Think Fast: A new robot can now search for solar materials 14X faster. This is yet another reason solar power may continue to grow faster than many pundits in the energy industry expect.
Think Faster: Researchers from Pohang University of Science & Technology have unveiled a groundbreaking technique to amplify the energy storage capacity of batteries tenfold–or more than 3,000 miles. This development not only advances battery technology but could also reshape the entire electric vehicle landscape.
Think Bigger: The above articles on solar and battery technology are not the only reasons those technologies will continue to transform society. In the near future, electrified cement could turn houses and roads into nearly limitless batteries.
Think Harder: You can now make an AI clone of yourself–or anyone else. I am sure there are many practical and helpful uses of such a technology but before deploying it we should all think long and hard about the negative implications of making such a technology readily available. For example, would it be healthy for an individual to be able to speak with the clone of a boyfriend or girlfriend long after the real person had broken off the relationship? What about communicating with a virtual replica of a dead loved one?
Think the Unthinkable: Mass species extinction is a serious problem and when I say serious I mean SERIOUS. Humans live in a delicate balance with other species on this planet and if one species disappears it can have severe consequences. Consider the case of the passenger pigeon which humans drove to extinction 120 years ago. Because the birds no longer exist, mice populations have soared and these mice are now the primary carrier of Lyme’s disease. We can expect more such unintended consequences in the future.
Afterthought: “It is not enough to be a hardworking person. Think: what do you work at?” —Henry David Thoreau
P.S. My wife and I recently hiked the West Highland Way in Scotland and last week’s post wasn’t sent. My apologies. If you care to skim it, I have posted the five articles below:
Think Cleaner: A New US Plant Will Use Captured CO2 to Make Millions of Gallons of Jet Fuel
Think (and See) Better: Breakthrough New Drug Treats Cataracts–Avoiding the Need for Surgery.
Think Brighter: Cancer Cells Can Be Reverted Back to Normal, Study Finds.
Think Longer: New Breakthrough Paves the Way for Extending Human Lifespan — Scientists Successfully Transfer Longevity Gene.
Afterthought: “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” —Socrates
