In this episode:
0:46 Turning a toxic by-product into iron
Red mud is a toxic by-product of aluminium manufacture, and millions of tonnes of it is produced each year. The majority ends up in landfills, pumped into vast lakes or stored in dried mounds, posing a serious environmental risk. This week, researchers demonstrate how red mud can be reused to make iron, a vital component in the production of steel. As their method uses hydrogen plasma rather than fossil fuels, they suggest it could be a way to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the steelmaking industry.
Research article: Jovičević-Klug et al.
News and Views: Iron extracted from hazardous waste of aluminium production
09:36 Research Highlights
The economics of next-generation geothermal power plants, and the folded-fabric robot that crawls like a snake.
Research Highlight: Flexible geothermal power makes it easier to harness Earth’s inner heat
Research Highlight: Origami fabric robot slithers like a snake
20:53 Briefing Chat
A computational model that predicts a person's likelihood of developing long COVID, NASA finally crack open the lid of OSIRIS-REx’s sample container, and how the ‘Moon Sniper’ craft pulled off the most precise lunar landing ever.
Nature News: Long-COVID signatures identified in huge analysis of blood protein
Johnson Space Centre: NASA’S OSIRIS-REx Curation Team Reveals Remaining Asteroid Sample
Nature News: Japan’s successful Moon landing was the most precise ever
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