Image from Odysseus showing the broken leg and the plume from the throttling engineIntuitive Machines As the Odysseus Moon lander approaches its final hours, an unexpected development adds a twist to its narrative: during landing, one of its legs broke due to a series of errors stemming from a missed safety procedure on Earth prior...
If you're leary of lightning, the Gulf states may not be for you. Credit: Pixaobay Wondering if you reside in a region prone to lightning strikes? Recent maps reveal the precise locations where lightning makes contact with the ground throughout the United States annually. Hint: If you're concerned about lightning strikes, you may want to...
A microbial fuel cell buried in soil and generating powerBill Yen/Northwestern University A groundbreaking innovation from Northwestern University showcases a compact device capable of producing electricity by harnessing the power generated as microbes decompose soil, as long as there is carbon present. This device, about the size of a paperback book, operates on microbial fuel...
Shadows cast during a partial eclipse. Image source: Yvonne Hanson/Shutterstock.com A recent study discovered that certain types of clouds vanish during solar eclipses, shedding light on why it happens. This finding might affect efforts to control the climate. During solar eclipses, people have noticed that regular cumulus clouds over land disappear quickly. The lead author of...
This artist's impression shows the magnetic white dwarf WD 0816-310, where astronomers have found a scar imprinted on its surface as a result of having ingested planetary debris. Credit: ESO/L. Calçada As a star resembling our sun nears the conclusion of its lifecycle, it may devour neighboring planets and asteroids that originated alongside it. Recently,...
The reactor vessel welded by the new methodSheffield Forgemasters The construction pace of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) accelerates significantly, with Sheffield Forgemasters, a UK company, completing the welding of a full-size nuclear reactor vessel in less than 24 hours, a stark contrast to the usual 12-month timeframe. The widespread adoption of this groundbreaking technology has...
An artist's impression of the brightest object ever discovered – a quasar that shines with the light of 500 trillion Suns – which is also the fastest growing black hole, eating the equivalent of a Sun a dayESO/M. Kornmesser One might expect that locating the brightest object in the observable universe would be straightforward, but...
With just a single charge, you could journey to [insert a destination approximately 1,000 kilometers away] from your current location. Credit: Unsplash. One of the primary concerns in the transition from petrol-based vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) revolves around the range issue – how far can an EV travel on a single charge? However, researchers...
Engineers Employ AI to Manage Fusion Power Integration into the Grid. Credit: Google DeepMind Deep within the confines of the tokamak, a toroidal chamber sculpted to embrace the marvels of nuclear fusion, hydrogen atoms collide with immense force, birthing a searing plasma hotter than the sun. Nuclear fusion is key to sustainable energy, leveraging hydrogen isotopes,...
Seafloor spreading rifts could offer some of the world's best geothermal resources, according to CGGCGG A groundbreaking and largely untapped energy source awaits beneath the ocean floor, as outlined in a whitepaper by geoscience technology consultancy CGG. Distinctive conditions beneath the seabed offer the potential for more affordable and readily accessible geothermal energy. Solar and wind...
