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Researchers at McGill University have made a significant advance in the development of all-solid-state lithium batteries, which are being pursued as the next step in electric vehicle (EV) battery technology.

By addressing a long-standing issue with battery performance, this innovation could pave the way for safer, longer-lasting EVs. The findings are published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.

The challenge lies in the resistance that occurs where the ceramic electrolyte meets the electrodes. This makes the battery less efficient and reduces how much energy it can deliver. The research team has discovered that creating a porous ceramic membrane, instead of the traditional dense plate, and filling it with a small amount of polymer can resolve this issue.

The Airwolf hoverbike is designed to soar with speed, efficiency, and agility. Using individually tilting ducted fan propulsion technology.

But when something out of the ordinary happens, the situation can quickly get scary, because most updates are only delivered by audio announcements. A Deaf traveller may miss their train because it was moved to a different platform, or watch as their station whizzes by because the train isn’t stopping there today. They may also remain on a train carriage in an emergency after everyone else has evacuated, and have to be rescued by station staff.

Every single one of these examples has been drawn from the real life experiences of Deaf people in Sydney. But my colleagues and I are working with Sydney Trains and members of the Australian Deaf community to develop an advanced, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered signing avatar which can automatically translate audio announcements into Auslan.

Just as we mimicked birds and fish to model cars and planes, we may gain inspiration for deep dive vehicles.

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine.

Continue reading “How Cells Resist the Pressure of the Deep Sea” »

A flow battery, also known as a reduction-oxidation (Redox) flow battery, is an electrochemical cell that uses two moving liquid electrolytes to generate electricity.

Ion transfer occurs across the cell membrane, accompanied by current flow through an external circuit, while the liquids circulate in their respective spaces. The liquids required are stored in separate tanks until required.

Continue reading “All electric without batteries: Are flow batteries the future of EVs?” »

Henry Ford, the famous American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company, was granted a patent for the construction of a plastic car on January 13th, 1942.

Discover the fascinating story of Henry Ford’s Plastic Hemp Car, an innovative vehicle made from hemp and soybean plastic in the 1940s.

Continue reading “Henry Ford’s Plastic Hemp Car” »

ORNL’s breakthrough boosts 3D-printed turbine blades, reducing carbon emissions.

Researchers have made significant efforts to enable additively manufactured turbine blades to better handle extreme temperatures. They have developed and 3D printed the lightest crack-free alloy capable of operating without melting at temperatures above 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Continue reading “US develops lightest crack-free alloy that can withstand 2,400°F heat” »

Following a concept world premiere in 2022 and a track demo at Le Mans a couple months ago, the Alpine Alpenglow is back, this time serving as a spectacular highlight of the 2024 Paris Motor Show. Alpine has equipped the latest Alpenglow with an all-new “Hy6” twin-turbo V6 engine developed from the ground up to run on hydrogen. The Hy6 doubles the power of the last Alpenglow so the new car not only looks like an extreme track-only supercar, it performs and sounds like one, too.

Alpine originally revealed the Alpenglow at the 2022 Paris Motor Show as a blueprint for its more sustainable sporting future. The concept appeared loosely derived from the extreme styling of the student-crafted A4810 Alpine had shown earlier that year, and came to Paris with the promise of a hydrogen-engine-based drive system of undisclosed size and layout.

The concept continued along as a stunning but mysterious piece of event jewelry right up until this past May, when Alpine officially turned concept car into “rolling laboratory” for a dynamic track debut at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and, a month later, Le Mans. Ahead of those demonstration runs, the French automaker finally threw some tender red meat to the starved gearhead masses, confirming a 340-hp 2.0-liter turbo-four hydrogen combustion engine powering the wheels.