VaTech, D.O.E, Russians, collaborators study rare microorganism that produces...

"An ancient organism from the pit of a collapsed volcano may hold the key to tomorrow's hydrogen economy. Scientists from across the world have formed a team to unlock the process refined by a billions-year old archaea. The U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute...

ethanol production from cellulose

"There is a growing recognition that corn ethanol is unlikely to provide a long-term solution, or one that is environmentally sustainable, and so scientists are turning to cellulose as an alternative."

Researchers 'look into' plant cells to increase ethanol yields

Cellulosic ethanol would allow industry to expand beyond the limits brought about by corn's other uses, like sweetener production, animal feed and grain exports

HIV Microbicide Gel Tests Halted

"This is some scary shit right here: scientists have stopped tests for a vaginal gel meant to block HIV transmission in unprotected sex. Scientists have been working with women from a number of African nations to investigate the effectiveness of the microbicide called...

Scientists: Wood makes plastic stronger (AP)

" SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Scientists at the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry are developing a way to add wood fiber to plastic to make it stronger. The process focuses on extracting nanocrystals of cellulose out of woody materials, like...

Researchers Develop Cellulose-Based Lightweight Material as Tough As Metal

"The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that a Kyoto University research team has developed a material based on microfibrillar cellulose (MFC) that is as tough as metal, but much lighter. The team projects that the material could replace metals and oil-based plastics in a number of...