☢️ 37 million degree fusion, Laser-treated cork, Cannabis film developer

Plus: Trucks extract geothermal energy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 April 24, 2024 | [Read Online]( Sponsored by A small-scale and compact device built by US-based fusion startup Zap Energy has achieved plasma electron temperatures of 1-3 keV, roughly equivalent to 20 to 66 million degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 37 million degrees Celsius). In nearly a century of humanity working with fusion reactions, only a few technologies have reached plasma fusion temperatures above 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius) — the temperature of our Sun’s core. For more on how the device works, check out today’s[Â]([Must-Read]([.]( 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: >[Â]([Sr. Full Stack Engineer, Fully Remote]( > [Software Engineer Lead]( 🎙 New podcast [Turning waste into power for a green revolution]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST READ ☢️ US startup’s fusion energy device reaches 37-million-degree temperature Zap Energy uses a plasma confinement scheme called the [Fusion Z-pinch Experiment (FuZe)]( to ensure that electrons do not cool rapidly. In this approach, large electric currents are channeled through thin plasma filaments, generating the plasma’s electromagnetic fields that heat it while compressing it. The problem with this approach, however, was that the resultant plasmas were [short-lived](. Zap Energy has addressed this by applying a dynamic flow through the plasma, a process called sheared-flow stabilization. The team has achieved plasma electron temperatures of 1-3 keV, roughly equivalent to 20 to 66 million degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 37 million degrees Celsius). Interestingly, Zap Energy’s next project, Fuze-Q, has an energy capacity ten times bigger than FuZe and can reach much [higher temperatures.]( 🪵 Scientists create laser-treated cork that absorbs oil spills Though the number of [oil spills]( may have decreased since the 1990s, about 3,000 metric tons were reported to have spilled in 2023. Currently, chemical dispersion is the primary method to remove oil from water, but these chemicals are toxic. Thus, it is imperative to find a better solution to clean it up as fast as possible. That was the plan for a group of researchers who found an ingenuous solution by accident:[cork.]( They tested the cork with a fast-pulsing laser— all low-cost—at a variety of frequencies to arrive at the perfect balance of properties that make it an optimal oil-removing material on water. In their experiments, this laser-treated cork soaked up oil out of water in two minutes. Even more amazingly, it is particularly water-repellant, so the oil could be [recycled and reused](, they found. 🌿 Photographer develops film using weed, in a world’s first This “4/20” (April 20), an international day celebrating the [smoking of cannabis](, was made memorable by Dmitri Tcherbadji, a photographer in Vancouver, Canada. Dmitri, who writes for the Analog Cafe website, conducted a [unique photography experiment]( using cannabis. He has created the world’s first film developer made from cannabis flowers, which he calls “Sativa Cannanol.” This development is interesting considering that, traditionally, black-and-white film development relies on commercially produced chemicals. Besides, photographers typically use alternative, homemade developers such as Caffenol, made with [instant coffee.]( Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR Invest before this company becomes a household name What if you had the opportunity to invest in the biggest electronics products before they launched into big box retail, would you? Ring changed doorbells and Nest changed thermostats. Early investors in these companies earned massive returns, but the opportunity to invest was limited to a select, wealthy few. Not anymore.[RYSE]( has just launched in 100+ Best Buy stores, and you're in luck — you can still invest at only $1.50/share before their name becomes known nationwide. They have patented the only mass market shade automation device, and their exclusive deal with Best Buy resembles that which led Ring and Nest to their billion-dollar buyouts. [Learn how you can become a shareholder.]( HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > A recent discovery by MIT researchers challenges our traditional understanding of evaporation. Their findings reveal that light, not just heat, plays a crucial role in driving this phenomenon. ([More]() > Space shrapnel from the defunct Russian Cosmos 2221 satellite narrowly missed NASA’s TIMED spacecraft. Had the two collided, it would have created a catastrophic cascading effect in low Earth orbit. ([More]() > Scientists have discovered, in yet-to-be-published research, that Beirut’s overdependency on diesel-based generators in the past five years has increased the risk of developing cancer by twofold. ([More]() ENERGY > Mingyang Group, the Chinese manufacturer of the world’s biggest wind turbines, has launched a floating platform, dubbed OceanX, capable of hosting two turbine rotors. ([More]() > China has drilled the deepest geothermal well in the country. The Fushenre-1 well has reached a record depth of 5,200 meters. ([More]() > A German company has developed a special kind of truck that can drive around cities, identifying good places to tap into the Earth and extract geothermal energy. ([More]() INNOVATION > MIT’s new powerful chip thwarts millions of data theft attacks in tests. These new machine-learning accelerator chips aim to enhance data security for health trackers, fitness apps, and other AI-powered devices. ([More]() > From zero to 60 miles per hour (0-95.5 kph) in just 2.7 seconds — these are the statistics for the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance, unveiled on the sidelines of Formula 1 in Shanghai. ([More]() > Israel’s Mentee Robotics has just unveiled its artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled household chore robot, Menteebot. After two years of research and development, the new robot certainly looks impressive. ([More]() VIDEO > Dead spiders could be used as efficient micro-grabbers. Scientists manipulate spider legs hydraulically after death. That way, they can be used to grab fine items instead of using robots. ([More]() > Optics expert Guy Cramer has invented a kind of invisibility shield for soldiers. By misaligning two layers of lenticular lenses, he creates a negative refractive index. That camouflages whatever is behind the lenses. ([More]() > In a groundbreaking development, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has unveiled footage of the first-ever human vs. AI dogfight. So, will we find out who wins? ([More]() IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS In yesterday’s quiz, we asked, How many squares are in the picture? The answer is: 11 Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > Video: Ingenious EEWOC robot uses a tape measure to climb [quickly]( > Reverse engineering the quansheng [hardware]( > Satellite imagery shows system bringing snow to Swiss Alps and dust to [Libya]( > Hydrogen fuelling station opens in South [Auckland]( > Mystery of Plato’s final resting place solved after ‘bionic eye’ penetrates 2,000-year-old [scroll]( > Europe’s longest tunnel for testing hyperloop technology opens in the [Netherlands]( Additional Reads --------------------------------------------------------------- [⚙️ Mechanical:](Explore the wonders of mechanical engineering. [🛩️ Aerospace:]( The latest on propulsion, satellites, aeronautics, and more. [🧑🏻‍🔧 Engineer Pros:]( The latest in engineering news, career updates, and insider knowledge. [🧠AI Logs:]( Insights into the intricacies and developments within the realm of artificial intelligence. 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