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Beyond shade: Researchers improve radiant cooling to make outdoor temperatures feel cooler

A team of UCLA engineers and researchers has developed a new technique to make it feel up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler outside while preserving a sense of safe and open space.

Featured in Nature Sustainability, the UCLA-led study demonstrated a new way to harness radiant cooling. Instead of relying on dark and windowless spaces, such as a tunnel, to create radiant cooling that raises safety concerns for public outdoor spaces, the new approach combines water-cooled aluminum panels and see-through, infrared-reflective thin polymer film, which allows both efficient cooling and visibility—a top priority, especially for residents in urban communities.

As climate change accelerates, are occurring with greater intensity and frequency, threatening the safety of people who spend significant time outdoors.

How paper planes could provide sustainable solutions to space debris

Space junk is a huge problem. The surge in satellite launches in recent years is leaving low Earth orbit (LEO) cluttered with debris such as discarded rocket bodies, broken parts and defunct satellites. Beyond the risk of debris colliding with working satellites that are vital for navigation, communication and weather forecasting, large pieces could come crashing back down to Earth.

Space junk may also be a threat to the environment. Old rockets and satellites burn up when they re-enter the atmosphere, leaving a trail of chemicals behind that could damage the ozone layer. The more we launch, the messier LEO gets, and the bigger the problems become.

Space agencies and private companies are looking at ways to clear up the litter we leave behind, but they’re also exploring how to build more sustainable rockets and satellites, using organic polymers instead of metals. In a new study, published in Acta Astronautica, researchers turned to origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, to find a sustainable alternative.

Giga Nevada EXPLODES With Semi Progress

Tesla’s Giga Nevada factory is making significant progress in the production of its Semi trucks and batteries, and is expected to play a major role in the company’s future growth and dominance in the electric vehicle market ## ## Questions to inspire discussion.

Semi-Truck Production.

🚛 Q: What progress is Tesla making on semi-truck trailers at Giga Nevada? A: Tesla is using double drop trailers to haul oversized loads of large machinery, which is a critical step in the factory’s development for semi-truck production.

🔋 Q: How does the LFP battery production at Giga Nevada relate to semi-truck goals? A: The LFP factory is designed to produce 10 gigawatts of stationary batteries annually, which is insufficient for Tesla’s goal of producing 50,000 semi-trucks.

Battery Production.

⚡ Q: What is the current status of battery production at Giga Nevada? A: Battery production is almost ready to begin, with the LFP factory set up to manufacture stationary batteries.

Elon Just Made Tesla Unstoppable

Questions to inspire discussion.

🚀 Q: How might Elon Musk’s diverse projects contribute to Tesla’s value? A: Musk’s involvement in AI, energy, transportation, and communication through projects like Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink demonstrates his capacity to make progress on multiple fronts, potentially creating significant value for Tesla.

Political Involvement and Economic Strategy.

🏛️ Q: Why is Elon Musk getting involved in politics? A: Musk’s political involvement aims to create a better political system on Earth, addressing the unsustainability of US government spending and debt to avoid a fiscal doom loop.

📊 Q: What is Musk’s strategy to improve the US economy? A: Musk plans to accelerate GDP growth through AI-driven growth, humanoid bots, and reducing government spending and waste, potentially breaking free from the constant 7% growth line of the US stock market.

💰 Q: How could reducing government spending benefit the economy? A: By cutting wasteful spending and implementing a balanced budget requirement, the US could potentially grow its economy faster than its spending, reducing interest costs and freeing up money for other investments.

Rivian CEO Exposes Legacy Automaker EV Lies

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe claims that legacy automakers are intentionally slowing down electric vehicle adoption and hindering competition to protect their profits from gas-powered vehicles, which could threaten their survival and allow newer EV makers like Rivian and Tesla to dominate the market ## ## Questions to inspire discussion.

Legacy Automakers and EVs.

🚗 Q: Why are legacy automakers resistant to selling EVs? A: Legacy automakers don’t want to sell EVs because they make good margins on low-efficiency gas cars and can sell them at a premium price, preferring to see the EV market disappear.

🏛️ Q: How are legacy automakers fighting against EV policies? A: Legacy automakers are the biggest adversaries of EV policies, spending the most energy fighting against them in DC, reflecting their desire for the EV market to vanish. Rivian’s Challenges and Strategy.

💰 Q: What financial challenge does Rivian face? A: Rivian has a massive $23 billion debt, making it more indebted than any startup has ever been, requiring 10–20 years to become cash flow positive.

🛻 Q: How is Rivian addressing its product pricing? A: Rivian’s R2 electric truck, launching in 2025, will target a **$45,000 starting price, a strategic move to make their products more accessible.

Ultrathin clay membrane layers offer low-cost alternative for extracting lithium from water

Lithium, the lightest metal on the periodic table, plays a pivotal role in modern life. Its low weight and high energy density make it ideal for electric vehicles, cellphones, laptops and military technologies where every ounce counts. As demand for lithium skyrockets, concerns about supply and reliability are growing.

To help meet surging demand and possible supply chain problems, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have developed an innovative technology that efficiently extracts lithium from water. Several team members also hold joint appointments with the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago.

The findings appear in the journal Advanced Materials.