Lifeboat Foundation

Caltech researchers have discovered Hubbard excitons, which are excitons bound magnetically, offering new avenues for exciton-based technological applications.

In art, the negative space in a painting can be just as important as the painting itself. Something similar is true in insulating materials, where the empty spaces left behind by missing electrons play a crucial role in determining the material’s properties. When a negatively charged electron is excited by light, it leaves behind a positive hole. Because the hole and the electron are oppositely charged, they are attracted to each other and form a bond. The resulting pair, which is short-lived, is known as an exciton [pronounced exit-tawn].

Excitons are integral to many technologies, such as solar panels, photodetectors, and sensors. They are also a key part of light-emitting diodes found in televisions and digital display screens. In most cases, the exciton pairs are bound by electrical, or electrostatic, forces, also known as Coulomb interactions.

Scientists use bacteria to make cheese from yellow peas, a plant-based and sustainable alternative to dairy cheese.

Department of food science, university of copenhagen.

However, with growing concerns about the environmental impact of dairy production and the effects of climate change, there is a growing need to shift towards more plant-based alternatives in our food system. Scientists are now exploring how to harness the potential of protein-rich plants like peas and beans to create a new generation of non-dairy cheeses that rival traditional dairy cheeses’ sensory properties.

Continue reading “Bacteria help create cheese-like products from yellow peas” »

Wind turbines are a feat of engineering. The massive structures are visually impressive and generate vast amounts of clean energy via a natural and pollution-free source.

Because of that, you’d think they take a long time to install — especially when placed far out at sea.

However, at an offshore wind farm in Zhangpu, China, the state-owned China Three Gorges power company managed to get one up and running in just over a day, Electrek reports.

Researchers at MIT have created a device that may soon be able to turn seawater into drinking water for entire households using nothing but solar energy.

And, to top it off, the water produced by this device could eventually cost less than US tap water, according to a paper published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Joule.

Yang Zhong, a graduate student at MIT and an author of the September 27 paper, said this desalination device is more efficient, longer-lasting, and cheaper than previous desalination devices.

Lightweight materials with super strength and toughness are highly sought after. Spider silk, a sustainable material, meets these requirements but faces challenges in commercialization due to scientific understanding of its spinning mechanism, technical complexities in the process, and engineering hurdles in low-cost mass production. Here, drawing inspiration from nylon and Kevlar, we propose a theory on the nature of toughness and strength, unveiling the basic structure of silk fibers. Using these theories, we successfully produce the first “localized” full-length spider silk fiber via transgenic silkworms, showcasing high tensile strength (1,299 MPa) and exceptional toughness (319 MJ/m3). This breakthrough overcomes scientific, technical, and engineering obstacles, paving the way for spider silk’s commercialization as a sustainable substitute for synthetic fibers. Moreover, our theories provide essential guidance for developing super materials.

Developing sustainable materials with high strength and ultra-toughness is vital for ecological civilization. Using transgenic silkworms, we have successfully produced the first full-length spider silk, overcoming the scientific challenge of understanding the essence of toughness and strength. The resulting bionic spider silk exhibits high strength (1,299 MPa) and ultra-toughness (319 MJ/m3), offering a potentially sustainable substitute for synthetic commercial fibers. This breakthrough provides valuable insights for the development of super materials, including those for a space elevator, driving the advancement of civilization.

Tesla is planning to build something called “Giga Water Loop” just outside of Gigafactory Texas in Austin.

But we are not sure what it is.

Gigafatory Texas is arguably Tesla’s most ambitious manufacturing project to date, and that’s saying a lot because the company has many ambitious manufacturing projects.

Norwegian maritime solutions company, Ulstein, has unveiled a new vessel concept that holds the potential to deliver zero-emission cruises and other ocean industry applications, the company said in a press release.

For over a century, Ulstein has been involved in designing and building ships and delivering sustainable maritime solutions. The maritime industry is staring at a major overhaul in its bid to electrify transport over the waters, and Ulstein may just have the solution, a molten salt reactor (MSR) that can deliver this vision.

Mitch Lee can tick off the many environmental advantages of electric boats versus ICE counterparts that rule the waves: No exhaust fumes and pollution. No oil slicks trailing in the wake. No guzzling of pricey marine fuel at 2 kilometers-per-liter or less.

But with all respect to the Sierra Club, Arc Boats isn’t in business to save the planet.

“The climate benefits are certainly there. But our goal is to deliver better boats, period,” says Lee, the CEO and former Boeing engineer whose cofounder and CTO, Ryan Cook, is the former lead engineer of Space X.

Continue reading “Arc Boats Takes a Page from Tesla and Space X” »

Austrian startup CycloTech has unveiled CruiseUp, an innovative air vehicle that showcases the benefits of CycloRotor technology and its 360-degree thrust vectoring capabilities, all within a compact, passenger-oriented design.

Drawing on 15 years of technology development, extensive wind tunnel testing, and experience from over 500 flights of its technology demonstrator, the CruiseUp concept is designed to meet the individual air mobility needs expected to emerge in the coming decade. The vehicle promises to unlock new possibilities for everyday activities, enabling comfortable, simple, and safe transportation while also promoting sustainability by replacing pollution-intensive ground-based transportation.

CruiseUp uses CycloRotors as its electric propulsion system. This system is unique because it encapsulates the moving parts, providing an extra layer of safety for both the environment and the two passengers.