The Li-ion batteries that power everything from smartphones to electric cars are usually packed in rigid, sealed enclosures that prevent […]
Category: chemistry
A guide to the “platonic ideal” of a Negroni and other handy tips
Perfumer by day, mixologist by night, Kevin Peterson specializes in crafting scent-paired cocktails. Kevin Peterson is a “nose” for his […]
Researchers engineer bacteria to produce plastics
Skip to content I’ve got one word for you A bacterial energy storage system is modified to make polymers. Medical […]
Small charges in water spray can trigger the formation of key biochemicals
Skip to content Charges cause water droplets in an early-Earth atmosphere to build up pre-life chemicals. We know Earth formed […]
Brewing tea removes lead from water
Skip to content High surface area of the tea leaves means they can adsorb toxic metals released by the boiling […]
Researchers figure out how to get fresh lithium into batteries
Skip to content Recharge, then recharge some more Regular doses of lithium let a battery survive nearly 12K cycles (and […]
Turning the Moon into a fuel depot will take a lot of power
Getting oxygen from regolith takes 24 kWh per kilogram, and we’d need tonnes. Without adjustments for relativity, clocks here and […]
AI used to design a multi-step enzyme that can digest some plastics
Skip to content Enzyme mechanisms can be complex, and getting them to work is tricky. Enzymes are amazing catalysts. These […]
Scientists found a faster way to brew sour beer—with peas
Do you long for that tart fruity flavor of a sour beer but wish the complicated brewing process were faster? […]
Gecko feet inspire anti-slip shoe soles
Gecko feet have inspired many intriguing applications, including a sticky tape, adhesives, a “stickybot” climbing robot, and even a strapless […]