Good Morning! 🌞 

Did you know? On this day in 1911, Eugene Ely made history with the first aircraft landing on a ship’s flight deck aboard the USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay.

Innovation

Fire-proof Battery

A joint research team from Doshisha University and TDK Corporation in Japan has developed a safer, non-flammable quasi-solid-state lithium-ion battery (LIB) by combining liquid and solid electrolytes. This breakthrough aims to address the safety and performance challenges associated with conventional and all-solid-state batteries, while still delivering high energy density. By merging liquid electrolyte properties with solid-state components, the researchers hope to strike the perfect balance between stability and capacity.

Central to the design is a combination of cutting-edge materials: a silicon (Si) negative electrode, a LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) positive electrode, and a solid lithium-ion conducting glass-ceramic separator. Custom non-flammable electrolyte solutions further enhance this hybrid approach, leading to improved thermal stability, superior electrochemical performance, and high ionic conductivity. By integrating these elements, the newly devised battery effectively tackles issues such as flammability and insufficient conductivity that often plague traditional lithium-ion cells.

Laboratory tests have shown the new battery to maintain robust charge/discharge capacity, experience minimal changes in internal resistance, and demonstrate high thermal stability even at temperatures as high as 150 °C. This promising performance is expected to pave the way for safer, more efficient electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and other devices. Ultimately, the success of this quasi-solid-state battery could accelerate the transition toward sustainable technologies and boost future economic development.

Good News

30-Year-Old Jacket

Nearly three decades ago, Arizona native Jed Mottley joined the varsity football team at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale. He and his mother carefully picked out a custom letterman jacket, but when it was finished, they couldn’t afford to pay the remaining balance. The disappointment lingered as Mottley watched his teammates show off their new jackets, a memory that stayed with him for years.

Fast-forward to a thrift store in Pinetop, Arizona, where Mottley’s brother, Josh, stumbled across a familiar red letterman jacket. He immediately sent a photo to Jed, who recognized it in an instant. Miraculously still in pristine condition, the jacket had finally found its way home nearly 30 years later—a discovery the brothers believe might have been orchestrated by their late mother, who passed away in 2012.

Since being reunited with his treasured high school keepsake, Mottley—now a musician in Los Angeles—has taken the jacket on tour, worn it to his 30th high school reunion, and even shown it off to actor Tom Hanks, who jokingly suggested making it the subject of a movie. For Mottley, this long-lost jacket is more than just a piece of clothing; it’s a powerful reminder of family, perseverance, and the extraordinary ways life can come full circle.

US News

Altadena Hero Saves Hundreds

A looming wildfire threat in Altadena, California, recently highlighted the life-saving power of a single social media post. Two days before the Eaton Fire broke out in early January, local weather enthusiast and community volunteer Edgar McGregor warned his neighbors of the looming disaster. A climatology graduate from San Jose State University and leader of the Altadena Weather and Climate Facebook group, McGregor had been tracking a developing storm front and knew the strong Santa Ana winds could transform the area into a tinderbox. Having witnessed past disasters—like the 1993 wildfire—he issued a crucial reminder to prepare for evacuation.

On January 7, after 70 mph winds toppled transmission lines, McGregor posted a video on Facebook at 4 a.m. the following morning, delivering a stark two-word message: “GET OUT.” For nearly an hour, his was the only urgent warning received by the group’s 2,500 members. Urging residents to pack photo albums, medications, birth certificates, and anything else they “couldn’t live without,” McGregor emphasized not to wait for an official evacuation order. The community swiftly heeded his call, fleeing the area before authorities arrived to sound the alarm.

In the aftermath, local news outlets shared residents’ stories of gratitude. One homeowner credited McGregor with saving her life, noting she would have remained in her home with her pets had she not seen his post. Others sent texts to friends and relatives who had no idea a fire was imminent, ensuring they too evacuated safely. McGregor’s swift action underscores how a single voice, armed with knowledge and a sense of urgency, can make all the difference in protecting a community.

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Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

I have many teeth but never bite,
I help smooth things out, day or night.
You hold me close, but I’m not a tool,
What am I,

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers

wisecracks! —Chris Hostetler got this early ☀️ 

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to the email.

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