Big Ideas

Ephemeral data collectors: Bio-gliders are dispersed over a forest by a drone. When they reach the ground, they transmit environmental data until they are eventually decomposed by soil organisms. Illustration: Empa
Potato Starch-Based Bio-Gliders Usher in New Era of Sustainable Environmental Monitoring
The Idea   Drones are a new and powerful tool for environmental monitoring. They can…
The new self-powered thermoelectric generator device uses an ultra-broadband solar absorber (UBSA) to capture sunlight, which heats the generator. Simultaneously, another component called a planar radiative cooling emitter (RCE) cools part of the device by releasing heat. CREDIT: Haoyuan Cai, Jimei University
Unstoppable Energy: New Thermoelectric Generator Works Round-the-Clock for a Greener Future
The Idea   Scientists have developed a new way to generate electricity that is more…