Fireplaces create pollution and are difficult to maintain. Electric heaters can be bulky and energy-sucking. South Korea’s Graphene Square is using graphene, an ultra-thin, highly thermally conductive material made of carbon atoms, to provide an alternative. The Graphene Radiator is a virtual fireplace (featuring computer-generated holographic flames) that folds flat and can heat up to 167° F using just 200 watts of power—30% more efficient than electric coil heaters. With backing from Samsung, Graphene Square plans to produce 40,000 devices annually starting next year.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- What a Photographer Saw in the West Bank
- The Dirty Secrets of Alternative Plastics
- Accenture’s Chief AI Officer on Why This Is a Defining Moment
- We Should Get Paid for Our Online Data: Column
- Inside COP28's Big 'Experiment'
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
