environment
A Supermaterial From Plastic Waste
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have created a way to convert plastic bottle waste into an ultralight aerogel material that has multiple potential applications.
A Plane With No Moving Parts
Airplanes have been with us for more than a century and they fly with the help of propellers, turbine blades or fans that noisily move them through the air. Recently, MIT engineers have built and flown a plane with no moving parts.
Growing Use Of Wind And Solar Power
According to a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, solar and wind energy now generate more than 20% of the electricity used in 10 states. Topping the list is Iowa, which got 37% of its electricity from wind and solar in 2017. The next three states were Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota, all getting more than 30% of their power from the renewables. The top five states, which adds North Dakota to the list, actually get nearly all of their renewable energy from wind. In fact, during some months in 2017, Iowa and Kansas both got more than half of their electricity from wind.
A Prize For Water From The Air
The XPrize competitions provide monetary incentives to crowdsource solutions to the world’s grand challenges. Originally started in 1994 to spur the development of private spaceflight, the XPrize program now offers prizes for diverse fields including Oceans, Learning, Health, Energy, Environment, Transportation, Safety and Robotics.
The Global Vertebrate Population Is Struggling
According to a new report by the World Wildlife Fund, the planet’s populations of vertebrates have dropped an average of 60% since 1970.
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