A newly designed material, which mimics the wing structure of owls, could help make wind turbines, computer fans and even planes much quieter. Early wind tunnel tests of the coating have shown a substantial reduction in noise without any noticeable effect on aerodynamics.
Kate YoderWhen it comes to creating robots that look like humans, we’re getting good — uncannily good. And one expert has claimed that in 15 years, they’ll be smarter than us, too. But until recently, we haven’t devoted much thought to the robotic afterlife. Where, exactly, does a robot go when it has outlived its usefulness? Most robots are made from metal and plastic — and I’d hazard a guess that your out-of-commission Roomba isn’t headed to the compost pile. But in the future, it looks like our artificial friends could be going six feet under along with the rest of us. A team of scientists from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) are on a mission to engineer completely biodegradable robots. Their…
adminResearchers have taken atomic-level images of individual nanoparticles during heating that could lead to improved fuel-cell technologies.
Finding a technology to shift carbon dioxide, the most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas, from a climate change problem to a valuable commodity has long been a dream. Now, a team of chemists says they have developed a technology to economically convert atmospheric CO2 directly into highly valued carbon nanofibers for industrial and consumer products.
adminAdvances in ultrathin films have made solar panels and semiconductor devices more efficient and less costly, and researchers say they’ve found a way to manufacture the films more easily, too.
Katie HerzogFor 23 years, David Koch, the billionaire industrialist who made a fortune off fossil fuels, ranching, fertilizers, and other environmental nightmares, has served on the board at the American Museum of Natural History. Koch’s position on the board is controversial, not least because of his position on climate change: The Koch family has spent millions funding climate change denier groups and disinformation campaigns, and scientists around the country have called for Koch to be removed from the museum board. Well, they finally got what they wanted — the American Museum of Natural History announced Koch’s resignation this week. A museum spokeswoman said Koch’s departure is unrelated to the calls for his dismissal, but, as The New York Times reports, a letter sent to museums of…
adminFriction hampers the movement of all mechanical parts, including engines for transportation. Scientists built a system with virtually no friction. The system wraps graphene flakes around nanodiamonds that then roll between a diamond-like carbon-surface and graphene on silica.
