Laurel Hamers

2 weeks ago | techxplore.com | Laurel Hamers

University of Oregon chemists are bringing a greener way to make iron metal for steel production closer to reality, a step towards cleaning up an industry that's one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions worldwide. The research was published in ACS Energy Letters. Last year, UO chemist Paul Kempler and his team reported a way to create iron with electrochemistry, using a series of chemical reactions that turn saltwater and iron oxide into pure iron metal.

2 months ago | scitechdaily.com | Laurel Hamers

University of Oregon researchers discovered a 480-million-year-old sex chromosome in the California two-spot octopus, making it one of the oldest known animal sex chromosomes. This finding confirms that cephalopods use chromosomes to determine sex. The chromosome was identified in female octopuses but not males, and further research found it in other cephalopods, suggesting an ancient and stable system.

2 months ago | eurekalert.org | Laurel Hamers

The octopus just revealed another one of its secrets: what determines its sex. University of Oregon researchers have identified a sex chromosome in the California two-spot octopus. This chromosome has likely been around for 480 million years, since before octopuses split apart from the nautilus on the evolutionary tree. That makes it one of the oldest known animal sex chromosomes.

Jan 13, 2025 | phys.org | Laurel Hamers

Oregon's Cascade Range mountains might not hold gold, but they store another precious resource in abundance: water. Scientists from the University of Oregon and their partners have mapped the amount of water stored beneath volcanic rocks at the crest of the central Oregon Cascades and found an aquifer many times larger than previously estimated—at least 81 cubic kilometers.

Dec 4, 2024 | scitechdaily.com | Laurel Hamers

A University of Oregon study reveals challenges in forensic DNA mixture analysis, particularly for groups with low genetic diversity, which are at higher risk for false positive results in criminal investigations. Researchers reveal the complexities and limitations of forensic DNA analysis, especially when dealing with DNA mixtures from genetically similar groups.