Vietnamese billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong wants to make VinFast Auto into a viable global electric vehicle brand. But its journey so far has been bumpy.
In its first 75 years, RAND helped shape how humankind thought about and used space for the benefit of humanity. And it intends to have a similar impact on the next 75 years of space sustainability, security, and governance. Researchers identified concepts worthy of future study.
Swedish battery maker Northvolt AB has developed its first sodium-ion product, a technology that could cut reliance on scarce raw materials and lay the foundation for the company’s next generation of electric-car batteries.
Various forms of heat pumps—refrigerators, air conditioners, heaters—are estimated to consume about 30 percent of the world’s electricity. And that number is almost certain to rise, as heat pumps play a very large role in efforts to electrify heating to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Most existing versions of these systems rely on the compression of a class of chemicals called hydrofluorocarbons, gasses that were chosen because they have a far smaller impact on the ozone layer than earlier refrigerants. Unfortunately, they are also extremely potent greenhouse gasses, with a short-term impact several thousand times that of carbon dioxide.
Alternate technologies have been tested, but all of them have at least one major drawback in comparison to gas compression. In a paper released in today’s issue of Science, however, researchers describe progress on a form of heat pump that is built around a capacitor that changes temperature as it’s charged and discharged. Because the energy spent while charging it can be used on discharge, the system has the potential to be highly efficient.
To enhance their catalytic efficiency in degrading organic pollutants, such as RB and urea, researchers further functionalized the surface of the micromotors with laccase, the bio-catalytic counterpart, for the generation of ammonia from urea. Urea is an emerging contaminant, being a common pollutant from residential activities (urea is the main component of urine) and from different industrial processes.
The chemical component laccase accelerates the conversion of urea into ammonia upon contact with contaminated water. This ammonia can be transformed into hydrogen, which is a clean and sustainable energy source.
“This is an interesting discovery. Today, water treatment plants have trouble breaking down all the urea, which can result in eutrophication when the water is released. This is a serious problem in urban areas in particular,” says Rebeca Ferrer, a PhD student from Dr. Katherine Villa’s group at ICIQ.
Ocean Eye will illuminate the hidden realms of marine biodiversity and pave the way for unprecedented insights into the ocean using lidar technology and advanced sensors.
In a groundbreaking initiative, researchers from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Aarhus University spearhead the Ocean Eye project. This revolutionary undertaking aims to transform our understanding of marine biodiversity using cutting-edge optical technologies, according to a university press release.
The project utilizes a combination of hyperspectral cameras, lasers, and artificial intelligence on an autonomous vessel to gather comprehensive data on coastal waters, surpassing the limitations of traditional methods.
Continue reading “Scientists test AI laser-drone system to uncover ocean blind spots” »
From predicting EV charge times to pinpointing areas of high wildfire risk, AI is transforming our energy network.
The power grid is growing increasingly complex as more renewable energy sources come online.
The robot can help the construction industry overcome its challenges and reduce its environmental impact.
Michael Lyrenmann via Science Robotics.
A team of researchers has developed a 12-ton (approximately 2,000 pounds) autonomous robot that can construct stone walls from natural and recycled materials using advanced technologies. This could help the construction industry overcome its challenges of low productivity, high waste, and labor shortages while reducing its environmental impact and improving its sustainability.
Upon completion of Mission 1, Astrolab’s FLEX will become the largest and most capable rover to ever travel the Moon, claims the company.
Venturi Astrolab.
Continue reading “Astrolab’s lunar rover gains traction with early customers” »
Tesla has open-sourced all of the design and engineering of the original Roadster, CEO Elon Musk announced today, and plenty of people are wondering if the timing of the release has anything to do with the next-gen Roadster that is now several years behind schedule.
Tesla has opened everything from Owner’s Manuals to Circuits and Connectors for the original Roadster, which was the automaker’s first project fifteen years ago in 2008.
The vehicle was essentially a fundraising campaign for Tesla as it fought to keep its doors open and transform the passenger vehicle industry. It almost bankrupted the company, but now, everything that was developed for Tesla’s initial EV project is available for anyone to take a look at.
