Futurity

Latest articles from Futurity

• Why the US should not Invest in Exporting Natural Gas

  Published 21 December 2012 | viewed 9,155 times

  Investing in natural gas export facilities “is a bet against what US firms excel in—developing and commercializing new technologies and products,” says economist Frank Wolak.With…

• Unlocking the Secrets of Cellulose to Improve Biofuel Efficiency

  Published 17 December 2012 | viewed 11,978 times

  New research reveals how cells extrude cellulose—findings that could improve biofuel production and help better fight bacteria.Understanding the production and deposition of cellulose, the primary…

• Advances in Fullerene Technology Boosts Organic Solar Cell Efficiency

  Published 15 December 2012 | viewed 8,640 times

  An insight into the properties of fullerene could lead to a new class of electronic acceptors for better and cheaper organic solar cells, report researchers.Organic…

• How the US could Eliminate its Need for Crude Oil

  Published 07 December 2012 | viewed 19,546 times

  The United States could eliminate its need for crude oil by using a combination of coal, natural gas, and non-food crops to make synthetic fuel,…

• Over 3,000 Leaks Found in Study of Boston's Natural Gas Pipelines

  Published 22 November 2012 | viewed 12,551 times

  The city’s aging natural-gas pipeline system is to blame, according to a new study by researchers at Boston and Duke Universities. Their findings appear this…

• How Climate Change Led to the Rise and Fall of Maya Civilization

  Published 13 November 2012 | viewed 17,822 times

  A high-resolution climate record spanning 2,000 years shows how Maya political systems developed and fell apart in response to climate change, researchers report.The role of…

• Algal Biofuel is Currently Unsustainable, but Technology can Change That

  Published 10 November 2012 | viewed 10,727 times

  “Algal biofuels are not quite ready for prime time,” says Joel Cuello, co-author of a new report evaluating the alternative fuel’s current drawbacks and its…

• Costs Fall with First Ever 100% Carbon Solar Cell

  Published 03 November 2012 | viewed 8,343 times

  Researchers have developed a solar cell made entirely of carbon, an inexpensive substitute for the pricey materials currently used in conventional solar panels.“Carbon has the…

• New Fuel Cell Catalyst Offers Very Cheap Alternative to Platinum

  Published 23 October 2012 | viewed 27,437 times

  A new, inexpensive catalyst for hydrogen fuel cells could put platinum out of business, say researchers who’ve developed an alternative out of cobalt, graphene, and…

• Bacteria Consumed Over 200,000 Tons of Oil from Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

  Published 13 September 2012 | viewed 17,638 times

  Over a period of five months following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, bacteria consumed at least 200,000 tons of oil and natural gas that…

• New Study will Enable More Accurate Climate Forecasts to be Made

  Published 12 September 2012 | viewed 4,418 times

  Global climate models may be overstating the warming properties of black carbon particles, according to recent field tests.“Our results don’t change the fact that things…

• Spinach - The New Ingredient for a Biohybrid Solar Cell

  Published 11 September 2012 | viewed 13,962 times

  Scientists have combined spinach’s photosynthetic protein, which converts light into electrochemical energy, with silicon in a new “biohybrid” solar cell.“This combination produces current levels almost…

• Computer Model Identifies the Best Candidates for Greenhouse Gas Removal

  Published 06 September 2012 | viewed 10,671 times

  A new computer model can identify the best molecular candidates for removing carbon dioxide, molecular nitrogen, and other greenhouse gases from power plant flues.The model…

• Scientists Discover Process to Reduce Co2 Emissions from Coal Plants by 90%

  Published 30 August 2012 | viewed 13,370 times

  Refrigerating coal-plant emissions would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 90 percent—at a cost of 25 percent efficiency.Based on computations done on a spreadsheet…

• Battery Breakthrough - New Power Cell Converts Mechanical Energy

  Published 27 August 2012 | viewed 9,871 times

  A new type of power cell can convert mechanical energy—from walking, for example—to chemical energy and store the power until it is released as electrical…

• Tanzania could Benefit from Climate Change and Sell its Corn to the US

  Published 14 August 2012 | viewed 12,312 times

  The economy of one of the world’s least-developed countries could actually benefit from climate change by increasing exports of corn to the US and other…

• Research Shows that Injection Wells may Cause Earthquakes

  Published 11 August 2012 | viewed 9,687 times

  Most earthquakes in the Barnett Shale region of North Texas occur within a few miles of one or more injection wells used to dispose of…

• Researchers Create the World's Most Efficient Solar Cell

  Published 01 August 2012 | viewed 12,379 times

  Engineers have used inexpensive materials to create a solar cell certified at a world-record 7.0 percent efficiency.The research paves the way for solar cells that…

• Study Proves Natural Gas Can Bridge the Gap to a Clean Energy Economy

  Published 17 July 2012 | viewed 8,291 times

  Natural gas is a good transition step on the road to greener energy sources like wind, solar, and nuclear power, says a new study.Lawrence M.…

• Using Bacteria to Increase Efficiency of Biofuel Production

  Published 14 July 2012 | viewed 13,885 times

  A new way of making biofuel produces 20 times more energy than existing methods by adding bacteria that turn by products into electricity.The results of…