Latest news with #CameronAllen
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers stunned by results of energy experiment using ultrahot plasma: 'We were totally shocked'
A team of U.S. scientists has made a surprising discovery that could help bring fusion energy, a long-hoped-for clean energy source, closer to reality. In a recent experiment at the University of Rochester, researchers were stunned to find that heat in an ultrahot plasma didn't flow between materials the way they thought it would. At a scorching 180,000 degrees, heat seemed to get stuck between tungsten metal and a plastic coating, leaving that material surprisingly cool, as reported by Interesting Engineering. "When we looked at the data, we were totally shocked because the heat was not flowing between these materials," said physicist Thomas White, who led the project alongside his former student, Cameron Allen. The pair had set out to test heat transfer in materials subjected to ultrahigh temperatures but instead uncovered a new mystery. This marks the first time scientists have directly observed this type of heat blockage in what's called high-energy-density plasma, the kind of matter found inside stars and advanced fusion reactors. The culprit is interfacial thermal resistance, which acts like a wall that reflects electrons carrying heat instead of letting them pass through. In easier terms, it's like trying to pass a hot potato through a windowpane, and the energy just bounces back. Understanding that quirky behavior could help scientists design smarter systems that better manage extreme heat. Fusion energy, the same process that powers the sun, involves fusing atoms to release energy. If we can master it here on Earth, it could offer nearly limitless power without the dirty energy that comes from burning gas, coal, or oil. That would mean cleaner air, fewer health risks, and the potential for lower utility bills, especially in cities and communities where energy costs hit the hardest. This discovery could ripple into how we design hypersonic aircraft, develop advanced medical devices, and make computer chips more efficient. It could improve everyday tech, health care, and even transportation systems. "High-energy laser labs provide an essential tool," Jeremiah Williams from the National Science Foundation said, per Interesting Engineering. Should the government be paying us to upgrade our homes? Definitely Depends on how much it costs Depends on what it's for No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. According to the Rochester team, this unexpected heat behavior could help researchers build better, more cost-effective solutions for clean energy and beyond. Fusion's potential also supports the global shift toward diversifying clean energy. Other trailblazing efforts are showing that sustainability can go hand in hand with saving money and improving lives. South Korea's tungsten-lined plasma experiments aim to make reactors more durable and efficient, and a record-setting fusion test in the United Kingdom ran for five full minutes. While fusion might still be on the horizon, the good news is that cleaner energy options are already here. The best way for consumers to take advantage of clean energy innovations is to install solar panels, which can bring the cost of home energy down to at or near $0. EnergySage provides a free service that makes it easy to compare quotes from vetted local installers and save up to $10,000 on solar installations. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
The Guardian
12-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Share of wealth held by Australia's poorest falls by almost 30% since 2004
The wealth held by Australia's bottom 40% has declined by almost a third in two decades while 3.3m live below the poverty line, a damning report into Australia's track record on quality of life shows. Monash University's third Transforming Australia report, released Thursday, shows progress on more than half of the 80 indicators has stalled or is in freefall, painting a deteriorating picture of the country's social, economic and environmental wellbeing. Without a change of course, including a focus on long-term policymaking beyond the three-year federal election cycle, Australia will continue to lag behind the developed world, the report warns. The report, which uses long-term data sources to analyse Australia's development over the years, found inequalities across wealth, housing, health, and education were worsening. More than three million Australians, or 12.7%, lived below the poverty line, according to 2020 data, putting Australia above the OECD average of 12.1% and peer countries, such as Canada (8.6%), and the UK (11.2%). Australia's ratings worsened in both wealth and income inequality. The share of the nation's wealth held by the bottom 40% of society declined by almost a third since 2004 from 7.8% to around 5.5% in 2020. The report's analysis showed almost 24% of the nation's wealth was held by the top 1% of the population's income-earners while the top 10% had 57% of the nation's wealth. Australia fared better than some countries, such as the US, where 34.9% of the nation's wealth was held by the top 1% and 70.7% by the top 10%. The report's lead researcher, Cameron Allen, said the accumulation of wealth had happened slowly over the 16 years from 2004-2020 but was evident in the long-term data. 'If you have widening disparities between education outcomes of rich and poor students, for example, then over time, that leads to entrenched disadvantage, and ultimately lower incomes and wealth inequality,' he told Guardian Australia. 'You can see what happens when you don't take action to address inequalities over time – that can lead to a lack of trust, a lack of social cohesion, and ultimately, polarisation.' Levels of mathematics proficiency between students from low and high socio-economic backgrounds declined 25% since 2018 and 34% since 2000. The trend places Australia below the US, the UK and Germany. The report notes the country's positive standings in some areas, including life expectancy, superannuation gender gaps, share of renewable energy, government net debt and low homicide rates. The report estimates that on current projections Australia will achieve only 55% of progress by 2050 on the sustainable development goals adopted by United Nations members in 2015. The goals are broadly defined as an end to poverty, protection of the planet, and peace and prosperity by 2030. But increased public expenditure and accountability mechanisms will be needed to achieve 80% of progress towards these goals by 2030, and 90% by 2050, the report recommends. The report recommends a 7% increase in annual expenditure to 2030, financed through tax reforms, to boost investment in health, education, adaptation and resilience. Social transfers toward lower-income groups could halve the poverty rate and reduce income inequality by 30% by 2050, the modelling suggested. Allen said other measures, such as introducing a future generations commissioner to consult with governments on long-term planning and legislating targets, could focus politicians beyond the length of their terms. Increasing political terms beyond three years could also turn the trend on short-term policy-making, he added. 'One of the problems at the federal level is that our election cycle is particularly short. It's only three years so it barely gives elected officials time to implement things before they're already in election mode again,' Allen said. 'Ultimately, we need to look at other mechanisms to incentivise policymakers to think long-term. There's not many incentives at the moment to do that.'
