Michael Ratliff has been writing for years though he is relatively new to journalism. His interest in journalism stems from a love of science, nature and all things outdoors. Michael is currently employed by Vail Resorts as a children's snowboard instructor. In his spare time he enjoys reading, longboarding and surfing.
A new European Union funded research project called “ROD-SOL” aims to improve the efficiency of thin-film solar cells using nanotechnology. The three year project has a budget of EUR 4 million and may yield a breakthrough for solar power.
Coyote attacks are on the rise in the Denver area this winter. Unfortunately, the simple solution that people have come up with is to shoot coyotes.
A recent discovery shatters the notion that one photon can only excite one electron. Researchers from the joint SLAC-Stanford Pulse Institute for Ultrafast Energy Science are on the move to boost solar cell efficiencies by confirming that a single photon can indeed excite more than one electron in a quantum dot. Are we at the cross roads of a new solar age?
Animals Asia successfully rescued 13 Asian black bears (moon bears) from bile farms in the past month. This is a small step in a continuing fight, as an estimated 7,000-10,000 moon bears still suffer in bile farms across China.
The WWF has called for a halt to Indonesian deforestation in light of the recent tiger maulings that have left 6 people dead in less than a month. The last three victims all appeared to be working at illegal logging camps in protected forests.
The Sumatran tiger (the worlds most endangered tiger subspecies) is having a hard time coping with a diminishing habitat. Forest destruction and fragmentation have led the tigers to lay claim to woods near populated areas.
Solar collectors found on butterfly wings are being investigated as a means to improve the efficiency of a type of thin-film solar cells.
Massachusetts based solar upstart Konarka has developed a low cost thin-film solar material that may one day revolutionize solar power.
Solar companies are beginning to see the benefits in harvesting both forms of the sun’s energy (heat and light) with a single device. On the forefront of this developing trend is Entech Solar, based out of Ewing, NJ, with their ThermaVolt™ solar hybrid system.
A simple chemical process employed by a Cornell University and DuPont research team may pave the way to thinner, lighter and more flexible transistors and solar cells. The long term goal of the project is to use nanotubes to create an economical electronics material that is just as good as silicon.
Imara Corp. has announced a new generation of lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries made specifically for high power devices such as lawnmowers, power tools, hybrid vehicles and even grid storage. The company uses unique materials science technology to provide high-power, high-energy and extended cycle-life batteries and battery packs.
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