Bacteria-powered solar cell converts light to energy, even under overcast skies
(University of British Columbia) UBC researchers have found a cheap, sustainable way to build a solar cell using bacteria that convert light to energy. Their cell generated a current stronger than any previously recorded from such a device, and worked as efficiently in dim light as in bright light. This innovation could be a step toward wider adoption of solar power in places like British Columbia and parts of northern Europe where overcast skies are common.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uobc-bsc062918.php
Test tube artificial neural network recognizes 'molecular handwriting'
(California Institute of Technology) Caltech scientists have developed an artificial neural network out of DNA that can recognize highly complex and noisy molecular information.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/ciot-tta070218.php
Engineering cooperation
(Institute of Science and Technology Austria) Social dilemmas occur when individual desires clash with group needs. How can people be encouraged to cooperate when they have reason not to? In a new Nature paper, scientists show that if the social dilemma that individuals face are dependent on if they work together, cooperation can triumph. This finding resulted from a new framework that they introduced, which extends the entire theory of repeated games. Moreover, their work provides tools to systematically build cooperation.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/iosa-ec070218.php
Asian hornet nests found by radio-tracking
(University of Exeter) Electronic radio tags could be used to track invasive Asian hornets and stop them colonizing the UK and killing honeybees, new research shows.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uoe-ahn070218.php
UTA patents headset that allows persons to point to objects of interest using their eyes
(University of Texas at Arlington) The University of Texas at Arlington has been awarded a patent for a revolutionary new technology that is able to scan a user's eye movements and enable them to navigate mobile platforms, such as electric wheelchairs, without the use of hands. The technology would also allow users to communicate to a robotic platform when they would like to use an object, such as a glass of water.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uota-uph070318.php
UTA urban researcher shows impact of urban sprawl on life expectancy, innovation hubs
(University of Texas at Arlington) A recently published study by a University of Texas at Arlington urban researcher shows a correlation between urban sprawl and a decreased life expectancy in the United States.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uota-uur070318.php
Chemical Science features stunning artwork from John Keith's lab
(University of Pittsburgh) The back cover of Royal Society of Chemistry journal Chemical Science featured an artistic depiction of research from the laboratory of John Keith, assistant professor of chemical engineering and R.K. Mellon Faculty Fellow in Energy at the University of Pittsburgh, into a simple and effective way of modeling chemical reactions in solutions.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uop-csf070318.php
Study finds new genomic regions associated to weight gain in Nelore cattle
(Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) Brazilian research aims at enhancing quality of beef and raising Nelore's food efficiency. Because they are rooted in tropical lands, Nelore cattle does not gain weight as easily as the breeds forged in regions featuring harsh winters.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/fda-sfn070318.php
Can citizen science reverse the extinction of experience?
(North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences) Opportunities for people to interact with nature have declined over the past century, as many now live in urban areas and spend much of their time indoors. Conservation attitudes and behaviors largely depend on experiences with nature, and this 'extinction of experience' (EOE) is a threat to biodiversity conservation. In a study released today, researchers propose that citizen science, an increasingly popular way to integrate public outreach with data collection, can potentially mitigate EOE.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/ncmo-ccs070318.php
Smarter, safer bridges with Sandia sensors
(DOE/Sandia National Laboratories) Sandia National Laboratories has worked for over 15 years to turn science-fiction smart bridges that can send out warnings when they're damaged into science fact.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/dnl-ssb070318.php
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/