Paleontologists uncover the story of Ekgmowechashala, a mysterious primate that defied extinction, through fossil teeth and jaws found in Nebraska and China. The discovery resolves the debate over its classification and origin, revealing it was an immigrant species that evolved in Asia and migrated to North America via Beringia.
Researchers at Aarhus University have developed a technology to convert wastewater sludge into potent oil that can replace fossil fuels in planes, ships, and trucks. The hydrothermal liquefaction process produces energy-rich bio crude oil with minimal waste and pollutants.
Research shows that fossil fuel workers have the right skills for green jobs but face a geographical mismatch. The study highlights the need for policymakers to consider targeting areas of fossil fuel extraction for investment in other industries, making it easier for workers to transition.
The study uses Aspen Plus software to establish a biomass gasification model for cow manure, finding optimal conditions for syngas production. The researchers evaluated parameters such as temperature, steam-to-biomass ratio, and pressure to enhance hydrogen content, while minimizing carbon dioxide and methane emissions.
Researchers have successfully mimicked plant power through artificial photosynthesis, producing methane from carbon dioxide and sunlight. The breakthrough could pave the way toward replacing nonrenewable fossil fuels with sustainable energy sources.
A 312-million-year-old fossil found in the Carboniferous Rhode Island Formation provides evidence of how internal feeding, known as leaf mining, may have originated. The discovery sheds light on the evolution and behavior of holometabolous insects, including modern-day moths, beetles, flies, and wasps.
A new dynamical model developed by UConn researchers helps companies determine if renewables make economic sense for their manufacturing processes. The model evaluates the economic viability of solar thermal technology, which has huge untapped potential in the industry.
Researchers have discovered a way to make solar hydrogen production economically viable by co-producing high-value chemicals like methylsuccinic acid. By coupling the photoelectrochemical (PEC) process with hydrogenation, the cost of hydrogen drops significantly, making it competitive with fossil gas.
A team of paleontologists has discovered the oldest record of sea turtle DNA in a fossil shell from Panama's Caribbean coast. The findings, published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, date back approximately 6 million years to the upper Miocene Epoch.
A research team reviewed the most recent advancements in zeolite-assisted syngas conversion, finding that zeolites effectively optimizes reaction pathways. They achieved improved selectivity for gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel, as well as numerous aromatic products.
A new review explores the effects of air pollution and climate change on children's developmental health, leading to human capital losses. The study highlights three dimensions: health, cognitive ability, and socio-emotional ability, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive evaluation of these impacts.
A survey of 10,981 US adults found that toxic molds, fossil fuels, and antibiotics are common causes of chemical intolerance. The study suggests that reducing exposure to mold, pesticides, and other contaminants may help prevent future cases.
A new fossil ape named Anadoluvius turkae, discovered in Türkiye, pushes the origin of African apes and humans from Europe to Asia. The findings suggest that hominines evolved in western and central Europe before migrating to Africa.
Researchers developed a fluorinated diamond-like carbon coating that improves heat transfer in steam condensers, allowing for a 2% overall process boost. This innovation could save 460 million tons of CO2 and 2 trillion gallons of water annually if coal and natural gas power generation were just 2% more efficient.
A new study from the University of Colorado at Boulder has developed an economical approach for producing green hydrogen, a precursor to liquid fuels. The method uses heat generated by solar rays to split molecules of water and carbon dioxide into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which can be converted into fuels like gasoline and diesel.
Researchers uncover thousands of small-bodied fossils in southwestern Manitoba, revealing connections to fossil localities in South Dakota and Kansas. The discovery supports the existence of a three-part vertebrate community zonation for the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway during the early to middle Turonian time period.
The fossil discovery provides the earliest known evidence of birds consuming leafy greens from flowering plants. Analysis of microscopic residues in a 120-million-year-old bird skeleton reveals that Jeholornis was an herbivore, not a predator.
A newly discovered turtle fossil from the Upper Jurassic period provides valuable information on the species' limb taphonomy and habitat ecology. The fossil, Solnhofia parsonsi, was found in Bavaria, Germany, offering a unique perspective on the ancient environment.
A research team from Hokkaido University has found an exceptionally preserved fossil forest of Wataria parvipora, which was predominantly accompanied by Byttneriophyllum leaves. The discovery helps reconstruct a whole Eurasian plant from the late Miocene epoch and sheds light on the taxonomic identity of plants.
Researchers at West Virginia University are developing a hydrogen flexible boiler to decarbonize the food and beverage industry. The technology, proposed by Hailin Li, will supply thermal energy by burning clean fuel rather than traditional fossil fuels.
A rare fossil discovered in China's Liaoning Province reveals a dramatic moment when a carnivorous mammal attacked a plant-eating dinosaur, challenging the view that dinosaurs had few threats from their mammal contemporaries. The well-preserved fossil shows the mammal gripping the jaw of the larger dinosaur and biting into its ribs.
A new study finds public backing for biofuel and hydrogen as alternative fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the global shipping industry. The research suggests that nuclear power is also a viable option, while ammonia has the least public support due to its perceived risks.
Researchers found that US public pension funds would have seen a 13% higher return on investments if they had divested from fossil fuels a decade ago. Divestment also reduced the carbon footprint of portfolios equivalent to powering 35 million homes per year.
A recent study by Kyoto University has raised concerns about the authenticity of Big Oil's net-zero emissions claims. The research team found that oil majors are not making sufficient progress in phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to clean energy, despite their pledges to achieve net-zero by 2050.
A 50-million-year-old katydid fossil found in Colorado reveals exceptionally preserved internal organs, including a testicle and digestive tract. The fossil belongs to the genus Arethaea and provides new insights into the evolution of this group of insects.
A new study finds that bioenergy may not be a climate-neutral alternative to fossil fuels without effective pricing of CO2 emissions from land-use change, leading researchers to call for comprehensive carbon pricing schemes and international agreements to protect natural lands.
Researchers at KIT have developed highly efficient photoreactor panels that can be inserted into inexpensive modules for mass production of hydrogen or fuels. The technology could make the use of fossil energy carriers superfluous and provide a climate-neutral alternative, with costs estimated to be around $22 per square meter.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a solar-powered reactor that captures CO2 from industrial processes or directly from the air and converts it into sustainable fuels. The technology also uses plastic waste, converting it into glycolic acid and other valuable chemical products.
A team of researchers has discovered a nearly complete side-necked turtle fossil in the UK, dating back to the Lower Cretaceous period around 127 million years ago. The fossil was radiometrically dated using a new technique and provided valuable insights into its structure and composition.
African large mammals' size and abundance have declined over the past 10 million years, with earlier communities having more large individuals. The decline is linked to environmental factors such as decreasing global temperatures and tropical grasslands expansion.
Researchers at HKU have designed a self-assembling artificial spherical chromatophore nanomicelle system that mimics the photosynthetic apparatus of bacteria, achieving high stability and efficiency in solar energy conversion. This breakthrough could lead to sustainable solutions for carbon-neutral fuels and renewable energy.
Researchers found that plants allocate a significant amount of carbon to mycorrhizal fungi, equivalent to roughly one-third of carbon emitted yearly by fossil fuels. This discovery highlights the importance of understanding fungal networks in soil ecosystems and their role in mitigating climate change.
A new study finds that mycorrhizal fungi store up to 36% of yearly global fossil fuel emissions' carbon, equivalent to roughly 13 gigatons. This vast underground network is essential to both storing carbon and global biodiversity.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have created a solar-powered technology that converts carbon dioxide and water into liquid fuels like ethanol and propanol. These fuels have high energy density and produce no net carbon emissions, making them a promising alternative to fossil fuels.
A new guide has been created to standardize fossil pollen datasets, enabling researchers to compile and analyze large-scale syntheses of palaeoecological data. The FOSSILPOL workflow and R-package provide a step-by-step process for handling data preparation, ensuring good data quality and minimizing erroneous interpretations.
University of Rochester researchers create a groundbreaking system mimicking photosynthesis using bacteria and nanomaterials to produce clean-burning hydrogen fuel. The innovative approach replaces fossil fuels in the process, offering an environmentally friendly alternative.
A fossil of a 'royal fish', estimated to be over 66 million years old, was discovered in Morocco, marking the first time a sturgeon has been found in Africa. This finding suggests that sturgeons may have been more widespread than previously thought, complicating models of their origin.
Recent studies published in Science have reconstructed early ape fossil sites in eastern Africa, showing a wide range of habitats existed before the emergence of bipedalism. Researchers gathered thousands of fossil remains and data to redefine the ancient environments.
A recent study by the University of Gothenburg found that public acceptance of fossil fuel subsidy removal could be improved in developing countries if the revenue is invested in social and economic development. The researchers analyzed attitudes towards removing subsidies on fossil fuels in five developing countries, including Ecuador...
A team of scientists discovered a new genus and species of ancient gnat fossils in Mallorca, Spain, dating back to the early Middle Triassic period. The fossil, found near the harbor of Estellencs, shows how insects adapted to a post-apocalyptic world after a mass extinction event that wiped out over 80% of species.
A new fossil discovery dating back 247 million years provides the earliest evidence of dipterans, including mosquitoes and flies. The immature insect's preserved breathing system offers insights into its adaptations to a post-apocalyptic environment.
A team of paleontologists has discovered that countless sea anemone fossils were misinterpreted as jellyfish due to their soft bodies. However, when re-examined with a new perspective, the fossils were found to be anemones, showcasing the importance of fresh thinking in fossil interpretation.
Researchers find first Canadian specimen of extinct ant Titanomyrma, sparking debate on how it dispersed across the Northern Hemisphere. The discovery challenges previous theories on hyperthermals and suggests a more complex picture of ancient climate and migration patterns.
Researchers use advanced techniques to examine the middle Cambrian star-shaped fossil Brooksella, finding it lacks characteristics of sponges and glass sponges. Its internal structure and composition are similar to co-occurring silica concretions, leading to a reclassification as an unusual type of fossil.
Carolina researchers have engineered silicon nanowires that can convert sunlight into electricity, splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen gas. This innovative design enables the production of a greener alternative to fossil fuels, making it more competitive with traditional energy sources.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have developed a new technique that captures real-time movies of copper nanoparticles as they convert carbon dioxide into renewable fuels and chemicals. The study reveals that metallic copper nanograins serve as active sites for CO2 reduction, paving the way for advanced solar fuel technology.
Scientists have found the first fossil evidence of plants' leaves folding up at night, a behavior known as foliar nyctinasty. This discovery provides insight into the evolution and ecology of plants with this unique characteristic, which may offer ecological benefits to the parent plant.
Researchers at the University of Surrey have found promising results for using edge-decorated nano carbons as metal-free catalysts for direct conversion of methane into hydrogen. The study shows strong resistance to carbon poisoning, a common issue with catalysts in this process.
A fossil plant from California has shed light on the evolution of flowering plants, pushing back their origins by 80 million years. The discovery indicates that structurally complex rainforests may have existed as early as the Cretaceous period.
A 550-million-year-old fossil of Dickinsonia was discovered in India, but it turned out to be a beehive. The correction puts the geologic and life history of India back into contention, with the rocks potentially being one billion years old.
The discovery of Funcusvermis gilmorei, a 220-million-year-old fossil, extends the history of caecilians by 35 million years and fills a gap in their evolutionary history. The fossil shares skeletal features with early frog and salamander fossils, strengthening evidence for a shared origin between caecilians and these groups.
Scientists at EPFL have created a device that combines semiconductor-based technology with novel electrodes to harness water from the air and produce hydrogen gas powered by sunlight. The transparent, porous, and conductive electrodes mimic the properties of plant leaves, which convert sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis.
A new analysis of a 45,000-65,000 year old fossil mandible from Spain suggests it may be the earliest documented presence of Homo sapiens in Europe, rather than a Neandertal. The study used CT scanning and 3D modeling to analyze the fossil's shape and features, finding that it shared characteristics with both humans and Neandertals.
A new fossil discovery in a London storeroom has revealed that modern lizards originated in the Late Triassic period, 35 million years earlier than previously thought. The fossil, Cryptovaranoides microlanius, is a relative of living lizards and snakes, and its characteristics impact estimates of lizard evolution and diversification.
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory demonstrate a new method to produce liquid acetate from carbon dioxide, inspired by carbon-hungry microorganisms. This breakthrough could accelerate the development of carbon-free alternatives to fossil fuels and help mitigate climate change.
A new study estimates the cost of a green transition in greenhouse gases, finding that building renewable infrastructure generates significant carbon emissions. However, speeding up the transition could dramatically decrease these emissions and limit warming to 2 degrees or even 1.5 degrees.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have identified promising new biofuels that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60% while improving fuel efficiency or reducing tailpipe emissions. The biofuels, developed using advanced engine design, can be blended with conventional fuels to improve engine performance and meet more ...
Researchers at the University of Surrey have developed a technology that captures CO2 from the atmosphere and transforms it into useful chemicals. The switchable Dual Function Materials (DFMs) can produce multiple chemicals depending on operating conditions, making it responsive to demand fluctuations.
Researchers at KAUST developed an inverse mixture-design approach using machine learning to create high-performance transport fuels. The model accurately predicted fuel properties and identified suitable blends, offering a promising solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A 166-million-year-old Scottish fossil, Bellairsia gracilis, provides insights into the early evolution of lizards. The nearly complete skeleton reveals a mix of ancestral and modern features, shedding light on the ancestry of squamates, which include lizards and snakes.