National Chiao Tung University (NCTU)

Coal use continues to rise despite recent announcements that development banks will no longer fund the technology For those concerned about the impact of coal-burning power plants on the world’s environment, the good news seems to have been arriving thick and fast lately. In mid-July, the World Bank announced it was significantly scaling back funding for coal-fired

A photo-electrochemical cell has been developed at TU Wien (Vienna). It can chemically store the energy of ultraviolet light even at high temperatures. Nature shows us how it is done: Plants can absorb sunlight and store its energy chemically. Imitating this on large industrial scale, however, is difficult. Photovoltaics convert sunlight to electricity, but at

SMILE Plug can be used with its OLPC X0 3.0 low-cost tablet   Marvell has just showcased its Classroom 3.0 initiative at this year’s CES, featuring the SMILE Plug that can create a private Wi-Fi cloud for up to 60 people. The device was created in partnership with the Stanford University’s Mobile Inquiry Based Learning

PC-Aero‘s single-seat Elektra One electric Ultralight is one of the most efficient transportation devices ever conceived. It’s lightweight composite construction and highly efficient aerodynamics enable it to be powered by a modest 13.5 kW electric engine. The whisper-quiet Elektra One can fly for three hours, cruise at 160 km/h and has a range of 500

Thermoelectric materials offer the potential to harness electricity from otherwise wasted heat. Continuing research in the field could yield applications scavenging energy from vehicle exhaust systems, industrial processes and equipment, and even sunlight. Now researchers have created a material with a higher energy conversion efficiency that could make such systems more feasible. Researchers at Northwestern

Malaria could be curtailed by the creatures Property owners who need to banish destructive woodworm could have an eight-legged alternative to chemical sprays that are potentially dangerous and only partially effective. They could enlist the aid of very special spiders that will seek and devour the destructive grubs. And a further, exciting possibility is that

With a better understanding of how fish move, researchers eventually could develop faster, more efficient propulsion systems for manned and unmanned underwater vehicles. Mechanical engineers at the University of Virginia School of Engineering, leading a collaboration with biologists from Harvard University, have created the first robotic fish proven to mimic the speed and movements of