Curiosity Weekly Solar Drinking Water, Forgetting Memories, Super-Earth
May 10, 2024
Solar Drinking Water: A revolutionary system turns saltwater into drinking water with solar power. Forgetting Memories: Insights into how the brain chooses which memories to keep or forget. Super-Earth: Discovering a planet with a permanent dark side, hinting at unique planetary conditions.
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Water Scarcity Affects Billions
- The hosts describe global water stress and how groundwater is often dirty or salty in rural regions, affecting up to 1.6 billion people.
- They frame desalination as a necessary yet traditionally energy-intensive fix the new solar system could change.
Flexible Solar Desalination Cuts Costs
- Researchers built a membrane desalination system that flexibly adjusts voltage and flow to separate salt ions from water using solar power.
- The design runs through clouds, cuts battery storage needs ~92%, and lowers costs by at least 22%.
Rest After Learning To Lock Memories
- Take downtime or a short rest after learning to boost memory consolidation into long-term storage.
- Relaxation and sleep let the brain replay sharp-wave ripples that tag important experiences to remember.