Tech | Page 1103 | Science Codex

Energy-efficient reaction drives ORNL biofuel conversion technology

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 3, 2015 -- A new study from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory explains the mechanism behind a technology that converts bio-based ethanol into hydrocarbon blend-stocks for use as fossil fuel alternatives.

Scientists have experimented for decades with a class of catalysts known as zeolites that transform alcohols such as ethanol into higher-grade hydrocarbons. As ORNL researchers were developing a new type of zeolite-based conversion technology, they found the underlying reaction unfolds in a different manner than previously thought.

Storage advance may boost solar thermal energy potential

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Engineers at Oregon State University have identified a new approach for the storage of concentrated solar thermal energy, to reduce its cost and make it more practical for wider use.

The advance is based on a new innovation with thermochemical storage, in which chemical transformation is used in repeated cycles to hold heat, use it to drive turbines, and then be re-heated to continue the cycle. Most commonly this might be done over a 24-hour period, with variable levels of solar-powered electricity available at any time of day, as dictated by demand.

Study examines bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics used to treat gonorrhea

Although gonorrhea susceptibility to the antibiotic cefixime has been improving in recent years, suggesting a halt of a drift towards antibiotic resistance, data for 2014 indicates a worsening of susceptibility, according to a study in the November 3 issue of JAMA.

Stanford engineers help discover the surprising trick jellyfish use to swim

Millions of years ago, even before the continents had settled into place, jellyfish were already swimming the oceans with the same pulsing motions we observe today.

Now through clever experiments and insightful math, an interdisciplinary research team has revealed a startling truth about how jellyfish and lampreys, another ancient species that undulate like eels, move through the water with unmatched efficiency.

Scientists discover secret to highly efficient swimming in some animals, such as jellyfish

Previous studies have shown that jellyfish and eels can move using very low amounts of energy that would make a Toyota Prius jealous. In fact, these ocean denizens can go from point A to point B using less energy than any other swimmer, runner or flier ever measured. However the secret behind such amazing energetic efficiency has remained a mystery, until now.

AgriLife Researcher develops a painter's palette of winter-hardy hibiscus colors

The Blue Angel was the first bluish hibiscus created by the Texas A&M AgriLife Research program in Vernon. The bluish color intensifies in shade, but in full sunlight it is purplish. Credit: © Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Dr. Dariusz Malinowski

source: Texas A&M AgriLife Communications

Living alone can dent healthy diets

People who live alone are more likely to have unhealthy diets lacking key foods, QUT research has found.

The study reported inadequate cooking skills, no partner to go shopping with, the increasing cost of food and a lack of motivation to cook were among the reasons people living alone had different eating practices.

Men living alone were more likely to have a poor diet than women.

Large-scale study on Lumos Labs' online cognitive assessment published in Frontiers in Psychology

Lumos Labs, the makers of Lumosity, today announced the publication regarding its NeuroCognitive Performance Test (NCPT), a brief, repeatable, web-based cognitive assessment platform. Neuropsychological assessments are designed to measure cognitive functions in both healthy and clinical populations and are used for research studies, clinical diagnoses, patient outcomes, and intervention monitoring.

Vast energy value in human waste: UN University

Biogas from human waste, safely obtained under controlled circumstances using innovative technologies, is a potential fuel source great enough in theory to generate electricity for up to 138 million households - the number of households in Indonesia, Brazil, and Ethiopia combined.

A report today from UN University's Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health estimates that biogas potentially available from human waste worldwide would have a value of up to US$ 9.5 billion in natural gas equivalent.

Severe obesity costs Medicaid $8 billion annually and rising

November 2, 2015 -- Nearly 11 percent or $8 billion of the cost to treat severe obesity was paid for by Medicaid in 2013, ranging from a low of $5 million in Wyoming to $1.3 billion in California. Research led by Y. Claire Wang, ScD, associate professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, predicts these costs will only grow as Medicaid eligibility is extended to more people following the implementation of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion.

Risk assessment, for the birds

Every year, backyard songbirds across the United States make an arduous journey to warmer winter climes. They migrate hundreds of miles, occasionally braving tough terrain and nasty weather. Sometimes, they have no place to stop and refuel along the way.

Birds actually weigh these risks using a combination of factors--fat, weather and date--to make a migration risk assessment, according to new research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The findings can serve as the basis for building better conservation strategies, researchers say.

Historian examines environmental cost of tapping alternate sources for water, oil

AMES, Iowa - Saudi Arabia is known as one of the top oil producing countries in the world. However, it may have never earned that reputation if not for a quest to find fresh drinking water in the late 19th century, because of drought and repeated cholera outbreaks.

Researcher develops material to create sustainable energy source

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A Florida State University researcher has discovered an artificial material that mimics photosynthesis and potentially creates a sustainable energy source.

Making green fuels, no fossils required

Using solar or wind power to produce carbon-based fuels, which are commonly called fossil fuels, might seem like a self-defeating approach to making a greener world. But when the starting material is carbon dioxide, which can be dragged out of the air, the approach is as green as it gets. The technology that makes it economically feasible isn't available yet, but a recently published paper presents nice step forward in the effort to not just sequester CO2, but turn it into a useful fuel that is part of a carbon-neutral future.

In-house test kits help motivate parents to reduce allergens in their homes

In-home test kits, coupled with patient education, help parents reduce allergen levels in their homes, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The researchers found that parents may become more motivated to participate in allergen reduction interventions, when they can actually see results for themselves.