Heliogen's breakthrough is that it uses cameras to observe where sunbeams are going and make minute adjustments several times per second to keep the mirror pointed in the right direction. Heliogen says it's been able to achieve temperatures of more than 1000 degrees Celsius.
"I don't know how many people will understand how significant breaking 1000 C is," Heliogen founder Bill Gross told GeekWire. "Cement is made above 1000 C. Steel is made above 1000 C. Hydrogen is made above 1000 C." He added that cement production alone accounts for 8 percent of global CO2 emissions.
Gross said he was inspired to start Heliogen after attending Bill Gates' 2010 TED talk, "Innovating to zero!" In the talk, Gates said that if he could be granted a wish for the next 50 years, it would be for someone to invent a technology that would lower the cost of energy and eliminate CO2 emissions at the same time. Afterward, Gates invited Gross to Seattle for a brainstorming session with other Gates Foundation leaders. "We talked about all the different ways that this could happen, and that was the beginning of thinking through the different technical challenges," Gross said. "Of course [Gates is] going around the world telling everybody about this."
Info Cloud
sunny disposition 形容一個人擁有正面開朗的性格
Hello, and welcome to Info Cloud. How's your going, Anne Marie?
It's been a wonderful day, as usual.
You know, Anne Marie, I really appreciate your sunny disposition. Oh, thank you, Rex.
I try to keep a positive attitude and live a life of thankfulness.
So having a sunny disposition means someone who is optimistic or who looks on the bright side.
Someone's disposition means their general attitude or personality.
That reminds me of a proverb: A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.
That means you can beat a bad day if you have the right attitude.
You really are a ray of sunshine in our studio today.
Thanks again. But, you know, when I was younger, I wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine.
You mean you used to complain or have a negative attitude?
Yes, I wasn't as fun to be around. That's one way to use this phrase to say the opposite.
Bridget hasn't exactly been a ray of sunshine since her best friend moved away.
So Bridget has generally been in a bad mood since something negative happened in her life. I'm glad I've changed my disposition now, and hopefully Bridget will have a sunnier disposition soon, too.
大家都喜歡跟開朗、樂觀的人在一起，因為他們會散發一種正能量，你可以用 sunny disposition 來形容這種人。sunny是晴朗，disposition 是性格。因此，sunny disposition 就用來形容一個人擁有正面開朗的性格。
I really appreciate your sunny disposition. 我真的很珍惜你的開朗和樂觀。另外一種類似的表達是 a ray of sunshine 一絲陽光，You really are a ray of sunshine in our class today. 你今天在班上真的很正面開朗，讓班上的氣氛很好。a ray of sunshine 也可以負面地使用，Bridget hasn't exactly been a ray of sunshine since her friend left. 自從朋友離開之後，Bridget一直不是很開朗。
Language Lab
minute n.分鐘
/ˈmɪnət/
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds : one 60th of an hour
- I waited five minutes.
我等了五分鐘。
minute n. 一下子、一會兒
a brief period of time : moment
- I will return in just a minute.
我等一下就會回來。
minute adj. 非常小的; (一件事)不重要或微不足道的
/maɪˈnuːt/
very small : tiny
- Ian was so impressed with the minute detail in this painting.
油畫裡的小細節讓Ian嘆為觀止。
- I can’t believe such minute differences between the two opinions could create such a huge argument.
我很難相信兩個看法之間那麼一點點的不一樣，就可以造成這麼大的紛爭。
- I have a favor to ask, and it’s really minute.
我有一件事想請你幫忙，是一件小事。
account n. 帳戶
an arrangement in which a bank keeps a record of the money that a person puts in and takes out of the bank
- I want to check my account and see how much money I have left.
我想查查看我的帳戶，看還剩多少錢。
account n. 報告、描述 to account for (ph v)
a list or description of facts
- Janice was asked by the police to give an account of what had happened at the bank.
警察請Janice 描述銀行當時是發生什麼事。
account for (something) [phrasal verb] 做出解釋或說明
to give a reason or explanation for (something)
- The clerk could not account for the missing cash.
收銀員無法解釋為什麼少了現金。
- Patty hasn’t slept well for the last several days, and that might account for her lack of concentration.
Patty 做事不專心可能是因為這幾天都沒有睡好覺的關係。
eliminate v. 消除、解決
to remove (something that is not wanted or needed) : to get rid of (something)
- Rats are coming into the house, and it is a problem that needs to be eliminated.
老鼠一直跑進屋內，這個問題必須立刻解決。
- Scientists are hoping to find a cure that could eliminate this terrible disease.
科學家希望可以找到解決這個恐怖疾病的治療方法。
eliminate v. 淘汰
to defeat and remove (a team, player, etc.) from a competition — often used as (be/get) eliminated
- Our school team didn’t have a high enough score and was eliminated very quickly.
我們的校隊的成績不夠高，結果很快就被淘汰掉。
elimination n. 清除、淘汰
the act or process of removing something or someone
- After the first game was over, the elimination of a former gold medal champion was a shock to everybody.
之前的金牌冠軍在這次的第一場比賽就被淘汰掉了，讓大家非常驚訝。
brainstorming n. 腦力激盪法 (為了想出點子或激發或強化思考，及創造能力的方法)
an idea that someone thinks of suddenly — usually singular
- The students did a little brainstorming to come up with some ways to raise money.
學生們透過腦力激盪來列出一些募款方式。
- The manager thought the sales team’s brainstorming was very creative.
經理認為業務團隊的腦力激盪方式很有創意。
- After several hours of brainstorming and discussion, Trent and his coworkers finally came up with an idea that everyone liked.
經過幾個小時的腦力激盪及討論，Trent 跟他的同事們終於有一個大家都滿意的點子。
