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Climate Change Puts Availability of Vital Renewable Energy Source at Risk
Climate change is putting the availability of biomass fuels and technologies – vital alternatives to fossil fuels – at risk, according to new research. The study has found that as temperatures rise, the window of opportunity to maximize the use of biomass from plants, wood and waste as a renewable energy source and an alternative to petrochemicals is closing.
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Parched California prepares for first-ever Colorado River Cuts
An emerging deal would cut water deliveries to Southern California — but fall far short of federal demands.
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A Protein Could Prevent Chemical Warfare Attack
A team of scientists has designed a synthetic protein that quickly detects molecules of a deadly nerve agent that has been classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction and could be used in a chemical warfare attack.
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Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier Retreat Faster than Expected – with Spine-Chilling Consequences
The Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica – about the size of Florida — is already in a phase of fast retreat leading to widespread concern about exactly how much, or how fast, it may give up its ice to the ocean. The potential impact of Thwaites’ retreat is spine-chilling: a total loss of the glacier and surrounding icy basins could raise sea level from three to ten feet.
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Studying Molten-Salt Nuclear Reactor Materials
$9.25 million DOE nuclear energy research program aims to improve safety and efficiency of sustainable nuclear energy.
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Privacy-Preserving Camera Captures Only the Objects You Want
As the sheer amount of image data being captured by digital cameras has grown, so have concerns about privacy protection. What if there was a way to take pictures that instantly capture only the objects of relevance in a frame while simultaneously blotting out unnecessary or potentially sensitive details, without the need for any editing, encryption or other digital post-processing work?
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Public Health Tool Predicts Effects of a Pandemic and Mitigation Efforts
Epidemiologists and public health officials have a new predictive tool to analyze the course of pandemics.
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Learning from Disaster: Mental Health Researchers Offer Insights on Overcoming Trauma
On a December morning in 1988, a massive earthquake tore through northern Armenia, devastating the small Caucasus country. Over 25,000 died – two-thirds of whom were children. As part of the international relief efforts that followed, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals from all over the world traveled to Armenia to kick off a remarkable and sustained mental health relief and research program which would last for two decades.
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Super-Fast Electric Car Charging, with a Tailor-Made Touch
Despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles, many consumers still hesitate to make the switch. Now, scientists report that they’ve designed superfast charging methods tailored to power different types of electric vehicle batteries in 10 minutes or less without harm.
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Helping Alaska Map Critical Mineral Resources
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced that Alaska will receive more than $6.75 million to conduct geologic mapping, airborne geophysical surveying, and geochemical sampling in support of critical mineral resource studies in the state.
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Machine Learning Algorithm Predicts How to Get the Most Out of Electric Vehicle Batteries
Researchers have developed a machine learning algorithm that could help reduce charging times and prolong battery life in electric vehicles by predicting how different driving patterns affect battery performance, improving safety and reliability.
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The Electric Vehicle Boom Could Bring Lithium Mines Back to North Carolina
Today, less than 1 percent of global lithium is mined in the United States, all from one mine in Nevada; the vast majority comes from Chile, Australia, and China.But as nations seek to cut emissions and transition to clean energy sources, demand for the metal is increasing, and the U.S. is looking to ramp up production within its borders.Mining companies are once again eyeing North Carolina as they seek to capitalize on the booming market for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. Not all locals are happy about it.
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Removing CO2 from the Atmosphere
In an effort to reduce the risks from climate change, scientists have set out to discover new materials that can draw planet-warming carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere, a technique called “direct air capture.”
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Artificial Intelligence and Policing: It’s a Matter of Trust
From Robocop to Minority Report, the intersection between policing and artificial intelligence has long captured attention in the realm of high-concept science fiction.AI is currently primarily used for statistical inferencing used to make (or inform) decisions—in other words, technology that falls broadly into the category of “predictive policing.”
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Quantum Computing Vulnerabilities of National Critical Functions
How are the national critical functions (NCFs) vulnerable to future quantum computing capabilities? How should the federal government prioritize assistance to critical infrastructure owners and operators?
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The long view
Nuclear Has Changed. Will the U.S. Change with It?
Fueled by artificial intelligence, cloud service providers, and ambitious new climate regulations, U.S. demand for carbon-free electricity is on the rise. In response, analysts and lawmakers are taking a fresh look at a controversial energy source: nuclear power.
Huge Areas May Face Possibly Fatal Heat Waves if Warming Continues
A new assessment warns that if Earth’s average temperature reaches 2 degrees C over the preindustrial average, widespread areas may become too hot during extreme heat events for many people to survive without artificial cooling.
Exploring the New Nuclear Energy Landscape
In the last few years, the U.S. has seen a resurgence of interest in nuclear energy and its potential for helping meet the nation’s growing demands for clean electricity and energy security. Meanwhile, nuclear energy technologies themselves have advanced, opening up new possibilities for their use.