Science & Technology

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New catalyst helps turn carbon dioxide into fuel

Stanford engineers Aisulu Aitbekova and Matteo Cargnello say a new process shows promise in turning the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide back into usable fuels, and yields four times as much fuel as previous approaches.

Q&A: New sources of water with desalination research

A new and ambitious research project looks to develop affordable devices to recycle most of the water we now throw away, as well as to desalinate saltwater. The project’s research director describes the project’s vision and operation.

Stress test separates tough bacteria from the tender

By scooping the guts out of bacteria and refilling them with an expansive fluid, scientists can discover whether a microbe is structurally strong or weak, gaining insights that could help fight infectious diseases or aid studies of the beneficial bacterial communities known as microbiomes.

Stanford Earth —

Q&A: 30 years after the Loma Prieta earthquake

Reflecting on the 30th anniversary of Loma Prieta this week, earthquake experts recently shared their perspectives on how the event impacted them, the Bay Area and the research community at large.

Young children have intuitions of great teachers

Even at a young age, children know that deciding what to teach is as important as knowing how to teach. This ability to instruct each other could explain why humans are so adaptable.

Stanford Engineering —

How fake news spreads like a real virus

If we understand how disinformation percolates, perhaps we can help curb its transmission, say cyber-risk researchers at Stanford Engineering.

Interactive map shows nature’s contributions to people

The researchers set out to understand where nature contributes the most to people and how many people may be affected by future changes. By 2050, up to 5 billion people could be at higher risk of water pollution, coastal storms and underpollinated crops.

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