Latest News & Analysis
HEADLINES ARCHIVE
Metal–Organic Framework Material Inhibits Biofilm Formation
The health risks posed superbugs—bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics—might be mitigated by a new material that inhibits biofilm formation.
App To Help Improve Student Performance
Researchers from the Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, have developed an app to help improve student academic performance.
Using 3D Printing to Train Surgeons to Reduce Surgery Times
Researchers were able to cut the time for hip join surgery in children aged 9 to 16 by about 25%.
Automation Is Engineering the Jobs Out of Power Plants
Gas-fired power plants can operate with a fraction of the staff once required for coal-fired units.
Computers Learn to Tell Species Apart
A competition to create the best machine-learning algorithm for visual species identification yielded impressive results.
Jacobs to Buy CH2M in $2.85bn Deal
Dallas-based Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. is buying Denver-based CH2M HILL Companies Ltd. in a cash and stock transaction.
Ground-level Ozone Rules Back on Track, EPA Says
One day after being sued by 15 states, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt reversed an earlier decision to delay implementation of rules reducing smog-causing air emissions.
An Alternative to Wasteful Methane Flaring
A low-temperature process converts water and methane into carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
3D-Printed Microscopes for the Developing World
Funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund, the project aims to improve access to open source devices, such as microscopes, to people in developing countries for disease diagnostics and scientific research.
New Connectors Are Rated for Up to 500 Hours of Salt Spray
Mouser Electronics Inc. is now stocking Amphe-Lite gray zinc nickel (ZnNi) metal connectors from Amphenol Industrial.
Self-Optimizing Catalysts for Hydrogen Evolution
Highly surface-active layered metal dichalcogenide catalysts were developed to improve water-splitting efficiency.
New Material To Treat Tooth Sensitivity, Prevent Cavities
Although there are several remedies for tooth sensitivity on the market, researchers believe they have created a material that will treat the condition for longer periods than currently available products.
Re-Engineering Plastics to Conduct Heat
A new technique that changes the molecular structure of plastic has the potential for leading to lighter, cheaper, more energy-efficient product components.
Artwork at Your Fingertips
Can’t get to a museum to see a recently added collection? The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art will bring the work to you. Correction: SFMOMA will send the work to you, via text message.
Modular Construction Offers Efficiency and Cost Savings
Compared with traditional buildings, which are fully constructed on-site, manufactured modular buildings offer many advantages.
New Portable Field Sensor Accurately Measures Harmful Minerals in Soil
The tool could open up a new way for farmers or researchers that can’t afford expensive lab equipment to determine the mineral content of soil.
Rapidly Removing BPA from Water Using a Cheap Catalyst
Carnegie Mellon University has developed a method to break down harmful chemicals in water
Hyperloop Reaches 192 mph in Phase 2 Testing
Two weeks after completing the first test on its 1640-foot test track in Nevada, Hyperloop One set a new speed record during phase 2 testing on July 29, 2017. The ultrafast transportation system traveled 1,433 feet at 192 miles per hour, nearly three times faster and four times longer than results during phase 1 testing.
Diesel Cars to Get New Emission Software in German Deal
Automakers will fit some 5.3 million diesel cars with new software to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 25-30%.
The Role of Valves in Your Gas Log Fireplace
Pilot-operated gas log fireplaces incorporate a thermocouple to monitor the pilot flame and a thermopile to enable control via a thermostat or other remote device. The thermocouple senses the gas pilot flame and prevents flow to the main burners when there is inadequate heat to ignite the burner. The thermopile powers a second circuit that operates the main valve. A brief understanding of how the thermocouple and thermopile work and what can go wrong will help troubleshoot a valve that is malfunctioning.