Limits of lithium extraction from thermal water

Pumping up thermal water, separating lithium, and using it to produce batteries for electric mobility — the idea of lithium as an environmentally compatible and regionally available by-product of geothermal energy plants appears highly promising. Howe…

Astronomy: Observation puzzles researchers

An international team of astrophysicists has made a puzzling discovery while analyzing certain star clusters. The finding challenges Newton’s laws of gravity, the researchers write in their publication. Instead, the observations are consistent with the…

How Imperfections can actually improve alloys

Sometimes, in creating an alloy out of multiple metals, defects and structural instability can occur in the material. Now, researchers are harnessing those imperfections to make the material stronger while retaining its flexibility.

Seals have a sense of rhythm

Rhythm is important for human music and speech. But are we the only mammal with a sense of rhythm? Researchers show that seals can discriminate rhythm without prior training. Seals’ rhythmic ability may be linked to their ability to learn vocalisations…

Seals have a sense of rhythm

Rhythm is important for human music and speech. But are we the only mammal with a sense of rhythm? Researchers show that seals can discriminate rhythm without prior training. Seals’ rhythmic ability may be linked to their ability to learn vocalisations…

The brain cells needed for fever

Researchers have identified in mice the cells in the blood vessels of the brain that are necessary for a fever reaction. The results answer a long-standing question of which organs are involved in producing fever.