Lignin is arguably the most abundant component of biomass that most people have never heard of. That may be about to change.
Many people are familiar with its biochemical cousin cellulose, a byproduct of paper and wood milling. But the same processes produce 50 million tons of lignin annually, industry experts estimate. Once distilled, 98 percent of the inky liquid is burned to produce electricity.
Scientists have been working to find more efficient and sustainable approaches to transform this naturally occurring polymer for use as a cleaner and greener building block to develop next generation materials.
Scientists continue to make intriguing breakthroughs that could help reshape our lives. This time, a group of scientists managed to create a shape-shifting liquid metal that can transition between the solid and liquid state. The new liquid is reminiscent of the liquid shapeshifting seen in 1991’s Terminator 2, and the scientists even tested it by having it escape a cage.
The scientists published a paper on the new shape-shifting liquid in the journal Matter. In it, they discuss how they created the metal and the rigorous tests they put it through. For the most part, the scientists created the liquid in the form of small robots, which they were then able to shift between solid and liquid states to jump, climb, and – as noted above – even ooze out of a cage to freedom.
The scientists utilized magnetic fields to control the shape and movements of the shape-shifting liquid metal robots. The hope is that by using magnets to help move and control the shapeshifting of the robots, the scientists will be able to utilize the liquid metal in both biomedical and engineering technologies, things like targeted drug delivery and circuit assembly.
Europa had features that astronomers couldn’t previously quite figure out.
Europa had red stripe features that astronomers couldn’t previously quite figure out. But it ends up it may be an unusual form of brine and fodder for future studies.
However, a drop in demand about 20 years ago led to the farmers setting the pigs free, and now, they are estimated to be heading to Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan.
Thus, engineered wood has emerged as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional building materials. However, this wood is prone to warping and deterioration of structural integrity, diminishing its life span.
In this Big Think interview, theoretical physicist Sean Carroll discusses the concept of time and the mysteries surrounding its properties. He notes that while we use the word “time” frequently in everyday language, the real puzzles arise when we consider the properties of time, such as the past, present, and future, and the fact that we can affect the future but not the past.
Carroll also discusses the concept of entropy, which is a measure of how disorganized or random a system is, and the second law of thermodynamics, which states that there is a natural tendency for things in the universe to go from a state of low entropy to high entropy. He explains that the arrow of time, or the perceived difference between the past and the future, arises due to the influence of the Big Bang and the fact that the universe began in a state of low entropy.
Carroll also touches on the possibility of time travel and the concept of the multiverse.
Tesla Cybertruck sightings are continuing, and a video of the all-electric pickup released today gives a much better look at the vehicle’s air suspension.
Last night, a video of the Cybertruck rolling around Gigafactory Texas was shared, showing off its air suspension at what people said was its maximum ride height. However, it was very unclear and grainy, so it didn’t necessarily give a great look at what the Cybertruck will look like when utilizing its air suspension.
Now, a new video has been shared, where the Cybertruck appears to be, once again, at its maximum ride height, thanks to its air suspension, but the clearer resolution gives us a much more revealing look at the beast in its rarest form.
Check out all the on-demand sessions from the Intelligent Security Summit here.
Permissions management is the essence of data security. Yet few security teams can manage identities in the cloud at scale, with Gartner estimating that by 2023, 75% of cloud security failures will occur due to insufficient management of identities, access and privileges.
However, more and more providers are looking to address permissions management with automation. Entitle, which today announced it has raised $15 million as part of a seed funding round led by Glilot Capital Partners, offers a platform for automating access management and provisioning.
Our new series The Future with Hannah Fry explores the science, tech and people on the cusp of the most transformative breakthroughs of our age – from AI to clean energy. Watch the first episode on Bloomberg Originals on Feb. 22.
– Do you want to know what your future holds? A life beyond 150 years old? A world where computers can read our emotions? A planet transformed by unlimited clean energy? Mathematician Hannah Fry will explore these questions and more in the new series The Future With Hannah Fry, debuting on Bloomberg Originals on Feb. 22.
Watch The Future With Hannah Fry on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on Bloomberg.com, the Bloomberg app on your connected TV, Apple TV, Roku, Samsung TV.
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