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May 22 | News
Plans
to create the world's first carbon-neutral higher-speed locomotive were
unveiled this week by the Coalition for Sustainable Rail, which has the goal
of proving the viability of solid biofuel—torrefied biomass—and modern
steam locomotive technology. The first step in those plans is to break
the world speed record for steam trains.
May 22 | News
A
team of engineers at the University of California, Berkeley have
developed a way to keep tabs on pipeline health by using a magnetic
resonance imaging machine similar to the ones used in hospitals. Their
technology is called the Magnetic Response Imaging System (MRIS), and it
will be able to look at the state of underground pipelines.
May 2 | News
Different
versions of microengines have been developed, including devices that
could transport medications through the bloodstream. But until now no
one has ever shown that these devices—which are about 10 times smaller
than the width of a human hair—could help clean up oil spills.
Scientists are reporting successful testing of the first self-propelled
“microsubmarines” designed to pick up droplets of oil and transport
them.
May 1 | News
A
team of chemical engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
has found an inexpensive way to achieve a 75% yield from biomass for the
formation of the chemical p-xylene, a key ingredient used to make
plastic bottles. This chemical is normally made using petroleum.
Apr 25 | News
According
to new research in the U.K. that looked at data from thousands of
fracking operations in the United States, the chance of rogue fractures
due to shale gas fracking operations decreases significantly beyond a
certain distance from the injection source. This, the first analysis of
its kind, could be used as a starting point for separating aquifers and
fracking.
Apr 25 | News
A naturally occurring compound derived from wild tomato plants is also a fast-acting, nontoxic herbicide, according to researchers at North Carolina State University. Previously working with the compound—known as 2-undecanone—as a natural replacement for the chemical DEET in insect repellents, the researchers decided to explore whether it could be used as an insecticide on plants, when they noticed an unexpected side effect: It killed the plants.
Apr 19 | Featured Articles
Globalization, the personal computer, and changing priorities set the
stage for R&D 100 Award Winners.
Apr 18 | News
Researchers
at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science are investigating whether
sound waves can be used to determine the size of oil droplets in the
subsea—knowledge that could help guide the use of chemical dispersants
during the cleanup of future spills.
Apr 18 | News
New
research from North Carolina State University shows that federal
requirements governing diesel engines of new tractor trailer trucks have
resulted in major cuts in emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen
oxides—pollutants that have significant human health and environmental
impacts.
Apr 17 | News
A
research team at Rice University and Penn State University have
invented a sponge made of pure carbon nanotubes and a dash of boron.
Ther report the sponge shows a remarkable ability to absorb oil spills
from the surface of water, and can be reused after the oil is either
retrieved or burned off.
