Electron Control: Transforming Clean Energy with Nanotechnology

The Lens of “Normal”: How it Prevents Real Solutions

When faced with problems, our tendency as humans is to look at the world through the lens of “normal.” We believe that the way things are is how they should be and that any deviation from that is abnormal. This way of thinking can be a major obstacle to finding real solutions.

The speaker in the video provides an example of this with the B15 iceberg that broke off the Ross Ice Shelf. The news referred to it as a “normal process,” but the reality is that there was nothing normal about it. The iceberg was massive and had a weight of two gigatons. It was a clear indication that something was wrong, yet we continued to view it through the lens of normal.

The same lens can prevent us from finding solutions to other problems, such as climate change. We continue to rely on fossil fuels, even though they are not sustainable in the long term. The idea of using renewable energy sources like solar and wind power is often dismissed as unrealistic or abnormal.

To find real solutions to these problems, we need to shift our perspective and stop viewing the world through the lens of normal. We need to be open to new ideas and approaches, even if they seem unconventional at first. By doing so, we can find innovative solutions that will help us tackle the challenges we face.

The speaker’s company, formed by a group of brilliant scientists from universities around the world, is an excellent example of this. They have developed amazing discoveries in the lab that have the potential to take us to a cleaner, safer, and cheaper energy future.

In conclusion, we must challenge our perceptions of what is “normal” if we hope to find real solutions to the problems we face. By hugging new ideas and looking at things from a different perspective, we can achieve incredible breakthroughs and create a better future for ourselves and future generations.

The B15 Iceberg and the Misuse of the Word “Normal”

When the B15 iceberg broke off the Ross Ice Shelf in March 2000, news reports referred to it as a “normal process.” However, as the speaker in the video points out, there was nothing normal about it.

The B15 iceberg was massive, weighing in at two gigatons. It was a clear indication that something was wrong with the planet’s climate. However, the use of the word “normal” to describe this event reflects a broader problem with how we view the world.

As humans, we tend to view the world through the lens of normal. We believe that the way things are is how they should be and that any deviation from that is abnormal. This way of thinking can be a major obstacle to finding real solutions to the problems we face.

The misuse of the word “normal” in reference to the B15 iceberg is just one example of this. It reflects a broader problem with how we perceive the world and the challenges we face. We tend to view the world through a narrow lens, which can prevent us from seeing things in a new light and finding innovative solutions.

To find real solutions to the problems we face, we need to be willing to challenge our perceptions of what is normal. We need to be open to new ideas and approaches, even if they seem unconventional at first. By doing so, we can break through the obstacles that prevent us from finding real solutions and create a better future for ourselves and future generations.

In conclusion, the misuse of the word “normal” in reference to the B15 iceberg highlights a broader problem with how we view the world. To find real solutions, we need to be willing to challenge our perceptions and look at things in a new light. By doing so, we can break through the obstacles that prevent us from finding real solutions and create a better future for ourselves and future generations.

From the Human Genome to the Smallest Places: Seeking Real Solutions

The speaker in the video highlights how the answer to some of our biggest problems could be found in the smallest of places. He notes that the human genome, the code that makes us who we are, is present in every single one of our 50 trillion cells. If we take just one cell’s worth of this code and unwind it, it is a meter long and two nanometers thick. Two nanometers is just 20 atoms in thickness.

The speaker wonders what if the answer to some of our biggest problems could be found in places where the difference between what is valuable and what is worthless is merely the addition or subtraction of a few atoms. What if we could get exquisite control over the essence of energy, the electron?

The speaker and his team went around the world finding the best and brightest scientists they could at universities whose collective discoveries have the chance to take us to a cleaner, safer, and cheaper energy future. The team formed a company to build on their extraordinary ideas.

One of the materials that they discovered is a remarkable material, carbon, that changes its form in an incredibly beautiful reaction where graphite is blasted by a vapor. When the vaporized carbon condenses, it condenses back into a different form: chicken wire rolled up. This chicken wire carbon, called a carbon nanotube, is a hundred thousand times smaller than the width of one of your hairs. It is a thousand times more conductive than copper.

Working at the nanoscale, where things look and act very differently, opens up new possibilities for finding solutions to the problems we face. By looking at the world through a different lens and hugging new ideas, we can make incredible breakthroughs that can change the world for the better.

Using Nanotechnology to Control Energy and Heat

The speaker in the video talks about how nanotechnology can be used to control energy and heat in new ways. He notes that we spend a tremendous amount of energy trying to keep our spaces cool in the summer and warm in the winter. What if we could find ways to harness the energy that is already coming into our spaces from the sun and reflect away the excess heat or retain it when we need it?

One of the materials that can do this is carbon nanotubes. When combined with a polymer and affixed to a window, it can reflect away all heat and light in its colored state, and let all the light and heat through in its bleached state. By changing its state, which only takes two volts from a millisecond pulse, it can stay there until it’s changed again.

The speaker also talks about an incredible new discovery made by a scientist he met while working on this project. This scientist created a nanomaterial that can detect and image infrared radiation. The total width of this material is 600 times smaller than the width of a decimal place. It takes all the infrared available at night, converts it into an electron in the space of two small films, and enables you to play an image that you can see through.

By using nanotechnology in this way, we can find new and innovative solutions to the problems we face. We can harness the energy that is already available to us and use it in more efficient and effective ways. By hugging these new ideas, we can create a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future for ourselves and future generations.

Infrared Nanomaterials: A New Way to See in the Dark

In the video, the speaker discusses an incredible discovery made by a group of scientists at the University of Texas at Dallas. They created an infrared nanomaterial that can detect and image infrared radiation. This technology could transform the way we see in the dark.

The nanomaterial is made up of two small films and is 600 times smaller than the width of a decimal place. It takes all the infrared available at night, converts it into an electron, and enables you to play an image that you can see through. This technology could have a wide range of applications, from helping firefighters navigate in smoke-filled buildings to helping drivers see in the dark.

The speaker also notes that combining this technology with others, such as the carbon nanotubes discussed earlier, could lead to even more innovative solutions. For example, by combining the infrared nanomaterial with a plastic surface, we could convert energy into an electron on a surface that can be stuck to any window. Because it’s flexible, it can be on any surface whatsoever.

By using nanotechnology in this way, we can find new and innovative solutions to the problems we face. We can create technologies that are more efficient, effective, and sustainable. And we can make our lives better by enabling us to do things we never thought possible.

EBox: Storing Energy in Nanomaterials

The speaker goes on to discuss a new way of storing energy using nanomaterials called EBox. Developed by a group of scientists in Texas, EBox uses nanomaterials to park an electron on the outside and hold it until it’s needed. This technology could transform the way we store energy.

The lead-acid battery, developed over 150 years ago in France, is still the best way of storing energy in terms of dollars per what’s stored. But, as the speaker notes, we’re not going to put fifty of these in our basements to store our power. Instead, EBox allows us to generate energy cleanly, efficiently, and cheaply right where we are.

By being able to park electrons in nanomaterials and release them when we need them, we can generate energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind power and store it for later use. This would allow us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and move towards a cleaner, more sustainable future.

With the development of EBox and other innovative technologies, the speaker believes that the power plant of tomorrow is no power plant. Instead, we can generate and store our own energy, making it more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for everyone.

Water Desalination and the Role of Cheap, Clean Energy

The last piece of the puzzle that the speaker discusses is water desalination. As the world’s population grows and water becomes scarcer in some areas, we will need to find ways of extracting water from the sea. This requires a lot of energy, and current methods rely on burning fossil fuels, which is neither sustainable nor clean.

However, with the development of cheap, clean energy, the speaker believes we can change this. By using renewable energy sources to power water desalination plants, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and make clean, fresh water more accessible to everyone.

The speaker notes that it’s estimated that we will need to spend $19 trillion to build desalination plants to meet the world’s growing water needs. However, if we can generate and transmit energy cheaply and efficiently, we can take any water and turn it into whatever we need, wherever we are.

With the development of nanomaterials, we can park electrons and release them when we need them, generating energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind power. This could transform the way we think about energy and water, making them more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for everyone.

Solving Our Problems: Exquisite Control over the Simple Electron

The speaker believes that the key to solving many of our problems lies in achieving exquisite control over the simple electron. With the development of nanotechnology, we can manipulate the properties of electrons, such as their conductivity and energy, to create new materials and devices with unprecedented capabilities.

For example, by using carbon nanotubes, we can create a transparent and flexible film that can reflect away all heat and light or let it through in any combination. This material could be used to create windows that regulate temperature and lighting, reducing the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning.

Additionally, the speaker discusses the development of nanomaterials that can store and release energy, such as the EBox. By using these materials, we can generate and store clean energy from renewable sources and use it when and where we need it, without relying on traditional power grids.

The speaker concludes that by achieving exquisite control over the simple electron, we can develop real solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems, including energy, water, and climate change. With the right investments in research and development, we can create a cleaner, more sustainable, and more equitable future for all.

Conclusion

The issues facing our planet can often seem insurmountable, but as we have seen, innovative solutions are within reach. By looking beyond the lens of “normal” and exploring the smallest of places, we can find answers to some of our biggest problems.

Nanotechnology is an exciting area of research that has already yielded promising results. The use of nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and infrared nanomaterials, has allowed for the development of materials that can control energy and heat, as well as enable us to see in the dark. Additionally, the use of EBox for storing energy has the potential to transform the way we generate and use power.

Perhaps most exciting of all is the prospect of using cheap, clean energy to tackle the issue of water desalination. With the world’s population set to grow and water resources becoming increasingly scarce, this is a problem that must be addressed. The development of technologies that can turn seawater into drinkable water, without relying on the world’s already overtaxed supply of oil, could be a game-changer.

It is clear that real solutions to our biggest problems are within reach, but it will require a collective effort to implement them. By investing in research and development, and by hugging the potential of nanotechnology, we can work towards a future that is sustainable, equitable, and prosperous for all.

The journey towards a better future may be a long one, but as long as we continue to strive for progress, we can be confident that we are moving in the right direction. Let us be inspired by the work of those who have come before us and continue to push the boundaries of what is possible.