. A study published in Frontiers in Science marks a significant breakthrough, reporting the largest and most comprehensive database of marine microbes to date—ma.....»»
AI-Optimized Catheter Design Could Prevent Urinary Tract Infections without Drugs
A 3-D-printed tube stymies microbes with a tiny obstacle course to combat rampant infections in hospitals.....»»
Study finds 90% of textile waste generated in Catalonia ends up in landfill or incinerators
A total of 90% of the municipal textile waste generated in Catalonia ends up in landfills or incinerators, according to a study by ICTA-UAB, which shows that only 10% of textile waste is collected separately. In the case of Catalonia, this percentage.....»»
Impacts for half of all mining areas in the world are undocumented
A recent commentary published in Nature raises concerns about the extensive, yet largely unmeasured, environmental and societal consequences of mining activities worldwide......»»
Study finds 10 Bacillus strains can regulate antioxidative system in response to acid stresses
Soil acidification is widely occurring in diverse terrestrial ecosystems and soil microbial communities have been reported to be highly sensitive to changes in soil pH. Soil microbes could regulate their physiological conditions to make them survive.....»»
Next-generation wastewater solutions: Utilizing acid-resistant microbes for improved treatment efficiency
Free nitrous acid (FNA) is known for its capacity to inhibit various microorganisms in wastewater systems, significantly benefiting treatment process management. Initially deemed problematic due to its potential adverse effects on treatment, FNA is n.....»»
The first assessment of toxic heavy metal pollution in the Southern Hemisphere over the last 2,000 years
Human activity, from burning fossil fuels and fireplaces to the contaminated dust produced by mining, alters Earth's atmosphere in countless ways. Records of these impacts over time are preserved in everlasting polar ice that serves as a sort of time.....»»
New book explores complicated relationship between workers and their work
A new book by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign labor historian explores how workers characterize their relationship to their jobs using their own personal mini-narratives, mining that material to ultimately advocate for a more humanistic-cen.....»»
New research on microbes expands the known limits for life on Earth and beyond
New research led by Stanford University scientists predicts life can persist in extremely salty environments, beyond the limit previously thought possible......»»
Norway greenlights deep-sea mining exploration
Norway's parliament on Tuesday adopted a government plan to open up parts of its seabed to mining exploration, despite protests from activists and scientists' warnings about the uncertain environmental impact......»»
Hyundai aims for hydrogen systems, from production to vehicles
At CES 2024, Hyundai discusses AI and ‘software-defined everything' for future that includes hydrogen from plastics and animal waste......»»