Most recent 40 articles: PHYS.ORG - Technology
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Building blocks? Cutting pollution from steel, concrete and aluminum - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 5) |
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Dec 5 · They hold modern life together in everything from airplane parts to apartment blocks, but steel, concrete and aluminum come with a hefty climate cost that the world could be paying for decades. Heavily reliant on fossil fuels, they account for a significant chunk of greenhouse gas emissions - pollution that is particularly hard to cut fast enough to meet global warming goals. The three sectors say they aim to slash - or even eliminate - their CO2 emissions by 2050, despite growing demand in a rapidly urbanizing world. To do that will require a buildings "revolution", according to the United Nations, while the International Energy Agency wants greater recycling, cleaner energy and ... Read more ... |
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How a hybrid heating system could lower your bills and shrink your carbon footprint - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 5) |
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Dec 5 · To heat your home without damaging the climate, you will need to replace your gas boiler. UK government advisers recommend switching to appliances that run on electricity. However, if a root-and-branch conversion to electric heating is too expensive, even a partial shift to "hybrid heating" can cut your energy bills and household emissions relatively quickly - although phasing out gas and oil is still essential in the long run for averting climate breakdown. A hybrid heating system combines two or more technologies to heat a building. Typically, this involves pairing a conventional gas boiler with a renewable alternative like an electric heat pump. But there are other ... Read more ... |
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Regulators begin hearings on how much customers should pay for Georgia nuclear reactors - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 5) |
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Dec 5 · Georgia Power Co. is urging the state's utility regulators to approve a deal to pay for the company's new nuclear reactors as a few holdout opponents keep fighting to try to get the Public Service Commission to keep the utility from collecting any cost overruns for the two reactors at Plant Vogtle. Commissioners began hearings Monday on the proposed deal, which would add $8.95 a month to a typical residential customer's monthly bill, atop the $5.42 that Georgia Power is already collecting. The five elected commissioners, all Republicans, are scheduled to vote on the $7.56 billion proposal on Dec. 19. The increase would raise the current typical monthly residential bill of nearly ... Read more ... |
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We need a global policy to encourage low-carbon construction, researcher says - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 5) |
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Dec 5 · International collaboration to create standards and policies for the construction industry is vital to bring down the industry's carbon footprint, argues Professor Matti Kuittinen of Aalto University in a paper published in Buildings & Cities. Construction is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Although the IPCC warned in 2018 that emissions from construction need to go down by 80-90% by 2050, the intervening years have seen resource use for construction continue growing. This is partly because the economics of the industry make companies wary of taking risks - so Kuittinen says that government support and intervention are needed to reverse the trend. Rather than policies ... Read more ... |
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AI image generation adds to carbon footprint, research shows - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 4) |
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Dec 4 · So you program your thermostat to save heating costs, recycle glass and plastic, ride a bicycle to work instead of driving a car, reuse sustainable grocery bags, buy solar panels, and shower with your mate - all to do your part to conserve energy, curb waste and lower your carbon footprint. A study released last week may just spoil your day. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Hugging Face, a machine learning community website, report that you might still contribute to climate change if you are one of the 10 million-plus users who tap into machine learning models daily. In what they term the first systematic comparison of costs associated with machine-learning models, ... Read more ... |
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Electric arc furnaces: Technology poised to make British steelmaking more sustainable - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 4) |
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Dec 4 · In a move to embrace sustainable steelmaking, British Steel has unveiled a £1.25 billion plan to replace two blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant with electric arc furnaces. This follows the UK government's commitment in September to invest up to £500 million towards an electric arc furnace at Tata Steel's Port Talbot plant in south Wales. This method of steelmaking can use up to 100% scrap steel as its raw material, resulting in a significant reduction in carbon emissions. It is the future of steelmaking. Steel is an incredible material and for good reason. It's the world's most commonly used metal because it's strong, durable and recyclable, making it the perfect material for ... Read more ... |
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Chico State part of effort to create a lighter, better battery - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 2) |
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Dec 2 · With the increase in solar panels on houses and plug-in cars patrolling the roads, batteries are going to be ever more important in the coming years. Technology has shown the way to harnessing power from the sun and other sources in nature, but what to do with that power once harvested? Researchers and students from Chico State are going to be among a group coming up with a better battery. Most parts of California, for example, enjoy more than 280 days of sunshine per year - a real bounty for capturing solar energy. However, the substantial challenge is storing that power for use at night or on overcast days. Members of Chico State's faculty will work to overcome this problem and ... Read more ... |
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Nuclear power has role to play, atomic energy head tells AFP at COP28 - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 2) |
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Dec 2 · It would be a mistake to reject nuclear power because of problems at a handful of projects, Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said in an interview with AFP. Grossi was speaking at the COP28 conference in Dubai, where on Saturday a group of large countries are expected to call for nuclear power capacity to be tripled by 2050 as part of the fight against global warming. Supporters of atomic power say it is an essential source of reliable emissions-free energy. But detractors point to the risks and high costs of massive nuclear projects at a time when the price of renewable energies continues to fall. "There is work to do," Grossi admitted, citing the ... Read more ... |
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Solar power is growing. Now Georgia wants to store more of its energy - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 2) |
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Dec 2 · A decade ago, the state's largest electric utility - Georgia Power - took its first, major step toward a future powered by the sun when it installed thousands of solar panels on 150 acres outside the town of Social Circle. The project was the utility's first large-scale solar installation. And though Georgia still relies heavily on fossil fuels to meet its energy needs, today the state consistently ranks among the top-10 for installed solar. Now, utilities and cities - along with local companies and universities - are seeking to turn more of that solar into an around-the-clock source for power. The key? Massive clusters of batteries known as battery energy storage systems (BESS). ... Read more ... |
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COP28: Why energy efficiency matters so much - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 1) |
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Dec 1 · If we are to save the planet, we are going to have to use energy far more efficiently. Yet experts say this obvious measure has been long overlooked with COP28 set to hear calls Saturday for the annual rate of energy efficiency improvements to double by 2030. What does it mean? Energy efficiency means "using less energy for the same or even higher level of service" from machinery or technology, according to specialist analysts Enerdata. It is not the same as using energy more sparingly, like turning your heating down to 19 degrees Celsius (66 Fahrenheit). Conventional cars, for instance, waste up to around 80 of the energy contained in the petrol that powers them, the US ... Read more ... |
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New US rules, aimed at curbing China, could make it harder for EV buyers to claim a full tax credit - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 1) |
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Dec 1 · Americans could have a harder time finding electric vehicles that qualify for a full $7,500 federal tax credit under new rules proposed Friday that are likely to hinder President Joe Biden's goal that half of new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. run on electricity by 2030. Plans outlined by the departments of Treasury and Energy would limit EV buyers from claiming the full tax credit if they purchase cars containing battery materials from China and other countries that are considered hostile to the United States. The new rules, required under Biden's signature climate law approved last year, are likely to slow consumer acceptance of electric vehicles just as Biden is trying to ... Read more ... |
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Tesla delivers about a dozen stainless steel Cybertruck pickups as it tries to fix production woes - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 1) |
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Dec 1 · "We dug our own grave with Cybertruck," said Musk, who added that he didn't think the company would reach its production target of 250,000 per year until 2025. On the call, he told investors he wanted to temper expectations for the new trucks, citing "enormous challenges" to mass producing them. It also will be hard to generate cash flow while selling the trucks at a price people can afford, Musk said. He estimated it would take 18 months to a year before the truck produced significant positive cash flow. "We have over 1 million people who have reserved the car, so it's not a demand issue," he said. "But we have to make it and we need to make it at a price people can afford. ... Read more ... |
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UK unveils £11 bn windfarm investment by UAE, German firms - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Dec 1) |
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Dec 1 · UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced Friday plans by UAE state-owned renewables firm Masdar and German energy giant RWE to invest up to £11 billion ($14 billion) in a giant offshore windfarm. The joint investment plans will help erect turbines at the UK's massive Dogger Bank site in the North Sea, he said at the COP28 climate talks in Dubai. The long-planned offshore windfarm off the coast of Yorkshire in northern England, will be the largest in the world, the UK government claims. Several other multinational companies are involved in ventures. "I'm pleased to announce a new deal between Masdar and RWE, which includes a commitment to jointly invest up to £11 billion into the ... Read more ... |
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Musk's latest gamble: Tesla Cybertruck set for debut - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 30) |
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Nov 30 · The vehicle was originally billed with a starting price of $39,900 and first production to come in 2021. Musk has stayed effusive on the design but has sought to limit expectations as to the vehicle's commercial potential, saying, "we dug our own grave with Cybertruck" last month. "Cybertruck is one of those special products that comes along only once in a long while," he said. "And special products that come along once in a long while are just incredibly difficult to bring to market, to reach volume, to be prosperous." With more than one million Cybertruck orders, demand is not an issue, Musk said. But making it affordable will be "insanely difficult," said Musk, who expects to ... Read more ... |
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Amazon launches Q, a business chatbot powered by generative artificial intelligence - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 29) |
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Nov 29 · Amazon finally has its answer to ChatGPT. The tech giant said Tuesday it will launch Q - a business chatbot powered by generative artificial intelligence. The announcement, made in Las Vegas at an annual conference the company hosts for its AWS cloud computing service, represents Amazon's response to rivals who've rolled out chatbots that have captured the public's attention. San Francisco startup OpenAI's release of ChatGPT a year ago sparked a surge of public and business interest in generative AI tools that can spit out emails, marketing pitches, essays, and other passages of text that resemble the work of humans. That attention initially gave an advantage to OpenAI's chief ... Read more ... |
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Consumer Reports: Electric vehicles less reliable, on average, than conventional cars and trucks - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 29) |
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Nov 29 · The narrower gap in problems between EVs and combustion vehicles in the 2023 model year, Fisher said, suggested that the reliability of EVs, in general, is improving. Still, he noted, newer vehicles tend to have lower problem rates that rise as they age. Among the EV owners who have had problems with their vehicles is Michael Coram of Lockport, New York, near Buffalo. In July, intent on reducing his commuting costs, Coram bought a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt electric SUV, attracted by its sporty handling. Coram, 44, a heating and air conditioning technician, said he ran into one annoying problem: On a chilly day in mid-November, his Bolt wouldn't shift into drive. Eventually, after Coram ... Read more ... |
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Estimating the environmental impacts of the global lithium-ion battery supply chain - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 29) |
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Nov 29 · Shifting to less CO2-intensive battery chemistry, like LFP, could reduce emissions by about 20% by 2050. Notably, the patent on LFP batteries expired in 2022, heralding a possible expansion of their use outside of China, where LFP batteries currently dominate the market. The use of renewable electricity offers a significant CO2 reduction prospect, given that electricity consumption accounts for about 37% of total battery manufacturing emissions. Over time, with the creation of a circular battery recycling economy, manufacturers could rely increasingly on secondary materials, thus reducing demand for emissions-intensive, newly mined primary materials. The authors add that ... Read more ... |
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Fake AI-generated woman on tech conference agenda leads Microsoft and Amazon execs to drop out - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 29) |
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Nov 29 · Tech executives at Microsoft and Amazon have dropped out of an upcoming software conference after at least one of the women on the agenda turned out to be fake. DevTernity organizer Eduards Sizovs admitted on social media that one of the featured speakers was an "auto-generated" woman with a fake title. He was responding to allegations about a number of suspicious profiles on his conference websites that appeared to be generated by artificial intelligence. But he denied that the fake profile was intended to mask the "worse-than-expected level of diversity of speakers" in this year's lineup and refused to apologize in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter. He didn't respond to ... Read more ... |
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How reducing greenhouse gases, aerosols in the atmosphere will make solar panels more efficient - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 29) |
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Nov 29 · The levels of atmospheric aerosols and greenhouse gas emissions will have a significant impact in the future on both the production of photovoltaic energy and associated costs. That is the conclusion of research by engineers at UNSW who have studied a wide range of climate change models looking ahead 70 years. In a paper published in Renewable Energy, they conclude that variations in the climate system, depending on whether weak or strong action is taken globally to reduce emissions, will lead to changes in photovoltaic (PV) energy generation. Their analysis of complex computer simulations, known as global climate models, indicates that the potential efficiency of PV in Australia ... Read more ... |
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New technology installed beneath Detroit street can charge electric vehicles as they drive - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 29) |
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Nov 29 · When a vehicle with a receiver nears the charging segments, the coils beneath the road transfer electricity through a magnetic field, charging the vehicle's battery. The coils only activate when a vehicle with a receiver passes over them. Tongur told reporters the roadway is safe for pedestrians, motorists and animals. The state Department of Transportation and Electreon made a five-year commitment to develop the electric road system. The DOT is expected to seek bids to rebuild part of busy Michigan Avenue, where inductive charging will also be installed. As electric vehicles increase in popularity in the United States, the Biden administration has made its plan for half a million ... Read more ... |
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Toyota selling part of Denso stake to raise cash to develop electric vehicles - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 29) |
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Nov 29 · Toyota is selling a part of its stake in components maker Denso to raise cash for its drive toward electric vehicles and other innovations, Japan's top automaker said Wednesday. The move is estimated to raise about 290 billion yen ($2 billion), given recent share prices. The number of shares Toyota Motor Corp. plans to sell total more than 124 million shares, lowering its stake in Denso Corp. from 24.2% to 20%, while remaining the top stakeholder. "We don't want to just hold on to our assets. We want to make them living assets that feed into the growth of our company," said Masahiro Yamamoto, an executive in the accounting group at Toyota. Denso shares closed at 2,298 yen ($16) ... Read more ... |
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Wind turbine blades: Inside the battle to overcome their waste problem - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 29) |
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Nov 29 · Wind-farm owners in Europe are holding off on scrapping their old turbines to maximize the power they can generate from them. That's the latest news from a meeting we recently attended on the industry's future. Wind turbines are designed to last 25 years, but the calculus for owners appears to have shifted because of the surge in electricity prices due to the Ukraine war. According to industry representative Wind Europe, only 454 megawatts (MW) of old turbines were decommissioned in 2022 compared to an expected 1.5 gigawatts (GW). That equates to more than 1,000 turbines whose lives have been extended in Europe. Indeed, it is apparently the third year in a row in which ... Read more ... |
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Researchers engineer a material that can perform different tasks depending on temperature - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 28) |
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Nov 28 · "For this study, we developed a material that can behave like soft rubber in low temperatures and as a stiff plastic in high temperatures," Zhang said. Once fabricated into a tangible device, the team tested the new composite material's ability to respond to temperature changes to perform a simple task - switch on LED lights. "Our study demonstrates that it is possible to engineer a material with intelligent temperature sensing capabilities, and we envision this being very useful in robotics," Zhang said. "For example, if a robot's carrying capacity needs to change when the temperature changes, the material will 'know' to adapt its physical behavior to stop or perform a different ... Read more ... |
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Driving a greener future: how your electric car could help power your neighborhood - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 28) |
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Nov 28 · SMOULDER represents a five-year project that investigated the role of artificial intelligence in optimizing microgrids. The SMOULDER web tool helps determine the optimal size of various microgrid configurations. The technologies considered are solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and hydrogen microgrids for neighborhoods and communities. SMOULDER also evaluates the economic impact of EV charging patterns during peak or off-peak times. How do EVs fit into the puzzle? When an EV is parked, it can do more than merely wait for its next journey. It can integrate into the local microgrid, actively contributing by channeling unused stored energy back into the system. This can enhance ... Read more ... |
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An approach that allows robots to learn in changing environments from human feedback and exploration - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 28) |
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Nov 28 · "The objective of the goal selector is to tell in which cases the robot was closer to achieving the task," Balsells said. "That way, we can use this model to guide the robot by commanding the scenarios that it has already seen, in which it was closer to achieving the task. From there, the robot can just do random actions to explore more that part of the environment. If we didn't have this model, the robot wouldn't do meaningful things, making it very hard for the first model to learn anything. This model learns that from human feedback." The team's approach ensures that as a robot moves in its surroundings, it continuously relays scenarios it encounters to a specific website. ... Read more ... |
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EU regulators say Amazon's acquisition of vacuum maker iRobot may harm competition - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 28) |
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Nov 28 · European regulators said Monday that Amazon's proposed acquisition of robot vacuum maker iRobot may harm competition. The European Commission, the European Union's executive arm and top antitrust enforcer, said it has informed Amazon of its "preliminary view" regarding the deal following an investigation that began in July. The news raised investors' concerns about the acquisition, sending shares in Bedford, Massachusetts-based iRobot Corp., most famous for the circular-shaped Roomba vacuum, down more than 17% Monday. The European regulators raised concerns that the buyout may hinder iRobot's rivals from effectively competing on Amazon's marketplace, which they said is an ... Read more ... |
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Tesla sues Swedish state over strike fallout - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 28) |
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Nov 28 · This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked reputable news agency proofread Electric carmaker Tesla on Monday filed a lawsuit against the Swedish state over a strike by postal workers blocking deliveries of license plates for its new cars - and received a first favorable decision the same day. Tesla is currently facing strikes on multiple fronts in Sweden over its refusal to sign a collective wage agreement for its mechanics. On November 20, Swedish postal workers joined in and began halting deliveries to Tesla ... Read more ... |
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Tesla's futuristic Cybertruck finally arrives - here's why the company's success is riding on it - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 28) |
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Nov 28 · In 2019, Tesla was in the happy position of being a high-volume, premium-priced leader in the global electric vehicle (EV) market. Deliveries of 367,500 cars represented 50% growth over 2018. That included 92,550 of the mid-sized Model 3 cars and 19,450 of the larger Model S and X vehicles during the fourth quarter, implying strong future growth and producing annual revenue of US$$24.5 billion (£19.4 billion). The same year, Tesla announced the Cybertruck. This new futuristic-looking vehicle represented the company's first move into light/pickup trucks. Deliveries were initially planned for 2021. Yet the Cybertruck has been beset with delays over things like the weight, making it ... Read more ... |
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Virgin pilots first transatlantic flight with low-carbon fuel - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 28) |
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Nov 28 · British airline Virgin Atlantic on Tuesday piloted the first long-haul flight powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), an event environmental groups labeled "greenwashing". The Boeing 787 plane equipped with Rolls-Royce engines departed from London's Heathrow airport shortly before 1200 GMT, headed for New York's JFK minus cargo and paying passengers. "The world will always assume something can't be done until you do it," Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson said before joining the flight. "The spirit of innovation is getting out there and trying to prove that we can do things better for everyone's benefit." Virgin said it was the first time SAF had been used "in ... Read more ... |
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Why the world's first flight powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel is a green mirage - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 28) |
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Nov 28 · A Boeing 787 Dreamliner is set to take off from Heathrow on November 28 and head for JFK airport in New York, powered by so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). According to its operator, Virgin Atlantic, the world's "first 100% SAF flight" will mark "a historic moment in aviation's roadmap to decarbonization". It is proof of concept, we are led to believe, of the dawn of "guilt-free" flying. Unfortunately, we have been here before, and the results last time were anything but green. Based on our research into how wealth and power shape the environment, we argue that continued growth of the aviation sector, as with the economy in general, is incompatible with preventing runaway ... Read more ... |
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New method uses crowdsourced feedback to train robots - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 27) |
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Nov 27 · To teach an AI agent a new task, like how to open a kitchen cabinet, researchers often use reinforcement learning - a trial-and-error process where the agent is rewarded for taking actions that get it closer to the goal. In many instances, a human expert must carefully design a reward function, which is an incentive mechanism that gives the agent motivation to explore. The human expert must iteratively update that reward function as the agent explores and tries different actions. This can be time-consuming, inefficient, and difficult to scale up, especially when the task is complex and involves many steps. Researchers from MIT, Harvard University, and the University of Washington ... Read more ... |
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Study shows how wind and solar projects could profit from bitcoin mining - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 27) |
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Nov 27 · Bitcoin mining is often perceived as environmentally damaging because it uses huge amounts of electricity to power its intensive computing needs, but a new study demonstrates how wind and solar projects can profit from bitcoin mining during the pre-commercial development phase - when a wind or solar farm is generating electricity, but has not yet been integrated into the grid. The findings suggest some developers could recoup millions of dollars to potentially invest in future renewable energy projects. The study, "From Mining to Mitigation: How Bitcoin Can Support Renewable Energy Development and Climate Action," was published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & ... Read more ... |
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A tin-based tandem electrocatalyst for the synthesis of ethanol via CO2 reduction - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 25) |
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Nov 25 · The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into various multi-carbon products is highly desirable, as it could help to easily produce useful chemicals for a wide range of applications. Most existing catalysts to facilitate CO2 reduction are based on copper (Cu), yet the processes underpinning their action remain poorly understood. Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, and other institutes in China have recently set out to design more efficient Cu-free electrochemical catalysts for the reduction of CO2 Their paper, published in Nature Energy, introduces a new catalyst based on Tin (Sn), which was found to reduce CO2 to ethanol ... Read more ... |
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Amazon hit by 'Black Friday' strikes in Europe - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 24) |
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Nov 24 · Amazon was hit by strikes at various locations in Britain, Germany and Italy during the annual "Black Friday" shopping extravaganza as workers demand higher wages and better working conditions. UNI Global Union said Amazon would face strikes and protests in more than 30 countries around the world, including the United States, as part of a "Make Amazon Pay" campaign. "Workers know that it doesn't matter what country you're in or what your job title is. We are all united in the fight for higher wages, an end to unreasonable quotas and a voice on the job," said Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union. "That's what workers in Coventry are striking for and that is why ... Read more ... |
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Nissan will invest $1.4 billion to make EV versions of its best-selling cars at its UK factory - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 24) |
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Nov 24 · "With today's announcement, we are making that vision happen," Uchida said at the plant, which temporarily stopped production for the ceremony. The future of Nissan's Sunderland had been in question before and after Britain's 2016 vote to leave the European Union. Brexit opponents said leaving the bloc without a trade deal would damage Britain's economy because companies like Nissan would face tariffs on exports to the EU. The auto industry is bracing for 10% post-Brexit trade tariffs taking effect in January. They threaten to raise the cost of new EVs by punishing manufacturers in their respective markets for not sourcing enough of their components from either the EU or Britain. ... Read more ... |
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A new approach to create fast-charging lithium-ion batteries with a graphite-based anode - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 23) |
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Nov 23 · In recent years, engineers and material scientists have been trying to create increasingly advanced battery technologies that are charged faster, last longer, and can store more energy. These batteries will ultimately play a crucial role in the advancement of the electronics and energy sector, powering the wide range of portable devices on the market, as well as electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) are currently the most widespread batteries worldwide, powering most electronics we use every day. Identifying scalable methods to increase the speed at which these batteries charge is thus one of the primary goals in the energy field, as it would not require switching to ... Read more ... |
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Tesla's Musk says fallout from Sweden strike 'insane' - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 23) |
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Nov 23 · Tesla chief executive Elon Musk broke his silence Thursday on a strike against his company in Sweden, saying it was "insane" that it may block new car deliveries. Swedish postal workers began halting deliveries to Tesla offices and repair shops on Monday, in support of a strike launched by the metal workers' union IF Metall over the electric carmaker's refusal to sign a collective wage agreement. Financial newspaper Dagens Industri later reported that this in effect could block new Tesla's from hitting the road as license plates for new cars issued by the Swedish Transport Agency are only delivered via mail carrier Postnord. Replying to a user posting about the issue on X, ... Read more ... |
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Amazon accused of systematic gender discrimination in pay - PHYS.ORG - Technology  (Nov 22) |
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Nov 22 · Three current Amazon employees say the company has created sexist pay practices and retaliated against them for complaining of gender-based discrimination, according to a proposed class-action lawsuit filed Monday in Seattle. Caroline Wilmuth, Katherine Schomer and Erin Combs - who were all part of Amazon's Worldwide Communications team - said they were paid far less than their male colleagues, including, in at least one case, men they supervised. In an interview with The Seattle Times, Combs said there's a "myriad of major and minor examples" of systematic gender discrimination in pay at Amazon - and she's heard complaints from across the company. "The way that I and my female ... Read more ... |
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