A lot of research has been done over the past few weeks by the greatest minds from universities all over the world. In this edition of bioresearch we’ll have a double take on bio-agriculture, an industry that can’t stop innovating, as well as bio energy and bio medicine.
Bio Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of California-Berkeley scientists have discovered a new food freezing method that could translate into safer and better quality frozen foods, while simultaneously saving energy and reducing carbon emissions. According to the new research, a worldwide change into the new method could cut energy use by as much as 6.5 billion kilowatt-hours each year. This also would mean a carbon emission reduction of 4.6 billion kg, the equivalent of removing roughly one million cars from roads. Read the report here.
Johannes Lehmann, professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, recently led a study that points out that cow manure may ignite a new sustainable fertilizing trend. Although it has been used for centuries, decomposing manure with a different technique could be more manageable. Using pyrolysis to decomposing organic matter from 700 degrees Fahrenheit to 1,200 degrees F, without oxygen may retain nutrients from dairy lagoons. The resulting product can transform manure into an eco-friendly biochar fertilizer that doesn’t need dairy producers to store excrement on-farm or in nearby communities. Read the research here.
Bio Energy
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have created a new, more affordable method for carbon capture by converting captured carbon dioxide into methane. According to the studies, when compared to the conventional method of methane conversion, the new process requires an initial investment that costs 32 percent less. Operation and maintenance costs are 35 percent cheaper, bringing the selling price of synthetic natural gas down by 12 percent. Read the report here.
Bio-Medicine
Studies by the Brown School of Engineering reported researchers successfully sewed nanotube fibers into athletic wear in order to monitor heart rate and take a continual electrocardiogram of the wearer. Electronic textiles can prove to be life-saving. The fibers provided not steady electrical contact with the skin and served as electrodes to connect electronics like Bluetooth transmitters to relay data to a smartphone. Read more here.
