At last: Concise synthesis of potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin

26-Jul-2022 - Researchers have discovered a concise way to synthesize a “biosynthetic and ecological enigma” that has intrigued chemists and biologists for more than a century: tetrodotoxin (TTX), a potent natural neurotoxin commonly associated with pufferfish that is also used as a vital probe in neuroscience ...

Advancing aqueous redox flow batteries through molecular engineering

28-May-2021 - Helping to advance the potential of aqueous redox flow batteries - which could provide safe grid-scale energy storage - researchers have engineered a new class of molecules to provide energy storage for this battery type. "We have demonstrated here the ability to pursue and exploit accelerated ...

Scale-invariant resistivity in cuprates

08-Aug-2018 - A new intriguing property of cuprate superconductors has been identified, says a new study, which shows that in very high magnetic fields, the resistivity of a thin-film lanthanum-based cuprate scales linearly with the field. The findings present a challenge for the theories concerning the normal ...

A polymer that puts plastic on a better path toward recyclability

27-Apr-2018 - Researchers have developed a family of synthetic polymers that can be repeatedly recycled, an important feat because current efforts to recycle plastic are so limited. Globally, the production of plastic has increased to the point where output is expected to exceed 500 million metric tons by ...

Honey samples worldwide test positive for neonicotinoids

09-Oct-2017 - A global sampling of honey finds 75% to be contaminated with neonicotinoid pesticides. Of note, the concentrations detected are below the amount authorized by the European Union for human consumption. The situation is more bleak for pollinators, however. Widespread application of neonicotinoids ...

Outperforming nature's water filtration ability with nanotubes

29-Aug-2017 - At just the right size, carbon nanotubes can filter water with better efficiency than biological proteins, a new study reveals. The results could pave the way to new water filtration systems, at a time when demands for fresh water pose a global threat to sustainable development. A class of ...

Metallic hydrogen, once theory, becomes reality

27-Jan-2017 - Nearly a century after it was theorized, Harvard scientists have succeeded in creating the rarest - and potentially one of the most valuable - materials on the planet. The material - atomic metallic hydrogen - was created by Thomas D. Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences Isaac Silvera and ...

Discovery of sunlight-driven organic chemistry on water surfaces

16-Aug-2016 - Fatty acids found on the surface of water droplets react with sunlight to form organic molecules, a new study reports, essentially uncovering a previously unknown form of photolysis. The results could affect models that account for aerosol particles, including models related to ...

Arsenic risk in China's groundwater

27-Aug-2013 - A new model to predict the risk of contaminants in groundwater will save those who use it significant time and money, highlighting drinking water quality issues in the process. This model is currently being implemented in China to determine the spread of groundwater contamination by ...

Renewable battery cathode formed from waste

Byproducts from pulp and paper industry used to store a charge, researchers say

29-Mar-2012 - Researchers have designed a battery cathode made of lignin byproducts from the pulp and paper industry, which may lead to cheaper and safer electrodes. This new, rechargeable battery cathode is comparable to other cathodes that require precious metals or rare, raw materials. Grzegorz Milczarek ...