Researchers have made a breakthrough with a so-called miracle material to break the efficiency record for solar panel electricity generation. A team from the Chinese solar technology firm Longi set a new world record of 33.9 per cent for a silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell, breaking the previous record set in May this year by King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. The new efficiency record also broke the theoretical limit of 33.7 per cent for the first time of standard single junction cells, which are found in commercial solar panels. “This provides meaningful empirical data to demonstrate the advantage of crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells over crystalline silicon single junction solar cells in terms of efficiency,” the company noted in a statement. “The emergence of crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem technology has opened up a new track for the development of next-generation high-efficiency solar cell technology. This means that the same area, absorbing the same light, can emit more electricity.” The theoretical efficiency limit of silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells is 43 per cent, however this level is unlikely to ever be realised on a commercial scale. The first production of ultra-efficient perovskite solar panels could begin in China, with researchers from Nanjing University saying earlier this year that a design breakthrough has made mass production possible. According to the researchers, the next-generation panels will be 50 per cent cheaper and 50 per cent more efficient than traditional silicon cells, however the efficiency rates will still be a long way off the levels achieved in the lab. UK startup Oxford PV, which is a spin-out from the University of Oxford, is already in the process of commercialising the technology, with hopes of beginning full-scale production at a German facility later this year. “Current silicon solar panels have reached their physical limits. We’ve got a way to transform the efficiency of these solar cells with perovskite,” Chris Case, Oxford PV’s chief technology officer, told The Independent in August. “The biggest challenge by far is durability and reliability. We already have great efficiency – much greater than current silicon cells – so most of our research and development is spent enhancing reliability, not efficiency.” Perovskite has been hailed as a “miracle material” for its potential to revolutionise everything from high-speed telecommunications to renewable energy technologies. Its potential for solar panels is not limited to the efficiency gains compared to traditional silicon cells, but also new ways of using them. Recent breakthroughs include self-healing solar panels that can maintain their efficiency for tens to hundreds of years, as well as double-sided solar panels capable of generating electricity from the Sun’s energy on both sides. The material could also be used in applications ranging from building-integrated solar panels to space-based electricity generation. Read More How tech could turn our homes into renewable energy power stations Hundreds of years after it was discovered, one material is about to change the world Millions could abandon electrical grid with new solar panel advance Millions of Australians left without mobile and internet network after Optus outage Guidance urges parents not to buy smartphones for primary school children

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TikToker and singer Dixie D’Amelio received horrendous backlash and is branded a “bad example” for children after wearing a transparent top. D’Amelio is a major star on the social media platform with over 57 million followers and is the older sister of fellow TikTok star Charli D’Amelio. Since breaking up with fellow influencer Noah Beck, the older sister has been through some changes including cutting her previously long hair and replacing it with a buzzcut. But, it was another risky fashion statement that sparked controversy across social media after D’Amelio wore a transparent top that showed her breasts. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The star was seen in both a TikTok video and an Instagram post wearing the same shirt, igniting comments from critics who claimed she was being a bad role model to her young female followers. D’Amelio captioned the Instagram post, “Darling don’t feel bad for me” and posed in the top along with ripped jeans, dark sunglasses and a black handbag. One comment on the post read: “You know children see this.” Another said: “So unclassy. Hope young girls don’t get ‘influenced’ by this.” In possibly one of the most sickening responses, one Instagram user said they hoped she would be a victim of a mass shooting. The TeaTok Talk account shared screenshots of some of the horrible responses D’Amelio received and some which she replied to. An Instagram user wrote, “Bro your [sic] a bad example”, to which D’Amelio hit back: “I have said from the beginning that I am not a role model. I do me and want to be myself.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Peloton is undergoing a significant rebrand, dumping its identity as a seller only of luxury exercise bikes to a heath app for all

On Saturday (July 15), Elon Musk revealed that Twitter is struggling with a “heavy debt load” due to advertising revenue dropping 50 per cent. Responding to a user seemingly giving financial business advice to Musk, the billionaire replied explaining that the company is “still in negative cash flow, due to ~50 per cent drop in advertising revenue plus heavy debt load. Need to reach positive cash flow before we have the luxury of anything else.” Back in April, Musk had said Twitter was “roughly breaking even,” as most of its advertisers had returned. However, a New York Times report in early June found that Twitter’s revenue from US advertising was down 59 per cent from the previous year. Since taking over Twitter in October last year, Musk has faced constant scrutiny for his business decisions, cutting roughly 75 per cent of its workforce almost immediately, as well as reinstating users who were previously banned for breaking terms of service. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter In May, Musk hired a new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, an ex-NBCUniversal advertising executive. The new hire was supposed to signal a fresh start for the platform under Musk’s ownership, but it clearly hasn’t worked in bringing previous advertisers back. Twitter has also caused new upset by imposing ‘rate limits’ on how many tweets users can view a day. At the time, Musk had said the restrictions were required to “address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation”. Another challenge that faces Twitter is Meta’s Threads, the new app it launched this week to compete with Twitter. Meta saw over 100 million users sign up in the first two weeks, but is yet to allow advertisers to host on the platform, despite interest. In response, Twitter threatened legal action, with Twitter’s attorney, Alex Spiro, accusing Meta for unlawfully using trade secrets and other intellectual property to create a “copycat” app. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

'If they want to apologize, sure. If they don't want to, I think that's also fine,' xQc said, responding to iDubbbz's recent apology video

OSAKA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 13, 2023--

Yes, the world's most popular messaging app, Meta's WhatsApp, was having serious issues on Wednesday.

The internet, social media, and smartphones have added stress to our lives, so it’s only

The two have been informally talking about the possibility of inviting xQc to take part in the next charity football game

The full CDL 2024 schedule leaked ahead of the Modern Warfare 3 season, revealing all Majors, Qualifiers, and Champs dates.

By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Sam Bankman-Fried, who has long denied stealing from customers of his FTX cryptocurrency exchange,