Synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) measured on the XMaS beamline at the ESRF was used to characterize the alloy composition and crystalline surface corrosion of three copper alloy Tudor artefacts recovered from the undersea wreck of King Henry VIII's warship the Mary Rose. The XRD method adopted has a dynamic range ∼1:105 and allows reflections <0.002% of the height of major reflections in the pattern to be discerned above the background without smoothing. Laboratory XRD, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy, synchrotron X-ray fluorescence and X-ray excited optical luminescence–X-ray near-edge absorption structure were used as supporting techniques, and the combination revealed structural and compositional features of importance to both archaeology and conservation. The artefacts were brass links believed to be fragments of chainmail and were excavated from the seabed during 1981 and 1982. Their condition reflects very different treatment just after recovery, viz. complete cleaning and conservation, chemical corrosion inhibition and chloride removal only, and distilled water soaking only (to remove the chlorides). The brass composition has been determined for all three at least in the top 7 µm or so as Cu(73%)Zn(27%) from the lattice constant. Measurement of the peak widths showed significant differences in the crystallite size and microstrain between the three samples. All of the links are found to be almost chloride-free with the main corrosion products being spertiniite, sphalerite, zincite, covellite and chalcocite. The balance of corrosion products between the links reflects the conservation treatment applied to one and points to different corrosion environments for the other two.

The crystal structure of the organic pigment 2-monomethyl-quinacridone (Pigment Red 192, C21H14N2O2) was solved from X-ray powder diffraction data. The resulting average structure is described in space group Poverline 1, Z = 1 with the molecule on the inversion centre. The molecules are arranged in chains. The molecules, which have no inversion symmetry, show orientational head-to-tail disorder. In the average structure, the methyl group is disordered and found on both ends of the molecule with an occupancy of 0.5 each. The disorder and the local structure were investigated using various ordered structural models. All models were analysed by three approaches: Rietveld refinement, structure refinement to the pair distribution function (PDF) and lattice-energy minimization. All refinements converged well. The Rietveld refinement provided the average structure and gave no indication of a long-range ordering. The refinement to the PDF turned out to be very sensitive to small structural details, giving insight into the local structure. The lattice-energy minimizations revealed a significantly preferred local ordering of neighbouring molecules along the [0ar 11] direction. In conclusion, all methods indicate a statistical orientational disorder with a preferred parallel orientation of molecules in one direction. Additionally, electron diffraction revealed twinning and faint diffuse scattering.

The crystal structure of the nanocrystalline pigment mono­methyl-quinacridone was solved from X-ray powder data. The orientational disorder was investigated using Rietveld refinements, structure refinement to the pair-distribution function, and lattice-energy minimizations of various ordered structural models.

Structural investigations of amorphous and nanocrystalline phases forming in solution are historically challenging. Few methods are capable of in situ atomic structural analysis and rigorous control of the system. A mixed-flow reactor (MFR) is used for total X-ray scattering experiments to examine the short- and long-range structure of phases in situ with pair distribution function (PDF) analysis. The adaptable experimental setup enables data collection for a range of different system chemistries, initial supersaturations and residence times. The age of the sample during analysis is controlled by adjusting the flow rate. Faster rates allow for younger samples to be examined, but if flow is too fast not enough data are acquired to average out excess signal noise. Slower flow rates form older samples, but at very slow speeds particles settle and block flow, clogging the system. Proper background collection and subtraction is critical for data optimization. Overall, this MFR method is an ideal scheme for analyzing the in situ structures of phases that form during crystal growth in solution. As a proof of concept, high-resolution total X-ray scattering data of amorphous and crystalline calcium phosphates and amorphous calcium carbonate were collected for PDF analysis.

A new type of X-ray LLL interferometer, a `hard' interferometer, which has both a base and a `ceiling', is tested for experimental investigations. The tested interferometer has no preliminary uncontrollable moiré and can be used for object and deformation investigations.

A Washington, D.C., think tank issued a report that says California Virtual Acadmies, a major online school network, has had more dropouts than graduates in most years.; Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

A report released Thursday by a labor group-affiliated Washington think tank is questioning the education provided by an online public school program that says it is in a union fight.

The report by In the Public Interest, a group funded by unions, says the thousands of students enrolled in the California Virtual Academies online public school known as CAVA are receiving a  substandard education by most measures.

"So in every year since CAVA began graduating students, with the exception of 2013, it has produced more dropouts than graduates,” said Shahrzad Habibi, who authored the report.

She said state test score data show that 71 percent of California public schools performed better than the virtual academies.

The report calls on California officials to investigate the online schools’ administration and finances.

California Virtual Academies enrolls about 14,000 kindergarten to 12th grade students through 11 sites, including those in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Fresno. It is run by a national for-profit company called K12 Inc.

In a written statement, California Virtual Academies did not dispute the reported low student performance numbers, but denied other allegations in the study, which it called “inaccurate and deeply flawed.”

“The report relies primarily on misinformation from the California Teachers Association — the union currently engaged in a coordinated and well-funded distortion campaign to unionize the eleven independent California Virtual Academies charter schools.”

In the Public Interest, which supports the work of labor unions, partnered with the American Federation of Teachers last year on a website to track for-profit charter school companies.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Good morning. I am Dr. Alice Gast and I am here today with Dr. David Relman as the chair and vice chair of the Committee on the Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI’s Investigation of the 2001 Bacillus anthracis Mailings.

The National Academy of Sciences is presenting its 2015 Public Welfare Medal to astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson

Conducting clinical investigations of mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRT) in humans is ethically permissible as long as significant conditions and principles are met, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Centering science instruction around investigation and design can improve learning in middle and high schools and help students make sense of phenomena in the world around them.

The opioid epidemic in the U.S. is driving a simultaneous epidemic of infectious diseases — including HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and bacterial infections, and sexually transmitted infections — but workforce shortages, stigma, and financial and policy barriers are preventing the integration of opioid use disorder (OUD) and infectious disease services, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

A decade-by-decade display of how many active gas storage wells are still in use by Southern California Gas Company. Source: Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources and SoCalGas; Credit: Aaron Mendelson/KPCC

The Aliso Canyon gas leak broke out near Porter Ranch nearly four years ago. On Tuesday a City Councilman called for an investigation of a different underground gas field after troubling images surfaced on video. 

The video uses a special infrared camera to show a duck swimming in the Ballona Wetlands amid bubbles of gas. An environmental advocacy group, Food and Water Watch, says the gas is methane.  They released the video this week to push for the city to investigate the underground gas storage field in nearby Playa del Rey.

Southern California Gas Co. says the gas surfacing in the wetlands is naturally occurring and unrelated to its underground natural gas storage field in Playa del Rey.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

In 2008, the injection of CO2 started at Ketzin in Germany, Europe’s first onshore carbon storage site. A recently published paper has reported on the findings of experiments conducted on the rocks at Ketzin, which contributed important information about their safety and feasibility for storing CO2. No significant changes to the rocks were observed 15 months after they had been injected with CO2.

A new study into the impact of railway noise has revealed that it is not just the level of noise that contributes to annoyance for local residents, but also the number of trains and the vibrations they cause. As railway transport is likely to increase in coming years, plans are needed to reduce these effects.

Renewable energy plays an important role in economic development, according to a recent study which investigated the relationship between economic growth and energy consumption in Europe.

Satellite images could be used as evidence in environmental crime cases in the future, a Belgian judge and researcher predicts. However, there are several obstacles to their use at present. Notably, they do not provide sufficiently detailed evidence for the courtroom.

A team of UK researchers has analysed interviews with a selection of farmers from across England in an effort to determine the sociocultural factors influencing their decisions to cooperate with each other on collaborative agri-environment schemes (cAES). Results from this study have significance for the success of AES in the region, as it may be that only by collaborating on such schemes can farmers adequately conserve crucial landscape-scale ecological processes. The study finds that cAES which provide greater flexibility, with opportunities for farmer involvement in scheme design and locally targeted and clearly defined aims, are more likely to gain support from farmers. Farmers might also be more receptive to environmental interventions if they could be partially involved in cAES.

An investigation into the attitudes of Canadian soil-remediation experts has shown that they tend to prefer conventional remediation methods over phytoremediation — which relies on plants to clean soils — despite evidence that the latter can have advantages. The researchers behind the study highlight that this ‘status-quo bias’ poses a barrier to the uptake of novel technologies such as phytoremediation, and that scientists may need to find different ways of disseminating evidence to increase the use of new techniques among practitioners.

The Supreme Court of Western Australia has ordered $175,100 be forfeited to the Commonwealth, following an Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigation into proceeds of crime seized at Perth Airport in 2018.

An author from Harpenden has been longlisted for a prestigious award.

An author from St Albans has been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s prestigious 2020 Romantic Novel Awards.

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Prof Subra Suresh, a Distinguished University Professor and President of NTU Singapore, was honoured by his alma mater, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, which launched the Prof Subra Suresh Institute Lecture Series....

Amid accusations of bias and corruption, the agency's inspector general will investigate its review of the proposed oil-sands pipeline from Canada.

Actor to be honored during Global Green's 15th Annual Millennium Awards for his work in fighting for a ban on hydrofracking.

A '60 Minutes' investigation shows that the company that owned the Deepwater Horizon rig moved its headquarters to avoid paying taxes.

A neighbor called the police on a Chicago mom for letting her 8-year-old walk the dog alone.

Her application inspires Paris Summer Innovation Fellowship selection officials to look beyond age and take a chance on a kid with passion.

Stigma is a harsh reality for people who have mental health problems, because it prevents them from enjoying a normal and productive life. Learn More about the devastating effects of stigma.

A loving member of her city, Sister Stoss believes we must contribute positivity to the world

Mr. Delaney has excelled as a business and civic leader for more than 40 years

Mr. Corhan is a distinguished administrator and alumnus of Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn

Mr. Royston accepted a Citation for Community Service from Governor William Donald Shaeffer of Maryland

A respected voice in his community, Dr. Serwatka's career fights for the equality of many

Mr. Repp has dedicated his career to Utah LGBTQ+ advocacy and equality through THE SUNTRAPP

Ms. Hamilton opened Hamilton House Child and Family Safety Center in 2011 to provide a safe space for children and families amidst police investigations

Judge Grannis helped to create LEAPS, also known as the Legal Education for Parents and Students Program

Mrs. Whitaker assumed her role as executive director of Extra Special People when she was just 19 years old

Mr. Silverio was profiled in the Heroes Among Us by People Magazine

Ms. Narvarte has maintained her involvement as the director of membership development for the Lodi Chamber of Commerce

Mr. Robinson is a published author and producer/director of more than 100 video and television programs

Mr. Moran was presented with the General Douglas MacArthur Award by the United States Olympic Committee

Ms. Mallard was honored as the Teacher of the Year by Winter Springs High School in 2019

The Rev. Milton was eponymously honored with the Reverend Jerome R. Milton Track: Home of Champions

Mr. Poploskie was recognized as the 2018 Pennsylvania State Athletic Director of the Year for the Philadelphia region

A respected physical education teacher, Mr. DeJoy also teaches his students how to give back

Ms. Mattson implements decades of experience in physical education and athletic coaching to her present posts

Mr. Kinkelaar was celebrated as the National Handler of the Year in 2019