China’s non-coup, and constructing higher batteries

In case you’re on Twitter and comply with information about China, you possible have heard a reasonably wild rumor just lately: that President Xi Jinping was below home arrest and that there was about to be a serious energy seize within the nation.

To begin with, let’s be very clear: this report is fake and shouldn’t be taken significantly. No credible sources on China have purchased it. It’s wishful considering at finest, and intentional disinformation at worst.

But it surely’s attention-grabbing to dissect how a ridiculous rumor might be elevated and unfold so broadly that it made it to Twitter’s deeply flawed trending checklist over the weekend, due to influencer translation and amplification from accounts based mostly in India. Learn the total story.

—Zeyi Yang

This story is from China Report, MIT Expertise Evaluation’s new e-newsletter supplying you with the within scoop on what’s occurring in China. Signal as much as obtain it in your inbox each Tuesday.

How robots and AI are serving to develop higher batteries

The information: In the beginning of this yr, Carnegie Mellon researchers used a robotic system to run dozens of experiments designed to generate electrolytes to cost lithium-ion batteries quicker, addressing one of many main obstacles to the widespread adoption of electrical autos.

How they did it: A system of automated pumps, valves, and devices blended numerous solvents, salts, and different chemical compounds collectively, then measured how the answer carried out on important battery benchmarks. These outcomes had been then fed right into a machine-learning system, often called Dragonfly, that used the information to suggest completely different mixtures that may work even higher.

Why it issues: Growing higher electrolytes is essential for enhancing the efficiency, security, and price of batteries. Sooner-charging batteries are particularly vital for making electrical automobiles and vehicles extra interesting. Learn the total story.