Nature Podcast24 Jan 2024

Toxic red mud could be turned into 'green' steel

In this episode:

0:46 Turning a toxic by-product into iron

Red mud is a toxic by-product of aluminium manufacture, and millions of tonnes of it is produced each year. The majority ends up in landfills, pumped into vast lakes or stored in dried mounds, posing a serious environmental risk. This week, researchers demonstrate how red mud can be reused to make iron, a vital component in the production of steel. As their method uses hydrogen plasma rather than fossil fuels, they suggest it could be a way to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the steelmaking industry.

Research article: Jovičević-Klug et al.

News and Views: Iron extracted from hazardous waste of aluminium production

09:36 Research Highlights

The economics of next-generation geothermal power plants, and the folded-fabric robot that crawls like a snake.

Research Highlight: Flexible geothermal power makes it easier to harness Earth’s inner heat

Research Highlight: Origami fabric robot slithers like a snake

20:53 Briefing Chat

A computational model that predicts a person's likelihood of developing long COVID, NASA finally crack open the lid of OSIRIS-REx’s sample container, and how the ‘Moon Sniper’ craft pulled off the most precise lunar landing ever.

Nature News: Long-COVID signatures identified in huge analysis of blood protein

Johnson Space Centre: NASA’S OSIRIS-REx Curation Team Reveals Remaining Asteroid Sample

Nature News: Japan’s successful Moon landing was the most precise ever

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