Energy
Energy powers civilization. Developing technologies that can deliver abundant, sustainable energy is the challenge of our time and the promise of our future. Failure is not an option.
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Three founders look to the future at Freethink’s inaugural Great Progression event
The tech community came together for the launch of the Great Progression event series, curated by Peter Leyden and produced by Freethink.
The billionaire building space lasers to power Earth
Space startup Aetherflux has a mission straight out of sci-fi: harvest solar power in orbit and beam it down to Earth via laser.
The missing tech case for how we create an era of abundance
AI and other new technologies could make things that are costly and scarce today, cheap and abundant for all tomorrow.
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This Canadian startup wants to make our buildings out of CO2
Carbon capture technology is here, but how do we make it feasible?
2 new nuclear plant prototypes are getting government funding
The Department of Energy is putting millions behind two new nuclear plant prototypes.
Radioactive diamond batteries keep going and going
These nuclear diamond batteries could provide an endless source of energy.
Nuclear fusion machine turns on for the first time
A new spherical tokamak in the U.K. could overcome one of the biggest hurdles to nuclear fusion power: the “exhaust problem”
“Digital Earth” can simulate climate change down to the kilometer
Europe’s ambitious Destination Earth project aims to simulate climate systems — and human impact — to the kilometer.
New nuclear fuel could replace uranium in reactors
Nuclear power could become more accessible thanks to a new nuclear fuel called ANEEL that combines thorium with uranium.
Adidas’ sustainable shoes are string art made by a robot
The Adidas Futurecraft team has unveiled a pair of sustainable shoes made by a robot that weaves individual threads like it’s creating string art.
Passenger plane powered by hydrogen fuel makes maiden flight
California’s ZeroAvia has flown the first “commercial-grade” plane powered by hydrogen fuel, potentially foreshadowing the sustainable future of air travel.
Predator drones are using AI to create faster fire maps
The National Guard has used drones to create forest fire maps since 2017. New AI upgrades could make the maps in minutes, not hours.
Nuclear fusion gets closer to reality with this new reactor
Nuclear fusion just took a step forward thanks to a new, compact reactor from MIT.
Can trillions of reflective glass beads save arctic sea ice?
Arctic sea ice is more than majestic; it also reflects the sun’s rays. But young, thin ice melts fast. Can silica powder reflect enough sun to help it survive?
Doctors fighting deadly climate change
These doctors are coming together to address their collective carbon footprint, explore new solutions, and improve sustainability in healthcare.
Cooling the planet with a giant solar umbrella
Solar geoengineering would cool global temperatures — is it worth it?
Mini nuclear reactors take big step forward in the US
NuScale Power’s small modular reactors generate less energy than full-sized nuclear reactors, but they might also be cheaper and safer.
Could a Norwegian “hurricane net” stop storms by cooling the sea?
Norwegian company OceanTherm uses bubble nets to keep ice out of fjords. Could a hurricane net weaken the storms?
3D printed homes could soon be made out of dirt
By transforming soil into a construction material for 3D printed homes and other structures, researchers hope to slash concrete’s environmental impact.
Raising Pacific islands to save them from high sea levels
The president of Kiribati announced a new plan to fight against sea level rise: raise the islands.
Divers remove wildlife-killing “ghost nets” from shipwreck
The Healthy Seas initiative removes wildlife-killing “ghost nets” from the ocean so that they can be recycled into useful Econyl yarn.
New solar cells could be a breakthrough in clean energy
Better solar cells are an objectively good thing. Two new breakthroughs may help us harness more light, more cost effectively.
Want to save the planet? start with reinventing the motor
This highly efficient switched reluctance motor has the ability to save manufacturers millions of dollars and significantly reduce their carbon emissions.
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