An experiment to study the effects of naturally deposited iron in the Southern Ocean has filled in a key piece of the puzzle surrounding iron’s role in locking atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) in the ocean.

Engineers and food scientists are teaming up to develop a new type of gelled fuel the consistency of orange marmalade designed to improve the safety, performance and range of rockets for space and military applications.

Move over, oil, gasoline, and coal. Researchers are describing key advances in developing new fuels to help supply an energy-hungry world in the 21st Century in the eighth and ninth episodes in the American Chemical Society's Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions series.

Scientists in Italy are reporting that a new process could eliminate key obstacles to expanded use of coal gasification to transform that abundant domestic energy resource into synthetic liquid fuels for cars and trucks. The study is scheduled for the November 19 issue of ACS' bi-monthly journal, Energy & Fuels.

High food prices, concern over dwindling supplies of fossil fuels and the desire for clean, renewable energy have led many to seek ways to make ethanol out of cellulosic sources such as wood, hay and switchgrass. But today's processes are notoriously inefficient.

Microbes could provide a clean, renewable energy source and use up carbon dioxide in the process, suggested Dr James Chong at a Science Media Centre press briefing.

Fuel cells can be expensive and they typically don’t last as long as their internal combustion counterparts.

Researchers have been studying fuels from biomass for years. Now, with growing dependency on foreign oils and an energy-conscious society emerging, biofuels are fast becoming part of a fuel revolution that could reach pumps all across America.

Oklahoma State University’s sorghum-related biofuels research is taking a localized approach, with the aim of making possible the effective production of ethanol in the farmer’s own field.

The Kroger Co., VeraSun Energy Corp. and Enterprise Rent-A-Car announced several moves Tuesday to make VeraSun-branded VE85TM ethanol an easier choice for rental customers.

General Motors Corp. will introduce 14 new or significantly revised powertrains in the 2008 model year – including five 1.0L to 2.0L small-displacement engine variants – with a focus on saving fuel and improving performance in GM’s cars and trucks.

Platinum is the most efficient metal electrocatalyst for accelerating chemical reactions in fuel cells. However, the reactions caused by the expensive metal are slow, and undesired side reactions often degrade the electrode.