🪀 Toy-inspired generator, Starship succeeds, US Tiktok ban

Plus: Fusion tech vaporizes rocks for geothermal energy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 March 15, 2024 | [Read Online]( Inspired by a classic science toy, researchers in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China, have developed an electricity generator that uses water as fuel. The device converts energy from evaporated water into electricity that can power small electronic devices. The dippy bird, or the drinking bird toy, consists of two glass bulbs connected by a glass tube. The top bulb resembles the bird’s beak, while the lower bulb resembles the body. For more on this setup, check out today's [Must Read.]( 👀 Have you signed up for one of our latest, the Vital Component? For our essential roundup of the top engineering, science, and tech news, with must-know stories delivered every Sunday, [Subscribe now.]( 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: >[Â]([Project Engineer, Engine Components]( > [Senior Mixed Signal Design Engineer]( 🎙 New podcast [The satellites of NASA's GPM for rain-triggered hazards]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST READ 🪀 Classic classroom toy inspires scientists to build electricity generator Innovators find inspiration in the most [common things we see every day.]( Over 2,000 years ago, a Greek mathematician and physicist found inspiration in a bathtub and shouted Eureka to declare his discovery, a fundamental part of fluid mechanics today. The most recent among such common-day discoveries could be the [dippy bird]( that has been used in science classrooms for years. However, only Hao Wu, now a professor at the South China University of Technology, considered making an electricity generator from the dippy bird toy. Wu wondered if the evaporation energy could be converted into mechanical energy first and then into electricity. Now, efforts have led to the development of the [triboelectric hydrovoltaic generator (THG).]( 🚀 Finally! Starship reaches orbital speed, soars around Earth SpaceX’s Starship finally reached orbital speed. The massive rocket, designed to eventually take humans to Mars, launched from SpaceX’s [Starbase facility in South Texas]( at 8:25 CT (1325 GMT) on Thursday, March 14. [‘Third time’s the charm’]( as Starship’s upper stage successfully reached orbital speed after launch and soared around our planet. The successful launch could usher in a new era of spaceflight. Starship was designed to be fully reusable. By reusing the launch system’s separate parts, SpaceX will drive down the cost of successive flights, making crewed missions to Mars possible. SpaceX will also be buoyed by the fact it is one crucial step closer to fulfilling its $2.9 billion lunar lander contract with [NASA.]( 🕺 US passes bill to ban TikTok, Senate to decide if Bytedance gets a chance [A bill to ban TikTok]( has been passed by the legislators of the House of Representatives – the lower house of the U.S. Congress. Now, the Senate will decide the fate of the popular and infamous short-form video content platform. The House bill sailed through with [a vote of 352-65.]( Lawmakers from both major parties, the Republican Party and the Democrats, showed interest in favor of the bill. The bill required a two-thirds majority to pass. Its fate in the Senate hangs in the balance, but if it manages to pass in the upper house, it will be sent to the White House for the President’s signature. And President Joe Biden has already declared that he would surely bring the [bill into law.]( IE+ Love what you're reading? Join our vibrant online community, explore fascinating scientific breakthroughs, get special discounts and stay in the know with our exclusive weekly premium newsletter. Upgrade to IE+ for quality reporting beyond the headlines – plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > China’s ambitious attempt to explore lunar orbit suffered an unexpected setback. A problem in the rocket’s upper stage may have resulted in the loss of two satellites in space. ([More]() > In an effort to restore coral reefs, scientists installed underwater speakers along degraded reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, broadcasting recordings of healthy reef soundscapes. The results were striking. ([More]() > Scientists have discovered a 280-mile volcano near Mars’ equator. While it awaits its official name, the volcano is being dubbed the Noctis volcano. ([More]() ENERGY > Researchers developed a new type of solar cell they describe as a ‘Solar sandwich’ using selenium and silicon. It could offer a cost advantage while also delivering energy conversion efficiency. ([More]() > UK shipping company Union Maritime has decided to install rotor sails, developed by compatriot design and engineering firm BAR Technologies, on two tankers in China. ([More]() > Fusion energy technology developer Tokamak Energy is working on laser measurement technology crucial to controlling the extreme conditions inside future fusion power plants. ([More]() INNOVATION > Thanks to a research team tackling a critical issue with solid-state batteries, a “bottom electrodeposition” method could change the game for next-generation power sources. ([More]() > Scientists at NTU successfully developed ultra-thin semiconductor fibers that are seamlessly woven into fabrics. The process transforms them into intelligent wearable electronics. ([More]() > Quaise Energy, a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), plans to vaporize rocks in the Earth’s core and tap into deep geothermal energy. ([More]() VIDEO > In this video, IE runs you through the evolution of phones. From the humble beginnings of Alexander Graham Bell’s invention to the groundbreaking innovation of Steve Jobs’ creation, the journey of phones has been nothing short of extraordinary. ([More]() > Get to know all about the PACE mission — a collaboration between SpaceX and NASA. Launched with the Falcon 9 rocket, it’s an initiative dedicated to examining the intricacies of Earth’s oceans and air. ([More]() > Why do we put wind turbines underwater? IE explains how underwater wind turbines represent a leap in renewable energy technology, differing from their terrestrial counterparts. ([More]() IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS Hey there! Yesterday, we threw out a brain teaser on our socials: “Which letter will be hit? The answer is: A Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > The enduring mystery of how humans learned to [speak]( > How WFH engineers led to air traffic control meltdown for stranded [travelers]( > This 200-year-old law of heat has a blind spot. It could change [engineering]( > A life in electrical engineering, glancing at [biology]( > Optimus who? Figure humanoid robot’s new talk power topples [Tesla fame]( > Can NASA fix Voyager 1? 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