A new approach to rechargeable batteries

A type of battery first invented nearly five decades ago could catapult to the forefront of energy storage technologies, thanks to a new finding by researchers at MIT. The battery, based on electrodes made of sodium and nickel chloride and using a new type of metal mesh membrane, could be used for grid-scale installations to make intermittent power sources such as wind and solar capable of delivering reliable baseload electricity.

Vaccines not protecting farmed fish from disease

The vaccines used by commercial fish farmers are not protecting fish from disease, according to a new study.

The study was compiled by researchers at the University of Waterloo, the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaiso and Chile’s University of Valparaiso. It showed vaccinated fish tend to show more symptoms when contracting diseases, with the health impacts and ultimately deaths occurring as if they’d never received a vaccine.

Cougars Officially Declared Extinct in Eastern U.S., Removed from Endangered Species List

Eastern cougars once roamed every U.S. state east of the Mississippi, but it has been eight decades since the last confirmed sighting of the animal. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has officially declared the subspecies extinct and removed it from the U.S. endangered species list.

Researchers Use Wild Rice to Predict Health of Minnesota Lakes and Streams

By studying wild rice in lakes and streams, a team of researchers led by the University of Minnesota has discovered that sulfate in waterways is converted into toxic levels of sulfide and increases other harmful elements. This includes methylmercury, the only form of mercury that contaminates fish.

Tracking Wastewater's Path to Wells, Groundwater

We often “flush it and forget it” when it comes to waste from toilets and sinks. However, it’s important to be able to track this wastewater to ensure it doesn’t end up in unwanted places. A group of Canadian scientists has found an unlikely solution.

Biosensor Promises Early Malaria Diagnosis

A strip of chromatography paper similar to that used in rapid pregnancy tests is the basis of a bio-sensor for detecting malaria that has been developed by Brazilian researchers.

Saving Sharks With Trees: Researchers Aim To Save Key Branches Of Shark And Ray Tree Of Life

To shine light on and conserve rare shark, ray, and chimaera species (chondrichthyans), SFU researchers have developed a fully-resolved family tree and ranked every species according to the unique evolutionary history they account for.

Stanford Researcher: Interacting Antarctic Glaciers May Cause Faster Melt and Sea Level Contributions

A new study shows that a large and potentially unstable Antarctic glacier may be melting farther inland than previously thought and that this melting could affect the stability of another large glacier nearby – an important finding for understanding and projecting ice sheet contributions to sea-level rise.

Engineers Develop Flexible, Water-Repellent Graphene Circuits for Washable Electronics

New graphene printing technology can produce electronic circuits that are low-cost, flexible, highly conductive and water repellent.

From the eruption of the Timanfaya volcano in the Canary Islands to the coniferous forests in the Pyrenees

The chemical traces from the released gases into the atmosphere by eruptions such the Timanfaya’s can be now identified in the oldest coniferous Pyrenean forests.