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The MXene class of materials has many talents. An international team has now demonstrated that MXenes, properly functionalized, are excellent catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in electrolytic water splitting. They are more stable and efficient than the best metal oxide catalysts currently available. The team is now extensively characterizing these MXene catalysts for water splitting at the Berlin X-ray source BESSY II and Soleil Synchrotron in France.

Physicists present a nanometer-sized light antenna with electrically modulated surface properties -- a breakthrough that could pave the way for faster computer chips.

Physicists present a nanometer-sized light antenna with electrically modulated surface properties -- a breakthrough that could pave the way for faster computer chips.

In a new study, astronomers report novel evidence regarding the limits of planet formation, finding that after a certain point, planets larger than Earth have difficulty forming near low-metallicity stars.

An assist from a Google Artificial Intelligence tool has helped scientists discover how the proteins of a heat-loving microbe respond to the crushing conditions of the planet's deepest ocean trenches, offering new insights into how these building blocks of life might have evolved under early Earth conditions.

Scientists captured clear images of biomolecules in single live cells in water for the first time using infrared (IR) transmission imaging. The IR technique enables researchers to measure the mass of biomolecules such as proteins in a cell. Using simple components, the method has the potential to speed up advances in biomanufacturing, cell therapy development and drug development.

Integrating artificial intelligence into today's environmental control systems could reduce energy consumption for indoor agriculture by 25% -- potentially helping to feed the world as its population rises, engineers have found.

Researchers have found a chemical 'chameleon' that could improve the process used to purify rare-earth metals used in clean energy, medical and national security applications.

Researchers have found a chemical 'chameleon' that could improve the process used to purify rare-earth metals used in clean energy, medical and national security applications.

A global survey of more than a thousand cities shows heat and air pollution in urban environments often have a measurable influence on rainfall, creating urban "wet islands"

Here at UT, we’ve had several stories that describe the concept of a space elevator. They are designed to make it easier to get objects off Earth and into space. That, so far, has proven technically or economically infeasible, as no material is strong enough to support the structure passively, and it’s too energy-intensive to support it actively. However, it could be more viable on other worlds, such as the Moon. But what about worlds farther afield? A student team from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs looked at the use case of a space elevator on Ceres and found that it could be done with existing technology.

Before we discuss why anyone would want to put a space elevator on Ceres, let’s first examine the technologies that would make it possible. Every space elevator design has three different components: an anchor, a tether, and a counterweight. Each would require its own technologies.

The anchor is simple enough; it’s how the system interfaces with Ceres. The surface of Ceres is primarily made of clay, which is relatively good for anchoring technologies. Luckily, the force the anchor needs to withstand is only around 300N, which is much lower than the force on Earth, given Ceres’ small mass. There have already been asteroid anchoring technologies for other missions that can provide up to 500N of force resistance, so an anchor on Ceres should prove no real challenge.

Fraser describes the general idea of a space elevator.

The tether is where the technology falls short on Earth – no material known to science can withstand the forces exerted on the tether of a passively controlled space elevator when it is tied to Earth. However, the closest we can come, something space elevator enthusiasts mention as almost a holy grail, is carbon nanotubes. In the analysis for the space elevator on Ceres, they once again came out ahead. However, the limitation of actually physically creating a long tether will still plague any space elevator design on Ceres.

The counterweight is much simpler, as it can be just a big, dumb mass. However, its mass is proportional to the necessary length of cable—the heavier the mass, the shorter the cable. So, the tradeoff between having a heavier counterweight and a shorter cable is another design consideration when considering these systems.

Calculations from the team show that, with only a little more technological development, all three main systems could be ready for installation on Ceres itself. But what advantages does it have? It could be helpful as a launching point for accessing other asteroids in the asteroid belt. Ceres also has water relatively near the surface, which is helpful for all kinds of human exploration, either as rocket fuel or biological systems. It’s also well placed to quickly get things back to Earth using Jupiter as a gravity assist.

Isaac Arthur goes into a deeper description of space elevators and their advantages.

But before it can provide any of those advantages, someone is going to have to pay for it. Estimates of the overall cost of the system total about $5.2 billion — not too far out of the range of larger-scale space exploration projects. But more than most countries are likely willing to pony up for a grand infrastructure project that hasn’t yet proven its benefit.

So, for now, any space elevator will remain in the realm of science fiction. But research like this and other ongoing technological improvements is how we will eventually push forward to that future. Whether it’s a space elevator on Ceres, on the Moon, or some other novel launch technology, someday humans will need a better way to get off Earth rather than burning dead living organisms. Hopefully, that day will come sooner rather than later.

Learn More:
Bate et al. – Analyzing the Potential of Space Elevator Technology for Sustainable Asteroid Mining
UT – What is a Space Elevator?
UT – A New Method for Making Graphene has an Awesome Application: A Space Elevator!
UT – A Japanese Company is About to Test a Tiny Space Elevator… in Space

Lead Image:
Artistic view of a possible space elevator.
Credit: NASA

The post Using A Space Elevator To Get Resources Off the Queen of the Asteroid Belt appeared first on Universe Today.

Are humanoid robots the future of space exploration? New Scientist reporter James Woodford took NASA's Valkyrie for a spin to find out

The Arrhenius equation, which has accurately described rates of chemical reactions for more than a century, may have to be tweaked for the quantum realm

Levels of certain cells, fatty molecules and proteins in the blood are different in people with chronic fatigue syndrome than in those without it, which could help doctors spot the condition sooner

X-ray videos of Japanese eels swallowed whole by dark sleeper fish have revealed how the eels can make a daring escape from being digested

Forget atomic clocks. Nuclear clocks, which only drop a second every 300 billion years, can test whether nature's fundamental constants are constant after all

Exoplanets have been discovered with a wide range of environmental conditions. WASP-76b is one of the most extreme with a dayside temperature of over 2,000 degrees. A team of researchers have found that it’s even more bizarre than first thought! It’s tidally locked to its host star so intense winds encircle the planet. They contain high quantities of iron atoms that stream from the lower to upper layers around the atmosphere.

Exoplanets exist outside of our Solar System and orbit other stars. The first confirmed discovery was back in the 1990’s and since then, over 5,200 have been discovered. Many of them are gas giants like Jupiter or Saturn and others are small rocky Earth like planets, minus perhaps their habitability status. As more advanced telescopes and detection techniques are developed not only will our detection levels increase further but so will our ability to explore these alien worlds. 

Artist impression of glory on exoplanet WASP-76b. Credit: ESA

One such exoplanet, WASP-76b has received quite a lot of attention of late. It is an ultra-hot gas giant that is 640 light years from us in the direction of the constellation Pisces. It was discovered back in 2013 and has an orbit that is very close to its host star, completing one orbit in just 1.8 Earth days! It’s the proximity to the star that has led to the extreme daytime temperatures of over 2,000 degrees. The intense heat is thought to vaporise iron which then condenses into liquid on the cooler night-time side and fall as iron rain! 

A team of astronomers, with some from the University of Geneva, announced their findings in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics of evidence for intense iron winds in the atmosphere of WASP-76b. Astronomers have been focussing on this planet since its discovery to try and understand the mechanisms in the atmosphere of this ultra-hot Jupiter world. It really is a fascinating world and even a rainbow was detected there last April! 

The team kept their attention on the day-time side where the temperatures are far higher. They used the ESPRESSO spectrograph that was installed on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (yes that’s its name!) It is known for its stability and high spectral resolution so it can discern wonderfully fine levels of detail in a stellar spectrum. 

The four 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes of the Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory complex. ESO/VLT

Using a technique known as high resolution emission spectroscopy, the team studied the visible light spectrum. The approach relies upon the detection of emission lines in a spectrum and enables the chemical composition to be decoded. Here they detected the chemical signature of iron and found that they were moving from lower levels to the higher layers of the atmosphere.

The study of exoplanet atmospheres help us to further develop our understanding of the range of environments on these alien worlds. As a gas giant, the discoveries on WASP-76b help us learn a little more about the climates of worlds that are barraged by extreme levels of radiation from their host star.

Source : Iron winds on an ultra-hot exoplanet

The post Iron Winds are Blowing on WASP-76 b appeared first on Universe Today.

A camera trap at an Australian nature refuge has captured a boisterous interaction between a northern hairy-nosed wombat and an echidna

Chemists discover how key contrast agent works, paving a way to create new markers needed for correlative microscopy that can image the structure and signaling of cells at the same time.

Researchers have developed a robotic leg with artificial muscles. Inspired by living creatures, it jumps across different terrains in an agile and energy-efficient manner.