Pressure may be key to fighting climate change with thermoelectric generators
Pressure improves the ability of materials to turn heat into electricity and could potentially be used to create clean generators, according to new work.
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How much are you polluting your office air just by existing?
Could your basic acts of existence be polluting the air in the office room where you work? To find out, a team of engineers has been conducting one of the largest studies of its kind.
Read moreCleaning with bleach could create indoor air pollutants
For generations, people have used chlorine bleach to clean and disinfect their homes. However, researchers have now discovered that bleach fumes, in combination with light and a citrus compound found in many household products, can form airborne particles that might be harmful when inhaled by pets or people.
Read moreCRISPRed fruit flies mimic monarch butterfly, and could make you vomit
Monarch butterflies and a few other insects evolved essentially the same genetic mutations allowing them to eat toxic milkweed without getting sick. Monarch butterflies and caterpillars store the toxins to deter predators. Scientists have now used CRISPR gene editing to make these same mutations in fruit flies, successfully conferring toxin resistance. This is the first time an animal has been genetically engineered to eat a new food and employ a new type of deterrence.
Read moreEnvironmental toxins impair immune system over multiple generations
New research shows that maternal exposure to a common and ubiquitous form of industrial pollution can harm the immune system of offspring and that this injury is passed along to subsequent generations, weakening the body's defenses against infections such as the influenza virus.
Read moreUrban agriculture can push the sustainability
A group of researchers assessed how urban agriculture can help Phoenix meet its sustainability goals.
Read moreA new concept could make more environmentally friendly batteries possible
A new concept for an aluminium battery has twice the energy density as previous versions, is made of abundant materials, and could lead to reduced production costs and environmental impact. The idea has potential for large scale applications, including storage of solar and wind energy.
Read moreSafe mercury levels in Kotzebue Sound fish
A new analysis of Kotzebue Sound fish has found that mercury levels in a variety of its subsistence species are safe for unrestricted consumption. The study tested 297 subsistence-caught fish. The average mercury levels for each of the eight species were at levels considered safe by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.
Read moreTractor overturn prediction using a bouncing ball model could save the lives of farmers
Overturning tractors are the leading cause of death for farmers around the world. In order to reduce the rate of overturned tractors, researchers have developed a model for understanding the conditions that lead to a tractor overturning from an unlikely source: They based their model on one used to understand the unpredictability of a bouncing ball.
Read moreModel helps choose wind farm locations, predicts output
The wind is always blowing somewhere, but deciding where to locate a wind farm is a bit more complicated than holding up a wet finger. Now a team of researchers has a model that can locate the best place for the wind farm and even help with 24-hour predictions of energy output.
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