Cooling

The race to achieve the extreme cold that quantum technologies demand may have a frontrunner. Chinese scientists have developed an alloy that almost reaches absolute zero, the coldest possible temperature, without using the scarce isotope, helium-3.

Li-ion batteries need complex cooling systems. Yet, the human body, which generates enough heat to boil over 100 cups of tea daily, is literally just chillin’. The secret? Our skin’s ability to sweat. Scientists may have given batteries this ability.

Indian studio Sanjay Puri Architects dreamed up plans for a university that are quite unlike the usual imposing structures that immediately come to mind. It's a marvel from every angle, and especially so when you look at the roof.

Metallic theta-phase tantalum nitride exhibits an ultra-high thermal conductivity like no other material. This could be a desirable alternative to copper for computers and AI hardware, and even aerospace systems that need to run cool.

A roof paint that can cool your home and pull fresh water straight out of the air? It's within reach, as scientists scale up production of a new kind of paint-like coating that shields roofing from the sun's rays and harvests dew from its surface.

As our personal devices get smaller and are expected to do more – your phone, smartwatch, or wearable AI assistant – they can get hotter on the inside. xMEMS' tech can deliver airflow in these products with a chip smaller than a microSD card.

A new kind of paint might be the key to cooling homes in humid climes like Singapore. Researchers based in the island country found their custom white paint, specially developed to 'sweat,' significantly reduced the need for air conditioning.

Solo Stove has long built its brand around fire, but now it's expanding into other product categories. A cooler seemed almost inevitable, but this one goes a step further as a fire pit-like gathering point with A/C and misting to keep everyone cool.

The heat from within your laptop disperses slowly, like ripples in a pond. What if we could turn that heat into channeled waves that travel away from the source up to a hundred times faster? Researchers are giving it a go – with crystals.

Oyster mushrooms and bits of bamboo sound more at home on a Chinese menu than stuck to the wall, but scientists have used this mix to make aesthetically pleasing tiles with bumps and textures that help regulate temperature much like elephant skin does.

How's this for a set of promises? Flint Engineering claims its new, flat, thermal-transfer "IsoMat" can power entire homes, cut refrigerator energy consumption by 30%, and radically speed up EV charging while also extending battery life.

Cranking up the air conditioner keeps buildings cool, but it guzzles energy. Passive materials can regulate temperatures more efficiently, and now scientists have developed a new coating that keeps glass much cooler, while still being transparent.