Category Environment/Geology

The sheet made of cellulose nanofibers in the mille-feuille filter which can remove resistant viruses from water. Research led by Albert Mihranyan, Professor of Nanotechnology at Uppsala University, Image by Simon Gustafsson. Credit: Simon Gustafsson

A simple paper sheet made by scientists at Uppsala University can improve the quality of life for millions of people by removing resistant viruses from water. The sheet, made of cellulose nanofibers, is called the mille-feuille filter as it has a unique layered internal architecture resembling that of the French puff pastry mille-feuille (English translation thousand leaves)...

At least 11 islands across the northern Solomon Islands have either totally disappeared over recent decades or are currently experiencing severe erosion, an Australian study shows

A further 6 reef islands have been severely eroded in the remote area of the Solomons with one experiencing some 10 houses being swept into the sea between 2011 and 2014.”At least 11 islands across the northern Solomon Islands have either totally disappeared over recent decades or are currently experiencing severe erosion,” the study published in Environmental Research Letters said. “Shoreline recession at 2 sites has destroyed villages that have existed since at least 1935, leading to community relocations.”

The scientists said the 5 that had vanished were all vegetated reef islands up to 5 hectares (12 acres) t...

Young-A Lee and her research team have designed a vest and shoe prototype from the cellulosic fiber grown in this lab. Credit: Christopher Gannon, Iowa State University

The fashion industry generates a lot of waste, which is why a team of researchers developed a new fiber that’s 100% biodegradable. Researchers are testing the fiber – made from a green tea byproduct – to see if it’s a viable alternative. Instead of soil and seeds, LeBaron Hall lab plastic bins contain a gel-like film consisting of cellulose fibers – a byproduct of kombucha tea – that feeds off a mixture of vinegar and sugar. The film is grown by using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY)...

Solar Impulse 2 flies over San Francisco on Saturday, April 23, 2016. The solar-powered airplane, which is attempting to circumnavigate the globe to promote clean energy and the spirit of innovation, arrived from Hawaii after a three-day journey across the Pacific Ocean. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A solar-powered airplane landed in CA on Saturday, completing a risky, 3-day flight across the Pacific Ocean as part of its journey around the world. Pilot Bertrand Piccard landed the Solar Impulse 2 in Mountain View, in the Silicon Valley south of San Francisco, at 11:45 p.m. following a 62-hr, nonstop solo flight without fuel.

The landing came several hours after the Piccard performed a fly-by over the Golden Gate Bridge as spectators watched the narrow aircraft with extra wide wings from below...