Lifeboat Foundation

The desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising candidate for Mars colonization thanks to its extreme ability to tolerate harsh conditions lethal to most life forms. The moss is well known for its ability to tolerate drought conditions, but researchers report June 30 in the journal The Innovation that it can also survive freezing temperatures as low as −196°C, high levels of gamma radiation, and simulated Martian conditions involving these three stressors combined. In all cases, prior dehydration seemed to help the plants cope.

“Our study shows that the environmental resilience of S. caninervis is superior to that of some of highly stress-tolerant microorganisms and tardigrades,” write the researchers, who include ecologists Daoyuan Zhang and Yuanming Zhang and botanist Tingyun Kuang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “S. caninervis is a promising candidate pioneer plant for colonizing extraterrestrial environments, laying the foundation for building biologically sustainable human habitats beyond Earth.”

A small number of previous studies have tested the ability of microorganisms, algae, lichens, and plant spores to withstand the extreme environments of outer space or Mars, but this is the first study to test whole plants.

Grasping the precise energy landscapes of quantum particles can significantly enhance the accuracy of computer simulations for material sciences. These simulations are instrumental in developing advanced materials for applications in physics, chemistry, and sustainable technologies. The research tackles longstanding questions from the 1980s, paving the way for breakthroughs across various scientific disciplines.

An international group of physicists, led by researchers at Trinity College Dublin, has developed new theorems in quantum mechanics that explain the “energy landscapes” of quantum particle collections. Their work resolves decades-old questions, paving the way for more accurate computer simulations of materials. This advancement could significantly aid scientists in designing materials poised to revolutionize green technologies.

The new theorems have just been published in the prominent journal Physical Review Letters. The results describe how the energy of systems of particles (such as atoms, molecules, and more exotic matter) changes when their magnetism and particle count change. Solving an open problem important to the simulation of matter using computers, this extends a series of landmark works commencing from the early 1980s.

A sustainable source for clean energy may lie in old soda cans and seawater. MIT engineers have found that when the aluminum in soda cans is exposed in its pure form and mixed with seawater, the solution bubbles up and naturally produces hydrogen—a gas that can be subsequently used to power an engine or fuel cell without generating carbon emissions. What’s more, this simple reaction can be sped up by adding a common stimulant: caffeine.

In a study appearing today in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, the researchers show they can produce hydrogen gas by dropping pretreated, pebble-sized aluminum pellets into a beaker of filtered seawater. The aluminum is pretreated with a rare-metal alloy that effectively scrubs aluminum into a pure form that can react with seawater to generate hydrogen. The salt ions in the seawater can in turn attract and recover the alloy, which can be reused to generate more hydrogen in a sustainable cycle.

Continue reading “Engineers develop a recipe for zero-emissions fuel: Soda cans, seawater and caffeine” »

Samsung has been shipping its solid-state battery with high energy density to electric vehicle makers, but warns that it will first land in more expensive models. It is also ready to deliver other promising battery technologies.

PepsiCo uses robotics, satellites, and sensors to optimize its supply chain, from the farm to the factory line where soda bottles are filled.

Scientists are closer to giving the next generation of solar cells a powerful boost by integrating a process that could make the technology more efficient by breaking particles of light—photons—into small chunks.

In a study published in Nature Chemistry researchers unravel the scientific understanding of what happens when light particles split—a process called singlet fission —and its underlying workings.

Lead researcher Professor Tim Schmidt from UNSW Sydney’s School of Chemistry has studied singlet fission for more than a decade. He says the process could be invoked and applied to improve existing silicon solar cell technologies.

The new spacesuit urine filtration system by Cornell researchers recycles astronauts’ urine into drinkable water, aiming to improve comfort and efficiency on future Moon and Mars missions.

Currently, astronauts must relieve themselves inside their spacesuits during spacewalks. This is not only uncomfortable and unhygienic, but also wasteful. Unlike the wastewater management system on the International Space Station (ISS), the water from urine during spacewalks is not recycled.

Researchers at Cornell are addressing this issue with a novel urine collection and filtration system inspired by the ‘stillsuits’ from the sci-fi franchise Dune. Like these ‘stillsuits’, their prototype absorbs and purifies urine, and recycles it into drinking water.

In the ongoing fight against climate change, is it better to plant trees or allow nature to do it for us? This is what a recent study published in Nature Climate Change as a team of international researchers investigated the cost-effectiveness of reforestation for mitigating the effects of climate change, specifically regarding whether planting trees or natural reforestation are appropriate measures for this effort. This study holds the potential to help scientists, conservationists, and the public better understand the steps that can be taken to mitigate the effects of climate change, for both the short and long term.

“Trees can play a role in climate change mitigation, for multiple reasons,” said Dr. Jacob Bukoski, who is an Assistant Professor in the Oregon State University College of Forestry and a co-author on the study. “It’s pretty easy to understand that forests pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it, and trees are something pretty much everyone can get behind – we have seen multiple bipartisan acts for tree planting introduced in Congress. This study brings a nuanced perspective to the whole ‘should we plant trees to solve climate change’ debate.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed a number of key details about the Robotaxi during the company’s Q2 2024 Update Letter and earnings call. These include the site of the Robotaxi’s production, as well as the manufacturing process that would be used on the vehicle.

It would not be an exaggeration to state that the Robotaxi unveiling on October 10, 2024 is poised to be Tesla’s most important event this year. And considering Elon Musk’s noticeable focus on Full Self Driving (FSD), it was no surprise when several questions during the Q2 2024 earnings call were focused on the Robotaxi.

As per Tesla’s Q2 2024 Update Letter, its plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, are still on track for the start of production in the first half of 2025. These vehicles will utilize aspects of its next-generation and current platforms, and they could be produced on the same manufacturing lines as the company’s current vehicle line-up. As for the Robotaxi, however, Tesla was clear.