News tagged with nitrogen gas

New study sheds light on evolutionary origin of oxygen-based cellular respiration

Researchers at the RIKEN SPring-8 Center in Harima, Japan, have clarified the crystal structure of quinol dependent nitric oxide reductase (qNOR), a bacterial enzyme that offers clues on the origins of our ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Jan 22, 2012 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (7) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

'Poop to power' program turns pig manure into sustainable energy

The nearly 9,000 hogs at Loyd Ray Farms in Yadkin County, N.C., produce 400,000 gallons of manure every week. Since the waste had too high a nitrogen content to be used as fertilizer, owner Loyd Bryant used to pump that waste ...

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created Jan 09, 2012 | popularity 4.1 / 5 (7) | comments 3

Study settles 125-year debate on how nitrogen-fixing bacteria breaches cell walls of legumes

A 125-year debate on how nitrogen-fixing bacteria are able to breach the cell walls of legumes has been settled. A paper to be published on Monday by John Innes Centre scientists reports that plants themselves allow bacteria ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Dec 19, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Study questions cost-effectiveness of biofuels and their ability to cut fossil fuel use

A new study by economists at Oregon State University questions the cost-effectiveness of biofuels and says they would barely reduce fossil fuel use and would likely increase greenhouse gas emissions.

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created Nov 29, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 26 | with audio podcast

EU agency: air pollution costs exceed $134 billion

(AP) -- Air pollution isn't just harmful - it's expensive, resulting in health care and environmental costs of more than euro100 billion ($130 billion) in 2009, the European Union's environment agency said Thursday.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 24, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 11

Graphene foam detects explosives, emissions better than today's gas sensors

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute demonstrates how graphene foam can outperform leading commercial gas sensors in detecting potentially dangerous and explosive chemicals. The ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Nov 24, 2011 | popularity 3.9 / 5 (8) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Nitrogen fertilizers' impact on lawn soils

Nitrogen fertilizers from farm fields often end up in aquatic ecosystems, resulting in water quality problems, such as toxic algae and underwater 'dead zones'. There are concerns that fertilizers used on lawns may also contribute ...

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 04, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Tropical forests are fertilized by air pollution

Scientists braved ticks and a tiger to discover how human activities have perturbed the nitrogen cycle in tropical forests. Studies at two remote Smithsonian Institution Global Earth Observatory sites in Panama ...

Space & Earth / Environment

created Nov 03, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (6) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate, study indicates

Although the burning of natural gas emits far less carbon dioxide than coal, a new study concludes that a greater reliance on natural gas would fail to significantly slow down climate change. The study appears ...

Space & Earth / Environment

created Sep 08, 2011 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (13) | comments 51 | with audio podcast

Scientists develop plan to end the use of environmentally harmful chemicals on commercial crops

(Edmonton) Two University of Alberta researchers have published a step by step plan to one-day end the use of environmentally harmful chemicals on commercial crops by developing plants that produce their own fertilizer.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Jul 21, 2011 | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Team makes discoveries about major event in history of complex life

(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of scientists led by Montana State University has discovered the "when" of a major event that led to the evolution of complex life on Earth.

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Jun 21, 2011 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (6) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Solar-powered nano sensor targets gases more polluting than carbon

(PhysOrg.com) -- A solar-powered sensor station to monitor in real time the concentration of gases that are key culprits in climate change and air pollution has been installed on a QUT Gardens Point roof as ...

Technology / Engineering

created May 30, 2011 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 2 | with audio podcast

Global warming may affect the capacity of trees to store carbon, study finds

One helpful action anyone can take in response to global warming is to plant trees and preserve forests. Trees and plants capture carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, thereby removing the most abundant greenhouse ...

Space & Earth / Environment

created May 25, 2011 | popularity 4 / 5 (10) | comments 15 | with audio podcast

Chemical engineers invent portable hydrogen reactor for fuel cells

Chemical Engineering students at Stevens Institute of Technology are transforming the way that American soldiers power their battery-operated devices by making a small change: a really small change. Capitalizing on the unique ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created May 23, 2011 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (7) | comments 6 | with audio podcast

Northwest power surplus may halt wind energy

(AP) -- The manager of most of the electricity in the Pacific Northwest is running such a surplus of power from hydroelectric dams that it put wind farms on notice Friday that they may be shut down as early ...

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created May 14, 2011 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (3) | comments 41