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Stacked solar cells make solar power cheaper than natural gas
New designs and approaches to solar are coming out weekly, but scientists have yet to attain the holy grail of 50 percent efficiency. Solar cells typically convert about 15 to 25 percent of the energy from sunlight into electricity—though 44.7 percent efficiency has been achieved in labs. A Read More...
Food and farm waste could open a multi billion dollar energy market
Tapping into the energy potential of food and farm waste is just being realized. The US department of agriculture has recently released the Biogas Opportunities Roadmap, an explanation of how the waste currently adding to greenhouse gas emissions could be repurposed as a major resource for energy Read More...
EM-X, the magic potion
Below is a description of an article that appeared in the March 2004 edition of The Intelligent Optimist. Since publishing EM-X has changed its name to EM-X Gold. A unique mixture of bacteria and yeast forms the basis for a natural medicine with remarkable healing properties. EM-X is a Japanese Read More...
Cleaner waters bring back whales and sharks to New York
We tend to think the water in our cities is polluted. Reality shows something different. Our water has been getting cleaner, leading to rises in populations of many fish. In fact, the ever cleaner waters around New York City now see such an abundance of fish that humpback whales and great white Read More...
China has already added enough solar this year to power Australia
China gets continued flack for its polluted cities and its title as the world’s leading emitter of carbon. But China is making great strides in sustainably sourced energy. So far this year China has added 3.3 gigawatts of solar capacity, or enough energy sourced from solar to power all of Read More...
Don't worry (too much) about Ebola
While Ebola is a growing cause for concern, is panic necessary? Some experts are calling the current outbreak a “dress rehearsal for the next big one.” But is that so? Biopharmaceutical advances have made a passive immunity cure for Ebola—an antibody that first exposes the virus in your body Read More...
How to win Google’s Million-dollar electricity challenge
Google has announced the Little Box challenge: a contest that will pay you $1 million if you build a 95% energy efficient power inverter, no bigger than a tablet, that’s capable of powering a house. A power inverter is a box that turns direct current that flows from solar panels or batteries, to Read More...
Workers exposed to natural light are healthier
The correlation between vitamin D provided by the sun and developing dementia later in life has been established, but exposure to sunlight throughout the workday can also improve your mood, metabolism, alertness, and overall health. Researchers found that workers who were exposed to greater amounts Read More...
Nearly half of Americans regularly purchase certified organic foods
This is a promising statistic. A recent poll from Gallup found that already 45% of Americans regularly seek out organic foods. Young adults, 18-29 year olds, and those living in western states are the most frequent purchasers of organic foods. Consumer demand is clearly pushing for healthier food Read More...
Jet fuel made from tobacco will green up air travel
On the heels of last week’s reports of a tobacco-based Ebola medicine, is the announcement of a partnership between Boeing and Africa Airways to develop a jet fuel made from a type of tobacco plant. The plant is called Solaris and is essentially a modified tobacco plant that doesn’t produce any Read More...