Articles tagged with Heat
Researchers at Colorado State University propose using ultrathin films of molybdenum disulfide to improve solar cell efficiency. The material displays unprecedented charge carrier properties that could lead to drastic improvements in solar technologies.
Researchers discovered a hydrogel material that maintains its ability to absorb moisture despite rising temperatures, contradicting intuition. The material, polyethylene glycol (PEG), doubles its water absorption between 25-50 degrees Celsius, making it suitable for passive cooling and water harvesting applications.
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have discovered a new approach to improve the performance of thermoelectric materials by substituting hydrogen for oxygen. This substitution reduces thermal conductivity while maintaining high electronic conductivity, leading to improved thermoelectric conversion efficiency.
The system uses a parabolic dish to concentrate solar radiation, which is then converted into hydrogen, oxygen, and heat through photoelectrochemical cells. The output power exceeds 2 kilowatts, achieving record-high efficiency for its scale, with potential applications in industrial, commercial, and residential energy.
A new study by Lund University highlights the need for cities to develop more resilient electricity networks to cope with extreme weather events. The research models show that urban heat islands can increase cooling demand by up to 68% in some cities, leading to power shortages and blackouts if not accounted for.
A new study suggests that using underground water for thermal energy storage (ATES) can reduce heating and cooling energy demand in the US by 40%, making urban energy infrastructure more resilient. ATES stores energy as temperature underground, leveraging natural geological features to heat or cool buildings during extreme weather events.
Scientists from NTU Singapore have developed a sustainable cooling method for servers in data centers, reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 26%. The new spray cooling system can handle high computing power servers in smaller spaces, leading to significant space savings and energy efficiency.
A new study reveals a protein in the nervous system regulates collagen expression, potentially extending human lifespan as temperatures rise. Mutant worms with increased collagen production lived longer and looked younger than wild-type worms under warm temperatures.
Researchers at Drexel University discovered that a thin MXene coating can enhance a material's ability to trap or shed heat. The coating, which is 200-300 times thinner than a human hair, can be used for both localized thermal management and large-scale radiative heating and cooling systems.
Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology developed a thermal wood composite using coconuts and lemons that can store both heat and cold. The material, which is transparent and energy-saving, can regulate temperatures around 24C, reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling.
New research reveals methane traps heat in the atmosphere but also creates cooling clouds that offset 30% of the heat. Methane absorbs both longwave and shortwave energy, leading to a slight cooling effect.
Designing low-carbon multi-storey buildings requires focusing on efficient shapes, structural frames, limited window sizes, and ventilation with heat recovery. The study found that these elements can save up to six gigatonnes of carbon by 2050 and reduce annual heating and cooling costs by 28-44%.
A new study found that droughts and heatwaves exacerbate air pollution inequalities in California, particularly for communities of color. Financial penalties for power plants can significantly reduce people's exposure to pollution, except during severe heat waves.
Advances in drilling technology are unlocking geothermal energy's full potential, with supercritical water offering an efficient energy source. Improved drilling methods aim to overcome the financial barrier of deep geothermal exploration, enabling a step-change in power output.
A team led by Xueyan Song at West Virginia University has created an oxide ceramic material that solves a longstanding efficiency problem plaguing thermoelectric generators. The breakthrough achieved record-high performance, opening up new research directions to further increase performance and enabling large-scale waste heat recovery.
The study of Doublet Pool reveals that the interval between episodes of thumping reflects the amount of energy heating the pool, while also indicating heat loss through the surface. The researchers found that wind speed over the pools was correlated with silence intervals, suggesting that blowing wind removes heat energy from the water.
Researchers at West Virginia University have developed a new theory that extends the first law of thermodynamics to systems not in equilibrium. This breakthrough has numerous potential applications across physics and other sciences, including studying plasmas in space and low-temperature plasmas.
Scientists from NC State University have discovered a way to manipulate the flow of heat through ferroelectric materials by applying different electric fields. The study, published in Advanced Materials, found that varying electric field strengths, types (AC/DC), time, and frequency can alter the thermal properties of these materials.
A research team at Hokkaido University has created a stable and effective solid-state electrochemical thermal transistor that can control heat flow with electrical signals. The device outperforms current liquid-state thermal transistors in terms of stability and efficiency.
Researchers at Aalto University have developed new textiles that change shape when heated, providing adjustable aesthetics and potential applications in health monitoring and thermal insulation. The innovative fabrics use liquid crystalline elastomers, which can respond to heat, light, or other stimuli.
A Chinese research team has developed a barocaloric thermal battery concept that extracts thermal energy from low-temperature waste heat sources by controlling pressure. The system, materialized in ammonium thiocyanate, releases up to 11 times more heat than the mechanical energy input.
Researchers at NTNU developed a predictive control heating system that can optimize energy consumption by predicting heating needs and utilizing surplus heat. The system saved 1.8% in energy costs per month, demonstrating its potential to reduce electric bills.
Chiral phonons convert waste heat into spin information, promising energy-efficient devices for computing and data storage. Researchers created a spin current at room temperature without magnetic materials, opening the door to cheaper, more accessible spintronic devices.
Researchers found that poorer blood sugar control, as measured by haemoglobin A1c, was associated with higher core body temperature and increased heart rate during exercise in a heated chamber. This suggests that people with type 2 diabetes may be at greater risk of heat-related stress and heat-related injuries.
Researchers find quasiparticles called ferrons that carry waves of polarization and heat in ferroelectric materials. The ferron's behavior is sensitive to an external electric field, turning the material into a thermal switch.
Researchers have created a new type of polymer that can be triggered by light, enabling faster chemical reactions and more efficient energy use. The polymers, which respond to different wavelengths of light, show promise for use in various fields, including pharmaceuticals and future Mars habitats.
Researchers have visualized the structural dynamics of 2D perovskite materials under light-induced excitation, revealing a transient lattice reorganization towards a higher symmetric phase. The study demonstrates the potential to tune the interaction between perovskite lattices and light.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have designed a temperature-sensing building material that changes its infrared color to absorb or emit heat based on outside temperatures. This innovation aims to reduce building energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, making it an essential step towards a more sustainable future.
A new solar distillation device, developed by KAUST professors and researchers, can purify brine from seawater with high efficiency. The device produces double the freshwater production rate of existing technology, meeting the drinking needs of two people daily.
A new study predicts that by 2099, future extreme heatwaves will expose up to 11% of land vertebrates to temperatures beyond their historical levels. However, a low-emissions scenario greatly reduces animals' exposure to heat extremes.
Researchers found that echidnas blow bubbles from their nose to cool down, using the evaporation of moisture as an evaporative window. They also utilize flexible spines for insulation and lose heat through the spineless areas on their underside and legs, acting as thermal windows.
A team at City University of Hong Kong has developed a novel approach to converting environmental temperature fluctuations into clean chemical energy using pyroelectric catalysis. By combining pyroelectric materials with localized plasmonic heat sources, the researchers achieved significantly faster and more efficient pyro-catalytic re...
The Tibetan Plateau's frozen ground is experiencing diverse variations in thawing due to uneven wetting under climate change. The study found that arid regions have become warmer and wetter, while humid regions have become warmer but drier. This has led to a reduction in permafrost area by 28% as substantial wetting in arid areas exert...
Computer simulations demonstrate that chaos plays a crucial role in the emergence of thermodynamic behavior from quantum theory. A quantum system with indistinguishable particles and a thermometer-like particle shows a temperature distribution consistent with Boltzmann's rules only when the system exhibits chaos.
A study by McGill University researchers found that Northern Tree Shrews' body size increased with warmer climates, contradicting Bergmann's rule. The team analyzed museum specimens and historical climate data, revealing a reversal of the Island rule as well, highlighting the complex interaction between ecological factors.
Researchers have found that corals in the northern Red Sea have not experienced mass bleaching despite high heat stress due to their acquired temperature tolerance around 7,000 years ago. The region's reefs are expected to be among the last standing by the end of the century under projected warming scenarios.
A recent study found that pregnant subsistence farmers in The Gambia experience physiological strain due to heat stress exposure, leading to raised foetal heart rates and slower blood flow. The research highlights the need for effective interventions to protect these women and reduce adverse birth outcomes.
Researchers at Pusan National University have developed a new, energy-efficient process to control the orientation of filler particles in thermally conductive polymer composites. This allows for improved heat dissipation in electronics and batteries, reducing energy costs and extending device lifespan.
Researchers at University of Notre Dame developed a transparent coating for windows that can block heat and save energy. The coating, called transparent radiative cooler (TRC), allows visible light in while keeping other heat-producing light out, reducing electric cooling costs by one-third in hot climates.
Researchers found that boron arsenide's thermal conductivity decreases at extremely high pressures, breaking the general rule of pressure dependence. This discovery may lead to novel materials for smart energy systems with built-in 'pressure windows'.
Researchers explore the interactions between adipose tissues and surrounding blood vessels in connection with lipid metabolism and associated diseases. Targeting angiogenesis may provide a gateway for treating obesity, while its inhibition or promotion depends on the specific disease context.
UCF researchers are developing a wearable, wireless health monitor to track physiological response to heat stress in firefighters. The device aims to identify correlations between heat stress and skin thermal activity for the first time, providing insight into the link between heat stress and serious medical issues.
Scientists at Quaise Energy are developing a new technology using millimeter waves to blast rock and create deep holes for geothermal energy production. This approach has the potential to provide more than enough clean energy to meet world demand as we transition away from fossil fuels.
A new study reveals that households using prepayment meters consume significantly fewer portions of fruit and vegetables compared to those on alternative payment methods. The researchers found a strong link between higher energy bills and lower consumption of essential nutrients, highlighting the 'heat-or-eat' dilemma.
A new study by the University of Arizona found that tropical cyclones often follow extreme heat, which can be a major hazard after a storm. The research team analyzed 53 tropical cyclones and found that cities' heat index values were always warmer than average after the storm.
The ASU-led SW-IFL aims to understand complex relationships between extreme heat, atmospheric pollutants, and limited water supply on vulnerable urban subpopulations. The integrated field laboratory will combine high-resolution data, advanced computer modeling, and community engagement to create regionally specific predictive tools.
Geothermal energy has the potential to provide up to 50% of the world's energy by 2050 due to its clean, global, and baseload characteristics. To scale up, companies are leveraging existing oil and gas industry expertise, while simplifying complexity for residential geothermal applications.
A study published in Nature suggests that ocean heating in the western tropical Pacific will make the East Asian monsoon season wetter. The researchers found a correlation between increases in monsoonal rain in eastern China and the heat content of the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool over the past 360,000 years.
A comprehensive review of ocean warming reveals that global ocean heat content has increased by over 90% since the 1950s. The study predicts that if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, ocean warming will continue to accelerate, leading to more intense storms, droughts, and sea-level rise.
Researchers found a significant association between extreme heat exposure and emergency room visits for acute kidney injury, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections. The impact of extreme heat exposure lasted up to a week, with stronger effects during transitional months.
Researchers developed a fabric with nano-scale threads containing phase-change materials to regulate body temperature. The textile combines electrothermal and photothermal coatings for enhanced thermal regulation. It has the potential to alleviate heat or cold stress in workers and travelers, offering improved comfort and safety.
Researchers found that coral symbiont community structure responds to environmental conditions in Kaneohe Bay, which can help predict how corals will respond to future heat stress. Corals in areas with less light and temperature variability hosted less of the stress resilient symbiont.
Researchers at National Institutes of Natural Sciences observe plasma heating due to electromagnetic waves for the first time. They used a new measurement system to capture ultrahigh-speed data, revealing that Landau damping transfers energy from high-energy particles to electromagnetic waves, which then heat the plasma.
Scientists developed a cellulose nanofiber-carbon fiber composite film with excellent in-plane anisotropic thermal conductivity, improving heat dissipation in thin-film devices. The material also exhibits recyclability and can be reused after burning the cellulose matrix.
Scientists have developed a new solar-powered laser with improved conversion efficiency, enabling more stable and efficient space-based energy generation. The design features four mirrors and laser rods, allowing for precise control over the pump cavity and minimizing thermal stress effects.
Researchers have developed a novel hydrogel-glass design that enhances indoor illumination while reducing cooling consumption, demonstrating potential for widespread energy savings in buildings. The study published in Frontiers of Optoelectronics shows significant reductions in energy use ranging from 2.37 to 10.45 MJ·m−2 ·year−1.
A new University of Illinois study shows that fathead minnows can handle simulated heatwaves with few nasty side effects. Most minnows rapidly returned to normal physiological functioning after cooling down, but some became more susceptible to oxidative stress.
A new study suggests that using propane as a refrigerant in air conditioners could significantly reduce the global temperature increase from space cooling, with a potential decrease of up to 0.09°C by the end of the century. This is due to propane's low global warming potential score of less than 1.
A new method to improve solid-state hydrogen fuel cell charging times has been developed by researchers from the University of Technology Sydney. The study used a semi-cylindrical coil heat exchanger, which significantly improved heat transfer performance and reduced charging time by 59%. This innovation has the potential to revolution...
A study found that concurrent heat and drought events can have devastating effects on multiple sectors, including human health, energy, and agriculture. The research highlights the importance of considering compound extreme events in adaptation efforts to improve resilience.