Iron

Although lumber does show promise as a renewable alternative to structural materials such as steel, it still tends to be weaker than those substances. Scientists have now set about addressing that shortcoming, by strengthening wood with added iron.

California-based startup Inlyte wants to offer a scalable alternative to lithium-ion storage batteries with its sodium-iron tech, and it will soon manufacture cells in the US to showcase its benefits.

Astrophysicists have done a bit of crime scene investigation. They’ve traced radioactive elements on the seafloor back to the cosmic explosions they might have come from – and potentially linked the event to evolutionary changes in viruses in Africa.

While growing evidence suggests that there’s a link between blood iron levels and the development of Alzheimer’s disease, new research investigating the effects of an available iron-reducing drug has raised concerns about its use as a treatment for the condition.

Researchers have discovered the mechanism linking the overconsumption of red meat with colorectal cancer, as well as identifying a means of interfering with the mechanism as a new treatment strategy for this kind of cancer.