4.30.2010
4.20.2010
World's Most Useful Tree
- ~1 billion people worldwide drink untreated surface water
- 2 million of this population (mostly children <5 yrs old) die from disease caused by contaminated water.
- Moringa oleifera is a vegetable tree commonly grown in the developing world.
- "One of the world's most useful trees"
- Drought resistant
- Provides oil for cooking & lighting
- Soil fertilizer
- Pods, leaves, seeds, & flowers are edible and highly nutritious
- *Simple, low-cost, natural water treatment uses seeds from the tree*
- Reduces water-borne bacteria by 90-99%
- Reduces water turbidity (cloudiness due to suspended debris) by 80-99.5%
- The most significant part of this is not the purification technique itself, but the public access granted by the researchers at Clearinghouse. http://www.currentprotocols.com/protocol/mc01g02
4.14.2010
ASU's solution for the world's looming energy crisis, bacteria
- Bacteria normally make energy-rich fatty acids (Oil) for their own use.
- Specialized microbes called cyanobacteria use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy, just like plants.
- Researchers at The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University (who said ASU was just a party school?) found a way to utilize this process as a source of renewable energy.
- How'd they do it? Genetic modifications permitting the bacteria to significantly increase their lipid (stored energy) production and secretion (so we can collect & use them) without dying in the process.
- Big-time pros:
- Oil produced and processed in 1 step.
- Only energy input required is sunlight.
- No need to use/maintain cropland (e.g. for plant-based sources)
- Questions I have:
- How much processing after collecting the bacterial oil would be needed in order to use it?
- What other resources are needed for the bacteria to survive & how much do they cost?
- Cost-effective for large-scale energy production?
Microbes ooze oil for renewable energy from Biodesign Institute on Vimeo.
http://www.biodesign.asu.edu/news/microbes-reprogrammed-to-ooze-oil-for-renewable-biofuel
4.12.2010
The Ultimate Protection - No not Trojan, Spray-on glass
- Liquid glass spray a.k.a. "SiO2 ultra-thin layering" is transparent, non-toxic, and offers protection from water, UV radiation, acid, dirt, heat, and bacteria.
- Silicon dioxide (silica, main compound in glass) added with water/ethanol depending on surface to be coated, no additives.
- Works by forming a water-resistant coating ~100 nanometers thick.
- Nanoscale thickness makes the glass highly flexible and breathable (potential biological usage).
- Non-toxic, environmentally safe, easy-to-clean with water & wiping.
- Potential Usage:
- Sterilizing equipment & surfaces (food/medical industry, around the house = bye bye unnecessary cleaning products).
- Protection of monuments & buildings from weathering and graffiti.
- Coating seeds & plants to increase resistance to fungal/bacterial diseases.
- Stain-resistant clothing.
- Available in DIY (Do-it-yourself) stores in Britain soon, prices starting ~£5 (US$8).
http://www.nanopool.eu/couk/index.htm
4.09.2010
Solar Cell Efficiency...Almost There
- IBM Researchers have developed a new type of solar cell which more efficiently converts sunlight into electricity (9.6% vs 6.7%).
- Semiconductor made of the elements copper, zinc, tin, and sulfur (abundant & cheap) as well as selenium (rare yet relatively cheap).
- Pros:
- Uses cheaper materials than other "thin film" solar cells.
- Ink-based manufacturing process solves many quality issues previously encountered with solar cells.
- Cons:
- The ultimate hurdle preventing mass-production of efficient solar cells is high cost and inadequate supply of the rare semiconductor components (e.g. selenium, indium, gallium).
- Future Research:
- If most/all of these elements could be replaced with a more common element such as sulfur without dampening semiconductor efficiency, the commercial success of solar cell technology would be soon-to-come.
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