Short Takes – 5-19-23

Congress crosses its fingers for the new Big Four to avert debt disaster. Politico.com article. Pull quote: “The shifting sentiment reflected some welcome optimism on Capitol Hill, as Washington approaches the two-week mark before the U.S. could fumble into a full-on economic disaster. Though both sides remain far apart, lawmakers from both parties acknowledged that if anyone can cut a deal in time, it’s the group of advisers now at the table.”

Democrats, worried about a Biden-McCarthy deal, push a backup plan to avoid default. NPR.org article. Pull quote: “While some Democratic lawmakers are publicly saying it's time for a break glass moment like using the 14th Amendment, others are willing to let the process play out a bit longer. They have effusive praise for the top White House negotiators — Steve Ricchetti, who has served in multiple Democratic administrations, and Shalanda Young, a veteran Capitol Hill aide with expertise in budget talks. The president and top Democratic leaders admit in divided government Democrats aren't going to like everything in any deal the president negotiates with House Republicans.”

Whiplash Day of Debt Limit Talks Ends Without a Breakthrough. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: ““There’s no question we have serious differences, and this is going to continue to be a difficult conversation,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, told reporters in Japan. “That’s not lost on us. But the president’s team is going to continue to work hard toward a reasonable bipartisan solution that can pass the House and the Senate.””

Everyone Was Wrong About Reverse Osmosis—Until Now. Wired.com article. Pull quote: “In a study published in April, Elimelech’s team proved that the once-frustrating assumption about how water moves through a membrane is, indeed, wrong. They replace it with a “solution-friction” theory that water molecules travel in clusters through tiny, transient pores within the polymer, which exert friction on them as they pass through. The physics of that friction matter, because understanding it could help people design membrane materials or structures that make desalination more efficient or better at screening out undesirable chemicals, Elimelech says.”

The Sun rises on perovskites. ChemistryWorld.com article. A little geeky. Pull quote: “Since perovskite solar cells were first reported in 2009, their record efficiency has gone from 3.8% to over 25%. Scarcely a week passes without a breakthrough unveiled in stability, efficiency or applicability. The world is awash with perovskite start-ups and spin-outs from top universities. And yet if you try to buy solar cells for a rooftop or campervan, you will be offered only silicon or perhaps less efficient thin film alternatives. Now the commercial launch of perovskite solar cells is planned this year, and the question of whether they will bear the burden of expectation becomes ever more urgent.”

El Niño is getting stronger. That could cost the global economy trillions. WashingtonPost.com article. Pull quote: “Callahan also acknowledges that climate models depicting the future intensity and frequency of El Niño events are “still flawed in a lot of ways.” He said “it remains to be seen whether or not global warming will actually intensify El Niño in the way that science is debating right now.””