Thursday, September 26th, 2024

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Innovation

Glass Roof

German company Paxos Solar has introduced a new glass photovoltaic roof tile that can reduce energy demand by up to 20% when connected to a heat pump. This year, the company aims to install the tiles on 200 roofs.

For homeowners looking for a cleaner energy solution without the bulky setup of traditional photovoltaic panels, these solar roof tiles offer a space-efficient alternative. They blend in seamlessly with a roof’s appearance and don’t require extra space. While many companies provide solar roof tiles, Paxos has taken an innovative approach by integrating them with heat pumps. In collaboration with TH Köln University of Applied Sciences, Paxos spent two years developing a prototype that generates both electricity and heat. The team tested various factors like temperature, optical loss, environmental conditions, and safety. Their findings showed that the heat pump's performance improved by nearly 25%, depending on weather and heating needs.

Now, Paxos has partnered with Longi to mass-produce these tiles. Each tile measures 23.45 x 18.89 inches and delivers 44 watts of power, with five tiles generating up to 190 watts in just 10 square feet of roof space. Paxos intentionally designed these tiles larger than competitors' models to allow faster installation and higher power output. The tiles are installed using a support rail system above a water-bearing layer. Air flows under the tiles, and when the air heats up, it is collected and funneled into the heat pump, further boosting efficiency. A study by the University of Cologne found that homes using these solar tiles required 20% less energy for heating over a year.

Paxos also claims that their solar tiles are lighter and take half the time to install compared to traditional roofing methods.

Entertainment

7.5 Million Matchsticks

Meet Patrick Acton, who’s love for working with his hands combined with the abundance of matchsticks during Iowa's long 1970s winters, gave rise to a hobby that would eventually catapult him to global fame. What started as crafting small barns and churches from matchsticks turned into a career that earned him a spot with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and led to the creation of his own museum, Matchstick Marvels.

At 70, Acton continues to work in the same basement workshop he began in over 40 years ago. Today, his creations are far more elaborate: a life-sized flying locomotive crafted from a million matchsticks, a scaled-down Millennium Falcon, a two-headed dragon, intricate castles, and even the U.S. Capitol building. Each piece is meticulously made from the smallest, most unassuming materials—matchsticks.

Acton’s first project was a simple country church made from around 500 matchsticks. Though initially tedious, his wife’s suggestion to buy matchsticks without sulfur heads in bulk transformed his hobby, allowing him to create his massive, awe-inspiring works today.

Check out his amazing works in the video below:

World News

Genetics Study Reveals Easter Island Population Collapse is a Myth

For years, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has been cited as a cautionary tale of ecological collapse. Known for its giant stone heads, or moai, the island's population was thought to have dwindled due to overuse of natural resources, leading to societal breakdown. However, a new genetic study published in Nature debunks this long-held theory.

Led by an international team of scientists from the University of Copenhagen, the study found no evidence of a dramatic population collapse before European contact in 1722. "Our analysis shows a stable population from the 13th century through the 18th century, contradicting the idea of a pre-contact collapse," said Víctor Moreno-Mayar, assistant professor of geogenetics at Copenhagen. The researchers analyzed genomes from 15 Rapanui individuals who lived between 1670 and 1950, finding no signs of a reduced gene pool that would indicate a population crash. The collapse theory argued that the islanders depleted their resources, particularly trees, to build and transport the moai, eventually leading to famine, violence, and even cannibalism. But genetic evidence now suggests that the Rapanui adapted to environmental challenges over centuries, maintaining societal stability until disrupted by European contact. Previous studies had questioned the collapse theory based on archaeological and population dynamics data, but this is the first time genetics has been used to address the issue.

Researchers now believe that while the island's landscape did change between the 13th and 18th centuries, the Rapanui people were resilient and resourceful. "The population stability shows they adapted to the environmental challenges they faced," said Bárbara Sousa da Mota from the University of Lausanne, co-author of the study. Moreno-Mayar further argued that the idea of ecological suicide was part of a colonial narrative, casting the islanders as unable to manage their resources, a claim refuted by the genetic findings.

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Mind Stretchers

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It cannot be seen, it cannot be felt, it cannot be heard, it cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, ends life, kills laughter. What is it?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:

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