Solar panels can sweat too, it appears💦

Scientists devise a system that makes solar panels cool down, scientists reaffirm that humanity causes sea level rise, and NASA built a new, more flexible rover prototype. [Interesting Engineering]( }}) Saturday, 16 May 2020 Today is a notable date in the world of science and engineering. Johannes Georg Bednorz, awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1987, celebrates his 70th birthday. Happy birthday to Johannes from everyone at IE, and we're grateful for [his valuable contributions](. In other news, here are the highlights of today: - Germany's meticulous COVID-19 outbreak modeling [can help other countries](. - Ancient DNA [reveals a missing piece]( of humankind's prehistory of East Asia. - And also, on this day in 1963, Gordon Cooper [completed 22 Earth orbits]( with the spacecraft Faith 7 before splashing it in the Pacific Ocean. Now, onto the rest of today's special selection of science-and-engineering-worthy news. Let's dive right in. Know someone who would enjoy our Daily Newsletter? Just forward this email! First time reading? You can sign up [here]( [New Study Reaffirms Sea-Level Rise Is Linked to Human Activities, Not Changes in Earth's Orbit]( This new research found that the Earth's history of glaciation was more complex than previously thought. [New Study Reaffirms Sea-Level Rise Is Linked to Human Activities, Not Changes in Earth's Orbit]( [Energy & Environment]( [TeamDAF/iStock]( The study took into account the history of sea levels and glaciation since the age of the dinosaurs. The researchers compared global average sea levels with continental margin records. The study is a worrisome reminder that it is up to us to save our planet before it is too late. [> Read More]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Researchers Devise a New System That Makes Solar Panels Sweat so They Can Cool Down]( Researchers have devised a clever plan to make solar panels sweat so that they can cool down and increase their output. [Researchers Devise a New System That Makes Solar Panels Sweat so They Can Cool Down ]( [Energy & Environment]( [DiyanaDimitrova/iStock]( Studies have already shown that cooling solar panels with water can boost their output. But such setups require abundant water which is just not available in arid regions and in developing countries. Read the story to find out the rest. [> Read More]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [NASA RP15 Rover Can Traverse Loose Soil in Space Like a Pro]( Recent mobility challenges led NASA Johnson Space Center to develop a prototype robotic lunar rover Resource Prospector 15 (RP15) capable of wheeled, legged, and crawling behavior. [NASA RP15 Rover Can Traverse Loose Soil in Space Like a Pro]( [Space]( [Science Magazine/Twitter]( The researchers explained how planetary rovers face difficulties in soft soil during extraterrestrial exploration. One such example is NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit that became entrapped due to excessive sinkage in the low cohesion sulfate sands of Troy near the Gusev crater. The researchers found a potential solution to these complications. [> Read More]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Resourceful Guy Turns His Vacuum Into an R2-D2 Robot ] Matthew Scott Hunter/ YouTube [How-to]( [Resourceful Guy Turns His Vacuum Into an R2-D2 Robot]( Writer, filmmaker, and journalist Matthew Scott Hunter came up with a very clever way to turn his vacuum into a Star Wars-themed robot. The transformation will surprise you. [> Read More]( [Microsoft, Seattle Biotech Buying COVID-19 Patients' Blood, Volunteers 'in the Hundreds'] [andresr / iStock]( [Science]( [Microsoft, Seattle Biotech Buying COVID-19 Patients' Blood, Volunteers 'in the Hundreds']( Microsoft and a Seattle-based biotech firm jointly launched a new study to examine how the human immune system fights COVID-19. [> Read More]( [7 of the Strongest Solar Storms in Recorded History] [1](, [2]( [Space]( [7 of the Strongest Solar Storms in Recorded History]( When aimed at Earth, solar storms could potentially be very disastrous for our technologically-dependent civilization. [> Read More]( [Why Virtual Reality is About to Change the World] [Jazilykenneth/Pixabay]( [VR/AR]( [Why Virtual Reality is About to Change the World]( While it may still seem like a niche product today, more and more developers will tackle integrating VR into their apps and devices. [> Read More]( [9 Plane Crashes That Changed the Course of the Aerospace History] 1, 2 [Aerospace]( [9 Plane Crashes That Changed the Course of the Aerospace History]( On occasion, tragic plane crashes have had a silver lining leading to widespread reforms and design for current and future aircraft. [> Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Video of the Day [Yaybahar: An Instrument with a Mesmerizing Sound]( [Yaybahar: An Instrument with a Mesmerizing Sound]( The sound of Yaybahar is not only for your ears. It creates a sound that you can feel the vibrations in your whole body without needing a proper sound system. [> Read More]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [youtube]( [linkedin]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( to manage your newsletter subscriptions. [Display on interestingengineering.com]( Interesting Engineering, Inc 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105 © Copyright 2020 | Interesting Engineering, Inc. All Rights Reserved