JBEI researchers have engineered Escherichia coli bacteria to generate significant quantities of methyl ketone compounds from glucose, which yielded high cetane numbers comparable to gasoline. The findings add flexibility and options for the biofuels industry, with potential applications in producing advanced biofuels.
University of California, San Diego engineers build nanowire 'trees' that capture solar energy and convert it into hydrogen fuel. The trees' vertical structure maximizes energy absorption, making them more efficient than traditional flat surfaces.
A team of researchers has discovered an entire fossil forest in upstate New York, revealing the oldest known tree stumps and new insights into the evolution of forests. The 385-million-year-old Gilboa fossil forest contains hundreds of large tree stumps with preserved roots, offering a glimpse into the Earth's ancient ecosystems.
A life cycle assessment study reveals that bioethanol from energy crops has considerable potential to render society more sustainable by substituting gasoline. The study's findings suggest that regional biomass utilization systems can significantly reduce fossil fuel resources and greenhouse gas emissions.
Research reveals glaciers record anthropogenic perturbation, highlighting the impact of human activities on the global carbon cycle. The study found that glacier ecosystems are post-industrial and provide a unique perspective for understanding climate change.
Researchers at TUM introduce a new catalytic process that effectively converts biopetroleum from microalgae into diesel fuels. The process uses a novel catalyst and achieves the conversion of raw, untreated algae oil under mild conditions, producing diesel-range saturated hydrocarbons suitable for high-grade vehicle fuels.
Researchers at Imperial College London found that UK's discarded wrapping paper and Christmas cards can be turned into high-grade biofuel, powering vehicles with lower greenhouse gas emissions. The study suggests that using this technology could provide a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
The Office of Naval Research is exploring alternative energy sources, including fuel cell vehicles and high-efficiency trash disposal technology. The goal is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase energy efficiency for the military.
The University of Southampton's Optoelectronics Research Centre is developing laser technology to map chemical species and soot in jet engine exhausts, aiming to reduce emissions and optimize combustion processes. The FLITES project will establish a world-leading capability for tomographic imaging of exhaust plumes.
Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels have reached a record 10 billion tons, exceeding projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The increase is largely driven by emerging economies, with China and India contributing significantly to global emissions growth.
Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute have successfully engineered E. coli bacteria to digest switchgrass biomass and synthesize its sugars into all three major transportation fuels: gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. This breakthrough reduces fuel production costs by consolidating two steps into one, enabling a single-step operation.
A new OSU study suggests that existing biofuel policies have been costly and ineffective in reducing fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers found that alternative energy efficiency improvements would be more effective in reducing emissions.
The study highlights the human cost of biomass burning, with over 2 million premature deaths in 2005, and the environmental impact on deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. The research agenda proposes cleaner cooking fuels and technologies to improve access and adoption.
A new study reveals that changes in ocean chemistry and sea level have robustly driven marine life evolution over the past 500 million years. The findings suggest a strong connection between environmental proxy records and fossil diversity.
A new study finds that using sustainably managed forests and utilizing wood for long-lived products can remove existing carbon dioxide from the air. The strategy also suggests using wood wastes for biofuels to displace fossil fuels, resulting in up to a 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
A team of researchers has developed an artificial neural network model to predict the location of fossil sites. The software uses satellite imagery and maps to identify productive areas in the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming, and has already accurately pinpointed 79% of known fossil sites.
Fossil moths from 47 million years ago had yellow-green wings that may have helped them blend in with leaves to avoid predators. Researchers reconstructed the original colors using mathematical analysis, providing insights into the evolution of color use among lepidopterans.
The UK and India will collaborate on bioenergy research to develop sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, with a focus on plant and algae processing. The joint call aims to tackle global challenges in this area, leveraging expertise from both nations.
Scientists discovered a 3-4 million year old fossil of a whale rib with three tooth marks from a large shark, indicating the whale survived the attack. The whale's death may have been unrelated to its injury and infection.
A new study by University of Georgia researchers found that fertilizer runoff and excess carbon dioxide in coastal waters increase acidity, compromising shell-forming abilities of oysters and other marine creatures. The findings highlight the need to manage fertilizer use and limit fossil fuel consumption to mitigate future damage.
A team led by Steven Davis tracked and quantified global carbon dioxide emissions across the supply chain. They found that regulating fossil fuels extracted in major countries like China, US, and Russia could cover 67% of global emissions.
A small fossil fragment at London's Natural History Museum has been identified as part of the world's largest toothed pterosaur, reaching a wingspan of up to 7 meters. The discovery provides insight into patterns of evolution among extinct groups and sheds light on why some species achieved giant sizes.
The Danforth Plant Science Center has been awarded a $5.5 million grant from the US Department of Energy to research the oilseed plant camelina as a potential replacement for petroleum-based fuels. The project aims to develop an enhanced variety of camelina that produces more oil per acre, increasing its carbon uptake and efficiency.
A new species of fossil silky lacewing insects has been discovered in China, providing insights into the evolutionary history of the family Psychopsidae. The newly found species, Undulopsychopsis alexi, exhibits unique characteristics, including an undulate wing margin and unusual venation patterns.
International scientists have decoded the genetic makeup of two heat-loving fungi that can degrade biomass at high temperatures, accelerating the breakdown of fibrous plant materials. The findings may lead to faster and greener development of biomass-based fuels, chemicals and other industrial materials.
The University of Washington and Washington State University are leading two separate $40 million grants to develop a regional biofuels industry in the Pacific Northwest. The projects aim to produce cellulosic fuels from woody biomass, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth. Successful demonstration projects will lay the foundat...
University of Pennsylvania researchers have developed a new technique for analyzing phylogenies, showing that the results stand up against known fossil history of whale species. The method allows for changing rates of speciation and extinction over time and among lineages.
The researchers have received two grants to further develop the steam hydrogasification process that turns waste from food, yards, and other sources into transportation fuels or natural gas. The process has been found to be 12% more efficient and 18% less expensive than other mainstream gasification technologies.
Brazilian scientist Heldio Villar advocates for better physics teaching and environmental education on radioactivity and nuclear power generation. This approach could lead to a more informed public and reduced reliance on fossil fuels.
A well-preserved fossil of a shrew-like mammal discovered in northeast China provides new information about the earliest ancestors of placental mammals. The discovery, dated to 160 million years ago, fills an important gap in the fossil record and helps to calibrate modern DNA-based methods of dating evolution.
The discovery of Juramaia sinensis, a 160-million-year-old fossil, fills an important gap in the fossil record and helps to calibrate modern DNA-based methods of dating. The fossil provides evidence of the date when eutherian mammals diverged from other mammals.
Research in Greenland and Antarctica shows that fossil-fuel related emissions of methane and ethane declined at the end of the twentieth century. The study, led by Murat Aydin, found a common cause for the decline in both gases, linked to changes in energy use.
New research reveals that established forests remove 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere annually, equivalent to one third of current annual fossil fuel emissions. This is a significant breakthrough demonstrating how forests impact atmospheric CO2 levels through tree growth and expansion.
A consortium of universities, small companies, and bigger players in the energy sector has developed a novel approach to reviving biofuels. The project focuses on redesigning engines to adapt to non-conventional fuels, resulting in less noisy and longer-lasting engines.
A new computational chemistry tool developed by Solvejg Jorgensen at the University of Copenhagen predicts the toxicity of biofuels without producing a single drop. The tool helps identify the safest production methods, reducing health and environmental harm.
A recent study published in the journal Carbon Management suggests that using wood products can reduce carbon emissions by up to 10 tons per ton, making them a viable alternative to fossil fuels. Sustainably managed forests are found to be essentially carbon neutral, but older forests have limited capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.
Researchers from the University of Manchester and consortium partners are working on harnessing solar energy to produce hydrogen fuel. The technology has potential to revolutionize energy usage in the coming decades by creating clean, green fuels.
A new sustainable aviation fuels industry in Australia and New Zealand could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17% and generate over 12,000 jobs. The CSIRO report predicts a reduction in Australia's reliance on imported fossil fuel by $2 billion per annum.
A 47 million-year-old lizard fossil has provided key findings on the evolutionary relationships between snakes and other reptiles. The study reveals that snakes evolved independently from limbless lizards, rather than sharing a common ancestry with burrowing reptiles.
A new MIT study highlights the variability in greenhouse gas emissions from alternative fuels, suggesting that conventional fossil fuels may sometimes be a more environmentally friendly choice. The research found that different types of land used for biofuel production can result in varying levels of carbon dioxide emissions, with some...
Researchers at JBEI have developed a library of microbial efflux pumps that can alleviate biofuel toxicity in E. coli, enabling improved biofuel production. The study identified two effective pumps, including one from Alcanivorax borkumensis, which increased limonene production by microbes.
A £5M funding call aims to extract valuable chemicals from grain brewing co-products, enhancing the UK's biorefining industry and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Researchers will focus on overcoming bottlenecks and developing new methods for increasing product value.
Scientists have discovered a new plant fossil that sheds light on the phylogenetic age and ecology of the horsetail plant genus Equisetum. The fossil, dated to 150 million years ago, reveals that the genus has maintained its successful set of tools for extreme environments over millions of years.
The 125 million-year-old fossil find suggests an earlier origin for eudicots and flowering plants. The newly discovered species, Leefructus mirus, exhibits characteristics similar to those of modern buttercups and Ranunculaceae family members.
Researchers at University of Minnesota develop technology to convert CO2 into hydrocarbon fuels using bacteria and sunlight, a potential solution to fossil fuel depletion and climate change. The process uses ketones produced by bacteria as feedstock for diesel fuel production.
African fossil sites between six and five million years ago show signs of a distinct history of increasing isolation, which may have been caused by global climate change. The modern African sub-Saharan mammalian community is believed to be the vestige of a once-wider-ranging fauna.
Researchers at University of Alberta used U-Pb dating to determine a hadrosaur bone is 64.8 million years old, contradicting the long-held paradigm that dinosaurs died between 65.5 and 66 million years ago.
Scientists have solved the long-standing problem of pterosaur head crests by discovering a female fossil with an egg, showing females were crestless and males used crests to intimidate rivals. The discovery uses hip size and crest development to sex pterosaurs.
A new species of pterosaur, Gwawinapterus beardi, has been discovered on Hornby Island off Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The fossil, dated to 70 million years ago, features small teeth and a wing span of approximately 3 metres.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a new metal complex that can convert methane into ethane, a crucial step towards building longer-chain hydrocarbons as alternative energy sources. This breakthrough could pave the way for a cleaner and more sustainable method of producing fuels from greenhouse gases.
Researchers at UMass Amherst develop a method to produce high-volume chemical feedstocks from pyrolytic bio-oils, a cheap liquid fuel derived from biomass. This process could reduce industry's reliance on fossil fuels worth $400 billion annually.
Kent State University geology professors Rodney Feldmann and Carrie Schweitzer report on the discovery of a 360-million-year-old fossil shrimp in Oklahoma. The ancient crustacean's muscles are remarkably well-preserved, providing valuable insights into its evolution.
A new statistical model reevaluates the timeline of human evolution, suggesting divergence from chimpanzees occurred around 8 million years ago. The revised estimate improves upon previous findings by accounting for gaps in the fossil record and incorporating DNA evidence.
A new method involves microbial sulfate reduction using an anaerobic bioreactor, reducing over 90% of sulfates in scrubbing water. The treated waste can be converted into elemental sulfur or metal sulfide nanoparticles for industrial use.
José Goldemberg's groundbreaking research on biofuels has significantly contributed to science and scientific innovation. His work demonstrated the potential of sugarcane-based ethanol as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, ultimately reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in Brazil.
A University of Oklahoma research team will explore the biological stability of current and next-generation fuels, measuring their impact on biocorrosion activity. The five-year total grant aims to provide a scientific basis for assessing alternate fuels and mitigating fuel biodeterioration and biocorrosion problems.
A 36-million-year-old fossil reveals that ancient penguins had reddish-brown and grey feathers, distinct from the black tuxedoed look of living penguins. This discovery provides insights into the early evolution of penguin feathers, coloration, and flipper shapes.
Scientists at the University of Manchester suggest using building district heating schemes with sustainable fuels could drastically reduce greenhouse gases while being cost-effective. The plans have been met with majority support from focus groups in the UK public.
The California Polytechnic State University team won the first prize in the AIAA Foundation's annual Undergraduate Team Aircraft Design Competition. Their award-winning design, 'Bearodactyl,' is an alternative fuels and environmentally friendly aircraft system that addresses fossil fuel impact on earth's environment.
Current energy technologies, such as solar and wind electricity, are not enough to achieve massive market penetration due to limitations in storage and intermittent power supply. Additionally, reliance on fossil fuels is growing again, driven by increasing demand for natural gas and oil as production peaks.