💚 Next-Gen Energy Storage ⚡
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Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
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Stay impactful,
Happy Thursday 👋
Here are the impactful insights that I have for you today:
- Nobel-winning chemistry for next-gen energy storage ⚡
- Ocean cleanup group removes record 25,000 pounds of trash 🌊🗑️
- The right to a healthy environment 🏛️
- And more… 💚
When you think about energy storage, wouldn’t it be awesome if they were more reliable and would always function well under all conditions?
Now, based on the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, there are some great advancements that could significantly boost energy efficiency, especially in electric vehicles!
I mean, I’m only using my bicycle and public transportation, but I take everything that moves us closer to fossil fuel independence as a win!
⚡ How Nobel-Winning Chemistry is Powering Up Next-Gen Energy Storage
1️⃣ The big picture: Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Scripps Research have developed a groundbreaking polymer-based capacitors that can efficiently store and release vast amounts of energy under extreme conditions. This innovation is made possible by leveraging next-generation version of the “click chemistry” reaction, for which scientists won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. These polymer film capacitors, which act as electrical components to store and release energy, are set to revolutionize high-voltage electrical technologies, including cars, electrified aircraft, and renewable energy applications.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Current state-of-the-art polymer film capacitors decrease dramatically in performance with increasing temperature and voltages. But these newly developed capacitors exhibit remarkable resilience, functioning efficiently at temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius) and withstanding electric fields of over 750 million volts per meter. This advancement means that these capacitors can handle more demanding operational conditions, making them ideal for a broader range of applications, especially in electric vehicles and integrated power systems.
3️⃣ What’s next: This innovation not only promises enhanced operational reliability but also paves the way for further advancements in the energy storage domain. And the potential of these groundbreaking capacitors is vast. As researchers work on overcoming challenges in large-scale manufacturing processes for these thin film materials, we can anticipate a significant boost in the energy efficiency of integrated power systems, especially in electric vehicles, aircrafts, and renewable energy applications. They are strong contenders to become the new gold standard in polymer dielectrics.
📢 More Good News…
- A nonprofit environmental organization, called The Ocean Cleanup, has removed about 25,000 pounds of garbage from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
- While this won’t dispose of the entire patch of trash, which is constantly moving, The Ocean Cleanup believes they can remove 90% of floating plastic from the oceans by 2040.
🏛️ ‘Gamechanger’: judge rules in favor of young activists in US climate trial:
- Young environmentalists in Montana, US, have won their state case after accusing state officials of violating their right to a healthy environment.
- The state, which previously vowed to fight the decision if the plaintiffs won, now has 60 days to decide whether to appeal the decision to the Montana Supreme Court.
♻️ Plant-based filter removes up to 99.9% of microplastics from water:
- Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada might have found an effective, eco-friendly way to remove microplastics from our water using readily available plant materials.
- Their device, called bioCap, can capture up to 99.9% of a wide variety of microplastics known to pose a health risk to humans.
🖤 Event of the Week: Slavery Remembrance Day
👉 Did you know that yesterday, August 23, was Slavery Remembrance Day? Also known as the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, this event is acknowledged every year to reflect on the tragedy of the slave trade and the effect it had on so many citizens.
1️⃣ The big picture: On 23rd August 1791, enslaved people on the Island of St Domingue (modern-day Haiti) rose up against their captors. This event played a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. This is a day to recognize the long struggle for liberation amongst vulnerable communities and ethnicities. It’s also a time to reflect on the causes, methods, and consequences of this tragic period in history, to ensure it never happens again.
2️⃣ Why is this important: Between 1526 and 1867, roughly 12.5 million men, women, and children were captured and put on ships to America to work as slaves. Furthermore, approximately 12% of the slaves on these ships died before they even reached the shoreline, because of the horrific conditions they were kept in. This painful period of history reminds us of the struggles faced by these individuals and the long arduous journey toward freedom and liberation. It also helps us to reflect on the issues that still surround communities today, including racism, discrimination, and prejudice.
3️⃣ How can you get involved: Perhaps one of the best ways to get involved in Slavery Remembrance Day is to take the time to learn more about the history of slavery. Many museums hold exhibitions on or around this day which are often free to attend. Alternatively, you can watch a poignant film about slavery such as ‘12 Years a Slave’. In addition, many countries around the world hold remembrance walks in honor of the victims of the slave trade which you can join.
Additionally, you can check out the organizations below that fight to end racism and work towards a more equitable world where everyone is given the same opportunities:
- 9 Best Charities That Fight for Racial Equality
- 9 Best Charities That Support the Black Lives Matter Movement
- 9 Best Charities That Fight for Racial Justice in America
- 9 Best Charities That Fight for Minorities
📜 This Week in History
🏞 August 25, 1916: US President Woodrow Wilson signed the “Organic Act,” which established the National Park Service.
👩 August 26, 2015: American civil rights activist Amelia Boynton Robinson—an organizer of the Selma March (1965), which was a landmark event in the civil rights movement that led directly to the passage of the Voting Rights Act—died at age 104.
💭 Quote of the Week
“Only until all human beings begin to recognize themselves as human beings will prejudice be gone forever. People ask me what race I am, but there is no such thing as race. I just answer: I’m a member of the human race.”
― Amelia Boynton Robinson; American activist, leader of the American Civil Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama
Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society!
Stay impactful 💚
Dennis
