Lifeboat Foundation

“This study has changed the picture of the environments around stars less massive than our Sun, which emit very little UV light outside of flares,” said Jason Hinkle.

How can red dwarf stars, which are both smaller and cooler than our Sun, influence the habitability potential for exoplanets orbiting them? This is what a recent study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society hopes to address as a team of international researchers led by the University of Hawai’i investigated how stellar flares emanating from red dwarf stars could help ascertain the habitability potential for exoplanetary systems. This study holds the potential to help astronomers better understand the formation and evolution of exoplanetary systems throughout the cosmos and the conditions necessary for life to exist on these worlds.

For the study, the researchers analyzed near-ultraviolet (near-UV) and far-ultraviolet (far-UV) data obtained from the now-retired NASA GALEX space telescope of 182 stellar flares emitting from 158 stars within 100 parsecs (326 light-years) from Earth. The goal of the study was to ascertain how UV emissions influence whether a planet can host life.

Continue reading “Impact of Intense UV Radiation on Planet Habitability Around Red Dwarf Stars” »

A discovery that uncovered the surprising way atoms arrange themselves and find their preferred neighbors in multi-principal element alloys (MPEA) could enable engineers to “tune” these unique and useful materials for enhanced performance in specific applications ranging from advanced power plants to aerospace technologies, according to the researchers who made the finding.

Samsung has unveiled the world’s thinnest LPDDR5X DRAM chips for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. The chip is just 0.65mm thin.

The higher cost of owning an electric versus a gas-powered vehicle is a sticking point for many would-be buyers of EVs. Now, the price of a key EV component is falling, raising hopes that automakers could close the gap as they grapple with waning demand.

Batteries make up about one-third to one-fourth of the cost of producing an electric vehicle, according to Goldman Sachs analysts. The firm predicts the global average cost to automakers for batteries in 2024 will average about $115 per kilowatt hours, about 23% lower than last year. Prices are expected fall another 20% in 2025.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (TSLA) recently noted costs have come down for lithium-ion cells used in EV batteries, a big reversal from the “massive spike” during the pandemic when car manufacturers put in “giant, giant orders.”

New discoveries on the remote Tanimbar Islands reveal ancient seafaring humans used advanced maritime technologies over 42,000 years ago.

Science news, Egyptian crocodile news: Modern technology is helping us to learn more and more about our ancient past. I can only imagine what secrets technology might help reveal in the future.

In 2022, California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a historic $10 billion zero-emission vehicle package to speed up the state’s transition to greener technologies. It included $407 million for the California State Transportation Agency to invest in clean tech for its bus and rail infrastructure, and that money has already been put to good use.

The Metrolink commuter rail in San Bernardino County will be moving from diesel-powered trains to new zero-emission hybrid ones that use hydrogen starting later this year, as LAist reported. This is only for a nine-mile stretch between San Bernardino and Redlands, but it will serve as a trial run for further expansion.

Continue reading “Major US city unveils record-breaking train that could be the future of transportation — and you can ride it this year” »

Written in 1955, this short story by Philip K Dick revolves around a group of post-apocalyptic survivors resistingthe domination of an automated factory system.

In time, businesses may wake up to the true potential of artificial intelligence. But if worries grow, big tech’s spending plans will start to look as extravagant as its valuations.

So far the technology has had almost no economic impact.