Nuclear Energy: the Case Against
"We do not need to plunge headlong into a nuclear future," argues Serhii Plokhy, author of the book Atoms and Ashes: From Bikini Atoll to Fukushima. He notes Belgium's adding a 10-year extension to the life of two of its nuclear reactors, France's p.....»»
Attosecond core-level spectroscopy reveals real-time molecular dynamics
Chemical reactions are complex mechanisms. Many different dynamic processes are involved, affecting both the electrons and the nucleus of the present atoms. Very often, the strongly coupled electron and nuclear dynamics induce radiation-less relaxati.....»»
Collaboration identifies rare nuclear decay in long-lived potassium isotope
Some nuclei of certain elements decay radioactively into nuclei of different elements. These decays can be useful or annoying depending on the context. This is especially true for potassium-40. This isotope usually decays to calcium-40, but about 10%.....»»
MagSafe could makeover in iPhone 16
MagSafe could use a thinner ring of magnets in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, if alleged case-making molds are to be believed.iPhone 16 molds [ShopSystem]MagSafe uses a ring of magnets and an alignment magnet to make sure the charger lines up perfe.....»»
Deals: Apple AirPods dip to $79, M3 iMac 24-inch drops to $1,149 at Amazon
Apple's earbuds are $50 off and the current M3 iMac is $150 off at Amazon today, just in time for Mother's Day gift-giving.Amazon drops AirPods 2 to $79.99.Amazon's fresh AirPods price cut applies to AirPods 2 with a Lightning Charging Case, with the.....»»
A Company Is Building a Giant Compressed-Air Battery in the Australian Outback
Hydrostor, a leader in compressed-air energy storage, aims to break ground on a 200-MW plant in New South Wales by the end of this year. It wants to follow that with a 500-MW facility in California......»»
We still don’t understand how one human apparently got bird flu from a cow
A genetic analysis and case report reveal new insights and big gaps in our knowledge. Enlarge / Holstein dairy cows in a freestall barn. (credit: Getty | ) The US Department of Agriculture this week posted an unpublished.....»»
Two seconds of hope for fusion power
A fusion reactor in San Diego surpasses a limit on plasma density. Enlarge / The interior or the DIII-D tokamak. (credit: General Atomics) Using nuclear fusion, the process that powers the stars, to produce electricity o.....»»
Tweaking isotopes sheds light on promising approach to engineer semiconductors
Research led by scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has demonstrated that small changes in the isotopic content of thin semiconductor materials can influence their optical and electronic properties, possibly opening.....»»
New Nevada experiments aim to improve monitoring of nuclear explosions
On an October morning in 2023, a chemical explosion detonated in a tunnel under the Nevada desert was the launch of the next set of experiments by the National Nuclear Security Administration, with the goal to improve detection of low-yield nuclear e.....»»
Research explores energy and land-use practices on US golf courses
In 2018, golf was estimated to contribute significantly to the US economy, generating $84 billion, supporting 2 million jobs, and providing $59 billion in compensation. Given its prominence, golf holds a valuable position within US culture. However,.....»»
New eco-friendly lubricant additives protect turbine equipment, waterways
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed lubricant additives that protect both water turbine equipment and the surrounding environment......»»
Q&A: Researcher finds immigration doesn"t threaten welfare states
It is often thought that immigration threatens the solidarity on which redistribution relies. But looking at the post-war period, Ph.D. candidate Emily Anne Wolff finds that this is not the case......»»
Good vibrations: Low-energy lasers induce atomic excitation in semiconductor materials
Semiconductors are a cornerstone of next-generation technology, so a new method to excite atoms in semiconductor materials is likely to excite a broad range of researchers and industries as well......»»
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our patterns and behaviors, which in turn affected wildlife
The Earth now supports over eight billion people who collectively have transformed three-quarters of the planet's land surface for food, energy, shelter and other aspects of the human enterprise......»»
Twisting and binding matter waves with photons in a cavity
Precisely measuring the energy states of individual atoms has been a historical challenge for physicists due to atomic recoil. When an atom interacts with a photon, the atom "recoils" in the opposite direction, making it difficult to measure the posi.....»»
Storing energy with compressed air is about to have its moment of truth
Technology will be used to store wind and solar energy for use later. Enlarge / A rendering of Silver City Energy Centre, a compressed air energy storage plant to be built by Hydrostor in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia......»»
Euclid telescope: Scientist reports on his quest to understand the nature of dark matter and dark energy
On July 1, 2023, Euclid, a unique European space telescope was launched from Cape Canaveral. The launch was undoubtedly the highlight of my career as an astronomer, but witnessing the result of years of work being put on a rocket is not for the faint.....»»
Nomad debuts exclusive Glow 2.0 Apple Watch Sport Band and iPhone Case, but you’ll have to act quick [U]
Last year Nomad launched a fun limited edition Glow in the Dark Sport Band for Apple Watch. It ended up selling out in the first day. Now the company is back with a new and improved Glow 2.0 Sport Band plus a Sport Case for iPhone 15 Pro/Max – avai.....»»
China Has a Controversial Plan for Brain-Computer Interfaces
China's brain-computer interface technology is catching up to the US. But it envisions a very different use case: cognitive enhancement......»»
Launch date set for NASA"s PREFIRE mission to study polar energy loss
NASA and Rocket Lab are targeting no earlier than Wednesday, May 22, 2024, for the first of two launches of the agency's PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission to study heat loss to space in Earth's polar regions......»»