On this week’s news update…

Tidal Turbine

A tidal turbine powers up…

Slow Loris Walkways

Walkways for slow lorises…

Rocket Plane

And a rocket plane reaches space!

First up…

Our oceans contain vast amounts of energy.

Every day, tides cause sea levels to rise and fall.

This cycle of changing sea levels shifts immense volumes of matter and energy.

Now, engineers have developed a new “tidal turbine” that can convert the energy of the tides into clean, renewable electricity.

tidal turbine

The giant turbine is designed to float on the surface of the ocean.

As powerful tidal currents rush beneath, the water forces underwater blades to rotate.

The rotating blades generate electricity, which can then be transferred to land along a cable.

The first completed turbine was recently launched into the sea in Scotland.

Once the turbine is moved to its final position, it could harness enough tidal energy to power 2,000 homes.

Clean, renewable electricity that will help turn the tide on climate change!

Up next…

It’s Animal Watch!

Slow lorises are tree-dwelling primates that live in rainforests across Southeast Asia.

Most active at night, slow lorises are what is known as “nocturnal.”

nocturnal

Moving between trees to find food, slow lorises rely on their hands to grip branches and avoid falling to the ground below.

However, on the island of Java, large areas of rainforest have been cleared to create more space for farming.

So as more trees are cut down, slow lorises are forced to move around on the forest floor, where they are at risk of being attacked by local dogs.

With lorises at increased danger, engineers have designed a smart solution to help these tree-dwellers stay safely above the ground: midair walkways!

Connecting different trees, the walkways are made from flexible pipes that help the lorises move around without touching the ground.

And because the pipes are able to carry water, they can also help local farmers look after their crops.

A simple solution that helps farmers and lorises share the forest together!

And finally…

Space tourism has taken one step closer to becoming a reality!

An important test flight has been completed on a rocket plane that might soon be taking tourists to the edge of space.

Dropped from a larger aircraft, the rocket plane fired up its engines and accelerated to over 2,000 miles per hour!

The plane’s two pilots powered the plane to 55 miles above the Earth.

On reaching the edge of space, the pilots were able to take in the incredible view, before starting their descent.

After landing safely in the New Mexico desert, flight data from the plane’s computer was checked to ensure it was flying safely.

For tourists to be allowed on the plane, it must pass strict safety checks.

If further test flights prove successful, the plane could be sending tourists into space as early as 2022!

That’s all for this week—we’ll see you next time!