The Daily Populous

Saturday July 28th, 2018 day edition

image for Stanford scientists advance new way to store wind and solar electricity on a large scale, affordably and at room temperature

With further development, the new technology could deliver energy to the electric grid quickly, cost effectively and at normal ambient temperatures.

Sodium-potassium alloy is a room-temperature liquid metal that could unlock a high-voltage flow battery.

(Image credit: Antonio Baclig) The technology – a type of battery known as a flow battery – has long been considered as a likely candidate for storing intermittent renewable energy.

Theoretically, this liquid metal has at least 10 times the available energy per gram as other candidates for the negative-side fluid of a flow battery.

The two advances together more than doubled the maximum voltage of conventional flow batteries, and the prototype remained stable for thousands of hours of operation.

This higher voltage means the battery can store more energy for its size, which also brings down the cost of producing the battery.

“A new battery technology has so many different performance metrics to meet: cost, efficiency, size, lifetime, safety, etc.,” said Baclig. »

Juncker used ‘brightly coloured, simple flashcards’ to explain trade to Trump during meeting

Authored by independent.co.uk

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker reportedly used brightly coloured flash cards to explain international trade to US president Donald Trump.

The meeting, according to the senior EU official, went well with Mr Trump appearing “charming” and “well-briefed”.

After the meeting, Mr Juncker said there was hope for lessening the tariffs on European steel and aluminium and noted he and Mr Trump “have a good personal relation”. »

Star Wars: Episode IX Cast Announced

Authored by starwars.com

Returning cast members include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd.

Joining the cast of Episode IX are Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell, who will be joined by veteran Star Wars actors Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams, who will reprise his role as Lando Calrissian.

Star Wars: Episode IX will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Michelle Rejwan, and executive produced by Callum Greene and Jason McGatlin. »

A 6-Year-Old Girl Was Sexually Abused in an Immigrant-Detention Center

Authored by thenation.com
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According to immigrant-rights advocates, a 6-year-old girl separated from her mother under the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy was sexually abused while at an Arizona detention facility run by Southwest Key Programs.

The girl, who is only identified by the initials D.L., and her mother had been fleeing gang violence in their native Guatemala.

A Southwest Key Programs document obtained by The Nation confirms that D.L. was reported to have been sexually abused on June 4, 2018. »

Sanctions on Russia's Rusal could be lifted, Mnuchin says

Authored by cnn.com
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(CNN) The Trump administration is looking into lifting sanctions against a major Russian aluminum company founded by one of Vladimir Putin's closest allies.

But the Treasury Department said a few weeks later that it was considering removing sanctions against the massive aluminum company after a surge in aluminum prices.

In an interview with CNN, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the US government knew the impact sanctions would have on Rusal. »