Science Presentations I have given
Even though I am not a scientist, I love the subject and belong to the Crowborough U3A Science Group. We meet once a month and the topics are always fascinating.
I have given two one-hour presentations.
The first was on new ways of storing energy which was a very interesting subject to research. My interest was spiked when I heard someone on the radio say that electricity was being stored as hydrogen and I didn't understand how that could be. Having looked into it, I now know that excess electricity generated by solar or wind can be used to power an electrolyzer which breaks water into its component parts, i.e. hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then stored and, when power is needed, a hydrogen fuel cell converts the chemical energy back into electricity.
The second given on 19th December, 2017, the day after my 86th birthday, was on Elon Musk and the Hyperloop. I'd advise anyone reading this who is not familiar with either to look them up. Elon Musk and all his various life-changing projects are so exciting! The Hyperloop is known as the fifth mode of transport and if it ever becomes a reality will be amazing. Imagine sitting in a 'pod' in a vacuum tube and travelling at more than 700 miles an hour. So much money and time spent on feasibility studies, pod designs, ultimate method - whether it be magnetic levitation or some other means resulting in virtually no friction - undertaken by university teams, companies, individuals, all over the world, mean, I think, that it will be constructed somewhere. Keep an eye out for it.
I have given two one-hour presentations.
The first was on new ways of storing energy which was a very interesting subject to research. My interest was spiked when I heard someone on the radio say that electricity was being stored as hydrogen and I didn't understand how that could be. Having looked into it, I now know that excess electricity generated by solar or wind can be used to power an electrolyzer which breaks water into its component parts, i.e. hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then stored and, when power is needed, a hydrogen fuel cell converts the chemical energy back into electricity.
The second given on 19th December, 2017, the day after my 86th birthday, was on Elon Musk and the Hyperloop. I'd advise anyone reading this who is not familiar with either to look them up. Elon Musk and all his various life-changing projects are so exciting! The Hyperloop is known as the fifth mode of transport and if it ever becomes a reality will be amazing. Imagine sitting in a 'pod' in a vacuum tube and travelling at more than 700 miles an hour. So much money and time spent on feasibility studies, pod designs, ultimate method - whether it be magnetic levitation or some other means resulting in virtually no friction - undertaken by university teams, companies, individuals, all over the world, mean, I think, that it will be constructed somewhere. Keep an eye out for it.
