Posted on July 21st, 2010 by axb
Staying cool can be a challenge in the summer months, especially when global temperatures seem to be hitting an all-time high. Fortunately for your electric bill, a new metal alloy could someday increase the efficiency of your air conditioner by as much as 175%.
The “smart” metal, which would replace liquid coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners, is currently being tested by materials engineers at the University of Maryland.
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Filed under: e-News, Environmental, Materials | Comments Off on New Smart Metal Could Make Your Air Conditioner 175% More Efficient
Tags: Environmental, Materials
Posted on July 15th, 2010 by jxh
President Obama recently announced that he will be investing $2 billion into two established solar companies in an effort to strengthen the U.S. solar industry.
One of these, Abengoa Solar, is constructing the largest solar power plant in the world. Located in Arizona, the plant will be capable of powering 70,000 homes and drastically cutting CO2 emissions.
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Filed under: e-News, Electrical, Environmental, Materials | 1 Comment »
Tags: Electrical, Environmental, Materials
Posted on July 14th, 2010 by axb
Anyone who commutes frequently or just watches the news these days knows that the U.S. has a serious infrastructure problem. Although crumbling roads and bridges have the potential to cripple our transportation system, they also present an opportunity to rebuild in smarter, more technologically advanced ways.
One of the most promising new transportation solutions comes from the company Solar Roadways, which is working to repave parts of the country with roads equipped with energy-storing technology.
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Filed under: e-News, Electrical, Environmental, Materials | 4 Comments »
Tags: Electrical, Environmental, Materials
Posted on July 6th, 2010 by axb
The new $100 bill design (U.S. Treasury)
This year, the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (a.k.a the “money factory”) is all about the Benjamins. The new $100 bill was unveiled this April, and it looks to be much flashier than its predecessors. But this bill, the most technologically advanced the country has ever printed, was specially engineered not only to look cool but also to discourage criminal copycats.
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Filed under: e-News, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials | 2 Comments »
Tags: Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials
Posted on July 1st, 2010 by axb
One of the greatest challenges and sources of opportunity for modern engineers is thinking up ways to repurpose the waste material that pervades our planet. Many organizations are already finding clever ways to tackle this issue. For example, every year the PBS show Design Squad holds a “Trash to Treasure” competition, which challenges students to design something useful produced from waste materials. Now meet Waste for Life, a non-profit coalition of students, designers, and engineers who are working in Argentina and Lesotho to upcycle waste into usable materials:
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Filed under: e-News, Environmental, Materials, Mechanical | 3 Comments »
Tags: Environmental, Giving Back, Materials, Mechanical
