Articles tagged with Sulfur
Researchers at the University of East Anglia have discovered a key gene responsible for synthesizing dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), an important nutrient in marine environments. The discovery could allow scientists to better predict the impact of climate change on DMSP production and its effects on the global sulfur cycle.
Researchers developed a low-temperature reaction to replace sulfur with tellurium in MoS2, creating new properties in the 2D material. The 'sodium-scooter' catalyst enables conversion at 525°C, lower than previous temperatures.
Rutgers researchers warn that abruptly ending geoengineering efforts could lead to rapid warming, devastating droughts, and devastating El Niño events. The study highlights the need for gradual stopping of such efforts to avoid severe biological impacts on ecosystems.
A new polymer binder allows for a doubling in lithium-sulfur battery capacity even after 100 charge cycles. Researchers designed the polymer to regulate ion transport processes and prevent sulfur degradation.
A recent study found that shutting down a coal-fired power plant significantly improves fetal health in downwind areas. The analysis of birth outcomes showed a 15% reduction in low birth weight and a 28% decrease in preterm births in areas affected by the plant's emissions.
Researchers discovered that defects in monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) exhibit electrical switching, providing new insights into the material's electrical properties. This finding could contribute to MoS2's future use in opto-electronics and address current limitations.
Researchers discovered a genetic link between sulfur compounds and chronic bad breath in humans and genetically modified mice. The study found that people with the condition had mutations in the SELENBP1 gene and high levels of odor-causing chemicals in their blood, mirroring findings in mice with the same mutation.
A University of Maryland-led study reveals that China has significantly reduced its sulfur dioxide emissions, while India's have increased, putting the latter on track to become the world's top emitter. The findings suggest that China's efforts to control pollution are paying off, but air quality remains a concern.
The Chicxulub asteroid impact likely released over three times as much sulfur gas into the atmosphere, implying a colder period than previously thought. The increased sulfur release led to a dramatic cooling of Earth's climate, potentially devastating plant life and marine ecosystems.
Researchers at Penn State University have found that an iron-sulfur cluster carrier called NfuA replaces the destroyed iron-sulfur cluster in LipA, allowing it to continue producing lipoic acid. This discovery could help understand why humans with defects in the iron-sulfur carrier gene have deficiencies of lipoic acid.
A team of Penn State engineers developed a new type of lithium sulfur battery that could improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase safety. The battery uses an organic sulfur-based interphase layer to prevent dendrite formation and improve mechanical flexibility.
A team of WSU researchers has documented one of the Earth's largest known volcanic eruptions, which occurred in the Pacific Northwest and released massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. The eruption is estimated to have been equivalent to a Mount Tambora-style eruption every day for 11-16 years.
Researchers from RUDN University analyzed the chemical bonds that shape proteins using sulfur and other elements from the 16th group of the periodic table. They discovered how these atoms form noncovalent chemical bonds, which play a crucial role in protein folding and biological systems.
A recent study has made a breakthrough in developing better batteries via real-time transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. The research team successfully hermetically encapsulated sulfur particles using two-dimensional materials like molybdenum disulfide, preventing leakage and sublimation. This innovation could lead to im...
Research links elemental sulfur use to poorer respiratory health in children living near farms that apply the pesticide, with significant associations found between sulfur use and asthma-related symptoms. The study suggests urgent need for more research and possible changes to regulations and application methods.
Researchers at Rice University have created a semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenide material called Janus sulfur molybdenum selenium (SMoSe) with a larger band gap than molybdenum diselenide. The discovery has potential applications in catalytic production of hydrogen and other fields.
Researchers found that sulfide-producing bacteria, particularly Halanaerobium, dominate fractured well ecosystems in hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells. These microbes convert thiosulfates to sulfide through a poorly understood pathway, causing problems for drilling operations.
Berkeley Lab researchers have found that carrageenan, a seaweed derivative, acts as a stabilizer in lithium-sulfur batteries, allowing for more cycling and an extended lifetime. The discovery opens up new possibilities for low-cost, high-energy energy storage solutions.
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati found high sulfur pollution along India's Manali-Leh Highway, suggesting a link to diesel pollution. The study, published in Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, showed that diesel exhaust contributes to acid rain and has environmental impacts even in remote areas.
A new Stanford study found that microbes sometimes fail to break down all plant and animal matter, leaving behind buried organic carbon. This preserved carbon can seep into nearby oxygen-rich waterways, where it's consumed by microbes, contributing to greenhouse gas production.
A new study from Lehigh University found that infants born to mothers living as far as 20-30 miles away from a coal-fired power plant had a 6.5% greater risk of low birth weight and a 17.12% greater risk of very low birth weight.
Researchers at Yale University have created a new material that can be applied to any sulfur cathode, improving battery stability and cycle life. The gel-like coating increases the number of cycles to over 1,000, making it suitable for high-energy-density batteries.
Researchers propose that massive volcanic eruptions 717 million years ago led to a perfect storm of fire and ice, causing the largest glaciation event in Earth's history. The eruptions released sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, blocking solar radiation and driving the formation of ice.
Researchers have found that volcanoes collectively emit significant amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which is easier to detect from space. Human activities also emit large quantities of sulfur dioxide, but are declining in many countries due to pollution controls.
A team of researchers has created the first global inventory for volcanic sulfur dioxide emissions, using data from a NASA satellite. The data set provides annual estimates for 91 volcanoes worldwide and will help refine climate models and provide insight into human health risks.
Scientists have developed a new method to remove nearly all sulfur compounds from gas and diesel fuel, potentially reducing air pollution. The technique uses a potassium salt to induce chemical reactions that eliminate sulfur, outperforming traditional methods in industrial-scale applications.
The study investigates the effects of surface area, total pore volume, and pore size distribution on Li-S battery performances. A porous carbon material with a high micropore volume ratio presents improved electrochemical performances, including high initial discharge capacity and cycle stability.
Researchers use diamondoids to assemble atoms into the thinnest possible electrical wires, just three atoms wide. This technique has the potential to create new materials with finely tuned electronic properties and interesting physics.
A research team at the University of Geneva has discovered that sulfur can act as an effective catalyst, transforming molecules with greater precision than hydrogen. This breakthrough enables chemists to exercise increased control over molecular transformations, paving the way for the creation of new materials and applications.
Researchers found that molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) holds more promise as a catalyst for producing hydrogen than previously thought. By engineering sulfur vacancies across the material's surface, they achieved catalytic efficiency comparable to previous MoS2 technologies.
Scientists discovered that fluctuations in sulfur availability create atomic chains of molybdenum or tungsten in a two-dimensional alloy, controlling properties like heat transport and electronic behavior. This mechanism can be applied to a wide range of alloys in 2D crystals across the Periodic Table.
New research reveals that ancient rocks can supply energy to microorganisms kilometers below Earth's surface through reactions between water and minerals. This discovery has significant implications for the search for life on Mars, where similar geological settings may support microbial life.
Researchers calculate basin-wide measurements of dissolved organic sulfur in the East Atlantic and Southern Ocean, finding it to be the largest oceanic reservoir of organic sulfur. The discovery challenges current understanding and suggests active involvement in the microbial loop, similar to organic nitrogen.
Researchers have developed a simple and effective method for synthesizing thiophene-fused PAHs, reducing the number of required steps and reagent costs. The new approach uses elemental sulfur to induce thienannulation reactions on arylethynyl-substituted PAHs.
KAIST researchers create ultramicroporous benzothiazole polymers with exceptional stability and affinity for CO2, offering a sustainable solution to natural gas sweetening. The novel materials can be recycled back into an efficient process.
Researchers at MIT have discovered a new method for producing metal antimony using electricity, which could lead to more efficient and environmentally friendly metal production systems. The process uses electrolysis to separate the metal from a compound, reducing pollution and energy costs.
Scientists discovered 39 unreported and significant sources of toxic sulfur dioxide emissions using a new satellite-based method. The data reveals that these sources account for about 12 percent of all human-made emissions, impacting regional air quality significantly.
Researchers at Oregon State University discovered that ocean bacteria are programmed to produce two sulfur gases, dimethylsulfide and methanethiol, which play important roles in the Earth's atmosphere. These gases, released by SAR11 plankton, have been linked to cloud formation and temperature regulation.
A University of Illinois study reveals declining sulfur levels in agricultural areas, with negative balances in some watersheds and rivers. Farmers may need to apply sulfur fertilizer in the future, particularly on fields with less soil organic matter.
The study, published in Icarus, found that ferric chloride is the most likely substance causing UV absorption in Venus's atmosphere. Sulfur particles are no longer considered responsible for this effect.
A team of researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and ETH Zurich found that light vapor bubbles migrate to crystal-poor areas within shallow volcanic chambers, accumulating energy for large eruptions. The study suggests that these bubbles play a crucial role in shaping the style and power of volcanic eruptions.
Researchers have determined that the Smith Cloud, a high-velocity cloud in the galaxy, contains heavier elements similar to those found in our sun, suggesting it originated from the Milky Way's outer edges. The cloud is now expected to crash into the galaxy's disk in 30 million years, potentially generating two million suns.
A new study by the University of Washington uses a unique volcanic eruption in Iceland to measure the effect of sulfur emissions on clouds. The results confirm that volcanoes cool the planet not just by emitting particles high in the atmosphere, but also by releasing low-level sulfur to influence cloud formation.
The study identified at least three different structural classes of compounds active against multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis. These new inhibitors target the reductive sulfur assimilation pathway, essential for the bacteria's survival in host defense systems.
A new palladium-based catalyst has been developed to efficiently convert thiols, the source of strong-smelling mercaptans, into stable and useful vinyl thioethers. The catalyst enables the atom-economic synthesis of these monomers with high yield and selectivity.
Researchers at Empa have created a 'fool's gold' battery using magnesium and pyrite, offering safe, durable, and affordable storage. The battery has withstood 40 charging cycles without compromising performance.
A team of scientists has found evidence of iron-rich dust from 300 million years ago, which suggests that atmospheric dust acted as a fertilizer for life. The discovery provides new insights into the biogeochemical impacts of iron on the oceans and the climate system during the late Paleozoic era.
A QMUL PhD student has found a simple way to produce two ancient chemical compounds, sultones and sultines, which have applications in antiviral agents and may lead to new treatments for diseases such as HIV and Herpes. The breakthrough reduces the production process from five to two steps, increasing yield by nearly 100%.
Researchers at Scripps Florida Institute uncover a novel mechanism for incorporating sulfur into natural products, which has implications for advancing new therapies beyond cancer. The study provides insights into the chemistry of polyketide synthases and could lead to the development of new antitumor agents.
Scientists have developed a method to produce arrays of semiconductor junctions within a single, nanometer-thick crystal using pulsed laser deposition and commercial electron-beam lithography techniques. This breakthrough enables the creation of ultrathin electronics with tunable bandgaps for various applications.
Asthmatics are particularly sensitive to sulfur dioxide, which can cause airway irritation even at low concentrations. Scientists still don't know why asthmatics lack the ability to produce interleukin-10, a protein that stops inflammatory processes.
A team of international researchers found that volcanic aerosols have acted as a natural umbrella to slow down global temperature increase from greenhouse gases. The cooling effect due to volcanic eruptions was clearly underestimated by climate models, and it is only temporary as the rise of Earth's temperature will speed up again.
Researchers at Drexel University have created a two-dimensional carbon/sulfur nanolaminate that could be a viable candidate for use as a lithium-sulfur cathode, promising improved long-term stability and energy density.
Researchers at University of California - Riverside developed a glass cage-like coating and graphene oxide to improve lithium-sulfur battery performance. The silica-caged sulfur particles provided substantially higher battery performance, and incorporating mildly reduced graphene oxide improved the design further.
Researchers found that pigs can tolerate up to 0.38% sulfur in their diet without negative effects on carcass quality or growth performance. Excess sulfur is excreted in the urine, not accumulated in tissues, allowing pigs to regulate sulfur retention and excretion.
University of Pennsylvania researchers have made an advance in manufacturing molybdenum disulphide, allowing for easier control over its size, thickness, and location. The new technique enables the creation of transistors that turn on and off, as well as devices that emit light.
Researchers studied sediment rocks in Italian Dolomites and found high acidity levels, similar to vinegar or lemon juice, indicating repeated acid rain events. These acidic conditions led to a decline in plant life, causing a collapse in the food chain and contributing to the mass extinction of end-Permian life on land.
A new study suggests that water is bound to sulfates in Martian soil, a key finding with implications for the search for life on Mars. The research team analyzed elemental data from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer onboard the Mars Odyssey orbiter and found a spatial association between sulfur and hydrogen in the southern latitudes of Mars.
Researchers design novel cathode for rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries featuring graphene-wrapped sulfur electrode. The design improves cycling stability and efficiency by confining active materials within a porous structure.
The study finds that the Earth's ancient oceans held much lower concentrations of sulfate, a key biological nutrient, than previously recognized. This scarcity would have shaped the nature and evolution of early life on Earth, with implications for understanding the planet's early biosphere.