Breaking news
Coal power stations are polluting and expensive, and the falling cost of clean energy is pushing the dirty fossil fuel to the brink of extinction, a report has found. Analysis showed installing environmentally-friendly energy sources, such as wind and solar farms, is cheaper than the running costs of 39 per cent of global coal stations. … Read more
A simulation created stunning sunsets from alien worlds across the solar system. The animation transports viewers to the surface of Venus, Mars, Uranus and Saturn’s largest moon Titan, allowing them to witness the sun dip into the horizon. As a planet rotates away from the sun’s light, photons scattered in different directions that produce an … Read more
A dramatic ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse appeared in the skies above Africa and Asia this morning as the Earth, Moon and Sun aligned. The display, dubbed an annular eclipse, happens when the Moon is at the furthest point from Earth in its orbit, meaning it only blocks out 99 per cent of the sun’s … Read more
Spectacular ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse will be visible in parts of Asia and Africa this weekend as the Moon blocks out over 99 per cent of the Sun’s light Spectacle – dubbed annular eclipse – happens when Moon partially blocks Sun It is expected to first appear at 4.45am BST in the skies above … Read more
New ‘sun clock’ predicts when Earth’s star will wake from its slumber, helping experts prepare for extreme space weather events that knock out power grids and satellites The sun is currently sleeping, but experts say an awakening is imminent When it wakes, it will increase solar activity and create extreme space weather Scientists have now designed … Read more
Knowing the speed of solar eruptions when they reach the Earth can help space weather forecasters protect astronauts and satellites, study claims. Currently forecasters focus on the size of coronal mass ejections coming from the Sun, rather than their speed, when warning of any possible impact they might have. Coronal mass ejections are caused by … Read more
Renewable energy sources accounted for the majority of power used in the US in 2019, the first time since before 1885 that coal was not the country’s main source of power A new report from the US government found renewables overtook coal in 2019 It was the first year since before 1885 that coal was … Read more
Britain’s biggest solar farm – the size of almost 1,000 football pitches – gets green light in Kent countryside despite fears it will harm the local area Cleve Hill solar park will be capable of generating enough electricity to power more than 91,000 homes It is the first of its kind to be classified as … Read more
Scientists say they’ve created a device that allows electricity to be generated from the shadows. The shadow-effect energy generator (SEG), developed in Singapore, makes use of the contrast in illumination between lit and shadowed areas to generate electricity. The low-cost flexible device, which powered a watch in experiments, even gives an advantage over commercially available … Read more
Peterborough has the most houses with solar panels on the roof of any city or town in the UK, a study has revealed. The Cambridgeshire city has more than 9,000 solar panel installations, enough to equip 11.1 per cent of the local authority’s 82,000 households. Analysis of 371 local authorities across England, Scotland and Wales … Read more