A research team has successfully developed a catalyst coating technology that significantly improves the performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) in just four minutes.
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Swedish startup promises “massless” carbon fibre battery for wind blades, EVs and aircraft
Sinonus uses technology developed at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, where researchers have been studying the concept of a structural battery using carbon fibre for years.
Massless batteries have been something of a holy grail for energy storage since 2007, because the weight of the battery effectively disappears once it is part of the load-bearing structure. The Chalmers team, led by professor Leif Asp, is one of the few to find a material that works.
Carbon fibre is known for its strength versus weight.
A fully edible robot could soon end up on our plate, say scientists
Science and Technology: Some robots could be “eaten” so they could walk around inside the body and perform tests or surgeries from the inside out; or administer medications.
Robots made of several nanorobots joined together could assemble and reassemble themselves inside the body even after being…
Robots and food have long been distant worlds: Robots are inorganic, bulky, and non-disposable; food is organic, soft, and biodegradable. Yet, research that develops edible robots has progressed recently and promises positive impacts: Robotic food could reduce electronic waste, help deliver nutrition and medicines to people and animals in need, monitor health, and even pave the way to novel gastronomical experiences.
But how far are we from having a fully edible robot for lunch or dessert? And what are the challenges? Scientists from the RoboFood project, based at EPFL, address these and other questions in a perspective article in the journal Nature Reviews Materials.
“Bringing robots and food together is a fascinating challenge,” says Dario Floreano, director of the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at EPFL and first author of the article. In 2021, Floreano joined forces with Remko Boom from Wageningen University, The Netherlands, Jonathan Rossiter from the University of Bristol, UK, and Mario Caironi from the Italian Institute of Technology, to launch the project RoboFood.
Stranger in a Strange Land — Robert A Heinlein (Audiobook) part 1/2
Martian messiah.
Story of a Martian messiah.
Stranger in a Strange Land — Robert A Heinlein (Audiobook)
Building quantum computers just got easier with new technique
Researchers have devised a new method of building quantum computers, creating and “annihilating” qubits on demand, using a femtosecond laser to dope silicon with hydrogen.
This breakthrough could pave the way for quantum computers that use programmable optical qubits or “spin-photon qubits” to connect quantum nodes across a remote network.
In turn, this creates a quantum internet that is more secure and capable of transmitting more data than current optical-fiber information technologies.
GM’s Wuling teases new Starlight S electric SUV to compete with BYD, Tesla
A new electric SUV is primed to take on BYD and Tesla in China. GM’s joint venture, SAIC-GM-Wuling, unveiled the first teaser images of its new Starlight S electric SUV Monday. Check out the first images below.
The new electric SUV is the second model under the Wuling Silver Label. SAIC-GM-Wuling is a joint venture between China’s SAIC (50.1% owner) and GM (44%), while the remaining belongs to Liuzhou, Guangxi Province, based Wuling.
Wuling launched the Starlight electric sedan at the Beijing Auto Show in April. Although a PHEV version debuted last December, starting at $12,400 (105,800 yuan), the EV version starts at $13,800 (99,800 yuan).
Rocket company develops massive catapult to launch satellites into space without using jet fuel: ‘10,000 times the force of Earth’s gravity’
SpinLaunch was founded in 2014, and its leadership team has since raised tens of millions of dollars in funding. The company has been working with NASA, Airbus, and Cornell University, launching some of their equipment as part of testing. The tech has so far endured 10,000 Gs, “10,000 times the force of Earth’s gravity,” all per the Space.com report.
If SpinLaunch’s concept proves reliable, it could eliminate the loads of fuel that is burned to launch spacecraft. In 2016, Business Insider noted that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket used more than 900,000 pounds of propellant for each liftoff, for reference. The fuel efficiency may have improved some since then.
CBC News reports that a growing number of launches are starting to draw scrutiny, particularly for ozone layer health. The barrier protects us from some of the sun’s harmful radiation.