Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Cooling down solar cells, naturally      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Too much sun and too much heat can reduce the efficiency of photovoltaics. A solar farm with optimally spaced panels facing the correct direction could cool itself through convection using the surrounding wind. Researchers explored how to exploit the geometry of solar farms to enhance natural cooling mechanisms.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels
Published

Researchers create method for making net-zero aviation fuel      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a potential breakthrough in green aviation: a recipe for a net-zero fuel for planes that will pull carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the air.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Mathematics: Modeling
Published

A simpler path to better computer vision      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Research finds using a large collection of simple, un-curated synthetic image generation programs to pretrain a computer vision model for image classification yields greater accuracy than employing other pretraining methods that are more costly and time consuming, and less scalable.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Simple semiconductor solutions could boost solar energy generation and enable better space probes      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A 'simple' tweak to perovskite solar cells during the fabrication stage could help to unlock the untold potential of the renewable energy source, according to new research.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Published

A far-sighted approach to machine learning      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new technique enables artificial intelligence agents to think much farther into the future when considering how their behaviors can influence the behaviors of other AI agents, toward the completion of a task. This approach improves long-term performance of cooperative or competitive AI agents.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: Quantum Computers
Published

Quantum algorithms save time in the calculation of electron dynamics      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Quantum computers promise significantly shorter computing times for complex problems. But there are still only a few quantum computers worldwide with a limited number of so-called qubits. However, quantum computer algorithms can already run on conventional servers that simulate a quantum computer. A team has succeeded in calculating the electron orbitals and their dynamic development using an example of a small molecule after a laser pulse excitation. In principle, the method is also suitable for investigating larger molecules that cannot be calculated using conventional methods.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Published

Self-organization: What robotics can learn from amoebae      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed a new model to describe how biological or technical systems form complex structures without external guidance.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Published

Artificial neural networks learn better when they spend time not learning at all      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers discuss how mimicking sleep patterns of the human brain in artificial neural networks may help mitigate the threat of catastrophic forgetting in the latter, boosting their utility across a spectrum of research interests.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Published

'Butterfly bot' is fastest swimming soft robot yet      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Inspired by the biomechanics of the manta ray, researchers have developed an energy-efficient soft robot that can swim more than four times faster than previous swimming soft robots. The robots are called 'butterfly bots,' because their swimming motion resembles the way a person's arms move when they are swimming the butterfly stroke.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

New insights into energy loss open doors for one up-and-coming solar tech      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new method for describing energy loss in organic solar cells has paved the way for building better and more efficient devices.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Offshore wind farms may harm seabirds, but scientists see potential for net positive impact      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The development of offshore wind energy is expanding globally, with the potential to be an important source of clean renewable energy. Yet offshore wind farms pose significant risks to seabirds and other marine wildlife. A new study outlines a framework for addressing the impacts of offshore wind farms on marine bird populations and highlights conservation strategies that could potentially more than offset those impacts.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

How fine bubbles lead to more efficient catalysts      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Catalysts are of utmost relevance for the production of chemicals and energy storage with hydrogen. Researchers have now discovered that the formation of bubbles in the pores of a catalyst can be essential for its activity. Their findings help to optimize catalyst materials for reactions in which gases are formed from liquids -- and which play a central role in a future green hydrogen economy.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

New discoveries made about a promising solar cell material, thanks to new microscope      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A team of scientists has developed a new characterization tool that allowed the scientists to gain unique insight into a possible alternative material for solar cells.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

How photoelectrodes change in contact with water      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Every green leaf is able to convert solar energy into chemical energy, storing it in chemical compounds. However, an important sub-process of photosynthesis can already be technically imitated -- solar hydrogen production: Sunlight generates a current in a so-called photoelectrode that can be used to split water molecules. This produces hydrogen, a versatile fuel that stores solar energy in chemical form and can release it when needed.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Space: Exploration
Published

Improving the performance of electrodeless plasma thrusters for space propulsion      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Space missions already use electric propulsion devices, where electromagnetic fields are utilized to generate the thrust of spacecraft. One such electrodeless device, which harnesses radio frequency (rf) to generate plasma and a magnetic nozzle (MN) to channel and accelerate plasma, has shown immense promise in pushing the boundaries of space travel. But scientists have so far failed to achieve efficient conversion of the rf power to thrust energy. Now, a researcher has achieved a stunning 30% conversion efficiency.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Ultrathin solar cells promise improved satellite performance      (via sciencedaily.com) 

As low Earth orbit becomes more cluttered, it becomes increasingly necessary to use middle Earth orbits, and radiation-tolerant cell designs will be needed. Making photovoltaics thinner should increase their longevity because the charge carriers have less far to go during their shortened lifetimes. Scientists propose a radiation-tolerant photovoltaic cell design that features an ultrathin layer of light-absorbing material. Compared to thicker cells, nearly 3.5 times less cover glass is needed for the ultra-thin cells to deliver the same amount of power after 20 years of operation.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

Shining new light on solar cell development      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An increase in the efficiency of solar panels may be on the horizon, as new research reduces their current limitations.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

New tech solves longstanding challenges for self-healing materials      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Engineering researchers have developed a new self-healing composite that allows structures to repair themselves in place, without having to be removed from service. This latest technology resolves two longstanding challenges for self-healing materials, and can significantly extend the lifespan of structural components such as wind-turbine blades and aircraft wings.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels
Published

Revolutionary technique to generate hydrogen more efficiently from water      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have made a serendipitous scientific discovery that could potentially revolutionize the way water is broken down to release hydrogen gas -- an element crucial to many industrial processes. The team found that light can trigger a new mechanism in a catalytic material used extensively in water electrolysis, where water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen. The result is a more energy-efficient method of obtaining hydrogen.

Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

One-stop hydrogen shop: Reducing the cost of a future energy carrier      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have demonstrated a proof-of-concept for a novel molecular hydrogen production method that bypasses the need for expensive purification steps. They developed a system where hydrogen is separated and stored in liquid organic hydrogen carriers by catalysis of triaryl boranes in one seamless process. The results of this work will help facilitate the transition to a hydrogen-based economy that is necessary for a more sustainable future.