Materials influence every aspect of the energy system; therefore, as well as developing new materials for energy generation, materials scientists should engage in public debate about the limitations of future innovations and the conservation of existing materials.
The term ‘sustainable development’ is used to reflect the concern that we should meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. However, the word ‘sustainable’ is difficult to define precisely and can indicate many different aspirations about economic well-being, social equity and environmental harm. This rightly reflects a broad human agenda, but the actions required to address these three targets are in some cases unrelated, and in others incompatible. A particular problem created by the conflation of economic and environmental intentions of sustainable development occurs when actions to reduce environmental harm are reported per unit of economic or physical output. If output grows faster than the reduction in harm per unit of output, the total environmental harm grows, and it is the absolute physical effects that will challenge future generations. In this context, this Comment article discusses the environmental concerns of sustainable materials and addresses two questions. First, can new materials be developed that support a more sustainable future? Second, what is the role of existing materials within a more sustainable future?
Read the comment from Nature Reviews - Materials
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Thursday, 11 February 2016
Does it take too long to publish research?
Scientists are becoming increasingly frustrated by the time it takes to publish a paper. Something has to change, they say.
When Danielle Fraser first submitted her paper for publication, she had little idea of the painful saga that lay ahead.
She had spent some 18 months studying thousands of fossil species spread across North America from the past 36 million years, and now she had an intriguing result: animal populations were spread widest across latitudes in warm, wet climates. Her work, crucial to earning her PhD at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, might be used to make predictions about the response of mammals to climate change — a key question in ecology today. So, with her PhD adviser's encouragement, she sent it to Science in October 2012.
Ten days later, the paper was rejected with a form letter. She sent it to another prestigious journal, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Rejected. Next, she tried Ecology Letters. Bounced. “At this point, I definitely was frustrated. I hadn't even been reviewed and I would've loved to know how to improve the paper,” recalls Fraser. “I thought, 'Let's just get it out and go to a journal that will assess the paper'.”
In May 2013, she submitted the paper to Proceedings of the Royal Society B, considered a high-impact journal in her field. The journal sent it out for review — seven months after her initial submission to Science. “Finally!” Fraser thought. What she didn't know was that she had taken only the first steps down the long, bumpy road to publication: it would take another three submissions, two rejections, two rounds of major revisions and numerous drafts before the paper would finally appear. By that point, she could hardly bear to look at it.Ten days later, the paper was rejected with a form letter. She sent it to another prestigious journal, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Rejected. Next, she tried Ecology Letters. Bounced. “At this point, I definitely was frustrated. I hadn't even been reviewed and I would've loved to know how to improve the paper,” recalls Fraser. “I thought, 'Let's just get it out and go to a journal that will assess the paper'.”
Fraser's frustration is widely shared: researchers are increasingly questioning the time it takes to publish their work. Many say that they feel trapped in a cycle of submission, rejection, review, re-review and re-re-review that seems to eat up months of their lives, interfere with job, grant and tenure applications and slow down the dissemination of results. In 2012, Leslie Vosshall, a neuroscientist at the Rockefeller University in New York City, wrote a commentary that lamented the “glacial pace” of scientific publishing1. “In the past three years, if anything, it's gotten substantially worse,” she says now. “It takes forever to get the work out, regardless of the journal. It just takes far too long.”
Read the news feature published in Nature
When Danielle Fraser first submitted her paper for publication, she had little idea of the painful saga that lay ahead.
She had spent some 18 months studying thousands of fossil species spread across North America from the past 36 million years, and now she had an intriguing result: animal populations were spread widest across latitudes in warm, wet climates. Her work, crucial to earning her PhD at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, might be used to make predictions about the response of mammals to climate change — a key question in ecology today. So, with her PhD adviser's encouragement, she sent it to Science in October 2012.
Ten days later, the paper was rejected with a form letter. She sent it to another prestigious journal, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Rejected. Next, she tried Ecology Letters. Bounced. “At this point, I definitely was frustrated. I hadn't even been reviewed and I would've loved to know how to improve the paper,” recalls Fraser. “I thought, 'Let's just get it out and go to a journal that will assess the paper'.”
In May 2013, she submitted the paper to Proceedings of the Royal Society B, considered a high-impact journal in her field. The journal sent it out for review — seven months after her initial submission to Science. “Finally!” Fraser thought. What she didn't know was that she had taken only the first steps down the long, bumpy road to publication: it would take another three submissions, two rejections, two rounds of major revisions and numerous drafts before the paper would finally appear. By that point, she could hardly bear to look at it.Ten days later, the paper was rejected with a form letter. She sent it to another prestigious journal, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Rejected. Next, she tried Ecology Letters. Bounced. “At this point, I definitely was frustrated. I hadn't even been reviewed and I would've loved to know how to improve the paper,” recalls Fraser. “I thought, 'Let's just get it out and go to a journal that will assess the paper'.”
Fraser's frustration is widely shared: researchers are increasingly questioning the time it takes to publish their work. Many say that they feel trapped in a cycle of submission, rejection, review, re-review and re-re-review that seems to eat up months of their lives, interfere with job, grant and tenure applications and slow down the dissemination of results. In 2012, Leslie Vosshall, a neuroscientist at the Rockefeller University in New York City, wrote a commentary that lamented the “glacial pace” of scientific publishing1. “In the past three years, if anything, it's gotten substantially worse,” she says now. “It takes forever to get the work out, regardless of the journal. It just takes far too long.”
Read the news feature published in Nature
Wednesday, 10 February 2016
Five things that happen to your body in space
Tim Peake is the first official British astronaut to walk in space. The former Army Air Corps officer has spent a month in space, after blasting off on a Russian Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station on December 15 last year, but the spacewalk will doubtless be his most gruelling test.
But what exactly will he be going through, during his remarkable spell aboard the space station? Space travel leads to many changes in the human body, many of which have been investigated since Yuri Gargarin made the first manned spaceflight in 1961 – and an extensive team provides guidance and preparation for astronauts before, during and after any spaceflight. But if you’re planning an out-of-this-world trip, here are some of the things to expect.
1) You get weaker
2) So does your heart
3) Fitness suffers
4) You lose bone
5) Your immune system suffers
Read the full post
But what exactly will he be going through, during his remarkable spell aboard the space station? Space travel leads to many changes in the human body, many of which have been investigated since Yuri Gargarin made the first manned spaceflight in 1961 – and an extensive team provides guidance and preparation for astronauts before, during and after any spaceflight. But if you’re planning an out-of-this-world trip, here are some of the things to expect.
1) You get weaker
2) So does your heart
3) Fitness suffers
4) You lose bone
5) Your immune system suffers
Read the full post
Thursday, 4 February 2016
Health Check: what happens to your body when you’re dehydrated?
Water is essential for human life. It accounts for for 50-70% of our body weight and is crucial for most bodily functions.
Any deficit in normal body water – through dehydration, sickness, exercise or heat stress – can make us feel rotten. First we feel thirsty and fatigued, and may develop a mild headache. This eventually gives way to grumpiness, and mental and physical decline.
We continually lose water via our breath, urine, faeces and skin. Most healthy people regulate their body’s water level remarkably well via eating and drinking, and are guided by appetite and thirst. But this is more difficult for infants, the sick, the elderly, athletes, and those with strenuous physical occupations, especially in the heat.
Read the post
Any deficit in normal body water – through dehydration, sickness, exercise or heat stress – can make us feel rotten. First we feel thirsty and fatigued, and may develop a mild headache. This eventually gives way to grumpiness, and mental and physical decline.
We continually lose water via our breath, urine, faeces and skin. Most healthy people regulate their body’s water level remarkably well via eating and drinking, and are guided by appetite and thirst. But this is more difficult for infants, the sick, the elderly, athletes, and those with strenuous physical occupations, especially in the heat.
Read the post
Gene editing can now be performed in the UK – what you need to know
It’s no longer science fiction. Modern science has the ability to manipulate the DNA of a human embryo. In a world’s first, scientists in China announced last year that they had edited a mutated gene which causes a blood disorder in a human embryo.
Now UK scientists have won permission to genetically modify human embryos too.
But how exactly does it work? And what happens if edited genes are inherited by future generations? Could we be looking at a future of “designer babies”, or indeed a future of “designer humans”? All you need to know in our roundup.
Read the post and references
Now UK scientists have won permission to genetically modify human embryos too.
But how exactly does it work? And what happens if edited genes are inherited by future generations? Could we be looking at a future of “designer babies”, or indeed a future of “designer humans”? All you need to know in our roundup.
Read the post and references
The secret to staying young? Scientists boost lifespan of mice by deleting defective cells
The ageing population is one of the greatest challenges facing society. More people are surviving to old age than ever before, but we currently lack the means to keep them healthy and independent. If a treatment existed to reduce sickness and death from ageing by 20% then between now and 2050, the US alone would save US$4 trillion on healthcare costs – enough money to give everyone on Earth clean drinking water for the next three decades.
However a landmark new study, published in Nature, raises hopes that such a treatment will be possible. The researchers managed to increase the lifespan of mice by an impressive 25% by deleting “senescent” cells, dysfunctional cells which build up as we age and cause damage to tissue. Crucially, the mice lived longer because they were healthier.
Read the post
However a landmark new study, published in Nature, raises hopes that such a treatment will be possible. The researchers managed to increase the lifespan of mice by an impressive 25% by deleting “senescent” cells, dysfunctional cells which build up as we age and cause damage to tissue. Crucially, the mice lived longer because they were healthier.
Read the post
Wednesday, 3 February 2016
From chrome plating to nanotubes: the ‘modern’ chemistry first used in ancient times
The ancient Babylonians were the first to use sophisticated geometry – a staggering 1,400 years before it was previously thought to have been developed. Sadly, these mathematical innovations were forgotten as the Babylonian civilisation collapsed and were only rediscovered this year as scientists took a close look at ancient clay tablets.
This surprising finding made me wonder about what other scientific methods that we put down to modern minds were actually discovered by ancient civilisations. So I decided to hunt down some of the most advanced uses of chemistry.
Read the full post
This surprising finding made me wonder about what other scientific methods that we put down to modern minds were actually discovered by ancient civilisations. So I decided to hunt down some of the most advanced uses of chemistry.
Read the full post
Thursday, 28 January 2016
Nature's news quiz: chemical elements, Planet Nine, and a nuclear test.
1. You and your microbes
Bacteria in the human body outnumber our own cells by what ratio, according to an estimate published this month?
2. Chemical elements
Bacteria in the human body outnumber our own cells by what ratio, according to an estimate published this month?
2. Chemical elements
Scientists from Japan, the United States and Russia are considering what to call the newest confirmed elements in the periodic table – numbers 113, 115, 117 and 118. But there are rules on naming elements: what can’t they be named after?
Take the interactive quiz
Take the interactive quiz
Nature picks
Get free access to some premium content of relevance to you published
in journals and portals across the Nature Publishing Group.
Note - free access is only available through the Nature India
"Our picks" page.
Visit the Nature Picks Page
in journals and portals across the Nature Publishing Group.
Note - free access is only available through the Nature India
"Our picks" page.
Visit the Nature Picks Page
India by the numbers -- Highs and lows in the country’s research landscape.
Indian science is a study in contrasts. With its vast population and rapidly expanding economy, the country has ramped up scientific production at an impressive rate. India started the twenty-first century well behind Russia, France, Italy and Canada in terms of yearly publications and it now leads them all by healthy margins. It is quickly closing in on Japan.
Despite those gains, India is not yet a major player in world science. Its publications generate fewer citations on average than do those of other science-focused nations, including other emerging countries such as Brazil and China. Relative to its size, India has very few scientists; many Indian-born researchers leave for positions abroad and very few foreign scientists settle in India. The country invests a scant portion of its economy in research and development (R&D), and it produces relatively few patents per capita compared with other nations.
But there are bright spots. India boasts several world-class centres for science education, particularly the highly regarded Indian Institutes of Technology. Businesses in the country are investing more in R&D, which bodes well for future innovation. And more women are participating in science, although their numbers still fall far below those of men.
Read the feature published in Nature
Despite those gains, India is not yet a major player in world science. Its publications generate fewer citations on average than do those of other science-focused nations, including other emerging countries such as Brazil and China. Relative to its size, India has very few scientists; many Indian-born researchers leave for positions abroad and very few foreign scientists settle in India. The country invests a scant portion of its economy in research and development (R&D), and it produces relatively few patents per capita compared with other nations.
But there are bright spots. India boasts several world-class centres for science education, particularly the highly regarded Indian Institutes of Technology. Businesses in the country are investing more in R&D, which bodes well for future innovation. And more women are participating in science, although their numbers still fall far below those of men.
Read the feature published in Nature
Research management: Priorities for science in India
Ten Indian research leaders give their prescriptions, from better funding, facilities, mentoring and education to greater respect, fairness, autonomy and confidence.
Sunita Narain: Manage waste frugally
Hiriyakkanavar Ila: Support the bulk of students
Yamuna Krishnan: Crack the cliques, enable visionaries
Joyashree Roy: Train more energy economists
Raghavendra Gadagkar: Solve local problems
Vinod Singh: Improve tertiary education
Umesh Varshney: Make science an attractive career
Krishna N. Ganesh: Connect research with education
Pradeep P. Mujumdar: Share data on water resources
Naba K. Mondal: Build big physics facilities
Read the full feature published in Nature
Sunita Narain: Manage waste frugally
Hiriyakkanavar Ila: Support the bulk of students
Yamuna Krishnan: Crack the cliques, enable visionaries
Joyashree Roy: Train more energy economists
Raghavendra Gadagkar: Solve local problems
Vinod Singh: Improve tertiary education
Umesh Varshney: Make science an attractive career
Krishna N. Ganesh: Connect research with education
Pradeep P. Mujumdar: Share data on water resources
Naba K. Mondal: Build big physics facilities
Read the full feature published in Nature
Preservationists race to capture cultural monuments with 3D images
In March 2001, the Taliban blew up the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, two of the tallest Buddha sculptures in the world. This horrific attack on an important and beautiful example of the patrimony of central Asia shocked the world. It also forever changed the landscape of cultural preservation, archaeology and global heritage.
Even back then, we had some of the 3D scanning technologies that could have allowed us to digitally document and preserve the Buddhas. We did not yet anticipate the scale of destruction that would leave hundreds of global heritage sites damaged or obliterated in the 15 years since that event.
The loss of this cultural heritage has spurred teams of researchers and nonprofit organizations to race to make 3D scans, architectural plans and detailed photographic records of heritage sites around the world, knowing they could be destroyed at any time. Advances in 3D scanning technologies, drone use and even tourists' online posting of images are giving preservationists a new set of tools to prevent the permanent loss of cultural artifacts.
Read the post
Even back then, we had some of the 3D scanning technologies that could have allowed us to digitally document and preserve the Buddhas. We did not yet anticipate the scale of destruction that would leave hundreds of global heritage sites damaged or obliterated in the 15 years since that event.
The loss of this cultural heritage has spurred teams of researchers and nonprofit organizations to race to make 3D scans, architectural plans and detailed photographic records of heritage sites around the world, knowing they could be destroyed at any time. Advances in 3D scanning technologies, drone use and even tourists' online posting of images are giving preservationists a new set of tools to prevent the permanent loss of cultural artifacts.
Read the post
Monday, 25 January 2016
How to win a fellowship
The table in this post describes the skills and experience (relevant to career
stage) applicants should be able to demonstrate when applying for an MRC
fellowship. Career breaks, part-time working and changes in discipline
will be taken into account when assessing research experience to date
and track record.
This can be used as guidelines by every researcher.
view the guidelines
This can be used as guidelines by every researcher.
view the guidelines
Eight Striking Similarities between Humans and Chimpanzees
The latest findings on how chimpanzees behave and think have -once again- shown that these primates could well be called the “cousins” of human beings. They not only laugh like us, but also smile in silence; they are gourmands, they play, they are aware of the fact that they think and can distinguish between fair and unfair, as well as cultivating friendship.
Read the post
- They play
- They know how to smile
- They are gourmands
- They are aware of the fact that they think
- They are fair and moral
- They have a numerical memory span
- They wage war
- They cultivate friendship
Read the post
Sunday, 24 January 2016
The Scientific Benefits of Meditation
This post deals with "14 Ways Meditation Rewires Your Brain for Happiness, Peace and Success"covering the following:
Why Meditate?
Who Meditates?
The Mind-Blowing Science of How Meditation Rewires Your Brain
How Do I Start?
Nine Major Types of Meditation
How do I pick the best type of meditation for me?
In case you were curious…
Get Meditating!
Read the full post
Why Meditate?
Who Meditates?
The Mind-Blowing Science of How Meditation Rewires Your Brain
How Do I Start?
Nine Major Types of Meditation
How do I pick the best type of meditation for me?
In case you were curious…
Get Meditating!
Read the full post
Tuesday, 19 January 2016
Can we really trust scientists?
As science makes giant leaps forward in fields ranging from genomics to renewable energy, it feels as though we may be edging closer to solving some of world’s big and complex challenges.
Yet there is a major obstacle to overcome: trust.
A recent survey by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Pew Research Center suggests a sizeable gap exists between scientists and broader public opinion across a host of issues including climate change, genetic modification, space research and vaccines.
Full Post
Yet there is a major obstacle to overcome: trust.
A recent survey by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Pew Research Center suggests a sizeable gap exists between scientists and broader public opinion across a host of issues including climate change, genetic modification, space research and vaccines.
Full Post
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Great Indian Sages Who Revolutionized The Field Of Science
Our illustrious past in the field of Science before the invasions of Islamic & Portuguese hordes is worth noting. This should give inspiration to our young generation who will then realise what great scientists were produced in the golden era of India.
Aryabhatt (476 BCE) - Master Astronomer and Mathematician
Bhaskaracharya (1114-1183 BCE) - Genius in Algebra
Acharya Kanad (600 BCE) - Founder of Atomic Theory
Nagarjuna (100 BCE) - Wizard of Chemical Science
Acharya Charak (600 BCE) - Father of Medicine
Acharya Sushrut (600 BCE) - Father of Plastic Surgery
Varahmihir (499-587 BCE) - Eminent Astrologer and Astronomera
Acharya Patanjali (200 BCE) - Father of Yoga
Acharya Bharadwaj (800 BCE) - Pioneer of Aviation Technology
Acharya Kapil (3000 BCE) - Father of Cosmology
Read the full post
Other interesting posts:
Great Saints
Great Sages
Aryabhatt (476 BCE) - Master Astronomer and Mathematician
Bhaskaracharya (1114-1183 BCE) - Genius in Algebra
Acharya Kanad (600 BCE) - Founder of Atomic Theory
Nagarjuna (100 BCE) - Wizard of Chemical Science
Acharya Charak (600 BCE) - Father of Medicine
Acharya Sushrut (600 BCE) - Father of Plastic Surgery
Varahmihir (499-587 BCE) - Eminent Astrologer and Astronomera
Acharya Patanjali (200 BCE) - Father of Yoga
Acharya Bharadwaj (800 BCE) - Pioneer of Aviation Technology
Acharya Kapil (3000 BCE) - Father of Cosmology
Read the full post
Other interesting posts:
Great Saints
Great Sages
Monday, 24 December 2012
Nature: 2012 Review of the Year
From the discovery of the Higgs boson to the landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars, 2012 was an eventful year in science. Nature's end of year round-up reviews the highs and lows in research and science policy. A great compilation.
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Interesting articles to read -- 04-09-2012
Interesting articles to read -- 04-09-2012
14 Things You Should Do at the Start of Every Work Day Read
Bose should have got Nobel prize: CERN chief Read
Tribute: The Spark In A Crowded Field S.N. Bose’s work on quantum physics is a direct ancestor of the ‘breakthrough’ at CERN by Anvar Alikhan on S.N. Bose Read
Friday, 24 February 2012
Scitable -- A Collaborative Space for Learning Science
Scitable is a free science library and personal learning tool brought to you by Nature Publishing Group, the world's leading publisher of science.
Scitable is an open online teaching/learning portal combining high quality educational articles authored by editors at NPG with technology-based community features to fuel a global exchange of scientific insights, teaching practices, and study resources.
Scitable currently concentrates on genetics and cell biology, which include the topics of evolution, gene expression, and the rich complexity of cellular processes shared by living organisms. Scitable also offers resources for the budding scientist, with advice about effective science communication and career paths.
Visit the portal
Scitable is an open online teaching/learning portal combining high quality educational articles authored by editors at NPG with technology-based community features to fuel a global exchange of scientific insights, teaching practices, and study resources.
Scitable currently concentrates on genetics and cell biology, which include the topics of evolution, gene expression, and the rich complexity of cellular processes shared by living organisms. Scitable also offers resources for the budding scientist, with advice about effective science communication and career paths.
Visit the portal
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