Fighting climate change with 'poop power'

The stench of clogged toilets fills the air at the US capital's wastewater treatment facility. And for good reason—it's one of the world's largest projects to transform human waste into electricity.

Sewage could be a source of valuable metals and critical elements

Poop could be a goldmine—literally. Surprisingly, treated solid waste contains gold, silver and other metals, as well as rare elements such as palladium and vanadium that are used in electronics and alloys. Now researchers ...

Old tires become material for new and improved roads

(Phys.org) —Americans generate nearly 300 million scrap tires every year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Historically, these worn tires often end up in landfills or, when illegally dumped, become ...

A novel nanobio catalyst for biofuels

(Phys.org)—Nanoparticles synthesized from noble metals such as ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver (Ag), osmium, iridium, platinum, and gold (Au) are attracting increased attention by researchers around the world looking ...

New toilet technology after 150 years of waste (Update)

(AP) — These aren't your typical loos. One uses microwave energy to transform human waste into electricity. Another captures urine and uses it for flushing. And still another turns excrement into charcoal.

Flexible molecular cages expand to pack in multiple metals

(Phys.org) -- By expanding and rearranging certain connections, a rare molecule packs in two different metals, not just one, according to scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. This captivating molecule, a metal ...

Study: Biodegradable products may be bad for the environment

Research from North Carolina State University shows that so-called biodegradable products are likely doing more harm than good in landfills, because they are releasing a powerful greenhouse gas as they break down.

page 2 from 10