New nerve gas detector built with legos and a smartphone

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have designed a way to sense dangerous chemicals using, in part, a simple rig consisting of a smartphone and a box made from Lego bricks, which could help first responders ...

A more sustainable way to generate phosphorus

Phosphorus is an essential ingredient in thousands of products, including herbicides, lithium-ion batteries, and even soft drinks. Most of this phosphorus comes from an energy-intensive process that contributes significantly ...

How a soil microbe could rev up artificial photosynthesis

Plants rely on a process called carbon fixation—turning carbon dioxide from the air into carbon-rich biomolecules—for their very existence. That's the whole point of photosynthesis, and a cornerstone of the vast interlocking ...

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