IITGN researchers have prepared low-cost, sustainable, and scalable nitrogen-doped porous carbons by mixing cow dung with melamine and potassium bicarbonate to tackle fossil fuel emissions and global warming. While melamine provides nitrogen for improved performance, potassium bicarbonate is a green, less corrosive, and effective activating agent to create a high surface area. The material’s activity in terms of trapping CO₂ molecules was 58% better than that of pristine carbon. Good adsorption capacity at low temperature and excellent regeneration stability over multiple cycles make it a suitable candidate for large-scale deployment. Minimal wastewater generation makes the process environmentally sustainable.

Edvard Munch used materials that make his paintings vulnerable to the ravages of time. A new digital tool now shows how much The Scream may change over the next 300 years.

A research team led by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) in collaboration with the University of Maryland (UMD) has engineered a dry-preservable cultured cell line expressing the odorant receptor Or47a. The cell line responded specifically to its target odor molecules both before and after being stored in a dried state at room temperature for 2 weeks. This is an initial step towards the development of cell-based portable devices for odor sensing.

The coming into force of the UN High Seas Treaty in January raises many questions. One particularly pressing issue is where protected areas should be established by 2030. A German researchers team aims to gain a better understanding of the changes in marine biodiversity caused by climate change and to develop specific recommendations for improving marine conservation.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s TENNLab, founded in 2015 by Electrical Engineering and Computer Science assistant professor Katie Schuman, advances neuromorphic (brain-inspired) computing by coordinating research across the full technology stack—materials, devices, architectures, algorithms, and applications. The lab partners widely with U.S. military and national labs plus industry leaders, has earned over $5 million in AFRL funding, and trains a cross-disciplinary workforce.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers invented a reusable adhesive from waste polymers that is tougher than commercial glues, works underwater as well as in dry environments, and bonds a variety of materials, including wood, glass, metal, paper and polymers. Inspired by the way mussels stick stubbornly to surfaces, the innovative adhesive contains reversible chemical crosslinkers that allow the hardened glue to soften, detach and be reused, unlike current glues, which set permanently after one use.

Industry experts from tech companies, equipment makers, utilities and data center developers gathered recently at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to brainstorm research and technology pathways to securely integrate AI data centers with the electric grid. 

Conversations of Apeksha Srivastava with Dr Asha Liza James, Dr Deekshi Angira, and Dr Gayathri Purushothaman, all of whom completed their PhDs at IITGN, reveal the many paths that women can take and flourish in science. From curiosity and mentors to facing obstacles and overcoming them, the three scientists reflect on the importance of exploration and collaboration in sustaining their work. Their stories highlight the courageous, passionate, resilient, and supportive outlook needed to shape the careers of women in STEM today.