<h2>Fusion Reactions</h2>
<p>Nuclear fusion, the reaction that powers stars like our Sun, could be a source of nearly unlimited electricity. But before that can happen, scientists need to find a way to stabilize super-heated plasma in fusion reactions.</p>
<p>Now, researchers from Princeton University and the Department of Energy (DOE) <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190108181310.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">think they&#8217;ve figured it out</a> — and the technique could prove useful for an experimental European reactor scheduled to go online in 2025.</p>
<h2>Magnetic Islands</h2>
<p>The work, described in a <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.225001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new paper</a> published in the journal <em>Physical Review Letters, </em>deals with a type of structure in plasma that researchers call a &#8220;magnetic island.&#8221; Magnetic islands can cause complex plasma disruptions capable of shutting down fusion experiments and even damaging reactors.</p>
<p>The researchers found that by bombarding plasma with radio-frequency waves while creating small fluctuations in its temperature, they could stabilize the material and prevent the dangerous magnetic islands from forming.</p>
<h2>ITER Saw</h2>
<p>The Princeton and DOE researchers believe the new work could be useful at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a huge international project that fusion researchers hope will pave the way for <a href="https://futurism.com/nuclear-reactor-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">practical fusion power</a> when it goes online in about five years.</p>
<p>&#8220;There is worry about islands getting large and causing disruptions in ITER,&#8221; Allan Reiman, a Princeton researcher who worked on the new stabilization project, said in a statement. &#8220;Taken together, these new effects should make it easier to stabilize ITER plasmas.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE:</strong> <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190108181310.htm">Scientists Discover a Process That Stabilizes Fusion Plasmas</a> [<i>Science Daily</i>]</p>
<p><strong><em>More on fusion: </em></strong><a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/magnetic-field-nuclear-fusion"><em>This Super Powerful Magnetic Field Puts Us One Step Closer to Nuclear Fusion</em></a></p>


Nuclear fusion could be a source of nearly unlimited electricity — if scientists can stabilize the reactions.

Scientists discovered a new way to stabilize fusion reactions

Fusion for a Bruisin'

Researchers from Princeton University and the Department of Energy say they've discovered a new way to stabilize super-heated plasma in fusion reactions.

Scientists Discovered a New Way to Stabilize Fusion Reactions

One easy trick to tame super-heated plasma.

<p>We may be one large step closer to a future driven by fusion power — the elusive, limitless, and zero-carbon energy source that&#8217;s even a step-up from renewables. <a href="http://news.mit.edu/2018/mit-newly-formed-company-launch-novel-approach-fusion-power-0309" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A collaboration between MIT and a new private company, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS),</a> aims to bring the world&#8217;s first fusion power plant online in the next 15 years, using a novel approach.</p>
<p>Fusion powers the sun and other stars. It involves lighter atoms like hydrogen smashing together to form heavier elements, like helium, and releasing massive amounts of energy while doing so. This energy release happens, however, at very, very extreme temperatures — in the range of hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius — which would melt any material it came in contact with.</p>
<p>So, in order to experiment with fusion in the laboratory, researchers use magnetic fields to hold that smashed together soup of subatomic particles, called plasma, suspended and away from the walls of the experimental chamber. The trickiness of using fusion as a form of energy is that, to date, every experiment has yielded net negative energy  — meaning more energy goes into heating that subatomic soup than comes out for potential use.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2018/03/09/new-approach-fusion-energy-starts-today/cc7kpF93xLaopO5xdobKIO/story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Now, this collaboration is launching an experiment known as SPARC</a>, which will use new, high-temperature superconductors to build smaller, more powerful high-field magnets to power an experimental fusion reactor. SPARC&#8217;s goal? The first-ever net positive energy gain from fusion.</p>
<figure id="attachment_126547" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-126547 size-full" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2018/03/SPARC.jpg" alt="Vizualization of proposed SPARC experiment. Image Credit: Visualization by Ken Filar, PSFC research affiliate" width="639" height="426" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Visualization of the proposed SPARC experiment. Image Credit: Visualization by Ken Filar, PSFC research affiliate.</figcaption></figure>
<p>This fusion experiment is designed to produce 100 megawatts of heat, thanks to those new magnets. It won&#8217;t turn that heat into electricity, but in 10-second pulses, it could produce twice the power needed to heat the plasma, and as much power as is used by a small city.</p>
<p>“This is an important historical moment: Advances in superconducting magnets have put fusion energy potentially within reach, offering the prospect of a safe, carbon-free energy future,&#8221; MIT President L. Rafael Reif told <i>MIT News. </i></p>
<p>While this team&#8217;s approach to fusion power seems promising; a number of previous collaborations were unable to get fusion energy off the ground. <a href="https://futurism.com/technique-allow-scientists-create-fusion-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Researchers at the University of New South Wales </a>tried, and failed, to create fusion through hydrogen-boron reactions.</p>
<p><a href="https://futurism.com/wait-fusion-power-coming-end/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in France</a> is also making progress, but SPARC is set to dethrone the project in terms of size. SPARC will be only 1/65th of ITER&#8217;s volume, because these new high-field magnets make it possible to build smaller fusion plants needed to achieve a given level of power.</p>
<p>If SPARC is successful, and the fusion project design proliferates worldwide, it&#8217;s possible fusion energy could start to help meet global energy demands. Researching carbon-free fusion energy is critical during an era in which greenhouse gases continue to drive climate change.</p>
<p>&#8220;The aspiration is to have a working power plant in time to combat climate change,&#8221; Bob Mumgaard, CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/09/nuclear-fusion-on-brink-of-being-realised-say-mit-scientists">told <em>The Guardian</em></a>. &#8220;We think we have the science, speed and scale to put carbon-free fusion power on the grid in 15 years.&#8221;</p>


We could be seeing a fusion power plant go online in just 15 years.

MIT is taking on fusion power. Could this be the time it actually works?

Hard Science

An international collaboration, including researchers from MIT, is harnessing a new type of superconducting magnet to herald a fusion-powered future.

MIT Is Taking on Fusion Power. Could This Be the Time It Actually Works?

"We think we have the science, speed and scale to put carbon-free fusion power on the grid in 15 years."

<h2>Like Magic, Only Better</h2>
<p>When it was first described in the 1920s by physicist Irvin Langmuir, plasma was said to be one of the fundamental states of matter, though not one that exists freely on Earth under normal circumstances. Plasma is made up of charged particles, ions and electrons, and does occur naturally as lightning; an occurrence that can be contained in man-made objects like florescent light bulbs and plasma-cutting torches.</p>
<p>Now, for the first time, engineers from the <a href="http://www.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California Institute of Technology</a> (Caltech) have been able to create a stable plasma ring <em>without</em> a container According to the <a href="http://www.caltech.edu/news/engineers-create-stable-plasma-ring-open-air-80367" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caltech press release</a>, it&#8217;s &#8220;essentially capturing lightning in a bottle, but without the bottle.&#8221;</p>
<p>This remarkable feat was achieved using only a stream of water and a crystal plate, made from either quartz and lithium niobate. The union of these tools induced a type of contact electrification known as the triboelectric effect.</p>
<p>The researchers blasted the crystal plate with an 85-micron-diameter jet of water (narrower than a human hair) from a specially designed nozzle. The water hit the crystal plate with a pressure of 632.7 kilograms of force per centimeter (9,000 pounds per square inch), generating an impact velocity of around 305 meters per second (1,000 feet per second) — as fast as a bullet from a handgun.</p>
<p>Plasma was formed as a result of the creation of an electric charge when the water hit the crystal surface. The flow of electrons from the point of contact ionizes the molecules and atoms in the gas area surrounding the water&#8217;s surface, forming a donut-shaped glowing plasma that&#8217;s dozens of microns in diameter.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ht0_Kkx5-YU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Energy Storage Potential</h2>
<p>The researchers were able to sustain the ring-shaped plasma as long as the water stream kept firing at the crystal. They also realized that the smoother the surface was, the clearer the plasma ring would be.</p>
<p>&#8220;We were told by some colleagues this wasn&#8217;t even possible. But we can create a stable ring and maintain it for as long as we want, no vacuum or magnetic field or anything,&#8221; Francisco Pereira, a Caltech visiting fellow originally from the Marine Technology Research Institute in Italy, said in the press release. Pereira is a co-author of the study published in the journal of the <i><a href="www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1712717114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a></i>, together with Caltech&#8217;s Morteza Gharib.</p>
<p>Gharib&#8217;s team also noticed another peculiar phenomenon: the plasma ring emitted distinct radio frequencies, as evidenced by the high levels of static the engineers&#8217; mobile phones picked up during the experiment. &#8220;That&#8217;s never been seen before. We think it&#8217;s because of the piezo properties of the materials that we used in our experiments,&#8221; Pereira explained.</p>
<p>As remarkable as the achievement is, the team&#8217;s plasma ring doesn&#8217;t yet have any immediate commercial application — though Gharib did suggest one possibility: energy storage.</p>
<p>He explained that generating plasma without the help of any powerful electromagnetic fields or vacuum hints that it <em>may</em> be possible to use plasma structures to store energy. If that proves to be the case, it would an exciting discovery for those hard at work developing alternative energy methods. It would be yet another option for experts who have been devoting their time and resources to finding (or developing) <a href="https://futurism.com/new-instantly-rechargeable-battery-deals-a-fatal-blow-to-fossil-fuels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a better battery</a> for the<a href="https://futurism.com/experts-batteries-will-meet-increasing-energy-storage-needs-in-5-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> energy storage needs of today — and the future</a>.</p>


Researchers say it's "essentially capturing lightning in a bottle, but without the bottle."

A stable plasma ring has been created in open air for the first time ever

Plasma, a fundamental state of matter, usually occurs naturally as lightning. Generating plasma has been impossible without a container — until now.

A Stable Plasma Ring Has Been Created in Open Air for the First Time

This could be a radical new way to store energy.

A Stable Plasma Ring Has Been Created in Open Air For the First Time Ever

<h2>Young Blood</h2>
<p>The results of a study investigating whether blood plasma taken from young people can reverse the effects of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease are in. Unfortunately, it seems that the technique doesn&#8217;t hold as much potential as many had hoped, yet the scientists behind the work are quick to note that the research is still in its nascent stages.</p>
<p>Within this study, a group of elderly people with Alzheimer&#8217;s disease were given weekly <a href="https://futurism.com/scientsts-assert-that-theyve-found-a-way-to-reverse-menopause/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">injections of blood plasma</a> from people aged between 18 and 25. But, while some improvements were recorded, the effects of the treatment were not significantly pronounced.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CsECS5qsGLs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The participants of the study did not perform better on objective cognitive tests taken after the had received injections for an extended period of time. However, a survey of caregivers indicated that there were improvements in terms of their ability to carry out everyday tasks like preparing food or traveling.</p>
<p>The idea of injecting plasma to <a href="https://futurism.com/new-anti-aging-technique-goes-to-clinical-trials/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">combat the effects of aging</a> comes from a 19th-century concept that&#8217;s now referred to as parabiosis. In its earliest iteration, the skin of old and young mice was stitched together to allow blood to circulate freely between the two animals.</p>
<p>In recent years, the technique has been revisited, and it was demonstrated to revitalize the liver, brain, and muscles of older mice. This prompted a <a href="https://futurism.com/young-blood-combat-aging-thanks-just-one-protein/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">search for the molecules</a> that were causing these improvements.</p>
<h2>Peer Review</h2>
<p>Doubt has been cast on this study because of the way that the treatment&#8217;s effectiveness was tested. Initially, one group of patients was set to be given a saline placebo, and another would be injected with plasma. After several weeks, they would switch – but this plan was thrown out after several participants dropped out.</p>
<p>Instead, the remaining participants were all given plasma for four weeks, and this was compared to the <a href="https://futurism.com/placebos-are-effective-even-when-patients-know-they-arent-receiving-actual-drugs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">placebo effect</a> from the first study. Between the study results and the fact that caregivers might be predisposed to observe improvements where there are none, it&#8217;s being argued that the study is far from conclusive.</p>
<p>Alkahest, the technology company that bankrolled the study, finds the results encouraging. Further trials are set to be carried out to determine whether or not the treatment is at all viable.</p>
<p>Another study will take this a step further and only use the part of blood plasma that contains growth factors, which has proven to be more effective in animal testing. There are also early plans to test a larger number of Alzheimer&#8217;s sufferers, including people with a more severe form of the condition, with a variety of different dosages.</p>
<p>There are still questions that need to be answered before we know how effective plasma injections really are. Despite this and <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2152064-first-results-from-young-blood-alzheimers-trial-are-criticised//">the inconclusive and seemingly ineffectual results,</a> the procedure is <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/young-blood-antiaging-trial-raises-questions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already being offered commercially</a>, with prices as high as $8,000 for a two-day course of treatment.</p>


The results of this study aren't matching the hype.

First results of a clinical trial to "cure aging" using young blood just came in

Healthcare worker holding out blood bag, cropped

Health & Medicine

In a recent study, people suffering from Alzheimer's were administered blood plasma from people aged between 18 and 25, but it may not be effective.

First Results of a Clinical Trial to "Cure Aging" Using Young Blood Just Came in

Some experts think blood from young people could help reverse Alzheimer's.

First Results of a Clinical Trial to “Cure Aging” Using Young Blood Just Came in

It would depend which part of the Sun came into contact with our planet.

Watch: What would happen if we brought a piece of the sun to Earth?

Watch: What Would Happen if We Brought a Piece of the Sun to Earth?

<h2>A Fascinating Cosmic Q-Tip</h2>
<p>In the Galaxy M87 (which was created when<a href="https://futurism.com/messier-87-still-has-insatiably-appetite-for-its-neighbors/"> two other galaxies</a> merged), a jet of hot plasma — caused by gas being sucked into a central black hole, being heated, and then shot out by magnetic fields — has been helping us gain insight into the weird origins of our galaxy. <a href="http://www.stsci.edu/ftp/science/m87/m87.html">It is shaped like a thin beam</a> and is emitted from the center of a black hole.</p>
<p>Heber Curtis, an astronomer, first saw a ray of light connected to the galaxy in 1918. In order to see it with his instruments at the time, it had to be huge. And it turns out, it was; measuring at almost 6000 light years long.</p>
<p>The Hubble Space Telescope monitored its development between 1995 and 1999 and, after four years of photos, they saw the plasma ripple outwards faster than what was being emitted from the black hole, meaning it must be moving faster than the speed of light. In 2013, after 13 years of images, it appeared to move in corkscrew-like spirals, making this strange occurrence even more mystifying.</p>
<figure style="width: 735px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/05/735px-M87_jet.jpg" alt="The Beam of Plasma Emitted from M87's Central Black Hole. Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team" width="735" height="380" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">The Jet of Plasma Emitted from M87&#8217;s Central Black Hole. Image Credit: NASA/The Hubble Heritage Team</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Understanding Our Universe</h2>
<p>M87 is, however, not unique in this way. Since the first observation, researchers have discovered similar phenomena in other galaxies. Although the causes behind it are still enigmatic, these observations could aid us in our search in understanding how black holes function in the creation or destruction of galaxies. Similarly, an enormous magnetic bridge spanning multiple galaxies <a href="https://futurism.com/physicists-observe-a-gigantic-magnetic-bridge-between-galaxies-for-the-first-time/">has been recently discovered</a>.</p>
<p>Eileen Meyer, Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, said <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2131889-weird-energy-beam-seems-to-travel-five-times-the-speed-of-light/">about the plasma</a>,“We can see, over a human lifetime, things moving [&#8230;] Which is crazy.” The speed of this process is particularly remarkable because of how powerful it is.</p>


Off World

Strange beams of plasma that have been observed that seem to defy the laws of physics by moving faster than the speed of light.

A Powerful Energy Beam in Space Seems to Exceed the Speed of Light

It defies the laws of physics and has scientists mystified.

These plasma-infused sanitization sheets are highly efficient germ killers. They’re biodegradable and don’t require high amounts of heat transfer, so there are a lot of applications for this tech.

Future Society

These plasma-infused sanitization sheets are highly efficient germ killers. They're biodegradable and don't require high amounts of heat transfer, so there are a lot of applications for this tech.

Sanitizing With Plasma Is Efficient and Environmentally Friendly

<h2><b></b>Plasma Factories</h2>
<p><a href="https://futurism.com/gmos-led-the-fight-against-zika-and-ebola-and-they-will-combat-the-next-great-pandemic/">Gene editing</a> in animals usually come in the form of livestock that live longer or are resistant to disease. But scientists and futurists often say that GMOs can provide much more than improved foodstuffs.</p>
<p>An American startup is offering a glimpse of a more creative use of gene edited animals. Sioux Falls-based SAB Biotherapeutics is looking <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602530/cows-engineered-with-human-genes-could-stop-our-next-disease-outbreak/">at genetically modified cattle</a> as a means of providing fast response to epidemic outbreaks. They wants to turn these cattle into plasma factories, capable of producing blood plasma and human antibodies at a faster rate than humans could.</p>
<p>In cases where there is a large outbreak, like recently with Ebola, the go-to response is pumping sick individuals with plasma. Plasma has protective proteins and antibodies that can help the sick battle the virus.</p>
<p>SAB wants to do the same thing, but with cattle. The company has developed a process where cattle is gene edited, removing certain animal genes and replacing them with human ones that generate human antibodies..</p>
<p>The cattle are then injected with a target disease antigen, spurring an immune response, thus generating antibodies.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/10/bovine.jpg" alt="WHO" width="779" height="380" /></p>
<p>“Two key benefits of our unique technology platform are its ability to respond rapidly and produce potent fully-human antibodies to a wide variety of disease targets, including viruses, bacteria, and toxins, in significant quantities,” SAB CEO <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160920006262/en/SAB-Biotherapeutics-Immunotherapy-Proposal-Top-Platform-Technology">Eddie Sullivan</a> said in a statement.</p>
<h2>Age of Gene Editing</h2>
<p>There is currently a glut of research focused on gene editing. Other than creating better crops and food products, gene editing research is currently focused at modifying disease-carrying pests so they don&#8217;t reproduce, or creating better vaccines.</p>
<p>Eventually, gene editing may find a way to edit out harmful disease, or make humans more resistant to tough diseases. Of course, there is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/dec/01/human-gene-editing-international-summit">much debate</a> in this area, from the ethics of creating &#8220;designer babies&#8221; to the dangers of human &#8220;germline&#8221; editing.</p>


Researchers are genetically engineering cows to rapidly produce plasma to fight disease in humans.
This is just the latest application of genetic modification being used to help fight disease.

Biotech Company Genetically Engineers Cows To Combat Disease Outbreaks

Cows just may become walking cure machines.

<h2>Plasma&#8217;s Many Forms and Uses</h2>
<p>It is a bit ironic that plasma is the least known <a href="https://futurism.com/plasma-the-fourth-state-of-matter-2/">state of matter</a>, when in fact it is the most abundant in the universe. It is found in our Sun and all other stars, lightning, in our TVs, fluorescent light, and neon signs, and (purportedly) even in our favorite fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, the lightsaber.</p>
<p>Plasma can be classified according to the degree of ionization, temperature, etc, but whatever form it may take, plasma has been used in various fields, such as in <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/travelinginspace/future_propulsion.html">spacecraft propulsion</a>, <a href="http://terraplasma.com/plasma_agriculture.html">agriculture</a>, and quite recently, in medicine.</p>
<p>In a study recently published in <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/term.2224/abstract"><i>Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine</i></a>, a team of scientists avers that cold plasma could help improve bone development.</p>
<h2>Application of Cold Plasma in Bone Development</h2>
<p>The lead author of the paper, <a href="https://www.mdtmag.com/news/2016/08/plasma-could-improve-bone-healing">Theresa Freeman, Ph.D.</a>, associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, briefly discussed their research in a statement: “We’ve previously studied how different applications of cold plasma can either directly kill cells, such as in skin cancer, or help them grow, as in developing bones. In this study, we asked how cold plasma would affect the area surrounding cells, known as the extracellular matrix.&#8221;</p>
<figure style="width: 402px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/08/plasma.jpg" alt="Microsecond filament pattern of cold plasma at different frequencies. Credit: Dr. Therese Freeman" width="402" height="545" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Microsecond filament pattern of cold plasma at different frequencies. Credit: Dr. Therese Freeman</figcaption></figure>
<p>The study shows that cold plasma can be modified to influence bone formation and <a href="https://www.boundless.com/physiology/textbooks/boundless-anatomy-and-physiology-textbook/skeletal-system-6/cartilage-70/cartilage-growth-434-4345/">chondrogenesis </a>(process cartilage development) by chemically altering the matrix. The scientists were able to demonstrate this by experimenting on <a href="https://www.corning.com/asean/en/products/life-sciences/products/surfaces/matrigel-matrix.html">Matrigel</a> — a commercially available extracellular matrix — which they treated with microsecond and nanosecond pulsed cold plasma at different frequencies.Their findings reveal that the matrix treated with microsecond pulsed cold plasma had a significant increase in bone growth, while the nanosecond pulsed treatments showed a significant decrease in bone formation.</p>
<p>The potential uses of plasma in the field of medicine is indeed promising. <a href="https://www.mdtmag.com/news/2016/08/plasma-could-improve-bone-healing">Dr. Freeman</a> said: “As research into medical applications of cold plasma expands, it will be important to study various plasma types and conditions in tissue models, rather than isolated cells. Because cold plasma affects each cell type and matrix protein to produce variable physiological effects, it’s important to study not just how each cell behaves when exposed, but how they react together within the tissue and organismal environment.”</p>


Scientists have just found a way to make use of plasma, the fourth state of matter, to improve bone development. Using cold fusion, researchers were able to initiate increased bone growth.

Regenerative Medicine: Plasma Being Used To Improve Bone Healing

Plasma may not be the best for TVs anymore, but it may have a better run at growing bones.

<h5>Space Probe</h5>
<p>Technology originally designed to drill through Mars, the moon, and fight through the dead surface found on asteroids has managed to make a breakthrough. However, this most recent breakthrough is not related to space research , but for creating what could be the <a href="http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/TTP2/Probing_Mars_charging_cars">world’s first portable charger</a> that can power up electric cars, anywhere, anytime.</p>
<p>“Right now we’re scratching the surface,” explains ESA’s Sanjay Vijendran <a href="http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/TTP2/Probing_Mars_charging_cars">in a recent press release</a>. “With today’s technology we can go down about 2 m for missions such as our ExoMars rover. But we want to get to at least 10 m with the same size drill. “We believe Mars might have underground water which could potentially harbour life, but so far we’ve not had the technology to explore deep enough.”</p>
<p>But now, this tech is being put to other uses.</p>
<figure id="attachment_20654" style="width: 264px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class=" wp-image-20654" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/01/Asda_Inverness_Electric_car_charging_spaces_7439909738-300x225.jpg" alt="Electric car charging spaces/Glen Wallace" width="264" height="198" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Electric car charging spaces/Glen Wallace</figcaption></figure>
<p>Remarkably, the device uses the same voltage as a vacuum cleaner, and it can easily be plugged into any household socket without users having to worry about blowing a fuse, thanks to its tiny transformer. This allows the device to convert power from the grid and maintain a steady supply of energy, similar to how laptop cables work. It also helps reduce charging time.</p>
<p>The breakthrough was discovered as scientists were trying to determine how to develop a more efficient space drill using plasma.</p>
<p>“On Mars we have only 100 W available and we can run the whole system below that using solar power and small batteries,” Vijendran continues. To address these limitations, scientists created compact transformers that provided the voltage for a plasma spark.</p>
<h5>Electric Efficiency</h5>
<p>“We realised that the same transformers we were developing for the space drill could also make the best chargers for electric cars,” says Zaptec’s CEO, Brage Johansen.</p>
<p>Despite the growing acceptance of <a href="https://futurism.com/?s=electric+cars">electric cars</a>, one of the main barriers for adoption barriers among consumers lies in the inaccessibility of charging stations.  Not all cities or even countries are equipped with the technology to accommodate the advancements in electric car manufacturing. This new breakthrough may prove to be a solution that can spur easier adoption across a wider scale.</p>
<figure id="attachment_20668" style="width: 495px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/01/mara-drill.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-20668"><img class="size-full wp-image-20668" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/01/mara-drill.jpg" alt="The plasma drill developed for ESA by Norwegian company Zaptec on the front of ESA’s Mars Rover. Credit: ESA" width="495" height="700" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">The plasma drill developed for ESA by Norwegian company Zaptec on the front of ESA’s Mars Rover. Credit: ESA</figcaption></figure>


Robots & Machines

Space probe drill technology paves the way for development of portable chargers that can charge electric cars anywhere, anytime.

/Plasma

Fusion for a Bruisin'

Scientists Discovered a New Way to Stabilize Fusion Reactions

Hard Science

MIT Is Taking on Fusion Power. Could This Be the Time It Actually Works?

Hard Science

A Stable Plasma Ring Has Been Created in Open Air For the First Time Ever

Health & Medicine

First Results of a Clinical Trial to “Cure Aging” Using Young Blood Just Came in

Hard Science

Watch: What Would Happen if We Brought a Piece of the Sun to Earth?

Off World

A Powerful Energy Beam in Space Seems to Exceed the Speed of Light

Future Society

Sanitizing With Plasma Is Efficient and Environmentally Friendly

Hard Science

Biotech Company Genetically Engineers Cows To Combat Disease Outbreaks

Hard Science

Regenerative Medicine: Plasma Being Used To Improve Bone Healing

Robots & Machines

Space Probe Helps Design World’s First Portable Electric Car Charger

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