Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
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Category: sustainability

When the International Maritime Organization enacted a mandatory cap on the sulfur content of marine fuels in 2020, with an eye toward reducing harmful environmental and health impacts, it left shipping companies with several main options.

They could burn low-sulfur fossil fuels, like marine gas oil, or install cleaning systems to remove sulfur from the produced by burning heavy fuel oil. Biofuels with lower sulfur content offer another alternative, though their limited availability makes them a less feasible option.

While installing exhaust gas cleaning systems, known as scrubbers, is the most feasible and cost-effective option, there has been a great deal of uncertainty among firms, policymakers, and scientists as to how “green” these scrubbers are.

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Researchers at EPFL have found a way to dramatically reduce energy loss and boost efficiency in perovskite solar cells by incorporating rubidium using lattice strain—a slight deformation in the atomic structure that helps keep rubidium in place.

Solar energy is one of the most promising solutions for reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. But making more efficient is a constant challenge. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been a game-changer, offering rapid improvements in efficiency and potential for low-cost manufacturing. However, they still suffer from energy losses and operational stability issues.

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A new method to recycle wind turbine blades without using harsh chemicals resulted in the recovery of high-strength glass fibers and resins that allowed Washington State University researchers to repurpose the materials to create stronger plastics.

The innovation provides a simple and environmentally friendly way to recycle wind turbine blades to create useful products.

Reporting in the journal, Resource, Conservation, and Recycling, the team of researchers cut the that is commonly used in , called glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP), into approximately two inch-sized blocks. They then soaked the flakes in a bath of low-toxicity organic salt in pressurized, superheated water for about two hours to break down the material. They then repurposed its components to make stronger plastics.

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Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous, powering everything from cellphones and laptops to electric vehicles. They’re also notorious for overheating or catching fire.

Now, with an innovative computational model, a University of Wisconsin–Madison has gained new understanding of a phenomenon that causes lithium-ion batteries to fail.

Developed by Weiyu Li, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at UW–Madison, the model explains lithium plating, in which fast charging triggers metallic lithium to build up on the surface of a battery’s anode, causing the battery to degrade faster or catch fire.

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A modified manufacturing process for electric vehicle batteries, developed by University of Michigan engineers, could enable high ranges and fast charging in cold weather, solving problems that are turning potential EV buyers away.

“We envision this approach as something that EV battery manufacturers could adopt without major changes to existing factories,” said Neil Dasgupta, U-M associate professor of mechanical engineering and and engineering, and corresponding author of the study published in Joule.

“For the first time, we’ve shown a pathway to simultaneously achieve extreme fast charging at , without sacrificing the energy density of the lithium-ion battery.”

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AI has created a sea change in society; now, it is setting its sights on the sea itself. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a machine learning-powered fluid simulation model that significantly reduces computation time without compromising accuracy.

Their fast and precise technique opens up potential applications in offshore power generation, ship design and real-time ocean monitoring. The study was published in Applied Ocean Research.

Accurately predicting fluid behavior is crucial for industries relying on wave and tidal energy, as well as for the design of maritime structures and vessels.

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A major study links long-term air pollution, especially sulfur dioxide, to higher depression risk, urging stronger pollution controls to protect mental health. A landmark study published in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology has found a strong link between long-term exposure to air pollution

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Scientists have created solar cells using simulated Moon dust, potentially solving one of space exploration’s biggest challenges: how to generate reliable energy far from Earth.

These new cells, made with perovskite and moonglass, are lighter, cheaper, and more radiation-resistant than traditional space solar panels. Even better, they can be made using lunar materials, drastically reducing launch costs and making future Moon bases more feasible. If successful in real lunar conditions, these Moon-made solar panels could power entire off-world colonies.

Powering Space with Moon Dust.

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