A novel type of air conditioning technology that can cool and heat more sustainably and more economically than current commercial systems is being developed in Saarland, Germany. The technology, which makes use of the elastocaloric effect, works without volatile refrigerants, oil or gas. In elastocaloric systems, heat transfer is achieved simply by mechanically deforming thin wires and sheets of nickel-titanium alloy. The research team led by Professors Stefan Seelecke and Paul Motzki from Saarland University is now developing prototype systems for use in vehicles. The aim is to have achieved commercialization within five years. The team will be at the international trade fair Hannover Messe from 31 March to 4 April in Hall 2 (Saarland Innovation Stand B10), where they will be showcasing their prototype elastocaloric refrigerator.

Until now, a global evaluation of ocean current energy with actual data was lacking. Using 30 years of NOAA's Global Drifter Program data, a study shows that ocean currents off Florida’s East Coast and South Africa have exceptionally high-power densities, ideal for electricity generation. With densities over 2,500 watts per square meter, these regions are 2.5 times more energy-dense than “excellent” wind resources. Shallow waters further enhance the potential for ocean current turbines, unlike areas like Japan and South America, which have lower densities at similar depths.

Researchers from Science Tokyo have discovered that bacterial swarms transition from stable vortices to chaotic turbulence through distinct intermediate states. Combining experiments with bacterial swarms, computer simulations, and mathematical modeling, the team clarified the intricate process by which orderly swirling turns to disordered turbulence as the free space available to bacteria increases. These findings provide new insights into active matter physics and could inform future applications in micro-robotics, biosensing, and active fluid-based micro-scale systems.