Solar chemicals and fuels in the dark
Conquering cloud and nighttime solar intermittency comes from the phenomenon of persistent photoconductivity observed in materials that contain sub-bandgap trap states. Image credit: Javier Esteban Unsplash Imagine being able to run solar powered conversion of CO2 to solar chemicals and fuels without interference from clouds or after the sun sets. Sounds impossible, like the dream […]
Overheated plastic pipes can leak hazardous chemicals into water
In August, a massive wildfire tore through the San Lorenzo Valley north of Santa Cruz, Calif., destroying almost 1,500 structures and exposing many others to extreme heat. Before the fire was even out, lab tests revealed benzene levels as high as 9.1 parts per billion in residential water samples — nine times higher than the […]
Two immune system chemicals may trigger COVID-19 cytokine storms
Exactly how the coronavirus kills is a mystery. But part of the problem may be a partnership between just two immune system chemicals that triggers deadly organ damage. In mice, a combination of immune chemicals called TNF alpha and gamma interferon trips a domino chain of biochemical reactions that ultimately leads to three types of […]
