New posts from the.micro.blog
Reuters: Sam Altman to return as OpenAI CEO
OpenAI on Wednesday said that it has reached an agreement for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor , Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo.
I bought Peter Mansbridge & Mark Bulgutch’s new book this afternoon, How Canada Works. Also listened to them talk about it on Peter’s daily podcast, The Bridge.
Have a wonderful, relaxing Thanksgiving to all my American friends and acquaintances! 🦃 (👈🏻 tofurkey!)
Two Interesting Energy & Climate Videos
I watched a couple of interesting videos this evening. Lots of relevant information and calm measured tones, so a bit of a relief from some of the other things I’ve seen lately.
The first is from Dave Borlace at Just Have a Think, a source of a variety of presentations on current and emerging technologies.
Just Have a Think: Global Energy Transition. Are we winning?
The Global Energy Transition is the most profound change to human civilisation since the end of the last glacial period about 11,000 years ago. There will be winners and losers, and as a result some are trying to slow or even stop the disruption of their established markets. We all know who they are! So how is it going? Well, the International Energy Agency says it can be done, but ONLY if there is NO NEW COAL, OIL or GAS exploration or exploitation from this point onwards. COP28 has now been completely hijacked by the oil industry…so is the transition a realistic prospect or just a pipe dream?
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Carbon Brief: Simon Evans EV Mythbusting: Factcheck: 21 misleading myths about electric vehicles
The second is from The Economist. It has a title that may be a bit misleading (perhaps a bit of clickbait) but worth viewing.
*The Economist *: Now+Next: How green is the energy revolution really?
We hear a lot about the need to get off fossil fuels. How is the energy transition really going and how fast is the world moving towards a green future?
00:51 How did the war in Ukraine impact the green revolution?
05:50 Why is green energy booming in unlikely places?
08:31 Rewiring the world for net zero
11:40 Is nuclear energy making a comeback?
14:20 Texas: the anti-green future of clean energy
18:09 Do environmentalists need to change?
Two Interesting Battery & Inventions Videos 🔗⚡️🔋
I watched a couple of interesting videos this evening. They are both about near term and present day helpful technologies.
The first is from Matt Ferrell at Undecided, a good source of videos on current and emerging renewable energy technologies.
Undecided with Matt Ferrell (YouTube): Why This Ultra Dense Battery Breakthrough Matters
It might surprise you to learn that the basic chemistry of the lithium ion battery at the heart of a brand new Tesla or iPhone hasn’t changed all that much in the last 30 years. So, when several of you left comments pointing me in the direction of a new company that’s replacing a key part of the battery with silicon and some nanowires, my curiosity was piqued. To add to that, one of my science advisory team members brought them up, too, which only added fuel to the curiosity fire. Now, we’ve covered a lot of batteries on this channel, so what makes the company Amprius, and other similar companies going after silicon, stand out for the future of battery tech?
Faster charging and higher energy storage density from replacing the lithium & carbon anode with silicon whiskers. Quite possibly approaching commercial production within the next year.
The second is from a channel I’m unfamiliar with, FD Engineering (by Quintus Media GmbH). There are a number of short documentary pieces on recent inventions. I watched the first couple of segments (about 8 minutes and 7 minutes in length) and they’re good enough for me to plan on watching the rest tomorrow.
FD Engineering (YouTube): Genius Inventions: Technical Marvels That Will Shape Tomorrow
Step into a world of innovation and brilliance with Genius Inventions. Showcasing the most brilliant inventions from around the world, this series takes viewers on an inspiring journey through a variety of groundbreaking creations, ranging from revolutionary technological gadgets to eco-friendly solutions. Prepare to be awestruck as we delve into the heart of human ingenuity and witness the future, one groundbreaking idea at a time.
00:00:00 Turbines and fans inspired by whales; Showers that help saving water; Rotor blades for onshore and offshore energy production
The leading edge of the pectoral fins of humpback whales have bumps on them, and they can make surfaces with lower drag, and more lift!
Walking home by the airport early this evening. Snowy, but also windy & relatively warm but you can’t tell that from the picture. As W.O. Mitchell said, “Who has seen the wind?”
