Sunflower-like AC: Chinese scientists develop a cooling system that follows Sun and provides 135% higher cooling during hot noon. Here's how it works

Chinese scientists built sunflower-like AC: Researchers in China have developed a sunflower-inspired radiative cooling system that changes its orientation with the Sun to reduce direct solar heating while continuing to radiate heat toward the sky. The system, called dynamic sky view factor steering (DSVFS), delivered 135% higher cooling flux at solar noon than a fixed horizontal emitter in experiments. The September 2026 study is an arXiv preprint and has not yet been peer reviewed.