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Now, scientists may have come up with an alternative to air conditioning.
In summer, most people turn up the air conditioning in the car or house, to feel cooler. Now, scientists may have come up with an alternative to air conditioning.
Air conditioning devices can have devastating environmental consequences. These units use electricity from power plants. The majority of power plants generate energy through burning fossil fuels. They sometimes release carbon dioxide, soot, and mercury into the air.
Too much CO2 can lead to the infamous greenhouse effect. Bearing all that in mind, a team of Stanford University Experts has come up with a solution to reduce our dependence on high-energy devices which cool our homes and workplaces.
When resting, a person’s body heat goes into the atmosphere, by means of infrared radiation. Blankets and warm clothes keep warmth by trapping the radiation – in winter.
On the other hand, light clothing sometimes takes in infrared radiation and keeps us warm, instead of cooling us down. Synthetic fibers magnify that effect.
Now, Stanford scientists have revealed a material that reverses that process. It has the ability to cool our body even if we are wearing clothing. The material is a sort of advanced polyethylene, already found in many athletic clothes. It’s also known as kitchen wrap or cling film – it lets infrared energy pass through it. The novel material could keep us cool throughout the summer, even if temperatures are high.
The material allows infrared radiation to flow back and forth and it could help people stay cool.
Scientists are only beginning to understand how to put this material into clothing. It can either be added to conventional fabrics or woven in textiles.
The material mimics the human skin. This means that it allows heat to escape the body.
The nano porous polyethylene fabric could be the future of summer clothing. It reflects 99 percent of visible light – according to the Stanford team.
The new material could soon be combined with cotton to create fashionable clothes, which also have cooling properties.
This is great news, as 2016 was declared the hottest year yet.
What’s your opinion on this article? Would you buy and wear clothes made out of nano-porous polyethylene? Please let us know what you think, below. Thank you!
Image Source – Flickr
