Advanced Materials for Energy Storage
Advanced Materials for Energy Storage
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DOI：
10.1557/s0883769400053410
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发表时间：
1999-11
期刊：
影响因子：
5
通讯作者：
Michel L. Trudeau
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Michel L. Trudeau
随着这期关于“先进储能材料”的MRS公告即将定稿，北美大陆遭遇了有史以来最温暖的夏天之一。过去两三年也是有记录以来最热的一年，1999年8月是连续第21个月气温高于平均水平。这种偏差可能是很自然的。事实上，这些温度升高可以部分解释为太阳活动的增加。然而，化石燃料的燃烧和其他人为因素被认为是可能的贡献者。无论是来自人类活动还是宇宙影响，为了人类的生存，可能需要技术解决方案来将全球温度保持在可容忍的范围内。与此同时，自1999年初以来，纽约市场的石油价格几乎翻了一番。目前这种增长与石油生产国实行的自我控制直接有关。价格可能不会攀升到过高的水平，主要是因为产油国不希望其他国家开发具有竞争力的替代技术。然而，油价上涨可能对整体经济产生破坏性影响，而且未来也是不可预测的。这种情况给科学界带来了一个有趣的困境。科学家接受的训练是根据事实得出结论，并以适当的工程解决方案作出回应。然而，对全球气候变化的推断还远未得出结论;各国的经济可能会不稳定，而且往往是由政治而不是科学决定的;各个国家的需求各不相同，并根据当地资源、经济和环境法规而不断变化。
As this MRS Bulletin issue on “Advanced Materials for Energy Storage” was being finalized, the North American continent suffered one of its warmest summers ever recorded. The past two to three years have also been the warmest on record, August 1999 being the 21st consecutive month with above-average temperatures. Such deviations could be quite natural. Indeed, these temperature increases can be explained in part by increased solar activity. Yet, burning of fossil fuels and other human factors are considered likely contributors. Whether from human activities or cosmic effects, for human survival, technological solutions may be needed to keep the global temperature within tolerable margins. In a parallel development, the price of oil on the New York market has nearly doubled since the beginning of 1999. This current increase is directly related to self-controls imposed by the oil-producing countries. The price will probably not climb to excessive values, mainly because the oil-producing countries do not want other nations to develop competitive alternative technologies. However, these increases in oil prices could have devastating effects on the general economy, and again, the future is unpredictable. This situation poses an interesting dilemma for the scientific community. Scientists are trained to base conclusions on facts and respond with appropriate engineering solutions. Yet the extrapolation of global climate change is far from conclusive; the economies of nations can be volatile and often are determined by politics as opposed to science; and the needs of individual nations are varied and continue to evolve based on their local resources, economies, and environmental regulations.