Can we stop climate change? A lab on board a zeppelin might provide the answer.
How do substances in the atmosphere affect climate change? A European research project called PEGASOS wants to answer that question with the help of a blimp that has been converted for research purposes.
Unlike planes or helicopters, zeppelins can fly at low heights without causing turbulence in the air around them. So far, there has been little research done on chemical processes in the lower layers of the atmosphere. Now the PEGASOS researchers hope to use their results to help develop measures to combat climate change.
The director of the Institute for Energy and Climate Change Research at the Research Center Jülich talks about the costs and benefits of the PEGASOS project.
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research diagnose sick animals with the help of a unique CT scanner. In this report, Tomorrow Today follows a giant tortoise, which has fluid retention in its tissues. The cause could be a growth disorder or a viral infection.
With the CT scan and other tests, the team of vets can peer through the shell inside the tortoise to make a clear diagnosis.
In January 2011, the gigantic clapper of Cologne's Cathedral fell to the ground. Luckily, damages caused by the 860 kilograms of metal were limited. Still, the bell had to be repaired. That turned out to be a job for the European Competence Center for Church Bells in Kempten.
The question was how a new clapper could be designed to avoid a similar incident. Computer simulations show that the old clapper was too heavy, which had in turn put too much strain on the bell. Using specially developed software, the researchers constructed a new clapper, about 200 kilos lighter, to replace the old one.
Scientists are working on a technology to ensure that cell phone batteries don't run out of power as often. With the help of a new coating, the phones will be able to produce their own solar power and charge themselves.
The special dye material on the surface of the device will collect sunlight and conduct it to tiny solar cells. The technology also has potential for other gadgets -- from notebooks to household robots.
