By Sukalyan Sengupta and Tabish Nawaz Humans have known since ancient times that silver kills or stops the growth of many microorganisms. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is said to have used silver preparations for treating ulcers and healing wounds. Until the introduction of antibiotics in the 1940s, colloidal silver (tiny particles suspended in a […]
By Stephanie Malin Uranium—the raw material for nuclear power and nuclear weapons—is having a moment in the spotlight. Companies such as Energy Fuels, Inc. have played well-publicized roles in lobbying the Trump administration to reduce federal protection for public lands with uranium deposits. The Defense Department’s Nuclear Posture Review calls for new weapons production to […]
By Nikolaos Zirogiannis, Alex J. Hollingsworth and David Konisky When Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas coast in August 2017, many industrial facilities had to shut down their operations before the storm arrived and restart once rainfall and flooding had subsided. These shutdowns and startups, as well as accidents caused by the hurricane, led to a […]
By Laura Haynes Every year, from 5 to 20 percent of the people in the U.S. will become infected with the influenza virus. An average of 200,000 of these people will require hospitalization and up to 50,000 will die. Older folks over the age of 65 are especially susceptible to influenza infection, since the immune […]
By Warren Mabee Every couple of years, billions of dollars flow into an Olympic host city and its environs for the construction of enormous stadiums, guest hotels and athlete accommodations. In the past decade, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has emphasized the measures taken to make these projects—and the games themselves—sustainable. But in a world […]
By Michael Dietze Imagine that spring has finally arrived and you’re planning your weekend. The weather forecast looks great. You could go to the beach—but what if it’s closed because of an algal bloom? Maybe you could go for a hike—will the leaves be out yet? What might be in flower? Will the migratory birds […]
By Shannon Schmoll During the early hours of Jan. 31, there will be a full moon, a total lunar eclipse, a blue moon and a supermoon—all at the same time. None of these things is really all that unusual by itself. What is rare is that they’re happening all together on one day. What Makes […]
By Joshua D. Rhodes Editor’s note: On Jan. 22, the Trump administration announced plans to impose punitive duties on solar panels imported from abroad. This decision came in response to a complaint filed by two solar companies, but much of the industry opposes the action, which trade groups say will increase the cost of solar […]
By Tom Iliffe Maybe when you picture a university professor doing research it involves test tubes and beakers, or perhaps poring over musty manuscripts in a dimly lit library, or maybe going out into the field to examine new crop-growing techniques or animal-breeding methods. All of it’s good, solid research and I commend them all. […]
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