๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐น๐๐ฒ: ๐ ๐ฟ๐ต๐๐๐ต๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ-๐ถ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐
A curated sample of the weekโs more interesting, important, or just amusing stories.
Aโ๏ธ464-wordโ๏ธ2-minuteโ๏ธread
This weekโs stories span the world and beyond. We start with bad (and somewhat ironic) news for the solar industry, followed by concerning news for AI and America. Changing gears, I may have been all wrong about Elon (or not). Last, we finish on a positive environmental note.
To the moon and beyond?
Nuclear is enjoying a renaissance, at least in the press. That renaissance now includes the moon.
Much to the chagrin of the solar community, NASA views nuclear as the only option to power a future moon base.
Iโm optimistic about nuclear, but the jury remains out on whether the latest technology โ driven by small modular reactors (SMRs) โ can fulfill the promise of cost-competitive 24/7 clean power.
As for the moon, the technical challenges are significantly greater.
- Any reactor would need to survive abrasive lunar dust and the moonโs wild temperature swings โ 250ยฐ F in the day to 208ยฐ F at night.
- Nuclear fuel would need to be transported by rocket creating accident concerns.
- And a custom cooling systems would need to be designed that can efficiently radiate heat into space in a vacuum.
No meeting of Gen Z minds
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Itโs fascinating how quickly AI has become almost ubiquitous throughout the media.
- More fascinating is the dichotomy between how AI is viewed by Gen Z in the U.S. and China.
- Gen Zers in the U.S. are among the most concerned about the dangers of AI. Conversely, in China, concern levels are low.
- Most European countries also fall in the lower-mid to low concern groupings.
- India tied the U.S. in concern levels. That makes sense as a major portion of its economy (i.e. software development, customer serviceโฆ) may be well suited for AI.
- I get the concern younger people have, but I find difference between the U.S. and China disturbing. Advantage China.
I owe Elon an apology
Iโm on record as saying that I donโt think Elon Muskโs approach to autonomous driving will ever fly. Maybe Iโm wrong. Letโs look at Teslaโs progress.
- Teslaโs autonomous vehicles are kicking butt in its adopted state of Texas. They now have a whopping 42 registered robotaxis. Thatโs only slightly shy of the million-car goal Elon set for the end of 2026.
- According to the Texas DMV AV database Amazonโs Zoox has 35 and Waymo has 619.
- Did I mention that most of the robotaxi trips to date still rely on human safety supervisors formerly known as drivers.
One encouraging trend
Much of the climate news has been decidedly sour of late, but letโs end this weekโs Planet Pulse on a positive note.
- Last year, deforestation in the Amazon hit its lowest level since 2019.
- Despite the positive trend, much work remains.
- According to the report published by the Brazilian Human and Environment Amazon Institute (Imazon) five trees are still cut down every second.
- Last year alone 564 square miles of land were cleared.
- That sounds like a lot, but given the rain forest spans about 2.3 million square miles, it represents a mere .02% of the total area.
