Tag: energy

• Kitesurfing Cargo

  A French company has developed a new way to pull cargo ships using a kite, which it says could help reduce their fuel consumption and cut their carbon emissions by an average of 20%. Jeff and Anthony examine the details of this wild approach to determine if this could really change the greenhouse impact of global shipping. [more]

  August 18, 2023Episodes

• Electricity Out of Thin Air

  A team of engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has shown that nearly any material can be turned into a device that continuously harvests electricity from humidity in the air. Jeff and Anthony think this could be a paradigm-shifting breakthrough, and discuss how it is being done and why it might change everything. [more]

  June 21, 2023Episodes

• Floating the Idea of Solar

  An international team of researchers has done a global analysis on the potential of floating solar panels, and the results are striking. Jeff and Anthony discuss the feasibility of using reservoirs to harness solar energy, and why more countries aren't doing it. [more]

  March 28, 2023Episodes

• Potty Trained Cows and a Whiter White

  Two stories about small, unexpected ways scientists are trying to combat global climate change. First, can greenhouse gases be reduced by training cows to pee in a toilet? Can cows be trained to pee in a toilet? Researchers from Germany are trying to find out, and Jeff and Anthony have opinions! Then, what if you could dramatically reduce the amount of energy needed to cool your home by simply painting the roof? Scientists at Purdue believe their new world record holding white paint could do just that. Anthony and Jeff take a look. [more]

  September 24, 2021Episodes

• Kid Free and A Sun on Earth

  Does choosing to have children affect your happiness? For years, the accepted wisdom was that people with kids tend to report more happiness than those who remain childless. But now a new study delves deeper into the question. As two sides of that coin themselves, Anthony and Jeff have opinions. Then, a big new step toward fusion-based power has been taken. A bold, 35 country partnership crosses a new milestone in building the sun on earth, and Jeff and Anthony break down just how impressive it is. [more]

  June 25, 2021Episodes

• Block the Sun and a Battery of Waste

  The crisis of global climate change is causing some researchers to consider drastic measures, including the idea of sending nanoparticles into the atmosphere to reflect the sun's rays away from Earth. But the government of Sweden isn't having it. Anthony and Jeff debate the science of blotting out the sun. Then, what if you could have a battery that lasts 28,000 years? A new startup aims to have a working prototype available in 2 years. The catch? It's made out of nuclear waste. Jeff and Anthony have some concerns. [more]

  April 16, 2021Episodes

• Paradoxes and Mr Fusion

  Paradox-free time travel is theoretically possible, according to the mathematical modelling of a University of Queensland undergraduate student. Jeff and Anthony attempt to step through the methodology and ramifications of these computations. Then, what if we could have clean, abundant energy by 2035? All it takes is creating a star inside a power plant. Anthony and Jeff discuss just how close to nuclear fusion humanity might be. [more]

  October 9, 2020Episodes

• Artificial Photosynthesis, an Old Dog, and New Picks

  Researchers have developed a standalone device that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into a carbon-neutral fuel, without requiring any additional components or electricity. Anthony and Jeff discuss how this might be an encouraging new way to combat climate change. Then, Jeff tries 2 stories to see which Anthony enjoys more. The first is perfectly preserved evidence of a 14,000 year old canine that had eaten a much larger animal. The second is a new way to clone a key from just the sound of it entering a lock. Which story will Anthony respond to more? [more]

  August 28, 2020Episodes