In August, Horizon looks at how science and innovation can help 'green' the cooling sector. We speak to ‘cold economy’ expert Prof. Toby Peters about why we need to change the way we think about how to cool things down in order to create robust cold chains for food and vaccines while minimising their environmental impact. We hear how groups of buildings are sharing so-called ‘district cooling’ systems that remove the need for expensive, energy hungry air conditioners; and we find out how we can reduce the emissions footprint of data centres, which consume more electricity than some countries. We also hear from researchers who are taking inspiration from antifreeze fish to create better ways of freezing – and thawing – human cells and tissues.
See also:
Q&A: We need to think differently about how we cool things down
Cooler data centres help take the heat off electric bills
Out with air conditioners, in with chilled water – how Europe could slash its cooling footprint
The idea of cryogenically freezing a person to preserve their body until many years into the future has long been a staple of science fiction stories. However, the need to reliably store biological materials such as cells or tissue is a common concern for scientific research and, increasingly, for society too.