The power of subtlety
Mankind has become cleverer all the time. Cleverness that manifests itself in subtlety: in order to arrive at a desired goal, we need less and less energy and resources. Fortunately so, because our planet can hardly sustain our growing wealth. We even need to become cleverer and more subtle. Smaller is better This movement towards
A transition that makes use of existing energy infrastructure
We need to move through the energy transition fast. Because continuous carbon dioxide emissions will result in unacceptable climate changes. That’s why we need transition paths that meet with little resistance. The Scientific American recently proposed a pathway in which we continue to make use of existing energy infrastructure. In order to prevent protracted rear-guard
Wooden windows
Wooden windows? Wood, not for the frame but for the transparent part, instead of glass? Yes, modern research has shown that we can make transparent wood with a relatively benign chemical treatment. A new application for this biobased material! Windows made from transparent wood are good insulators – interesting because glass is not good at
Cheap energy storage speeds up
Costs of producing renewable energy keep coming down; and technologies for cheap energy storage keep evolving. Therefore, the eternal problems with solar and wind energy appear to be more and more outdated (‘what to do if the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow’). In the past, we already devoted our attention to this
100 years of chemistry vs. bacteria, episode 4. The rise of chemistry
For those living in the 19th century, it was by no means evident that we could use chemistry as a weapon against bacteria. Chemistry was a young science. It found its applications in polluting and dangerous industries. The mere idea that chemical processes dominate living nature as well, was new. Project ‘100 years of antibiotics’
Plastic recycling: urgent, but a major problem
Suddenly, articles on plastic recycling pop up everywhere. Spurred on the one hand by continued growth in plastics production; and on the other hand by the ever growing problem of plastic waste. Scientists foresee that in 2050, there will be more plastic waste than fish in the oceans – if present trends continue. Something needs
A solution to the Sargassum problem
Since 2011, the Caribbean is bothered by seaweed. Large quantities of Sargassum are washed up on the shores. There it rots, depleting the coastal waters from oxygen, releasing hydrogen sulphide and methane. And trapping marine life, coral reefs and fish. Apart from being an absolute nuisance, the seaweed is bad for tourism, on which many
Pitfalls in nuclear energy risk analysis
Ten years ago, last month, a tsunami struck the West coast of Japan. It flooded the Fukushima nuclear reactor. This resulted in a partial meltdown and a hydrogen explosion, that released a lot of radioactivity. The media devoted many articles to this anniversary. The Conversation raised the question: in hindsight, were events really as bad
on: 5 April 2021