Tomatoes in the desert. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

desert tomatoes

04.11.2016

An international team of scientists spent six years designing an unusual greenhouse complex Sundrop Farm, which unfolded right in the South Australian desert. Water is supplied here directly from the sea, and its own solar power plant allows you to deal with sudden temperature changes.

First, the design of an experimental greenhouse built in 2010 was developed. Then, in 2014, the construction of the remaining systems began, and finally the facility began its work.

Water is supplied to the facility, located in the arid Port Augusta, through pipes directly from Spencer Bay. The purification system removes the salt, producing enough water every day to irrigate about 180 tomato plants. The special design of the greenhouses allows you to maintain the optimum temperature both in the heat of summer and in the cool winter months.

Instead of soil, sawdust from coconuts is used here. Sea water purifies and sterilizes the air, eliminating the need for pesticides.

The farm's own solar power plant, consisting of a total of 23 mirrors, is capable of producing up to 39 megawatts of energy per day. This is enough to power the desalination plant and the heating system.

The project cost the owners $200 million, but they are confident that the costs will pay off in the long run. Moreover, they plan to launch similar farms in the US and Portugal.

Organic desert-grown tomatoes are already sold in supermarkets in Australia.

<< Back: Maxim hSensor platform for development of wearable electronic devices 05.11.2016

>> Forward: Lithium for the treatment of mental disorders 04.11.2016

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Indoor flower - mini power plant 02.01.2019

Electric currents in plants have been talked about for a long time. Electrical phenomena in living cells arise due to the rearrangement of positive and negative ions on both sides of the cell membrane, and this occurs in both animal cells and plant cells. Electrical reactions occur in plants in response to a variety of stimuli, from mechanical to temperature. Is it possible to somehow bring plant electricity out?

Fabian Meder, Barbara Mazzolai and their colleagues at the Italian research center IIT drew attention to the fact that plant leaves look like triboelectric nanogenerators. These devices generate electricity through friction or contact between polymer films. Films with different properties in nanogenerators are arranged like in a layer cake. The leaf of the plant looks the same. The upper and lower parts of the leaf are covered with a cuticle - a layer of a waxy substance that protects the plant from ultraviolet radiation and limits the evaporation of moisture. The cuticle almost does not conduct current, and the tissues inside the leaf are saturated with ions and, on the contrary, can serve as something like the thinnest conductors.

The researchers were able to test the hypothesis by connecting a thin gold-plated wire to the stem of a plucked rhododendron leaf. After the sheet was touched with a strip of polymeric material, voltage appeared at the ends of the wires. The wires and strips of polymer were then attached directly to the plant, and the wind was created using a fan. The effect was the same as with a single leaf, and the energy from one plant was enough to make the LED lamp flicker.

In the future, experts intend to create a technology that will allow collecting energy from street trees and shrubs. In addition, the researchers want to find out whether currents within plants serve to communicate between leaves and other organs. If so, trees could well be used as natural sensors that transmit information, for example, about the level of humidity.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews