How to Pull Carbon Dioxide Out of Seawater

Since the industrial age began, the concentration of CO2 has been increasing continuously in the Earth's atmosphere year-by-year.

As a result, researchers have started investing in how to extract CO2 from the air. According to most experts, extracting carbon dioxide is essential if we want to get rid of halting climate change, global warming, extreme heat events, and stronger storms. Alongside this, removing greenhouse gases is also essential from the atmosphere. People extract approx 37 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.

But how to pull carbon dioxide out of seawater?

According to a UCLA research team, there is a process through which removing most carbon dioxide is possible from the atmosphere each year. With the help of this technology, carbon dioxide will be extracted from seawater directly rather than capturing atmosphere CO2, but why? The reason is that each unit volume of seawater holds about 150 times more CO2 than air. A team of researchers at MIT started their research on the ocean, which absorbs about 30-40% of the atmospheric gas created by human activity.

The MIT team published a report in the journal Energy and Environmental Science. According to the report, they have found a unique process through which it is now possible to extract CO2 from ocean water. Moreover, it is possible to fit the system into offshore drilling platforms or fish farms.

Net Negative Potential:

Water splitting is the current process that people use to extract carbon dioxide from ocean water. In this process, a voltage is applied via the process across a series of stacked bipolar membranes. When the procedure will be performed, it will convert bicarbonates into molecules of CO2 to break down the water. After that, these are extracted via a vacuum. You should know that to perform the procedure, expensive materials & chemicals are required. The MIT team could make a membrane-free process that can use reactive electrodes instead of costly bipolar membranes in a cyclic process.

How does the method work?

The water is acidified in the unique process, due to which the conversation of dissolved bicarbonates starts. After that, CO2 molecules are created with the help of reactive electrodes.

Then, a vacuum is used for the extraction of the molecules. It is because water is pumped to some cells with the voltage reverse. You can find the water converted into an alkaline state to release it safely into the ocean.

The acidification of oceans is reversed in the process. It was caused due to the CO2 buildup. In this case, it needs to be mentioned that for the bleaching of coral reefs, acidic oceans are responsible. It can even threaten marine species like shellfish. This process can help to alleviate the CO2 impact which is caused by human activities by rolling out the system at scale. As soon as carbon dioxide is extracted, it is required to dispose of or store the greenhouse gas without releasing it into the atmosphere.

In addition, as we know that the concentration level of carbon dioxide is more than 100% in oceans, and it is greater than that of the air, the technology can offer more effective results than current air-capture methods. Because the gas extraction is needed with the capture step that is completed as the ocean can absorb CO2 directly.

If it comes to talking about achieving any climate goal and avoiding the effects of the climate crisis, CO2 or Carbon dioxide is a big challenge. The team at MIT keeps this in mind and anticipates that they will prepare the system for trial within the next two years. Thus, it can aid the climate crisis issues.

When the direct air-capture systems are used, it is required to capture the gas first and concentrate on it before recovering it. As there is no capture step required, it indicates that volumes of material are much smaller, resulting in making the entire method easier and decreasing the footprint needed.

Conclusion:

The research process is still going on to get an alternative to the present step. Vacuum is used for the removal of the separated carbon dioxide from the water. It is essential to identify operating strategies so that the precipitation of minerals can be prevented. It is capable of fouling the electrodes in the alkalinization cell. As a result, the problem can decrease the entire efficiency of all approaches. According to Hatton, although significant progress is made on the problems, we should not report on them so early. Varanasi says that CO2 is human life's defining issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q What is the best way to remove CO2 from water?

If it comes to talking about an economical process of removing free carbon dioxide in water, it is called "Decarbonation" & "Degasification." It can remove this harmful gas to 99% or more than that.

Q. What process removes carbon dioxide from the ocean responses?

With the help of the ocean "solubility pump," it is possible to remove atmospheric CO2. The reason is that air can mix with as well as dissolve into the upper ocean.

Q. What eats CO2 in the ocean?

According to scientists, diatoms, a particular type of microscopic plant absorbs 10-20 billion tonnes of CO2 yearly. These plants float on the surface of the ocean. This absorbed amount equals the carbon captured by all rainforests worldwide.

Solid-state LiDAR Switches

Google released its first autonomous cars in 2010. During this time, the spinning cylinder has gotten the most fame and attention by standing out uniquely. It is a car's light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system. This system is suitable with light-based radar. In addition, the solid-state LiDAR system helps cars to avoid obstacles by offering cameras and radar in a combination. Thus, it helps cars to drive safely. Let's know about solid-state LiDAR.

Since then, people have started using affordable chip-based cameras and radar systems. It is because light detection and ranging navigation systems are mechanical devices that can cost a lot of money, especially for autonomous highway driving.

However, the new type of high-resolution solid-state LiDAR chip makes all things easier. Ming Wu, a professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences and co-director of the Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center at the University of California, produced it. In the journal Nature, you can find this new design on Wednesday, March 9.

The technology is based on a focal plane switch array (FPSA). This array is a semiconductor-based matrix of micrometer-scale antennas. It can collect light similarly to sensors found in digital cameras. However, you may not find the resolution of 16,384 pixels impressive, and it is when you compare it with pixels found on mobile cameras.

Design of solid-state LiDAR:

You can see its design in megapixel sizes. According to Wu, it uses the same complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology to make processors. As a result, you can find a new generation of strong and reasonable 3D sensors. You can use it for drones, autonomous cars, robots, and even mobiles.

LiDAR barriers:

The technology captures reflections of light that its laser emits. Besides, it measures the required time for light to go back or change in beam frequency. Thus, it maps the environment. In addition, it can clock objects' speed moving around it.

The systems come with strong lasers, and these help visualize objects hundreds of yards away, even if they are available in the dark. Besides, they can create 3D maps with high resolution, and it is lucrative for a car's artificial intelligence. Using 3D maps in high resolution, we can differentiate vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and other hazards. Wu also said that their motive is to illuminate a very large area. But trying such a thing doesn't allow light to travel enough distance. Therefore, if you want to maintain light intensity, it is essential to decrease the areas illuminated with laser light, which is when you need to use the FPSA.

This switch array has a matrix of small optical transmitters, antennas, and switches. These help to power on and off them rapidly. Thus, it helps to channel all laser power via a single antenna at a time.

MEMS switches of solid-state LiDAR:

Generally, silicon-based LiDAR systems need thermo-optic switches. These depend on big changes in temperature so that they can develop tiny changes in the refractive index and bend. Thus, it can redirect laser light from one to another waveguide.

Thermo-optic switches come in large sizes. Besides, these are power-hungry. While jamming excessively onto a chip, it can create so much heat. Thus, it allows you to operate itself accurately. It is one of the reasons why FPSAs are limited to 512 pixels or less.

In this case, Wu's solution is lucrative. Therefore, it is better to replace it with microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switches.

According to him, the construction is like a freeway exchange. He added that if you are a light going from east to west, you need to turn to 90 degrees when we lower a ramp, and it allows you to move to the South from the North.

MEMS switches help to route light in communications networks. If you want, apply it to the system. Besides, these come in a smaller size than thermo-optic switches. In addition, they use far less power and switch faster.

While powering on a pixel, a switch emits a laser beam. In addition, it helps to capture the reflected light. Every pixel is the same as 0.6 degrees of the array's 70-degree field of view. In this case, FPSA helps to generate a 3D picture of the world by cycling rapidly through an array. When you mount a few in a circular configuration, it helps to generate a 360-degree view around a vehicle.

Mobile cameras of solid-state LiDAR:

The professor wants to boost the FPSA resolution and range before the commercialization of his system. He said that they face challenges to make optical antennas smaller. But, the switches come in large sizes, and they can be made a lot smaller.

Conclusion:

The professor also wants to boost the solid-state LiDAR's range by only 10 meters. He added that the number could reach 100 meters or even 300 meters. He used cameras in vehicles, robots, vacuum cleaners, surveillance equipment, biometrics, and doors. In addition, there are multiple potential applications also. Xiaosheng Zhang, Kyungmok Kwon, Johannes Henriksson, and Jianheng Luo of UC Berkeley are the names of the co-authors.

Turn Old Electronics Into Fast Cash

 If you have old, electronic devices collecting dust it your drawers or cabinets, now is the time to trade them in for some quick cash. As one of the hottest startups to launch in San Diego, the tech company ecoATM offers a new and intriguing way to recycle, declutter your home and pad your bank account at the same time.

How Does It Work?

Like any good tech startup, ecoATM began as a way to meet a need. Thousands of Americans have old, used technology laying around that they never even touch anymore, so why not turn that unnecessary clutter into quick, easy money? The process is simple. Just visit one of the 2700 machines scattered across the country and insert your fully-charged device. State-of-the-art technology then analyzes the device to determine a fair price. If the amount of money you are offered is agreeable, all you have to do is accept it and then our kiosk rewards you in the form of gift cards or cash, depending upon your preferences.

What Devices Does the Company Accept?

The ecoATM company accepts many different types of small, portable electronic devices that would otherwise take up space in our home. The amount of money you receive varies depending upon several factors. The quality, age and type of device you have to offer all have an impact on how much money you can earn for trading it in. EcoATM accepts nearly any model from the following categories.

• iPhones
• MP3 players
• Android phones
• Mobile phones
• Tablets

Before trading in your device, make sure you have wiped its memory so there is no chance you could have personal information stolen. The best way to do this is to restore your device to its factory settings. Not only does this erase your information, but it prepares the device to be restored and go to a new owner with minimal hassle on your end.

What Are the Benefits?

Trading in old devices has many benefits. You have no use for them anymore, so they simply take up space and collect dust the longer you keep them. You can choose to trade certain devices in to your cell phone provider for credit toward a new device, you can sell it to someone else, or you can trade it in with ecoATM and save yourself both time and hassle.

Most cell phone providers only accept mobile phones for trades. Instead of receiving cash, you can earn credit to a new phone. Older phones and those in less than perfect condition may not be accepted, which still leaves you with the old device that takes up space.

If you choose to sell your devices, you may not get nearly what they are worth. You also have to deal with the hassle of presenting the phone to the buyer, whether in person or via a mail carrier, and collecting the amount of money you agreed upon.

When you choose to trade your device in with ecoATM, not only do you receive fair market value depending upon condition and age, but you also have minimal hassle. You don’t have to communicate with buyers or haggle over a price, and you don’t have to worry about shipping your device. You simply drop your device off at one of our kiosks, receive a price, and either accept or decline the offer.

EcoATM has revolutionized the process of trading in unused electronic devices. Get quick cash by decluttering your home with items you have no use for, and do it in an environmentally-friendly way. Visit one of our kiosks today or check out our website to get an estimate on how much money you stand to receive for your device.

A New Quantum Particle Calculation Making Waves in Scientific Field

Researcher had successfully developed a new and more advanced way of measuring the wave functions, which describe the strange behaviour of subatomic particles. With this breakthrough development the quantum computing, secure wireless communications and quantum teleportation would come closer to reality than it was ever before.

A New Beginning

There is a small realm of scientific field, whichis known as quantum mechanics. It states that the particles can exist in multiple places at once through an unusual phenomenon called superposition. And in order to describe the huge number of positions and velocities which a particle can have at any given moment is measured through the use of wave functions.

Both the quantum computing and teleportation relies on particles, which can exist in multiple places at once.

Benefit of this Remarkable Research At a Glance

Wondering how this could be utilised in advancing the computing powers of the machines? Well the superposition of the particles would allow the computers in performing calculations and transferring information at a much faster rate than the conventional computers.

How This Could Be Achieved

Quantum computing and quantum teleportation would need huge systems with a large amount of quantum particles with the ability to interact to create many dimensions. When this is achieved in the proper order and in efficient manner then only both of it could turn into reality.

A lead researcher on this finding also stated that the huge multidimensional systems have complicated wave functions, which cannot be measured earlier due to inefficient traditional methods. But with the new method it is highly possible to calculate wave functions more accurately and faster and it will be beneficial for scientists in developing quantum technology for new generation.

How the Wave Functions are Calculated?

Earlier the wave function of a quantum system was calculated by taking a huge number of measurements and then estimating a function or an equation, which was best, suited for all the measurements. This old technique was called ‘direct measurement’, which used to measure the wave function by weakly measuring position and strongly measuring the momentum. This technique was suited only for the small systems with few dimensions but as with the advancement, the system grew bigger and bigger it became more and more difficult to accurately measure the wave functions.

Therefore, this new technique is developed called ‘compressed direct measurement’, which uses a series of random measurements of the position and momentum of the particles in their quantum state. Then an algorithm is assigned which finds the wave function, which is best, suited for a number of measurements. This new technique is about 350 times faster and just requires 20 percent of the measurements than the old one.

The Era of Quantum Tech

Researchers have asserted that the new direct measurement technique can mould the way of success for quantum computing. The regular computers handle ‘bits’ of information while a quantum computer could ‘qubits’ of information, which could be represented by either zero or one at the same time. Compressed direct measurement can help in reaching terahertz speed, which will give incredible speed in transferring data in the form T-rays. These waves have the ability to pass through most materials like paper, clothing etc. However, it should also be noted that these waves are difficult to detect and manipulate, therefore scientists would find difficulty in harnessing them into digital media. Furthermore, quantum is still a new idea in technology as well as an emerging field it will take time before becoming reality.

Bioluminescent Sharks Strengthens its Survival with Newly Evolved Eyes

According to a recent study promulgated in the journal ‘PLUS ONE’, it has been observed that the luminescent sharks that used to dwell in the ‘Twilight Zone’ have gone through a certain evolution that allows them to see through the dark. These animals thrive at a depth of about 650 to 3,300 feet (200 to 1,000 meters), a bleak region known as the mesopelagic twilight zone, where hardly any sunlight can penetrate through.

The eye with the Superpower

Bioluminescence appears as brief as a flash and the ability of the sharks to see and tell whether it is a potential mate, lunch or a predator is an ability possessed by these species. These creatures possess a greater density of light sensitive cells in their retinas or to be more precise, higher amount of rod densities inside their eyes, while some have even acquired ocular adaptations allowing them to see the glimmering lights they use for signalling each other.

To predate they can camouflage themselves in the realms where hardly any light can perforate through. Nevertheless, this light also helps the sharks to find partners both for predating and mating purposes, one of the best examples, being the glowing lantern shark that possesses evolved sexual organs with light-producing capabilities that help attract its opposite sex, even in the dark.

Result from further studies...

Now, there always arises a question when it is about an optical system, be it an eye or a camera, whether there is a compromise in either the light sensitivity or the resolution, as most deep-sea animals are visual modality for light sensitivity and not resolution.

So, Claes and his confrères examined the shape of the eye, the structure and mapping of the retinene cells of the five known species of deep-sea bioluminescent sharks namely four lantern sharks (E. splendidus, E. spinax, Etmopteruslucifer andTrigonognathuskabeyai)and one dalatiid or kitefin shark (Squaliolusaliae) have been observed to have undergone through these evolutions, using a light microscope and other ophthalmic instruments.

The research workers compared the eyes of other non-bioluminescent sharks that account for the 45 of the 50 known shark species, and discovered that the luminescent ones have a higher density of photo-sensitive cells in their eyes, cognized as rods than the others, which gives the luminescent ones improved temporal resolution, or to be more precise “faster vision”. (For example, Persons possessing slower vision, when they would watch a tiger chasing its prey, they would only see disjointed frames of the chase compared to a smooth movement of the chase.)

Thus having more immobile vision allows them to quickly see the modifying light patterns, they usually use to interact with each other.

A further study has helped the scientists find a layer of tissue, just behind the retina which helps reflect and increase the light available to the photoreceptors. Gaps between the lens and iris have also been found that allows extra light to reach the retina, along with light absorbing rods at the back of their eyes.

A Few Words for Thought

Thus, it is well evident that with evolution taking place in almost every form of living, the ocular system of the bioluminescent sharks have also co-evolved with their photoluminescence, thus allowing its species to endurefrom getting endangered or extinct.

Scientists unveil energy-generating window

For the last few months, researchers had worked for designing a windows that let through the air, but no sound. Today, a new window called "intelligent" that would regulate the heat, but also to collect energy. A team of Chinese researchers has just published its latest advances in the journal Nature Scientific for a new glass surface.

Most of the surfaces that fitted in the more modern buildings are often the cause of poor insulation in both winter and summer, despite the progress made in double or triple glazing. Smart windows have developed the ability to adapt to external climatic conditions etvitre 2 and provide insulation adapted to the situation: confining the heat inside the building in the winter, and removing the heat of summer.

Gao Yanfeg of Shanghai University said "The main innovation of our work is to have developed a concept of smart window to simultaneously generate and save energy.” This window component is a film composed of vanadium oxide particles, partitioned and sandwiched between two sheets of polycarbonate which allows this feat. Vanadium Oxide (VO2) has its chemical properties vary depending on the temperature.

Under 68 degrees Celsius, it is insulating and completely transparent to infrared light. Above 68 ° C, it becomes conductive and reflects infrared light. Ideal properties of this window make it to fit the seasons. But the expanded window can also generate electricity through solar panels positioned on the peripheral.

As part of a building large-scale solar energy production could afford to run a part of the activity of the latter. Currently, the technology presented is viable and suitable to industrialization; no cost has yet been shared.

Turn your Smartphone into microscope with a revolutionary lens

The idea of this young American will delight photography enthusiasts and curious of you. His project is nothing but placing a microscopic lens directly on the lens of your cell, which can be done easily and very quickly. In the meantime, DGS invites you to discover how it all works. Thomas Larson, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering (Mechatronics option) from the University of Washington will undoubtedly revolutionize the world of photography precision. His project microscopic lens, it is enough to juxtapose the purpose of your Smartphone, will simply allow all Apple, Android or other users to transform their devices as pocket microscopes.

Once glued to your Smartphone, the lens magnifies up to 15 times the original image and helps to photograph invisible to the naked eye details and hitherto impossible to capture with a single phone. The Kick starter campaign launched by the young has exceeded the expected amount of $ 5000 (and has reached more than $ 91,000 in just 21 days. However, Thomas does not intend to rest on its laurels because this version is really a kind of warm-up before the real project: give life to his second lens even more accurate and efficient able to grow up to 150 than the original image. Thomas would eventually sell his lenses on the Amazon e -commerce site. Finally, these lenses offer a more compact alternative to laboratory microscope ... Relatively speaking, of course. We love the simplicity of the concept, which is based solely on the application of micro lens on the back of a phone that offers quality and precision which is unusual for this kind of devices.

Sound at your Fingertips

Technology from Disney Research, Pittsburgh has come out with a device which transmits sound through human touch. It is a new invention that enables you to record messages to friends that can be heard with a touch of your finger to the earlobes. With the help of your finger and another person’s ear, together forms a speaker that helps the other person to hear your message. Ishin-Den-Shin so called is named after a Japanese mantra which represents unspoken understanding and speaks into a standard microphone which is then converted into an inaudible signal which tends to get audible when the speaker touches another person’s earlobes. The sound can be transmitted from body to body with the help of any physical contact though it can only be heard by the person whose earlobe is touched and this technology won the honors at Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria. This system depends on a special microphone created by Disney Research engineers, wherein the sound is recorded and rendered into a high voltage, low current and in an inaudible signal. The sound can only be heard when someone holding the microphone touches the fingers to another person’s ears. The sound can also move through multiple bodies if the person A holding the microphone touches person B’s shoulder while at the same time person C’s ear for the sound to be transmitted to the person C.

 Human bodies are capable of transmitting sound as electrical signals and using the human body to conduct sound is becoming common in the recent years. One of the most popular methods is the bone conduction which brings sound directly to the inner ear through bones in the skull and which is found in some head phones enabling hearing aids and in Google’s Glass. The system used by Disney Research is an electrostatic field which forms around the speaker’s skin and creates a vibration when it comes in contact with the person’s earlobe. The Ishin-Den-Shin system, which includes a hand held microphone, is connected to a computer. It operates when the speaker speaks into the microphone and the computer changes the sound into looped recording. This recording is then converted into high voltage, low current inaudible signal, which flows into the thin wires connected to the interior of the microphone. The looped inaudible signal then creates a modulated electrostatic field thus producing a tiny vibration as the fingers touch the ear, forming a speaker. The Ishin-Den-Shin system can be used for everyday activities for interactive sound devices without the need of any special instrument. It could help to explore new avenues for inter personal communication and can be used to transfer sound from one person to another with the use of our bodies which has the capabilities of a conductor of sound