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 […]