China already dominates renewable energy production. Its installed capacity of around 895 GW in 2020 was more than the European Union, the USA and Australia combined. And while the world in general is accelerating its transition to renewable power, China is growing its capacity faster than anyone else as well. Now, according to Reuters, it’s got a series of mammoth solar and wind projects […]
China Plans For Mammoth Energy In the Deserts
Evolution UA-80 Life Vest
When most people think of life vests, they likely picture yokes that are worn around the user’s neck. Switlik Survival Products’ new UA-80 Evolution Vest takes what is claimed to be a better approach, however, by going under the arms. Reportedly the first FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)-approved device of its kind, the UA-80 is designed for constant-wear use by professional […]
LED Contact Lens May Prevent Diabetes
If diabetes progresses too far, it can result in a potentially blinding condition known as retinopathy. And while existing treatments are invasive and often painful, there may be new hope in the form of an LED-equipped contact lens. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the disease damages tiny blood vessels in the eye, reducing blood flow to nerve cells in the retina, […]
Casual Link Between Blood Type & Genetics
Very early in the pandemic doctors began tracking the association between COVID-19 disease severity and a patient’s blood type. Now researchers have validated those early observations, finding several blood proteins are causally linked to an increased risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Some of the earliest observational studies to come out of Wuhan in 2020 pointed to a correlation between a […]
Artificial Muscles
Researchers have developed a new type of artificial muscle that’s entirely made out of natural proteins. Responding to changes in its environment allows the muscle to flex on demand, which could make it useful for implants, prosthetics or robotics. As promising a technology as artificial muscles have been, most of the time they’re still a bit too artificial, often made […]
Hydroelectric Tech
While hydroelectric dams are capable of generating a lot of electricity, they drastically disrupt the environment. Scientists have now proposed a simpler but still effective alternative, in which electric trucks replace such dams. In a typical hydroelectric facility, a dam is built across a river, causing a reservoir to form directly upstream of that dam. When a gate in the dam is […]
Automated Solar Panel Cleaning Drones
In order to keep running at peak efficiency, solar panels regularly have to be cleaned of accumulated dust and other debris. Such panels can often be difficult to reach, though, which is why the Helios system uses not one but two drones to get the job done. First of all, we have already heard of proposed setups that utilize aerial drones to spray soapy […]
Cylindrical Wireless Charger
Ordinarily, wireless chargers emit an electromagnetic field in just one direction, limiting the number of devices they can charge at once. An experimental new charger, however, produces a donut-shaped field, for the simultaneous charging of multiple gadgets. First of all, there have been previous attempts at creating omnidirectional wireless chargers. One approach has involved incorporating several transmitter coils, each one connected to […]
Glass Walled Apple Store
Apple and Foster + Partners continue their longstanding collaboration with a new Apple Store recently completed in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The retail space features a bold design that takes the form of a glass-walled box that’s situated on top of a large stepped pyramid-like water feature. The Apple Store is located in Abu Dhabi’s financial district. It was […]
Folding Outdoor Fins
If you’ve ever tried packing snorkelling gear into a suitcase, you’ll know that traditional fins take up an awful lot of space. That’s why Folding Fins were created, as they fold down to less than half their regular width when not in use. Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, Folding Fins were developed by Polish startup Exotech Innovations. Each […]