Tech Girl Energy: The Weekly Debrief

EP13: Quantum Chips, Diamond Batteries and Bird Drones

Episode Summary

Join Numi & Harriet as they explore groundbreaking advancements that are reshaping our world in this week's episode. From Google's revolutionary quantum computing chip, which promises to solve complex problems in minutes rather than millennia, to a UK-based team's creation of a carbon-14 diamond battery that could power devices for thousands of years...enjoy the episode!

Episode Notes

TECH GIRL ENERGY: The Weekly Debrief  

Episode 13 - Quantum Chips, Diamond Batteries and Bird Drones

Harriet Taylor and Numi Gildert dive into their favourite tech headlines of the week;

1. Google’s Quantum Leap

• Topic Overview: Google has unveiled a groundbreaking quantum computing chip.
• Key Insight: Promises to solve problems in 5 minutes that would take the fastest supercomputer septillion years.
• Implications: Potential applications include nuclear fusion, pharmaceutical development, and car batteries. Concerns about encryption security arise.

2. Everlasting Power with Carbon-14 Diamond Batteries

• Topic Overview: UK scientists have developed a battery using carbon-14 capable of lasting thousands of years.
• Key Insight: Uses radioactive decay for micropower generation suitable for medical implants and deep space exploration.
• Potential Impact: Could revolutionize power supply in low-wattage devices, reducing waste from disposable batteries.

3. Bird-Inspired Drones Take Flight

• Topic Overview: Introduction of Raven—a drone mimicking bird flight patterns by hopping into the air.
• Key Insight: Offers versatile movement across complex terrains; could be used in military or search-and-rescue missions.

LINKS

Google’s Quantum Chip: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c791ng0zvl3o

Carbon-14 Diamond Battery:  https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/carbon-14-diamond-battery-could-work-forever/

Drone inspired by birds: 

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/drone-bird-inspired-jump-take-off-b2658560.html