Energy

Haze at Joshua Tree National Park.

Signficant Air Pollution Plagues Almost All U.S. National Parks

Ozone and other pollutants are obscuring views, hurting plants and causing health concerns for visitors at 96 percent of parks

For the First Time, Green Power Tops Coal Industry in Energy Production in April

Renewable energy outworked coal in April—and will likely do the same in May—though the trend likely won't last once air-conditioners switch on

Specially-designed attachments make it possible for drones to balance on all kinds of surfaces.

These Drones Can Perch and Dangle Like Birds and Bats

Scientists have designed adaptable landing gear that enables UAVs to "rest" and save power

Solar has had an average annual growth rate of 50 percent in the last 10 years.

A Brief History of Solar Panels

Inventors have been advancing solar technology for more than a century and a half, and improvements in efficiency and aesthetics keep on coming

A polar bear walks on the ice of the Beaufort Sea in Arctic Alaska.

Judge Blocks Oil Drilling in Arctic Ocean

The ruling says only Congress—not presidential executive orders—has the authority to reverse bans on oil drilling leases

Nine Innovators to Watch in 2019

These big thinkers are set to make news this year with exciting developments in transportation, energy, health, food science and more

Corona image from the Parker Solar Probe

Solar Probe Sends Back First Image and Data From the Sun

The Parker Solar Probe survived its first swoop around our star and will get even closer on its next two dozen trips

Crab Fishermen Sue Energy Companies Over Climate Change

The suit alleges that oil firms are responsible for climate change driven algae blooms, which have delayed and shortened recent crab-harvesting seasons

Why Aren't There Electric Airplanes Yet? It Comes Down to Batteries.

Batteries need to get lighter and more efficient before we use them to power energy-guzzling airplanes

Raging wildfires are one of the many effects of climate change projected to worsen over the following decades

Climate Change Will Cost Taxpayers Billions In Near Future, Federal Report Shows

By 2100, the country’s GDP could shrink by 10 percent, triggering an economic crisis twice as damaging as the Great Recession

This Apartment-Size Wind Turbine Makes Use of Gusts Coming From All Directions

Winner of this year's James Dyson Award, the O-Wind Turbine is designed for the chaotic wind patterns of urban environments

Leif Asp envisions a car with a body that acts as an energy source.

Let's Build Cars Out of Batteries

If batteries could make up the very structure of our vehicles and electronics, those products would be far lighter and more efficient

WiTricity has partnered with BMW to release the first consumer-ready remote charging system for an electric vehicle.

Is Wireless Charging for Cars Finally Here?

The Massachusetts startup WiTricity has developed a mat that charges electric vehicles using magnetic resonance

A robotic arm performs a transplant operation.

This Robotic Farming System Could Be the Answer to Labor Shortages

Hydroponics startup Iron Ox is automating indoor produce farming

Stanford Ovshinsky, 2008

Stanford Ovshinsky Might Be the Most Prolific Inventor You’ve Never Heard Of

A new book calls attention to the 20th-century genius with more than 400 patents to his name

"Light Up" is the winner of a biannual competition for green energy-generating public art sponsored by the Land Art Generator Initiative.

This Golden Canopy Could Power 500 Homes

Architects propose a new sustainable landmark on a Melbourne beach that is both public art and a power plant

Sloths' slow-paced lifestyle is a survival strategy, not a sign of laziness

Sloths Don't Just Live in Slow-Mo, They Can Put Their Metabolism On Pause

Unlike most mammals, sloths don't use vast amounts of energy when it's hot, instead opting to slow down and conserve power, more like birds or reptiles

Researchers show there's potential for wind turbines to divert hurricane rains.

Could Offshore Wind Farms Actually Sap the Rain From Hurricanes?

With enough turbines, the rainfall from Hurricane Harvey could have been reduced by 20 percent, according to a new study

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Watch the Strongest Indoor Magnetic Field Blast Doors of Tokyo Lab Wide Open

The unexpectedly large 1,200 tesla boom could help researchers explore quantum physics and help in the quest for nuclear fusion

The coating, if used on enough buildings at once, could also help deal with so-called “urban heat islands.”

This New Coating Could Help Keep Buildings Cool

The porous polymer uses tiny air holes to reflect all wavelengths of sunlight, cooling buildings far better than white paint

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