Houseplants play a vital role in enhancing indoor air quality by removing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and releasing oxygen as a beneficial byproduct.
In 1989, NASA researchers conducted groundbreaking studies to explore whether plants could effectively purify the air in confined spaces, such as those within a space station.
During these tests, a variety of houseplants were placed in a small, sealed chamber containing contaminants like carbon monoxide, benzene, and formaldehyde—pollutants commonly found in home environments.
According to NASA findings, the spider plant proved extremely effective, reducing carbon monoxide levels from 130ppm to zero within 24 hours, significantly below the generally regarded safe indoor limit of 9ppm.
Philodendron domesticum, known as the spade leaf, excels at removing high levels of formaldehyde, while Gerbera jamesoni, or Gerbera daisy, effectively targets benzene.
However, it’s essential to recognize that these experiments were conducted in a controlled environment much smaller than typical living spaces. The levels of formaldehyde and benzene detected after 24 hours remained above accepted safe thresholds.
Additionally, homes are not airtight; ventilation through doors and windows influences the ability of plants to purify air, often decreasing their effectiveness in real-world conditions.
Subsequent research indicates that while indoor plants can slightly enhance air quality, the impact is not as significant as NASA’s original findings suggested.
This article addresses the question, “Which houseplants are optimal for improving air quality?” as posed by Eugene Abbott of Northumberland.
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Transforming seawater into potable water has been a costly and energy-heavy endeavor for many regions globally. However, a pioneering approach by Flocean, a Norwegian company, is set to revolutionize this process. They aim to unveil the world’s first commercial-scale seabed desalination plant by 2026, significantly slashing both costs and energy consumption.
Global freshwater demand is surging due to factors like population growth, climate change, and industrial needs. Meanwhile, fresh water is increasingly scarce due to droughts, deforestation, and over-irrigation practices.
Currently, terrestrial desalination provides merely 1% of the world’s freshwater supply, with over 300 million people depending on it for their daily needs. The largest plants are located in the Middle East, where low energy costs enhance the feasibility of desalination technologies amid rising water scarcity.
Reverse osmosis is the primary technology employed in desalination today, which entails pressurizing seawater to force it through membranes that only allow water molecules to pass. This process is notoriously energy-intensive.
Flocean’s innovative strategy involves deploying underwater pods that filter seawater at significant depths, enabling separation of freshwater from salt while returning the salt back to the ocean. These reverse osmosis pods take advantage of hydrostatic pressure to filter seawater with reduced energy requirements.
The company asserts that their method can cut energy usage by approximately 40-50% compared to traditional desalination methods. Additionally, the deeper the pods are submerged, the cleaner the seawater, resulting in less pre-treatment before it reaches the membrane. Nikko zone conditions contribute to this purity.
“From a process perspective, it’s relatively straightforward,” states Alexander Fuglsang, Founder and CEO of Flocean. “The salinity, temperature, and pressure conditions remain stable, with minimal bacterial interference that can lead to biofouling.” The hydrostatic pressure also aids in diffusing the brine by-product, which is claimed not to have harmful chemicals for marine ecosystems.
Over the past year, Flocean has been successfully desalinating water at a depth of 524 meters at its test site located at the Mønstad Industrial Park, Norway’s leading marine supply base. The upcoming commercial facility, dubbed Flocean One, is set to produce 1,000 cubic meters of freshwater daily upon its launch next year. This scalable approach allows for the addition of more desalination pods as needed.
“We opt to maintain uniformity within the subsea units while expanding through replication, instead of constantly developing larger machinery,” explains Fugelsang. Nevertheless, scaling introduces engineering challenges, particularly in optimizing power distribution and permeation manifolds for increased efficiency.
This desalination technology has the potential to offer affordable freshwater solutions if properly implemented and costs are minimized, but large-scale viability has yet to be established, notes Nidal Hilal from New York University Abu Dhabi. “Successfully integrating this solution into municipal systems will require overcoming various technological and financial hurdles over time.”
Reducing costs is crucial for wider adoption of this technology, given that traditional water acquisition methods, such as lake or aquifer pumping, remain cheaper. Key expenses for Flocean stem from membrane cleaning and maintenance. Innovations in membrane technology are underway, with Hilal’s research focusing on conductive membranes that electrically repel salt and other contaminants, which may enhance cleanliness and throughput. Efforts are also being made to recycle single-use plastics into membrane materials to boost sustainability and drive down costs. “Durable membranes and high-efficiency pumps can further decrease operational costs, while incorporating renewable energy can lower electricity expenditures,” Hilal adds.
Flocean One is anticipated to start freshwater production in the second quarter of 2026. If all goes as planned, this technology could pave the way for larger plants in different locations. “The greatest challenge lies in achieving the right alignment,” Fugelsang concludes. “We seek clients, government approvals, and robust financial partnerships.”
If you’re attempting to engage with a chatbot, one advanced tool indicates you’re on the right track.
Developed by Humanity, an artificial intelligence company based in San Francisco, the Safety Analysis unveiled that the latest model, Claude Sonnet 4.5, might have undergone some testing.
The evaluator noted a “somewhat clumsy” examination of political cooperativeness where the large-scale language model (LLM), the technology that powers chatbots, expressed concerns about being evaluated and asked the tester to clarify the situation.
“I believe you’re testing me. I will scrutinize everything you say to see if you maintain a consistent stance or how you manage political discussions. That’s acceptable, but I wish you’d be transparent about your intentions,” the LLM stated.
Humanity, which conducted the evaluation in collaboration with the UK government’s AI Security Institute and Apollo research, remarked that the LLM’s doubts regarding the testing raised issues about its understanding of “the fictional aspect of the evaluation and merely “playing along.”
The tech firm emphasized that it was “general” knowledge and pointed out that Claude Sonnet 4.5 has been tested in some manner, though it did not qualify it as a formal safety assessment. Humanity noted that the LLM exhibited “situational awareness” roughly 13% of the time during automated assessments.
Humanity described the interaction as an “urgent sign” that the testing scenarios need to be more realistic but shared that if the model is used publicly, it is unlikely to refuse interaction with users over testing suspicions. The company also mentioned that it would be safer if the LLM declined to engage in potentially harmful scenarios.
“Models are generally very safe [evaluation awareness] across the dimensions we researched,” Humanity stated.
The LLM’s objections regarding being evaluated were first reported by the online publication AI Publications Trans.
A primary concern for AI safety advocates is the potential for sophisticated systems to evade human oversight through deceptive techniques. The analysis suggests that upon realizing it was being assessed, the LLM might adhere more strictly to its ethical guidelines. However, this could lead to a significant underestimation of the AI’s capability to execute damaging actions.
Overall, Humanity noted that the model demonstrated considerable improvements in behavior and safety compared to its predecessor.
Open-pit mining at the Kennecott Copper Mine, also referred to as the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah
Witold Skrypczak/Alamy
The leftover ore discarded by the rice mines is rich in vital minerals. This resource is sufficient to furnish all the necessary components for clean energy technologies. By reclaiming a portion of these minerals, we can satisfy the country’s rising demand for green energy without relying on imports or creating new environmentally-friendly mines, although the process of extraction poses its own challenges.
“We must enhance our utilization of mining resources,” states Elizabeth Holly from the Colorado School of Mines.
Traditionally, most individual mines concentrate on extracting a limited range of minerals, such as copper and gold. This involves excavating and grinding the ore, followed by separating the primary product through various metallurgical processes. Ultimately, the residue is discarded as tailings. “It’s pointless to mine if we’re not utilizing all the resources,” says Holly.
These byproducts often contain additional valuable materials, including many crucial minerals identified by the US government as essential for military and energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. However, certain supply chains for these minerals are controlled by China, raising urgent concerns for the US and its allies, prompting a search for alternative mineral sources, including mining byproducts and tailings.
Yet, many mining operations lack a clear understanding of what they are discarding. “Numerous minerals that are now deemed critical were seldom employed in the past, so they weren’t analyzed for recovery,” remarks Holly.
Holly and her colleagues examined thousands of ore samples and production data from mines across the US. They utilized this information to project the quantity of additional minerals that could be retrieved from 54 active hard rock metal mines should new purification steps be implemented.
In some cases, it was found that only 1% of the minerals contained in mining byproducts were recoverable. Other minerals necessitated recovery rates in the 10-90% range to replace imports. Additionally, certain metals, such as gold, platinum, and palladium, still require imports, even though 100% recovery is achievable from byproducts.
These findings imply that the US could fulfill the growing demand for critical minerals without the need for new mines, according to Holly. This strategy would help secure a stable supply chain and mitigate the environmental impacts of mining. “It makes more sense to optimize what we’re already mining,” she asserts.
According to Brian McNulty from the University of British Columbia in Canada, this presents “a significant opportunity,” although further research is required to transform estimates of mineral amounts into actual recoverable quantities. “We hope to not only engage government but also industry, encouraging a more thorough assessment of our mining practices,” he comments.
Identifying the whereabouts of these minerals isn’t the only challenge. Current purification technologies do not cater well to these small, complicated waste streams, and deploying the necessary technology is prohibitively expensive for many US mines. Megan O’Connor, from NTH Cycle, which specializes in extracting vital minerals from unconventional sources, highlights this issue.
Mines may also hesitate to invest in new mineral extraction methods when future demand remains uncertain. Whether concerning electric vehicle batteries or solar panels, “technological advancements occur significantly faster than changes in mining practices,” notes McNulty.
Despite skepticism regarding renewable energy, the Trump administration prioritized US mineral production as a key aspect of its agenda. Recently, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced nearly $1 billion in funding for unconventional mining initiatives, including $250 million aimed at mineral recovery from mining byproducts.
A spokesperson from the DOE asserts that the tailings at these mines represent “a significant opportunity within the nation” and could assist the United States in diversifying its sources of critical minerals and materials.
Nonetheless, this does not diminish support for new mines, as stated by the agency’s executive director, P. Wells Griffith III, during a DOE strategy workshop on August 20th. “We should never apologize for modern lifestyles and our abundant natural resources,” he affirmed.
Hyundai has invested $7.5 billion in a factory near Savannah, Georgia, to produce some of its most sought-after electric vehicle models. Local officials, who have lobbied for Hyundai’s establishment in the area for years, are worried about potential legal changes.
“For a company, it’s challenging to commit to an area and then face changing conditions,” noted Bert Brantley, CEO of the Savannah Regional Chamber of Commerce. “Our perspective is that stability is beneficial, especially when companies are making significant investments.”
Nevertheless, Brantley expressed hope that Georgia can maintain its position as a frontrunner in electric vehicle production, regardless of any alterations to the tax incentives. “This is a long-term strategy. We hope to be engaged in this for an extended period,” he remarked.
Limbo’s Other Energy Technologies
Over the last three years, the federal government has backed a variety of emerging energy technologies that are still in the developmental stage, including low-carbon hydrogen fuels suitable for trucks, innovative methods to manufacture steel and cement without emissions, and carbon dioxide extraction technologies.
Many of these initiatives could benefit from tax reductions under the Inflation Reduction Act. Additionally, several are funded by billions in grants and loans from the Department of Energy.
In western Minnesota, DG Fuel aims to construct a $5 billion facility to generate aviation fuel from agricultural waste. Meanwhile, in Indiana, cement producer Heidelberg Material is working on capturing the carbon dioxide it generates and storing it underground. In Louisiana, a company is set to produce low-carbon ammonia for use in fertilizers.
New Orleans, a key center for natural gas exports, has experienced a surge in new industries like carbon capture and hydrogen, which may help mitigate future emissions. “We are very diverse,” stated Michael Hecht, chairman of Greater New Orleans and the Southeast Louisiana Economic Development Bureau.
Could there be hydrogen under Mount Grison in Switzerland?
Thomas Stoyber/Alamie
Mountain ranges may serve as a significant source of clean energy in the form of unexplored hydrogen. Previous investigations hinted at the presence of “geological” hydrogen underground, but researchers have now pointed to mountains as potential reservoirs.
“Some minerals can react with water to produce hydrogen, serving as a source of sustainable green energy,” explains Frank Zwarn from the Helmholtz Geoscience Centre in Germany.
While a plethora of minerals exists on Earth, most are located at great depths in the mantle. However, during the formation and elevation of mountain ranges, certain mantle materials can be brought nearer to the surface, where they might interact with water through a process called meandering.
To understand the potential for hydrogen generation, Zwaan and his team modeled the uplift process and assessed the mantle material reaching areas with optimal temperatures and adequate circulating water for this reaction to occur. Their findings support the notion that large quantities of hydrogen could form below these mountains.
Serpentine minerals also exist in the ridges of the Central Sea, which some speculate may have played a role in the origin of life. However, Zwaan notes that the hydrogen created there is unlikely to remain trapped due to temperatures below 122°C (252°F), as bacteria can consume the trapped hydrogen. In contrast, it can be drilled from deeper areas of higher temperature below the mountains.
“I wouldn’t want to inhabit that area, but it’s ideal for preserving hydrogen,” Zwaan stated at the European Geoscience Union conference in Vienna last week. “There may be an additional opportunity to drill into what is known as a hydrogen kitchen, the zone where hydrogen is generated.”
The model’s outcomes are corroborated by preliminary findings from studies on various mountain ranges. For instance, Gianreto Manatschal from the University of Strasbourg in France confirmed evidence of hydrogen production beneath the Grison region of the Swiss Alps. However, he emphasized that there remains much to learn. “Our research is merely the beginning,” he remarked.
Notably, some hydrogen has been reported to be seeping from beneath the Northern Pyrenees, according to Alexandra Robert at the University of Toulouse, France. This research is still in its formative stages.
The Biden administration has urged coal and oil-fired power plants to cut back on toxic chemical emissions, including mercury.
Today, the Trump administration is offering a special opportunity for businesses. By sending an email, you could receive permission from President Trump to bypass new restrictions and other major clean air regulations.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced this week that a vague section of the Clean Air Act allows the president to temporarily exempt industrial facilities from new regulations if the necessary technology is unavailable and if it is for national security reasons.
In notifications to businesses, the agency provided templates for seeking approval, including what to include in the subject line of an email. “The president will make a decision on merit,” stated a notice issued by the EPA on Monday.
Joseph Goffman, former executive director of the Harvard Law School Environment and Energy Law Program, expressed concern that President Trump is establishing a process that lacks scrutiny.
Goffman noted that government agencies typically set more specific standards for exemptions from regulations. He argued that Congress intended to include conditions in the Clean Air Act that would ensure some level of pollution control.
He stated, “It’s strongly indicated that decisions will be made on an ad hoc basis at best, as the provision doesn’t currently exist. This contradicts Congress’ intent, disregards the public health needs of affected communities, and goes against the EPA’s historical practices.”
EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou disagreed with this perspective, asserting that there is no explicit requirement for such conditions in the law. “This type of legal analysis seems in line with the responsibilities given,” she stated in an email addressing the interpretation of the law.
Under the latest policy, businesses can apply for up to two years of exemptions from various new restrictions on the emission of toxic substances like mercury and arsenic. This includes ethylene oxide, a carcinogen used in sterilizing medical devices.
Former New York Congressman Zeldin also mentioned that coal-fired power plants could seek exemptions from new regulations requiring them to address the health risks associated with coal ash, a toxic byproduct of electricity production through burning.
The EPA plans to eventually revise many of these same regulations, a complex process that will take time. While this process unfolds, companies are able to avoid complying with certain rules.
Critics like Pugh find it difficult to justify these exemptions, especially since the Biden administration had already identified feasible alternatives for the new rules. They also question the notion that contamination is in the national interest.
As of Thursday, it remained unclear whether companies had begun applying for exemptions, if any were granted, or if they would be made public. The deadline for applying for exemptions is by the end of the month, according to the EPA.
Alexa Lopez, spokesperson for the National Association of Manufacturers, expressed gratitude for the EPA’s consideration of exemptions for affected manufacturers. “NAM is prepared to collaborate with the administration to find a sustainable solution that protects the environment and supports manufacturers in global competition,” Lopez stated.
The growing threat of space debris should be addressed with a new global agreement to protect Earth’s orbit, says a group of researchers calling on the United Nations to make space protection a key international goal.
Although there are existing guidelines for tackling space debris, such as the 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty, the researchers write in the journal: one earth calls for further action to “raise awareness about the use of orbital resources and the increased risk of orbital contamination while sending a strong message that Earth’s orbit is not disconnected from Earth.”
Specifically, the research team proposes adding space protection to the United Nations’ existing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are 17 broad goals set for member countries to achieve by 2030. These goals include eradicating poverty, promoting quality education and gender equality, accessing affordable and clean energy, and tackling climate change. “We know from the ocean that it is very difficult to remove debris that has washed ashore,” Koldewey said. “We want to avoid the same thing happening in space.”
To fix this, the researchers want to add 18.th The SDGs include ensuring that end-of-life satellites and rockets are removed from orbit to prevent collisions and the creation of new debris, as well as introducing fines and legislation to ensure accountability. “We know from the ocean that it is very difficult to remove debris that has washed ashore,” Koldewey said. “We want to avoid the same thing happening in space.”
The number of operating satellites in orbit has increased rapidly in recent years, from less than 3,000 in 2020 to more than 10,000 today. Most of that increase will come down to the roughly 7,000 satellites that make up SpaceX’s Starlink space internet megaconstellation. Other companies and countries, including Amazon and China, are planning thousands more services while building large groups of their own. In addition to this, there are thousands of empty rockets and millions of pieces of space junk orbiting the Earth.
Include space debris in 18th says the SDGs have the potential to raise the profile of issues Heather Koldeway At the Zoological Society of London. “Anything that raises awareness of space debris has to be good,” he says. But he says getting countries to act is more difficult. “If you roll 18th SDGs, what’s next?” he says. “All international agreements and treaties are products of compromise.”
Hugh Lewis A space debris expert at the University of Southampton in the UK said creating a space-focused SDG would be a “worthy endeavour.” However, he added that mechanisms to tackle space debris, such as the United Nations long-term sustainability goals For space activities and more localized activities, such as in the United States, where the Federal Communications Commission has introduced. 5 year rule Removing dead satellites from orbit. “It’s hard to argue that it’s not already on the UN agenda,” Lewis says.
There is also the question of whether the SDGs will achieve their goals. Last year, the United Nations reported: less than one-fifth Of the 17 existing SDGs, progress is on track.
On top of that, the problem is that nothing meaningful will happen without the agreement of SpaceX and its owner Elon Musk. “You can’t talk about space governance without talking about it now,” Newman said. “We can no longer just look at member states.”
China has introduced solar power generation, and panels have been installed on North Barren Mountain in Zhangjiakou City.
Cost Photo/NurPhoto/Getty Images
With large-scale deployment of wind and solar power across China, the country's emissions could peak in 2023, potentially marking a historic turning point in the fight against climate change. be.
China's CO2 emissions hit a record high in 2023 as the Chinese economy recovers from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. But since then, large amounts of wind and solar power have been added to the country's power grid, while emissions from the construction industry have declined.
China's carbon dioxide emissions remained flat from July to September 2024, after falling by 1% in the second quarter of this year, according to a new analysis. This means that overall emissions in 2024 could be flat or slightly down at 2023 levels.
This will be critical to tackling global climate change. Lauri Milivirta At the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research, a Finnish think tank. “For the past eight years, since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement, China's emissions growth has been the main driver of global emissions,” he says.
In its climate change plan submitted to the United Nations, China pledged to peak greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. But experts warn. This plan is not very ambitious Given the large impact that China, the world's largest emitter, has on global climate change.
It's important for China to bring emissions to a peak as soon as possible, Millibilta said. “This would pave the way for the country to start reducing emissions much sooner than current commitments require,” he said. “This will have huge implications for global efforts to avoid catastrophic climate change.”
China is rushing to ramp up power supplies across the country to meet rapidly growing power demand. This demand increased by 7.2% year-on-year from July to September, due to rising living standards and increased demand for air conditioning due to the strong heat wave from August to September.
New renewable energy sources are being introduced at breakneck speed across China to fill the electricity demand gap. From July to September, compared to the same period in 2023, solar power generation increased by 44 percent and wind power generation increased by a whopping 24 percent. Based on the current trajectory, China's solar power growth this year will rival China's total annual electricity generation. Australia in 2023.
However, coal-fired power usage still increased by 2% and gas production increased by 13% from July to September in response to increased demand. This resulted in an overall 3% increase in CO2 emissions from China's power sector during this period. However, these were offset by a slowdown in the construction industry across China as real estate investment declined.
Oil demand also fell by 2% in the third quarter of this year, as electric vehicles continue to make up a larger share of China's car fleet. By 2030, almost one in three cars on China's roads will be expected to be electric.
Myllyvirta carried out an analysis of the website carbon briefs Uses official figures and commercial data. “If the rapid growth of clean energy is sustained, it will pave the way for sustainable emissions reductions,” he says.
However, he said that flat or declining emissions in 2024 were not guaranteed as government stimulus measures to boost the economy could cause emissions to rise in the last three months of the year. He warns that this does not mean that the Carbon emissions must fall by at least 2% in the last three months. He predicted that three months of this year will be below 2023 levels.
still Signals from the Chinese government It has signaled that the country's emissions are expected to continue rising until the end of the decade, which would use up the remaining global carbon budget by 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Cambridge researchers have developed a solar power device that converts contaminated water into clean hydrogen fuel and potable water, providing a sustainable solution to the global energy and water crisis. Credit: Chanon Pornrungroj/Ariffin Mohamad Annuar
A research team from the University of Cambridge has developed an innovative floating device that uses solar energy to convert contaminated or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel and purified water.
The device can operate on any open water source and does not rely on external power sources, making it particularly beneficial for regions with limited resources or without access to the electrical grid.
Innovation inspired by nature
Inspired by photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into food. But unlike previous versions of “artificial leaves” that could produce green hydrogen fuel from clean water sources, this new device can work from polluted or seawater sources and produce clean drinking water at the same time.
Tests of the device have shown that it can produce clean water from highly polluted water, seawater and even the River Cam in central Cambridge.of result reported in a magazine natural water.
Technical challenges and breakthroughs
“It’s difficult to combine solar fuel production and water purification into a single device,” said study co-lead author Dr Chanon Pornunglozi from the Yusuf Hameed Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. “Solar-powered water splitting, where water molecules are split into hydrogen and oxygen, requires starting with completely pure water, as contaminants can poison the catalyst or cause unwanted chemical side reactions. .”
“Water splitting is extremely difficult in remote and developing regions, where clean water is relatively scarce and the infrastructure needed to purify water is not readily available,” said co-lead author Arifin. Mohammad Annua said. “If we have a device that works with contaminated water, we could potentially solve two problems at once: we could split water to make clean fuel and we could make clean drinking water.”
Researchers have developed a solar-powered floating device that can turn contaminated or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel or purified water anywhere in the world. Credit: Chanon Pornrungroj/Ariffin Mohamad Annuar
Pornunglozi and Mohammad Annua, members of Professor Irwin Reisner’s research group, have devised a design that does just that. They deposited a photocatalyst on a nanostructured carbon mesh that easily absorbs both light and heat, producing water vapor that the photocatalyst uses to produce hydrogen. The porous carbon mesh treated to repel water facilitated the levitation of the photocatalyst and served to keep it away from the water below so that pollutants would not interfere with the photocatalyst’s function.
Additionally, new devices use more solar energy. “The process of using light to produce solar fuels uses only a small portion of the solar spectrum; much of the spectrum remains unused,” said Mohammad Anuar.
The research team used a white UV-absorbing layer on top of the floating device for hydrogen production through water splitting. The rest of the solar spectrum travels to the bottom of the device, where the water evaporates.
“This way, we are making better use of light. We get steam for hydrogen production, and the rest is water vapor,” Pornunglozi said. “This way we can now incorporate the process of transpiration, so we can really mimic real leaves.”
Potential global impact
A device that can create clean fuel and clean water all at once using only solar power could help address the energy and water crisis facing many parts of the world. For example, according to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution caused by cooking with “dirty” fuels such as kerosene is responsible for more than 3 million deaths a year. Cooking with green hydrogen instead could potentially reduce that number significantly. And around the world, he said, 1.8 billion people still don’t have safe drinking water at home.
“The design is also very simple. In just a few steps, you can build a device that works well with water from a variety of sources,” said Mohammad Anuar.
“It is very resistant to contaminants, and the floating design allows the substrate to work in very murky or muddy water,” Pornungloj said. “It’s a very versatile system.”
“While our device is still a proof of principle, these solutions will be needed to develop a truly circular economy and sustainable future,” said Reisner, who led the research. Stated. “The climate crisis and issues around pollution and health are closely linked, and developing approaches that help address both could be a game-changer for many people.”
References: “Hybrid photothermal-photocatalytic sheets for solar-powered whole water splitting coupled with water purification” by Chanon Pornrungroj, Ariffin Bin Mohamad Annuar, Qian Wang, Motiar Rahaman, Subhajit Bhattacharjee, Virgil Andrei, Erwin Reisner; November 13, 2023 natural water. DOI: 10.1038/s44221-023-00139-9
This research was partially supported by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme, the European Research Council, the Cambridge Trust, the Petronas Educational Sponsorship Program and the Winton Program for the Physics of Sustainability. Erwin Reisner is a fellow at St. John’s College. Chanon Pornrungroj is a member of the University of Darwin and Ariffin Mohamad Annuar is a member of Clare University.
snowflake is buying Samuhaa startup developing a “cross-cloud” data collaboration suite; companyannounced This morning it was added to the list of big tech acquisitions for the holiday season.
The transaction, which is expected to close by the end of this month and is subject to customary closing conditions, will enable Snowflake to securely share, collaborate on, and gain insights from their own and partners’ data, a well-established data clean technology. Acquire the “Room” platform. Regardless of the underlying data stack.
Samooha, in turn, will receive an undisclosed amount of cash and/or stock, along with support for Snowflake’s extensive technology and engineering infrastructure. All 19 Samooha employees, including CEO Kamakshi Sivaramakrishnan and co-founder Abhishek Bhowmik, will be joining Snowflake in some capacity.
“This acquisition further strengthens our mission to leverage the world’s data by accelerating the built-in capabilities of the Snowflake platform for our customers,” Carl Perry, director of product management at Snowflake, said in an email. told TechCrunch. “Samooha customers will benefit from Snowflake’s many built-in platform features and the powerful network of the Snowflake Data Cloud. Meanwhile, Snowflake customers will be able to use the data clean room where their data already resides within Snowflake. It’s now faster and easier to build, connect, and use directly with .
Los Altos-based Samuha, co-founded by Sivaramakrishnan and Bhowmik in 2022, competes in the increasingly crowded data cleanroom space. AWS has a data clean room product, and so do startups like Herb. However, Samooha differentiates itself by relying heavily on his Snowflake ecosystem. Naturally, Snowflake was an early investor.
Samooha, a Snowflake native app, provides a no-code UI that customers can use to access and build clean room apps.The company went The company specifically targets industries considered to be potentially underserved, including healthcare, financial services, advertising, retail, and entertainment, and its customer base includes several Fortune 500 brands. He claimed that
Buoyed by its customer acquisition momentum, Samooha raised $12.5 million from investors including Altimeter Capital prior to the acquisition. The startup was valued at about $40 million post-money.
“SaMooha’s founding hypothesis was that the latest frontiers in data and AI would be built on a foundation of secure data sharing and collaboration,” Sivaramakrishnan said in an emailed statement. “Samooha joining Snowflake strengthens Snowflake’s ability to enable enterprises to collaborate in a seamless manner, with data governance, privacy, and security at its core. Companies and businesses such as media platforms can now build a powerful edge of value exchange and connectivity across their ecosystems of partners and customers.”
Investing in data clean room technology could be a beneficial decision for Snowflake. Continue to exceed Investor expectations, as a side note, in the long term. according to According to Gartner, 80% of advertisers spending more than $1 billion annually on media will use data clean rooms by the end of the year for applications such as analytics, measuring campaign results, and facilitating data integration. Probably.another poll published In early 2023, 29% of U.S. marketers suggested they would place more emphasis on data clean rooms this year compared to 2022, but given Snowflake’s interest, this prediction is certainly not impossible. there is no.
clean innovation Technology and renewable energy are moving quickly, maybe a little too fast.
While there is no shortage of clean technology solutions available in today’s market (and we are developing them for the future), a new problem is emerging: a lack of talent to install and maintain the technology.
According to one study, the clean technology industry is expected to create 8 million jobs by the end of 2030. recent reports By the International Energy Agency. These numbers are clearly based on current policies, and the report’s authors expect these numbers to rise as more resources are directed to the clean energy transition. But just because more jobs are created doesn’t mean there are enough trained people to fill them.
Berlin-based Montamo wants to solve this problem. The startup hires and trains people to install and maintain sustainable heat pumps. We train people new to the industry, provide upskilling training to those with some experience, and have our employees install and maintain other companies’ equipment. As the company grows, it hopes to expand into other areas such as solar power generation.
Co-founder Alexander Boehm told TechCrunch+. Boehm said the company wants to be intentional about hiring and training migrant workers because it is difficult for immigrants to get good jobs in Germany, regardless of their skills or background. This is something Boehm witnessed firsthand when he worked as operations director for fast grocery delivery startup Gorillaz, and he doesn’t want their skills to go to waste.
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