All posts tagged: North America

Texas A&M optical propulsion could cut travel time to Alpha Centauri to 20 years

Texas A&M optical propulsion could cut travel time to Alpha Centauri to 20 years

Published by skeptic

Researchers at Texas A&M University have demonstrated optical propulsion using laser-driven “metajets” with full three-dimensional control. Their lab-scale results suggest that light-powered propulsion systems could cut travel time to Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to ours, to roughly 20 years. Current space propulsion technologies would take hundreds of thousands of years to complete this journey, highlighting the immense potential of optical propulsion in driving future endeavours into the final frontier. What is optical propulsion, and why is it gaining traction? Optical propulsion uses light, typically from lasers, to generate force on objects without physical contact or onboard fuel. While the physics has been understood for decades, practical control has remained a barrier. The latest work, led by Dr Shoufeng Lan, assistant professor and director of the Lab for Advanced Nanophotonics, provides a controlled demonstration of how light alone can direct motion in multiple dimensions. Published in Newton, the study outlines a method to convert photon momentum into a measurable mechanical force. The context is stark: conventional rocket propulsion would take hundreds of thousands of …

New US method triples renewable natural gas yield from waste

New US method triples renewable natural gas yield from waste

Published by skeptic

A research team at Washington State University (WSU) has developed a sewage treatment method that significantly increases renewable natural gas output while halving disposal costs. The pilot study, published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, focuses on improving anaerobic digestion, a widely used wastewater treatment method in which microbes break down organic material to produce biogas. Traditional systems struggle with complex polymers in sewage sludge, leaving behind large volumes of unusable biosolids and producing gas with high carbon dioxide content. The WSU team introduced a pretreatment phase before digestion. Sludge is exposed to high temperature and pressure with a controlled amount of oxygen. Under these conditions, oxygen acts as a catalyst, breaking long molecular chains into simpler compounds that microbes can more easily process. Following this, researchers deployed a newly isolated bacterial strain capable of converting carbon dioxide and hydrogen directly into methane. The result is a cleaner, higher-value fuel stream. According to lead researcher Birgitte Ahring, the organism operates with minimal inputs, requiring little more than water and basic nutrients, which simplifies scaling and reduces …

Propelling manufacturing, aerospace and defence innovation through applied research

Propelling manufacturing, aerospace and defence innovation through applied research

Published by skeptic

The Centre for Innovation and Research in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials (CIRAMM) at SAIT is enhancing applied research capacity in aerospace, defence, and manufacturing sectors. At the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the Centre for Innovation and Research in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials (CIRAMM) is ready to take flight in a city known for its big blue sky. One of the centres in SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) Hub, CIRAMM collaborates with industry partners to support innovative design, simulation, manufacturing and prototyping, materials and processing, material characterisation, and robotics and automation. This applied research team is fostering cutting-edge digital manufacturing technologies and developing novel materials solutions across strategic sectors, including aerospace, defence, construction, energy and manufacturing. As rapidly evolving technologies coincided with a growing need for stronger applied research capacity in manufacturing and materials science, CIRAMM was established in 2020 under Dr Hamid Rajani’s leadership. With more than 15 years of experience in industry and academia, he leads a 20-member research team, delivering a robust portfolio of applied …

PFAS product bans expand in 2026 as US state laws take effect

PFAS product bans expand in 2026 as US state laws take effect

Published by skeptic

As of 2026, several US state PFAS statutes have shifted from phase-in to active enforcement, introducing new PFAS product bans and disclosure obligations for manufacturers and retailers. Colorado, Maine, and Vermont implemented restrictions on specified PFAS-containing products, such as cleaning products and cookware, on January 1, 2026. Connecticut’s broader prohibitions and notification requirements will follow on July 1, 2026. Minnesota’s Amara’s Law will introduce detailed manufacturer reporting obligations by July 1, 2026, increasing documentation and supplier-verification risk. Additional state proposals remain active. Which PFAS product restrictions started in 2026? From January 1, 2026, applicable PFAS product restrictions began to vary by state, but several statutes now prohibit the sale, distribution, or manufacture of consumer goods containing intentionally added PFAS, creating immediate compliance pressure. Colorado’s rules took effect on January 1, 2026, covering cleaning products, cookware, and dental floss. Vermont implemented similar restrictions on the same date, using a 100 ppm threshold that will tighten in 2027. Maine’s 2026 measures also took effect on January 1, prohibiting PFAS in cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, and juvenile products, …

Scalable PFAS destruction using advanced UV technology

Scalable PFAS destruction using advanced UV technology

Published by skeptic

Water Illumination is advancing a modular UV platform for complete PFAS destruction under ambient conditions Per -and polyfluoroakyl substances (PFAS) have rapidly evolved from an emerging contaminant concern into a central regulatory and public health priority. With binding limits now established in the United States and regulatory frameworks expanding across Europe and Asia, utilities and industrial operators are reaching a critical inflection point. For decades, the prevailing treatment model has relied on adsorption and separation technologies such as granular activated carbon (GAC), ion exchange (IX), and reverse osmosis (RO). While effective at removing PFAS from water, these systems do not eliminate the compounds. Instead, they transfer contaminants into secondary waste streams that require regeneration, incineration, or disposal. As regulatory scrutiny intensifies, the limitations of this containment-based approach are becoming increasingly visible. Disposal costs are rising, liability exposure is expanding, and the long-term fate of concentrated PFAS residuals remains uncertain. The sector is therefore shifting from a philosophy of containment towards one of permanent destruction. Water Illumination Inc., based in California, is advancing a scalable ultraviolet …

Teen and young adult cancer survivors face doubled risk of later cancers

Teen and young adult cancer survivors face doubled risk of later cancers

Published by skeptic

Researchers studying cancer survivors over a 34-year period observed that adolescent and young adult survivors of cancer were at a heightened risk of primary neoplasms – new cancers that develop after earlier cancers. The Alberta Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivor Study included all people in Alberta aged 15 to 39 years diagnosed with a first cancer between 1983 and 2017. In this 34-year study period, researchers analysed risks of future cancers, focusing on better understanding of the impact and risks of future disease and death. Of the 24,459 people included with a median follow-up of 7.4 years, 1442 (6%) developed at least one subsequent cancer. Hodgkin lymphoma and breast cancer were the most common types of cancer that saw primary neoplasms develop. The most common types of new cancer that were diagnosed were breast, lung and colorectal, representing 43% of cases. Primary neoplasms are known to occur after earlier cancers, often as a result of treatment “Although people with nearly all types of adolescent and young adult cancer investigated were at an increased risk …

Online information about PFAS falls short on practical guidance

Online information about PFAS falls short on practical guidance

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Analysis of top search results reveals gaps in PFAS risk communication and consumer advice. A new peer-reviewed study has raised concerns about the quality and usefulness of online information about PFAS, suggesting that many widely accessed sources fail to provide clear, actionable guidance for reducing exposure to the so-called “forever chemicals.” Published in Risk Analysis, the research examines how effectively websites communicate both the risks and mitigation strategies associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of persistent chemicals linked to a range of health issues, including cancer, immune dysfunction and reproductive complications. Why are PFAS dangerous? PFAS are a large class of synthetic chemicals widely used since the mid-20th century in industrial applications and consumer products such as non-stick cookware, water-repellent fabrics and firefighting foams. Their defining characteristic is an exceptionally strong carbon-fluorine bond, which makes them highly resistant to heat, water and chemical degradation. This durability also means PFAS persist in the environment and accumulate over time in soil, water and living organisms, including humans. Drinking water has emerged as a primary …

Data centre infrastructure has a PFAS pollution problem

Data centre infrastructure has a PFAS pollution problem

Published by skeptic

Andie May Hardin, Communications Intern at the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), discusses the issue of data centres contributing to PFAS pollution. As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to rise across the US and globally, data centres have expanded and multiplied in tandem to accommodate AI’s massive workload demands. These data centres host tens of thousands of servers that run 24/7 in order to keep virtual networks, cloud storage, and computing in operation. Such servers require cooling systems, semiconductors, and fire suppressants – all sources of PFAS chemicals. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, form a group of more than 15,000 synthetic chemicals best known for their applications in non-stick, water- and grease-resistant, and firefighting products. The chemical structures that make them suitable for such uses, carbon-fluorine bonds, are among the strongest known chemical bonds and are therefore resistant to breaking down in the environment – a property that has earned PFAS the nickname ‘forever chemicals.’ These forever chemicals are present in our air, soil, drinking water, and overall food …

Fermilab’s electron-beam technology takes on PFAS pollution

Fermilab’s electron-beam technology takes on PFAS pollution

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Chris Edwards, an Engineering Project Manager at Fermilab, discusses the collaboration with Proficio, utilising Fermilab’s electron-beam technology to develop methods for treating water contaminated with PFAS. The presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water systems has become a pressing concern for public health and environmental safety across the United States and beyond, resisting degradation and accumulating in ecosystems. Fermilab is stepping up to the challenge by leveraging advanced electron-beam technology to develop an innovative water-treatment system in collaboration with Proficio Consultancy. We spoke with Chris Edwards, Engineering Project Manager at Fermilab, to explore the development of this pioneering technology and shed light on its potential to transform water treatment practices and safeguard public health. Can you provide an overview of your collaboration with Proficio on the water treatment system targeting PFAS? How did the project come about, and what progress has been made so far? The U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) hired Proficio Consultancy to provide process engineering expertise to help us design an industry-grade pretreatment and post-treatment system …

California legislation moves to ban PFAS pesticides

California legislation moves to ban PFAS pesticides

Published by skeptic

A new bill introduced in California’s legislature aims to phase out the use of PFAS pesticides, a class of persistent synthetic chemicals increasingly associated with environmental contamination and human health risks. The proposal follows recent testing that detected these substances in a substantial portion of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables across the state. The legislation, Assembly Bill 1603 (AB 1603), would establish a timeline to eliminate PFAS pesticides from California agriculture, with interim measures focused on transparency and regulatory oversight. The move positions California to align more closely with jurisdictions that have already imposed restrictions on these chemicals. Evidence of contamination drives policy push Recent analyses of state data indicate that PFAS pesticide residues are present in a notable share of California-grown produce. Testing of 930 non-organic fruit and vegetable samples found detectable levels in approximately 37% of cases. More than half of the produce types examined showed at least some contamination. Separate laboratory results highlighted particularly high detection rates in stone fruits, with the majority of tested peaches, nectarines and plums containing measurable residues. …