Finnish startup Polar Night Energy, which developed and installed its first commercial-scale “sand battery” energy storage system in 2022, is now collaborating with Finnish district heating company Loviisan Lämpö to build an industrial-scale sand battery system in Pornainen, Finland.
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Robots cannot move easily in granular environments, such as sand. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, designed a robot inspired by sea turtle hatchlings that can swim untethered through sand. This robot could improve the ability of researchers to collect data in granular environments.
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Adapting to climate change not only requires updating our existing energy systems but also designing new ways of storing and transmitting energy that can better withstand extreme environments. Finnish startup Polar Night Energy just completed the first commercial installation of their new heat storage system, which stores thermal energy using sand.
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Sand sculpting is a quintessential beach day activity. Learn the science behind what makes sand stick together, see the tallest sandcastle ever built, and find out tips for designing your own sand sculpture.
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Humans’ voracious sand consumption for infrastructure activities threatens global supply of this critical natural resource. But do we even know how much sand we are consuming worldwide? New research shows that we’ve been calculating the basic unit all wrong.
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Though not a scientist, Stan Lee extensively used scientific-sounding reasoning in the creation of his characters. Take a closer look at some of Lee’s versions of science.
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The melting point of a solid is the temperature at which the solid transforms into a liquid—but is it possible to lose structural rigidity without a change in temperature? Engineer and YouTuber Mark Rober has filled his hot tub with sand to give us the answer.
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There’s a looming sand scarcity that’s being hidden by the mirage of endless sand supply, according to the authors of a new perspective article published in Science. According to their research, sand scarcity is such an imminent threat that we now need to develop a global sand governance strategy.
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Black phosphorus doesn’t mind water, supercomputer simulation reveals 2-D glass can go infinitely soft, and other materials stories that may be of interest for December 21, 2016.
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Researchers at Oak Ridge National Lab have developed a new durable, antireflective, superhydrophobic glass coating that offers important improvements over its predecessors.
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