Hello, and welcome to The Edge, the newsletter that brings you groundbreaking stories from the frontiers of technology and science.
We’ve got some great stories for you today including “radioactive gobstoppers” that could prevent future nuclear meltdowns, a new land speed record attempt for a unique motorbike and a newly spotted planet with an exposed core. For today’s Start-up Stories we’ll be talking about Solidia. As always, we’ve added extra stories under each article should you find yourself in a curious state of mind.'
Triso fuel could prevent nuclear meltdowns
The solution? Graphite-coated balls of uranium. Image credit: X-energy/Victor Tangermann
“Radioactive Gobstoppers” Could Stop the Next Nuclear Reactor Meltdown
“Radioactive gobstoppers” - that’s how Wired likened the tiny graphite-coated balls of uranium that researchers hope could eliminate the risk of meltdowns in US nuclear power plants completely.
Known as Triso fuel (tristructural isotropic particle), the tiny balls are low enriched uranium and oxygen. The uranium and oxygen is surrounded by a shell of ceramic and graphite. The design isn’t new - around since the ‘60s, the solution was too expensive to make and implement, but that’s no longer the case. The balls are designed to stop uranium from melting, even at 3,200 degrees Fahrenheit (1,760 degrees Celcius).
According to Paul Demkowicz, director of the Advanced Gas Reactor Field Development and Qualification Program at Idaho National Laboratory, modern reactor designs make it impossible to exceed such temperatures, as the reactor essentially shuts down if these temperatures are reached. When you combine these safer reactors with the meltdown-proof Triso fuel, you’re essentially left with an accident-proof reactor. Triso fuel is also very cost-efficient. Previous reactors used control rods, which are tubes made of boron, silver and other elements, capable of absorbing excess neutrons. The rods are extremely expensive and very large. By using the Triso fuel, in which the reacting uranium is already placed inside a protective shell, costs are cut considerably.
The many uses of nuclear energy
Meet Wattman, Voxan’s new electric motorbike
Electrifying speeds. Image credit: Voxan Wattman / Venturi
New Electric Motorcycle Aims for Land Speed World Record
According to Voxan’s website, a new electric bike is rolling off the assembly line - the Voxan Wattman.
The bike’s sole purpose is to claim the record for the world’s fastest electric motorbike. The original plan was to break the record sometime this month, but those plans have been delayed until 2021. Six-time motorcycle world champion Max Biaggi will be attempting to break the record when he races across the Salar de Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia in July 2021.
The Wattman’s 425-horsepower engine is powered by a 15.9-kilowatt-hour battery. The difference between this bike and most electric street motorbikes is how this power is used. Most bikes can go for hours on a single charge - the Wattmann dumps all its energy in just a few minutes. Such a quick power dump generates a lot of heat. Voxan engineers have solved that problem by using dry ice. Specifically, frozen carbon dioxide is stored in a reservoir inside the bike and helps cool down the batteries and motor. Ultimately, the plan for Voxan is for the Wattmann to reach a top speed of at least 330 kilometres per hour, breaking the old record of 327
The fastest electric vehicles
Planetary cores at a distance
Artist’s depiction a Neptune-sized planet. Image credit: University of Warwick/Mark Garlick
Exposed planetary core spotted circling distant star
Astronomers have spotted something amazing and never before seen - the exposed core of a massive planet.
The core, known as TOI-849b, is a find like no other and could hide a wealth of incredible information about the formation of planets as well as planet diversity and evolution. David Armstrong, lead author of the study reporting the discovery, says that "The discovery of this planet shows that planet formation and evolution proceeds in unusual ways not anticipated from studying the solar system,"
It was NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) that discovered TOI-849b, by using the transit method. TESS’ observations revealed that TOI-849b is very close to its host star, completing an orbit every 18 hours.
Some seriously exciting exoplanets
Massive storage, old-school
Tape storage is the way to go. Image credit: Fujifilm
Fujifilm Claims Its Boosted Tape Storage to 400TB Per Cartridge
There’s a case to be made for tape memory cartridges. Pulling data off a tape drive is not nearly as fast as the speeds achieved with hard drives, flash drives or even discs and IBM tape reader will cost close to $6,000. This is pricey, but for corporations who need to store large amounts of data for a long time, it makes a great deal of sense - especially as Fujifilm believe they can push tape storage to 400TB.
However, don’t get rid of your current cartridges just yet. While the prospect of a 400TB drive is exciting, progress in the field takes a while. As such, it likely won’t be until 2030 that you can get your hands on one.
How storage technology has changed
Start-up Stories
Solidia
Image credit: Solidia
Cement production is a major contributor to climate change, causing around 7% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
To combat this problem, New Jersey-based Solidia use a patented process of cement production that is more environmentally friendly. Their cement formula replaces limestone with a synthetic material that requires less energy and lower temperature than conventional methods.
The cement also absorbs CO2 as it hardens. Combined, all of this results in a production process with a 70% smaller carbon footprint.