Scientists at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have found a way to generate power on Mars in the future using thermoelectric generators. They conducted a study which shows that thermoelectric generators operating under modest temperature differences can help CO2 conversion.

The findings have led them to believe that temperature differentials in different environments can help convert CO2 to different types of useful fuels and chemicals.

The paper has been published in the journal Device.

They are particularly intrigued by the possibility of its application in the cold environment of Mars where CO2 is present in abundance in the red planet's atmosphere.

“The environment on Mars really got me interested in the long-term potential of this technology combination,” said Dr Abhishek Soni, a postdoctoral research fellow at UBC and first author of the study.

“This is a harsh environment where large temperature differences could be leveraged to not only generate power with thermoelectric generators but to convert the abundant CO2 in Mars’ atmosphere into useful products that could supply a colony.”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/uranus-not-a-hot-mess-a-mistimed-encounter-between-voyager-2-in-1986-messed-up-data-775505">Uranus not a hot mess: A mistimed encounter between Voyager 2 in 1986 messed up data</a>

The researchers attached the generators to two different temperatures and found that when the difference between the two faces was at least 40 degrees Celsius, enough steady current was released to power an electrolyser that converts CO2 to CO.

<h2>Colonising Mars</h2>

On Mars, the process becomes a bit more challenging. The Martian atmosphere comprises 95 per cent carbon dioxide. Temperatures on the red planet range from 20 degrees C to -153 degrees C.

A biodome would need to be created on Mars and maintained at room temperature. Thermoelectric generators placed on the dome’s surface will use the difference between indoor temperatures and the frigid outside temperatures to generate power. This power can drive CO2 conversion into other carbon-based products, such as fuels and chemicals.&nbsp;

The researchers are excited by the various possibilities this technology can lead to.&nbsp;

“This paper shows a fun way to make carbon-neutral fuels and chemicals,” Professor Curtis P. Berlinguette, principal investigator at UBC, said. It can help create plastic that might be needed on Mars one day, and "this technology shows one way we can make it there," he said.

Scientists at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have found a way to generate power on Mars in the future using thermoelectric generators. They conducted a study which shows that thermoelectric generators operating under modest temperature differences can help CO2 conversion.

Scientists at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have found a way to generate power on Mars in the future using thermoelectric generators. They conducted a study which shows that thermoelectric generators operating under modest temperature differences can help CO2 conversion. The findings have led them to believe that temperature differentials in different environments can help convert CO2 to different types of useful fuels and chemicals. The paper has been published in the journal Device. They are particularly intrigued by the possibility of its application in the cold environment of Mars where CO2 is present in abundance in the red planet's atmosphere. “The environment on Mars really got me interested in the long-term potential of this technology combination,” said Dr Abhishek Soni, a postdoctoral research fellow at UBC and first author of the study. “This is a harsh environment where large temperature differences could be leveraged to not only generate power with thermoelectric generators but to convert the abundant CO2 in Mars’ atmosphere into useful products that could supply a colony.” Also Read: Uranus not a hot mess: A mistimed encounter between Voyager 2 in 1986 messed up data The researchers attached the generators to two different temperatures and found that when the difference between the two faces was at least 40 degrees Celsius, enough steady current was released to power an electrolyser that converts CO2 to CO. Colonising Mars On Mars, the process becomes a bit more challenging. The Martian atmosphere comprises 95 per cent carbon dioxide. Temperatures on the red planet range from 20 degrees C to -153 degrees C. A biodome would need to be created on Mars and maintained at room temperature. Thermoelectric generators placed on the dome’s surface will use the difference between indoor temperatures and the frigid outside temperatures to generate power. This power can drive CO2 conversion into other carbon-based products, such as fuels and chemicals. The researchers are excited by the various possibilities this technology can lead to. “This paper shows a fun way to make carbon-neutral fuels and chemicals,” Professor Curtis P. Berlinguette, principal investigator at UBC, said. It can help create plastic that might be needed on Mars one day, and "this technology shows one way we can make it there," he said.

Mars is full of CO2. Scientists want to make fuel and plastic out of it

Around 3.6 to 3.0 billion years ago, Mars' climate was at least occasionally warm enough for rivers and lakes. It was inferred to have been habitable. However, the surface today is a cold desert.

Around 3.6 to 3.0 billion years ago, Mars' climate was at least occasionally warm enough for rivers and lakes. It was inferred to have been habitable. However, the surface today is a cold desert. Scientists are exploring whether or not Mars can support life. They are trying to find out answers that can help them probe the potential of human settlement on the Red Planet, and what it might look like. In an attempt to investigate something that seems quite unrealistic, scientists have taken up several spacecraft missions related to the planet Mars, such as orbiters and rovers. From Mariner 4 (1964) to Mars 2020 (2020), missions to Mars have unfolded several mysteries and produced remarkable findings. Mars is the prime focus for scientists when it comes to living outside Earth. But why is it so? Scientists have noted that Mars once had rivers as there are tracks of rivers, streams and lakes, which apparently dried up about three billion years ago. A new study, published on May 25 in Science Advances, probes the changing spatial distribution of water flow on Mars. It has been revealed that the change charts major changes in Mars' greenhouse effect. The study noted that the analysis of the greenhouse effect within the ensemble of global climate model simulations suggests that this shift was "primarily driven by waning non-CO2 radiative forcing, and not changes in CO2 radiative forcing". The findings highlight that the loss was triggered by a layer of thin, icy clouds high in the atmosphere of Mars. It trapped heat and warmed the planet, acting like translucent greenhouse glass. ALSO READ | Scientists successfully sequence genome of Pompeii's victims for the first time Edwin Kite, who is a geophysical scientist at the University of Chicago, said, "People have put forward different ideas, but we're not sure what caused the climate to change so dramatically. We'd really like to understand, especially because it's the only planet we definitely know changed from habitable to uninhabitable." Kite is the first author of a new study done with collaborations with Bowen Fan, who is a graduate student at the University of Chicago student, scientists from the Smithsonian Institution, Planetary Science Institute, California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Aeolis Research. ALSO READ | How to make buildings in space? Dust from the Moon and Mars can help WATCH | WEF 2022: First movers coalition aims to decarbonize sectors × For the study, scientists have analysed maps based on thousands of pictures of Mars taken from orbit by satellites to create a timeline of how river activity changed in elevation and latitude. After that, they could combine that with simulations of different climate conditions. The study noted that the "past climate on Mars can be probed using the spatial distribution of climate-sensitive landforms." "We analyzed global databases of water-worked landforms and identified changes in the spatial distribution of rivers over time. These changes are simply explained by comparison to a simplified meltwater model driven by an ensemble of global climate model simulations," the study read. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Mars once had rivers, streams and lakes but why did the Red Planet dry out?

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Mars is full of CO2. Scientists want to make fuel and plastic out of it

Mars once had rivers, streams and lakes but why did the Red Planet dry out?