Wednesday, October 5, 2022

How to Protect Puerto Rico's Power Grid from Hurricanes

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October 04, 2022

Dear Reader,
 

Five years after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, Hurricane Fiona struck the island. In the wake of these and other disasters, engineers are trying to make Puerto Rico's power grid more resilient—and renewable energy sources can help.

Sophie Bushwick, Associate Editor, Technology

Natural Disasters

How to Protect Puerto Rico's Power Grid from Hurricanes

Energy experts say localized solar plants could strengthen Puerto Rico’s dangerously fragile grid

By Anna Blaustein

Statistics

Statistics Are Being Abused, but Mathematicians Are Fighting Back

An expert explains how numbers can mislead and what she’s doing to help people understand them better

By Manon Bischoff

Fossil Fuels

What Do Mysterious Nord Stream Methane Leaks Mean for Climate Change?

Researchers are rushing to calculate the greenhouse-gas emissions resulting from mysterious leaks in major gas pipelines that connect Russia to Europe

By Katharine Sanderson,Nature magazine

Engineering

For the 'First Lady of Engineering,' Freedom Meant Facing Down Racism and Sexism--And Breaking Her Own Rules

Yvonne Y. Clark, known as Y.Y. throughout her career, had a lifetime of groundbreaking achievements as a Black female mechanical engineer. In the second episode of the newest season of the Lost Women of Science podcast, we see Y.Y.’s true grit as she fights for recognition and a place at the science table

By Katie Hafner,Carol Sutton Lewis,The Lost Women of Science Initiative

Culture

'Longtermism' Movement Misses the Importance of War

A moral movement called longtermism, which focuses on protecting humanity’s future, dwells too much on artificial intelligence and not enough on war

By John Horgan

Materials Science

Mistletoe's Ridiculously Clingy Seeds Could Make a Biological Glue

The festive parasite mistletoe’s sticky prowess explained

By Jack Tamisiea

Biotech

Moth Wings Are Beautiful in Infrared Light

Drab brown moths’ infrared glittering could be key to tracking different species through the night

By Daniel Lingenhöhl,Sasha Warren

Biotech

'Devilfish' Could Help Treat Wastewater from Ceramics

Invasive suckermouths can be transformed into an industrial water cleaner

By Gary Hartley

Fossil Fuels

Fossil-Fuel Money Will Undermine Stanford's New Sustainability School

Stanford University’s Doerr School of Sustainability will take energy industry donations, which will warp priorities and research agendas

By Naomi Oreskes
FROM THE STORE

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"No one knows if using a tactical nuclear weapon would trigger full-scale nuclear war. Nevertheless, the risk of escalation is very real. Those on the receiving end of a nuclear strike are not likely to ask whether it was tactical or strategic."

Nina Tannenwald, Scientific American

FROM THE ARCHIVE

Repair or Renovate? Puerto Rico Faces Stark Power Grid Options

The island wants to upgrade its infrastructure, but must first wait for the lights to come back on

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