China has dominated the market for rare earth elements, but US scientists and companies are scrambling to catch up.
Abandoning fossil fuels and adopting lower-carbon technologies are our best options for warding off the accelerating threat of climate change.
Weather forecasting is important for various sectors, including agriculture, military operations, and aviation, as well as for predicting natural disasters like tornados and cyclones. It relies on predicting the movement of air in the atmosphere, which is characterized by turbulent flows resulting in chaotic eddies of air.
However, accurately predicting this turbulence has remained significantly challenging owing to the lack of data on small-scale turbulent flows, which leads to the introduction of small initial errors. These errors can, in turn, lead to drastic changes in the flow states later, a phenomenon known as the chaotic butterfly effect.
To address the challenge of limited data on small-scale turbulent flows, a data-driven method known as Data Assimilation (DA) has been employed for forecasting. By integrating various sources of information, this approach enables the inference of details about small-scale turbulent eddies from their larger counterparts.
Sublime Systems is trying to drive down the carbon footprint of cement production.
Cement hides in plain sight—it’s used to build everything from roads and buildings to dams and basement floors.
Fusion is a kind of nuclear power, which could revolutionise how clean energy is produced. As a new wave of experiments heats up, can fusion live up to the hype?
00:33 The future of green energy.
02:00 What is nuclear fusion and how does it work?
03:17 Is it achievable?
Continue reading “Is nuclear fusion the future of clean energy?” »
This may sound great at first glance, but researchers say it could signal the start of a “vicious cycle.”
The world is undergoing an insect apocalypse, with our buggy friends experiencing global mass population decreases at an estimated 2 percent yearly due to a woeful combination of climate change, pesticides, habitat loss, and other human-made ills.
How are flora — which often rely on insects for pollination — adapting to this massive change within the worldwide food chain? Researchers in France have now revealed one way: turning to self-pollination.
The Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning are both electric trucks with comparable range, but they have different features and capabilities that make them suitable for different types of users.
Questions to inspire discussion.
Continue reading “Electric Truck Showdown: Tesla Cybertruck vs. Ford F-150 Lightning” »
The AI gold rush has brought many market opportunities to the space tech sector, said Zainab Qasim, investor at Seraphim.
“AI’s impact on existing tech used in space will no doubt become more prevalent over the coming years allowing faster research and development execution and smarter insights for end customers,” she said.
AI plays a “heavy hand” in the development of future climate and space technologies, said Jeff Crusey, partner at early-stage fund 7percent Ventures, adding that it has “dramatically improved the efficiency of models, improving logistics, fuel savings, and ultimately the environment.”
This was suggested by Gustave Fechner and other philosophers.
How about planets? Can they have minds? This idea, that planets are also conscious beings, seems to be at the heart of a new theory put forth by astrobiologists. The premise of this thought experiment is that bacteria and plants working together have altered planets like Earth, giving them a new lease on life.
This research, published in the International Journal of Astrobiology, provides a scale by which planets’ intelligence can be evaluated. It’s shocking to consider an extraterrestrial organism intelligent rather than a sentient animal like a human. But in a way, a planet can have a “green mind”; this paradigm suggests novel approaches to coping with climate change, technological upheaval, and other emergencies.
Continue reading “Earth Itself May Be an Intelligent Being, Suggests New Theory” »
Advanced infrared mirrors enhance climate and biofuel research via precision trace gas sensing.
An international team of researchers from the United States, Austria, and Switzerland has demonstrated the first true supermirrors in the mid-infrared spectral region. These mirrors are key for many applications, such as optical spectroscopy for environmental sensing, as well as laser cutting and welding for manufacturing.
Achieving Near-Perfect Reflectivity
Let’s face it: on a scorching hot day, the sweet hum of an air conditioner feels like a lifeline. But what if that lifeline is actually tying us into a knot of environmental woes?
It turns out, our reliance on air conditioning is heating up the planet just as much as it’s cooling our homes.
Enter a team of ingenious researchers from MIT with a revolutionary idea: aerogel. This isn’t just another tech buzzword; it’s a potential game-changer in our fight against climate change.
