Texas A&M University

A study has found that it takes longer than previously thought for the negative effects of alcohol consumption to leave a man’s sperm. The findings are important for potential fathers to factor in when they’re considering starting a family.

Scientists have developed a new electronic “tattoo” that can monitor a patient’s blood pressure continuously. The e-tattoo is made of graphene and can be worn for long periods without getting in the way, allowing for better health data.

Lightning is a major trigger for wildfires, like the record-breaking blazes that devastated Australia and California this year. But what if we could redirect lightning to strike safely? Graphene particles trapped in a tractor beam could do just that.

Today’s bridge columns offer great strength, but a new study suggests an alternative could not only offer greater durability under seismic activity, but also be repaired on the cheap should cracks start to appear.

Carefully introducing new materials into the design of today’s lithium-ion batteries has the potential to greatly improve their performance, and scientists have just happened upon a promising possibility in carbon nanotubes.

Antioxidants fight oxidation, which can spoil food and alcohol and harm cells in the body. Now, researchers have woven antioxidants into nanofiber mats, which release the vital compounds slowly and could be useful for food coverings or bandages.

We keep finding life thriving under conditions we’d previously ruled out. The latest example comes from studies of rock cores drilled from the floor of the Indian Ocean, where microbes were discovered alive and well under almost half a mile of rock.

​According to a US Geological Survey estimate, anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of bats are killed by wind turbines annually – in the US alone. New technology may help reduce those numbers, however, by causing the turbine blades to whistle at the animals.

Forget taxes on imports. If a new scientific development lives up to expectations, the real job creator for the US could lie in harnessing lignin waste. Scientists have found a way to make high quality carbon fiber from it, which could turn industrial discards into a major money spinner.​​​​

Scientists from Texas A&M identify the neurons in mice that drive them to drink more and curb their drinking habits.

SpaceX has invited over 120 engineering teams to show off design concepts for a Hyperloop pod to a panel of judges in January. The more promising will then put their human-scale prototypes through their paces at SpaceX HQ the following US summer.​