A powerful trillion-watt laser shot at the sky can generate lightning rods in the air that can guide lightning strikes to keep them from causing havoc, a new study finds. To date, the most common and effective form of protection against lightning is the lightning rod invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1752. These pointed electrically […]
Even simple robotic grippers can perform complex tasks—so long as it’s smart about using its environment as its handy aide. This, at least, is the finding of new research from Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. In robotics, simple grippers are typically assigned straightforward tasks such as picking up objects and placing them somewhere. However, by […]
IBM’s Condor, the world’s first universal quantum computer with more than 1,000 qubits, is set to debut in 2023. The year is also expected to see IBM launch Heron, the first of a new flock of modular quantum processors that the company says may help it produce quantum computers with more than 4,000 qubits by […]
A battery-free electronic pill that can help doctors wirelessly analyze molecules generated during vital bodily chemical reactions in the gut has been demonstrated for the first time, say the researchers behind a new study. The team of engineers, from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), detailed their findings online in the 1 December […]
Solid-state lithium-ion batteries promise to be more safe, lightweight, and compact than their conventional counterparts. However, metal spikes can grow inside them, leading to short-circuit breakdowns. Now a new study finds that applying pressure on these batteries may be a simple way to prevent such failures. Conventional batteries supply electricity via chemical reactions between two […]
“Electrically conductive Play-Doh” is how scientists describe new materials they can make like plastic but conduct like metal. It remains a mystery why they conduct electricity so well, since their doing so flies in the face of much of what is known about conductivity. Indeed, the stretchy conductor’s surprising capabilities may open up new directions […]
Ultrasound sensors as small as a thumbnail can scan lithium-ion batteries to check their charge, health and safety, a new study finds. The findings suggest ultrasound—that is, sound waves at frequencies higher than human hearing can detect—might one day help electric vehicles better estimate how much charge remains in their batteries. This approach might also […]
Standard electric-vehicle batteries can recharge much of their range in just 10 minutes by including a thin sheet of nickel inside them, a new study finds. This could provide a welcome and economically attractive alternative to expensive EVs that carry massive and massively expensive battery packs. If faster-charging options were available, enabling the EV’s sticker […]
Cutting-edge electronics, including electric vehicles and the latest smartphones, all depend on batteries whose chemistries are still largely developed manually by trial and error. Now, a new study reveals that artificial intelligence can direct robots in rapidly finding advanced new battery formulations. A team of scientists detailed their findings online 27 September in the journal […]
The vast majority of electric vehicle owners currently charge their cars at home at night. However, a new study finds this might gravely burden the grid as more EVs hit the road. Instead, a much better strategy in the future is a greater emphasis on daytime charging, scientists say. The number of electric passenger cars, […]