Archive for the ‘sustainability’ category: Page 581
Nov 7, 2016
Unless It Changes, Capitalism Will Starve Humanity By 2050
Posted by Amnon H. Eden in categories: business, climatology, existential risks, food, habitats, sustainability
The wealth gap worries Forbes, not your usual wide-eyed socialist.
How do we expect to feed that many people while we exhaust the resources that remain?
Human activities are behind the extinction crisis. Commercial agriculture, timber extraction, and infrastructure development are causing habitat loss and our reliance on fossil fuels is a major contributor to climate change.
Continue reading “Unless It Changes, Capitalism Will Starve Humanity By 2050” »
Nov 5, 2016
Israel Proves the Desalination Era Is Here
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in category: sustainability
Nov 5, 2016
Making energy-harvesting computers reliable
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: computing, solar power, sustainability
A revolutionary and emerging class of energy-harvesting computer systems require neither a battery nor a power outlet to operate, instead operating by harvesting energy from their environment. While radio waves, solar energy, heat, and vibrations have the ability to power devices, harvested energy sources are weak leading to an “intermittent execution”, with periodic power failures and unreliable behavior.
Brandon Lucia, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, and his Ph.D. student Alexei Colin created the first programming language designed to build reliable software for intermittent, energy-harvesting computers. Colin will present the work at the 2016 SPLASH conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on November 3rd.
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Nov 4, 2016
Elon Musk: Robots will take your jobs, government will have to pay your wage
Posted by Elmar Arunov in categories: economics, Elon Musk, employment, government, robotics/AI, space travel, sustainability
Nov 2, 2016
Powerwall 2 & Solar Roof Launch | Tesla
Posted by Odette Bohr Dienel in categories: energy, environmental, solar power, sustainability
Nov 2, 2016
Tesla Model 3 Will Have Solar Glass Like The Same Tech Used In Solar Roof
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: sustainability, transportation
Nov 2, 2016
Elon Musk Says Tesla’s New Solar Tiles Can Defrost Themselves
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: Elon Musk, energy, habitats, sustainability, transportation
Hold onto your butts solar aficionados, the next generation solar roof is coming, and it looks good. During a brief event Friday night, Elon Musk presented his plan to integrate solar roofs with Powerwall power packs. But that’s not all. On Saturday Musk expanded on his talk by explaining via Twitter that the new solar tiles would come with some pretty sweet features — more specifically, built-in defrosters.
Unlike the solar systems of the past, Tesla’s newly designed roofs will feature aesthetically pleasing, energy efficient glass solar tiles, that will replace a home’s roof rather than sit on top of it.
Harsh weather conditions — like snow and ice — are known for wreaking havoc on traditional asphalt shingles, but that’s not the case with Musk’s new design. The solar glass tiles are not only more durable, but are also packing specialized heating elements that work much like the rear defroster does on your car.
Continue reading “Elon Musk Says Tesla’s New Solar Tiles Can Defrost Themselves” »
Oct 31, 2016
Teslas Are Teaching Each Other How to Drive Better Than You
Posted by Shailesh Prasad in categories: robotics/AI, sustainability, transportation
Your Tesla can drive itself. Not just on the highway, not under strict guidance, but everywhere. Or at least, it will have all the necessary gadgets to do so soon.
We are excited to announce that, as of today, all Tesla vehicles produced in our factory – including Model 3 – will have the hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver.
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Oct 31, 2016
Solar Cell Cathodes Made from Human Hair
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: particle physics, quantum physics, solar power, sustainability
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Kolkata, India, have for the first time implemented a bio-waste-derived electrode as cathode in a quantum-dot-sensitized solar cell.
“The materials to be used as cathode in quantum dot solar cells need to be highly catalytic and electrically conducting to facilitate the electron transfer processes,” explains Professor Sayan Bhattacharyya from the Department of Chemical Sciences at IISER. He adds that the lamellar structure of human hair is likely responsible for the graphene-like sheets in the transformed graphitic porous carbon. “Secondly,” he continues, “since hair contains keratin and other amino acids, carbonizing the acid-digested hair under inert conditions likely retains the nitrogen and sulphur hetero-atoms, which are useful to enhance the catalytic propensity of the produced carbon.”
As the professor explains, the idea behind this research project was to use a bio-waste resource like hair in future energy technologies to achieve a win-win situation — i.e., “A smart way to address environmental concerns and also to produce cheaper devices.”
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