Staff of the Pest Free Purerua conservation project, whose activities are aimed at restoring the ecosystem of the Purerua Peninsula on the North Island of New Zealand, have successfully caught and eliminated a feral cat known by the nickname Nine Lives.
According to The Guardian, this cat had been killing rare brown teal ducks that were reintroduced to the peninsula for three years. Furthermore, it is suspected that it was damaging kiwi chicks and other local fauna.
Previously, catching the animal was difficult due to its extremely unpredictable behavior.
American energy technology companies have begun initial-scale production of sodium-ion batteries. This technology emerges as an alternative to current lithium batteries, with the potential to decrease global dependence on strategic minerals controlled by China.
The development of this technology, carried out by both startups and large corporations, is gaining relevance in stationary systems, such as power grids and data centers, where criteria like cost, safety, and longevity are crucial.
This advancement is occurring in the United States in 2026, driven by companies like Peak Energy and Inlyte Energy, which are accelerating industrial projects to compete in a market currently dominated by lithium-based solutions.
Sodium batteries operate on the same principle as conventional batteries, storing and releasing electricity as needed. The distinction lies in the materials used in their manufacturing: instead of depending on hard-to-obtain elements, they use sodium, which is abundant in common salt.
The involved companies expect this characteristic to help lower costs and facilitate energy storage expansion. This resource is seen as strategic because it allows for the accumulation of electricity during periods of high supply for later use during demand peaks.
This model can be beneficial for power grids, renewable energy infrastructure, and structures requiring constant supply, such as data processing centers. Furthermore, the technology presents itself as a substitute for fossil fuel-powered equipment in certain applications.
Despite its potential, sodium batteries still occupy a very small share of the global market, given that most current production is concentrated in China, while American companies work to increase their industrial capacity.
Among the companies seeking to progress in this sector, Peak Energy stands out, founded by professionals with prior experience at Tesla. This company plans to build a large-scale factory in California to expand the production of batteries intended for large-scale storage.
The project includes a unit in Sacramento with the capacity to generate four gigawatt-hours of batteries annually starting in 2027. This planned capacity exceeds the production of the company's pilot factory in Burlingame by dozens of times.
Peak Energy has already signed agreements with energy storage sector clients, such as Jupiter Power, Energy Vault, and RWE Americas, valued at over US$1.1 billion.
This competition places Peak Energy in rivalry with Tesla, which holds hegemony in the American large-scale storage segment through its lithium-based Megapack systems.
A positive point about sodium batteries relates to fire risk. Lithium batteries can suffer from thermal runaway, where overheating of a cell can trigger chain reactions within the battery pack.
In conventional systems used in power grids, cooling equipment must be employed to manage temperature and mitigate risks. According to Peak Energy, this structure constitutes a significant portion of the operational costs of these facilities.
The sodium batteries developed by the company can operate with passive cooling, using the air surrounding the modules. Although not entirely immune to fires, the company points out that they demonstrate a lower probability of such occurrences.
Another American company, Inlyte Energy, adopts a different methodology. Its equipment uses materials such as iron, steel, aluminum oxide, and food-grade salt to create cells that, according to the company itself, do not combust.
The company claims that this behavior allows for more compact installation of the cells, increasing space efficiency in stationary systems.
The race for sodium batteries also constitutes an industrial dispute between the United States and China. The Asian country currently dominates a large part of the production chain for materials used in lithium batteries and has already announced plans to expand its sodium battery manufacturing.
Experts and industry executives warn that technological innovation alone does not guarantee industrial leadership. The challenge facing Americans is converting research and prototypes into competitive global-scale production.
Mukesh Chatter, CEO of Alsym Energy, a company that manufactures components for sodium batteries, emphasizes that the United States must avoid repeating scenarios where a national technology is produced in greater volume by foreign competitors.
Despite advantages in terms of cost, safety, and raw material availability, sodium batteries have a notable limitation: they store less energy per weight compared to lithium batteries. This disparity keeps lithium as the primary choice for applications where weight is a determining factor, such as in electric vehicles. However, in fixed installations, where mass and space have less influence, sodium may gain a larger share.
An industry projection suggests that within ten years, sodium batteries could account for more than one-third of global battery production, depending on the companies' ability to overcome manufacturing obstacles and achieve competitive prices.
According to a statistical bulletin published today, the French government noted a 21% decrease in the area allocated for corn cultivation, as well as an expected yield drop of 19%, which will amount to 7030 kilograms per hectare.
This yield figure will be the lowest since 2003, which was marked as a year of historic drought. Intense periods of heat and drought are negatively affecting the production of this crop since mid-June, during the flowering period.
For irrigated corn, a production reduction of 31.3% is forecasted, and for non-irrigated corn, it is 40.2%. Furthermore, fodder corn is expected to decrease by 26.7% compared to last year.
Nevertheless, the Ministry of Agriculture reminded that these forecasts are preliminary, as the corn harvest has not yet begun.
The Casa Quatro Telhados project, designed by TW Ryan Architecture, is a single-story residence engineered to support healthy aging in place. It is situated on a cliff overlooking Lake Sil in central Montana and is focused on longevity, low maintenance, and extended living in a remote area.
The design accounts for the region's harsh climate, which features temperature fluctuations up to 30 degrees, susceptibility to wildfires, and heavy snowfall. This was achieved through an integrated approach combining the building's form, materials, and operational characteristics.
Four tent-shaped roofs create a recognizable silhouette against the landscape, with their geometry calibrated to the distant peaks of Bob Marshall Wilderness. The house layout is adapted to the topography, solar orientation, and views, minimizing environmental impact while organizing a sequence of spaces that are simultaneously connected to the land and open to the outside.
A continuous shell of patinated steel covers the entire roof and walls, providing durable and fire-resistant protection. The patina of this material develops over time, harmonizing with the area's rich copper geology, while also reducing the need for long-term maintenance. Deep roof overhangs control the influx of solar heat, manage snow runoff, and shield window openings from inclement weather.
Ecological performance is integrated into both passive and active systems. The orientation, window frames, and envelope design reduce energy consumption, while a geothermal system combined with radiant floor heating ensures a stable and efficient climate. Truss ceilings in the main living areas reflect and amplify natural light, enhancing interior comfort and atmosphere.
The guiding principle of the project is sustainability, where the form, material, and interaction with external conditions make the specific characteristics of the site evident.
