energy
How electric eels inspired the first battery two centuries ago
Now they're pointing the way to future battery technologies.
Finland prepares world’s first “nuclear tomb”
The site will be the first working example of a geological disposal facility.
Russia’s weaponization of natural gas could backfire
Could Russia's plan actually destroy demand for natural gas?
How to use human energy to heat buildings
Capturing energy from clubbers could help power homes and buildings.
Neil deGrasse Tyson explores 3 mind-blowing space facts
Dr. Tyson explains where we might find aliens, why "dark matter" is a misleading term, and why you can blame physics for your favorite team's loss.
How an accidental discovery made this year could change the world
A lucky discovery involving lithium-sulfur batteries has a legitimate chance to revolutionize how we power our world.
Why a nuclear power plant would survive a 9/11-style airplane attack
U.S. nuclear power plants are built to survive external attacks. Even missiles or a commercial aircraft strike would not cause a meltdown or radiation leak.
“GeoGrid” helps cut home energy bills to just $1 per month
A community in Austin, Texas is using geothermal energy to keep homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Fossil fools: How Germany’s fear of nuclear power put Putin in charge of Europe
Germany finds itself once again allowing a murderous dictator to run rampant in Europe, though this time it is due to incompetence and technophobia rather than malice.
Humanity is not even a Type 1 civilization. What would a Type 3 be capable of?
The Kardashev scale ranks civilizations from Type 1 to Type 3 based on energy harvesting.
The past and future of energy
Every power source involves trade-offs. Given the challenges of increasing demand and climate change, what is the future of energy?
It’s time for a nuclear renaissance
A report from MIT outlines a six-point plan to usher in a new age of nuclear power.
What you need to know about Europe’s energy crisis
There has been a 600% increase in European gas prices so far in 2021.
Japan moves forward with nuclear power, Germany moves backward
After the 2011 Fukushima disaster, it was Germany, not Japan, that cracked down most severely on nuclear power plants.
The U.S. Navy is building a solar plane
The 72-meter wingspan is lined with solar panels to give the plane the power it needs to stay airborne for nearly three months.
Electricity generation by U.S. state
U.S. states vary radically in terms of electricity generation. Vermont is the cleanest, while Delaware is the dirtiest.
U.S. vs. Canada: five modern-day territorial disputes
All of these conflicts have a long history. They may also have a long future.
Will concentrated solar thermal power dominate the energy industry?
The power tower has superior physics but inferior economics.
How 3 new technologies can bring us closer to 100% renewable energy
Scientists are solving the problem of costly energy storage.
What NIF’s fusion energy breakthrough really means
Let's celebrate the progress, but put the cork back in the champagne bottle.
Geothermal energy is on the verge of a big breakthrough
By digging deep, we could harness enough energy to power generations to come. But it involves fracking.
How concentrated solar power could fuel the future
This company uses thousands of mirrors, AI, and machine learning to unlock the power of the sun.
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Say goodbye to air conditioning with new roofing material
The guilt-free air conditioning, called "cooling paper," is made from recyclable paper and doesn't use any electricity.
New kind of nuclear reactor to be built at retiring coal plant
The fully functional plant will serve to demo TerraPower's nuclear tech.
Heliogen: concentrated solar power plant produces temperatures of 2700° F
How one startup plans to use "death rays" for good instead of evil.
Volcanoes to power bitcoin mining in El Salvador
The first nation to make bitcoin legal tender will use geothermal energy to mine it.
China’s “artificial sun” sets new record for fusion power
China has reached a new record for nuclear fusion at 120 million degrees Celsius.
Researchers design an engine that uses information as fuel
A thought experiment from 1867 leads scientists to design a groundbreaking information engine.
World’s blackest black? Purdue made the world’s whitest white
In paint form, the world's "whitest white" reflects so much light that surfaces become cooler than the surrounding air.
This zero-energy ‘daylight harvesting’ device can send sunlight underground
Researchers in Singapore invented a novel device that may help the island nation illuminate its growing underground infrastructure.