Industry News (opens original source in a new tab)ScienceDailyScientists discover bacteria that lock toxic uranium into a stable formDeep underground, bacteria may be capable of doing something remarkable: trapping toxic uranium before it spreads. When researchers fed microbes in uranium-contaminated mine water with glycerol, about 95% of the dissolved uranium disappeared within 130 days. The bacteria helped convert it into an unusually stable uranium compound that had rarely been observed before. (opens original source in a new tab)9 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)ElectrekParis now requires electric scooter riders to wear high-vis vests or face finesParis is getting tougher on electric scooter safety, with new rules now requiring riders to wear both a helmet and a high-visibility vest while using their scooters on public roads. (opens original source in a new tab)Micah Toll·9 August 2026
Industry News (opens original source in a new tab)ScienceDailyChemists set electrons free and break a decades-old chemistry barrierChemists have developed a catalyst that breaks a long-standing rule governing which molecules receive electrons during chemical reactions. By releasing electrons directly into solution, the technique could unlock reactions—and potentially useful new molecules—that were previously out of reach. (opens original source in a new tab)9 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)FreightWavesBorderlands Mexico: USMCA gives Mexico an edge as global trade barriers riseThis week in Borderlands Mexico: USMCA gives Mexico an edge as global trade barriers rise; SpaceX plans $16.8B Texas factory; and Taiwan AI firm invests $450M in Ciudad Juárez. The post Borderlands Mexico: USMCA gives Mexico an edge as global trade barriers rise appeared first on FreightWaves. (opens original source in a new tab)Noi Mahoney·9 August 2026
Industry News (opens original source in a new tab)ScienceDailyDinosaurs became giants — so why did they never become tiny?Dinosaurs conquered the land at enormous sizes, but strangely, they almost never evolved into truly tiny animals. New research suggests that physiology alone can’t explain this missing miniature end of the dinosaur spectrum—and that early mammals may have been partly responsible. While dinosaurs kept mammals from becoming large, small mammals may have returned the favor by occupying ecological niches that could otherwise have supported mouse-sized dinosaurs. (opens original source in a new tab)9 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostChina’s AI models spooked Wall Street. But they may turbocharge industry growthBreakthroughs in cheap Chinese open-weight artificial intelligence models have spooked US investors, but analysts argue plummeting model costs will benefit the AI industry in the long run by supercharging global demand for AI systems. Companies across the AI industry have slashed prices in recent weeks, with large-language model (LLM) inference prices per million tokens falling from above US$2 at the start of June to just US$1.2 this week, according to research firm Silicon Data’s LLM Token... (opens original source in a new tab)Xinmei Shen·9 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostSmart planning, not panic, must guide Asia’s data centre buildoutAcross the United States, home to 37 per cent of the world’s 10,800 or so data centres, 2026 has been awash with protests against this infrastructure buildout. On July 18 alone, 142 protests were reported across 42 states. According to Data Centre Watch, 75 US data centre projects worth US$130 billion have been blocked or delayed. According to recent Pew research, the more Americans know about data centres, the more negative they are: 67 per cent of American adults are anxious about their impact (opens original source in a new tab)David Dodwell·9 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)ElectrekZero will pay new riders to get on electric motorcycles… just not in the USZero Motorcycles has launched a new incentive program that offers cash back to newly licensed riders who purchase one of the company’s electric motorcycles or scooters. It’s an interesting way to encourage new motorcyclists to skip internal combustion and go electric from day one. (opens original source in a new tab)Micah Toll·9 August 2026
Industry News (opens original source in a new tab)ScienceDailyWine, beer, or spirits? Massive study finds a surprising health divideA study tracking more than 340,000 adults for over a decade found that heavy drinking increased the risk of death regardless of beverage type. At lower levels, however, the picture became more surprising: beer, cider, and spirits were linked to higher mortality, while wine was associated with lower risk. Moderate wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular death compared with people who rarely or never drank. (opens original source in a new tab)9 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)AxiosGOP may be stuck with Rep. Max Miller in OhioRep. Max Miller appeared to let a crucial Saturday withdrawal cutoff pass in Ohio's 7th Congressional District, effectively closing Republicans' last practical window to replace the embattled incumbent on the November ballot.Why it matters: A district that favors Republicans has suddenly become a <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/04/ohio-gop-mess-2026-elections" targ (opens original source in a new tab)Andrew Pantazi·9 August 2026
Clean Energy (opens original source in a new tab)CleanTechnicaPower Systems Have More Flexibility Plans Than Flexible GridsGrid flexibility is easy to mistake for a technology market. One jurisdiction announces several gigawatt-hours of batteries, another creates a new ancillary-service product, and a third launches a capacity auction, pumped-hydro program or demand-response target. Those are meaningful signs of activity, but they do not answer the harder question: can ... [continued] The post Power Systems Have More Flexibility Plans Than Flexible Grids appeared first on CleanTechnica. (opens original source in a new tab)Michael Barnard·9 August 2026
