Express News Service
SPACE DUST BEST BET TO FIND ET LIFE SIGNSThe University of Tokyo is exploring a new way to look for alien life from the far reaches of the Universe. The researchers have proposed to peep into microscopic space dust that is constantly bombarding Earth, and which is likely to carry fossils of microorganisms from planets in faraway stellar systems which may have been hosting extra-terrestrial life. The researchers say that even with our present technological tools, human beings will be able to detect certain signatures of biological life outside or even within the Solar System. The idea stems from the high probability that planets in other stellar systems too are bombarded by asteroids just like planets in our System are. The ejected mass is likely to travel through in the form of fragments in the form of space dust, which over time have come into the Earth’s atmosphere.
NEW WAY TO GET RID OF CHEMICALS FROM WATERUniversity of British Columbia (UBC) researchers have found a new treatment method to remove a wide range of chemicals from drinking water that pose severe health problems including hormonal disruption, cardiovascular disease, develo-pmental delays and cancer. These chemicals are called ‘per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances’ (PFAS)- a large group of 4,700 substances that is mainly used in non-stick cookware, stain repellents and others. Their adsorbing method is capable of capturing up to 99 per cent of PFAS particles, which can be regenerated and potentially reused for the purposes they are meant for.
OXYGEN-ION BATTERIES FOR LARGE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMSThe Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) has developed a new oxygen-ion battery which is not only more durable, but also doesn’t pose fire hazards as it does not require rare elements. Although it does not allow for high energy densities as the lithium-ion battery, its storage capacity does fall over time. It can be regenerated using oxygen from ambient air, enabling its durability. The oxygen-ion battery can be an excellent solution for large energy storage systems, especially to store electrical energy from renewable sources. The TU Wien researchers used ceramic material which can absorb and release doubly negatively charged oxygen ions. When an electric voltage is applied, the oxygen ions migrate from one ceramic material to another, after which they can be made to migrate back again, thus generating electric current. However, the new battery concept is not intended for smartphones or electric cars, as it only achieves about a third of the energy density compared to lithium ones. The researchers said its long service life, lack of fire hazard and its regeneration capability prove a huge benefit for energy storage systems in the future.
SPACE DUST BEST BET TO FIND ET LIFE SIGNS
The University of Tokyo is exploring a new way to look for alien life from the far reaches of the Universe. The researchers have proposed to peep into microscopic space dust that is constantly bombarding Earth, and which is likely to carry fossils of microorganisms from planets in faraway stellar systems which may have been hosting extra-terrestrial life. The researchers say that even with our present technological tools, human beings will be able to detect certain signatures of biological life outside or even within the Solar System. The idea stems from the high probability that planets in other stellar systems too are bombarded by asteroids just like planets in our System are. The ejected mass is likely to travel through in the form of fragments in the form of space dust, which over time have come into the Earth’s atmosphere.
NEW WAY TO GET RID OF CHEMICALS FROM WATER
University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers have found a new treatment method to remove a wide range of chemicals from drinking water that pose severe health problems including hormonal disruption, cardiovascular disease, develo-pmental delays and cancer. These chemicals are called ‘per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances’ (PFAS)- a large group of 4,700 substances that is mainly used in non-stick cookware, stain repellents and others. Their adsorbing method is capable of capturing up to 99 per cent of PFAS particles, which can be regenerated and potentially reused for the purposes they are meant for.
OXYGEN-ION BATTERIES FOR LARGE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
The Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) has developed a new oxygen-ion battery which is not only more durable, but also doesn’t pose fire hazards as it does not require rare elements. Although it does not allow for high energy densities as the lithium-ion battery, its storage capacity does fall over time. It can be regenerated using oxygen from ambient air, enabling its durability. The oxygen-ion battery can be an excellent solution for large energy storage systems, especially to store electrical energy from renewable sources. The TU Wien researchers used ceramic material which can absorb and release doubly negatively charged oxygen ions. When an electric voltage is applied, the oxygen ions migrate from one ceramic material to another, after which they can be made to migrate back again, thus generating electric current. However, the new battery concept is not intended for smartphones or electric cars, as it only achieves about a third of the energy density compared to lithium ones. The researchers said its long service life, lack of fire hazard and its regeneration capability prove a huge benefit for energy storage systems in the future.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
