I love the great variety of "Science and Technology" topics that are discovered and it's so good to consider both sides of this flipping coin. There are wonderful advances and discoveries, but then we discover others news items that remind us the coin can and does flip to remind us that our Earth School still has much work to do.
But bit, by bit good people, groups or investigative news sources undcover new data that still points the finger at old and continuing issues.
On the subject of ozone depleting compounds that were banned in 2010, no one understood why the levels were still so high until the NY Times did an investigation. They found that China is emitting some 40,000 tons of carbon tetrachloride annually. Here's a story on it:
https://www.sciencealert.com/more-evidence-identifies-china-as-the-source-of-those-mysterious-ozone-destroying-emissions?perpetual=yes&limitstart= 1" target="true"> https://www.sciencealert.com/more-evidence-identifies-china-as-the-source-of-those-mysterious-ozone-destroying-emissions?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1
The first-ever vaccine for insects now exists, thanks to scientists at the University of Helsinki in Finland hoping to save one of the most crucial pollinators in the world: the honey bee.
https://www.americanveterinarian.com/news/buzzworthy-news-firstever-vaccine-for-insects
Advances in the efficiency and safety of genome editing have been made. Read about it here:
https://phys.org/news/2018-12-scientists-crispr-code-precise-human.html
"Deep Seagrass Bed Could Stall Climate Change." Read about it here:
I read this article this morning: Tesla may use new battery supplier for cars made in China factory
By Eric C. Evarts
“Tesla is reportedly exploring the idea of buying local batteries for its factory in China, from a supplier other than Panasonic.”
“Panasonic has been Tesla’s partner in creating batteries for its electric cars from the outset of Model S production and co-owns the Nevada battery-production Gigafactory that produces far more electric-car batteries than any other.” My immediate thought was “Is Tesla concerned with other electric-car companies’ disclosures of higher performance numbers than is possible using lithium-ion technology?
According to AstroJane in a January 20, 2019 article: Panasonic is teaming up with Toyota for a venture to produce electric-car batteries in 2020 and will work to develop future solid-state lithium batteries.
I am concerned with more lithium being used for batteries regardless of what the technology is. If other electric-car manufacturers are using safer, more abundant, and less toxic materials than lithium, the Earth will benefit.
NWDoug,
Very interesting. In the past most of the our lithium for batteries etc. was discovered and harvested from South America's deserts (and dried out by solar power for use) but now Australia is mining rock and using crushers to break it down enough to ship to China for further processing using far more energy intensive processing.
That would explain why factories in China would be logical for Tesla's own production then staying with more energy efficient methodoligy in general.
It sure makes me wonder what else might be happening with Tesla's industries and financial thinking in all areas. So many products, inventions, interests in planets and above/on/and under our own planet at once!
On another front, I heard this week that California is requiring all new homes to have solar panels. Adding 10% in the costs to the price of a new home but saving considerably in energy use.
Unfortunately even solar energy panel production still may have further to advance before current products are outdated and/or develop aging issues.
Keep the thoughts coming and discussions going! So much to learn and keep us with but it sure helps to jumpstart our thinking and share news and thoughts!
It has just been announced that scientists have experimented with the genetic modification of chickens whereby they literally produce properties of several drugs that will then naturally occur in their eggs.
It was based on the initial discovery that chicken collagen eased the problems of rheumatoid arthritis and it would only require eating 3 genetically modified chicken's eggs a day to get the same effects as the current antibiotic pills a day taken by RA suffers.
Other work developed adding a second drug/chemical characteristic into their egg creating another egg property that would help with many cancers.
The positive side is trying to cut down on the current proliferation of drugs creating antibiotic resistant super bugs totally unaffected by current drugs that were used used to treat a number of infections diseases and immune system disorders.
And of course, this problem was only further increasing many or new drug resistant diseases and the suffering of so many people in the world.
The flip side is well, genetic modification.
Thoughts?
Interesting Michele.
Thoughts on the chickens. How does this actually affect the chicken being used in the study other than the outcome of the egg? What happens if one gets loose? What happen to future generations?
Also, who is the company developing this egg/chicken? What is their GMO background? What is their track record of drug recalls and safety?
I do not trust Big Pharma.
Here is another related article which I found today. Gene editing of wheat to make it safe for people with coeliac disease . That is a whole other can of worms.
https://phys.org/news/2019-01-wheat-safe-people-coeliac-disease.html
Jeanne Mayell
On 10/27/2018 I entered a post concerning my expectations about new developments in electrical energy storage. You responded and asked me these questions: “Does this mean more affordable electric cars that would enable us to fossil free cars by 2020? Battery operated airplanes? Homes heated by batteries?”
This morning I read the following article: “Electric aircraft could transform short-distance regional air travel”
by Chad Berndt | 01/28/2019
In the article Chad refers to an all-electric aircraft with a range somewhat short of 700 miles being developed sometime in the early 2020’s.
https://www.teslarati.com/electrification-vertical-take-off-landing-aircraft-travel/
Wow, NWDoug,
What an interesting project. Can't quite wrap my head around big enough electric storage battery systems just yet but things are already changing in leaps and bounds.
But if the average flight is indeed our "commuter" planes of under 700 miles it makes a big difference.
I'm typing on a cell phone that's faster than the fastest computer we ever had using a mobile signal faster than our wifi we used to have.
Never could have imagined that when we got our first plug in bag phone im what, the 90s?
Now i understand that 20 years flies by like a time warp, so why not accept the possibility of an electric airplane in what could happen in even less?
I am amazed! WOW!
With so much concern now with plastic straws and utensils in a world where fast food and drive-up food service are a staple in far too many family's lives, any news that help exchange these environmentally hurtful products for eco-friendly ones is so important.
From ending up in our seas and oceans to being found inside sea life (even trapped in sea turtles nostrils) its more serious that most of know. Even the ubiquitous plastic plastic bag has been ingested by many animals, especially sea life, or wrapped around them, making it impossible to breathe, to eat or to surface for air under sea vessels, docks etc.
Companies have been experimenting with bamboo, paper, and other alternatives but cost, usability, and reality of production have all found issues with many choices.
So, how about recycling avocado pits/seeds to make a plastic material that actually decomposes?
A news article out of Mexico seems to show that this just might be a new alternative.
A young biochemist, Scott Munguia, has spent 2 years develooing and working on this and founded a company, Biofase and is now starting production with 44 employees.
And with market demand it just might be a viable alternative.
And the need and the production for many types of neo-plastics as well as the need to use every bit of all products currently going into landfills by using them in the manufacturing of other items will create many new forms of industry and employment possibilities.
With so much concern now with plastic straws and utensils in a world where fast food and drive-up food service are a staple in far too many family's lives, any news that help exchange these environmentally hurtful products for eco-friendly ones is so important.
From ending up in our seas and oceans to being found inside sea life (even trapped in sea turtles nostrils) its more serious that most of know. Even the ubiquitous plastic plastic bag has been ingested by many animals, especially sea life, or wrapped around them, making it impossible to breathe, to eat or to surface for air under sea vessels, docks etc.
Companies have been experimenting with bamboo, paper, and other alternatives but cost, usability, and reality of production have all found issues with many choices.
So, how about recycling avocado pits/seeds to make a plastic material that actually decomposes?
A news article out of Mexico seems to show that this just might be a new alternative.
A young biochemist, Scott Munguia, has spent 2 years develooing and working on this and founded a company, Biofase and is now starting production with 44 employees. His monthy yield is 130 tons of biodegradable plastic and 40% of that includes straws.
And with market demand it just might be a viable alternative.
And the need and the production for many types of neo-plastics as well as the need to use every bit of all products currently going into landfills by using them in the manufacturing of other items will create many new forms of industry and employment possibilities.
Michele & Lovendures, here is another article about electric planes:
“Tesla’s Latest Acquisition Could Make Elon Musk’s Electric Plane Fly | By Mike Brown 02 05/19”
I wonder what other electrical technology will be hinted at next?
Thanks NWDoug, a very interesting article.
We are opening up into a huge era of Technological Evolution (instead of only the old Industrial Revolution) and it's dramatically speeding up in length of time required to jumpstart and take off into one new idea/thing after another!
What an interesting era to be living in!
Interesting. I hope he doesn't simply "sit" on this technology. Thanks NWDoug.
Lovendures, I can only hope he follows through on all his revelations. So far these achievements have been remarkable; Space X with the booster rockets landing back on earth, and Tesla selling more Model 3's than any other luxury car in the US in 2018.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/08/teslas-model-3-was-2018s-best-selling-luxury-car-in-us.html
Volkswagen will be using Tesla battery power packs in it's charging stations for the US in it's bit to help electrify the US.
https://www.ioebusiness.com/tech/volkswagen-to-use-tesla-batteries-at-its-charging-stations/
VW plans to give Tesla serious competition in the not too distant future.
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/02/06/vw-ev-strategy-inside-story/
VW plans to use solid-state batteries in it's EVs and is making a major push to do so.
Tesla about to have major competition from a new EV start-up company.