EDITORIAL: Weather
Salma, our sub editor for KS4 and KS5, shares a fascinating insight into how the weather helps us stay energised!
When one talks about rain, different visuals come to mind. For some, the rain bringing peace and serenity. For others, it's merely a mark of annoyance. However you feel, it cannot be denied that rain brings a multitude of benefits for Earth: watering plants and crops; humidifying the air; creating streams and powering rivers. But rain can also cause flooding and landslides. As Earth’s climate rapidly changes, we are witness to the rain bringing more destruction than ever before. But don't lose hope! There are new and exciting technologies being developed! For example, studies from City university of Hong Kong have developed an advanced form of droplet-based electricity generator. Here's how powerful the technology is: just a single drop of 100 micro-litres of water dropped from a height of 6 inches is able to give light to over 100 small LED lights!
Another exciting element is the sun, the shining star of our solar system. It may just be a great glowing ball of gas, but we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for our sun. We all love summer, being able to go out, and feel our skin warm beneath the bright blue sky, but we don’t need the sun just to get a good tan. The sun radiates light and heat and is also useful when it comes to energy. Solar energy is another type of renewable source that we use to help gain energy on earth. Solar panels are made from photovoltaic cells which are responsible of converting the sun's energy into electricity. We now have the technology to power entire cities and states just with use of solar panels!
“Blow, blow, thy winter wind”, Shakespeare says. As poets appreciate the wind on summer evenings and winter mornings, we can appreciate the wind's resources on us today. Wind energy is the production of mechanical power through wind. Wind turbines help turn electrical generators to make electrical power. These wind turbines usually tower 262 feet high and are placed in various coordinated locations around the world. Wind farms are found usually on top of mountains or other windy places like the ocean. They have to be placed in areas where the wind is very reliable like coastal areas. One wind turbine produces enough energy to sustain and supply electricity to 1,500 average EU households. And how about this for an exciting statistic: in 2020, the UK received more electrical input from wind farms than any other source: a whopping 25%!
As we learn to appreciate the weather, we must also learn how we have been given different ways to sustain and provide renewable energy safely. Let's be kind to the environment. The more we give to our planet, the more it gives back!
