WASHINGTON, D.C.—Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, issued the following statement after U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer announced new trade agreements between the U.S. and four countries in Southeast Asia—Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. 

“American farmers and rural communities want and need new markets—like the ones that will be created and enhanced by these new trade agreements,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “Global demand for ethanol is growing and the Trump administration continues to find ways to create new opportunities for this industry while positioning American producers to make the most of them. These new deals will be welcome news across the heartland, and we commend USTR for its commitment to building American energy dominance through the strength of our trade relationships.”  

Learn more about global market opportunities for American ethanol in Southeast Asia and around the world here.

The post Growth Energy Welcomes New Trade Deals with Southeast Asia appeared first on Growth Energy.

Life’s origin story just became even more mysterious. Using mathematics and information theory, Robert G. Endres of Imperial College London found that the spontaneous emergence of life from nonliving matter may be far more difficult than scientists once thought.

GLP-1 drugs, originally developed for diabetes and obesity, may also curb addictive behaviors by acting on reward circuits in the brain. Early trials show reductions in alcohol intake, opioid seeking, and nicotine use. Though more research is needed, scientists believe these drugs could open a powerful new front in addiction therapy.

New research shows that hippos lived in central Europe tens of thousands of years longer than previously thought. Ancient DNA and radiocarbon dating confirm they survived in Germany’s Upper Rhine Graben during a milder Ice Age phase. Closely related to modern African hippos, they shared the landscape with cold-adapted giants like mammoths. The finding rewrites Ice Age history and suggests regional climates were far more diverse.

MIT researchers have devised a new molecular technique that lets electrons probe inside atomic nuclei, replacing massive particle accelerators with a tabletop setup. By studying radium monofluoride, they detected energy shifts showing electrons interacting within the nucleus. This breakthrough could help reveal why matter dominates over antimatter in the universe.

Dinosaurs weren’t dying out before the asteroid hit—they were thriving in vibrant, diverse habitats across North America. Fossil evidence from New Mexico shows that distinct “bioprovinces” of dinosaurs existed until the very end. Their extinction was sudden, not gradual, and the recovery of life afterward mirrored climate-driven patterns. It’s a powerful reminder of life’s adaptability and fragility.

Scientists have found that mushrooms can act as organic memory devices, mimicking neural activity while consuming minimal power. The Ohio State team grew and trained shiitake fungi to perform like computer chips, capable of switching between electrical states thousands of times per second. These fungal circuits are biodegradable and low-cost, opening the door to sustainable, brain-like computing.

Researchers have uncovered microbial evidence in the remains of Napoleon’s soldiers from the 1812 Russian retreat. Genetic analysis revealed pathogens behind paratyphoid and relapsing fever, diseases likely contributing to the army’s massive losses. Using advanced DNA sequencing, the team pieced together centuries-old infection clues, connecting historical accounts with modern science. Their work redefines our understanding of how disease shaped history’s most infamous retreat.

Inside your body, an intricate communication network constantly monitors breathing, heart rate, digestion, and immune function — a hidden “sixth sense” called interoception. Now, Nobel laureate Ardem Patapoutian and a team at Scripps Research and the Allen Institute have received $14.2 million from the NIH to map this internal sensory system in unprecedented detail.

For the first time, scientists have seen a subduction zone actively breaking apart beneath the Pacific Northwest. Seismic data show the oceanic plate tearing into fragments, forming microplates in a slow, step-by-step collapse. This process, once only theorized, explains mysterious fossil plates found elsewhere and offers new clues about earthquake risks. The dying subduction zone is revealing Earth’s tectonic life cycle in real time.

Scientists have uncovered that glaciers can temporarily cool the air around them, delaying some effects of global warming. This self-cooling, driven by katabatic winds, is nearing its peak and will likely reverse in the next two decades. Once glaciers lose enough mass, they will heat up faster, speeding their decline. The team urges immediate global action to curb emissions and manage dwindling water resources wisely.

Researchers found that combining regular exercise with omega-3 supplements can make a big difference for oral health. The duo helps the immune system fight off chronic tooth root infections and reduces bone loss around the teeth. In animal studies, those that both exercised and took omega-3s had much lower inflammation and healthier bone structure.

A new study shows that eating more fruits and vegetables during the day can significantly improve sleep that same night. Researchers found a clear link between diet quality and sleep depth, with participants who met the CDC’s daily produce recommendations seeing a 16% boost in sleep quality. The findings suggest that small dietary changes could make a big difference in how well we rest.

Japanese researchers discovered that hair graying and melanoma share a surprising cellular origin. When DNA damage strikes melanocyte stem cells, they may undergo a protective process called seno-differentiation, leading to hair graying. However, carcinogens can override this safeguard, allowing the damaged cells to persist and turn cancerous. This balance between cell loss and survival reveals a hidden connection between aging and cancer.

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists at Trinity College Dublin have identified a "universal thermal performance curve" that governs how all living organisms respond to temperature. This finding reveals that evolution has been unable to escape a single, unifying rule linking performance and heat across every branch of life—from bacteria and plants to reptiles and fish. The curve shows that while organisms perform better as temperatures rise, performance rapidly collapses beyond an optimal point, posing grave risks in a warming world.

Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a revolutionary gene-editing method using bacterial retrons that can correct multiple disease-causing mutations at once. Unlike traditional tools limited to one or two mutations, this retron-based system replaces large defective DNA regions, dramatically improving efficiency and inclusivity for patients with complex disorders like cystic fibrosis.

A UCLA-led team has achieved the sharpest-ever view of a distant star’s disk using a groundbreaking photonic lantern device on a single telescope—no multi-telescope array required. This technology splits incoming starlight into multiple channels, revealing previously hidden details of space objects.

Researchers found that neurons can use fat, not just sugar, to power the brain. When a protein called DDHD2 fails, this process breaks down and leads to serious brain problems. Scientists were able to restore damaged cells by feeding them fatty acids, reviving their energy in just 48 hours. The discovery could help pave the way for new brain treatments.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, issued the following statement from CEO Emily Skor today in response to the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) announcement of a Section 301 investigation into China’s implementation of its commitments under the Phase One Agreement:

“The U.S. cannot stand by while its trading partners fail to live up to their commitments, particularly when farmers and rural communities across the country are facing a period of significant economic challenges. We applaud USTR for taking a closer look at China’s failure to fully deliver on its Phase One commitments. While China briefly resumed imports of U.S. ethanol immediately following the agreement, those purchases represented baseline trade levels rather meaningful increases and have since dissipated—they did not reflect the sustained market access that American producers were promised.

“For years, China’s tariffs and non-tariff barriers have prevented U.S. ethanol producers from competing in one of the world’s fastest-growing fuel markets. Growth Energy raised these concerns in our March submission to USTR regarding unfair trade practices, and we welcome USTR’s renewed focus on holding China accountable.

“Ensuring fair and reciprocal access to global markets is essential to American energy dominance, and to the strength of America’s farm economy and rural communities. We look forward to continuing to work with USTR and the Administration to restore full and fair access for U.S. biofuels in international markets.”

Learn more about the USTR investigation here.

 

The post Growth Energy Applauds USTR Investigation into China’s Implementation of the Phase One Trade Agreement appeared first on Growth Energy.

David’s Notes

1.🌴I’m going back to Cali! The state’s YIMBYs are still buzzing from Gavin Newsom signing SB79, a hugely significant bill that, among other things, allows denser housing near transit across the state. At this November 6 Canary Live event, I will sit down with housing policy advocate and cleantech investor Kim-Mai Cutler to talk about SB79 and more. As always, we’ve set aside a handful of free tickets for paid Volts subscribers. Register your interest here.

2. 🍖I just got back from Spain! I spent ten days in Madrid, Granada, and Cordoba with Mrs. Volts and the oldest boy, who is doing a semester abroad there. Much fun was had by all, though I remain severely jetlagged.

I wrote a thread on Bluesky about … well it turned out to be mostly about the food. Here it is, as text:

On my way home from a week in southern Spain, a few reflections. Love the walkable streets. Love the sociable culture of outdoor cafes. Love the schedule -- late (heavy) lunch, late (light) dinner, late nights, slow mornings. Love the Arab bath/spa. Love the history. But friends, I must admit... I did not like the food. Like really didn’t like it. For instance: within 48 hours of arriving I was deeply, existentially sick of ham. Like I never want to see ham again. The very word “ham” causes me to shudder. But my god it is *everywhere*, on every menu, in every dish, on every vegetable.

There’s a standard and highly limited Andalusian menu -- ham, potatoes, white bread, oily everything, f’ing croquettes -- that barely varies from restaurant to restaurant, and there are very few exceptions. Like you gotta *work* to find anything else, any other cuisine. It’s fine for a meal, maybe two, but ... again? And again? And again? It’s not just eating one cuisine all the time, it’s a very *narrow* cuisine. A relatively small handful of items. And that handful includes *no* vegetables. Like it is genuinely difficult to find a fresh vegetable. I have no idea how vegetarians survive in southern Spain. Order something called “salad” & you get ... potato & tuna salad. Order “asparagus” & you get overcooked, stringy asparagus ... covered in ham. We went to *numerous* restaurants where there literally was not a single vegetarian dish on offer.

We found a tapas place with a picture of lettuce on the menu so we eagerly ordered it and it was ... a head of romaine, quartered. Maybe a little oil drizzled on it? But that’s it. “Tomatoes” was ... a plate of sliced tomatoes. We must be the only ones who ordered it? The one reliably present vegetable was eggplant ... in tempura batter, deep fried, drizzled with honey. (Yummy, but not exactly healthy.) We eventually found a thai place, a mexican place, an italian place. None of them were particularly good, I’m sad to say. Seattle foodie culture has spoiled me.

Anyway. We had a great time, saw some absolutely amazing stuff (the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita Cathedral in Cordoba), but I couldn’t live there. Too many tourists and the food ... I’m worried I’m going to have nightmares about ham.

Oh I wanted to mention one other thing that I loved: plazas! They’re not unique to Spain, obviously -- in fact they’re common in almost all cities outside North America. But I find every single one a pure joy. People are sitting, standing around, kicking soccer balls, listening to music ... *living*.

Plazas! One of those things that I think is so basic to any European that it almost sounds weird to call it out and celebrate it ... but at the same time is almost entirely alien to most Americans. Outdoor living rooms, basically. I can’t tell you what a good feeling they give me. The thing is, to work, to be “activated” in the jargon, a plaza has to be accessible by foot, by lots of people. We’ve all seen those big, austere, empty urban plazas (Atlanta, where I am, has several) in US cities. They don’t work because they’re surrounded by car sewers & only accessible by car.

Our hotel in Cordoba was immediately next to a big plaza and I spent *hours* just watching people. Hundreds of people, hanging out, coming through, some in a hurry, some strolling, some old couples, some packs of youths, some kids playing soccer. People flirting, people fighting. Just ... life. In a car-dependent city, the other people you are living in a city with are just ... drivers, competing with you for road & parking space. They are theoretical, abstract, mere impediments. When you’re walking in & around plazas, they are real, concrete, with faces, with real lives. I can’t even really capture it in words but I want to say that the lack of plazas in the US -- the lack of common public spaces where you can mix, physically, with others, and experience their faces & smells & emotions & lives -- is one explanation for our deep & extensive dysfunctions. </fin>

More thoughts on the Alhambra in this thread:

3. 🔥Subscribers know that I am extremely enthusiastic about hot rocks, ie, thermal energy storage for high-temperature industrial applications. In 2023 I did an introduction to the subject, told through the story of a startup called Rondo: “Why electrifying industrial heat is such a big deal.”

I’m quite tickled to report that Rondo has reached commercial scale:

4. ⚾2025 was the year Mrs. Volts finally lured me into becoming a true diehard fan of the Seattle Mariners, just in time to watch that ludicrously charismatic team battle through a wild, dramatic postseason, reach game seven of the ACLS playoffs, and then lose, tragically, by a single run. The Mariners remain the only team in the league that’s never reached the World Series.

Why do people like sports again?

5. 💚Hey, I realize it’s been a while since I’ve done anything special for my paid subscribers, my beloveds, my dearests, to whom I owe my life and eternal gratitude. After a somewhat sleepy summer, I got slammed into high-gear busyness a few months ago and haven’t really had a chance to come up for air since. But don’t worry, I have a few things in mind for the coming month or two. We need to catch up on the “What the F is happening"?” series and I’ve got a few solo takes I need to get off my chest. Just know that I think about you paid subscribers every day, and say a quiet little prayer of gratitude.

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