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Algorithms trained on historical data make more accurate forecasts of population changes than demographic modeling
Machine learning algorithms can be used to make accurate forecasts about changes in population, according to research published in the International Journal of Data Science. The work demonstrates that the best of the available algorithms trained on historical data works better than conventional demographic modeling based on periodic census data.... Read more
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How NZ could become a world leader in decarbonization using forestry and geothermal technology
Energy is the double-edged sword at the root of the climate crisis. Cheap energy has improved lives and underpinned massive economic growth. But because most of it comes from burning hydrocarbon fuels, we're now left with a legacy of high atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and an emissions-intensive economy.... Read more
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Opinion: Greenwashing decarbonization
An important piece of reporting by the New York Times and advocacy by the Environmental Defense Fund provides insight into the complexity of decarbonization and the need for care when auditing corporate climate disclosures. According to the Times' Hiroko Tabuchi:... Read more
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Cryptocurrencies: Why they've crashed and what it could mean for their future
If you had invested £100 (US$122) in the cryptocurrency Luna a month ago, you might have been quietly confident you'd made a sensible bet. But Luna's value has since fallen drastically—at the time of writing, that £100 is worth around 4p (5¢).... Read more
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Vodafone calls up surging annual profit
British telecoms giant Vodafone on Tuesday logged surging annual net profit on rising sales and sliding tax, one day after revealing that an Emirati firm has become its biggest investor.... Read more
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Machine learning improves control performance for future high-tech systems
Learning control algorithms, especially in combination with machine learning, enable the development of intelligent controllers that learn automatically from the abundance of available data, enabling an excellent trade-off between accuracy, speed, and cost.... Read more
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Improved wind forecasts save consumers millions in energy costs
Wind energy is occupying an increasingly large share of the energy landscape, which comes with an increasing reliance on the intermittent nature of wind.... Read more
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Mapping how energy flows in organic solar cells
Efficient and environmentally friendly solar cells are required for a transition to a fossil-free energy supply. Researchers at Linköping University have mapped how energy flows in organic solar cells, something that previously had been unknown. The results, which can contribute to more efficient solar cells, are published in Nature Communications.... Read more
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The colors of hydrogen explained
Hydrogen has emerged as the energy technology that could help nations like Australia to decarbonize their economies. But did you know that, beyond green and blue hydrogen, there's a whole rainbow of hydrogen types?... Read more
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Making ships eco-friendlier and more fuel efficient with a layer of air
Maritime transport is the backbone of global trade. However, it harms the environment by releasing around 940 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. A factor that contributes to the maritime transport sector's greenhouse gas emissions is biofouling—the build-up of microorganisms, algae, plants or small marine animals... Read more
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'Night-time solar' technology can now deliver power in the dark
UNSW researchers have made a major breakthrough in renewable energy technology by producing electricity from so-called "night-time" solar power.... Read more
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Expanded nanoscale imaging provides a clearer vision for the future of batteries
Battery cells are complex and evolving systems, and every particle has a story to tell.... Read more
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Digital inequality: Why can I enter your building, but your website shows me the door?
When people hear the term "accessibility" in the context of disability, most will see images of ramps, automatic doors, elevators, or tactile paving (textured ground which helps vision impaired people navigate public spaces). These are physical examples of inclusive practice that most people understand.... Read more
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Artificial intelligence job hiring outperforms human hiring, but humans don't want to use it
Artificial intelligence (AI) job hiring is equal to or better than human hiring, but people react negatively towards it, according to a new study published in Artificial Intelligence Review by The Inclusion Initiative at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).... Read more
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Hydropower's future is clouded by droughts, floods and climate change. It's also essential to the US electric grid
The water in Lake Powell, one of the nation's largest reservoirs, has fallen so low amid the Western drought that federal officials are resorting to emergency measures to avoid shutting down hydroelectric power at the Glen Canyon Dam.... Read more