Ukuphumelela Kwenguquko Embonini Yamandla: Ososayensi Bakha Indlela Entsha Yokugcina Amandla Avuselelekayo

Eminyakeni yamuva nje, amandla avuselelekayo asephenduke enye indlela ethandwa kakhulu kuzinto zokubasa zakudala ezimbiwa phansi. Kodwa-ke, enye yezinselelo ezinkulu ezibhekene nemboni yamandla avuselelekayo ibilokhu ithola indlela yokugcina amandla amaningi akhiqizwa emithonjeni evuselelekayo efana nomoya namandla elanga. Kodwa manje, ososayensi bathole ukutholakala okuyisisekelo okungashintsha yonke into.

Abacwaningi eNyuvesi yaseCalifornia, eBerkeley basungule indlela entsha yokugcina amandla avuselelekayo angaguqula imboni. Impumelelo ihilela ukusetshenziswa kohlobo lwe-molecule ebizwa ngokuthi i-“photoswitch,” ekwazi ukumunca ukukhanya kwelanga futhi igcine amandla ayo kuze kube yilapho idingeka.

Ama-molecule e-photoswitch akhiwe izingxenye ezimbili: ingxenye emunca ukukhanya kanye nengxenye yokugcina. Lapho echayeke elangeni, ama- molecule amunca amandla futhi awagcine endaweni ezinzile. Lapho amandla agciniwe edingeka, ama- molecule angashukunyiswa ukuze akhulule amandla ngendlela yokushisa noma yokukhanya.

Izicelo ezingaba khona zalokhu kugqama zinkulu. Isibonelo, ingavumela imithombo yamandla avuselelekayo njengamandla elanga nawomoya ukuthi isetshenziswe ngempumelelo, ngisho nalapho ilanga lingashisi noma umoya ungavunguzi. Kungase futhi kwenze kube nokwenzeka ukugcina amandla engeziwe akhiqizwa ngezikhathi zesidingo esiphansi bese iwakhulula phakathi nezikhathi zokufunwa okuphezulu, ukunciphisa isidingo sezitshalo zamandla kaphethiloli ezibizayo nezilimaza imvelo.

Abacwaningi abalandela le mpumelelo bajabule ngomthelela wayo ongaba khona embonini yamandla. "Lokhu kungase kushintshe umdlalo," kusho omunye wabacwaningi abahamba phambili, uSolwazi Omar Yaghi. "Kungenza amandla avuselelekayo asebenze kakhulu futhi angabizi kakhulu, futhi asisize siphokophele ekusaseni elisimeme."

Yebo, usemkhulu umsebenzi okufanele wenziwe ngaphambi kokuba lobu buchwepheshe busetshenziswe kabanzi. Abacwaningi njengamanje basebenzela ukuthuthukisa ukusebenza kahle kwama-photoswitch molecule, kanye nokuthola izindlela zokukhuphula ukukhiqizwa. Kodwa uma bephumelela, lokhu kungaba yinguquko enkulu ekulweni nokuguquguquka kwesimo sezulu kanye noguquko lwethu oluya ekusaseni elihlanzekile, elisimeme.

Sengiphetha, ukuthuthukiswa kwama-photoswitch molecule kumelela impumelelo enkulu embonini yamandla. Ngokuhlinzeka ngendlela entsha yokugcina amandla avuselelekayo, lobu buchwepheshe bungasisiza ukuthi sisuke ekuncikeni ezintweni ezimbiwa phansi futhi siye ekusaseni elizinzile. Nakuba usemningi umsebenzi okufanele wenziwe, lokhu kuphumelela kuyisinyathelo esijabulisayo esiya phambili ekufuneni kwethu amandla ahlanzekile, aluhlaza.