Energy Supply Problem 2.0
A University of Alabama engineering professor hopes to swap rare-earth minerals used in electric machines with more abundant substitutes to drive down costs and encourage swifter adoption.
Environment & Nature
Caving for Climate
A 10,000-year-old weather report? Come on. That’s going a tad deep into the archives, isn’t it? Yet, that’s the untold story that caves on a South Pacific island are expected to reveal to a group of University of Alabama geologists beginning this week.
Cleaning the World
A device shown to reduce vehicle emissions heads down the commercialization road.
Could ‘Multi-Vitamins’ for Microbes Help Protect Marshes from Oil?
A high-tech version of a basic principle used 8,000 years ago in reducing unwanted materials is at the heart of an effort by University of Alabama scientists to lessen the Gulf oil spill’s impact on fragile coastal marshes.
Researcher Explores ‘Cryptic,’ Abundant Algae
If you brushed your teeth this morning, poured dressing on your salad at lunch, or licked the cold sweetness of ice cream from your lips this afternoon, you’ve likely had a close encounter with algae.
Researchers Study Stream Ecology in the Arctic
A group of University of Alabama researchers regularly endure the Arctic’s frigid conditions to learn more about the relationships between the area’s free-flowing streams and the organisms that survive, even thrive, because of those streams.
Catch and Release
A drought-interrupting rain showers a trio of anglers, but they remain undeterred from their task – despite the weather and a complete lack of interest in catching fish.
Up, Up and Away!
University of Alabama engineering researchers can now be seen high in the sky. After many years of analyzing air-quality on the ground, UA is the second university in the country operating a Sky Arrow airplane investigating global climate change causes and impacts.
Underground Weather Reports
One of Alabama’s popular spots under the ground is helping University of Alabama scientists understand more about global warming on top of the ground.
Under-Appreciated River is Home to One of Continent’s Most Endangered Animals
Unlike its well-publicized and environmentally troubled neighbor, the Cahaba, Alabama’s Sipsey River doesn’t get much attention. But a pair of University of Alabama researchers, who recently studied portions of the Sipsey’s biodiversity, say waiting until environmental problems arise before appreciating the area’s richness would be a mistake.