Researchers have developed a special filter coating that essentially can strain oil out of water. It works by repelling oil, but attracting water, which are unconventional properties for a material to have. On an untreated piece of window screen, water (dyed blue) beads up, but oil (dyed pink) soaks[Read More…]

WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–August 28, 2012.  As part of the Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative, which aims to drive solar energy to be cost-competitive with other energy sources by 2020, Secretary Steven Chu announced today new investments totaling $10 million over five years for two university-led projects to advance innovative concentrating solar power (CSP)[Read More…]

Chicago–(ENEWSPF)–August 28, 2012 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced seven Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grants, totaling over $2.6 million, to improve water quality at Great Lakes beaches in Michigan and Wisconsin.  The grants were announced by EPA Regional Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Susan Hedman at[Read More…]

X-Cam image of Tropical Storm Isaac EU–(ENEWSPF)–28 August 2012.  An experimental camera smaller than an espresso cup on ESA’s Proba-2 microsatellite caught this view of soon-to-be Hurricane Isaac as it moved west of the Florida coast into the Gulf of Mexico on Monday.  The small satellite’s X-Cam – Exploration Camera[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 28, 2012.  New research reveals that bats may be at greater risk from pesticide exposure than previously suspected. When foraging at dusk, bats can be exposed to agricultural chemicals by eating insects recently sprayed with pesticides. A study from the University of Koblenz-Landau in Germany reveals that bats,[Read More…]

CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–August 27, 2012.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced more than $1 million for Michigan State University and Michigan Technological University to research the impact of extreme weather on water and air quality. Michigan State in East Lansing was awarded a $750,000 grant to quantify the relationship between extreme[Read More…]

CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–August 27, 2012.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced a $748,902 grant for Ohio State University to study the connection between extreme weather and water quality. Ohio State researchers will study the relationship between water quality and extreme weather events that are projected to increase due to climate change.[Read More…]

Organizations call for strict controls on methane and black carbon emissions from oil and gas drilling to slow Arctic warming Washington, D.C.–(ENEWSPF)–August 27, 2012.  Scientists from the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center have confirmed that Arctic sea ice extent has reached a record low, beating the previous mid-September[Read More…]

  CAVES 2011 EU–(ENEWSPF)–27 August 2012.  Astronauts dream of finding new life and for a select crew that dream might be within reach this week – albeit deep underground instead of in outer space.   An international crew of six astronauts will start training for a caving adventure designed to prepare[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–August 27, 2012.   A report published recently in the journal Weed Science has found that a population of the common weed waterhemp in Nebraska is resistant to the herbicide 2,4-D. The news comes as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers approving several new crops that have been[Read More…]