Science Helpdesk

Energy.Great presentation to learn about the types of energy, its laws, its transformations, the ways heat can be transmitted, major sources of energy, some of its uses in daily life, the advantages of reducing its use and the possibilities of the renewable sources of energy.

KEWL - Energy.A basic introduction to the main renewable and non-renewable sources of energy.

Special report: energy and fuels.New Scientist extensive collection of resources to take you through a deep insight on energy and fuels.

Why sustainable power is unsustainable.Serious obstacles on the road towards a future of renewable sources of energy.

The 10 big energy myths.There has never been a more important time to invest in green technologies, yet many of us believe these efforts are doomed to fail. This article disagrees.

Power plants of the world.Google Earth file showing a list with most of the world's power plants classified by type.

Dirty energy threat to green Brazil.Brazil boasts of being one of the world's "greenest" energy suppliers, but recent policy initiatives could jeopardise its desire to be a big player in future climate change discussions.

The big thirst.Article in The New York Times pondering the worrying future of our most wanted fuel: oil.

How oil refining works.Great review on one of the most important industrial processes in our society. With images and videos.

Oil: a History.A short history of black gold, from the ancient Persian army's flaming oil-dipped arrows to today's piercing pain at the pump.

Can carbon fiber solve the oil crisis?Cutting a car's weight makes a lot of sense in the knowledge that we are running down of oil. Learn how carbon fiber could help.

There is no such thing as nuclear waste.The author demystifies the danger of nuclear waste by suggesting alternative uses for them other than just burial.

Sunsite funsite.A great animated lesson to know all the basics about solar energy and how it is harnessed by humans and every other living being on Earth.

Solar power.One image showing some facts about the incredible potential of solar power.

How does solar power work?Very interesting and easy to understand introduction to solar power and its current state of development.

The amazing solar tower of Seville.Learn how solar power is being produced in the hot countryside near Seville.

Is the Sun setting on solar power in Spain?An article of the current heyday of solar power in Spain and its dependency on subsidies.

Biofuels.Encyclopaedia Britannica online article on biofuels.

Gas 2.0.Hot news on biofuels.

Are biofuels bad?A scientific study says that biofuels are even worse than the gasoline for the current climatic change. Learn why.

How biodiesel works.To learn it all about one of the most important alternatives to fossil fuels.

Can I make my own ethanol?Ethanol, mixed with a small amount of gasoline, can be used to fuel cars. Learn how to make it at home, safely and cheaply.

How biofuel is made.See how cooking oil leftovers from restaurants are used to produce a biodiesel that is later mixed with petroleum derivatives to fuel vehicles.

Can I run my MP3 player on methanol?They even say that you can run it with an onion and Gatorade, so why not with methanol?

Scientists find bugs that eat waste and excrete petrol.Learn how a newborn company is experimenting with bacteria that have been genetically altered to provide 'renewable petroleum'.

Forget solar panels, this house runs on algae.Students at the University of Cambridge have designed an energy and carbon-neutral house powered entirely by algae.

New facility uses algae to turn coal pollution into fuel.A coal fired power-plant in Oregon has started a pilot project to stop pollution by using algae to collect carbon dioxide and make fuel and other useful products.

Garbage energy.Watch this video to understand how we can produce electricity from methane captured in a landfill.

5 myths about wind energy.Wind energy might be the simplest renewable energy to understand. Yet there are misconceptions about what makes it turn.

Windfarms unlikely to threaten birds.Conservation groups have raised fears that large birds could get caught in the turbines and that these structures could disturb other species. But this idea is slowly fading away. Learn why.

Biomass energy 'could be harmful'.Biomass power - such as burning wood for energy - could do more harm than good in the battle to reduce greenhouse gases.

How geothermal energy works.Introduction to what geothermal energy is and how we can make use of it.

One hot island.Learn about Iceland's renewable geothermal power.

US geothermal energy.Enhanced Geothermal Systems is an initiative meant to harness all the power of the subsurface heat to produce electricity and heat. This Google Earth file shows all the potential of this kind of energy in the United States. There is a video describing the project at YouTube.

How hydrogen cars work.The car of the future is here today. It doesn't use gasoline and it doesn't pollute the air. In fact, it produces steam instead of exhaust. And the mystery fuel? Hydrogen, the simplest and most abundant element in the Universe.