skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Sunday, March 16, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Second federal judge orders temporary reinstatement of thousands of probationary employees fired by the Trump administration; U.S., Canada political tension could affect Maine summer tourism; Report: Incarceration rates rise in MS, U.S. despite efforts at reform; MI study: HBCU students show better mental health, despite challenges.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump administration faces legal battles on birthright citizenship; the arrest of a Palestinian activist sparks protests over free speech. Conservationists voice concerns about federal job cuts impacting public lands, and Ohio invests in child wellness initiatives.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Farmers worry promised federal reimbursements aren't coming while fears mount that the Trump administration's efforts to raise cash means the sale of public lands, and rural America's shortage of doctors has many physicians skipping retirement.

Paint Created in Purdue Lab Could Cool Earth

play audio
Play

Wednesday, July 26, 2023   

An ultra-white paint developed in a Purdue University lab is making its way through the innovation pipeline, and it seems its market debut could not come at a better time.

Putting a coat on during scorching summer temperatures sounds counterintuitive, but slapping on a coat of the university's whitest-white acrylic actually lowers temperatures. It is designed to reflect more than 98% of sunlight.

Xiulin Ruan, professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University, said the paint cools surface air up to eight degrees Fahrenheit.

"Our paint on the roof kind of sends off all the heat from the sun and from its own emission directly through the atmosphere and lost to the deep space," Ruan explained. "So, the heat totally goes off the earth."

The barium sulfate-based paint is on track to become commercially available in about a year and is expected to cost about the same as a regular can of paint.

Ruan added in hot, dry climates, the ultra-white paint reduces air-conditioning needs up to 40%.

"On certain days when it's not too hot, you do not need to turn on your air conditioners at all," Ruan asserted. "The paint will just provide enough cooling for the temperature indoors to be more comfortable for human beings."

The university is working with an unnamed company to produce the paint. A fine-tuned, lightweight version is being refined to use on vehicles to reflect heat.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
According to Wisconsin's Judicial Code of Conduct, judges are not required to recuse themselves based on an endorsement or campaign contributions. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Early voting for the Wisconsin Supreme Court race starts next week and, although the seat is technically nonpartisan, both candidates have clear …


Environment

play sound

As the warming climate continues to reshape the environment, its impact on people's health is becoming increasingly evident in Florida. Doctors and …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Maryland is facing a $3 billion budget deficit, and planned cuts in 2026 would include millions in disability assistance. But one advocate says those …


A rally for property tax cuts is set for Monday at the Indiana Statehouse. Organizers have encouraged attendees to wear green to signal their opposition to high property taxes. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Indiana lawmakers introduced a third property tax plan this week, aiming to protect local governments from funding cuts while offering minimal relief …

Social Issues

play sound

Nearly half of Americans age 50 and older are using credit cards to pay for basic living expenses, according to a new AARP survey, and a Minnesota …

Expanded oil and gas subsidies, included in current versions of upcoming federal tax legislation, would support a massive expansion of LNG projects to more than double national export capacity by 2030. (Jeeraphun/Adobe Stock)

play sound

Forty religious leaders from different denominations gathered in Texas this week to call for an end to fossil-fuel subsidies and expansion of related …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that Black students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Blac…

Environment

play sound

The Sierra Club's Utah chapter said electric utility PacifiCorp's long-term plan to embrace renewable energy has changed and is now placing more relia…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021