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Fighting climate change: Ruthenium complexes for carbon dioxide reduction to valuable chemicals

On this front, scientists have suggested chemically converting CO2 into value-added compounds, such as methanol and formic acid (HCOOH). Producing the latter requires a source of hydride ion (H–), which is equivalent to one proton and two electrons. For instance, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+/NADH) reduction-oxidation couple is a hydride (H–) generator and reservoir in …

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Beyond lithium: A promising cathode material for magnesium rechargeable batteries

Among the various elements being tested as efficient energy carriers for rechargeable batteries, magnesium (Mg) is a promising candidate. Apart from its safety and abundance, Mg has the potential to realize higher battery capacities. However, some problems need to be solved first. These include the low voltage window that Mg ions provide, as well as …

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Past records help to predict different effects of future climate change on land and sea

A new paper studying terrestrial amplification focuses on how geochemical records of past climate on land and at the sea surface allow scientists to better predict the extent to which land will warm more than oceans — and will also get drier — due to current and future greenhouse gas emissions. “The core idea of …

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This loofah-inspired, sun-driven gel could purify all the water you’ll need in a day

Previously, researchers have suggested that sunlight-driven evaporation could be a low-energy way to purify water, but this approach doesn’t work well when it’s cloudy. One solution could be temperature-responsive hydrogels, specifically poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAm), that switch from absorbing water at cooler temperatures to repelling it when heated. However, conventional PNIPAm gels can’t generate clean water …

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Severe weather straining electrical grids: New research mitigates demand surges, increasing grid reliability and reducing costs

“With this tool, utilities can quickly determine which customers to reduce power to, and for how long, while limiting the amount of time in a year that any one customer is affected,” says Ali Fattahi of Johns Hopkins University. “Direct load control contracts affect only households that volunteer (in exchange for a break on their …

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