To “unsee” something is a term widely used on social media when a person wishes they had not seen something. This is the neologism that comes to mind when we are faced with images of grotesque “plastic rocks”: an involuntary human creation composed of minerals, polymers, and animal remains.
The plastics contaminating our oceans and rivers are yet another negative outcome of our dependence on fossil resources, in addition to atmospheric pollution and global warming. The pressing need to transition to low-carbon processes is driving the search for alternative energy sources and materials, which need to be technologically viable, environmentally sustainable, and capable of meeting growing demand, among other requirements.
One promising fuel that has been studied for many years and is now starting to be produced at a faster pace is hydrogen gas (H2). Although the chemical element Hydrogen (H) is abundant in nature, it is rarely found in isolation. H2 can be obtained from a range of sources, including by breaking down water and ethanol molecules or by reforming natural gas.
The hope is that hydrogen will replace fossil fuels in sectors such as transport and energy-intensive industries, explains editor Yuri Vasconcelos in a comprehensive report on this issue’s cover topic.
Shortly after the Big Bang, when the Cosmos was basically a thick cloud of hydrogen and helium, the first stars and galaxies began to emerge from the agglutination of the existing chemical elements. The James Webb Space Telescope, which began operating in late 2021, recorded the beginning of this process by identifying galaxies that were fully formed when the Universe was just 5% of its current age. As well as advancing our understanding of the genesis and evolution of galaxies, these images have also been used to calculate the speed at which the Universe is expanding.
Another chemical element from the periodic table, niobium, also gets a mention in this issue. The Retrospect section tells the story of the veterans of a Brazilian project dedicated to producing the metal. The quest for self-sufficiency in the use of niobium in equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging machines has yielded industrial and academic results.
Brazil’s 200-year-old National Library, guardian of the country’s bibliographic heritage, is a national treasure. Marco Lucchesi, a professor of comparative literature at UFRJ, was named president of the institution this year, with the mission of making it more accessible. In an interview with FAPESP journalist Christina Queiroz, the poet and writer talked about his work as head of the library and the importance of literature and history research when it comes to translating literature into Portuguese, an activity to which he also contributes.
To close, there is welcome news. A new platform for scientific communication has been launched by Albert Einstein Hospital, based in São Paulo. Science Arena publishes reports, essays, and articles on scientific research from Brazil and worldwide. The platform is coordinated by journalist Bruno de Pierro, a former colleague of ours at Pesquisa FAPESP. Long live the initiative!
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