How made-in-NTU technologies are changing our future
by Lester Kok / Illustrations and animation by Vivian Lim
Hot discovery
Now
Singapore could be a hotbed of renewable energy. In Admiralty, NTU scientists discovered granite below the earth that is sizzling with geothermal potential. Drilling more than 1.1km underground, they found temperatures there hot enough to make tea and coffee. The team estimates that the rock at a depth of 5km could be as hot as 200 degrees Celsius. If unlocked, this energy could power everything from your iPhone to that steamy onsen you’ve always wanted.
Future
Imagine piping that underground heat right up to your home. Your natural “oven” could be tapped to power up your robot personal trainer and provide hot water. Used on a bigger scale, geothermal energy could cool skyscrapers and charge electric cars. Since it has almost zero carbon emissions, this clean energy source will also help Singapore achieve its target of being carbon neutral by 2050.
Cabbage to cream
Now
Who knew that the forgotten kale in your fridge could one day become your next face mask? NTU scientists are mixing alchemy with agriculture, transforming kale waste into health supplements and beauty products. Right now, extracting phytochemicals, the protective compounds in plants, requires high temperatures and releases greenhouse gases that make our planet warmer. With NTU’s new earth-friendly technique, beneficial antioxidants and lutein can be extracted from plants more efficiently.
Future
Whip up health and beauty products from your unconsumed greens with ease. In fact, agricultural waste from different plant parts, including fruits, can be turned into eco-friendly products that boost our health and looks while reducing our carbon footprint. A beautiful win-win.
Unfolding the future
Now
NTU scientists have not only 3D-printed satellite components, but incorporated shape-memory materials that “remember” and change their shape when exposed to heat or low temperatures. Of NTU’s three latest satellites in space, one has 3D-printed parts and shape-changing materials, while the other two feature new solar tech and sensors for observing the sun and the Earth.
Future
Create a satellite from a 3D printer for any space mission you fancy, be it to snap photos of the moon or make a phone call from Mars. Using flexible electronics and shape-memory materials, scientists can create “cosmic origami”. Picture a space-saving 3D-printed satellite that unfolds and deploys its solar panels and antennas on demand in space, making it possible for more instruments to be packed in the same rocket before launch.
This story was published in the Sep-Oct 2023 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
