Latest news with #AlessandroVolta
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This Remarkable Life Form Conducts Electricity Like a Wire
Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis—a cable bacteria discovered along the coast of Oregon—has the remarkable ability to conduct electricity. According to researchers, this bacteria 'stands out from all other described cable bacteria species in terms of its metabolic potential.' This newly discovered bacteria could be ideal for a variety of bioelectric applications, including in the fields of medicine, industry, and environmental remediation (as the bacteria can transfer electrons to clean up pollutants). Today, human society is powered by the artificial electricity generated by turbines, nuclear reactors, and photovoltaics. But the very first investigations into the wonders of electricity were biological in origin. Thales of Miletus (considered to be the first scientist in the Western world) pondered on the cause of static electricity, and the electric prowess of eels inspired Alessandro Volta to invent the first battery. You and I are alive today because of the bioelectric field that permeates our cells. Although we've evolved from Volta's first fish-inspired battery, the world of bioelectricty still has a lot to offer us. That couldn't be more apparent than in a new study, published this week in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, which details the discovery of a new cable bacteria—built from rod-shaped cells attached end to end—on the central Oregon coast. Named Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis in honor of the Yaqo'n people on whose ancestral lands the discovery was made, this bacteria is particularly adept at conducting electricity. Because of their rod-shaped bodies, these cells create filaments that can stretch up to several centimeters in length. A rare feature among bacteria, Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis's conductivity likely arises from it's optimization of metabolic processes in their environment. 'This new species seems to be a bridge, an early branch within the Ca. Electrothrix clade, which suggests it could provide new insights into how these bacteria evolved and how they might function in different environments,' Cheng Li, a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon State University and co-author of the study, said in a press statement. 'It stands out from all other described cable bacteria species in terms of its metabolic potential, and it has distinctive structural features, including pronounced surface ridges, up to three times wider than those seen in other species, that house highly conductive fibers made of unique, nickel-based molecules.' In other words, it's a bioelectric bacteria on steroids. This could make the bacteria particularly effective in a variety of fields, including medicine, industry, and environmental monitoring. However, its most exciting capability is its use as a tool for pollutant remediation. 'These bacteria can transfer electrons to clean up pollutants, so they could be used to remove harmful substances from sediments,' Li said. 'Also, their design of a highly conductive nickel protein can possibly inspire new bioelectronics.' Remediation can be one of the most time-consuming and costly aspects of infrastructure projects—particularly if a former brownfield site hopes to be reclaimed as a park or another public space. Having bacteria that can actively clean up the soil thanks to its electric biology could be a huge boon for environmental efforts. Our understanding of electricity has come along way since Ancient Greece, but the biological world still has more than few electrifying tricks to teach us. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Discovered a Remarkable Lifeform That Conducts Electricity Like a Wire
Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis—a cable bacteria discovered along the coast of Oregon—has the remarkable ability to conduct electricity. According to researchers, this bacteria 'stands out from all other described cable bacteria species in terms of its metabolic potential.' This newly discovered bacteria could be ideal for a variety of bioelectric applications, including in the fields of medicine, industry, and environmental remediation (as the bacteria can transfer electrons to clean up pollutants). Today, human society is powered by the artificial electricity generated by turbines, nuclear reactors, and photovoltaics. But the very first investigations into the wonders of electricity were biological in origin. Thales of Miletus (considered to be the first scientist in the Western world) pondered on the cause of static electricity, and the electric prowess of eels inspired Alessandro Volta to invent the first battery. You and I are alive today because of the bioelectric field that permeates our cells. Although we've evolved from Volta's first fish-inspired battery, the world of bioelectricty still has a lot to offer us. That couldn't be more apparent than in a new study, published this week in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, which details the discovery of a new cable bacteria—built from rod-shaped cells attached end to end—on the central Oregon coast. Named Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis in honor of the Yaqo'n people on whose ancestral lands the discovery was made, this bacteria is particularly adept at conducting electricity. Because of their rod-shaped bodies, these cells create filaments that can stretch up to several centimeters in length. A rare feature among bacteria, Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis's conductivity likely arises from it's optimization of metabolic processes in their environment. 'This new species seems to be a bridge, an early branch within the Ca. Electrothrix clade, which suggests it could provide new insights into how these bacteria evolved and how they might function in different environments,' Cheng Li, a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon State University and co-author of the study, said in a press statement. 'It stands out from all other described cable bacteria species in terms of its metabolic potential, and it has distinctive structural features, including pronounced surface ridges, up to three times wider than those seen in other species, that house highly conductive fibers made of unique, nickel-based molecules.' In other words, it's a bioelectric bacteria on steroids. This could make the bacteria particularly effective in a variety of fields, including medicine, industry, and environmental monitoring. However, its most exciting capability is its use as a tool for pollutant remediation. 'These bacteria can transfer electrons to clean up pollutants, so they could be used to remove harmful substances from sediments,' Li said. 'Also, their design of a highly conductive nickel protein can possibly inspire new bioelectronics.' Remediation can be one of the most time-consuming and costly aspects of infrastructure projects—particularly if a former brownfield site hopes to be reclaimed as a park or another public space. Having bacteria that can actively clean up the soil thanks to its electric biology could be a huge boon for environmental efforts. Our understanding of electricity has come along way since Ancient Greece, but the biological world still has more than few electrifying tricks to teach us. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Famous birthdays for Feb. 18: Dr. Dre, Cybill Shepherd
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Aquarius. They include: -- Britain's Queen Mary I in 1516 -- Physicist Alessandro Volta in 1745 -- Physicist Ernst Mach in 1838 -- Artist Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1848 -- Automaker Enzo Ferrari in 1898 -- Writer Wallace Stegner in 1909 -- Actor Jack Palance in 1919 -- Actor George Kennedy in 1925 -- Writer Len Deighton in 1929 (age 96) -- Writer Toni Morrison in 1931 -- Cartoonist Johnny Hart in 1931 -- Filmmaker Milos Forman in 1932 -- Artist/musician Yoko Ono in 1933 (age 92) -- Writer Jean M. Auel in 1936 (age 89) -- Musician Dennis DeYoung (Styx) in 1947 (age 78) -- Filmmaker John Hughes in 1950 -- Actor Cybill Shepherd in 1950 (age 75) -- Actor John Travolta in 1954 (age 71) -- Actor John Pankow in 1955 (age 70) -- TV personality Vanna White in 1957 (age 68) -- Actor Greta Scacchi in 1960 (age 65) -- Actor Matt Dillon in 1964 (age 61) -- Musician Dr. Dre in 1965 (age 60) -- Producer/TV personality Tracey Edmonds in 1967 (age 58) -- Actor Molly Ringwald in 1968 (age 57) -- TV personality/personal trainer Jillian Michaels in 1974 (age 51) -- Musician Trevor Rosen (Old Dominion) in 1975 (age 50) -- Actor Ike Barinholtz in 1977 (age 48) -- Musician Regina Spektor in 1980 (age 45) -- Actor Park Sung-hoon in 1985 (age 40) -- Actor Sarah Sutherland in 1988 (age 37) -- Actor Logan Miller in 1992 (age 33) -- Musician J-Hope (BTS) in 1994 (age 31) -- Musician DK (Seventeen) in 1997 (age 28) -- Musician Vernon (Seventeen) in 1998 (age 27)
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Save the River begins battery recycling pilot program
Feb. 16—CLAYTON — Save the River is taking charge of the dead battery issue. As part of upcoming National Battery Day, Save The River on Tuesday launched a battery collection pilot program. The nonprofit river advocacy group is accepting single-use alkaline and lithium (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-Volt) batteries; rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries along with lithium ion and nickel metal hydride batteries. Old batteries can be dropped off at Save The River's office at 409 Riverside Drive, Clayton. They should be placed in the bucket outside the side door for 24/7 drop off. Save the River is partnering with Call2Recycle, the country's largest battery recycling program. Battery Council International designated Feb. 18 as National Battery Day to celebrate the importance of batteries as a key component in the global economy and the role BCI's members play in supporting critical applications ranging from cars and trucks to data center backups to forklifts to grid-scale energy storage. Feb. 18 is the anniversary of Alessandro Volta's birth in 1745. The Italian physicist and chemist invented the electric battery. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, it's illegal to throw used rechargeable batteries into the trash. However, any retailer that sells covered rechargeable batteries or rechargeable battery containing products must accept used rechargeable batteries from consumers for recycling. The DEC says that alkaline batteries can be disposed of in household trash since they no longer contain mercury or other harmful heavy metals and are not considered hazardous. Call2Recycle's website says, "Depending upon your location, select drop-off sites do accept single-use batteries. Unlike the rechargeable battery program, which is funded by battery and battery-powered product manufacturers, there is currently no national stewardship solution to allow for free recycling of single-use batteries, except in Vermont and The District of Columbia."
