Tag: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

  • Off-Grid Sterilization with Rice U.’s ‘Solar Steam’

    Rice University nanotechnology researchers have unveiled a solar-powered sterilization system that could be a boon for more than 2.5 billion people who lack adequate sanitation. The “solar steam” sterilization system uses nanomaterials to convert as much as 80 percent of the energy in sunlight into germ-killing heat.

  • Scientists Develop CO2 Sequestration Technique

    Lawrence Livermore scientists have discovered and demonstrated a new technique to remove and store atmospheric carbon dioxide while generating carbon-negative hydrogen and producing alkalinity, which can be used to offset ocean acidification.

  • Breakthrough in ‘Bio-Battery’ Development Race

    Scientists at the University of East Anglia have made an important breakthrough in the quest to generate clean electricity from bacteria. New findings show that proteins on the surface of bacteria can produce an electric current by simply touching a mineral surface. The research shows that it is possible for bacteria to lie directly on…

  • MIT Researchers Develop Solar-to-Fuel Roadmap for Crystalline Silicon

    Such a system would use sunlight to produce a storable fuel, such as hydrogen, instead of electricity for immediate use. This fuel could then be used on demand to generate electricity through a fuel cell or other device. This process would liberate solar energy for use when the sun isn’t shining, and open up a…

  • Scientists Turn Toxic By-Product into Biofuel Booster

    Scientists studying an enzyme that naturally produces alkanes — long carbon-chain molecules that could be a direct replacement for the hydrocarbons in gasoline — have figured out why the natural reaction typically stops after three to five cycles. Armed with that knowledge, they’ve devised a strategy to keep the reaction going. The biochemical details –…