Environment

Aluminum production could get much better for the environment

Friday, May 11, 2018 - 9:30am

You probably don’t think about aluminum very much. But you should. The ubiquitous metal is in airplanes, iPhones, and engine blocks made by General Motors, to name just a few uses. A 12-inch MacBook, for example, consists of over half a pound of aluminum.

Investing in Tech That’s Worth the Wait

Friday, February 23, 2018 - 11:15am

Innovations in fields like energy and transportation often take time—and extra support—to develop. The Engine at MIT is helping them make the leap from the lab to the marketplace.

A new approach to rechargeable batteries

Wednesday, January 24, 2018 - 11:45am

A type of battery first invented nearly five decades ago could catapult to the forefront of energy storage technologies, thanks to a new finding by researchers at MIT.

New technique allows rapid screening for new types of solar cells

Thursday, December 21, 2017 - 11:15am

The worldwide quest by researchers to find better, more efficient materials for tomorrow’s solar panels is usually slow and painstaking. Researchers typically must produce lab samples — which are often composed of multiple layers of different materials bonded together — for extensive testing.

Will metal supplies limit battery expansion?

Thursday, October 12, 2017 - 11:30am

The dramatic rise in production of electric vehicles, coupled with expected growth in the use of grid-connected battery systems for storing electricity from renewable sources, raises a crucial question: Are there enough raw materials to enable significantly increased production of lithium-ion bat

Projects make inroads on global food and water challenges

Monday, September 25, 2017 - 11:00am

With goals that include finding better ways to purify and desalinate water, improving fertilizer production, and preventing food contamination, nearly two dozen research teams presented updates on their work at a day-long event on Sept. 15.

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