Climatology

New AI Weather Model Surpasses Leading Global Forecasting Systems

Microsoft has created an artificial intelligence (AI) model that outperforms traditional forecasting techniques in tracking air quality, weather systems, and climate-driven tropical storms, according to a study published Wednesday.Named Aurora, the system—still not commercially available—produced 10-day forecasts and predicted hurricane paths with greater accuracy, speed, and lower cost than standard models, researchers noted in...

InventWood is on the Verge of Mass-Producing Wood Stronger than Steel

Credit: PixabayIt may sound like science fiction, but it originates from a lab in Maryland. In 2018, Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist at the University of Maryland, developed a method to transform regular wood into a material stronger than steel. At first, it appeared to be another eye-catching discovery that might never leave the...

PHNX Materials Found a Way to Cut Concrete’s Carbon Footprint Using Coal Waste

Credit: PixabayCoal-fired power plants have caused considerable harm over the last hundred years, contributing to everything from climate change and acid rain to black lung disease and heart conditions. Overall, their impact has been overwhelmingly negative.However, hidden within the ashes they produce lies a surprising environmental benefit.Up to 30% Cement Replacement: How Fly Ash...

Cosmic Robotics Machines May Accelerate the Installation of Solar Panels

Image Credits:Cosmic RoboticsThe U.S. is ramping up solar farm construction so quickly that there aren’t enough workers to keep pace. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 48% rise in solar installer jobs by 2033, but even with that growth, the industry may still face a shortage of skilled labor. A major challenge: many...

Fusion Energy is Grappling with a Fuel Issue—But Hexium Offers a Laser-Based Fix

Image Credits:Chip Somodevilla / Getty ImagesFusion startups face a daunting challenge: building a power plant that generates more energy than it consumes—something that’s never been achieved with fusion. That involves proving their tech works, scaling it up, and persuading investors it can be done profitably. But there's another hurdle that gets less attention: securing...

Earth AI’s Algorithms Discovered Critical Minerals in Overlooked Locations

Image Credits:RiverRockPhotos / Getty ImagesLast summer, mining startup KoBold made headlines with its discovery of one of the largest copper deposits in over a decade in Zambia.Earth AI uncovers overlooked mineral deposits in Australia, showcasing AI’s growing role in modern mineral explorationNow, another startup, Earth AI, has exclusively revealed to TechCrunch its own significant...

Coreshell Aims to Significantly Reduce the Cost of U.S. Made Batteries

Image Credits:CoreshellThe shift to electric vehicles is largely a story centered on China. Government subsidies there have not only fueled automakers but also strengthened the entire battery supply chain. Decades of industrial policies controlling critical mineral resources have given China a dominant position, leaving American and European automakers struggling to compete.Graphite is a prime...

Palmetto Enables Developers to Advance U.S. Electrification with AI-Driven Building Models

Image Credits:Getty Images / Edwin RemsbergFor homeowners considering solar panels, the key question is often “How many?” For heat pumps, it’s “What size?” Traditionally, answering these required an on-site visit from a contractor.Over the past decade, solar installers have streamlined this process, with some, like Tesla, eliminating it entirely through software that integrates various...

Geothermal Energy Could Supply Power for Almost All New Data Centers by 2030

Image Credits:Feifei Cui-Paoluzzo / Getty ImagesAs AI and cloud providers accelerate data center construction, a power shortage looms. However, a new report suggests that the solution could lie underground.According to an analysis by the Rhodium Group, advanced geothermal power could meet nearly two-thirds of new data center energy demand by 2030. This expansion would...

Our Next Energy’s Founder Returns as CEO After New Funding

Image Credits:Our Next EnergyJust over a year after stepping down as CEO of battery startup Our Next Energy (ONE), Mujeeb Ijaz has returned to lead the company. This announcement coincides with the closing of a new funding round led by Crescent Ventures and Trousdale Ventures.ONE has not disclosed the round’s size and did not...