Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions

Today’s solution addresses the development of a potential vaccine to fight methamphetamine abuse. Methamphetamine abuse costs the United States more than 23 billion annually in medical expenses, law enforcement costs, and lost productivity.

Today’s solution sounds a warning bell about the much-anticipated new era of nanoagriculture — using nanotechnology to boost the productivity of plants for food, fuel, and other uses.

A study in the American Chemical Society’s journal, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, reports that minced banana peel performs better than an array of other water purification materials and can do so in a sustainable way.

Today’s solution addresses the development of a “green grid” to more efficiently deliver solar and wind-based electricity.

A needle-in-the-haystack search through nearly 390,000 chemical compounds has led scientists to a substance that can sneak through the protective barrier surrounding the brain with effects promising for new drugs for Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. They report on the substance, which blocks formation of cholesterol in the brain, in the journal, ACS Chemical Biology.

Today’s solution is A first-of-its-kind nanogenerator that can produce electricity using energy from a gentle breeze, movements of a person walking and other sources and power wireless data transmissions.

Today’s solution explains how manufacturers building hybrids that have excellent gas mileage, can create stronger, lighter, and more sustainable materials for cars and other products, made, in part, out of bananas or pineapples.

Today’s solution is a new blood test that can quickly tell whether patients are infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacterium that’s become a global plague. This superbug is called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or simply MRSA.

A study published in the American Chemical Society’s journal, ACS Catalysis, reports that scientists have developed a new catalyst that provides an environmentally way to make acrylic acid without using petroleum.

With continuing concern about plastic waste accumulating in municipal landfills, and reliance on imported oil to make plastics, scientists have created an ultra-light biodegradable foam plastic material made from two unlikely ingredients.

Scientists are reporting evidence that black rice — a little-known variety of the grain that is the staple food for one-third of the world population — may help soothe the inflammation involved in allergies, asthma, and other diseases.

Scientists are reporting development and successful initial tests of an inexpensive new filtering technology that kills up to 98 percent of disease-causing bacteria in water in just seconds without clogging.

A new study published in the American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science and Technology journal provides a compelling new reason not to waste food. It saves energy, lots of money at home and fights global hunger.

New research suggests that just five minutes of outdoor activities, such as exercising in a park, working in a backyard garden or walking on a nature trail, will benefit mental health.

Bricks, blocks, and steel I-beams — step aside. That’s because scientists are reporting that a new genre of construction materials, made from stuff barely 1/50,000th the width of a human hair, is about to debut in the building of homes, offices, bridges, and other structures. The new report highlights both the potential benefits of these nanomaterials in improving construction materials and the need for guidelines to regulate their use and disposal. The report appears in the monthly journal ACS Nano.

Existing technology can produce biodiesel fuel from municipal sewage sludge that is within a few cents a gallon of being competitive with conventional diesel refined from petroleum. Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Scientists are reporting development of a “smart” roof coating, made from waste cooking oil from fast food restaurants, that can “read” a thermometer and help save energy. Roofs coated with the material would reflect scorching summer sunlight and reduce sticker-shock air-conditioning bills. When chilly weather sets in, the coating would change roles and transmit heat to help warm the interior. Scientists described the sustainable material at the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco. Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Where does dust come from? Scientists in Arizona are reporting a surprising answer to that question, which has puzzled and perplexed generations of men and women confronted with layers of dust on furniture and floors.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Scientists are reporting the discovery of the potential basis for a urine test to diagnose community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), a difficult-to-diagnose lung disease that is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. The test could save lives by allowing doctors to begin the right treatment earlier than they do now. The study appears online in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research. Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Scientists in Wisconsin are reporting discovery of a way to lower the cost of converting wood, corn stalks and leaves, switch grass, and other non-food biomass materials into ethanol fuel. The process reduces amounts of costly enzymes needed to break down tough fibrous cellulose matter in biomass for fermentation into alcohol. Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

The United States could completely stop emissions of carbon dioxide from coal-fired electric power plants? A crucial step for controlling global warming? Within 20 years by using technology that already exists or could become commercially available within a decade, scientists are reporting. The scientists outline strategies to make the phase-out possible, including the use of renewable energy and advanced nuclear power plants. Their study appears in ACS’ semi-monthly journal Environmental Science and Technology.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Scientists are reporting discovery of a more sustainable way of disposing of plastics that contain bisphenol A (BPA) — without releasing that potentially harmful substance to the environment. The new method involves exposing polycarbonate plastic waste to ultraviolet light and heat. Just as cooking makes food more digestible for humans, this pretreatment approach makes polycarbonate plastic more digestible for certain fungi, which the scientists used to break down polycarbonate plastic. Their study appears in the ACS’ monthly journal Biomacromolecules.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

For years, women in China’s Xuan Wei County in Yunnan Province — women who never smoked cigarettes — have been plagued by lung cancer. The mortality rates among female nonsmokers are the world’s highest — up to 20 times higher than average in China. A new study sheds light on the cancer epidemic and points to an unlikely source: volcanic eruptions occurring millions of years ago.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), that ubiquitous sweetener in soda, fruit drinks and processed foods, may pose another problem besides adding on the pounds. Researchers have found that heating the syrup promotes formation of potentially dangerous levels of a toxic substance in the corn syrup often fed to honey bees.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Scientists are making progress toward development of an “artificial leaf” that mimics a real leaf’s chemical magic with photosynthesis — but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

The first dry powder inhalable vaccine for measles is moving toward clinical trials next year in India, where the disease still sickens millions of infants and children and kills almost 200,000 annually.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Mention rosemary, thyme, clove, and mint and most people think of a delicious meal. These well-known spices are emerging as organic agriculture’s key weapons against insect pests.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Scientists have copied the natural glue secreted by a tiny sea creature called the sandcastle worm in an effort to develop a long-sought medical adhesive needed to repair bones shattered in battlefield injuries, car crashes and other accidents.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

If you live in the city and you like fresh veggies, herbs and flowers, how about planting a garden on your roof? “Green” roofs, those increasingly popular urban rooftops covered with plants, could help fight global climate change.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Experts estimate that people dump more than 200 million gallons of used oil each year into sewers, streams and backyards, resulting in a problem that has plagued wastewater treatment plants for decades. But an answer might be found in a material sometimes referred to as frozen smoke.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

DNA is the blueprint for every organism that ever swam, flew, crawled or walked on earth. Now, four billion years of evolution later, a few bold scientists have created a new genetic blueprint — with some profound applications.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu.

Today’s topic is research on new ways to detect and possibly treat poisoning from ricin, a potential bioterrorist agent.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by Halleck, samplecat and acclivity.

Today’s topic is research on creating a sustainable future. This discovery could render today’s landfill-bound batteries obsolete. Imagine if all you had to do to charge your iPod or your BlackBerry was to wave your hand, or stretch your arm, or take a walk? Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by crk365, man, rutgermuller, Halleck and ljudman.

In this episode, scientists from DARPA investigate whether a lethal new kind of explosive threatens America's security.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod. Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by ljudman and anton.

When you think carbohydrates, spaghetti, rice and freshly baked loaves of bread usually come to mind. A group of scientists in Germany led by Peter Seeberger see carbs a bit differently. Much more than just pasta and potatoes, they envision carbohydrates as the basis of revolutionary new vaccines and drugs to battle malaria, HIV, and a bevy of other diseases.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and M12.

Today’s topic is research on global climate change. This discovery could help control the amount of carbon dioxide — the No. 1 greenhouse gas — entering the atmosphere.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by pushtobreak, sinatra314, acclivity and kjackson.

Making grapefruit juice safer for people who take certain prescription drugsIntro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Life expectancy in the 20th Century rose by about 30 years. Advances in protecting the public health were responsible for about 25 of those precious years. Vaccination programs. Improved sanitation to better control infectious diseases. The development of antibiotics. Better prenatal care. And much more. Scientists are making strides toward sustaining that progress by fostering continued improvements in the health of the population as a whole.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), DJ Rkod and Neurowaxx; Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by pfly, fogma, jascha, alienbomb, ERH and zerolagtime.

Blueberries, raspberries and grapes bursting with flavor. A luscious, silky morsel of chocolate melting into a mouthful’s rush of pure pleasure. Fresh ripe tomatoes. Years ago, people ate for that gratification. Food also provided the calories for people to work, and drove away hunger pangs. Today, people in industrialized countries are selecting food not just for taste and sustenance, but also for its potential effects in promoting good health.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and M12 (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by volivieri, digimusic, thedoctor, Dzork and agent.

Every Thanksgiving, family and friends gather to celebrate round dinner tables heaped high with roast turkey and other traditional dishes. There’s praise and thanks for the food, of course. But maybe we should add a word of thanksgiving for the scientific advances that are helping to keep our food supply safe from a host of threats that can really spoil a meal.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and M12 (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by mich3d, galeku, patchen and kokuya.

Join Global Challenges as it investigates a suite of new fuels and energy sources that may help to power society in the years ahead. Scientists are developing these new energy sources to supplement the coal and conventional natural gas we now use to produce electricity for heating, cooling, and lighting. New fuels hold special promise as sustainable energy sources that minimize the release of carbon dioxide and combat global warming.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), vo1k1 and M12 (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by rockdoctor, Percy Duke, Walter Odington, Robinhood76, pcaeldries, jamiedaniel, sinatra314 and Halleck.

Amid growing concern about high gasoline prices, global warming, and limited resources of petroleum, scientists and engineers around the world are on a quest for new fuels — alternatives to conventional petroleum, natural gas, and coal. On their radar screens are new sources of familiar old ethanol that do not strain the food supply and futuristic fuels like “green gasoline” and “designer” hydrocarbons.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Darkroom and M12 (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by LG, Halleck, Han1, Heigh hoo, Gorgee de biere, dkelly99, kjackson and reinsamba.

Despite the revolutionary medical advances in the 20th Century, great challenges lie ahead in our fight against disease. Heart disease, cancer, chronic diseases of aging, infection with the AIDS virus, and antibiotic-resistant microbes are just a few of those challenges. Fortunately, chemists and other scientists are determined to launch new revolutions in medicine — revolutions in the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of disease.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and M12 (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by cognito_perceptu.

How chemistry helps protect personal safety and national security.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Neurowaxx and DJ Rkod (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by martypinso, soundkit03, daveincamas, jollysea, alienbomb, ljudman, ERH and digifishmusic.

How some of the world's leading chemists are meeting the challenge of sustainability.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Pitx and mykleanthony (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by kjackson, julayjb, bansemer, acclivity, TwistedLemon, vibe crc and gallagho.

Confronting global climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), DJ Rkod, Pitx, mykleanthony, Ben Riordan and oldDog (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by lonemonk, digifishmusic, WIM, acclivity, pushtobreak, dobroide and kjackson.

Confronting global climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.Intro theme and music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Neurowaxx and oldDog (ccmixter.org); Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes sounds by ERH, WIM, acclivity, Charel Sytze and Twisted Lemon.