carbon
Science
Synthetic Tree Will Hopefully Capture Tons Of Carbon Dioxide, Save The Planet
4:30PM Dan Nosowitz | Scientists at Columbia University are working on a sort of synthetic tree that aims to capture about 1,000 times as much carbon dioxide as more organic versions. They’re hoping to extend the technology even to heavy-emitting cars and planes. More »
Robots
These Carbon Nanotube Muscles Are 30 Times Stronger Than Human Muscles
2:30PM Brian Lam | These next gen carbon nanotube muscles have “diamond-like” stiffness side to side, but are as flexible as rubber when moved perpendicularly. When voltage is applied to the structures, they contract with a pulling force 30 times the force per unit of human muscles. More »
Science
New NASA Carbon Material Could Make Space Elevators Possible
11:20AM Sean Fallon | The idea of an elevator that could transport humans into space with ease has long been a fantasy of science fiction writers. However, a new form of carbon ribbon could actually make it possible. More »
Science
Carbon Nanotube-Coated Threads Make Wearable, Biosensing Electronics
2:45AM Kit Eaton | Wonder material the carbon nanotube has another new application: A team at the University of Michigan has worked out how to coat cotton threads with a polymer and nanotube mix to produce conductive mini-cables. Conductive threads per se aren’t new, but they generally involve metal which limits their utility—this new material is flexible enough to be woven, won’t corrode, and can carry enough current to light up an LED. Crazily the tubes are also suitable for clinical and chemical biosensing, which could point the way for uses in future military wear. [TechnologyReview] More »
Science
Nanobama: Barack Obama in Nanotubes
8:20AM Mark Wilson | A technique known as nanolithography was used to build these Obama faces, combining 150 million carbon nanotubes to construct each individual half-millimeter visage. Depending on your political leanings, the result is either the cutest wittle powitician ever or proof that science, in the wrong hands, will engineer miniature robotic Democrats who distract with a message of hope while eating our flesh. As for the undecideds…I’ll be honest here. I’m so sick of hearing what those dudes “think.” [Flickr via Wired] More »
Science
Carbon Nanotube Manufacturing Breakthrough Could Mean Bye-Bye Steel
8:07PM Kit Eaton | Carbon nanotubes have been popping on Giz for a while, touted as one of the next wonder-materials—but a new development in their manufacture means they may not remain “future technology” for long. In fact the work of a team at CSIRO and the University of Texas at Dallas means that commercial-scale production of sheets of carbon nanotube “textile” is possible at up to seven metres per minute. More »
Gadgets
CO2 Pocket Calculator Does The New Hippie Math
9:30AM Sean Fallon | There are plenty of carbon footprint calculators online, but now treehugging mathematicians can easily calculate how much damage they are doing to mother Earth using this handy pocket-sized CO2 calculator. Electricity use, water, trash and gas can all be managed from this simple, portable device (although, I don’t see a button on there to calculate the impact all of your calculating has on the environment). Obviously, the CO2Calc is only available in Japan, but I’m sure it won’t be long until a similar product makes its way stateside. And yes, it is solar powered if you were wondering—which is too bad. It would be funnier if it wasn’t. [CO2Calc via Kilian Nakamura] More »
Science
Japanese Scientists Plan to Build Space Elevator
12:30AM Kit Eaton | Japanese scientists are so hyped up on the possibilities of building a real life space elevator that in just two months’ time the country is playing host to a conference designed to set a production timetable. Carbon nanotube technology has advanced so rapidly that a material capable of withstanding the amazing forces in the space elevator cable is almost within reach: according to the chairman of the Japan Space Elevator Association it’d only need to be four times stronger than the current strongest nanotube rope. More »
Science
Carbon Nanotube Supercapacitors May Replace Clunky Car Batteries
11:00PM Kit Eaton | Carbon nanotubes are one of the surprising new carbon supermaterials, and it looks like their application in supercapacitors may have a role in replacing clunky old car battery tech. Scientists at the University of Texas at Dallas have invented a technique to make supercapacitor “paper” made from randomly tangled carbon nanotubes embedded in a polymer. Both chemical batteries and capacitors store electrical charge, in differing ways, but nanotech supercapacitors could store more energy in a smaller space, without the dangers associated with chemical systems. Potentially excellent news given the rise of the hybrid car. Better yet the new technique is “easily scalable for device fabrication on an industrial scale,” so it might end up in real products sooner rather than later. [Physorg] More »
Toys
