In July 2024, global temperatures reached unprecedented levels, breaking historical records with an average of 17.16°C. This extreme heat has led soil water to evaporate, leaving the vegetation and biodiversity more fragile and under stress in many regions of the world.
How will climate change alter winter weather in the future? This is what a recent study published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated the long-term effects of climate change on winter weather precipitation, or wetness. This study has the potential to help researchers, climate scientists, policymakers, and the public understand the long-term consequences of global climate change and the steps that can be taken to mitigate it.
For the study, the researchers used computer models to compare precipitation levels between 1985 and 2014 and compared these to model-predicted data spanning from 2070 to 2099 across seven subregions across the United States. In the end, the researchers estimate an increase between 2 to 5 percent of precipitation for every degree increase before the end of the century, noting this increase will hit the Northwest and Northeast regions of the United States the hardest.
“We found that, unlike summer and other seasons where projected changes in precipitation is highly uncertain, there will be a robust future intensification of winter precipitation,” said Dr. Akintomide Akinsanola, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago and lead author of the study. “It will accelerate well past what we have seen in historic data.”
NoviOcean’s innovative Hybrid Energy Converter combines wave, wind, and solar power, generating double the energy of wind alone.
A new model accounts for a wide range of ion-electrode interactions and predicts a device’s ability to store electric charge. The model’s theoretical predictions align with the experimental results. Data on the behavior of the electric double layer (EDL) can aid in the development of more efficient supercapacitors for portable electronics and electric vehicles. The study has been published in ChemPhysChem.
Its abundance of sunlight and heavy investment in solar cell technology has positioned Saudi Arabia well in its transition to becoming a leading exporter of renewable energy. Indeed, solar energy currently makes up more than 80% of the Kingdom’s green energy capacity. However, these cells bring a twisted irony, as their operation exposes them to overheating risks. Cooling systems are therefore necessary, but many depend on electricity.
An international research team led by KAUST Professor Qiaoqiang Gan has designed a potential solution. Their device needs no electricity, as it extracts water from the air using nothing more than gravity and relies on cheap, readily available materials.
Along with keeping the solar cells and other semiconductor technologies cool, the water can be repurposed for irrigation, washing, cooling buildings on which the solar cells are placed, and other applications.
New device boosts hydroponic farming for efficient, eco-friendly food production:
A new water purification device offers a cost-effective solution for hydroponic farming, supporting more sustainable food production.
Continue reading “New water purifier could drive sustainable farming in changing climate” »
American start-up Boom Supersonic is planning to develop the very first supersonic aircraft powered by 100% sustainable fuel. The aircraft, named Overture, would succeed Concorde in providing ultrafast connections between Europe and the United States, more than 20 years after the latter ceased operation. The new aircraft also echoes its predecessor’s unique, long and slender design.
Boom Supersonic is currently flying a demonstrator, the XB-1, over the Mojave Desert in California. A first supersonic flight (at Mach 1) is now expected by the end of 2024, following the green light given from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). All these tests are designed to ensure the aircraft’s reliability and maneuverability. Above all, they lay the foundations for the firm’s future Overture plane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si\u003doKkiYzJ96H2hY9en\u0026v\u003d1_gJp2uAjO0\u0026feature\u003dyoutu.be
Quantum computers have the ability to harness the mysterious effects of quantum physics, making them a game changer for science. Professor Hannah Fry explains how they work on The Future with Hannah Fry.
With the promise of unimaginable computing power, a global race for quantum supremacy is raging. Who will be first to harness this new technological force, and what will they do with it?
Continue reading “The Race to Harness Quantum Computing’s Mind-Bending Power” »
A new device at the University of Central Florida captures carbon dioxide and turns it into useful products.
You might’ve heard comments about how western powers have been falling behind in the solar game. This chart shows how very real the Chinese dominance in that field is! Source:
The supply chain is key for the renewable energy revolution, and this chart visualizes where the world’s solar panels are manufactured.
