The final Space Shuttle mission was completed on Thursday with the landing of Atlantis in Florida. In this video, astrophysicist and science evangelist, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, laments the end of the Shuttle program and rifs on the value of NASA to the nation. What do you think? Hat tip: The Scholarly Kitchen
Read MoreUnited States ISS lab module Destiny during manufacture in fall 1997. Credit: NASA NASA has chosen the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space Inc., a new Florida-based nonprofit, tax-exempt research management organization, to develop and manage the US portion of the International Space Station that is designated a US national lab, including the…
Read MoreReceived from the DOE: ARPA-E Director Arun Majumdar to Host Live Chat on Innovation and Clean Energy On Wednesday, June 29, ARPA-E Director Arun Majumdar will host the Department of Energy’s second “Energy Matters” live chat. Majumdar will discuss the investments being made in innovative research and technology today that will move us off of…
Read MoreCalisolar silicon is purified in a unique, liquid-phase process producing solar silicon without the high energy and specialized equipment of conventional vapor-phase silicon purification. Credit: Calisolar. As I have written several times before, the costs tied to the processing and manufacturing of photovoltaic units are dropping, but they are still the main impediment to PV…
Read MoreDOE artist concept of enhanced geothermal system. Source: EERE/DOE. The Department of Energy just announced that it has $70 million to spend on proposals for technology advancements that can accelerate geothermal energy development. The new monies come will be available through a new competitive funding initiative that falls under its Geothermal Technologies Program. The new funding…
Read MoreEni CEO Paolo Scaroni and MIT President Susan Hockfield at the Solar Frontiers Center inauguration. Last week I reported on Shell’s hefty donation of $25 million to MIT Energy Initiative for the research and development of high value, sustainable technologies designed to drive innovation in energy delivery. MIT today reported that Susan Hockfield, president of…
Read MoreDan Arvizu, Director of the National Renewable Energy Lab, discusses the role of research and development in the age of renewable energy. Run time 1 hour.
Read More(via Rare Metals) The European Commission announced it is trying to assemble a joint effort by governments, nonprofits and businesses to develop the technologies to address climate change and a secure EU energy supply by 2020, while at the same time protecting the competitiveness of its nations’ economies. The Commission says this will require new…
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