Innovation Pipeline

As everyone outside of Sarah Palin knows by now, there’s a concerted effort to move to renewable sources of energy like wind and solar. The long-term proposition of less reliance on foreign oil and sources of energy that have less impact on the climate are making it all the more interesting.
Of course, one part of [...]

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California farmers and water-management experts have looked at ways to reuse salty agricultural drainage water in California’s San Joaquin Valley. As it stands now, the excess water needs to be disposed of because of its high salt content and the trace of boron in the water. Both are detrimental to the health of most plants. [...]

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Viruses are known for their ability to marshal extraordinary forces of manipulation. One of those forces is the ability to exchange genes between different viruses and that’s what has plant scientists intrigued by possibilities for new ways to improve crop yields.
An interdisciplinary group of researchers from Vanderbilt University have discovered new insights about the structure [...]

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Nanoparticles are all the rage for a variety of different applications, ranging from treatments for cancer to use in automobile sensors. Trouble is, the manmade nanomorsels have been raising concern about side effects in humans and the environment.
A University of Missouri research team has devised a method for creating nanoparticles that don’t have negative [...]

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Wind-energy innovation doesn’t get as much attention these days as solar power, hybrid cars or drilling in Alaska. But Sandia National Labs is giving wind fans a little something to cheer about.
This week, Sandia’s Wind Energy Technology Department said it is conducting research in three new areas, made possible by funding from the Department [...]

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You’ve no doubt heard of a carbon footprint. Now people are talking about a water footprint.
But what is a water footprint? It’s the total amount fresh water required for a human activity. It’s a way to measure water consumption.
One of the champions of this concept is Professor John Anthony Allan of King’s College in London [...]

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From outer space, the Gulf of Mexico looks different these days.
Satellite pictures show a huge green blob off the coast of Louisiana. Scientists call it the “dead zone,” because very little lives there anymore.

The cause is nitrogen fertilizer spilled into the gulf by the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers. The nitrogen has fueled the explosive growth [...]

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