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Archive for the ‘sustainability’ category: Page 564

Aug 2, 2017

Deadly heat waves projected in the densely populated agricultural regions of South Asia

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, business, food, neuroscience, sustainability

The risk associated with any climate change impact reflects intensity of natural hazard and level of human vulnerability. Previous work has shown that a wet-bulb temperature of 35°C can be considered an upper limit on human survivability. On the basis of an ensemble of high-resolution climate change simulations. we project that extremes of wet-bulb temperature in South Asia are likely to approach and. in a few locations. exceed this critical threshold by the late 21st century under the business-as-usual scenario of future greenhouse gas emissions. The most intense hazard from extreme future heat waves is concentrated around densely populated agricultural regions of the Ganges and Indus river basins. Climate change. without mitigation. presents a serious and unique risk in South Asia. a region inhabited by about one-fifth of the global human population. due to an unprecedented combination of severe natural hazard and acute vulnerability.

The risk of human illness and mortality increases in hot and humid weather associated with heat waves. Sherwood and Huber proposed the concept of a human survivability threshold based on wet-bulb temperature (TW). TW is defined as the temperature that an air parcel would attain if cooled at constant pressure by evaporating water within it until saturation. It is a combined measure of temperature [that is. dry-bulb temperature (T)] and humidity (Q) that is always less than or equal to T. High values of TW imply hot and humid conditions and vice versa. The increase in TW reduces the differential between human body skin temperature and the inner temperature of the human body. which reduces the human body’s ability to cool itself. Because normal human body temperature is maintained within a very narrow limit of ±1°C. disruption of the body’s ability to regulate temperature can immediately impair physical and cognitive functions.

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Aug 2, 2017

A living programmable biocomputing device based on RNA

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, computing, engineering, nanotechnology, sustainability

“Ribocomputing devices” ( yellow) developed by a team at the Wyss Institute can now be used by synthetic biologists to sense and interpret multiple signals in cells and logically instruct their ribosomes (blue and green) to produce different proteins. (credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Synthetic biologists at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and associates have developed a living programmable “ribocomputing” device based on networks of precisely designed, self-assembling synthetic RNAs (ribonucleic acid). The RNAs can sense multiple biosignals and make logical decisions to control protein production with high precision.

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Aug 2, 2017

Scientists discover unique thermoelectric properties in cesium tin iodide

Posted by in categories: nanotechnology, solar power, sustainability

A newly discovered collective rattling effect in a type of crystalline semiconductor blocks most heat transfer while preserving high electrical conductivity — a rare pairing that scientists say could reduce heat buildup in electronic devices and turbine engines, among other possible applications.

A team led by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) discovered these exotic traits in a class of materials known as halide perovskites, which are also considered promising candidates for next-generation solar panels, nanoscale lasers, electronic cooling, and electronic displays.

These interrelated thermal and electrical (or “thermoelectric”) properties were found in nanoscale wires of cesium tin iodide (CsSnI3). The material was observed to have one of the lowest levels of heat conductivity among materials with a continuous crystalline structure.

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Jul 31, 2017

How to pull water out of thin air, even in the driest parts of the globe

Posted by in category: sustainability

A new device that’s powered by sunlight could help solve water scarcity problems.

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Jul 31, 2017

This Paint Allows Walls to Convert Heat into Electricity

Posted by in categories: solar power, sustainability, transportation

Paint these days is becoming much more than it used to be. Already researchers have developed photovoltaic paint, which can be used to make “paint-on solar cells” that capture the sun’s energy and turn it into electricity. Now in a new study, researchers have created thermoelectric paint, which captures the waste heat from hot painted surfaces and converts it into electrical energy.

“I expect that the thermoelectric painting technique can be applied to recovery from large-scale heat source surfaces, such as buildings, cars, and ship vessels,” Jae Sung Son, a coauthor of the study and researcher at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), told Phys.org.

“For example, the temperature of a building’s roof and walls increases to more than 50 °C in the summer,” he said. “If we apply thermoelectric paint on the walls, we can convert huge amounts of waste heat into electrical energy.”

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Jul 31, 2017

Tesla’s Model 3 Arrives With a Surprise 310-Mile Range

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, sustainability, transportation

Elon Musk finally unveils the long-awaited electric car for the masses.

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Jul 31, 2017

Alphabet’s ‘moonshot’ lab has a new project to store renewable energy

Posted by in categories: drones, internet, robotics/AI, solar power, sustainability

(A rendering of what X’s renewable energy storage plant would look like. X) X, the “moonshot” division of Google’s parent company Alphabet that has worked on everything from self-driving cars and delivery drones, has a new public project: storing renewable energy so it doesn’t go to waste.

The team working on the project is codenamed “Malta,” and it aims to efficiently store energy from solar and wind using salts. That way, renewable energy can still be used even if solar panels or wind turbines can’t collect energy.

Malta is part of X’s Foundry, which explores early-stage projects. It’s not an “official” project like Project Wing (drone delivery) or Project Loon (high-altitude balloons that beam the internet to the surface). X is announcing Malta now because it wants to build a prototype plant for testing how storing renewable energy can feed a power grid. It’s accepting applications for potential partners on its website.

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Jul 31, 2017

Tesla Model 3 Test Drive: Car Has Bite and Simple Interior

Posted by in categories: sustainability, transportation

FREMONT, Calif.—A first peek inside Tesla Inc.’s new Model 3 compact car revealed a starker, cozier interior than the more spacious and luxurious Model S. But as the sedan sped off, the experience felt similar.

On Friday, the Silicon Valley auto maker showed off details of the all-electric sedan’s interior for the first time, allowing a roughly 10-minute test ride around the factory.

The Model 3 represents a milestone for…

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Jul 31, 2017

Libra — A movie on space libertarianism from 1978

Posted by in categories: government, solar power, space, sustainability

“The year is 2003, and space colony Libra’s development of solar power could solve an acute, worldwide energy crisis. Government opposition to the Libran energy plan sparks a debate about free enterprise and government control.” (IMDb)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfY4djdAW_s

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Jul 28, 2017

Scientists Just Made Food From Electricity

Posted by in categories: food, solar power, sustainability

A batch of single-cell protein has been produced by using electricity and carbon dioxide in a joint study by the Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Protein produced in this way can be further developed for use as food and animal feed. The method releases food production from restrictions related to the environment. The protein can be produced anywhere renewable energy, such as solar energy, is available.” In practice, all the raw materials are available from the air. In the future, the technology can be transported to, for instance, deserts and other areas facing famine.

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