Carbon Nanotubes Store Triple the Energy of Lithium Batteries

BY U. OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY DEC. 7, 2024

https://scitechdaily.com/carbon-nanotubes-store-triple-the-energy-of-lithium-batteries/

Scanning electron microscope images show some carbon nanotube “ropes” subjected to different twist strains. 

Credit: In-situ micrographs observed by Preety Ahuja

New research shows that twisted carbon nanotubes can store high densities of energy to power sensors or other technology.

Researchers have discovered that twisted carbon nanotubes can store triple the energy of lithium-ion batteries per unit mass, making them ideal for lightweight and safe energy storage applications like medical implants.

Groundbreaking Energy Storage Research

A global team of scientists, including two researchers from the Center for Advanced Sensor Technology (CAST) at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), has demonstrated that twisted carbon nanotubes can store three times more energy per unit mass than advanced lithium-ion batteries. This breakthrough positions carbon nanotubes as a promising solution for energy storage in lightweight, compact, and safe devices like medical implants and sensors. The findings were recently published in Nature Nanotechnology.

The study was a collaborative effort among four institutions, led by Shigenori Utsumi from Suwa University of Science in Chino, Japan, Katsumi Kaneko from Shinshu University in Nagano, Japan, and Sanjeev Kumar Ujjain from CAST. Kumar Ujjain began the project at Shinshu University and continued his work after joining UMBC in 2022. Preety Ahuja, also from CAST, played a key role in the material characterization phase of the research.

Innovative Properties of Carbon Nanotubes

The researchers studied single-walled carbon nanotubes, which are like straws made from pure carbon sheets only 1 atom thick. Carbon nanotubes are lightweight, relatively easy to manufacture, and about 100 times stronger than steel. Their amazing properties have led scientists to explore their potential use in a wide range of futuristic-sounding technology, including space elevators.

To investigate carbon nanotubes’ potential for storing energy, the UMBC researchers and their colleagues manufactured carbon nanotube “ropes” from bundles of commercially available nanotubes. After pulling and twisting the tubes into a single thread, the researchers then coated them with different substances intended to increase the ropes’ strength and flexibility.

Impressive Energy Storage Capabilities

The team tested how much energy the ropes could store by twisting them up and measuring the energy that was released as the ropes unwound. They found that the best-performing ropes could store 15,000 times more energy per unit mass than steel springs, and about three times more energy than lithium-ion batteries. The stored energy remains consistent and accessible at temperatures ranging from -76 to +212 °F (-60 to +100 °C). The materials in the carbon nanotube ropes are also safer for the human body than those used in batteries.

“Humans have long stored energy in mechanical coil springs to power devices such as watches and toys,” Kumar Ujjain says. “This research shows twisted carbon nanotubes have great potential for mechanical energy storage, and we are excited to share the news with the world.” He says the CAST team is already working to incorporate twisted carbon nanotubes as an energy source for a prototype sensor they are developing.

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Breakthrough Material Perfectly Absorbs All Electromagnetic Waves

BY NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, NOV. 26, 2024

https://scitechdaily.com/breakthrough-material-perfectly-absorbs-all-electromagnetic-waves/

Researchers have created an ultra-thin film that can absorb almost all electromagnetic waves across several frequency bands, significantly boosting the performance of wireless communication devices. (Artist’s concept.) 

Credit: SciTechDaily.com

A new composite material developed by KIMS researchers absorbs over 99% of electromagnetic waves from different frequencies, improving the performance of devices like smartphones and wearables.

A team of scientists from the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) has developed the world’s first ultra-thin film composite material capable of absorbing over 99% of electromagnetic waves from various frequency bands, including 5G/6G, WiFi, and autonomous driving radar, using a single material.

This novel electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding material is less than 0.5mm thick and is characterized by its low reflectance of less than 1% and high absorbance of over 99% across three different frequency bands.

A conceptual diagram of the electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding material developed by the research team, along with the designed conductive pattern. 

Credit: Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS)

Challenges in Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

Electromagnetic waves emitted by electronic components can cause interference, leading to performance degradation in nearby electronic devices. Electromagnetic shielding materials are used to prevent this, and absorbing electromagnetic waves is more effective at reducing interference than merely reflecting them. However, conventional electromagnetic shielding materials reflect over 90% of the waves, with an actual absorbance often as low as 10%. Moreover, materials with higher absorbance are typically limited to absorbing electromagnetic waves within a single frequency band.

Advancements in Multi-Frequency Absorption

To overcome these limitations, the research team developed a composite material that can absorb electromagnetic waves across multiple frequency bands simultaneously. This technology absorbs and eliminates electromagnetic waves, resolving secondary interference issues. The material is also thin, flexible, and durable enough to maintain its shape even after being folded and unfolded thousands of times, making it suitable for rollable phones and wearable devices.

The electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding material developed by the research team, showing its thin and flexible form & its shape remaining intact even after 5,000 bending tests. 

Credit: Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS)

Enhancements in Material Technology and Applications

The team, led by Dr. Byeongjin Park and Dr. Sang Bok Lee from the Composites & Convergence Materials Research Division at KIMS, synthesized a magnetic material by altering the crystal structure of ferrite, enabling it to selectively absorb desired frequencies. They produced an ultra-thin polymer composite film and incorporated conductive patterns on the film’s back side to control the propagation of electromagnetic waves. By adjusting the shape of the conductive pattern, electromagnetic wave reflection at specific frequencies can be dramatically reduced. A carbon nanotube thin film with high shielding properties was also applied to the back to further enhance the material’s electromagnetic wave shielding capabilities.

Senior Researcher Byeongjin Park of KIMS, who led the project, commented, “As the applications of 5G/6G communications continue to expand, the importance of electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding materials is growing.” He added, “This material has the potential to significantly improve the reliability of wireless communication devices such as smartphones and autonomous vehicle radars.”

Reference: “Absorption-Dominant Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Shielding across Multiple mmWave Bands Using Conductive Patterned Magnetic Composite and Double-Walled Carbon Nanotube Film” by Byeongjin Park, Sosan Hwang, Horim Lee, Yeonsu Jung, Taehoon Kim, Suk Jin Kwon, Dawoon Jung and Sang-bok Lee, 28 May 2024, Advanced Functional Materials.
DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202406197

This research was funded by KIMS’ fundamental research projects and the Electromagnetic Solution Integrated Research Group (SEIF) under the National Research Council of Science & Technology. The findings were published as the cover article in the October 1st edition of the internationally renowned journal Advanced Functional Materials (first author: Dr. Byeongjin Park). The research team has completed domestic patent registration and has also applied for patents in the U.S., China, and other countries. Additionally, the technology has been transferred to several domestic material companies, and it is currently being applied to actual communication devices and automobiles.

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Exposure to Microgravity Seems to Seriously Disorient Human Sperm

13 Nov. 2024, By D. NIELD

https://www.sciencealert.com/exposure-to-microgravity-seems-to-seriously-disorient-human-sperm

(Rez-Art/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Any future efforts humanity wants to make to populate the Universe outside our home planet may have a pretty significant hurdle to overcome: microgravity appears to confuse sperm about which direction they should be heading in.

A team led by researchers from the Technical University of Catalonia and Dexeus University Hospital in Spain collected 15 human sperm samples, splitting each sample in two: one-half of each sample stayed on Earth, whereas the other half was subjected to microgravity conditions through parabolic flights.

The sperm samples that took to the air and experienced gravity shifts showed significant decreases in motility (movement) and vitality (the number of live sperm). Microgravity didn't kill off the sperm, but it did cause some serious health issues.

Animal sperm experiments have already been carried out on the International Space Station. 

(NASA/Roscosmos)



"Even though it did not result in a total loss, heavy gravity load changes including microgravity cause a significant decrease in sperm vitality and motility, suggesting that negative consequences would be even higher if the exposure were longer," write the researchers in their published paper.

The curvilinear velocity of the sperm – how quickly they move towards their goal – was particularly affected, suggesting that the chances of a sperm fertilizing an egg are going to be noticeably lower in space compared to on Earth.

It wasn't all bad news, though: certain aspects of sperm health, including DNA fragmentation, sperm shape, oxidative stress, and apoptosis (programmed cell death) didn't seem to be impacted by the sperm's exposure to microgravity conditions.

While it's early days for this kind of research, it raises questions about reproduction in space: not just in the time-honored, traditional way, but also assisted reproduction techniques – such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) – that might be needed if we establish bases on the Moon or on Mars.

One of the questions that still needs answering is why microgravity has this effect on sperm, though the researchers think some kind of shift in the chemical processes needed to keep sperm healthy may be going on.

"More studies [are] needed before assisted reproduction techniques can be considered for the likelihood of human reproduction in space," write the researchers.

If we've got serious plans to establish long-term communities off Earth, then reproduction is going to be a big part of that. Understandably, sex hasn't so far been a top priority for astronauts leaving orbit, which leaves scientists mostly in the dark about its viability.

While animal studies have already hinted that conception might be tricky in microgravity, the team behind this work is keen to see more experiments carried out with human sperm – so we can learn more about how space life impacts our most basic biology.

"With the upcoming plans for extended space missions and growing interest in space tourism, the topic of possible likelihood of human conception under microgravity conditions has become even more relevant," write the researchers.

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Science News: UCLA chemists break 100-year-old rule, creating unstable organic molecules with distorted geometries

UCLA chemists break 100-year-old rule, creating unstable organic molecules with distorted geometries

The research team has successfully created molecules that violate Bredt's rule, opening up new possibilities in molecular design and pharmaceutical research.

By Jerusalem Post Staff, November 4, 2024

https://www.jpost.com/science/science-around-the-world/article-827475

Chemistry laboratory. Image by U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command is licensed under CC BY 2.0. (photo credit: FLICKR)

A new paper published on November 1, 2024, by UCLA scientists in the journal Science details a groundbreaking discovery that challenges a century-old principle in organic chemistry known as Bredt's rule. Led by Professor Neil Garg, a distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UCLA, the research team has successfully created molecules that violate Bredt's rule, opening up new possibilities in molecular design and pharmaceutical research.

Bredt's rule, established in 1924 by German chemist Julius Bredt, has been a guiding principle in organic chemistry for a hundred years. The rule states that a double bond cannot exist at the "bridgehead" position of a bridged bicyclic molecule because placing a double bond there would twist the molecule in unstable ways. This principle has been widely disseminated in academic texts and is recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

For decades, Bredt's rule has constrained chemists by preventing the placement of double bonds between carbon atoms in certain positions within complex molecular structures, particularly at the bridgehead position of bicyclic molecules. This limitation has restricted the types of synthetic molecules that scientists could imagine and create, notably impacting the exploration of olefins—hydrocarbons characterized by having one or more double bonds between two carbon atoms.

Professor Neil Garg's team set out to challenge this long-held assumption. "People aren't exploring anti-Bredt olefins because they think they can't," Garg noted. Deciding to question the rule's absolute nature, the team focused on creating anti-Bredt olefins (ABOs), the molecules that violate Bredt's rule.

The UCLA scientists developed a method to synthesize and stabilize these anti-Bredt olefins. They began with a type of molecule known as silyl (pseudo)halides and treated them with a fluoride source to produce the ABOs. Recognizing that anti-Bredt olefins are highly unstable, Garg’s lab included another chemical that can "trap" the unstable molecules. This approach allowed them to generate stable olefins that can be used in other chemical reactions, resulting in the production of several complex compounds that could be isolated and studied.

"What this study shows is that contrary to one hundred years of conventional wisdom, chemists can make and use anti-Bredt olefins to make value-added products," Garg explained. By trapping the anti-Bredt olefins, the team could capture them long enough to study them and use them to make new, valuable compounds. This breakthrough indicates that ABOs can be generated and utilized effectively, challenging the notion that they were inaccessible due to their instability.

The implications of this discovery are significant for drug development and pharmaceutical research. Since reactions using anti-Bredt olefins could lead to new types of medicines, the ability to create these previously "impossible" molecules opens up a new realm of compounds for scientists to explore. "There's a big push in the pharmaceutical industry to develop chemical reactions that give three-dimensional structures like ours because they can be used to discover new medicines," Garg emphasized.

By demonstrating that Bredt's rule is not as absolute as previously thought, the UCLA chemists suggest that their findings call for a textbook update. "It's time to rewrite the textbooks," Garg stated, raising questions about how often textbooks might be wrong in other ways. He further highlighted the importance of flexibility in scientific rules: "We shouldn't have rules like this—or if we have them, they should only exist with the constant reminder that they're guidelines, not rules. It destroys creativity when we have rules that supposedly can't be overcome."

This sentiment reflects a broader call to action within the scientific community to rethink long-held beliefs that may hinder innovation. By challenging Bredt's rule, Garg's team is advocating for a more flexible and innovative approach to chemistry, encouraging chemists to explore molecules that were previously considered impossible. "Breaking the rules can lead to groundbreaking discoveries," he noted, emphasizing that questioning established norms can lead to significant advancements in the field.

The study was authored by UCLA graduate students and postdoctoral scholars Luca McDermott, Zachary Walters, Sarah French, Allison Clark, Jiaming Ding, and Andrew Kelleghan. Distinguished research professor Ken Houk contributed to the study as a computational chemistry expert. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, providing new insights into how to create and use Bredt's rule-breaking olefins.

By opening the door to many new types of molecules that can be constructed and potentially prove useful, particularly in pharmaceuticals and materials science, Garg's team's discovery serves as a stepping stone to numerous possibilities in organic chemistry. It reminds us that science is always evolving, and sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective and a willingness to challenge the status quo to achieve breakthroughs. As Garg's work illustrates, questioning assumptions and pushing boundaries can lead to significant advancements that benefit a wide range of fields.

Sources: News18, Earth.com, Scitech Daily

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq

Breaking 100-year Chemistry Rule: Scientific Breakthrough in Chemistry, Time to rewrite textbooks

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Defense News: UVisionUSA Unveils Autonomous Multi-Launch Loitering Munition System

 

UVisionUSA Unveils Autonomous Multi-Launch Loitering Munition System

The system, capable of launching and managing multiple HERO 120 munitions simultaneously, can launch munitions in waves and provide operators with full mission control and the ability to abort mid-flight 

By Eyal Boguslavsky, Israel Defense, October 14, 2024

https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/63360

Hero 120 ship based 16 missile launcher 

UVisionUSA, a producer of loitering munition systems, has unveiled an autonomous multi-launch system capable of launching and managing multiple HERO 120 munitions simultaneously, paired with advanced mission planning capabilities.

According to the company, the new system provides unprecedented operational flexibility for armed forces, enabling autonomous mission management from target engagement to neutralization. It integrates seamlessly with various intelligence-gathering platforms, including tactical UAS, drones, and command and control systems. The system’s AI-driven,sensitive targets. Operators can deploy multiple loitering munitions per real-time automatic target recognition and mission management capabilities ensure rapid and accurate responses to both pre-identified and time- operator, with the system continuously processing intelligence from multiple sources.

Designed for area saturation dominance, the system can launch munitions in waves, overwhelming enemy defenses and providing operators with full mission control, including the ability to abort missions mid-flight if necessary.

The containerized design of the HERO-120 system, along with its mobility and flexibility, makes it easily integrable with existing and third-party command and control structures on trucks, naval vessels, and other mobile platforms.

Dr. Ran Gozali, Chairman of the Board of Directors of UVisionUSA and CEO of UVision Air, states: “Our new holistic battlefield solution revolutionizes mission planning and execution. With the ability to manage multiple loitering munitions and autonomously engage multiple targets, operators can focus on strategic decisions, enhancing lethality and firepower efficiency while operating from a stand-off position."

UVision Air will participate in the international UVID 2024 on unmanned systems, which will take place on November 7, 2024, at Expo Tel Aviv. The conference will be attended by Israel's entire UAS community, including those from the civilian, defense, and dual-use sectors. For more information and registration, please visit the UVID website at https://www.uvidtech.com/.

Hero 120 land based 6 missile launcher 

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Revolutionary Metal-Fueled Rockets Promise Infinite Space Journeys

BY U. OF SOUTHAMPTON, OCT. 1, 2024

https://scitechdaily.com/revolutionary-metal-fueled-rockets-promise-infinite-space-journeys/

Deep space exploration might no longer be confined to sci-fi after scientists began testing a rocket thruster that promises to boldly go further than ever before. (Scientists trial new space rocket thruster.) 

Credit: University of Southampton

Astro engineers at the University of Southampton are developing a groundbreaking propulsion system capable of using any metal as fuel, potentially enabling space exploration to continue indefinitely without the need to return to Earth for refueling.

This innovation promises to expand our reach into the universe, allowing spacecraft to harvest minerals from celestial bodies and explore previously unreachable areas.
Innovative Propulsion Technology

Astro engineers from the University of Southampton are trialing a new propulsion system that can power spaceships through the stars using any type of metal as fuel.

They say this means crafts fitted with the technology could fly indefinitely by refilling their tanks using minerals harvested from asteroids or far-off moons.
Breakthrough in Space Travel

Lead scientist Dr. Minkwan Kim, from the University of Southampton, has been tasked with testing the propulsion system in his labs to measure its thrust.

He said the tech could help spaceships and probes travel to regions of the universe previously thought unreachable.

Fuel From the Cosmos

Dr. Kim added: “Spacecraft have limited amounts of fuel because of the enormous cost and energy it takes to launch them into space.

“But these new thrusters are capable of being powered by any metal that can burn, such as iron, aluminum or copper.

“Once fitted, spacecraft could land on a comet or moon, rich in these minerals, and harvest what it needs before jetting off with a full tank.

“It could open up vast new frontiers and accelerate our understanding of the universe.”
Expanding the Frontiers of Exploration

Once blasted above the earth’s atmosphere, spacecraft are mostly propelled by rare gas phase fuels such as xenon or krypton, which also power the Starlink satellites.

Scientists from Southampton are working with British-based space firm Magdrive on the propulsion system.

Such is the potential of the technology, named Super Magdrive, that it was recently given £1 million by the UK government to bring the concept to life.

Dr. Kim, who created a plasma thruster design for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched last year, said he hopes the tech can be used for future deep-space missions.

He added: “The system could help us explore new planets, seek out new life, and go where no human has gone before – enabling never-ending discovery.”

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Defense News: Dutch Navy to buy armed sidekick ships for its air-defense frigates

 

Dutch Navy to buy armed sidekick ships for its air-defense frigates

By Rudy Ruitenberg, Defense News, September 25, 2024

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2024/09/25/dutch-navy-to-buy-armed-sidekick-ships-for-its-air-defense-frigates/

Family members look at the Dutch air-defense frigate Zr.Ms. Tromp leaving its home port of Den Helder on March 9, 2024. (Remko de Waal/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

PARIS — The Netherlands plans to buy two support vessels that will act as sidekicks to its air-defense frigates, packing additional missiles to defeat swarms of anti-ship missiles and drones, for an investment in the range of €250 million to €1 billion (US$279 million to $1.1 billion).

The support vessels will also be able to provide fire support for amphibious operations using long-range loitering munitions, as well as equip underwater drones to track and identify suspicious activity in the North Sea, Dutch State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman said in a letter to parliament on Tuesday.

The Royal Netherlands Navy needs to strengthen its air defenses and firepower for operations in the “higher violence spectrum,” as well as capabilities to protect critical North Sea infrastructure such as drilling platforms and data cables, according to the Ministry of Defence.

“These vessels are needed to better protect the Netherlands and allies in the event of a threat,” Tuinman said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, describing the two future support vessels as “sailing toolboxes” for the lead vessel. “The ships are capable of carrying a lot of equipment, such as additional firepower and long-range anti-aircraft missiles.”

The proposed sidekick support ships with missile containers & an automated 30mm multipurpose gun

Dutch shipyard Damen will build the vessels, with Israeli Aerospace Industries supplying its Barak ER surface-to-air interceptor, Harop long-range loitering munition as well as electronic-warfare equipment. Buying the missiles, long-range munitions and EW equipment from a single supplier will simplify integration work, the defense ministry said.

The Dutch Navy’s air-defense frigates will continue to be equipped with RTX’s SM-2 surface-to-air missile, and the frigate’s radar and fire-control systems will handle launch and targeting for the missiles on the support vessels.

The support ships will each have a crew of at least eight sailors. While current technology isn’t sufficiently mature for fully autonomous vessels, the new ships will provide the Navy with experience in operating with small crews, as a first step toward unmanned vessels, Tuinman said.

The first iteration will be available for the North Sea in 2026, and both vessels will be fully operational in 2027. Equipment on the support vessels will be packed in containers, meaning air-defense kit can be swapped out for long-range munitions based on the specific needs of the mission, according to the letter.

The Barak ER air-defense missile that will equip the support ships has a range of up to 150 kilometers and can target anything from fighters to tactical ballistic missiles and glide bombs, with eight missiles packed in a vertical launcher, according to the company’s spec sheet.

The Netherlands also looked at MBDA’s Aster missile, which the minister said can’t be fired from a container, while Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ Stunner missile didn’t entirely fit the Dutch requirements.

The Netherlands needs to be prepared for swarming tactics, with massive and simultaneous attacks of anti-ship missiles and drones, which require larger stocks of missiles, Tuinman told parliament. Additionally, RTX is halting production of the SM-2, and the successor missile SM-2 Block IIICU isn’t compatible with the fire control on the Dutch air-defense frigates, the minister said.

Adversaries in coastal areas increasingly have access to advanced sensors and long-range weapons, which is changing doctrine for amphibious operations to a larger number of simultaneous landings, according to Tuinman. The IAI loitering munitions have a range of several hundreds of kilometers, and will be able to linger in the target area for some time before use, he said.

Meanwhile the threat to Dutch infrastructure in the North Sea remains undiminished, with Russia continuing to map the infrastructure in what appear to be preparations for disruption and sabotage, the minister said. The Navy escorted a Russian research vessel in June and July that spent several days in the Dutch part of the North Sea, with intelligence services suspecting the Russians were investigating opportunities for potential future sabotage.

The Ministry of Defence plans to buy off-the-shelf underwater drones equipped with long-range sensors to spot suspicious activity, while the support vessels will also be fitted with sensors to record suspicious vessels.

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What happens to the climate when Earth passes through interstellar clouds?

Sept. 24, 2024, by M. Thompson, Universe Today

https://phys.org/news/2024-09-climate-earth-interstellar-clouds.html

Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, dominated in the center of this view by the brilliant Flame nebula (NGC 2024). The smaller, glowing cavity falling between the Flame nebula and the Horsehead is called NGC 2023. 

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Noctilucent clouds were once thought to be a fairly modern phenomenon. A team of researchers recently calculated that Earth and the entire solar system may well have passed through two dense interstellar clouds, causing global noctilucent clouds that may have driven an ice age.

The event is thought to have happened 7 million years ago and would have compressed the heliosphere, exposing Earth to the interstellar medium.

Interstellar clouds are vast regions of gas and dust between the stars within galaxies. They are mostly made up of hydrogen along with a little helium and trace elements of heavier elements.

They are a key part of the life cycle of stars, providing the materials for new stars to be formed, and are seeded with elements after stars die. The clouds vary significantly in size, density and location and are an important part of the evolution of the galaxy.

Earth's journey around the galaxy is not for the impatient, for it takes about 250 million years to complete one full orbit at a speed of 828,000 kilometers per hour. Currently, the solar system is located in the Orion Arm, one of the spiral arms of our galaxy.

During the journey, Earth travels through different regions, encountering stars and different densities of the interstellar medium. It experiences gravitational interactions with nearby stars and nebulae, sometimes exerting subtle interactions. Regardless of the immense journey, the stars of our galaxy remain relatively unchanged over a human lifetime.

A team of astronomers led by Jess A. Miller from the Department of Astronomy of Boston University have traced the path of the sun back through time. In doing so, they have identified two occasions when the Earth and solar system passed through two dense interstellar clouds. The research is published in Geophysical Research Letters.

One of the crossings occurred 2 million years ago, the other 7 million years ago. Exploring the properties of the clouds, the team assert that the clouds are dense enough that they could compress the solar wind to inside the orbit of Earth.

The solar wind is a constant stream of charged particles, mostly electrons and protons that are emitted from the upper layer of the sun's atmosphere, the corona. The particles travel through the solar system at speeds between 400 and 800 kilometers per second. The edge of our solar system is defined as the point where the solar wind merges with the interstellar medium.

Previous teams have analyzed climate change events due to these interstellar medium interactions with similar findings. Global cooling has been the result, with an ice age being triggered. The study by Miller and team readdressed this very topic using modern technology and processes.

The team find that the interactions have indeed played a part in changes to the atmosphere of Earth. They find that levels of hydrogen in the upper atmosphere would have increased substantially. The newly acquired hydrogen would be converted to water molecules in the lower atmosphere and it would also have led to a reduction in mesospheric levels of ozone.

These processes would have led to the appearance of global noctilucent clouds in the mesosphere. They would not have been permanent, but may have blocked 7% of sunlight from reaching Earth, plunging our planet into an ice age.

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Defense News: Rheinmetall unveils UK’s upgraded Challenger 3 battle tank

 

Rheinmetall unveils UK’s upgraded Challenger 3 battle tank

By Rudy Ruitenberg, Defense News, Thursday September 19, 2024

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2024/09/19/rheinmetall-unveils-uks-upgraded-challenger-3-battle-tank/

The British Army's Challenger tank is due for significant upgrades, with a new version now running off the production line. (Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)

Rheinmetall unveiled the U.K.’s new Challenger 3 main battle tank to the public at a British Army event this week, with upgraded armor and a 120mm smoothbore cannon for what the company calls the most advanced tank in NATO.

The U.K. is getting its improved tank as allies including France and Germany are still considering whether and how to adapt their heavy armor to evolving battlefield threats including drones, which have been ubiquitous tank killers in the war in Ukraine. The Challenger 3 with the Ajax fighting vehicles and Boxer infantry vehicles is set to form the backbone of the Army’s Future Soldier concept, which seeks to modernize the British forces for beyond 2030.

“The Challenger 3 will bring unmatched lethality to future battlefields,” the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Alongside Ajax and Boxer, Challenger 3 will form the British Army’s future fleet of armored vehicles.”

Rheinmetall is upgrading the tank in a joint venture with BAE Systems, after buying 55% of the BAE business that supplies combat vehicles to the British Army in 2019. The Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) joint venture signed a £800 million contract (US$1 billion) with the U.K. Ministry of Defence in May 2021 to upgrade 148 Challenger 2 tanks.

Rheinmetall said two Challenger 3 prototypes have already rolled out of the RBSL site in Telford, England, with another six to be delivered in coming months. Testing is underway to validate the performance of the prototypes and make adjustments, before the remaining 140 tanks are built and delivered to the British Army.

The tank was on show at the British Army’s Defence Vehicle Dynamics event at UTAC Millbrook, a land-vehicle proving ground that includes off-road tracks for testing of military vehicles.

The Rheinmetall-BAE joint venture in April last year conducted firing tests of the smoothbore gun, which replaces a rifled cannon that had left Britain the only user of rifled tank ammunition among NATO members. Rheinmetall’s 120mm smoothbore guns are used on tanks including the Leopard 2 and the U.S. Abrams.

RBSL and the U.K.’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory have developed a modular armor system for the Challenger 3 which the company said is “a step change in survivability” for the tank, with trials successful so far and more planned in 2025.

                                                 Photo courtesy Rheinmetall  website.

“The RBSL team is making great strides, with Challenger 3 completing successful non-destructive testing, and further capability trials are to come,” the joint venture’s Managing Director Will Gibby said in a statement. He said the new battle tank is “the most advanced and capable” in NATO.

The upgraded 66-tonne tank, with a crew of four, features 24-hour all-weather sights, engine improvements, a hydro-gas suspension, better communications and increased electrical power that will allow for adding more power-hungry equipment in the future.

The Challenger 3 will further be equipped with the Trophy active protection system from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, designed to protect against rockets and missiles, after the U.K. tested the system in late 2022.

RAFAEL Showcasing TROPHY APS as System is Set to Spearhead Challenger 3's Defence

France and Germany are working on a future battle-tank system dubbed the Main Ground Combat System, though that’s not expected to be ready before the 2040s, and military-vehicle makers Rheinmetall and KNDS showed off competing tank concepts at the Eurosatory defense show in June here that could plug the gap.

Gibby said capabilities used for the Challenger 3 program, including personnel, tools and facilities, are the building blocks needed for “new customers solutions,” and “we look forward to RBSL helping shape the future of military vehicle design and production with international allies.”

Rheinmetall and Finland’s Patria showed off a prototype mortar variant of the Boxer at the British Army event. The armored carrier mounted with Patria’s NEMO 120mm turreted mortar system has a maximum fire rate of 10 rounds per minute and a range of up to 10 kilometers, while able to fire on the move, the companies said in a statement on Sept. 19.

The Boxer mortar variant can provide both direct and indirect fire for greater versatility in combat scenarios, while the turret means operators stay protected, according to Rheinmetall. Patria called the variant “a significant leap” forward in terms of battlefield capabilities.

U.K. firm Babcock, in a partnership with ST Engineering, also presented a 120mm mortar system, consisting of a barrel on a ground plate deployed using a hinged system at the back of a vehicle. The system unveiled at the Army event in Millbrook was developed to “address the urgent requirement” to boost the weaponry of the U.K.’s armed forces, and would be built at the company’s site in Devonport, England, Babcock said.

The Netherlands in June picked BAE’s 120mm mortar system to equip its CV90 armored vehicles. The double-barreled turreted mortar has a maximum range of 13 kilometers, and can fire as many as 16 rounds a minute, with a sustained rate of 6 shells a minute, according to the spec sheet.

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