OIL

Dec 02 2024CRYPTO

Crypto Markets and Safe Havens: A COVID-19 Perspective

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people wondered if cryptocurrencies acted like gold during financial crises. This study looked at the top 10 traded cryptocurrencies and their connection to gold and crude oil markets before and during COVID-19. Researchers used various statistical methods to find

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Dec 01 2024SCIENCE

Turning Waste Oil into Fuel: The Ultrasonic Way

Imagine transforming the used cooking oil from your favorite fried chicken joint into clean fuel. That’s what scientists are exploring with ultrasonic technology. Before the oil can be turned into biodiesel, it goes through a two-step process called degumming and esterification. First, the oil is cl

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Nov 30 2024SCIENCE

Drought's Impact on Soil Microbes: A Tale of Fungi's Resilience

What happens to microbes in our soil when the weather gets funky? Scientists decided to find out by designing a cool experiment. They made it rain less and heated things up a bit, just like climate change might do. They even added some heavy oxygen and hydrogen to track what the microbes were doing.

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Nov 29 2024SCIENCE

Underwater Bubbles & Hydrofoils: A Closer Look

Ever wondered how bubbles behave near underwater foils? Researchers have been studying this with advanced experiments and theories. They found that the shape and size of hydrofoils, which are used to create lift underwater, can greatly affect how bubbles change their shape and collapse. These tiny b

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Nov 29 2024ENVIRONMENT

How Protists Help Clean Up Cadmium-Polluted Soil

Did you know that tiny organisms called protists can play a big role in making the soil healthier? Scientists decided to see how these microscopic creatures affect soil when it's polluted with a heavy metal called cadmium. They focused on one type of protist called Colpoda steinii. Soil naturally h

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Nov 28 2024SCIENCE

How Silicon Nanocages on Graphene Help Clean Up Oil Spills

Imagine tiny, super-strong silicon cages growing on sheets of graphene, creating a surface that water hates but oil loves. This is the idea behind a new material that can soak up oil spills like a sponge. Scientists grew these silicon cages, called octa-phenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (O

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Nov 26 2024POLITICS

The Struggle for Influence: A Trump Aide's Controversial Dealings

In a surprising twist, Donald Trump's inner circle is under scrutiny. One of Trump's top aides, Boris Epshteyn, is accused of trying to make money using his influence. Sources say people claimed Epshteyn asked for passable fees to promote candidates or connect people with the new administration. The

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Nov 25 2024ENVIRONMENT

Alaska's Beach Bounce Back: How Infauna Thrived After Oil Spill Cleanup

In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill wreaked havoc on Alaska's Prince William Sound. Cleanup efforts involved blasting the beaches with high-pressure, heated water to remove the oil. Scientists worried about the long-term effects on the beach habitats. Nine years later, a study checked in on these be

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Nov 22 2024SCIENCE

Tracking Oil Spills: A Fresh Take on Measuring Emulsified Oil

Imagine you're standing on the beach, looking out at the sea. You spot an oil spill, and your first thought isn't just, "Yikes! " but also, "How much oil is that? " This is where a clever combo of fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometrics comes in. Scientists took two types of emulsified oil and me

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Nov 22 2024SCIENCE

Machine Learning vs Traditional Methods: A New Look at Predicting Broiler Traits

Machine learning (ML) is quickly becoming a big deal in lots of areas, from research to practical things like predicting how well livestock will breed. But not many people have looked into using ML to improve chicken breeding, especially for yellow-feathered broilers. This study tried out seven diff

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