Energy Suspension

The United States of America is in full swing conducting researches and laboratory experiments about nanotechnology. The center that advocates the research on nanomaterials is aiming to help United States solve its problems in energy by conducting experimentations that will yield other alternative energy sources aside from fossil fuels, solar heat energy, and hydro-power. Meanwhile, physicists, particularly at Brookhaven, are collaborating with chemists, materials scientists, and biologists on researching about nanomaterials. They are currently studying the nanotube, a carbon tube that possesses extraordinary structural and electric properties while having a width of few nanometers and a length of million nanometers. They are so small and are practically applicable to various purposes. Scientists have also discovered that a nanotube is capable of emitting infrared light provided that voltage is administered on it. This makes the tube the first electric light beam.

Another research is dedicated to studying the reactive properties of cell membranes to nanomaterials. This is in line with settling the issue about nanotechnology's bad effects to humans. Also, they are studying how water behave when the cells react to nanomaterials. It is said that such innovation will later produce nanoscale water. Other projects focus on forcing krypton or argon to zeolite pores that aim in producing gas-waters.

When the news broke that nanotechnology could be the ultimate solution to our scientific dilemmas, it raised worldwide awareness and diverse reactions about the technology. Above all these beneficial aspects, nanotechnology's value in medicine and energy stands out. Although there have been researches and the findings were revealed for public information, we cannot deny the fact that the issues on the safety of the technology still stirs public interest.

Safe or not? The answer depends upon our exposure to particles. True, it will be very risky for humans to be exposed to this technology. But utilizing nanoparticles to create energy is also essential to our daily lives. According to scientists the minute particles could easily intercept the human body's systems. If this happens then we will be contaminated. But the major effects are still unknown.

However, we are well aware that several nano products are already released on the world market. The most famous is the Apple iPod nanos. Up to this date there are no serious cases reported with regards to exposure to the particles. To be able to fully utilize nanotechnology, and I mean the nanoparticles, we have to develop schemes that will protect us from direct exposure. If we have devised means to utilize nuclear energy, then I believe that we could also do the same with nanotechnology.

Why is it so hard to understand the concepts of energy? Why is it that although the researches have already proven countless energy sources, they claim that these would definitely alleviate our problems with regards to energy scarcity? If you ask me such questions, my answer would be, "It is because we do not see energy." Yeah, you might have contentions on that, but in reality, we do not, and cannot see the energy. What researches have presented to us are the sources - coal, oil, sun, and many others. The electricity or energy they produce are invisible to the naked eye. But, hey, we pay for that, and most of the time, we have a high energy consumption.

Actually, nobody can tell just what is the cheapest source of energy. What we can do, at least, is to devise a means that will lower the price of electricity. Here is where Energy Distribution comes. It is plain a simple, an elementary concept. Distributed Energy Generation implies that the energy origins be as close as possible to the recipient. Let us say, for example, solar energy. If we are to incorporate solar cells in our houses, the conductor makes us closest to the source. Meanwhile, we are linked to power plants through cables.

Simply put, the idea suggests that we reduce the price of electricity or energy by placing the source and the conductor as near as possible to the recipients. This results in cheaper and more predictable energy. If we are to adhere to this notion, we will be compelled to restructure our neighborhood so as to make a space for the energy source. So, we are left we no choice but to reach the energy provider by any means.

We all know that each and every living organism on the face of earth and in the galaxies possess energy. Although we usually associate energy with heat - solar, thermal, nuclear, and atomic - we cannot escape the truth that force also plays a major part in creating energy (we can prove this by setting hydro power and wind power as examples). However, for the most part, heat is the basic element. Human beings, as well as plants and animals, contain within our bodies energy. Of course, the possession of energy ends when life has been extinguished from us. But, as long as we are alive, energy could still be found in us.

Just last week, I got to read an article that talked about emergy. The word came about with the discovery of embodied energy. As I have said before, living things have energy because they naturally possess body heat. If we try to observe, we exert force, thus we are able to move tings or become mobile. This is because we have the energy to do, and the natural energy embodied on us enabled us to do so.

Emergy does not only apply to living organisms. Among the perfect example is the sun. The heat energy principle of the sun enabled experts to do some calculations with just how hot is its core. The same could be done with us humans. Our normal body temperature is 37 degree Celsius. You might say that is not sufficient to generate even a battery, but it is enough to support our body for at least a hundred years. Incredible.

Perhaps, you have read or heard somewhere about nanotechnology. Given that this is a breakthrough in science technology, many companies in business industry have even adopted the word "nano" and incorporated it as a brand for their products. I believe there is an Apple digital gadget that has "nano" for its name.

Anyway, nanotechnology is different. Nanotechnology involves the suspension of nanoparticles in liquids or bodies of water. The resulting nanofluids increases heat transfer compared to other liquids, thereby making systems more efficient.

This development by the research team in the United Kingdom could mean benefits in our everyday living. For one, we could do away with those larger, powerful pumps and save energy and the environment. Another application of the nanotechnology could be in the medical field, where a patient could have a greater possibility of surviving after a major surgery; nanofluids could replace some amount of oxygen in the brain, hence there is a small chance of acquiring damage to the brain. A cancer patient could also be treated using the heat properties of nanofluids without affecting his or her healthy cells. Lastly, nanotechnology could prove useful in the computer world by creating microchips that can overcome heat dissipation. Pretty practical, eh?