Hacker News with Generative AI: Chemistry

Device uses wind to create ammonia out of air (ieee.org)
Lots of green energy experiments in the lab publish impressive results—but what’s more impressive is when those results come from an actual on-site pilot demonstration in the real world. That’s the case with new research that is able to generate ammonia out of thin air, without requiring an external power source.

Renewable Energy, Green Technology, Chemistry, Engineering

140 points by rbanffy 2 days ago | 110 comments

3M knew firefighting foams containing PFAS were toxic, documents show (theguardian.com)
The multibillion-dollar chemicals company 3M told customers its firefighting foams were harmless and biodegradable when it knew they contained toxic substances so persistent they are now known as “forever chemicals” and banned in many countries including the UK, newly uncovered documents show.

Environmental Issues, Chemistry, Corporate Misconduct, Lawsuits

8 points by jmsflknr 3 days ago | 0 comments

Chemical reactions deplete nutrients in plant-based drinks (phys.org)
Over the last decade, the global market for plant-based beverages has seen remarkable growth, with oat, almond, soy and rice drinks emerging as popular alternatives to cow's milk in coffee and oatmeal during this time.

Food Science, Plant-Based Diets, Nutrition, Chemistry

6 points by PaulHoule 11 days ago | 21 comments

Plastic crystals could replace greenhouse gases used in refrigerators (techxplore.com)
A team of chemical engineers at Deakin University, working with colleagues from the University of Western Australia, the University of Sydney and Monash University, all in Australia, has found that a type of plastic crystal can be used as a refrigerant, possibly replacing the greenhouse gas currently used in most refrigerators.

Refrigeration, Chemistry, Materials Science, Sustainability, Environment

10 points by geox 13 days ago | 2 comments

EPA Report Finds That Formaldehyde Presents "Unreasonable Risk" to Public Health (propublica.org)
A long-awaited report from the Environmental Protection Agency has found that formaldehyde presents an unreasonable risk to human health.

Environmental Health, Public Health, Government Regulations, Chemistry, Formaldehyde

7 points by Jimmc414 13 days ago | 5 comments

Phase behavior of Cacio and Pepe sauce (arxiv.org)
"Pasta alla Cacio e pepe" is a traditional Italian dish made with pasta, pecorino cheese, and pepper. Despite its simple ingredient list, achieving the perfect texture and creaminess of the sauce can be challenging. In this study, we systematically explore the phase behavior of Cacio and pepe sauce, focusing on its stability at increasing temperatures for various proportions of cheese, water, and starch.

Food Science, Chemistry, Pasta, Italy, Cooking

381 points by rev13013 15 days ago | 192 comments

'Forever chemical' found in mineral water from several European countries (theguardian.com)
Mineral water from several European nations has been found for the first time to be contaminated with TFA, a type of PFAS “forever chemical” that is a reproductive toxicant accumulating at alarming levels across the globe.

Environment, Chemistry, Europe, Health, Water

5 points by mtlebe 16 days ago | 0 comments

Urine Led to the Foundation of Chemistry (bigthink.com)
Hennig Brand was on to something. Or rather, he thought he was.

Chemistry, History, Science

21 points by Brajeshwar 18 days ago | 8 comments

Nature inspires self-assembling helical polymer (phys.org)
Inspired by this twisty ladder, researchers from Hiroshima University's Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering have developed an artificial polymer that organizes itself into a controlled helix.

Science, Materials Science, Chemistry, Polymer Science

4 points by PaulHoule 21 days ago | 0 comments

Thermodynamic model identifies how gold reaches Earth's surface (phys.org)
A research team including a University of Michigan scientist has discovered a new gold-sulfur complex that helps researchers understand how gold deposits are formed.

Geology, Chemistry, Gold, Earth Science, Scientific Research

70 points by wglb 22 days ago | 8 comments

Inverse Design of Complex Nanoparticle Heterostructures via DL on Graphs (chemrxiv.org)

Nanotechnology, Machine Learning, Chemistry, Materials Science

23 points by pizza 22 days ago | 8 comments

Huge math error corrected in black plastic study; authors say it doesn't matter (arstechnica.com)
Editors of the environmental chemistry journal Chemosphere have posted an eye-catching correction to a study reporting toxic flame retardants from electronics wind up in some household products made of black plastic, including kitchen utensils.

Science, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Consumer Products, Research

173 points by ars 32 days ago | 112 comments

A simple math error sparked a panic about black plastic kitchen utensils (nationalpost.com)
The simple arithmetic error that unnecessarily sent countless plastic spatulas into the trash over a toxic chemical scare came to light a few days ago as Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, sat reading a research paper in his office in the Otto Maass Chemistry building on Montreal’s Sherbrooke Street.

Science, Misinformation, Consumer Products, Chemistry

16 points by cpncrunch 37 days ago | 0 comments

Scratch and Sniff Stickers and the Gas Panic of '87 (hackaday.com)
Ever wonder how those scratch and sniff stickers manage to pack a punch of aroma into what looks like ordinary paper? The technology behind it is deceptively clever, and has been used everywhere from children’s books to compact discs.

Technology, History, Chemistry, Design

57 points by jlund-molfese 41 days ago | 4 comments

Forever chemicals found in bottled and tap water from around the world (phys.org)
Researchers found 10 'target' PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances)—chemicals which do not break down in nature—in tap and bottled water available for consumption in major cities in the UK and China.

Environmental Science, Water Quality, Chemistry, Public Health

6 points by akyuu 44 days ago | 1 comments

A clean break: Scientists convert plastics into soaps and detergents (phys.org)
A long research project encompassing five or six years finally led to a breakthrough, with Liu, a professor within Virginia Tech's Department of Chemistry housed in the College of Science, and his team of undergraduate and graduate students finding a way to convert certain plastics into soaps, detergents, lubricants, and other products.

Chemistry, Sustainability, Materials Science, Innovation

7 points by PaulHoule 45 days ago | 3 comments

Mexican Cartels Lure Chemistry Students to Make Fentanyl (nytimes.com)
In their quest to build fentanyl empires, Mexican criminal groups are turning to an unusual talent pool: not hit men or corrupt police officers, but chemistry students studying at Mexican universities.

Crime, Mexico, Drug Trafficking, Education, Chemistry

20 points by hilux 46 days ago | 3 comments

Carbon dioxide capture from open air using covalent organic frameworks (nature.com)
Capture of CO2 from the air offers a promising approach to addressing climate change and achieving carbon neutrality goals1,2.

Climate Change, Environmental Science, Carbon Capture, Chemistry

14 points by the-chitmonger 47 days ago | 60 comments

Building a Phosphorescence Detector (lcamtuf.substack.com)
Some time ago, my eldest son decided to make glow-in-the-dark pigments by doping strontium aluminate with rare earth elements.

Science, Chemistry, DIY Projects

39 points by surprisetalk 51 days ago | 3 comments

"Phantom chemical" identified in drinking water is new to science (newatlas.com)
Scientists have identified a mysterious "phantom chemical" that's long been suspected to exist in treated drinking water in some regions

Science, Chemistry, Water Treatment

17 points by Brajeshwar 56 days ago | 4 comments

NASA: Mystery of Life's Handedness Deepens (nasa.gov)
The mystery of why life uses molecules with specific orientations has deepened with a NASA-funded discovery that RNA — a key molecule thought to have potentially held the instructions for life before DNA emerged — can favor making the building blocks of proteins in either the left-hand or the right-hand orientation.

Science, Biology, Chemistry, NASA, RNA

152 points by bookofjoe 57 days ago | 90 comments

Chemists Create World's Thinnest Spaghetti (phys.org)
The world's thinnest spaghetti, about 200 times thinner than a human hair, has been created by a UCL-led research team.

Chemistry, Science, Materials Science

129 points by pseudolus 57 days ago | 61 comments

Light-based photocatalytic system can break down PFAS at room temperature (phys.org)
Researchers at Colorado State University have found a new approach for breaking down PFAS—a group of human-made "forever" chemicals commonly used for their water-resistant properties that can carry health risks from long-term exposure.

Chemistry, Environmental Science, Water Contamination, Materials Science

21 points by kmckiern 58 days ago | 1 comments

Chemist Identifies Mystery 'Blobs' Washing Up in Newfoundland (nytimes.com)
A chemist in Canada says he has identified “with a high degree of confidence” the strange blobs that started washing up on Newfoundland’s shores months ago, although the Canadian authorities said they were still looking into it.

Chemistry, Biology, Canada, Mystery, Environment

73 points by mykowebhn 63 days ago | 28 comments

MIT engineers make converting CO2 into useful products more practical (news.mit.edu)
As the world struggles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, researchers are seeking practical, economical ways to capture carbon dioxide and convert it into useful products, such as transportation fuels, chemical feedstocks, or even building materials. But so far, such attempts have struggled to reach economic viability.

Climate Change, Engineering, Sustainability, Chemistry

173 points by rbanffy 66 days ago | 146 comments

Solanine (wikipedia.org)
Solanine is a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family within the genus Solanum, such as the potato (Solanum tuberosum), the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), and the eggplant (Solanum melongena). It can occur naturally in any part of the plant, including the leaves, fruit, and tubers. Solanine has pesticidal properties, and it is one of the plant's natural defenses.

Botany, Chemistry, Food Safety

10 points by teleforce 67 days ago | 2 comments

Lignin discovery could help turn trees into affordable green chemicals (phys.org)
Trees are the most abundant natural resource living on Earth's land masses, and North Carolina State University scientists and engineers are making headway in finding ways to use them as sustainable, environmentally benign alternatives to producing industrial chemicals from petroleum.

Sustainable Materials, Chemistry, Renewable Energy, Bioengineering

5 points by PaulHoule 71 days ago | 0 comments

Exposure to phthalate compromises brain function in adult vertebrates (sciencedirect.com)
Phthalates are key additives in many plastic products and among the most frequently used plasticizers.

Science, Health, Environment, Chemistry

139 points by PaulHoule 72 days ago | 59 comments

It's raining PFAS in South Florida – study (sciencedirect.com)
Atmospheric deposition plays a crucial role in the fate and transport of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), especially in areas far from production sites.