Made up of a highly reduced form of phosphorus and iron, schreibersite is a compound that’s important to the formation of life. As regular phosphorus binds quite strongly with oxygen, the highly reduced form in schreibersite was the only way for phosphorus to be freed up for use in other compounds, like those necessary for early life. Once thought to be from meteorites, research shows that schreibersite forms on Earth after the heat of a lightning strike hitting the ground breaks up the phosphorus and oxygen bonds, freeing them up. Read full article here
Technology
The First Solar-Powered Car Comes at a Hot Price
The Lightyear O is a revolutionary electric car powered by the sun. Developed by a Dutch startup, the four-door sedan has over 50 square feet of solar panels on its roof and hood, generating up to 43 miles of energy a day. With production now underway in Finland, the car does come with a hefty price tag at $262,000, but the company hopes to introduce a more affordable version, the Lightyear 2, by 2025. Read full article here