Net Zero Tracker displays the progress of net zero plans achieved, in law, in policy, pledged, proposed, or missing across countries, cities, and companies around the world.
McKinsey published a post defining criteria to use when comparing and evaluating different qubit implementations, such as computation speed, cooling, and control at scale.
Scientists from the University of Turin have shown that snapdragon flowers increase production of sugar and nectar when the sound of bees was played near them.
BBC Future published a piece highlighting different systems around the world that are stuck using old tech and operating systems. Apparently the automatic train control system of San Francisco's Muni Metro boot up every morning from DOS using a floppy disk.
University of Maryland spinout InventWood have developed a new treated wood that has 50% more tensile strength than steel and a strength to weight ratio that is 10 times better than steel. The company uses chemicals to change the molecular structure of the wood, and then increases the hydrogen bonds between cellulose molecules using compression.
Jack McGovan published a thought provoking piece on Sower about how working less is an often overlooked piece of climate action. Discussing his own experience and wider movements such as the 4-day work week, a valid case is made that working less reduces commuting emissions, employee burnout, while also increasing the chance for a balanced and happier lifestyle.
Big Think published a useful video about how the CIA trains its operatives to make decisions when under stress using some simple rules, like do the next easy thing.
Audubon published an interesting piece about how researchers are using birds as research assistants, to gather data and/or infer data from their movements and habits. Examples include checking the type of vomit thrown up by western gulls to track the movement of whales, and putting sensors on cormorants to track sea level depth changes.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology have developed a battery system using hollow concrete spheres that can be placed on the sea bed. Energy is stored by pumping the water out of a sphere to make it hollow. When water is released back into the sphere, energy is generated by a turbine as the water goes back in.
Scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the U.S. Air Force have developed a speedometer device for space vehicles that measures the amount of space-plasma ions that hit both sides of the "dual-sensor laminated-head electrostatic analyzer", and measure the difference to calculate space speed.
