Nuclear fusion could one day be a viable clean energy source – but big engineering challenges stand in the way
Even once researchers can reliably get more power out of a fusion reaction than they put in, they’ll still need to overcome engineering challenges to scale up fusion energy.
Farhat Beg, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego •
conversation
Jan. 8, 2025 • ~9 min
Jan. 8, 2025 • ~9 min
How hard is it to prevent recurring blackouts in Puerto Rico?
Using the island as a model, researchers demonstrate the “DyMonDS” framework can improve resiliency to extreme weather and ease the integration of new resources.
David Chandler | MIT Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems •
mit
Jan. 7, 2025 • ~8 min
Jan. 7, 2025 • ~8 min
Brain monitoring may be the future of work – how it’s used could improve employee performance or worsen discrimination
Neurotechnology raises many high-stakes ethical questions. Setting ground rules could help protect workers and ensure that tasks are adapted to the person, rather than the other way around.
Paul Brandt-Rauf, Professor and Dean of Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University
• conversation
Jan. 7, 2025 • ~7 min
Jan. 7, 2025 • ~7 min
Microbes can colonize space, produce drugs and create energy − researchers are simulating their inner workings to harness how
Using digital blueprints of the metabolism of microbes, scientists can simulate expensive and time-intensive experiments set in space, power plants and farm fields.
Blaise Manga Enuh, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Microbial Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison •
conversation
Jan. 6, 2025 • ~8 min
Jan. 6, 2025 • ~8 min
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