Thousands evacuated as wildfires sweep through southern Albania amid heatwave
Wildfires in southern Albania have forced the evacuation of six villages and injured three people as extreme heat fuels blazes across the Balkans....
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
Australian scientists have developed a new method to produce ammonia gas from air using artificial lightning, presenting a breakthrough in green ammonia production that is both decentralized and scalable.
The University of Sydney team created a more efficient plasma-based process to produce ammonia directly in its gaseous form, bypassing older methods that first yielded ammonium in solution and required extra steps and energy for conversion.
"In this research, we've successfully developed a method that allows air to be converted to ammonia in its gaseous form using electricity," said Professor PJ Cullen, the study's lead researcher.
Ammonia is traditionally produced through the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process, invented in the 19th century, which relies heavily on fossil fuels. The new approach excites nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the air using electricity, mimicking artificial lightning. These excited molecules are then passed to a membrane-based electrolyser to convert them into ammonia gas.
The research, published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition under the German Chemical Society, highlights the potential for a decentralized ammonia production model, reducing dependence on large fossil fuel-based facilities.
Researchers emphasised that their plasma-electrolysis process is already energy efficient and scalable, with further improvements underway to enhance its performance and broaden its application in the global transition to green fertilisers and fuels.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
As Greece swelters under an intense heat wave, electricity demand and wholesale prices have soared to record highs, straining the national grid and pushing infrastructure to its limits.
From Hawaii’s fiery lava fountains to Italy’s ash-filled skies, it may feel like volcanoes are erupting everywhere in 2025. With nearly 50 eruptions already this year, many are asking, is the Earth getting more active? The truth is far less alarming, and far more fascinating.
Greece’s fir forests are vanishing as climate change fuels extreme heat, prolonged drought, and pest outbreaks, leaving once-lush mountains scarred by dying trees.
Storms and rising seas are washing away Barcelona’s man-made beaches, putting tourism and coastal life at risk, according to residents in the area. In Montgat, locals say their summers by the sea are vanishing.
The United Nations' top court has declared that failing to curb emissions violates international law, marking a historic moment for global climate justice and setting the stage for future legal action against polluting states.
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