Paint that cools, Neutrinos, Superconductors, NASA's Valkyrie & a fun round up! - Speciale Focus #9
Superconductors that work in ambient temperatures - Biggest scientific discovery of our lifetime?
Ultra white paint that cools - The most effective one yet!
Researchers at Purdue University have developed an ultra-white paint that reflects 98.1 percent of sunlight, keeping surfaces up to 19 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than their surroundings. The paint absorbs only 1.9 percent of sunlight, whereas commercial paint absorbs 10 to 20 percent.
This new paint outperforms current heat-rejecting paints on the market, which can only reflect 80 to 90 percent of sunlight. The ultra-white paint sends infrared heat away from the surface, providing significant cooling power. If used on a 1,000-square-foot home's roof, it could offer cooling power greater than most residential central air conditioners. The paint's potential availability for purchase is expected in the next year or two. Exciting? - Check out more.
Neutrinos mark a new era in space observation
In June, researchers unveiled an unconventional portrait of the Milky Way. For the first time, astronomers used neutrinos, the Universe's lightest and most pervasive elementary particles, to map our galaxy's center.
The data came from the IceCube observatory, located at the South Pole, which consists of 5,160 sensors buried more than 1.5 kilometers below the ice sheet. Over a ten-year period, the observatory detected individual neutrinos and tracked their directions, revealing their origins in the Milky Way's center. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the emerging field of neutrino astronomy. By using neutrinos, astronomers can explore regions that are otherwise difficult to access, like the chaotic environments around supermassive black holes at the cores of galaxies, where extreme energies could reveal new physical phenomena. This approach may also contribute to uncovering the source of cosmic rays, high-energy protons or atomic nuclei traveling near the speed of light.
Superconductors that work in ambient temperature!!??
Scientists in South Korea have announced a potentially groundbreaking discovery that could revolutionize physics: they claim to have developed an ambient pressure, room-temperature superconductor. Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity without resistance, making them highly efficient for various applications, from powering batteries to enhancing computer performance. However, existing superconductors only work at extremely low temperatures and under high pressure, limiting their practical use. Check out the paper here.
If successful, this advancement could lead to widespread benefits such as high-speed maglev trains, cooler iPhones, more affordable and powerful MRI machines, and reduced electric bills.
However, it's important to note that the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, and the results haven't been independently confirmed. This has led many experts to approach the claims with skepticism, given past instances of unverified ambient-superconductor assertions. Scientists remain cautious about accepting such breakthroughs until robust evidence is presented.
Meet Valkyrie - NASA’s new humanoid robot
NASA's Valkyrie robot, based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, is embarking on a new mission in Perth, Western Australia. The aim is to develop remote mobile dexterous manipulation capabilities for caretaking uncrewed and offshore energy facilities. Woodside Energy will test the resulting software and provide feedback to NASA, helping to advance robotic technology. This collaboration will enhance robotic remote operations for Woodside's offshore activities, improving efficiency and safety. The experience gained will also aid NASA in designing robots for hazardous conditions on the Moon, contributing to future Artemis missions.
FUN round up time!
We’ve been collating and sharing our thoughts on the coolest science reads for 9 months now!!!! We hope you’re not bored :) At least not yet?
For a change, here’s how scientists reacted to the most paradigm-shifting discoveries of ALL TIME from Dark Matter to Expanding Universe!
That’s it folks! We’ll leave you with this for the month and come back soon with another set of wow reads specially curated for the curious you!
Until then, Team Speciale signing off!