Coconut-blend fuel vs. jet fuel: Engines can’t distinguish, the environment can

Original coconut-blend fuel performed similarly to jet fuel with reduced hydrocarbon emissions

Osaka Metropolitan University

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Coconut oil is processed into SAF, which is chemically similar to the commonly used jet fuel JET A-1.

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Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University

With airlines and consumers increasingly concerned about carbon, nitrogen, and hydrocarbon emissions, biofuels have emerged as a green alternative. Among these, those made from coconut oils are particularly attractive as they have fatty acid chain lengths similar to the hydrocarbon chain lengths required for jet fuel, suggesting that they could make effective fuels with minimal processing.

Now, using a unique co-solvent method, a team from Osaka Metropolitan University has created a coconut oil-based fuel that could be added to jet fuel without lowering performance.

The co-solvent method combines coconut oil extracts with acetone and alcohol. This process allows fuel to be produced under ambient temperature and pressure, reducing energy consumption and ensuring purity during manufacturing. They created two biofuels that could potentially be added to conventional jet fuel: FAME using methanol; and FAEE using ethanol.

To investigate the ideal blend, they varied the ratio of FAME and FAEE with Jet A-1, a conventional jet fuel. The researchers wanted to find the ideal ratio that balanced fuel consumption, thermal efficiency, and exhaust gas emissions using a small turbojet engine.

They found that despite increases in fuel consumption as the biofuel blending ratio increased, which was likely due to differences in the heating values of the two fuels, thermal efficiency remained comparable to that of Jet A-1.

Their trials also showed a decrease in hydrocarbon emissions as well as no significant changes in CO₂ or NO emissions, two pollutants that are largely responsible for the carbon and nitrogen footprints of airlines.

“The experiments showed that our fuel blend can operate in existing gas turbine engines without major loss of efficiency or engine performance, and without increasing emissions,” Dr. Huynh Phuong Uyen Nguyen of the Graduate School of Sustainable System Sciences summarized.

The findings could be especially important for Asian countries. In Southeast Asia, approximately 30% of harvested coconuts are discarded because they do not meet commercial standards, creating a potential source for biofuel production, especially as the region is at risk of fuel shock.

“In the future, we want to improve fuel consumption performance and establish technologies for operating engines on 100% biofuel,” Dr. Ogawa said. “Looking ahead, we also want to advance the practical application of this fuel by improving its long-term storage stability, material compatibility, and environmental impacts through life cycle assessment.”

The study was published in Fuel.

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About OMU

Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through the “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Instagram, LinkedIn.

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Journal

Fuel

DOI

10.1016/j.fuel.2026.140208 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Combustion and emission characteristics of aviation biofuel derived from coconut oil using the co-solvent method: toward eco-friendly micro jet engines

 

Area affected by wildfires in Europe could almost triple due to climate change

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)

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Increasingly hot, dry and windy conditions could substantially extend the area affected by wildfires across Europe, according to a new study led by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) with contributions from the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research. In a low emissions scenario (SSP1-2.6), the researchers calculate roughly 39 percent more land would be burnt per year by the end of the century compared to today’s average. In a high emissions scenario (SSP3-7.0), it would be around 192 percent. While emissions reductions are crucial to reducing the impacts of fires, the results also show that improvements in prevention, early detection and firefighting have a key role to help to reduce the scope of area affected.  

“Climate change is driving up fire activity across Europe as hot, dry and windy conditions become more severe,” said Maik Billing, researcher at PIK and lead author of the study published today in Global Change Biology.

“Our results indicate there could be widespread increases in burned area even under comparatively low warming of around 1.8°C. But if we emit more, and global temperatures rise by roughly 3.6°C, we see fires become much more prevalent, especially around the Mediterranean and across much of Western and Central Europe, including areas that to date have not experienced many fires,” Billing added.

The researchers compared the projected annual average in 2070-2100 with the reference modelled period 2000-2030.

Investment needed to keep up with rising fire conditions

The paper also employs a second approach developed by the Senckenberg co-authors that models the effects of human action to prevent, detect and fight fires in a world with higher temperatures. Continued improvements in fire management have the potential to reduce burned area by 92 percent in a 1.8°C future and 72 percent at roughly 3.6°C. However, the authors cautioned that the results could be optimistic when it comes to the efficacy of fire management in a much warmer climate.

“We see fire conditions are increasing, so we need to invest more. If Europe increases investment in wildfire management: training fire crews, proper equipment, good coordination etc., our projections show that this can make a significant difference. But if fires become really extreme, our ability to contain them might break down and we do not know yet where this point is. The recent record fires in France clearly show that we cannot simply extrapolate from the experiences of the past,” commented Senckenberg scientist and study co-author Thomas Hickler.

The findings come amid another severe wildfire season in Europe. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), around 550,000 hectares have burned across the EU as of 12 August 2026, about two and a half times the (20-year) average for this point in the year.

“The fires in France, Spain and Greece show how quickly hot, dry and windy weather conditions can stretch firefighters and their resources,” says Kirsten Thonicke, PIK scientist and co-author of the study.

“With climate change, conditions could become so extreme that we really hit limits to what we can do to prevent and fight fires once they get to a certain size. So, reducing emissions is absolutely essential, together with strengthening local fire management,” Thonicke concluded.

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Journal

Global Change Biology

DOI

10.1111/gcb.71043 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Future projections of burned area in Europe highlight the importance of human action

Article Publication Date

20-Aug-2026

 

Not every mother feels ready to care for her newborn immediately after giving birth

A study by researchers from Wroclaw Medical University found that anxiety and psychological flexibility are stronger predictors of mothers' perceived readiness for newborn care than postpartum pain or physiological changes

Wroclaw Medical University

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Prof. Izabella Uchmanowicz, PhD, DSc
Co-author
Professor, Department of Research Methodology, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland

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Credit: Credit: Wroclaw Medical University

The first days after childbirth are a time of profound change – not only physically, but emotionally as well. Although the rooming-in model, in which mothers and newborns stay together around the clock, is standard practice in maternity wards, not every woman feels ready to care for her baby independently from the very first hours after delivery. 

Researchers from Wroclaw Medical University set out to investigate what determines this sense of readiness. Their findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, show that psychological factors – particularly anxiety levels and the ability to cope with difficult emotions – play a much greater role than pain or physiological changes after childbirth. 

Readiness is more than just skills 

The study involved 200 women staying in a maternity ward 48–72 hours after giving birth. Researchers assessed participants' self-reported readiness to care for their newborn during both day and night, as well as their readiness to breastfeed. They also examined associations between readiness and pain, anxiety, mood, social support, psychological flexibility, and postpartum changes in blood parameters. 

The results showed that readiness to care for a newborn is not simply a consequence of good physical health or previous parenting experience. Rather, it reflects a woman's own perception of whether, at that particular moment, she has sufficient physical and emotional resources to care for her baby independently. 

Readiness to care for a newborn is not an assessment of a mother's competence. It reflects her own perception of whether, considering her current physical and psychological condition, she feels capable of caring for her baby independently, - explains Dr. Anna Prokopowicz, Head of the Department of Fundamentals of Midwifery. 

Anxiety was the strongest factor 

The analysis revealed that women experiencing higher levels of anxiety on the second day after childbirth rated themselves as significantly less ready both to care for their newborn independently and to breastfeed. Psychological flexibility – the ability to act effectively despite physical or emotional discomfort – was also an important factor. In contrast, postpartum pain and the normal physiological decline in hemoglobin levels had a much smaller impact. 

The most important finding of our study is that a woman's readiness to care for her newborn is influenced more by her psychological condition than by purely physical factors. Anxiety proved to be a much stronger determinant than pain or normal postpartum physiological changes, which suggests that greater attention should be paid to the emotional well-being of new mothers, - says Prof. Izabella Uchmanowicz, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery. 

Breastfeeding readiness is not the same as readiness to care for a newborn 

The study confirmed that women who felt more ready to breastfeed also tended to feel more prepared to care for their newborn. However, the two concepts are not identical. 

The authors point out that some women may be highly motivated to breastfeed while still feeling unprepared for around-the-clock newborn care. The findings therefore challenge the common assumption that readiness to breastfeed automatically means readiness to provide independent newborn care. 

Our findings show that readiness for independent newborn care can differ considerably between women as early as the second day after childbirth. From a practical perspective, this means we should not assume that giving birth automatically translates into readiness for 24-hour newborn care. Assessing maternal readiness could serve as a simple starting point for discussing the support a woman needs and help tailor postpartum care to her current capabilities, - says Dr. Anna Prokopowicz. 

Time for more individualized postpartum care 

According to the authors, the findings may have practical implications for postpartum care. A brief assessment of anxiety or perceived readiness could help healthcare professionals identify women who need additional support, particularly during the first days after childbirth, when fatigue and emotional strain are often at their highest. 

It may be especially important to tailor support according to the time of day. Although readiness for daytime and nighttime care was strongly correlated, women were more likely to report the highest levels of readiness for daytime care than for nighttime care. This suggests that nighttime may represent the period of greatest burden and the greatest need for support. 

The rooming-in model offers many benefits, but it should not assume that every woman has the same physical and emotional resources immediately after giving birth. A brief assessment of maternal readiness could help identify women who need additional support earlier and enable care to be better adapted to their individual needs, - concludes Prof. Izabella Uchmanowicz. 

What you should know 

How can new mothers be better supported during the first days after childbirth? 

Ask how she feels. A simple question about how ready she feels to care for her newborn can help identify women who may need additional support. 

Pay attention to both psychological and physical well-being. Readiness for newborn care is highly individual and reflects a mother's current capabilities. Healthcare professionals should therefore consider not only her clinical condition but also her own assessment of her preparedness. 

Build confidence through practice. Support from a midwife or lactation consultant during the first attempts at breastfeeding and newborn care can strengthen a mother's confidence and sense of competence. 

Remember that every woman experiences the postpartum period differently. Readiness to care for a newborn varies from one mother to another and may change from day to day. Postpartum care should therefore remain flexible and responsive to individual needs. 

Readiness to breastfeed does not always mean readiness for around-the-clock newborn care. A woman may be highly motivated to breastfeed but still require additional support in the first days after childbirth. 

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Journal

Journal of Clinical Medicine

DOI

10.3390/jcm15124522 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Maternal Readiness for Newborn Self-Care in the Early Postpartum Period: Associations with Maternal Psychophysical State and Declared Breastfeeding Readiness

 

Researchers develop electronic skin for prosthetics to sense temperature and pressure

Washington State University

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A robotic hand fitted with 3D-printed sensor module developed by the research team from Washington State University. The electronic skin can detect pressure and temperature at a fine level, laying the groundwork for bionic skin that could be used on prosthetics to help amputees and others.

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Credit: Photo by Sravanthi Yalamanchili/WSU

PULLMAN, Wash. – An electronic skin with a sensing system that can detect pressure and temperature could someday be used to help amputees gain feeling in their prosthetics.

The work, led by Washington State University researchers and published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, can sense at ten times a finer scale than current commercial glove sensors.

“This approach democratizes the production of medical-grade e-skins, making advanced tactile feedback viable for widespread clinical adoption,” said Hongyi Shen, graduate student in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and first author on the paper. “This work lays a crucial foundation for a full bionic skin with both sensing and haptic stimulation functions on prosthetics.”

Haptic stimulation replicates the sense of touch. Providing even partial sensation for amputees could greatly improve their ability to perform tasks. While there are electronic skins available now, they are expensive and have low sensing resolution. They also often don’t fit people well and only cover small regions. In fact, the more that e-skins are made to a custom shape, the worse they perform in sensing ability. Furthermore, the large amount of data generated from the sensing arrays mean that they don’t work well in real-time.

“Often these devices are forced to compromise between comfort and mechanical reliability,” said Shen.

The WSU researchers developed a customizable sensing system for prosthetics that conforms to the freeform shape of limbs and better mimics real human skin in its sensing abilities. The sensor modules they created are thin-layered sandwiches that incorporate temperature and pressure sensors. The elements allow human-like tactile sensing, enabling reliable identification of surface texture and material properties.

The researchers used a “scan-model-print” manufacturing method that allows for high-density sensing at the same time as the personalized, 3D fabrication.

“The scanner basically scans the prosthetic and then, based on the geometry, we map our sensors as a multimodal sensing system with that geometry,” said Kaiyan Qiu, Berry Family Assistant Professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and corresponding author on the paper. “This enables our sensing system to have seamless coverage over the freeform region on the prosthetics.”

The sensors are accurate and reliable and can measure both pressure and temperature at a high density across a flat or curved surface. Rather than requiring adhesives, modules of sensors snap together like Legos.

“Our main manufacturing method using 3D printing and laser cutting is relatively simple, so it could be relatively low cost and convenient,” said Qiu.

The project was partially supported by WSU’s National Science Foundation Research Traineeship in Next-Generation Robotics (NRT-LEAD), led by Prashanta Dutta, Richard Schneider Jr. Professor and director in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. Dutta is also a corresponding author on the paper. Additional support was provided by Qiu’s WSU startup and Cougar Cage funds.

The researchers have submitted an invention disclosure for a provisional patent with the WSU Office of Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship team. They are also working on an actuator that will eventually convert the sensing signals of the e-skin to let an amputee know what they’re touching. That would entail converting the sensing signals to stimulation and signaling of nearby nerves.

Shen, who is an NRT-LEAD trainee, said he has had a longtime interest in helping people in rehabilitation settings and has a background in sensor work and 3D printing.

“By doing this, I combined my interests,” he said. “I think what we are doing in this project is really someday going to help amputees make their life easier with our device.”

 

Hongyi Shen, left, a graduate student in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University, and Professor Kaiyan Qiu helped lead a project that developed an electronic skin that can detect pressure and temperature.

Credit

Photo by Sravanthi Yalamanchili/WSU

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Journal

Cell Reports Physical Science

DOI

10.1016/j.xcrp.2026.103458 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

A geometry-aware and customizable multimodal sensing system for texture and material identification in prosthetics

 

Longer meal intervals linked to faster disease accumulation in older adults

Karolinska Institutet

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Adrián Carballo Casla

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Credit: Photo: Maria Yohuang

Older adults who typically had longer intervals between meals accumulated chronic diseases more rapidly over time than those with shorter intervals, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. The association was most pronounced among people aged 78 years and older.

Interest in fasting has increased in recent years, but relatively little is known about how meal timing affects health in older adults. In this new study, researchers investigated whether the duration of the longest daily interval between meals was associated with the accumulation of chronic diseases over time.

The researchers used data from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K), which includes 2,981 people in Stockholm who were aged 60 years or older at the start of the study. Participants were followed for up to 15 years. The duration of intervals between meals was estimated from participants’ self-reported information about when they typically ate during a 24-hour period.

Association seen across disease types

Longer intervals between meals were associated with faster accumulation of chronic diseases over time. In particular, people whose longest interval between meals during a typical day was 14 to 24 hours accumulated chronic diseases more rapidly than those whose longest interval was 6 to 11.5 hours. The association was observed for the total number of chronic diseases, as well as for cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diseases, but not for musculoskeletal diseases.

“Much of the research on fasting has been conducted in younger or middle-aged populations. Our findings suggest that the associations may be different in older adults, particularly among the oldest age groups”, says Adrián Carballo Casla, last author of the study and postdoctoral researcher at the Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet.

The researchers emphasise that the study cannot determine cause and effect. Although longer intervals between meals were linked to faster disease accumulation, the study cannot establish whether the fasting pattern independently contributed to this outcome.

For information on funding and any potential conflicts of interest, please see the study.

Publication: “Habitual fasting duration and accelerated multimorbidity in older adults”, Luis Kalmbach, David Abbad-Gomez, Giorgi Beridze, Fernando Rodríguez-Artalejo, Davide Liborio Vetrano, Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga, Adrián Carballo-Casla, Journal of Internal Medicine, online August 20, 2026, doi: 10.1111/joim.70150

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Journal

Journal of Internal Medicine

DOI

10.1111/joim.70150 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

“Habitual fasting duration and accelerated multimorbidity in older adults”

Article Publication Date

20-Aug-2026