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Ultra-thin radiation-tolerant solar cells

Scientists developed ultra-thin radiation-tolerant solar cell designs needed for satellites to head to higher orbits.  As low Earth orbit becomes congested, satellites need to go to higher orbits, exposing them to more severe space radiation.

The scientists developed two devices.  One was created by stacking various materials, including an ultrathin layer of light-absorbing gas, which is key to their radiation tolerance. 

Electrically-conducting metals border these cells.  The alternative method used a silver back mirror to improve light absorption.

The new solar cells, about one-thousandth the size of human hair, are thinner than earlier devices yet produce the same amount of power from converted sunlight after 20 years of use.  The new photovoltaic cells could also reduce load and considerably lower launch expenses.

Are you excited about how thin yet powerful these devices can go?  Please share your thoughts with us.     

Floating wind energy generator

A floating wind platform was installed in the Canary Islands of Spain soon to deliver power to the area’s smart grid. 

Called the X30 by X1 wind, the platform is fitted with a turbine.  It is stationed at a 50-meter depth in a downwind configuration connected to a mooring system and a preinstalled dynamic cable.

The installation of the floating platform requiring only small vessels is a key milestone for the company and the floating wind sector.  It reduces not only the costs but also the impact on the seabed.  

The project will be tested in fully operational conditions until March 2023.  Data obtained from the X30 will contribute to de-risk the technology, improve the design, and get the certification of commercial-scale platforms in preparation for upcoming offers in Spain and other countries worldwide.

What do you think of this promising technology?  Let us know your thoughts.  

Dye-sensitized solar cells: transparent solar panels

Energy-generating windows, glass facades, and even portable electronic device screens could replace traditional solar cells.

Called dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), these panels generate electricity once stimulated by sunlight or artificial light, behaving like chlorophyll in photosynthesis. The latest breakthrough was from a team of Swiss scientists who designed photosensitizer dye molecules that can harvest light from the whole visible light spectrum. The first commercial applications are in use with the installation of dye-sensitized solar windows in the SwissTech Convention Center.  

So far, traditional solar cells outperform the new DSCs, but it is early days. DSCs offer promising prospects for applications as power supply and battery replacement for low-power electronic devices that use ambient light as their energy source. They are pretty simple, easy to produce and have low toxicity.   DSCs are also flexible and affordable. 

What do you think of this innovation? Let us know your thoughts.  

Best, non-toxic, and sustainable diapers

Diapers made of bamboo, organic cotton, sugarcane, and cornstarch are among the best, non-toxic, and sustainable diapers parents can choose for their babies without breaking the bank.

Even products that are labeled as natural still contain harmful chemicals like chlorine, phthalates, latex, and parabens. To help parents make the safest and most practical diaper choices, Ecocult did some research based on diaper materials, biodegradability, toxicity, sustainability, and reusability. They recommended three brands, including Dyper, which is made of bamboo and other plant-based materials; Healthybaby, which uses organic cotton; and Kudos, which contains sugarcane and cornstarch.   

The brands are affordable and live up to most of their advertising. On their websites, they also list the complete materials they use.

How about you? What healthy and eco-friendly diapers can you recommend to other parents? Let us know by commenting below.  

Mini bladeless wind turbine

A company has shrunk the wind turbine from being as tall as the Statue of Liberty to a 10-foot bladeless box that provides more power than solar panels.

When wind strikes a flat building wall, it accelerates as it rushes up and over the obstacle.  Catching these wind gusts through a small opening, the wind turbine then funnels the force towards an internal propeller at the bottom of the unit.  Called Aeromine, the boxy turbines generate 50% more energy than a solar panel and 16-times more when the wind is right.

They are designed for small-scale, commercial use, as they’re noise-free and incapable of killing birds.  Because they sit on the edge of roofs, they pair well with solar panels.  If a building also has batteries to store the energy, it could be near to total self-sufficiency.

Are you excited about this innovation?  Let us know your thoughts.

Mechanical Neural Network (MNN): An AI material

Mechanical engineers at UCLA created a new material that uses artificial intelligence to learn behaviors and adapt to different circumstances.  The material could be applied in constructing buildings, airplanes, and imaging technology.

Called mechanical neural network (MNN), the team used concepts from an already existing artificial neural network (ANN) that drive machine learning.  The MNN consists of tunable beams that can change lengths, adapt to changing environments, and interact with other beams.  This allows the material to maintain its adaptability within the environment.

The MNN can be infused in constructing buildings to improve stability during earthquakes, hurricanes, or other disasters.  In building aircraft wings, it can learn and change into the shape of the wings based on the wind patterns during a flight.  

The team also plans on using the material to create a protective armor that averts shockwaves.

What do you think of this innovation?  

Scientists turn water into golden metal

A team of scientists transformed pure water into a metal.  

Pure water only becomes metallic or electronically conductive at extremely high pressures.  However, researchers demonstrated that there’s another way.  By bringing pure water into contact with an alloy of sodium and potassium, free-moving charged particles can be added, turning water metallic.  You can even see the phase transition to metallic water with the naked eye!

The resulting conductivity only lasts a few seconds.  Still, it’s a significant step toward understanding this water phase.  The research could also allow a close study of extreme high-pressure conditions inside giant planets like Neptune and Uranus, where liquid metallic hydrogen is thought to swirl.  In Jupiter, pressures are considered high enough to metallicize pure water.  The prospect of replicating these conditions in our Solar System is exciting indeed.

Are you also excited about this discovery?  Let us know your thoughts.  

Ancient air conditioning system reinvented

An industrial designer in Israel adapted an ancient air conditioning system to create a stylish wall ornament that cools a room without electricity.

The decorative cooling system called Nave is inspired by the Jarrah of ancient Palestine.  It is a large terracotta radiator filled with cold water.  The pores in the terracotta release tiny amounts of water that evaporates and cools down the interior of the Nave.  The process cools the wall radiatively and, thus, the room.  

The system is best in desert climates where the dry air makes evaporation faster.  While it is more expensive than a regular air conditioning unit, you can recover the cost through energy savings.  It is also beautiful to look at and frees up the use of the window.

Would you love to have this decorative cooling system in your home?  Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

Treating blindness with retinoid treatments

Scientists from the University of California have found a way to restore sight in adult mice with congenital blindness.

The study involves injecting synthetic retinoid treatments directly into the eyes of LCA patients.  LCA, or Leber congenital amaurosis, is a group of hereditary diseases that causes vision disability at birth.  The scientists thought that for the brain’s central circuits to wire themselves properly, those signals had to be received during childhood. 

While previous studies showed that the treatment can help restore some vision loss in children, its effect on adults is still unclear.  Surprisingly, the current research on rodents indicates that the restoration of visual function at the level of the brain was much greater than expected.  

The recent discovery could pave the way for restoring sight in adults with congenital blindness.

Are you excited about this breakthrough?  Let us know your thoughts.  

Floating solar-powered desalination plant

Abu Dhabi startup, Menhat, invented a floating desalination system that runs on sunlight with no emissions.

The device operates on solar energy to desalinate ocean water.  As the sun heats the floating structure, the water underneath it evaporates.  Evaporation is one way of desalinating seawater, as all the impurities that make it salty are left behind.  The angle of the collection cylinder prevents water droplets from evaporating back into the sea.  When temperatures cool, the water distills and flows into a reservoir as fresh water.

The ingenious system resembling a floating greenhouse has the potential to transform how food and clean water are generated in the Arab Peninsula and other coastal regions globally.  The process does not also produce brine, a condensate of salt and chemicals harmful to marine flora and fauna. 

Will this innovation be successfully implemented on a larger scale?  Please comment your thoughts below.