AI Finds Materials for Better Batteriesđ
Scientists used artificial intelligence to discover five new materials that could make batteries better than current lithium-ion batteries. These new materials might be cheaper, safer, and more powerful.
The Problem With Current Batteries
Most batteries today use lithium, which has problems:
- Limited supply
- Can be expensive
- Environmental concerns
The Solution: New Battery Types
Researchers are looking at batteries that use more common materials like:
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Calcium
- Aluminum
Why These New Batteries Are Better
These new "multivalent-ion" batteries can:
- Store more energy
- Use more common materials
- Potentially last longer
How AI Helped
Finding the right materials was like looking for a needle in a haystack. AI helped by:
- Quickly testing millions of possible material combinations
- Identifying the most promising options
- Saving years of laboratory testing
The AI system found five completely new materials that could work perfectly for these next-generation batteries.
What's Next?
Scientists will now:
- Make these materials in real labs
- Test how well they work in actual batteries
- Work toward making these batteries available for everyday use
This AI approach could also help discover new materials for other technologies, not just batteries.
Quantum Startups Push Boundaries of Computing Power
Sandia National Laboratories has joined a national effort to help the United States reclaim its position as a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing through the CHIPS and Science Act.
The Decline of US Chip Dominance
While the US produced over 35% of the world's semiconductors in the 1990s, today it makes:
- Only 12% of global chips
- 0% of the most advanced processors
Work in Sandia's Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies cleanroom (Credit: Sandia National Laboratories)
The CHIPS Act Comeback Plan
Sandia is the first national lab to join the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) with goals to:
- Develop cutting-edge "chiplet" designs
- Create quantum-ready processors
- Boost US production to 25% of advanced chips by 2032
Why This Matters
The pandemic chip shortage showed the risks:
- Modern cars need 1,400-3,000+ chips each
- Global competitors are investing $300 billion+
- US needs 60,000-70,000 new semiconductor workers
Chip testing at Sandia's MESAFab facility (Credit: Sandia National Laboratories)
Sandia's Key Advantages
- MESA facility: Advanced chip development capabilities
- $12 billion R&D: Including $3B for chiplet packaging
- Workforce development: Training future STEM professionals
- Tech sharing: Opening facilities to industry partners
We're helping develop suppliers and strengthen capabilities. We have a front row seat to what semiconductor technology will look like over the next 20 years. â Mary Monson
Origin of Coronovirus
Coronavirus (COVID-19) started in Wuhan, China in 2019. Scientists believe it came from animals and then spread to humans. It moves through the air when people cough, sneeze, or talk, and by touching things. Very soon it spread to the whole world, becoming a pandemic in 2020. Millions of people got sick or died. Life changed: schools closed, jobs stopped, people stayed home, wore masks, and used sanitizers. Experts say the virus was not made by humans. The world learned we must have strong healthcare, vaccines, and global teamwork to fight such sickness in the future.
Scientists believe that COVID-19 (caused by SARS-CoV-2) most likely originated in bats, since the virus is genetically very close to coronaviruses found in certain bat species.
However, bats may not have passed it directly to humans. Instead, there might have been an intermediate animal host (like the pangolin, which also carries similar coronaviruses). The exact chain from animal to human is still not fully proven.
- Main source: Bats đŠ
- Possible intermediate: : Pangolin đŸ or another wild animal, still uncertain
- Final host: Humans đ€
How it Spreads?
The virus moves from one person to another when people cough, sneeze, talk, or touch. Because people travel on airplanes and trains, it quickly spread to many countries. In March 2020, the world called it a pandemic (a sickness everywhere).
Was it Human Invention?
Most experts say no. The virus looks natural and came from animals. Some people think it might have come from a lab by accident, but there is no proof it was made on purpose.
How it effect in our life's
- Health: Many people got sick or died.
- Economy: Shops and offices closed, so money problems grew.
- Education: Schools used online classes instead of classrooms.
- Life Style: People wore masks, washed hands often, and stayed home more.
Solar-Powered Ambush Drones
In Ukraineâs Kherson region, near the Dnipro bridge, a Russian drone has been seen with solar panels on it. This is not a normal drone, it is a first-person view (FPV) drone made for attacks. Because of the solar cells, the drone could stay in the sky for a very long time without running out of power. This means it could watch the battlefield and even attack at any time. Experts say this might change how drones are used in war.
Ambush Drones Evolve with Solar Power
FPV drones (first-person view drones) are now often used in surprise attacks. They can land on roads, rooftops, or fields and wait quietly for a target. The operator can use another spotter drone or the FPVâs own camera to find when the right moment comes to attack. Now, with solar panels like the one seen in Kherson, a drone could keep its battery charged and wait almost forever. An OSINT analyst (DanielR) explained that these solar panels are very practical. A small one, about 5 watts, weighs less than 0.5 pounds and costs under $50, making them easy to get.
- Landing legs let drones see above grass or plants.
- Fiber-optic cables use less power, so the drone can wait longer.
New upgrades help them work better:
Technical Feasibility and Limitations
A small 5-watt solar panel can make about 15â45 watt-hours of energy in a day, depending on the sunlight. An FPV drone normally uses over 100 watts when flying, but when it is resting on the ground, it only needs about 7 watt-hours per day. If the camera stays on, it needs about 5 watts. This means the drone can watch during the day and still have enough power to keep working.
The Kherson drone with solar cells looks simple and not perfect. The panels may even block the propellers, which could make flying harder.
This idea is not new. In 2022, the University of Washington built a drone with folding solar cells. It could recharge in 3 hours and then fly for 5 minutes. In 2024, Johannes Kepler University Linz tested special lightweight solar cells (perovskite) that gave 44 watts per gram. These could recharge a toy drone without adding much weight.
All this shows that solar-powered drones are slowly becoming real tools for long missions.
Tactical and Strategic Implications
In Ukraineâs Kherson region, a Russian FPV drone with solar panels has been seen. The panels let the drone recharge in sunlight, allowing it to wait on rooftops or fields for long periods before attacking.
FPV drones normally use over 100 watts in flight, but only need a few watts when resting. With solar power, they could act like cheap, mobile minefields, moving slowly into enemy areas.
Solar panels cost under $50, making them easy to get. The Kherson drone looks basic, but it shows how solar-powered ambush drones could soon change battlefield tactics.
The Russian solar-powered drone, though not perfect, shows a move toward drones that last longer and use less energy. As solar panels improve and designs get better, these drones could become a normal part of armies, used for watching and attacking at low cost. For drone experts and fans, itâs a clear sign to watch solar technology closely, since itâs quickly becoming part of unmanned systems.
