New technology to protect the environment

According to the United Nations, the world will have about 2.9 billion more people by the year 2025, increasing the demand for domestic water supply, and the demand for energy will increase by more than 60% by 2030.

In the face of such worrisome predictions, science is now offering some technological solutions to protect the environment. Energy waste, abuse of resources, lack of water, global climate change and deforestation are issues that science needs to address today to save life on the planet.

Electronic paper

Imagine the morning you read the newspaper and then in the evening you read the latest novel by a favorite author on one side of the paper! That's the ability of ' electronic paper ': a flexible material that is very similar to real paper but can be reused forever.

Material consists of many microcapsules filled with charged particles associated with a steel leaf. Each microcapsule has white and black particles with positive or negative charges. Depending on the amount of charge, white or black particles will emerge and show different patterns.

(Photo: Plastic Logic)

Cleaning with plants and bacteria

Biological treatments use bacteria and plants to wash away contamination. For example, reducing nitrate in polluted water with bacteria, and using plants to absorb arsenic (arsenic) in the soil.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has applied this new technology in several locations. Natural plant species used to clean the area are very beneficial because they do not require watering or spraying pesticides.

(Photo: AP Photo)

Producing electricity from waves and tides

The oceans cover more than 70% of the earth's surface. Waves are potential energy sources that can control turbines and thereby generate electricity. However, the current problem is difficult to exploit sea waves. Sometimes waves are too small to operate turbines.

Currently, US scientists are in the process of starting testing on a river in New York with 6 wave-operated turbines. And, Portugal also embarked on "cooperation" with the wave in a new project to produce enough electricity for more than 1,500 households.

(Photo: Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation)

Desalination technology

According to the United Nations, the insufficient supply of clean water in the future will affect billions of people in the middle of the century. Desalination, essentially removing salt and minerals from seawater, is the solution of choice for domestic water supply for some areas of water shortage in the world. However, the current problem with desalination technology is its high cost and energy requirements.

(Photo: Stock.xchng)

Construction of hanging gardens

Soon the " Hanging Gardens of Babylon " will appear in the modern world! Legend has it that the rooftops, balconies and terraces of the palace in Babylon turned into gardens following the king's orders to please one of his wives.

The green garden on the roof will effectively absorb the heat, reducing the harmful effects of CO2 through the absorption of this gas and releasing O2, preventing stormwater runoff and reducing summer heat. In addition, the green environment on the roof has become an ideal refuge for birds.

Hydrogen power

Hydrogen fuel cells are touted as an option to combat pollution by using fossil fuels. Fuel cells produce water due to the combination of hydrogen and oxygen, and this process will generate electricity. Molecules such as water and alcohol are processed to collect the hydrogen supplied to fuel cells. Some stages in this process require the use of other energy sources.

Some promising car manufacturers will soon be able to release models that don't release anything other than clean water.

(Photo: AP Photo)

Generate oil from discarded things

Any rubbish with carbon content, from turkey to old tires, can be processed into oil through a process called thermal disinfection. This process is similar to the way nature creates kerosene. Proponents of this technology claim that 1 ton of turkey can produce about 300 kg of kerosene.

Burying greenhouse gases

Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas that contributes to warming the global climate. According to the Energy Information Agency (EIA), by 2030 we emit nearly 8,000 tons of CO2. Some experts say it is impossible to control CO2 emissions into the atmosphere so we have to find a way to deal with it.

One solution is to pump CO2 into the ground before it has a chance to fly into the atmosphere. After CO ₂ is isolated from other emissions, it can be buried in vacant oil wells, saltwater lakes and rocks.

Stock.xchng photo

Converting the thermal energy of the ocean

The world's largest solar absorber is the ocean. According to the US Department of Energy, the ocean absorbs heat from the sun on par with the energy contained in 250 barrels of oil a day, and about 7.5 billion barrels a year according to US calculations.

OTEC technology converts the heat stored in the oceans into electricity by using the temperature difference between the hot water surface and the cold bottom of the ocean. This difference can operate the generator generating turbine

(Photo: Livescience)

Tran Thanh Phong