In February, an unusual winter storm left millions of Texans without electric power or water in subzero temperatures for nearly five days. Oklahoma and other neighboring states only had minor disruptions. Why? Texas is on its own electrical grid, separate from the rest of the country, unlike other states, so it can’t get power from other states in an emergency. Texas hasn’t upgraded its electrical infrastructure since its last big failure ten years ago, but most of the U.S. power infrastructure has aged beyond its “use by” date.
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“Texas’s power disaster is a warning sign for the US,” Madeline Marshall, Vox
“Here’s some news hot off the press. Researchers have found a secret ingredient for making solar panels that absorb the sun’s energy more efficiently. Depending on what you like to eat, there’s a good chance you can find it at home. Capsaicin, the chemical that gives chili peppers their spicy sting, also improves perovskite solar cells – the devices that make up solar panels.