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Researchers break efficiency record for consumer-friendly solar panels
Turning sunlight into power is a surprisingly tricky thing. Experiments in academia have created solar arrays that can capture up to 40-percent of the sun's energy and convert it to electricity, but consumer cells are notably less efficient. At best, silicon-based technology has a theoretical 29-percent efficiency ceiling -- meaning any consumer panel in the low 20s is doing pretty well. Still, we're inching ever closer to the technology's limit. Researchers at Kaneko corp recently announced that they've developed a silicon solar cell with a record-breaking 26.3 percent efficiency rating.
Google: 4 out of 5 US homes have solar power potential
A five kilowatt rooftop solar installation now costs just $12,500 on average after tax credits, and pretty soon, installing one might soon be a matter of re-tiling your roof. Whether it's right for you, however, depends in large part on how much sun your house gets. That's where Google's Project Sunroof comes in -- launched just two years ago, it has now surveyed over 60 million US buildings in 50 states. That means there's a good chance you can see the electricity production potential in your city, neighborhood and even specific house.
Oceans are warming faster, expect more floods
A team of researchers have successfully found a way to error-correct and clean up historical oceanic temperature data. The champagne will stay in the refrigerator, however, since the new information offers up more bad news on the state of the planet. It turns out that we've been grossly underestimating the warming effects of climate change for the last half a century.
New US solar installations nearly doubled in 2016
Yes, the head of the EPA did display a staggering level of ignorance about climate change, but not everything is terrible. A report produced by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association says that solar power in the US had a blockbuster 2016. It's believed that 14,762 megawatts of solar capacity was installed in the year, almost twice as much as the 7,501 megawatts that were added in 2015.
Experiment suggests potatoes really will grow on Mars
It looks like Mark Watney, the fictional, stranded astronaut in The Martian, was right about one thing. Potatoes can grow on Mars. The International Potato Center (CIP) in Lima placed a special potato inside a sealed container that simulates Mars temperature, air pressure, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. The results so far are positive; cameras inside the canister show sprouts.
Tesla's new solar energy station will power Hawaii at night
Renewable energy supplies are great because they produce power without filling the air with pollution. Yet, once the sun goes down solar panels become pretty useless. But Tesla and Hawaii have a solution that'll use the sun's rays both day and night using Powerpacks built at the Gigafactory.
A renewable planet is almost inevitable
When the leader of the free world denies climate change and fills his cabinet with like-minded individuals, it's hard not to panic. The world is, after all, hurtling toward an irrevocable ecological catastrophe that threatens all of our lives. There may be a reason to be slightly less pessimistic, however, thanks to the mechanics of the energy business. Shortly before leaving the White House, Barack Obama said that clean power had an "irreversible momentum," and it looks as if there might be evidence to justify his optimism.
Blue Origin shows how 'New Glenn' rocket will fly and land
Yesterday Blue Origin showed off the BE-4 engine for its "New Glenn" rocket, and today CEO Jeff Bezos revealed its launch customer and an animation showing how it'll fly. Its new ship is capable of putting a 50-ton payload into a low-Earth orbit or 14 tons in a geosynchronous orbit and then landing the first stage on a moving barge (video, below). That's nearly identical, of course, to what the SpaceX Falcon 9 can do. Blue Origin has also landed the New Shepard's first stage multiple times (on land), but it's not an orbital-capable rocket like the Falcon 9.
Pizza Hut's smart shoes will order a pie for you
Pizza Hut is no stranger to using tech as a promo tool, but its latest may be particularly appealing if you're looking for new footwear. It just unveiled a pair of Bluetooth shoes, Pie Tops (yes, we know), that order a large pizza for you at the press of a button on the tongue -- think of them as Reebok Pumps that fill you up instead. As you might guess, there's a mobile app to both set your order defaults and change the button push requirements. You don't have to worry that you'll accidentally order a Super Supreme while you're out playing basketball.
MWC's best phones head-to-head: It's (mostly) about the display (updated)
While flagships may have been scarce at MWC this year, there were still more than a few notable smartphone announcements early in the week. We've put the biggest ones so far in a handy table so you can compare specs, features and more to decide which one might be your next daily driver. Who knows, we may be in for a few surprises now that the show officially started, but for now, here are the five handsets from Barcelona that you need to know.
Samsung's Galaxy Book crams desktop power in portable body
Samsung may not be ready to unveil the Galaxy S8 smartphone just yet, but it still has some shiny new hardware for us here at MWC. In addition to the Tab S3, the company is showing off two new hybrids, both called the Galaxy Book. They're 10- and 12-inch Windows 10 tablets that support new S Pen features and come with keyboards. They're well designed and offered brisk performance during a brief hands-on. And, apart from the S Pen support, there are a few other, more subtle features that differentiate the Galaxy Books from rival Windows 10 convertibles.
Exploring death through the isolation of VR
I'm sitting on a field of tall, red grass staring straight ahead at a lone tree. Its leaves match the crimson landscape that stretches out before me. In the distance, a rusty orange forest fades into the background. There's a gentle rustling of leaves, occasionally interrupted by the faint chirping of a bird, that forces me to breathe slower.
The Alienware 13 gets better with VR and impressive battery life
Gaming laptops used to be an outlier in the world of portable computing. When the rest of the market was focused on extending battery life, gaming laptops doubled down on raw power and thick frames designed for better airflow. Trying to find a small gaming machine that didn't sacrifice power for portability was a fool's errand. Today, things are different. Gaming laptops can be thin, have enough battery life to survive a plane flight and double as a productivity and entertainment machines with few compromises. The best recent example of this to cross my desk is the Alienware 13, a small, powerful gaming laptop that does almost everything right.
Next iPhone might have depth-sensing front camera
It's that time of year, folks. Rumors of what the next iPhone will be like are coming in hot and heavy. Last week, well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo noted that the new handsets would nix the home button for a touch-friendly "function area." Now there's another bit of info. In a KGI Securities report detailed by 9to5Mac, the analyst explains that the upcoming OLED iPhone will feature a "revolutionary" front camera that's capable of sensing 3D space via infrared.
We tried McDonald's super-engineered shake straw
As part of this year's St. Patrick's Day promotions, McDonald's is debuting a highly engineered, hyper-exclusive straw dubbed the "Suction Tube for Reverse Axial Withdrawal," or STRAW for short. It's only available on two days, February 24th and March 1st, with a scant 2,000 of them spread across the entire country. We managed to get our hands on one, however, and put it to a chocolate-minty test.
Analyst rumor: iPhone 8 'function area' to replace home button
While we're still months away from finding out exactly what's what with any new iPhone, the rumor mill is already running at full tilt. Following up on earlier reports of a 5.8-inch edgeless OLED-screened device arriving as the "iPhone 8," well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is telling investors more about what its home-button-less front screen could be like. As explained by AppleInsider and 9to5Mac, the analyst notes that this presumed OLED iPhone with its $1,000+ price tag will be similar in size to the current 4.7-inch iPhone. However, instead of the home button, it will include a "function area" that can also display controls for video or games.
Drivers push NYC to require tipping option in ride-sharing apps
In New York City, some ride-sharing services offer an in-app option for riders to tip the driver. Uber doesn't, so the Independent Drivers Guild is pushing the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to make a decision on the matter. The group has over 8,000 signatures on a petition that asks the taxi regulators in the city to require app-based transportation services to offer a tipping option. A change in policy would force Uber to add the ability to tip to its app.
How 'NieR' was brought back from the dead
Taro Yoko, director of NieR: Automata, leans forward in his chair. "The stories I write really aren't very good at all," he says, through a translator. "They're a big pile of shit. So I wouldn't have great expectations for the game if I were you." He's joking, I think.
Apple's 10th anniversary iPhone could cost over $1,000
To mark 10 years of metal and glass slabs, Apple is expected to debut an ultra high-end version of the iPhone alongside its next scheduled update. According to a report from Fast Company, Tim Cook and company will likely roll out three new phones this year: the incremental iPhone 7S in the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes, as well as a slightly larger, even more expensive 5.8-inch iPhone 8 with an edgeless OLED display and a few completely new features.
China is now the biggest producer of solar power
You probably don't think of China as a clean energy champion given its frequent problems with smog and continued dependence on coal power, but you may have to rethink your views after today. The country's National Energy Administration has revealed that its solar power production more than doubled in 2016, hitting 77.42 gigawatts by the end of the year. The country is now the world's biggest generator of solar-based electricity in terms of capacity -- it doesn't compare as well relative to population (Germany, Japan and the US could easily beat it), but that's no mean feat for any nation.
