Source: earth.com

One-electron carbon bond observed for first time

Chemists have observed for the first time covalent bonds between two carbon atoms with only one electron, a bonding behavior that deepens the understanding of chemical bonds. “We aim to clarify what a covalent bond is — specifically, at what point does a bond qualify as covalent, and at what point does it not?” says chemist Takuya Shimajiri, part of the team that has designed a molecule capable of stabilizing a single-electron carbon-carbon bond, allowing the observation of the short-lived structure.

Full Story: Nature

Infrared Milky Way map reveals over 1.5B cosmic objects

Astronomers have illustrated the Milky Way galaxy in the most detailed infrared map to date, compiled from over 13 years of information from the European Southern Observatory and consisting of more than 1.5 billion cosmic objects. “We made so many discoveries, we have changed the view of our galaxy forever,” says Dante Minniti, an author of the paper in Astronomy & Astrophysics, which describes hypervelocity stars, newborn stars and globular clusters that contain the galaxy’s oldest stars.

Full Story: Popular Science

Producing yeast from gases

Researchers developed a method to produce yeast using carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and oxygen, alongside acetate, mimicking beer brewing to create a protein-rich and folate-sufficient product. This sustainable approach requires no farmland and aims to improve food security while reducing reliance on livestock farming.

Full Story: Green Queen

Fossilized ecosystem illuminates Early Pennsylvanian

A preserved ecosystem from about 320 to 318 million years ago has revealed some of the earliest evidence of major terrestrial animal groups, and of complicated insect-plant interactions, from the Early Pennsylvanian period, citing fossils of more than 100 organisms in North America’s Wamsutta Formation. “The exceptional preservation of delicate impressions and traces allows us to reconstruct behaviors and ecology in ways not usually possible with body fossils alone,” says paleoecologist Jacob Benner, an author of the study.

Full Story: ScienceAlert

Researchers develop predictive model for river avulsions

Researchers have developed a predictive framework for river avulsions, which are sudden shifts in a river’s course, using advanced lidar technology. The study, which analyzed 174 avulsions, found that both sediment buildup and topography influence these events, with significant implications for flood-prone areas, especially in the Global South.

Full Story: Earth

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