Futurity covers research news from the top universities in the US, UK, Canada and Australia
Scientists say they’ve identified a more efficient and less expensive way to make hydrogen fuel.The technology, based on carbon nanotubes, is a catalyst for electrolysis…
Scientists have found a highly efficient way to make liquid ethanol from carbon monoxide gas. The discovery could provide an eco-friendly alternative to conventional ethanol…
A component of corn starch and the yolk-shell structure of eggs can improve the durability and performance of lithium-sulfur battery cathodes, report researchers.Lithium-sulfur batteries are…
Researchers have developed a new way to simulate the energetic processes that may have led to the emergence of cell metabolism on Earth—a crucial biological…
Researchers have designed an invisible “wall” that stops oily liquids from spreading and confines them to a certain area.The outer shell of a droplet of…
A new model for solar cell construction may ultimately make them less expensive, easier to manufacture, and more efficient at harvesting energy from the sun.For…
Coating a solar cell component in ceramics makes it more heat resistant, which could boost overall efficiency of the cells, say researchers.The component converts heat…
Scientists estimate that about 10 to 18 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide could be stored in the Marcellus formation alone after the extraction of methane gas.…
Setting a car’s ventilation system to “recirculate” is the best way to reduce exposure to harmful traffic pollution.That’s the advice researchers have for parents as…
Algae cells make fat quickly, a finding that means they could hold promise as a sustainable, environmentally sound source of oil.Algal lipids from microalgae are…
A new membrane-based filtering system is designed to reduce the amount of water and energy required for hydrofracking.The system improves the efficiency of treating and…
Rigid organization works well for solar cells made of silicon crystals, but disorder is better for those made from plastic polymers, say researchers.“People used to…
A new type of polymer membrane could replace expensive platinum in alkaline batteries and fuel cells.“We have tried to break this paradigm of tradeoffs in…
A new sterilization system uses nanomaterials to convert 80 percent of the energy in sunlight into heat, and could be a boon for more than…
Scientists have identified the first step toward engineering a more drought-resistant variety of Jatropha, a potential biofuel plant.Jatropha has seeds with high oil content. But…
Demand for oil will reach its own peak and decline before humans deplete the Earth’s supply of oil, experts say.“Peak oil” prognosticators have painted pictures…
Wind and solar plants do the most good where they can reduce pollution and carbon dioxide emissions, so the best place to build them might…
“We have a very clear realization that we need to make energy systems more sustainable,” says Seth A. Blumsack, assistant professor of energy policy at…
If the climate continues to evolve as predicted, the United States stands little to no chance of satisfying its current biofuel goals, new research predicts.Published…
The Arctic has warmed up over the last twenty years, but researchers find that the amount of carbon trapped in the soil remains steady.“We expected…