Chemistry

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We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Chemistry

    Pooping pandas may make better biofuels

    Gut microbes break down bamboo efficiently, inspiring new approaches to process raw plant materials for fuel.

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  2. Chemistry

    Molecules/Matter & Energy

    Fuel from gator fat, cube-shaped neutrons and more in this week's news.

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  3. Chemistry

    Molecules/Matter & Energy

    Metamaterial warp drives, secrets of coffee rings and more in this week's news

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  4. Tech

    Sparing the rare earths

    Potential shortages of useful metals inspire scientists to seek alternatives for magnet technologies

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  5. Chemistry

    Meteorites contain chemicals linked to life

    Space rocks could have delivered DNA building blocks to Earth.

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  6. Chemistry

    Molecules/Matter & Energy

    One-way light, flexible electricity and plant networks in this week's news

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  7. Earth

    Marine microbes prove potent greenhouse gas emitters

    Earth’s oceans emit an estimated 30 percent of the nitrous oxide, or N2O, entering the atmosphere. Yet the source of this potent greenhouse gas has puzzled scientists for years. Bacteria — long the leading candidate — can generate nitrous oxide, but the seas don’t seem to contain enough to account for all of the nitrous oxide that the marine world has been coughing up. Now researchers offer a better candidate.

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  8. Earth

    Eels point to suffocating Gulf floor

    In June, scientists predicted that the Gulf of Mexico’s annual dead zone — a subsea region where the water contains too little oxygen to support life — might develop into the biggest ever. In fact, that didn’t happen. Owing to the fortuitous arrival of stormy weather, this year’s dead zone peaked at about 6,800 square miles, scientists reported on Aug. 1 — big but far from the record behemoth of 9,500 square miles that had been mentioned as distinctly possible.

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  9. Chemistry

    Molecules/Matter & Energy

    Clear batteries, mucus busters, a 3-D invisibility cloak and more in this week's news.

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  10. Materials Science

    Carbon flatland

    Graphene’s two dimensions offer new physics, novel electronics.

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  11. Chemistry

    Molecules/Matter & Energy

    Sticky graphene, dried-up coffee, a panda pregnancy test and more in this week’s news.

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  12. Chemistry

    Molecules/Matter & Energy

    Shaking off snake venom, flexible display screens and krill-sniffing penguins in this week's news.

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