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Microscopic black holes may explain all dark matter in the universe

In the vast expanse of the cosmos, there is much more than meets the eye. For every kilogram of visible matter in the universe, from the computer on your desk to the distant stars and galaxies, there are 5 kilograms of invisible “dark matter” that permeate our surroundings.

This enigmatic dark matter evades direct observation yet exerts its invisible pull on the visible objects around us.

Fifty years ago, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking proposed a fascinating idea about the nature of dark matter. He suggested that it might consist of a population of black holes that formed in the early stages of the universe, mere moments after the Big Bang.

Bill Gates-backed startup creates Lego-like brick that can store air pollution for centuries: ‘A milestone for affordably removing carbon dioxide from the air’

The pipe dream of carbon capture is one step closer to reality thanks to a Bill Gates-backed startup that is burying bricks made from plants.

The Washington Post detailed a “deceptively simple” procedure by Graphyte to sequester blocks of wood chips and rice hulls, calling it “a game-changer” for the industry, which has been held back by the cost ineffectiveness of other methods.

“The approach, the company claims, could store a ton of CO2 for around $100 a ton, a number long considered a milestone for affordably removing carbon dioxide from the air,” the outlet reported.

Quantum chemistry and simulation help characterize coordination complex of elusive element 61

When element 61, also known as promethium, was first isolated by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1945, it completed the series of chemical elements known as lanthanides. However, aspects of the element’s exact chemical nature have remained a mystery until last year, when a team of scientists from ORNL and the National Institute of Standards and Technology used a combination of experimentation and computer simulation to purify the promethium radionuclide and synthesize a coordination complex that was characterized for the first time. The results of their work were recently published in Nature.