Earth

An international team of scientists say the key to a hydrogen economy could come from a very simple mineral, commonly seen as a black stain on rocks.

Their findings, developed with the assistance of researchers at UC Davis in the USA and using the facilities at the Australian Synchrotron, were published in the journal Nature Chemistry yesterday 15 May 2011.

Bubbles are blocking the current path of one of the most promising high temperature superconducting materials, new research suggests.

In a Superconductor Science and Technology study published today, researchers have examined bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide (Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox, Bi2212), one of the most promising superconducting materials capable of creating large magnetic fields way beyond the limit of existing magnets, and found that its capabilities are limited by the formation of bubbles during its fabrication process.

Writing in the scientific journal Nature, scientists have called for increased discussion of independent monitoring of deep-sea hydrocarbon industry activity with the aim of obtaining a better understanding of its ecological impact.

The hydrocarbon industry is increasingly searching for hydrocarbon resources at much greater depths and developing drilling technology to exploit them. However, drilling the seafloor at great depths is technically very challenging and carries with it poorly known risks.

PASADENA, Calif.—Stronger than steel or titanium—and just as tough—metallic glass is an ideal material for everything from cell-phone cases to aircraft parts. Now, researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed a new technique that allows them to make metallic-glass parts utilizing the same inexpensive processes used to produce plastic parts. With this new method, they can heat a piece of metallic glass at a rate of a million degrees per second and then mold it into any shape in just a few milliseconds.

WASHINGTON — Warning that the risk of dangerous climate change impacts is growing with every ton of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere, a National Research Council committee today reiterated the pressing need for substantial action to limit the magnitude of climate change and to prepare to adapt to its impacts. The nation's options for responding to the risks posed by climate change are analyzed in a new report and the final volume in America's Climate Choices, a series of studies requested by Congress.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Aggregating nearly the entire landmass of Earth, Pangaea was a continent the likes our planet has not seen for the last 200 million years. Its size meant there was a lot of space for animals to roam, for there were few geographical barriers, such as mountains or ice caps, to contain them.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Researchers tracking the spread of Toxoplasma gondii – a parasite that reproduces only in cats but sickens and kills many other animals – have found infected wildlife throughout a 1,500-acre (600-hectare) natural area in central Illinois.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering have created a new porous, three-dimensional carbon that can be used as a greatly enhanced supercapacitor, holding promise for energy storage in everything from energy grids and electric cars to consumer electronics.

In a time of transition for rural African-American young adults, natural mentors in the community help them stay focused on their goals and avoid potential difficulties associated with emerging adulthood, according to findings from an ongoing University of Georgia study.

A new set of buoys in Alaska waters will help scientists understand how climate change may be affecting the pH level of northern seas. Researchers placed the first buoy last month.

UCLA researchers report that a recently discovered Alzheimer's gene possessed by most people impairs the development of myelin, the protective covering around the neuron's axons, making it weaker and more vulnerable to the onset of Alzheimer's much later in life.

New findings by a team of Australian and Swedish researchers will go a long way toward explaining the underlying causes of male infertility.

A program to educate students about heart-healthy lifestyles resulted in significant improvements in middle school students' cholesterol levels and resting heart rates, including four years of follow-up. Students continued to experience health benefits, make better food choices and participate in physical activities after the intervention, suggesting that such a program could decrease cardiovascular disease and diabetes risks.

Higher hospitalization rates for discretionary conditions may lead to higher readmission rates, a new study found.

Politicians should be careful when they rail against mainstream news media. A study from North Carolina State University shows that perceived bias of media outlets can lead to increased political engagement -- but only on specific issues. When there is a general perception of bias in the news media it actually results in increased apathy among citizens.