Tech
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Earth
The Case for Very Hot Water
Turning down the thermostat on a home's water heater could foster the growth of toxic bacteria in home plumbing.
- Earth
Big Water Losses
America's ailing water-delivery infrastructure is literally throwing clean water away -- and dirtying some of what it moves toward our taps.
- Tech
Coal Country’s New Foresters
New techniques may be shaving a century or two off the recovery of mined mountain tops.
- Tech
Trading Forests for Coal
Forested mountain peaks have been giving way to grassy planes in Appalachian coal country.
- Space
Hubble, heal thyself
NASA scientists are cleared to remotely switch equipment on the Hubble Space Telescope in the hopes of restoring the orbiting observatory’s function by October 16.
- Health & Medicine
Body In Mind
Long thought the province of the abstract, cognition may actually evolve as physical experiences and actions ignite mental life.
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- Earth
Pterodactyls may soar once more
Paleontologists and aeronautical engineers are designing a reconnaissance drone that will mimic the flight of an ancient flying reptile.
- Chemistry
Trapping Compact Fluorescents’ Toxic Gas
New nanomaterials may offer a solution to mopping up a toxic pollutant associated with fluorescent lighting.
- Chemistry
Oops! A Fluorescent Light Breaks
Toxic mercury will be released whenever a fluorescent lamp breaks.
- Chemistry
Fluorescent bulbs offer mercury advantage
Featured blog: Switching to light bulbs that contain mercury might, surprisingly, reduce overall mercury releases to the environment. Plus, what to do when you break your fluorescent bulb.
- Physics
A ‘novel’ chemistry to make fuel from sugar
It’s not alchemy, but it might sound like it: a new way to transform sugars from plants into gasoline, diesel or even jet fuel by passing the sugars over exotic materials.
