Nuclear energy is among the most promising alternatives to fossil fuels—if we can find a sustainable way to take care of the unwanted, radioactive waste generated by the process. Stakeholders from both the public and private sectors have suggested various solutions, but a Tennessee firm will be the first to actually build and operate a […]
‘Unidentified Floating Object’ Causes Confusion off Swedish Coast
Well, here’s something you don’t find floating in the water every day: a giant piece of metal from an offshore wind turbine. The Swedish coast guard recently identified the so-called UFO—and it’s the second rogue object spotted within a month. Last week, the Swedish Coast Guard received a tip about a mysterious UFO, in this […]
Japanese Power Plant Turns Saltwater Into Electricity—and It’s a Glimpse Into the Future
Scientists believe saltwater could become a reliable source of renewable energy through a process known as osmosis. Japan has now taken a major step in that direction. Earlier this month, Japan officially launched its first osmotic power plant in Fukuoka, a large city to the west of Tokyo. That makes Japan the second country in […]
A Tiny Diamond Defect Could Be Blocking Fusion Breakthroughs
Every part of a fusion reactor is designed for maximum efficiency. Well, in theory, at least. In reality, the materials chosen to bring us closer to fusion don’t always perform as expected, leading to structural glitches that obstruct fusion reactions. Diamond capsules used to safely store hydrogen fuel are no exception, but a new study […]
Scientists Pitch Bold Plan to Turn Nuclear Waste Into Nuclear Fuel
Nuclear fusion has seen some exciting advances, and the promise of clean, efficient energy does seem to be creeping closer to reality. But skeptics point to practical issues we may not be trying hard enough to solve—issues that will inevitably weigh down our reactors when they finally arrive. A new proposal by Terence Tarnowsky, a […]
Dead EV Batteries Are Hoarding a Shocking Amount of Useful Lithium
The lithium batteries we deem unfit for use in electric vehicles might still contain copious amounts of usable, pure lithium we could retrieve and reuse—a potentially consistent, bountiful supply we’re just not trying hard enough to tap into, a new study suggests. In a study published August 14 in the Journal of Environmental Management, researchers […]
Researchers Harness Black Metal to Turbocharge Solar Power
Several years ago, an optics expert developed a technique for turning shiny metals pitch black. The trick resulted in a material perfectly suited for absorbing sunlight—so much so that generators built with it produced 15 times more power than comparable devices. The team used black metal to develop a new design for solar thermoelectric generators. […]
The U.S. Is Testing Tiny Nuclear Reactors That Can Go Practically Anywhere
In contrast to other technological advances, the objective for next-generation nuclear reactors seems to be to scale down, not up—an initiative backed by the Department of Energy (DOE). Earlier this month, the DOE announced a conditional agreement made with private firms Westinghouse and Radiant to conduct the first reactor tests at its Demonstration on Microreactor […]
This Solar-Powered Reactor Sucks CO2 From the Air and Turns It Into Fuel
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have built a solar-powered reactor that converts atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) into a gas that could one day fuel vehicles, power off-the-grid dwellings, and even produce pharmaceutical products. The researchers say were inspired by photosynthesis and claim that their technology can be scaled up more easily than earlier solar-powered […]
This Slime Generates Electricity When Squeezed
Slime isn’t just for kids’ TV shows anymore—it could be the next breakthrough straight out of sci-fi. Researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada have developed “slime” that produces electricity when compressed, and its potential applications range from clean energy production to medical products. Think elementary school slime project, but on steroids. Their work […]