Researchers develop a new process to get lithium out of rocks

If it scales up, it can help us diversify our sources of a key element. While we make batteries based on many different chemistries, nothing has approached the massive scale at which we can produce lithium batteries. That scale makes the economics of lithium-ion batteries hard to compete with.…

How pigeons exploit magnetic fields for navigation

Iron-rich immune cells in the liver may act as sensors for magnetic fields, serving as an internal compass. Scientists have long known that migrating birds and homing pigeons navigate in part by sensing the Earth’s magnetic fields, especially at night or in overcast conditions when visual landmarks or sunshine…