Jonathan Trinastic

jonathan-trinastic

Dr. Jonathan Trinastic earned his PhD in physics at the University of Florida. He is interested in renewable energy technology and sustainable energy policies, as well as living by Ernst Schumacher’s mantra that “small is beautiful.” Read more of Jonathan’s work at his personal blog, Goodnight Earth, and follow him on Twitter @jptrinastic. All views expressed are solely his own and do not reflect those of his employer.

science policy challenges

Science Policy Challenges in Four Parts

Join Dr. Jonathan Trinastic as he investigates four major science policy challenges facing the public and discusses how the US ...
Kirigami-inspired solar cell courtesy of Lamoureux A et al.

Solar Cell Inspired by 400-Year-Old Art

A long-standing Japanese art form known as kirigami has inspired scientists to design effective solar cell tech four hundred years ...
The Science and Spirit of the Winter Solstice

The Science and Spirit of the Winter Solstice

Learn about the winter solstice! Find out what it is and why it has been celebrated by human civilizations since ...
Science of Skateboarding, Halfpipe Physics

Science of Skateboarding: Half-Pipe Physics

Skateboarding is physics! Find out what principles of physics a skateboarder uses to appear to defy gravity on the half-pipe ...
Waves of Physics: The Science of Surfing

Waves of Physics: The Science of Surfing

Surfers seem to be dancing on ocean waves, but what keeps them afloat or moving? Let’s explore the physics at ...
ANALYSIS: SOLAR IS THE EQUITABLE ENERGY SOURCE

Analysis: Solar is the Equitable Energy Source

There are potential benefits for everyone when governments support the advancement of solar technology and economic development plans for equitable ...
Urban Life of Bees: A Pollination-Parasite Trade-Off

Urban Bees: A Pollination-Parasite Trade-Off

Are cities the ideal home for bees? European scientists found that urban bees can have surprisingly good pollination rates. By ...
information overload

Science Policy Challenges, Part Four: Information Overload

Every week, we manage more than 23 exabytes of data. What challenges do researchers face with such an overwhelming information ...
aging brain

Science Policy Challenges, Part Three: The Aging Brain

By 2060, around 98 million people over the age of 65 will be living in the United States. What science ...
power grid, science policy, energy

Science Policy Challenges, Part Two: A Strained Electrical Grid

As American power demand shifts to renewable energy, and security risks evolve, the federal government can play a critical role ...

Many Ways to March for Science

Cathy Seiler: Why I March for Science The March for Science is this Saturday, April 22. Thousands—perhaps hundreds of thousands—of ...
rising sea levels

Science Policy Challenges, Part One: A Rising Sea

Regions along the eastern seaboard of the United States and in locations around the world are facing rising sea levels ...
The Brainy Life of Bees

The Brainy Life of Bees

By Jonathan Trinastic @jptrinastic The thought of worker bees buzzing about their colonies in service of the queen may not ...
Nanostructured Honeycomb Creates Electricity from Light

Nanostructured Honeycomb Creates Electricity from Light

By Jonathan Trinastic @jptrinastic Zoom in to the nanometer scale—less than the width of a human hair—and you might think ...
Hot Towns, Urban Heat Islands. Sunlight: Solar as Equitable Energy Source.

Sunlight, the Equitable Energy Source

There are potential benefits for everyone when governments support the advancement of solar technology and economic development plans for an ...
Chilean Solar Farm: Cheapest Power Project Ever

Chilean Solar Farm, Cheapest Power Project Ever

For a long time, Chilean president Michelle Bachelet looked for some sort of magic to ignite her country’s sluggish economy ...
Science and the City: The Mechanics behind the Metropolis

Science and the City: The Mechanics Behind the Metropolis

A review of Science and the City: The Mechanics behind the Metropolis Author: Laurie Winkless Publisher: Bloomsbury Sigma Best for: ...
Carbon Capture: Photo of Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station courtesy of Gretar Ivarsson via Wikipedia

Carbon Capture: Transforming Greenhouse Gas into Rock

Is there a way to capture excess carbon dioxide and chemically trap it underground to mitigate the effects of climate ...
Phosphorescent Concrete: Photo of light-emitting concrete courtesy of Investigation y Desarrollo

Phosphorescent Concrete Lights the Way Home

By Jonathan Trinastic @jptrinastic Imagine a future when, as dusk turns to night during a long drive, the darkening highway ...
graphene

Moth Eyes Inspire Graphene-Based Smart Tech

Look into the eyes of moths and see the future. The future of smart gadgets, that is. Moths’ eyes are ...
liquid graphene, liquid metal

Liquid Graphene: Metal Behaves Like Water

By Jonathan Trinastic @jptrinastic The Liquid Electrons of Graphene Graphene has always been a material full of promise, and now ...
tiny house, off-grid living, Nice Architects

Egg-Shaped Tiny House to Revolutionize Off-Grid Living

By Jonathan Trinastic If you spot Nice Architects' Ecocapsule while hiking through the woods or turning the corner from your ...
Lens Flare, Steven Spence

Spying on the Atomic Structure of Perovskites

By Jonathan Trinastic, @jptrinastic Spying on the Atomic Structure of Perovskites Perovskites are darling materials in the world of solar cells ...
Photo by Lisa Brown via Flickr

Citizen Science Informs Bird Feeder Dilemma

By Jonathan Trinastic @jptrinastic If you enjoy turkey this Thanksgiving, take a moment to think not about the bird on ...
Batteries: Image: MotorBlog.com

Small Step for Batteries, Giant Leap for Electric Cars

By Jonathan Trinastic @jptrinastic Solving the Silicon Swelling Problem in Batteries The dream of an electric transportation revolution—recharging stations dotting ...
Photo of coral (Courtesy of Public.Resource.Org via Flickr)

Copying Coral to Contain Heavy Metal Pollution

These scientists are building artificial coral that can absorb heavy metal pollution. Find out how it could work to protect ...
The Amazon Rainforest (Photo courtesy of Ron Gold via Flikr)

Braving the Amazon to Study Climate Change

By Jonathan Trinastic (@jptrinastic) Scientists may not be known as the most courageous folk. They deserve such recognition, given their history ...