A new method is being developed to assess the odorous impact of composting
According to some estimates, every year over 8,000 million tonnes of urban waste are generated worldwide, and there is every reason to believe that this figure will increase over the coming years due to population growth. One process that seeks to find a use for part of this huge amount of waste is composting, by which organic waste is converted into fertiliser.
Researchers disprove one of the most widespread assumptions among geneticists regarding DNA
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A study by a Córdoba research team, just published in Proceedings of the USA National Academy of Sciences, shows that spontaneous DNA gaps are not – as hitherto believed – equivalent to those produced during DNA repair
Ever since DNA was first isolated in 1869, the scientific community has constantly sought to determine how it works, and reveal its secrets. Despite advances in this field, a great deal still remains to be discovered. A good example is the research published today in Proceedings of the USA National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) by a University of Córdoba research groupassigned to the Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica (IMIBIC) andled by two professors in the Department of Genetics, Rafael Rodríguez Ariza and María Teresa Roldán Arjona.
Scientists develop a new material for manipulating molecules
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A scientist at the University of Córdoba, working with an international research team, has created a new porous single-crystal material which could have numerous applications in nanotechnology and catalysis.
Porous materials contain intermolecular spaces or cavities between atoms. Because these cavities, known as pores, can store and even separate molecules, such materials are of great value in the field of nanotechnology. Already of unquestionable importance in industrial applications, there is still some scope for improving the properties of porous materials.
Improved perovskite stability for third-generation solar cells
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Research at the University of Córdoba, published in Nature Energy, has led to the stabilisation of perovskite solar cells using guanidinium.
Increasing concern regarding the exhaustion of traditional energy sources has triggered a race to find alternatives. The development of solar cells, which convert sunlight into electricity, is constantly advancing.
Theeffect of rainfall and vegetation in controlling the erosion of Mediterranean cropland
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Researchers at the University of Córdoba’s Department of Agronomy are examining the use of rainfall and plant cover as variables for predicting gully formation.
Gully formation is one the most common features of soil erosion in Mediterranean environments. Gullies – incisions or ditches produced by the action of water running over the soil surface – are mostly found in dry lands, which are naturally more sensitive to the negative impact of erosion. Gully formation is becoming a major concern for farmers in the Mediterranean area.
Scientists at the University of Córdoba are validating a new molecular biology research technique with a rodent species that could be used as a model
Mus musculus is the most common mouse species, and the mammal most widely used in laboratory experiments, among other things because its genome and immune system are very similar to those of humans, making it a useful model.