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| PHYS.ORG,PHYS.ORG - Earth,PHYS.ORG - Technology,PHYS.ORG - Biology |
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'Everyone sits out': Yangon parks offer heat wave relief - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 27) |
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Apr 27 · As the sun sets on another scorching Yangon day, the hot and bothered descend on the Myanmar city's parks, the coolest place to spend an evening during yet another power blackout.
A wave of exceptionally hot weather has blasted Southeast Asia this week, sending the mercury to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and prompting thousands of schools to suspend in-person classes.
Even before the chaos and conflict unleashed by the military's 2021 coup, Myanmar's creaky and outdated electricity grid struggled to keep fans whirling and air conditioners humming during the hot season.
Now, infrastructure attacks and dwindling offshore gas reserves mean those who ... Read more ...
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NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 27) |
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Apr 27 · NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense.
The most distant spacecraft from Earth stopped sending back understandable data last November. Flight controllers traced the blank communication to a bad computer chip and rearranged the spacecraft's coding to work around the trouble.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California declared success after receiving good engineering updates late last week. The team is still working to restore transmission of the science data.
It takes 22 1/2 hours to send a signal to Voyager 1, more than 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away in interstellar space. The signal travel time is ... Read more ...
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Scientists are shaking up lithium extraction with a different kind of chemistry - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 27) |
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Apr 27 · When people think of chemistry, the image that typically comes to mind is a variety of colored liquids in beakers, flasks, and test tubes in a lab. But in actual practice, chemistry can involve materials in all states: liquids, gases, and even solids.
Scientists at the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub, led by the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames National Laboratory, are using a subdiscipline of chemistry called mechanochemistry that literally shakes up the conventional understanding of chemical reactions, using mechanical forces that agitate, tumble, and smash solids to initiate chemical reactions. Their new process, mechanochemical extraction of lithium at low ... Read more ...
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Species living closely together in symbiosis is far older and way more common than you might think - PHYS.ORG - Biology (Apr 27) |
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Apr 27 · One of the most common symbiotic relationships is between various species of algae and fungi, or between cyanobacteria (commonly known as blue-green algae though it's not algae) and fungi. These paired species take the form of lichens.
The term symbiosis was first used in the 19th century to describe the lichen relationship, which was thought to be highly unusual. Since then, we've discovered symbiosis is the norm, rather than the exception. In fact, it has shaped the evolution of most life on Earth.
Symbiosis is almost everywhere we look
Lichens are diverse. They grow on tree trunks, on roof tiles and on ancient rocks.
The symbiosis of two different species ... Read more ...
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The first glow-in-the-dark animals may have been ancient corals deep in the ocean - PHYS.ORG - Biology (Apr 27) |
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Apr 27 · In a new study, scientists report that deep-sea corals that lived 540 million years ago may have been the first animals to glow, far earlier than previously thought.
"Light signaling is one of the earliest forms of communication that we know of—it's very important in deep waters," said Andrea Quattrini, a co-author of the study published Tuesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Today, marine creatures that glimmer include some fish, squid, octopuses, jellyfish, even sharks—all the result of chemical reactions.
Some use light to startle predators, "like a burglar alarm," and others use it to lure prey, as anglerfish do, said Quattrini, ... Read more ...
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Scientists discover higher levels of CO2 increase survival of viruses in the air and transmission risk - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Lead author Dr. Allen Haddrell, Senior Research Associate in Aerosol Science at the University's School of Chemistry, said, "We knew SARS-CoV-2, like other viruses, spreads through the air we breathe. But this study represents a huge breakthrough in our understanding of exactly how and why that happens, and crucially, what can be done to stop it.
"It shows that opening a window may be more powerful than originally thought, especially in crowded and poorly ventilated rooms, as fresh air will have a lower concentration of CO2, causing the virus to become inactivated much faster.
"But it also highlights the importance of our global net zero goals because the research ... Read more ...
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A framework to compare lithium battery testing data and results during operation - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Existing methods to estimate the amount of Li in batteries rely on capacity measurements, describing how much charge a battery can hold, and coulombic efficiency values, which indicate how much charge a battery retains during cycles. Yet these measurements are not always accurate, as they do not account for unpredictable side reactions, self-discharge, and other effects affecting a battery's performance.
"The primary objective of our study was to find a reliable methodology to compare battery testing data and operating results from various sources and conditions, as this could help to advance battery technology and development," Boryann Liaw, co-author of the paper, told Tech ... Read more ...
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Anthropologist documents how women and shepherds historically reduced wildfire risk in Central Italy - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · The latest research paper from environmental anthropologist and University of California, Santa Cruz Professor Andrew Mathews explores these issues in the Monte Pisano region of Central Italy. The paper is published in the journal Ambio.
In particular, Mathews found that peasant women, who historically collected leaf litter in the forests, and shepherds, who grazed their flocks and conducted occasional managed burns, were critical in maintaining fire-resistant landscapes. Yet the social status of these groups meant the importance of their work went unrecognized.
In Monte Pisano and much of the broader Mediterranean, forests and other plant communities have been shaped by ... Read more ...
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California battery storage increasing rapidly, but not enough to end blackouts, Gov. Newsom says - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Gov. Gavin Newsom said on April 25 that California continued to rapidly add the battery storage that is crucial to the transition to cleaner energy, but admitted it was still not enough to avoid blackouts during heat waves.
Standing in the middle of a solar farm in Yolo County, Newsom announced the state now had battery storage systems with the capacity of more than 10,000 megawatts - about 20% of the 52,000 megawatts the state says is needed to meet its climate goals.
"This is critical to how we achieve 100% clean energy by 2045," Newsom said. "Batteries allow us to use clean energy captured by solar and other renewable sources at all times of the day, especially when ... Read more ...
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Cat hides in Amazon return package - then ends up in California 700 miles from home - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · A cat went missing after hiding in an Amazon return package. Then her Utah owner got a call - from hundreds of miles away - that "changed everything."
On April 10, Galena the kitty "vanished" from her home in Lehi, her owner, Carrie Stevens Clark, said in an April 21 Facebook post.
Clark said she searched "every nook and cranny" in the home before flooding the neighborhood, a suburb of Salt Lake City, with fliers and posting on social media.
"Nothing made sense!!," Clark said.
Then came an unexpected breakthrough. Seven days later, Clark got a call saying Galena had been found in California and identified with her microchip, she said.
Galena, it turned ... Read more ...
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Corals bred in a zoo have joined Europe's largest reef. This is offering scientists hope - PHYS.ORG - Biology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Just like the animals on Noah's Ark, the corals arrived in a pair. On Monday, divers with gloved hands gently nestled the self-bred corals from the World Coral Conservatory project among their cousins in Europe's largest coral reef at the Burgers' Zoo in the Netherlands.
"This is the first project where we started to keep these corals with a known origin. As we know exactly where they're coming from, they have the potential to be placed back into the wild. … So it is very important to keep these corals, as it's going not very well in the wild," Nienke Klerks, a biologist at the Royal Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem, told The Associated Press.
It's among several projects worldwide ... Read more ...
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Energy trades could help resolve Nile conflict - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Scientists have shed light on a new, transformative approach that could help resolve a dispute over the Nile river's water resources.
The Nile is one of the longest rivers globally and spreads over 11 countries in East Africa, supplying water, energy production, environmental quality and cultural wealth. However, the use of Nile resources has been a long-standing source of tension, often overshadowing opportunities for cooperation and mutual benefit.
But as the demand for energy, water, and food in Africa is steadily increasing, the study, led by The University of Manchester in collaboration with regional organizations, offers a glimmer of hope at a ... Read more ...
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Herds of endangered hippos trapped in mud in drought-hit Botswana - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Herds of endangered hippos stuck in the mud of dried-up ponds are in danger of dying in drought-struck Botswana, conservation authorities told AFP Friday.
Southern Africa has been affected by severe drought, caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has threatened harvests and plunged millions into hunger. Several countries in the region have recently declared a state of national disaster.
Near the vast wetlands of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana, the dried-up Thamalakane River has forced herds of hippos to head for natural water reserves close to the tourist town of Maun.
"The river system dries up and animals are in a compromised situation," said ... Read more ...
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In eco-minded California, there's still no constitutional right to clean air and water - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · California may be a leader in the fight against climate change, but the state is years, even decades, behind other states when it comes to granting environmental rights to its citizens.
While a handful of other state constitutions, including those of New York and Pennsylvania, declare the people's rights to clean air, water and a healthy environment, California's does not.
That could change as soon as November. Under a proposal moving through the Legislature, voters would decide whether to add one sentence to the state constitution's Declaration of Rights: "The people shall have a right to clean air and water and a healthy environment."
The proposed green amendment ... Read more ...
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Long-term research shows herring arrive earlier in the Wadden Sea due to climate change - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Due to the changing climate, young herring arrive in the Wadden Sea earlier and earlier in spring. That is shown in a new publication by NIOZ ecologists Mark Rademaker, Myron Peck, and Anieke van Leeuwen in Global Change Biology.
"The fact that we were able to demonstrate this was only due to very consistently - for more than 60 years - and continuously sampling the fish every spring and every fall with exactly the same fyke [net] every time," Rademaker says. "Recognizing this kind of change requires extreme precision and endurance."
Since 1960, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, has been measuring the number and species of fish that swim in the ... Read more ...
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Nature conservation works, and we're getting better at it, says new study - PHYS.ORG - Biology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Trends in nature conservation tend to be measured in terms of "biodiversity"—that is, the variety among living organisms from genes to ecosystems. We treasure biodiversity not only for how it enriches society and culture, but also its underpinning of resilient, functioning ecosystems that are a foundation of the global economy.
However, it is well known that global biodiversity is decreasing, and has been for some time. Is anything we are doing to reverse this trend effective?
As part of a team of researchers, we conducted the most comprehensive analysis yet of what happened when conservationists intervened in ecosystems. These were interventions of all types, all ... Read more ...
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New algorithm cuts through 'noisy' data to better predict tipping points - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Changes in data, from wildlife population to anxiety levels, can be an early warning signal that a system is reaching a critical threshold, known as a tipping point, in which those changes may accelerate or even become irreversible.
But which data points matter most? And which are simply just noise?
A new algorithm developed by University at Buffalo researchers can identify the most predictive data points that a tipping point is near. Detailed in Nature Communications, this theoretical framework uses the power of stochastic differential equations to observe the fluctuation of data points, or nodes, and then determine which should be used to calculate an early warning signal. Read more ...
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New approach could make reusing captured carbon far cheaper, less energy-intensive - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Their approach dramatically reduces the cost and energy required for these direct air capture (DAC) systems, helping improve the economics of a process the researchers said will be critical to addressing climate change.
The key is a new kind of catalyst and electrochemical reactor design that can be easily integrated into existing DAC systems to produce useful carbon monoxide (CO) gas. It's one of the most efficient such design ever described in scientific literature, according to lead researcher Marta Hatzell and her team. They have published the details in Energy & Environmental Science.
"All of my team's research projects focus on decarbonization, which I care about ... Read more ...
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New process quickly transforms livestock manure into biochar - PHYS.ORG - Biology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · A technology has been developed to quickly convert livestock manure, a significant issue in animal farming, into valuable "black gold" rich in carbon within a day.
Dr. Yoo Ji-ho and his research team from the Clean Air Research Laboratory of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) have developed a process that immediately converts livestock manure into biochar (biomass and charcoal) at livestock farms. Using the process developed by the research team, it is possible to convert 10 tons of livestock manure into biochar in a single day.
As of 2022, the amount of livestock manure produced was about 50 million tons, of which 87% is used as compost and liquid fertilizer ... Read more ...
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Philippine settlement submerged by dam reappears due to drought - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · A centuries-old settlement submerged by the construction of a dam in the northern Philippines in the 1970s has reappeared as water levels drop due to a drought affecting swathes of the country.
The ruins in the middle of Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija province are a tourist draw, even as the region swelters in extreme heat.
Parts of a church, municipal hall marker and tombstones began to resurface in March after several months of "almost no rain", said Marlon Paladin, a supervising engineer for the National Irrigation Administration.
It is the sixth time the nearly 300-year-old settlement has resurfaced since the reservoir was created to provide irrigation water ... Read more ...
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Proof of concept study shows path to easier recycling of solar modules - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · The welds would eliminate the need for plastic polymer sheets that are now laminated into solar modules but make recycling more difficult. At the end of their useful lifespan, the modules made with the laser welds can be shattered. The glass and metal wires running through the solar cells can be easily recycled and the silicon can be reused.
"Most recyclers will confirm that the polymers are the main issue in terms of inhibiting the process of recycling," said David Young, senior scientist and group manager for the High-Efficiency Crystalline Photovoltaics group in the Chemistry and Nanoscience department at NREL. Young is lead author of a new paper outlining the use of laser ... Read more ...
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Reducing operation emissions and improving work efficiency using a pure electric wheel drive tractor - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · These scenarios require electric tractors to be able to adapt to complex drive and operating environments, putting higher requirements on the design of electric tractors and their control systems. Therefore, improving the operating efficiency of electric tractors and giving full play to their traction capacity have become urgent breakthrough issues.
Specifically, existing tractors suffer from reduced traction efficiency, low fuel efficiency, and high greenhouse gas emissions when plowing on complex field surfaces.
These issues are manifested as follows: high wheel slip due to the inability to achieve differential torque distribution between the left and right drive ... Read more ...
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Researchers outline path forward for tandem solar cells - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · The vast majority of solar modules in use today rely on a single junction, which is able to absorb only a fraction of the solar spectrum and thus are limited to how efficient they can be. Tandem solar cells, which consist of two or more junctions, hold the potential to reach much higher efficiencies. Because tandems are stacked on top of each other, the total area a module requires decreases—in turn, raising the efficiency and potentially lowering the total system cost.
Kirstin Alberi, the lead author of the journal article, titled "A Roadmap for Tandem Photovoltaics," said high-efficiency III-V multijunction solar cells have been available for decades but at small ... Read more ...
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Study shows climate change impact on China's dry–wet transition zones - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Climate change is significantly altering bioclimatic environments in China's dry–wet transition zones, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Hydrology.
The study examines how vegetation ecosystems respond and adapt to climate change, alongside the effects of soil water and heat processes. Bioclimatic environment change acts as a crucial link between climate change and local conditions affecting vegetation ecosystems.
"In areas where current vegetation models fall short, bioclimatic indicators offer an alternative for studying climate change impacts on ecological environments," notes Dr. Mingxing Li, the lead author of the study.
The study ... Read more ...
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Team develops new testing system for carbon capture in fight against global warming - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · Now, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) aims to facilitate the development of this rapidly emerging technology that the International Energy Agency (IEA) says will be a "key technology" for combating global warming.
NIST scientists have developed a high-precision testing apparatus for benchmarking the performance of the materials, called sorbents, used in DAC plants to trap and remove carbon from the air.
The apparatus will enable the agency to develop research-grade test material (RGTM) sorbents for the DAC industry. These reference materials will be tested in the apparatus and validated to remove a certain amount of CO2 from a given amount of ... Read more ...
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The Indian villagers who lost their homes to the sea - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · The gentle roar of the ocean lulled Indian mother-of-two Banita Behra to sleep each night, until one day the encroaching tide reached her doorstep.
Behra is among hundreds of people from the disappearing and largely abandoned coastal village of Satabhaya, whose displaced former residents have been officially recognized by the government as climate migrants.
She grew up watching helplessly with her neighbors as rising seas, driven by climate change and upriver dams, slowly claimed the land around them.
"We were doing well there. We used to catch fish," the 34-year-old told AFP. "But the sea came nearer and took away our homes."
Satabhaya is the hardest-hit of ... Read more ...
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US probes whether Tesla Autopilot recall did enough to make sure drivers pay attention - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 26) |
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Apr 26 · The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted on its website Friday that Tesla has reported 20 more crashes involving Autopilot and since the recall. The crashes and agency tests raised concerns about the effectiveness of the remedy. The recall involved more than 2 million vehicles, nearly all the vehicles that Tesla had sold at the time.
The agency pushed the company to do the recall after a two-year investigation into Autopilot's driver monitoring system, which measures torque on the steering wheel from a driver's hands. In the probe, the agency was looking at multiple cases in which Teslas on Autopilot ran into emergency vehicles parked on ... Read more ...
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Underwater robot pioneers new energy-efficient buoyancy control - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · A remotely operated underwater robot built by a team of Rice University engineering students pioneers a new way to control buoyancy via water-splitting fuel cells. The device, designed and constructed at the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen over the course of a year-long senior design capstone class, offers a more power-efficient method of maintaining neutral buoyancy—a critical component in underwater operations.
The robot serves as proof-of-concept for the potential of fuel cell-based buoyancy control devices (BCDs) to reduce operating costs for remotely operated or autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with potential applications ranging from environmental monitoring ... Read more ...
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Using sodium to develop rechargeable batteries may bolster the EU's green ambitions - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · The idea behind sodium-ion batteries is to reduce Europe's reliance on the lithium-ion ones that power everything from toothbrushes and mobile phones to mopeds and cars.
Today's batteries include materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt that are both scarce and toxic, whereas sodium is one of the most plentiful elements on Earth.
"Sodium-ion batteries are based on more abundant and safer materials than lithium-ion batteries," said Abou-Rjeily. "There's not enough lithium ions and cobalt and nickel to meet everyone's needs."
He is a research and development engineer at Tiamat, which designs and manufactures sodium-ion batteries.
Abou-Rjeily led a research ... Read more ...
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Airborne single-photon lidar system achieves high-resolution 3D imaging - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · Single-photon lidar uses single-photon detection techniques to measure the time it takes laser pulses to travel to objects and back. It is particularly useful for airborne applications because it enables highly accurate 3D mapping of terrain and objects even in challenging environments such as dense vegetation or urban areas.
"Using single-photon lidar technology on resource-limited drones or satellites requires shrinking the entire system and reducing its energy consumption," said research team member Feihu Xu from University of Science and Technology of China.
"We were able to incorporate recent technology developments into a system that, in comparison to other ... Read more ...
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A better way to predict Arctic riverbank erosion - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · But there's a caveat to this concern: Existing models have predicted a more dramatic rate of Arctic riverbank erosion than has actually been observed. In a new study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, Madison Douglas and Michael Lamb set out to determine why.
To do this, the team created a model that couples the movement of sediment, such as sand and mud, with permafrost thaw to determine riverbank erosion. The model better reproduces erosion observations on parts of the Yukon River in Alaska. This is because in real-world scenarios, the rate of erosion is slowed by an insulating layer of thawed sediment. Rather than the warmer river water ... Read more ...
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Biden targets fossil fuel power sector with tough new carbon rules - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · The United States on Thursday announced sweeping new rules requiring coal-fired plants to eliminate nearly all their carbon emissions or commit to shutting down altogether, a keystone of President Joe Biden's agenda to confront the climate crisis.
Hailed by environmental groups as a "gamechanger," the regulations take effect from 2032 and will also mandate that new, high capacity gas-fired plants slash their carbon dioxide output by the same amount - 90 percent - a target that would require the use of carbon capture technology.
It comes as Democratic incumbent Biden faces a tough election rematch against Republican Donald Trump in November, with climate action seen as ... Read more ...
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Car giants vie for EV crown at Beijing's Auto China show - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · Chinese car giants locked in a cut-throat price war descended on the capital for the start of the Auto China show Thursday, vying to draw consumers and headlines in the world's biggest electric vehicle market and abroad.
China's EV sector has exploded in recent years, and firms are now engaged in a no-holds-barred battle to offer customers the coolest accessories at the lowest prices.
EV makers from China have made inroads into markets from Europe to Southeast Asia and Tesla's Elon Musk described them in January as "the most competitive car companies in the world".
Beijing's Auto China show, which lasts until May 4, sees dozens of firms square off in a bid to draw ... Read more ...
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Chinese automakers redefine the car as a living space at Beijing Auto Show - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · How about turning a car's front bucket seats 180 degrees so they face the rear seats and extending out a table so the occupants can play cards or eat a meal? Or a 43-inch (109 centimeter) screen for the passengers in the back seat?
The seemingly never-ending efforts of China's electric car makers to redefine the automobile went on display Thursday at the opening of the nation's largest annual auto show. They are forcing established makers such as Volkswagen and Nissan to change the way they develop cars to remain players in what is the world's largest auto market.
Nissan joined Toyota in announcing a tie-up at the Beijing Auto Show with a major Chinese technology company ... Read more ...
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Climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by mid-century, analysis suggests - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · Global biodiversity has declined between 2% and 11% during the 20th century due to land-use change alone, according to a large multi-model study published in Science. Projections show climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by the mid-21st century.
The analysis was led by the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and is the largest modeling study of its kind to date. The researchers compared thirteen models for assessing the impact of land-use change and climate change on four distinct biodiversity metrics, as well as on nine ecosystem services.
Land-use change is ... Read more ...
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Deer are expanding north, and that's not good for caribou: Scientists evaluate the reasons why - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · Over the past century, white-tailed deer have greatly expanded their range in North America, explains Melanie Dickie, a doctoral student with UBC Okanagan's Wildlife Restoration Ecology Lab.
In the boreal forest of Western Canada, researchers have considered that both changing climate and increased habitat alteration have enabled deer to push farther north. Climate change can create milder winters, while habitat alteration from forestry and energy exploration creates new food sources for deer.
As they conclude their study, researchers caution that what is good for the deer isn't necessarily suitable for other species, such as the threatened woodland ... Read more ...
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Did climate chaos cultivate or constrain 2023's greenery? - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · In a recent publication in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, a research team led by Academician Piao Shilong from the College of Urban and Environmental Sciences at Peking University delved into the topic. The paper, titled "Vegetation Greenness in 2023," offers a detailed analysis of the interplay between vegetation greening and climate change.
The greening of vegetation is one of the most significant features of changes in the Earth's biosphere during the modern period of climate warming. Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, warming climate, and land use changes are the main drivers affecting global vegetation greening.
Under the long-term warming ... Read more ...
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Electric cars and digital connectivity dominate at Beijing auto show - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · Global automakers and EV startups unveiled new models and concept cars at China's largest auto show on Thursday, with a focus on the nation's transformation into a major market and production base for digitally connected, new-energy vehicles.
Toyota and Nissan both announced tie-ups with major Chinese technology companies as they strive to meet customer demand for AI-enabled online connectivity in cars, from social media apps to autonomous driving features.
Electric vehicles accounted for about a quarter of all auto sales in China last year. Hybrids, which have trailed EVs, are expected to be a growing segment going forward.
China's largest EV maker, BYD, showed ... Read more ...
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Emperor penguins perish as ice melts to new lows: Study - PHYS.ORG - Earth (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · Colonies of emperor penguin chicks were wiped out last year as global warming eroded their icy homes, a study published Thursday found, despite the birds' attempts to adapt to the shrinking landscape.
The study by the British Antarctic Survey found that record-low sea ice levels in 2023 contributed to the second-worst year for emperor penguin chick mortality since observations began in 2018.
It follows a "catastrophic breeding failure" in 2022, signaling long-term implications for the population, the study's author Peter Fretwell told AFP.
Emperor penguins breed on sea-ice platforms, with chicks hatching in the winter between late July and mid-August.
The ... Read more ...
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Engineers uncover key to efficient and stable organic solar cells - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Apr 25) |
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Apr 25 · Organic photovoltaics (OPV), which employs cost-effective, printable, and environmentally friendly polymer semiconductors, holds tremendous potential for generating sustainable and renewable energy. However, due to the soft nature of polymers, achieving OPV devices with both high efficiency and long operation stability has been a long-standing research challenge.
By investigating the ultrafast charge dynamics using femtosecond laser pulses, the researchers first discovered that controlling the degree of aggregation of the polymerized Y6 acceptors (Y6-PAs) plays a crucial role in promoting electricity generation.
This nanoscale percolation not only enhances charge ... Read more ...
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