Compounds

Seen as the cleaner alternative to coal and oil, natural gas is experiencing a golden age of consumption. From industrial processes to electricity generation, methane has become the choice of fuel for a green-washed market.  Although its combustion releases significantly less carbon dioxide than its liquid and solid hydrocarbon cousins, methane is a serious pollutant in its own right. What's more, the natural gas it comes packaged in could be delivered to our homes with a whole lot of unpleasant guests.Researchers from…

To many members of the feline family, perennial herb catnip (Nepeta cataria) is an irresistible psychoactive treat that induces short bouts of drooling, pawing, and writhing pleasure.  Not satisfied with merely rolling among its foliage, many kitties will tear and crumple the leaves, prompting researchers to investigate the purpose of this wanton destruction.What appears to be an act of pure hedonism could also have a more medicinal purpose. According to a new study, the additional damage to the leaves releases…

Every lungful of air we suck down is mostly made up of nitrogen, with a generous helping of oxygen, and a dash of carbon dioxide. But dusting this atmospheric soup is a whole encyclopedia of different compounds and elements, some of which we can only speculate about.  One of those mysteries just came into focus, however. Chemists have shown that a reactive class of compounds called organic hydrotrioxides exists in the atmosphere, and while these chemicals last only briefly, they could have effects we don't know about.  …

You've probably read the stories proclaiming that eating blueberries reduces your risk of dementia, or red wine is good for your heart, or coffee protects against type 2 diabetes – or, indeed, many of the other big health claims for a particular "superfood". But what is the truth in these statements?  While we – a group of nutritional scientists – have been involved in this kind of research, we are not responsible for the headlines. Underneath those attention-grabbing stories, however, there is important and serious…

Biofuel researchers have been constantly working to develop a self-sustaining technique for converting renewable carbon sources into fuels while excluding carbon out of our environment and water. Despite significant advances, finishing the cycle using clean energy has proven to be difficult. Now, a group of researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a system that does exactly that. The PNNL electrocatalytic oxidation fuel recovery system turns diluted waste carbon…