Scientists invent 100% recyclable plastic
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have created a recyclable plastic that can be disassembled into its constituent parts and reassembled without loss of performance or quality.
Technology & innovation
This archive covers technology and innovation breakthroughs that improve lives, protect the environment, and expand human possibility. From medical devices to clean energy tools, the stories here focus on what’s working and who’s making it happen.
Inexpensive ‘first-of-its-kind’ device can generate electricity from snowfall
UCLA researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind device that can generate electricity from falling snow. The inexpensive device scientists is small, thin, and flexible like a sheet of plastic.
Global cost of batteries drops 35% in 2018, paving the way for faster transition to low-carbon energy
The benchmark levelized cost of electricity, or LCOE, for lithium-ion batteries has fallen 35% to $187 per megawatt-hour since the first half of 2018.
Swiss startup Innolith claims 1000 Wh/kg battery technology breakthrough
1000 Wh/kg batteries would theoretically allow an electric car to travel 600 miles or more on a single charge.
Finnish innovation boosts EV battery recycling rate to over 80%
Present recycling solutions for EV batteries are not able to recover these scarce metals. To combat this, Fortum has a unique recovery process, involving chemical precipitation methodology that allows these minerals to be recovered and delivered to battery manufacturers to be reused in producing new batteries.
Lake Region Electric Cooperative in Minnesota launches first-of-its-kind solar-wind hybrid renewable energy plant
In GE’s integrated renewable energy system, electricity from the solar panels is funneled through the wind turbine converter. The overall capacity of the system will increase by 3% to 4%, while boosting annual production by up to 10%.
In ‘world first’, blind people in Scotland have vision restored thanks to stem cells
Thanks to the pioneering tissue transplant, eight patients with a common condition that destroys vision have had the affected area repaired –and two were able to read again after having severe macular degeneration.
World’s first water-free system dyes fabrics with CO2
DyeCoo uses a machine that dyes fabrics with pressurized CO2, which allows dyes to quickly dissolve and penetrate the textile — all without the use of water or chemicals.
Biotech firm treats first patient in Western world with CRISPR technique for blood disease
A Switzerland-based startup called CRISPR Therapeutics just used gene-editing name to treat someone with the blood disease beta thalassemia. It marks the first time CRISPR gene editing has been used in a Western clinic.
24-year old Kazakhstani man becomes first to use wirelessly-charged bionic heart
Tursunov’s bionic heart (or VAD) doesn’t need a power cord thanks to a charging system created by Israeli tech company Leviticus Cardio, eliminating one of the biggest points of failure in a device that cannot afford to fail.