Tag: environment
Tesla’s ‘Charge on Solar’ lets Powerwall owners send excess energy to their EV
Tesla has launched a feature called "Charge on Solar" that allows owners to fill up their electric vehicles' batteries using only excess solar energy. As TechCrunch notes, the automaker started testing the capability in May, but now it's more widely available to Tesla customers in the US and in Canada.…
Read More
Anker’s new Solix home energy storage includes a modular solar battery system
Device charging company Anker is moving into Tesla’s territory with the launch of the Solix line of home energy products, including a modular Powerwall-like battery storage system, the company announced at an event in New York City. It also introduced a smaller battery aimed at folks living in condos and…
Read More
The Morning After: Will we see Apple’s mixed-reality headset at WWDC 2023?
Apple has set the dates for WWDC 2023, which will run between June 5th and June 9th. It's still an online-only affair, but there will be a "special experience" at Apple Park on the 5th for developers and students. While we expect to see software-centric upgrades, with iOS, macOS and…
Read More
Hitting the Books: Why America once leaded its gasoline
Engine knock, wherein fuel ignites unevenly along the cylinder wall resulting in damaging percussive shockwaves, is an issue that automakers have struggled to mitigate since the days of the Model T. The industry’s initial attempts to solve the problem — namely tetraethyl lead — were, in hindsight, a huge mistake,…
Read More
Researchers created a sticky drone to collect environmental DNA from forest canopies
Swiss scientists have developed a proof-of-concept method to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) from high-arching forest canopies, an under-observed habitat. Rather than hiring skilled climbers to risk their lives to grab a little bug and bird DNA, the team flew a collection drone into the trees to capture genetic material —…
Read More
Researchers find a more sustainable way to grow crops under solar panels
Researchers say they have determined a way to make agrivoltaics — the process of growing crops underneath solar panels — more efficient. They found that red wavelengths are more efficient for growing plants, while the blue part of the spectrum is better for producing solar energy. Solar panels that only…
Read More