Humans’ voracious sand consumption for infrastructure activities threatens global supply of this critical natural resource. But do we even know how much sand we are consuming worldwide? New research shows that we’ve been calculating the basic unit all wrong.
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Due to COVID-19, many sporting events were canceled or postponed this summer, leaving a lot of sports fans looking for alternative entertainment. One surprising alternative—competitive marble racing—has gained a lot of attention since April. Learn more about this recent sport and how it builds on the long history of marbles games.
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New boron-lanthanide nanostructure, magnetic wood shields against electromagnetic interference, and other materials stories that may be of interest for July 1, 2020.
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The “Women in Glass” special issue of IJAGS contains 17 top-quality works led by women researchers. Take a closer look at some of the articles in today’s CTT—and read them all for free through the end of July!
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Deep nasal swabs are currently the main testing method for COVID-19. Researchers at The Ohio State University are investigating using a specially designed breathalyzer instead, which has the potential to provide results faster and at less cost.
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In recent years, the ability to communicate science to the general public has become increasingly important—but knowing how to do so effectively is a skill not always taught in school. ACerS new “Communicating Science” webpage provides a list of useful resources on effective science communication skills.
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Lithium-ion batteries are abundant in many everyday devices, but the resources available to teach children how these batteries work and why they are important are limited. A team of researchers from the University of Birmingham’s School of Chemistry developed a unique and fun approach to explaining Li-ion battery operation using tower block games like Jenga.
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Privacy and security are mostly illusions in today’s digital world, with new techniques undermining these concepts more each day. Now, researchers in Israel have demonstrated another way to eavesdrop—by observing the vibrations of a hanging lightbulb.
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rGO doubles toughness of ceramic electrolytes, smart sponge could clean up oil spills, and other materials stories that may be of interest for June 24, 2020.
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To treat autoimmune diseases, researchers are actively identifying and developing materials that provide control over the immune response. Researchers in Korea found graphene quantum dots may provide an effective treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases.
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