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Category: energy – Page 34

Imagine that instead of viewing an image through a lens, you look through a kaleidoscope that focuses invisible light to obtain a new range of colors. The photon, the ephemeral messenger of light, usually appears alone, but here it appears in a duet, which is the basis of two-photon . This is an extraordinary phenomenon in which the , instead of perceiving traditional light, receives pulses of infrared lasers, the gateway to the invisible world.

However, the key to this is measuring the brightness of two-photon stimuli, which until now was only possible for . ICTER scientists have made a breakthrough and determined the luminance value for infrared using photometric units (cd/m2). Thanks to this approach, it is possible to link the luminance of two-photon stimuli to a new physical quantity related to perceived brightness: the two-photon retinal illumination.

Research—conducted by scientists from the International Centre for Eye Research (ICTER) with the participation of Ph.D. student Oliwia Kaczkoś, Ph.D. Eng. Katarzyna Komar and Prof. Maciej Wojtkowski—has shown that the luminance of a two-photon stimulus can reach almost 670 cd/m2 in the safe range of laser power for the eye.

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Perhaps no technology has shaped the 21st-century battlefield as profoundly as the drone. These uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), along with their land and sea counterparts, have redefined the way wars are fought by providing military forces with unprecedented capabilities in surveillance, precision targeting, and intelligence gathering — all while reducing the risk to their own personnel. Drones have made complex operations more efficient and less costly, enabling militaries to strike with pinpoint accuracy and maintain a persistent presence over the battlefield.

As the century progresses, the influence of drones continues to expand beyond traditional state actors. Non-state groups and non-peer adversaries increasingly have adopted this technology, leveraging it to level the playing field in conflicts around the world. With commercial drones becoming more accessible, these actors can conduct reconnaissance, drop bombs, and challenge conventional military forces in ways that previously were unimaginable.

The influence of drones flows across all domains of warfare. Loitering munitions, or “Kamikaze drones,” have disrupted traditional force structures by providing smaller, more agile units with the ability to strike high-value targets such as tanks, artillery, and command centers.

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Lee esta historia en español aquí.

NASA’s Quesst mission marked a major milestone with the start of tests on the engine that will power the quiet supersonic X-59 experimental aircraft.

These engine-run tests, which began Oct. 30, allow the X-59 team to verify the aircraft’s systems are working together while powered by its own engine. In previous tests, the X-59 used external sources for power. The engine-run tests set the stage for the next phase of the experimental aircraft’s progress toward flight.

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Researchers at Cornell have engineered a groundbreaking porous crystal using a unique fusion of macrocycle and molecular cage structures, enhancing lithium-ion transport in solid-state batteries.

This new crystal design features one-dimensional nanochannels that significantly increase ion conductivity, a development that promises safer batteries and has potential applications in water purification and bioelectronics.

By fusing two contorted molecular structures, Cornell researchers have developed a porous crystal capable of absorbing lithium-ion electrolytes and smoothly transporting them through one-dimensional nanochannels. This innovative design has the potential to enhance the safety of solid-state lithium-ion batteries.

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Chinese scientists have developed a water-based battery with nearly double the energy density compared to traditional lithium batteries, according to new research published in a paper in Nature Energy.

According to researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, tests revealed an impressive…

The iodine and bromine-based aqueous battery showed an energy density of 1,200 watt-hours per liter, surpassing the 700Wh/L of non-aqueous lithium batteries.

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Voyager 1 reconnected with Earth using a backup transmitter inactive for over 40 years.

NASA’s Voyager 1 probe, the most distant human-made object, briefly lost contact with Earth between Oct. 19 and Oct. 24 due to an unexpected shutdown of its main radio transmitter. This signal loss occurred after a command sent to power one of Voyager’s heaters unintentionally triggered the probe’s fault protection system. As a safeguard, the fault protection system automatically powers down non-essential functions when the spacecraft detects an overdraw of its power supply or other malfunctions. Engineers have since reestablished contact through Voyager 1’s backup S-band transmitter, which hadn’t been used since 1981.

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While scientists know there’s water on the Moon, its exact locations and forms remain largely unknown. A trailblazing NASA mission will get some answers.

NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer mission, designed to map and study water on the Moon, will employ innovative instruments to explore surface water dynamics and support future lunar colonies by providing vital data on potential water sources that could be converted into oxygen or fuel.

Unveiling lunar mysteries: nasa’s trailblazer mission.

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HEPS will transform scientific research by enabling high-energy X-ray probing at the nanoscale.

China is poised to unveil its cutting-edge High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) by year’s end, boasting some of the world’s most powerful synchrotron X-rays.

With a staggering investment of 4.8 billion yuan (approximately US$665 million), this facility marks a significant milestone for Asia, propelling China into the elite league of nations with fourth-generation synchrotron light sources.

Situated in Huairou, near downtown Beijing, the circular HEPS facility is a hive of activity as researchers meticulously calibrate thousands of components. These efforts are geared towards creating a light source capable of delving deep into samples, unveiling their molecular and atomic structures in real-time.

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