(Issue: 14 October 2018)
(Issue: 28 July 2018)
(Issue: 13 July 2018)
(Issue: 28 June 2018)
(Issue: 13 June 2018)
(Issue: 14 May 2018)
(Issue: 29 April 2018)
(Issue: 14 April 2018)
(Issue: 30 March 2018)
(Issue: 15 March 2018)
(Issue: 28 January 2018)
Hundreds of 2D Materials Could be the Next Graphene
Finding Supermaterials
Graphene, the famous one atom thick superconductor, might soon be part of broader family, as scientists have discovered hundreds of other equally-thin, 2-dimensional materials with comparable properties.
In a study published in journal Nature Nanotechnology, scientists in Switzerland used a unique computer program to scour open databases - such as the Crystallography Open Database - to find materials comparable to graphene. Specifically, they were looking for materials that are exfoliable, namely that have the ability to separate into super-thin 2-dimensional sheets as graphite does when turning into graphene.
After chiseling away at a pile of more than 100,000 crystal structures, the team identified 1,825 compounds that could form layers one-atom thick. Some of these structures had never been seen before. This boiled down to a final list of 258 less complex compounds - 166 of which are semiconductors, 92 metallic, and 56 displaying unusual magnetism.
Future Applications
According to the research team, "only a very small fraction of possible 2D materials has been considered up to now." But with the team's custom computer program and an enormous catalog to sort through, the researchers have shown that there are materials whose properties we have overlooked.
Now, scientists are excited at the prospect of discovering other strong, flexible, graphene-like materials, but what practical applications could these alternatives actually have? While mass-producing graphene may be within reach, for now it remains quite difficult and expensive to create. Comparable graphene alternatives could potentially be easier or cheaper to produce, and could be better suited to particular electronic purposes. So while graphene remains the best bet when it comes to designing future technologies, exploring other options may have notable advantages.
Source: www.futurism.com
(Issue: 12 August 2018)
Students design car that runs on air: Range and
Top speed to increase to 100km!
Across
the globe, auto manufacturers are looking for the next green technology to
power automotives that will move us away from fossil fuels. In Egypt, a group
of students’ have designed and built a vehicle that runs on nothing more than
air. Astounded? Well, don’t be. The undergraduate students built this air-kart
as part of their graduation project from Helwan University just outside Cairo,
and will soon be rolling out a prototype of the one-seater vehicle that runs on
compressed oxygen. The type that you would fill your car tyres with.
The
most important thing is that the vehicle is cost-effective to build and almost
free to run, costing the students no more than Rs. 50,000 to build. The
prototype can run for 30 kms at 40 kmph without the need to refuel, although it
is likely that it will be a while before you can buy one. The students say that
since the vehicle runs on air, the operational cost is negligible and if the
fossil independence isn't enough doesn’t even need cooling. However, we feel
like it is unlikely that the vehicle can be run with an alternative.
They
believe that from a prototype stage to the final product they will be able to
achieve speeds of up to 100 kmph and a range of 100 kmph before it needs
refuelling. If the students are able to secure the right kind of funding with
the right kind of leadership, this may well be the epicentre of a
groundbreaking future technology. Although only time will tell!
Source: www.financialexpress.com
(Issue: 28 July 2018)
Gold Formation
Mostly it is assumed that gold and other heavy metals were formed inside a planet way back when the Earth was still a mass of molten rock.
But that's not the case. Gold is heavy. So if gold, platinum, tungsten or any of the other 'heavy metal' were around before the Earth's crust solidified, these metals would have some through the liquid rock and vanished deep into the Earth's core. Instead they are (relatively) abundant in the Earth's crust. So what's the theory here?
Evolution of Gold
We're all made out of "star stuff", so gold shouldn't be an exception.
The ancient Aztecs believed gold was infact "the sweat of the Sun". Though this isn't true, the phrase is a highly accurate metaphor.
Gold, like most heavy metals, was forged inside stars through a process called nuclear fusion. In the beginning, following the Big Bang, only two elements were formed: hydrogen and helium. A few hundred million years after the Big Bang, the first stars were blazing away with their nuclear fires. These nuclear fires forced lighter elements together to make slightly heavier elements, and these nuclear reaction released a huge amount of energy.
Gradually, these early stars began making elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen-working their way up through a periodic table towards iron. But there was still no gold in the universe. Once these earlier stars ran out of flight elements to burn, they kicked in on the heavier ones.
Finally, as they burnt silicon to make iron, they exploded as a supernova, and for a few short moments, each star would release as much energy as all the regular stars in that galaxy put together. In that cataclysmic explosion, for the first time, atoms of gold were manufactured- and then hurled out into the universe, along with the other debris from that explosion.
Gold on Earth
On Earth, gold finally reached us some 200 million years after the formation of planet when meteorites packed with gold and other metals bombarded its surface. During the formation of Earth, molten iron sank to its center to make the core. This took with it the vast majority of planets precious metals- such as gold and platinum. In fact, there are enough precious metals in the core to cover the entire surface of Earth with a four-meter thick layer.
So the heavy metals mined today fell on the Earth approximately 3.8 million years ago. That's when the Earth was bombarded with literally billions of tonnes of material in the course of a massive asteroid shower. There was gold in those asteroids, and they ended up embedded in the ground, just ready for us to mine it.
Another theory concerning the formation of gold that's been gaining a lot of attraction today is that the element can form following the collision of two neutron stars. Following the collapse of a massive star- at least 8 times ore massive than Sun- what remains is extremely dense core. They have masses comparable to a star, but that mass is compressed into an object roughly 10kms in diameter, or a size of city on the Earth. Another way to look at this would be to imagine cramming Mt. Everest into your morning cup of coffee to achieve the same density as a neutron start. At these huge densities, the fabric and space and time is stretched by exotic physics.
Two neutron stars in mutual or bit can collide when gravitational waves carry enough energy away from the system to destabilize the orbit. When this happens, a type of gamma- ray burst can occur- these are the most powerful explosions in the universe. The intense energy would be enough to create gold and other heavy elements, according to a paper published in the Astrophysical Journal.
So the next you see gold jewels, do you remember where it come from...
Source: www.secretsofuniverse.in
(Issue: 13 July 2018)
Uttarakhand HC declares animal kingdom a legal entity with rights of a ‘living person’
The Uttarakhand high court declared the entire animal kingdom as a legal entity, which means animals can be represented by a custodian. Forest officials count a horned rhinoceros from on top of an elephant during a rhino census at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam. Forest officials count a horned rhinoceros from on top of an elephant during a rhino census at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam.
The Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday declared the entire animal kingdom, including birds and aquatic animals, as a legal entity having rights of a “living person”, a year after according similar right to Ganga and Yamuna that was subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court.
A division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Lok Pal Singh said that in the past, various courts have given similar rights to corporations, Hindu gods, holy scriptures and rivers and in order to ensure the greater good and that to ensure the “greater welfare” of animals they need to be conferred with the status of “legal entity/legal person”. They can’t be treated merely as “property”, the bench added.
Uttarakhand’s acting chief wildlife warden, Rajeev Bhartari, said he cannot comment on the judgment till he examines it. Principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) Jai Raj welcomed it. Explaining what a legal entity means, the HC said, “The entity acts like a natural person but only through a designated person, whose acts are processed within the ambit of law”. This means the animal kingdom could be represented by a custodian.
Invoking Article 21 of the Constitution, the court said: “Article 21 of the Constitution, while safeguarding the rights of humans, protects life and the word ‘life’ means animal world”. The court cited a 2014 Supreme Court judgment to say any disturbance from the “basic environment which includes all forms of life, including animals life, which are necessary for human life, fall within the meaning of Article 21 of the Constitution”. While issuing a slew of directions to the state government for protecting animals, including creating a animal welfare committee in every district of the state, the court also declared all citizens of Uttarakhand “persons in loco parentis” (in the place of a parent) giving them the responsibility to protect animals and ensure their welfare.
Welcoming the judgment, Gauri Maulekhi, executive member of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Dehradun, said: “This order will go a long way in building a compassionate society as it was illogical to treat sentient creatures as inanimate objects.” The order came in response to a public interest litigation seeking directions to restrict the movement of horse carts/tongas between Nepal and India through Champawat district and highlighted that ailing, infirm and old horses were being abandoned by the owners in the Indian territory. The high court in March last year accorded the status of “living entity” to the Ganga and Yamuna rivers , a decision subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
India’s perfume tree agarwood a step away from extinction
The Aquilaria malaccensis tree, which produces one of the world’s most valued woods, moved from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘critically endangered’ as logging and deforestation caused population to decline by more than 80% over the past 150 years, the IUCN said.
The agarwood tree (Aquilaria malaccensis), whose resin extract is widely used in perfumes and incense, is one step away from being declared extinct in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The agarwood tree (Aquilaria malaccensis), whose resin extract is widely used in perfumes and incense, is one step away from being declared extinct in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The agarwood tree (Aquilaria malaccensis), whose resin extract is widely used in perfumes and incense, is one step away from being declared extinct in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The IUCN, an international organisation which maintains an authoritative database on the status of species, called the red list, issued an update this week and moved the species from the vulnerable to the critically endangered category.
“The Aquilaria malaccensis tree, which produces one of the world’s most valued woods, moved from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘critically endangered’ as logging and deforestation caused population to decline by more than 80% over the past 150 years,” the IUCN summary said.
The red list places flora and fauna species in seven categories: extinct, extinct in wild, critically endangered. endangered, vulnerable, near threatened and least concern.
The agarwood tree is native to Northeast India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and parts of Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen tree that can grow to 40 metres. “Because it is an economically attractive species, so there is over exploitation,” Purabi Saikia, a researcher at Central University of Jharkhand said.
Some researchers believe it is already almost extinct in the wild in Assam. What has aggravated the loss is the particular way in which agarwood is produced. It is only when an Aquilaria tree becomes infected by a mould, does it produce a dense fragrant resin to protect itself.
Because poachers are unaware which trees are infected, they chop down healthy trees also. In a plantation of 100 trees, only about 10 have the aroma, say experts. Since the population is already exploited, people are increasingly growing them in private and commercial plantations, Saikia said.
However, the quality of the agarwood produced this way is believed to be inferior. “In India, agarwood has a special place, especially in religious rituals. It is also mentioned in literature...” Supriyo Sen, a researcher at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati said.
In the latest IUCN update, 54 species from India were assessed for the first time. The threat to tree species in the Northeast points to a more worrying trend.
Though India’s forest cover registered a marginal increase between 2015 and 2017, the latest state of forest report, also showed that states in the Northeast either recorded a decline or no increase in their forest cover in that period.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
(Issue: 13 June 2018)
Asia is Leading t he Renewable Energy Race
As the era of fossil
fuels comes to a close, it’s time to start seriously considering an all-electric future, as well as all of the costs and benefits that come along with it. A sea change
in the ways that we source our energy is inevitable, and even oil industry super majors are being forced to come to
terms with it. In some cases big oil is even getting
in front of the global
clean energy shift and becoming part of the renewable charge themselves.
Notably, China and India, two of the world's most massive economies are racing toward a fossil-free future even faster than many more developed countries. Recently the price of electric car batteries has plummeted making an all-electric future that much more attainable Asia's twin giant. Electric cars are projected to comprise 7 percent of new car sales in India by 2030, China is already buying more electric cars than any other nation and its middle class’ buying power will only keep growing, and by 2050, electric vehicles will account for nearly 10 percent of all global demand.
For more than a century,
oil has been the impetus for geopolitical conflict and at times
outright war, and over time
it’s only gotten worse. In fact, a 2013 study
showed that oil, while not
always the primary factor, can be directly linked to from a quarter
to a staggering half of all interstate conflicts in the
world between 1973 and 2012. Unfortunately, the end
of oil’s reign certainly won’t mean the end of geopolitical conflict.
A shift
away from fossil fuels will be the source of many
major changes for industries and markets worldwide, and along with this will come a major geopolitical shift. One certain source of
friction will be certain components of electric car batteries, which will be in demand like never before.
This sudden skyrocketing demand will create a huge market for certain
raw materials in often very vulnerable countries. Now, instead of the Western World’s complete dependence on the Middle
East, attentions will likely shift to
mineral-rich regions of Asia and Africa.
Source: www.oilindia.com
SDMC becomes ‘first’ civic body in India to generate Solar Energy
“The South Delhi Municipality Corporation has become the
first municipal corporation in the country to generate solar energy by
installing solar panels over rooftops of its over 55 buildings and earn a huge
income in three months by selling surplus power to a power distribution
company,” the SDMC statement said. The commissioner said Rs 12 crore invested
in setting up of solar energy panels will be recovered in just five years. The
solar panels will remain in working to generate power for the next 25 years. He
also said the corporation will install solar panels over rooftops of its 111
buildings by June 2018 and over more than 400 buildings by June 2019.
As much as 2500 KW peak solar power is being generated from
the solar panels installed in 54 schools and a community centre. It has earned
Rs 9.69 lakh by selling its surplus power to distribution company BSES after
consumption in its own buildings.
Source: www.financialexpress.com
Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity
While there is a growing recognition that biological
diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and future
generations, the number of species is being significantly reduced by certain
human activities.
22 May 2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the entry
into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Since entering into
force, the Convention has been implemented through the vision and leadership
displayed by countries, non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations,
indigenous peoples and local communities, the scientific community and
individuals alike
The Convention on Biological Diversity is the international legal instrument for the "the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of utilization of genetic resources" that has been ratified by 196 nations.
The 25th anniversary of the Convention presents a unique opportunity to highlight the achievement of its objectives at national and global levels. It also provides an opportunity to look towards the future, particularly, as we start to consider the follow-up to the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.
On the occasion, the National Mission for clean Ganga and World Wildlife Federation(WWF)- India jointly organised workshop Ganga and its Biodiversity: Developing a road map for Habitat and Species Conservation in New Delhi. The workshop was aimed at forming integrated approach for conservation of Ganga's ecology, environment and bio-diversity by restoring Ganga's ecological integrity.
Given the importance of public education and awareness for the implementation of the Convention, the General Assembly proclaimed 22 May, the date of the adoption of its text, as the International Day for Biological Diversity by its resolution 55/201 of 20 December 2000.
Source: www.cbd.int
Nanoparticles from dietary supplement drinks likely to reach environment: Potentially harmful substances
Nanoparticles
are becoming ubiquitous in food packaging, personal care products and are even
being added to food directly. But the health and environmental effects of these
tiny additives have remained largely unknown. A new study now suggests that
nanomaterials in food and drinks could interfere with digestive cells and lead
to the release of the potentially harmful substances to the environment.
The
food and drink manufacturers use nanoparticles in and on their products for
many reasons. In packaging, they can provide strength, control how much air
gets in and out, and keep unwanted microbes at bay. As additives to food and
drinks, they can prevent caking, deliver nutrients and prevent bacterial
growth. But as nanoparticles increase in use, so do concerns over their health
and environmental effects. Consumers might absorb some of these materials
through their skin, and inhale and ingest them. What doesn't get digested is
passed in urine and feces to the sewage system. A handful of initial studies on
nanomaterials suggest that they could be harmful, but Reed's team wanted to
take a closer look.
The
tested effects of eight commercial drinks containing nano-size metal or
metal-like particles on human intestinal cells in the lab. The drinks changed
the normal organization and decreased the number of microvilli, finger-like
projections on the cells that help digest food. In humans, if such an effect
occurs as the drinks pass through the gastrointestinal tract, these materials
could lead to poor digestion or diarrhea, they say. The researchers' analysis
of sewage waste containing these particles suggests that much of the
nanomaterials from these products are likely making their way back into surface
water, where they could potentially cause health problems for aquatic life.
Source: www.americanchemicalsociety.org
Red list research finds 26,000 global species under extinction threat
IUCN(International Union for Conservation of Nature) fears planet is entering sixth wave of extinctions with research from Australia
revealing more risks to reptiles.
New
research, particularly in Australia, has widened the scope of the annual
stocktake, which is compiled by the IUCN, and revealed the growing range of risks to flora and fauna.
Nineteen
of the species previously on the list have moved to a higher level of concern. They
include the precious stream toad – Ansonia smeagol – (named after Gollum in
Lord of the Rings), which is being decimated by tourist pollution in Malaysia;
two types of Japanese earthworm that are threatened by habitat loss,
agrochemicals, and radioactive fallout from the Fukushima nuclear disaster; and
the Bartle Frere cool-skink, a slinky Australian reptile whose habitat has
shrunk – as a result of global warming – to a 200-metre band at the peak of the
tallest mountain in Queensland.
This
reinforces the theory that we are moving into a period when extinctions are
taking place at a much higher pace than the natural background rate. We are
endangering the life support systems of our planet and putting the future of
our own species in jeopardy,This is our window of opportunity to act – we have
the knowledge and tools on what needs to be done, but now need everyone,
governments, private sector and civil society, to escalate actions to prevent
the decline and loss of species.
Part
of the rise is due to the steady expansion of the IUCN red list – which is
compiled with the collaboration of thousands of experts around the world. It
now includes 93,577 species, of which 26,197 are classified as vulnerable,
critical or endangered.
Source: www.theguardian.com
Fern's sequenced genome holds environmental promise
A tiny fern -- with each leaf the size of a
gnat -- may provide global impact for sinking atmospheric carbon dioxide,
fixing nitrogen in agriculture and shooing pesky insects from crops. The fern's
full genome has now been sequenced.
A tiny fern -- with each leaf the size of a
gnat -- may provide global impact for sinking atmospheric carbon dioxide,
fixing nitrogen in agriculture and shooing pesky insects from crops. The fern's
full genome has been sequenced by a Cornell University and Boyce Thompson
Institute (BTI) scientist and his colleagues around the world, as reported in
the journal Nature Plants.
Nitrogen fixation is the process by which
plants use the chemical element as a fertilizer. While plants cannot fix
nitrogen by themselves, the genome reveals a symbiotic relationship with
cyanobacteria, a blue-green phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through
photosynthesis and produce oxygen. Special cavities in the Azolla leaf host
cyanobacteria to fix nitrogen, while the plant provides sugary fuel for the
cyanobacteria.
With this first genomic data from ferns,
science can gain vital intelligence for understanding plant genes.We can now
research its properties as a sustainable fertilizer and perhaps gather carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere.
Source: www.sciencedaily.com
Modi-Macron solar push to target 1,000 GW power
capacity with $1 trillion funding by 2030
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French president Emmanuel Macron jointly
inaugurated the largest solar power plant of the state at Dadar Kalan village of
Chhanvey block in Mirzapur district on Monday i.e. 12 th march 2018.
Prior to this while speaking at the founding conference of the Gurugram-
headquartered International Solar Alliance (ISA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
Sunday called for concessional and less-risky finances to achieve the International
Solar Alliance target of over 1,000 GW of solar power generation capacity and
mobilisation of investment of over $1 trillion by 2030. In the address he presented a
10-point action plan to make affordable solar technology available to all nations. The
summit held here was co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. He also
said that India would generate 175 GW of electricity from renewable sources
including 100 GW from solar. This would be more than double the present renewable
energy capacity and would be enough to overtake renewable energy expansion in
the European Union for the first time.
"We have to increase the share of solar power in energy mix. Also, innovation has to
be encouraged so as to provide solutions to different needs. We have to provide
concessional financing and less-risky funds for solar projects," he said. Emphasizing
the need for inclusiveness, he said a vast network of centres of excellence has to be
created. Solar energy policy has to be looked at in totality for development so that it
can contribute to achievement of sustainable development goals, he explained.
We hope that PM Modi would be successful in his endeavours of implementing the
10-point action plan and very soon the target of achieving maximum energy from sun
in our country would be achieved with inclusiveness.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
(Issue: 28 January 2018)
Tiny Volcano Crystals Could Help Predict Eruptions
Predicting when a volcano is going to explode is a very difficult task. Every volcano has its own unique and complex maze of tunnels that feed magma to the surface. So even when we detect volcanic activity, it's very hard to know when the magma will make its way through these tunnels and erupt.
But there's now a way to assess this process using crystals that grow inside volcanoes and act like a record of its eruption.
Geologists used to think of the magma below volcanoes as being in a large single chamber, but modern research shows that feeding systems contain many connected compartments with complex transport routes. We also know what when new magma recharges these volcanic feeding systems it can trigger an eruption.
As it moves towards the surface, the newly stirred magma pushes apart the rock, building up pressure beneath the volcano. This produces earthquakes and inflates the volcano's cone-shaped edifice, effects that can be monitored at the surface or from space with satellites. What's difficult is knowing if a particular magma recharge will actually translate into an eruption and how much time it will take for the eruption to start.
This is where the crystals can come in. These minerals are called antecrysts ("ante" meaning before) because they often start growing from early magmas thousands of years before the volcano erupts. They grow layer by layer, recording changes in the surrounding magma, like tree rings registering variations in the climate.
Laser technology now means we can look into the antecrysts to create maps of the trace chemical elements inside them. This essentially involves firing a grid of laser lines over the antecryst and then using what's known as a mass spectrometer to analyse the aerosol that is given off and work out what it contains.
This can be used to create a 2D image of the crystal's composition that can tell us something about its history. For example, when old antecryst cores are transported to the surface by newly stirred magma, it generates a distinctive rim on the crystal. The challenge is to extract meaning from these records.
Mapping Etna
Using crystal chemical maps from the last 40 years of volcanic activity at Mount Etna, we've been able to determine the depth at which the crystals grow but also when new magma began invading the underground volcanic system. We found that this started occurring in the 1970s, coinciding with when the volcano began to erupt more often, with faster-moving magma and more explosiveness and seismic activity.
The type of contact between the crystal cores and the rims and thickness of the rims hold information on how much time elapses between the arrival of batches of magma and when an eruption started. This means we can better predict when an eruption is likely to occur after magma is detected at certain points beneath the volcano (in this case, two weeks after arrival at depth).
In this way, carrying out laser surveys of antecrysts from around the world could help volcanologists better understand how magma recharge acts as a trigger for eruptions, and how to interpret monitoring data from active volcanoes. This could create a more accurate process for spotting warning signs and predicting imminent eruptions.
Source: www.livescieence.com
(Issue: 7 January 2018)
Chemical Looping
After 40 years of research, US based engineers have claimed to devise a process that transforms shale gas to electricity and products like methanol and gasoline while consuming carbon dioxide instead of emitting it. The technology, known as chemical looping, uses oxygen from metal oxide particles in high-pressure reactors to "burn" fossil fuels like coal and biomass, said researchers.
The technology, known as chemical looping, uses metal oxide particles in high-pressure reactors to “burn” fossil fuels and biomass without the presence of oxygen in the air. The metal oxide provides the oxygen for the reaction.
Chemical looping is capable of acting as a stopgap technology that can provide clean electricity until renewable energies such as solar and wind become both widely available and affordable, the engineers said.
While five years ago the particles for CDCL lasted through 100 cycles for more than eight days of continuous operation, the engineers have since developed a new formulation that lasts for more than 3,000 cycles, or more than eight months of continuous use in laboratory tests. A similar formulation has also been tested at sub-pilot and pilot plants.
This is the longest lifetime ever reported for the oxygen carrier, he added. The next step is to test the carrier in an integrated coal-fired chemical looping process.
Another advancement involves the engineers’ development of chemical looping for production of syngas, which in turn provides the building blocks for a host of other useful products including ammonia, plastics or even carbon fibers.
This is where the technology really gets interesting: It provides a potential industrial use for carbon dioxide as a raw material for producing useful, everyday products.
Today, when carbon dioxide is scrubbed from power plant exhaust, it is intended to be buried to keep it from entering the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas. In this new scenario, some of the scrubbed carbon dioxide wouldn’t need to be buried; it could be converted into useful products.
(Issue: 29 December 2017)
Can We Harness Energy From Outer Space?
People have been searching for clean alternative energy sources for decade to no avail. It seems like any workable solution is light-years away -- literally. Some researchers think the answer to our energy rests in the stars. From wind turbine on Mars to helium-3 fusion, people are increasingly looking to extraterrestrial sources for the Earth's energy needs.
Landing on the Mars
The moon is another potential energy resource, Helium-3, an isotope found in abundance on the lunar surface, may one day help generate electricity using nuclear fusion technology. Unlike nuclear fission, which splits an atom, nuclear fusion combines the nuclei of multiple atoms to produce energy.Nuclear fusion using Helium-3 has the potential to generate electricity with little waste and virtually no radiation. However,researchers still have to fine-tune the nuclear fusion process and find a way to economically mine, transport and refine Helium-3 for use in nuclear reactors.
Powering Mars
The next frontier for space-based power could be providing energy for people who live and work on Mars. NASA has long-term plans to send human resources to the planet and they will need a way to keep the lights on. The harsh Martian environment presents a challenge, however.One promising idea is harvesting energy from dry ice. When dry ice is near a hot surface, it will levitate freely as it changes from solid to vapor-a phenomenon known as the Leidenfrost effect. Vapor released from a disc of dry ice on top of a turbine.
Source: science.howstuffworks.com
OCKHI Rewarded Mumbai with Dumps
Cyclone OCKHI did not only effect heavily in the southern part of India, but it also
caused strong wind which brought heavy downpours in parts of western India
disrupting our daily routine. But that’s not just it. Actually the people of Mumbai
dumped a lot of waste on the city’s coastlines. Therefore, besides cool
environment, cyclone OCKHI gave to citizen of Mumbai over 80,000 kilogram of
waste from those coastlines. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC)
solid waste management department verified this data. The waste that was
floating in the middle of the ocean had got dumped on beaches due to high
intense wave action. The trash was almost two feet which includes from plastic
bags, food wrappers, clothes to ropes and footwear. The amount of trash was
similar which we got in rainy season. Out of all the beaches, Versova (15,000
kilogram) and Juhu (10,000 Kilogram) beaches were squalid. But the massive trash
had been also found a spot in Dadar Chowpatty, Marine Drive, Nariman Point,
Madh Island and Marwe.
OCKHI just brought us the gifts we have been giving our mother nature all
this while. So don't be surprised, love it,Isn’t? This is what we deserve. The
question is, what are you going to do about it? Because only human
mentality can change these things. And yes cyclone can’t be stopped so
say good bye to throw plastic products in open area.
Source: www.timesnownews.com
(Issue: 8 December 2017)
Less Space, Let's float
The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GCMV) has issued a tender for a 3MW floating solar plant to be located on the Meghadrigedda Reservoir in southern India.
The tender is for the design, procurement, supply, erection, testing, commissioning and maintenance for five years of the grid-connected floating project in the Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh. This includes grid-connecting equipment with associated electrical and civil works.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is set to provide funding towards the cost of the project under a financing agreement.
The largest floating PV project in India currently stands at 500kW in Kerala, while Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is also implementing two floating solar projects of 10MW capacity each in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. The Lakshadweep Energy Development Authority (LEDA) has also invited an Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the development of 10MW of floating solar plants on a set of the Indian islands.The world's largest floating project in planning of 200MW was announced yesterday in Indonesia.
Source: www.eai.com
(Issue: 13 November 2017)
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