Scientists have achieved a new world record for a next-generation solar cell, which holds the promise for novel applications like building-integrated and window solar panels. The breakthrough follows two years of research from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University into organic solar cells (OSCs), which until now have been too inefficient and costly to be used widely in practical applications. The research team invented a new technique to boost the stability of OSCs, achieving a power-conversion efficiency of 19.3 per cent. “The new finding will make OSC research an exciting field, and this will likely create tremendous opportunities in applications like portable electronics and building-integrated photovoltaics,” said Li Gang, a professor of energy conversion technology at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. “This is a very encouraging result for the long-standing research on OSCs that I have conducted over the past two decades. We have already achieved better OSC efficiency and this will subsequently help accelerate the applications of solar energy.” Professor Li and his team believe an efficiency rate above 20 per cent is now achievable using their new technique. The research is detailed in a study, titled ‘19.3% Binary Organic Solar Cell and Low Non-Radiative Recombination Enabled by Non-Monotonic Intermediate State Transition’, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications. The 19.3 per cent efficiency record is still a long way off other solar cell technologies, with researchers passing the 30 per cent barrier last year with a tandem design that used the so-called “miracle material” perovskite. OSCs are more lightweight and flexible than traditional silicon-based solar panels, as they consist of thin layers of organic semiconducting materials. The materials used are more environmentally friendly and 1,000-times thinner than silicon solar cells, meaning they have the potential to be vastly cheaper. They are also semi-transparent, allowing them to be used not just within building materials, but also on windows. Dozens of startups are already working on novel applications for harvesting solar energy, such as London-based Filia, which integrates solar technology into blackout blinds. California-based Ubiquitous Energy raised more than $30 million last year to push forward its vision of turning skyscrapers into “vertical solar farms” through the development of windows capable of converting sunlight into electricity. The firm aims to begin production at some point next year following further research and development. Read More Electric car range set to double with first production of breakthrough battery Solar panel efficiency to increase 50% with first production of ‘miracle’ tandem cells Solar panel efficiency to increase 50% with first ‘miracle’ tandem cells Elon Musk’s private jet lands in China for billionaire’s first visit in three years WhatsApp set to add major features including a new username system

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The UK heatwave has uncovered a "ghost garden" at a British country house. The scorching temperatures have caused the outline of the Victorian formal garden at Gawthorpe Hall, near Burnley, to re-emerge on its front lawn. Aerial photographs capture the traces of the footpaths of the Victorian parterre garden, which was installed in the 1860s. The garden was removed after the Second World War due to maintenance costs but often re-emerges during summer months as various soil types dry at different rates. Built-in the Elizabethan era, the hall was remodeled in the 1850s by noted architect Sir Charles Barry, who sketched out plans for the Houses of Parliament. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Barry also re-designed the gardens at both the front and back of the property. The one at the back is smaller and was kept after the Second World War, but the front one became too onerous to maintain and was removed in 1946. It comes as Britain has baked in 30C heat, prompting an amber heat alert from the UK Health Authority. So much so, now employers are being urged to relax dress codes and let staff work at cooler times of the day. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the current temperatures for June, and the record-breaking temperatures reached last summer, show that helping workers during extreme heat must be a priority for employers. Spokeswoman Clare Owen said: "The updated yellow heat-health alert, as well as the extreme heat we experienced in 2022, should serve as a wake-up call for all employers. "We know that employers are under pressure and we don’t want to add to their burden, but climate change means we’re likely to get hotter summers and that could have a big impact on the workforce of this country." TUC general secretary Paul Nowak added: "We’ve all been enjoying the sunny weather after a cold start to the year, but working in sweltering conditions can be unbearable and dangerous, whether it’s in an overheated shop, a baking office, or outdoors in the direct sun." "Indoor workplaces should be kept cool, with relaxed dress codes and flexible working to make use of the coolest hours of the day. "Employers must make sure outdoor workers are protected with regular breaks, lots of fluids, plenty of sunscreen and the right protective clothing." Credit: SWNS. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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A pregnant woman has defended her name choice for her unborn baby, even though it belonged to a close friend’s daughter who had passed away. The 30-year-old mum-to-be explained in a lengthy Reddit post that her childhood friend Camille had been pregnant with a little girl two years earlier but, tragically, the infant died during childbirth. “She had been struggling with fertility issues and her pregnancy had been difficult from the beginning. I don't need to explain how terrible it was for her,” the Redditor wrote. “She went into a deep depression and I have helped her in everything I could. She even came to live with my husband and [me] for a while.” The expectant mother explained that Camille’s late daughter was called Ingrid, and when she asked her if she’d come up with a name for her own daughter, she replied yes. Admitting that she’d been wanting to talk to Camille about it, she revealed her intentions to give her daughter the middle name Ingrid. “She started yelling at me that I was selfish, a bitch, an idiot for ‘stealing’ [her] baby's name,” our narrator recounted. “She yelled at me [asking] how could I do that to her knowing what that name means to her. I tried to explain but she wouldn't listen.” The 30-year-old then explained: “My reason is simple – I want to name it after my little cousin who passed away and was like a sister to me.” She said she was 16 when her cousin died, aged eight, following a cancer battle, and that she’d always known she would name her daughter after her. “Camille knew about my Ingrid and was even at her last goodbye,” she went on. “She [spent] days drying my tears.” She then admitted that she was a “little bit upset” when Camille had told her about her own decision to use the name, but stressed: “I never said anything because I don't own [it].” Wrapping up her monologue, the Reddit user said Camille has since been “posting hints on Instagram about fake friendships” and that her family and friends “haven’t stopped filling my phone with messages about how insensitive I am”. She concluded by saying she’d never intended to hurt Camille and that she “[doesn’t] know what to do anymore.” The post racked up more than 4,200 upvotes and 570 comments in just nine hours, as fellow Redditor’s defended the distressed mother-to-be. “Honestly, you cannot steal/ own a name,” wrote one supporter. “Sorry for her loss and your cousin. I think it is best to give the friendship a break while your friend handles her grief.” Agreeing, another pointed out: “First off, you’ve been planning on using the name for years. Second, nobody ‘owns’ a name. Third, you’re using it as the middle name.” However, others were less understanding. One commentator branded the original poster (OP) an “a**hole” for “not only being insensitive but also giving your unborn child the burden of living life on behalf of not one, but two dead girls”. “I would personally NOT want that to be part of the story behind MY name,” they said. Continuing, they wrote: “I agree with the others, that while your friend ‘took’ the name from you first, viewed in isolation, there is no problem in using it (she knew, that you would’ve then later had babies with same names), however, I think that now, when the name is linked to not one, but two tragic deaths, you should let the name die (so to speak).” They went on: “You’ve [probably] ruined that friendship, and I question, whether you could have presented the issue in another way, but either way, I think you did your friend wrong, and you will be doing your daughter wrong as well, if you stick to that name.” We just hope this doesn’t cause offence or distress to any Ingrids out there. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.