The authors looked at developing a PMMA nanoparticle fabric dye that would be more sustainable compared to traditional fabric dyes. They were able to create PMMA based dyes in different colors that were also durable (i.e., did not fade quickly on fabric).
Read More...Browse Articles
Flight paths over greenspace in major United States airports
Greenspaces (urban and wetland areas that contain vegetation) are beneficial to reducing pollution, while airplanes are a highly-polluting method of transportation. The authors examine the intersection of these two environmental factors by processing satellite images to reveal what percentage of flight paths go over greenspaces at major US airports.
Read More...Optimizing Interplanetary Travel Using a Genetic Algorithm
In this work, the authors develop an algorithm that solves the problem of efficient space travel between planets. This is a problem that could soon be of relevance as mankind continues to expand its exploration of outer space, and potentially attempt to inhabit it.
Read More...Fire and dry grass: Effects of Pennisetum villosum on a California native, Nassella pulchra, in drought times
Invasive species pose a significant threat to many ecosystems, whether by outcompeting native species and disturbing food webs, or through increasing risks of natural disasters like flooding and wildfires. The ornamental grass species Pennisetum villosum R. Br. was previously identified by the California Invasive Plant Council as being potentially invasive; this experiment was conducted to determine if P. villosum displays characteristics of an invasive species when grown in a California chaparral environment. Reults found that in both conditions, the two species had similar germination rates, and that P. villosum grew significantly larger than N. pulchra for around 95 days.
Read More...Towards an Integrated Solution for Renewable Water and Energy
An integrated plant that would generate energy from solar power and provide clean water would help solve multiple sustainability issues. The feasibility of such a plant was investigated by looking at the efficacy of several different modules of such a plant on a small scale.
Read More...Cocktail therapy to inhibit multispecies biofilm in cystic fibrosis patients
Here, recognizing the important role of bacterial biofilms in many life-threatening chronic infections, the authors investigated the effectiveness of a combination treatment on biofilms composed of up to three different common species within the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients with computational analysis. They found that a triple cocktail therapy targeting three different signaling pathways has significant potential as both a treatment and prophylaxis.
Read More...Modelling effects of alkylamines on sea salt aerosols using the Extended Aerosols and Inorganics Model
With monitoring of climate change and the evolving properties of the atmosphere more critical than ever, the authors of this study take sea salt aerosols into consideration. These sea salt aerosols, sourced from the bubbles found at the surface of the sea, serve as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and are effective for the formation of clouds, light scattering in the atmosphere, and cooling of the climate. With amines being involved in the process of CCN formation, the authors explore the effects of alkylamines on the properties of sea salt aerosols and their potential relevance to climate change.
Read More...Observing how the distance from the mouth of a Bahamian mangrove affects biodiversity
In this study, the biodiversity of marine animals was studied at different locations along a mangrove, which is a salt-tolerant shrub with elaborate root structures that is found on tropical coastlines.
Read More...Analysis of the effects of positive ions and boundary layer temperature at various hypersonic speeds on boundary layer density
This study's goal was to identify the Mach numbers for which electrostatic drag and heat transfer manipulation would be most applicable inside the stratosphere. The experiments were conducted using computational fluid dynamics software. The study demonstrated that, on average, higher Mach speeds resulted in a considerably higher potential decrease in density. The study highlights that further research on the surface charge method is warranted to explore higher hypersonic speeds within the stratosphere.
Read More...