Category Energy & Environment

September 17, 2016When you look at bubble wrap, what do you see? Several lost minutes of satisfying popping? In combination with a clever porous material, this everyday item can generate steam from ambient sunlight! Image source: MIT - Jeremy Cho Called a solar vapour generator, a new device is able to convert 20 of the available sunlight to steam.

September 15, 2016The Tesla Coil. The near-tangible dream of an engineering visionary. Image source: TeslasAutobiography.com Ah, Tesla. How your inventions have inspired us. Your work ethic, your passion for your craft; how we all wish we& 39;d lived near you as kids, so we could sneak a glimpse of you at work, creating a future you& 39;d never see.

September 29, 2016 Image Source: Wikipedia Canada recently announced that by the end of October any of the provinces who do not adequately address carbon emissions will be faced with a carbon tax.Canadian environment minister Catherine McKenna recently announced that all provinces which do not adequately address carbon emission regulations will be faced with a carbon tax in an effort to reduce Canadian carbon emissions.

Japan& 39;s growing energy concerns have led engineers to develop wind turbines which can advantage of the massive winds produced during typhoonsSeptember 30, 2016Japanese engineers developed an incredibly rugged wind turbine which is capable of harnessing the immense powers of typhoons.Atsushi Shimizu, an engineer of the project is developing a wind turbine which takes advantage of the Magnus effect to safely harness the power of the gale force winds produced in a typhoon.

By Shelby RogersOctober 04, 2016 Image Courtesy of Discover Magazine The whipping tail of the & 34;Indiana Jones& 34; shark could be swimming in larger numbers soon.Today, panelists at the Convention on International Trade in Endagered Species gave the Thresher shark heightened protection. If countries wish to continue trading thresher fins, they now have to prove the sustainability of their fishing.

By Shelby RogersOctober 04, 2016 Image Courtesy of The Ocean Cleanup An estimated 14 billion pounds of trash pollutes the oceans each year.Dutch conservation group The Ocean Cleanup recently flew over the & 39;Great Pacific Garbage Patch.& 39; This area lies between Hawaii and California, getting its name from the high concentration of plastic floating there.

Indonesia’s Kawah Ijen volcano spews out blue lava thanks to its incredibly high levels of sulfur. But the beautiful phenomenon also reveals a dark secret.By Jessica MileyJanuary 24, 2018Volcanoes are the center of folklore and myth wherever they exist. These fiery mountains prone to unexpectedly erupting in cascades of lava and ash have inspired and frightened humans for centuries.

For centuries, Morocco has inspired travelers with its vitality and gripping history. From dazzling coastlines to the breathtaking Sahara, the Kingdom of Morocco huddles a remarkable variety of adventures into its corner of North Africa. Now, Morocco will inspire the future generation with its world’s biggest solar power plants, which will be set up in the world’s largest hot desert, the Sahara.

When high levels of heavy metals were found in drinking water in Flint, Mich., and Newark, N.J., a science team came forward with a new powerful tool, glowing Crystals, in cleaning up contaminated water sources. The gleaming crystals are known as Luminescent Metal-Organic Frameworks (LMOFs) which function like a miniature, and reusable sensors, that trap the heavy metals.

December 23, 2016Researchers discovered an eerie, extraterrestrial sound in the deepest part of the ocean - the Mariana Trench. The trench lies to the south of Japan and the north of Australia. The recording released has an unusual booming sound, with deep moans at low frequencies and a metallic finale at extremely high frequencies.

Wind power remains one of the fastest growing energy sources in the world, rivaled only by solar power. Utilizing big turbines designed for high-efficiency power conversion, wind farms convert a mild breeze into actual electrical power for your home. What are the most interesting wind energy turbines in the world?

Tsunami, or & 34;Harbour Wave,& 34; in Japanese, is also referred to (more descriptively), as a seismic sea wave. Tsunami defense is an ongoing battle for the Japanese, so let& 39;s take a peek at Japan& 39;s engineering solutions to future tsunamis.Japan& 39;s location on the ring of fire, a geologically riotous area of the world, led to a long history of volcanism, earthquakes and tsunamis.

Covão do Conchos Spillway is not a natural phenomenon. It is a construction that diverts water from Ribeira das Naves to Lagoa Comprida.January 13, 2017One can& 39;t help but be mesmerized by the Covão do Conchos, a spillway in the middle of a tranquil Portuguese lake.A spillway is a drainage channel within a dam that is used to provide a safe release of floodwater to a downstream area.

January 15, 2017While destroying nature every minute, humankind also wants to pay back animals that have to cross highways by building wildlife crossings to keep them safer.Civilization is relentlessly progressing, hence shaping the world. But on the other hand, everything that human race have built and continue building is actually taking away something from nature, wildlife and Earth itself.

Energy generation today utilizes a wide variety of fuel sources. These can be classified as Combustion/Thermal, Nuclear or Renewable/Alternative. The technology employed also varies depending on the technical requirements of translating or converting the fuel source into useful work. This is usually in the form of electricity.

Energy efficiency isn& 39;t just a buzz word; it should be a key consideration for building any home. It is possible to have a more comfortable and efficient living space with the touch of simple elements of design. Energy costs are rising and will increase in future decades. Well, with integrated plans, building owners can save a lot over the lifetime of finished constructions.

Radioactive MaterialRadioactive materials are some of the most volatile compounds on the face of the planet. Yet with the right technology, even a train cannot penetrate the impressive shields that safeguard them from any danger on the road, track, or sea. Through decades of refined engineering, scientists developed mechanically robust nuclear transportation flasks.

Have you ever wondered what the top 10 performing countries for solar energy are? Well, my friend, you& 39;ve come to the right place. According to data collected by the International Energy Agency (IEA) for 2015 (2016 data is yet to be published) the global total cumulative PV installation is a whopping 227 GW worldwide.

By Shelby RogersMarch 19, 2017Ever wonder if the benefits of installing solar panels will outweigh the costs? Curious as to how much solar exposure those panels would even get on your roof? Google& 39;s latest sun map looks to answer those exact questions for solar proponents. Image Source: Google The endeavor comes as a part of Google& 39;s commitment to renewable energy.

March 20, 2017Alternative fuel ideas can be wild and whacky yet do, in theory, offer & 34;clean& 34; energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Wouldn& 39;t it be great if we could power our cars on booze? What about trash or dead cats? How about nappies? Hang on, did you say dead cats? Why yes we did, more on that later.