Weird Science

[kyonides]

I was reading this article that promised us all that there is another way to produce clean energy. My curiosity made me go straight to their source to verify it with my own  eyes.

Structural basis for bacterial energy extraction from atmospheric hydrogen

Diverse aerobic bacteria use atmospheric H2 as an energy source for growth and survival. This globally significant process regulates the composition of the atmosphere, enhances soil biodiversity and drives primary production in extreme environments.

Atmospheric H2 oxidation is attributed to uncharacterized members of the [NiFe] hydrogenase superfamily. However, it remains unresolved how these enzymes overcome the extraordinary catalytic challenge of oxidizing picomolar levels of H2 amid ambient levels of the catalytic poison O2 and how the derived electrons are transferred to the respiratory chain.

Here we determined the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Mycobacterium smegmatis hydrogenase Huc and investigated its mechanism. Huc is a highly efficient oxygen-insensitive enzyme that couples oxidation of atmospheric H2 to the hydrogenation of the respiratory electron carrier menaquinone.

Huc uses narrow hydrophobic gas channels to selectively bind atmospheric H2 at the expense of O2, and 3 [3Fe–4S] clusters modulate the properties of the enzyme so that atmospheric H2 oxidation is energetically feasible.

The Huc catalytic subunits form an octameric 833 kDa complex around a membrane-associated stalk, which transports and reduces menaquinone 94 Å from the membrane.

These findings provide a mechanistic basis for the biogeochemically and ecologically important process of atmospheric H2 oxidation, uncover a mode of energy coupling dependent on long-range quinone transport, and pave the way for the development of catalysts that oxidize H2 in ambient air.

 What they are looking for is to produce energy out of a rare enzyme that does not suffer the effects of exposing itself to a high concentration of oxygen in the air. It would use hydrogen as its fuel and potentially, that would allow scientists to produce electricity.

How did they discover it?

Well, they first had to stop thinking they knew all about what was in charge of doing it.

The oxidation of atmospheric hydrogen (H2) by soils is a key biogeochemical process that shapes the redox state of the atmosphere. Until recently, this was thought to be an abiotic process, but it is now recognized that diverse aerobic bacteria from at least nine phyla oxidize atmospheric H2 and together account for 75% (around 60 Tg) of the total H2 removed from the atmosphere annually.

They believed the process would not involved any living creature, yet, a specific group of bacteria uses oxygen to capture free hydrogen molecules. What is quite interesting about it is the important part they play in such a process.

Why do they do it?

Atmospheric H2 oxidation provides bacteria with a supplemental energy source in nutrient-limited soil environments, enabling them to either grow mixotrophically or persist on air alone in a dormant but viable state for long periods...The ability to oxidize atmospheric H2 is widespread in bacteria from diverse environments, and some ecosystems—such as hyper-arid polar soils—appear to be driven primarily by atmospheric energy sources.

 What is mixotrophic anyway?
The dictionary tells us about it:

mixotrophic: deriving nourishment from both autotrophic and heterotrophic mechanisms —used especially of symbionts and partial parasites.

 OK, I guess we just got even more confused than we already were at the beginning. Let us dive a little bit more into the trophic world then.

autotrophic: requiring only carbon dioxide or carbonates as a source of carbon and a simple inorganic nitrogen compound for metabolic synthesis of organic molecules (such as glucose).

heterotrophic: requiring complex organic compounds of nitrogen and carbon (such as that obtained from plant or animal matter) for metabolic synthesis.

 This seems to tell us that such bacteria can get its nourishment from inorganic and organic components. They are basically looking for carbon dioxide and nitrogen plus some derivatives to stay alive and multiply themselves on their own.  But now we know that some of them survive thanks to consuming hydrogen as well! 

So what exactly takes care of the rest of the oxidation of hydrogen?

There are no known chemical catalysts that can oxidize atmospheric H2; this would require the selective oxidation of low concentrations of substrate (530 parts per billion by volume (ppbv)) present in an atmosphere containing a high concentration (21%) of the catalytic poison O2.

We need to recall that the  scientists were looking for the minuscule creatures that process hydrogen only. That lead them to these specific bacteria that could be exploited for energy production...

Recently, several high-affinity lineages of group 1 and 2 [NiFe] hydrogenases have been identified that input atmospheric H2-derived electrons into the aerobic respiratory chain. Whole-cell studies suggest that these enzymes have significantly higher apparent affinities for H2 (Km values 30 to 200 nM) and appear insensitive to inhibition by O2.

Before we even applaud and start jumping out of joy, we better keep reading  a little further to make sure we are not being controlled by our emotions.

However, given these hydrogenases have yet to be isolated, it remains unknown how they have evolved to selectively oxidize H2, tolerate exposure to O2 and interact with the electron transport chain. Notably, it is debated whether the hydrogenases responsible for the oxidation of atmospheric H2 have an inherently high affinity or whether their affinity is modulated by their interactions with the respiratory chain.

 Wait a second, guys! What are the hydrogenases they have mentioned above over and over again?

hydrogenase: an enzyme of various microorganisms that promotes the formation and utilization of gaseous hydrogen.

 This is confusing indeed. If we are talking about an alleged great discovery here, why does a dictionary like Merriam Webster register the term hydrogenase at all!?

What I mean is that finding out about their capabilities in recent months or years and publishing their discoveries on March 8, 2023 should take us all by surprise, wouldn't it?

Well, the answer might be that they got a method to prove that some bacteria do produce energy by consuming hydrogen BUT they cannot tell for sure which ones possess the heightened resistance to oxidation and partake in the production of energy.

 I guess this means that it could take them decades to come up with a method to separate them from the rest of the hydrogen eating bacteria and make them produce clean energy for us.

After all,  scientists began understanding the process and proving that those bacteria truly have an important role there just recently right?

So we have to conclude here that no, there is no new way to produce clean energy right away nor in the next few months for it is still being researched by several scientists.

[kyonides]

High Lithium in Drinking Water Substantially Increases Risk of Autism

Higher lithium concentrations in drinking water among pregnant women carry significant possibilities of raising the risk of autism among children, a new study has found.

The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics on April 3, looked into whether maternal exposure to lithium in drinking water is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the offspring. Conducted in Denmark, the study analyzed 8,842 children diagnosed with ASD born between 2000 and 2013. Lithium levels in the water were categorized into four groups, with the first quartile representing the lowest lithium level and subsequent quartiles having higher concentrations of lithium.

Researchers found that high lithium levels in the second and third quartiles were associated with a 24 to 26 percent higher risk of autism compared to the first quartile. The risk in the fourth quartile was 46 percent higher.

“Estimated maternal prenatal exposure to lithium from naturally occurring drinking water sources in Denmark was associated with an increased ASD risk in the offspring. This study suggests that naturally occurring lithium in drinking water may be a novel environmental risk factor for ASD development that requires further scrutiny,” the study found.

Lithium, a naturally occurring trace element, is known to have mood-stabilizing effects. The element has been linked to cardiac malformations among newborns as well as miscarriages.

Lithium usually ends up in drinking water due to weathering of underground minerals. The level of the element in water is considered to be moderate to low in Denmark.
...
“In the future, anthropogenic sources of lithium in water may become more widespread because of lithium battery use and disposal in landfills with the potential for groundwater contamination.”

Zeyan Liew, the first author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Yale University School of Public Health, pointed out that earlier research done in Denmark had already shown that ingestion of lithium via drinking could affect the onset of adult-onset neuropsychiatric disorders.

The recent study also found that high lithium levels continued to pose a higher risk of autism diagnosis even when the data was divided up by subtypes of the disorder.

The link between lithium levels and autism risk was found to be slightly higher among individuals living in urban regions compared to rural areas and small towns.

[kyonides]

Japan to Test Beaming Solar Power From Space in 2025

Japan is exploring ways to beam solar power from space, a project that’s expected to be tested in 2025, even as concerns remain about the costs involved in such a project.
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In about fiscal year 2025, a Shinohara-led group intends to see if power can be transmitted from space to the ground using small satellites.

Space-based solar power would involve placing solar panels at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers (22,369 miles). The solar energy that’s soaked up would be converted to microwaves and transmitted to receiving stations on Earth for conversion to electrical energy. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry is at the forefront of harnessing space-based solar power.

In 2015, the group successfully ran microwave transmission experiments horizontally, before attempting vertical transmission in 2018; both experiments were conducted over 50 meters. The team plans to carry out vertical experiments from 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) to 5 kilometers (3.10 miles) in the future.

Cost challenges remain a big question for space-based solar power projects. To generate about 1 gigawatt of power through this method requires solar panels equivalent to the area of a square measuring 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) on each side, an endeavor estimated to cost roughly $7 billion.

Pros & Cons

Space-based solar power has two massive benefits compared to setting up traditional solar panels on Earth. For one, vast areas of land won’t be wasted by covering it with solar panels.

Secondly, while Earth-based solar energy production can be affected by weather conditions, microwaves can pass through clouds, which would make for a stable supply of beamed-down power regardless of the time of day and weather.

The process of converting electricity into microwaves in space and then converting these microwaves into electricity at an Earth-based facility is said to be inefficient.

The solar cells in space would also be under constant bombardment by micrometeorites, thus risking significant damage. By the end life of these cells, their disposal, which would potentially litter space with more debris, raises concerns.

Other Projects

In July 2022, the UK government announced funding for such initiatives after an engineering study concluded that the technology was viable.

In the United States, a project called the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research (SSPIDR) is being conducted by the Air Force Research Laboratory that’s exploring critical technologies required for space-based solar power.

China is looking at space-based solar power as well, with a state-funded prototype program established in 2019. Beijing plans to hold a demonstration of a 100-kilowatt system in low Earth orbit in 2025. By 2030, the county intends to set up a space-based solar power station in geostationary Earth orbit at a height of 36,000 kilometers (22,369 miles).

In Europe, the European Commission is funding research activity on space solar reflectors. The project involves using large, lightweight reflectors to redirect sunlight to utility-scale solar power farms on Earth.

[kyonides]

White House Considering Blocking Sunlight to Prevent Greenhouse Warming

The White House is suggesting the “possible deployment” of radical climate change techniques like artificially blocking sunlight as part of its climate change agenda despite expert warnings that such initiatives can have devastating effects on the planet.

Solar radiation modification (SRM), also known as solar geoengineering, is aimed at preventing sunlight from accelerating the alleged warming of the planet.

“Greenhouse gasses warm the climate by blocking a portion of outgoing longwave radiation that would otherwise be emitted into space,” states the report (pdf), published by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on June 30. “By contrast, SRM cools the climate by reflecting a greater amount of incoming solar (shortwave) radiation back into space … SRM offers the possibility of cooling the planet significantly on a timescale of a few years.”

Though such artificial cooling could “reverse many of the negative consequences of climate change,” the report admits that these developments can come with “ramifications which are now poorly understood.”

The document acknowledged that the research program could help the United States prepare for a “possible deployment” of SRM through public or private actors.

SRM will not undo the consequences of greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, “SRM would not ameliorate most of the impacts of ocean acidification … nor eliminate the tendency for fossil fuel burning to worsen air quality.”

In addition, “SRM might halt but would not result in the rapid reversal of some important manifestations of climate warming, such as loss of land ice and greenhouse gas emissions from thawing permafrost.”

The report also warns about several potential negative consequences of SRM. The procedure can trigger changes in stratospheric temperatures, a rise in sea levels, acidification of oceans, and alteration in precipitation patterns. It can also affect terrestrial vegetation, biodiversity, ecosystems, crop production, and coral reefs.

“Model simulations show that the chemistry of the stratosphere may change, and atmospheric circulations may intensify in ways that may lead to seasonal-scale impacts such as more frequent extreme drought or precipitation events,” the report stated. “Gaps remain in our understanding of how SRM deployments might irreversibly alter the Earth’s climate system.”

In an open letter published in January last year, a group of scientists and scholars called for an international non-use agreement on solar engineering, arguing that such a deal will “inhibit further normalization and development of a risky and poorly understood set of technologies that seek to intentionally manage incoming sunlight at planetary scale.”

The signatories include Frank Biermann from the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development in the Netherlands, Melissa Leach from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex in the UK, and David Schlosberg from the University of Sydney in Australia.
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“Solar geoengineering is not necessary. Neither is it desirable, ethical, or politically governable in the current context. With the normalization of solar geoengineering research moving on with rapid speed, a strong political message to block these technologies is needed. And this message must come soon.”

 Even movies like the Matrix showed us how easily it could WRONG, and they could wind up destroying the environment, first the sky and then the surface as well. Hey! The scientists and activists even warns us now that such a plan is really devastating.

Or do you really need more killer droughts and destructive rains taking place right where you live right now or next month or next year?

And why do they care more about ice rather than people and animals and even plants themselves?
Or do they now believe that all animals can live in harsh environments like polar bears and some penguins do?
This Ragnarokian type of obsession clearly shows us that they're out of their minds. They no longer use logic, they're simply pursuing some crazy agenda. The same agenda that promoted the killing of 200,000 cows in Ireland to "fight climate change" and the like, when in reality they want people to starve just because.

It's about time we separate sci-fi plots from public policies. Yet, the current White House seems to love such movies, entirely ignoring the consequences those films also explored for good reasons.