Changing the Solar Power Industry—Tesla’s New Powerwall Packs a Powerful Punch

Medicine & Technology May 02, 2015

Elon Musk’s visions haven’t just changed the tech industry, they’ve changed the world and even space exploration. But a new venture and interest in batteries will mean that Tesla is expanding into the solar energy game, and Musk is offering home owners the opportunity to capitalize on the power of the Sun.

Solvent Baths Promise Better Perovskite Crystals and Better Solar Energy

Mar 17, 2015

With the coming of spring, and the looming global warming ever at our odds, it’s clear that there’s enough heat already out in the world. So why would you want your “green” energy practices to contribute ever more to that heat? Current methods, for example, in the production of solar cells used to capture energy require an intense recrystallization process that comes at the price of a drastic raise in the temperature of the substance—perovskite. But now, thanks to chemists at Brown University, the green energy movement may soon be equated with a cooler movement, as well.

How One Innovation May Change the Solar Energy Game Forever

Mar 16, 2015

If you’ve ever ventured out into the middle of the desert, you’ve likely encountered a solar field of sorts. On the way to Las Vegas, for example, there exists a solar plant that leverages thousands of glass reflectors to burn hot with the power of the sun. But when it comes to more domesticate uses of the sun, researchers and consumers have been limited by the capabilities of light-absorbing perovskite films used in solar cells. Now, however, thanks to a PhD researcher at Brown University, the tides may have changed.

Solar Activity Impacts Climate More During “Cool Periods”

Mar 02, 2015

New research published in the Journal Geology suggests there is a link between the activity of the sun and sea temperatures and its effects are more significant when the Earth is cooler. The sun is already known to play a part in variations of our weather but this is the first time that scientists have observed that solar activity also affects sea surface temperatures.

China’s Supercomputer Tianhe-2 Reigns Supreme

Nov 18, 2014

While the U.S. and the E.U may lead the pack in many sectors of technological advancements, and the concept of smart cities, it’s China’s supercomputers that continue to reign supreme. Commemorating the opening day of the SC14 Supercomputing Show in New Orleans, Monday Nov. 17, a team of researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee and German tech company Prometeus issued the 2014 list of the top 500 most powerful computing systems in the world. And though the race was close this year, China’s massive Tianhe-2 supercomputer topped the list at No.1, for the fourth time in a row.