While autoclaves are considered essential for sterilizing medical equipment in First World health care facilities, they’re often not available in developing nations where access to electricity is limited. A new solar-powered autoclave may be the answer to that problem. Autoclaves work by subjecting items to pressurized steam for at least 30 minutes, killing bacteria in the process. That steam comes […]

As tiny carbon-hungry organisms, algae play an important role in removing CO2 from the atmosphere, and a first-of-a-kind research expedition is set to highlight just how important that role might be. With a fleet of advanced deep-diving robots, scientists will pay a visit to the seafloor to investigate the load carried by dead algae falling to the depths of the […]

The UK government is looking for a site on which to build the world’s first prototype commercial fusion power plant. With the goal of being operational by 2040, the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) will be designed to provide energy and create a hub for fusion energy and associated industries. If you think that all sounds very ambitious, you’re […]

Engineers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a new way to convert natural gas into a solid form, allowing it to be stored and transported more safely and easily. The process can be done in just 15 minutes using a low-toxicity mixture. It may be a fossil fuel, but natural gas remains a key energy source for […]

The more we know about the problem of plastic pollution, the better we’ll be able to intervene and clean up, or even prevent, the mess. That includes understanding the way it moves through the marine environment, and a new study has shed further light on this process through the use of tagged plastic bottles. The bottles were dropped in the […]

You need to prioritize the culture of your business if you wish to have an advantage on your rivals.  Andrew Miller, former CEO of Polycom, Inc., claims you are more likely to maintain your workforce and build long-term team loyalty if you provide an atmosphere and incentives that not all businesses do. Miller provided us with these suggestions of what […]

The Great Barrier Reef isn’t in the best of shape to say the least, so in an attempt to help secure the longterm future of its corals and other corals worldwide, Contreras Earl Architecture has unveiled what it calls the world’s first dedicated coral conservation center. Assuming all goes ahead as planned, the building will boast energy-efficient features and will […]

To highlight sustainable and ethical substitutes for animal leather we’ve rounded up six materials that can rival its textural and performance qualities, from vegan pineapple leather to a leather alternative made of seafood shells. Leather and fur have long epitomised luxury in the worlds of fashion, accessories and furniture. But recently, popular opinion has started to shift with growing awareness […]

Hydropower plants that leverage the force of falling water to generate electricity are already an important part of the global energy mix, but a new study suggests they may have much more to offer. Scientists have carried out an analysis of the energy potential of combining these facilities with floating solar panels, calculating these hybrid plants could meet a “significant” […]

In order to keep water from evaporating from the soil, farmers will often cover the ground around their crop plants with sheets of polyethylene plastic. There could soon be a more eco-friendly alternative, though, in the form of soybean oil-coated sand. When most people hear the word “mulch,” they think of organic material such as bark chips or dead leaves. […]