Energy Technology

Energy Technology

A series of solar sail spacecraft harvest solar power at night, floating above Earth's atmosphere with the sun shining in the background.
Solar power has the disadvantage that there's no Sun at night. Satellite startup Reflect Orbital wants to change that, but at what cost?
Two tall, rectangular scientific instruments, including a NASA nuclear reactor prototype, stand on the rocky lunar surface with Earth visible in the background against the blackness of space.
There are real concerns with long-term power generation on the Moon; nuclear could be the answer. But for NASA, will the cost be too high?
A serene beach scene at dusk with a distant pier, a few people walking along the shoreline, and gentle waves hitting the sand. The sky is cloudy with rays of light breaking through, hinting at the subtle potential for tidal power beneath the surface.
For well over a century, engineers have proposed harnessing the ocean’s tides for energy. But the idea hasn’t seemed to register in many places.
Two pictures of a drone flying in the sky with a laser.
The futuristic weapon could be ready for the battlefield in 5 years.
An artist's rendering of an object in space.
These theoretical megastructures represent one way an advanced civilization might harvest energy from stars.
AML100 chip
Analog could serve as "always-on" computing, while digital is turned on only when necessary.
An image of a glowing ring in a dark room.
Scientists have been chasing the dream of harnessing the reactions that power the Sun since the dawn of the atomic era. Interest, and investment, in the carbon-free energy source is heating up.
A record-breaking nuclear fusion experiment showcases a large machine in a factory.
A massive nuclear fusion experiment just hit a major milestone, potentially putting us a little closer to a future of limitless clean energy.
A metal railing supporting a white basket.
LK-99, almost certainly, isn't a room-temperature superconductor. The underlying physics of the phenomenon helps us understand why.
Fervo Energy
Ironically, the company did so using technology perfected by the oil industry.
a large industrial turbine in a factory.
The material is both stronger and lighter than those used to make conventional power plant turbines.
What if we could harvest energy from human heat, sweat, or vibrations?
Apart from the energy needed to flip the switch, no other energy is needed to transmit the information.
Innovative thinking has done away with problems that long dogged the electric devices — and both scientists and environmentalists are excited about the possibilities.
Capacitors, acid batteries, and other methods of storing electric charges all lose energy over time. These gravity-fed batteries won't.
The shift from steam to electricity was inevitable — but some foresaw it earlier than others.
battery
Lithium-ion batteries pose challenges for our transition toward renewable energy. Sodium-sulfur batteries might be a solution.
Its implications go well beyond the Earth itself, affecting even the future of space travel.
nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion has long been seen as the future of energy. As the NIF now passes the breakeven point, how close are we to our ultimate goal?
If you gave me $400 and I gave you $3.15, would you consider yourself wealthier? That's a financial analogy for the supposed fusion power "breakthrough."
passive cooling
Really simple interventions can greatly reduce indoor temperatures during the summer, particularly in places like the Pacific Northwest.
solar desalination
It could make enough drinking water for a family of four.
wind power weather
Wind energy is one of the cleanest, greenest sources of power. But could it have the sneaky side-effect of changing the weather?
It has no moving parts and could allow us to tap into renewable energy year round.
superconductors
In a major advance, scientists have found a new and groundbreaking way to force electrons to flow only in one direction in a superconductor.
lithium-sulfur batteries
A lucky discovery involving lithium-sulfur batteries has a legitimate chance to revolutionize how we power our world.
nuclear fusion
Why power generated through nuclear fusion will be the future, but not the present, solution to humanity's energy needs.
wireless charging
Wireless charging isn't just for phones and laptops. It could also power medical devices like heart implants.
And why, even at its faintest, it always outshines every other star and planet. If you’ve been looking to the west after sunset recently, you may have noticed that there’s one […]