(NAT) COMING TO A BORDER NEAR YOU

The fastest any human has ever run on record was Usain Bolt. He was clocked at a ridiculously quick 27.79 mph (44.72 km/h) when he ran a 9.58-second 100-meter dash. Two-legged robots can run even faster, and it looks really weird.

What sent me down this rabbit hole was stumbling on a 10-year-old video of a robot designed after a Velociraptor dinosaur by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Basically the Korean version of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The aptly named KAIST Raptor robot weighs 6.6 lb (3 kg) and sprints at an insane 28.5 mph (46 km/h). It has a "tail" to aid its balance while it runs at full tilt, even while obstacles are thrown in its path. Sadly, its "tail" looks nothing like a 'raptor tail. It's actually just a pole mounted to the side that works as a counterweight to keep it upright.

Given the tether, we can't quite tell if it's self-balancing as the researchers claim, so it almost feels like a bit of a cheat on the top speed. Could it run that quickly and stay upright without the crane-like tether?

The only robot to have run nearly as fast as the Raptor is Boston Dynamics' Cheetah at 28.3 mph (45.5 km/h) ... but the Cheetah is a 4-legged sprinter – also tethered – so "it doesn't count" in this article. But it's still kind of cool. For reference, an actual cheetah can run up to 70 mph (113 km/h). More of this article (New Atlas) - link - more like this (robots) - link

(SCI) RED MEAT - A GOOD DIET FOR CANCER

A new Cleveland Clinic study has identified diet-derived molecules called metabolites as main drivers of young-onset colorectal cancer risk, especially those associated with red and processed meat. 

The NPJ Precision Oncologyreport, which analyzed metabolite and microbiome datasets, highlighted that one of the best ways a younger (<60 years) adult can prevent colorectal cancer is to discuss their diet with their doctor.

Increased monitoring and screening for colorectal cancer is an extremely helpful tool. Despite the success of these methods, these data indicate physicians can take a different approach with their younger patients, says senior author and gastrointestinal oncologist Suneel Kamath, MD.

"At the end of the day, it's impractical to apply our care models for those over 60 to younger adults simply because we cannot give everyone in the system yearly colonoscopies," he explains. "What is much more feasible is to give everyone in the system a simple test to measure a biomarker that determines their colorectal cancer risk. Then we can give the most at-risk individuals appropriate screening." More of this article (Science Daily) - link - diagram - link - more like this (causing cancer) - link

(WEV) RENAULT ESTAFETTE

Renault has revealed the Estafette Concept, a new electric utility van designed specifically for urban environments. The Estafette marks Renault’s latest step in reimagining last-mile delivery vehicles, combining compactness, agility, and spaciousness with cutting-edge technology to meet the evolving demands of e-commerce and urban logistics.

The Estafette Concept is part of Renault’s broader vision for electric utility vehicles, developed in partnership with Volvo Group and CMA CGM Group through the joint venture Flexis. Designed with the needs of professional drivers in mind, the van aims to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance safety for delivery drivers in increasingly congested cities.

The Estafette Concept was created to address the growing challenges faced by delivery professionals, tradespeople, and retailers, especially in cities with tightening traffic restrictions. As e-commerce continues to drive exponential growth in freight transport, conventional vans are proving inadequate for the demands of urban deliveries. Renault's response is an all-electric van that combines the compactness of its Kangoo L2 model, the agility of the Clio, and the cargo capacity of the Trafic L1H2. This unique blend is intended to deliver both efficiency and practicality for urban drivers who require manoeuvrability and ample cargo space.

Renault's design philosophy for the Estafette Concept was informed by extensive feedback from professional drivers. The van's architecture is aimed at streamlining operations while maintaining high standards of safety for both drivers and their cargo. The Estafette is fully connected, utilising Renault’s Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) architecture through the FlexEVan platform developed by Ampere. This system is designed to enable real-time updates, predictive maintenance, and overall cost savings of up to 30% compared to traditional vans. More of this article (WhichEV) - link - more like this (ev vans) - link - more like this (Renault) - linklink

(GRI) MICROPLASTICS

Twenty years ago, a team of U.K. scientists sounded the alarm on a then-underappreciated problem: the breakdown of plastic litter into small, even microscopic, fragments. While many previous reports had documented the buildup of plastic bottles and bags in the natural environment, much less attention had been paid to what the scientists dubbed “microplastics.”

Due to “the rapid increase in plastic production, the longevity of plastic, and the disposable nature of plastic items,” the researchers concluded that there was “considerable potential” for microplastic pollution to become a major problem for the environment and human health.

It turns out, they were right.

Over the past two decades, the rate of plastic production has roughly doubled, to more than 400 million metric tons per year, about the weight of 1,200 Empire State Buildings. In the same time period, microplastics — defined as particles with a diameter less than 5 micrometers, about the width of a human hair — have exploded into the public consciousness, riding on a wave of research into the particles’ prevalence across ecosystems and in humans’ bodies. Since that 2004 paper, one of the first to use the term “microplastics,” microscopic plastic fragments have been found everywhere from deep sea sediments to the top of Mount Everest, as well as in human blood, breast milk, colons, kidneys, livers, lungs, placentas, and other body parts.

Many of these findings are synthesized in a review paper published this week in the journal Science. The paper considers what we’ve learned from thousands of research articles about microplastics — including where they come from, where they end up, and how they affect organisms — and appraises regulatory options for dealing with the problem.

Research on the topic has “kind of taken off,” said Richard Thompson, a professor of marine biology at the University of Plymouth in the U.K. who was lead author on the paper from 20 years ago and the new one published on Thursday. “It’s now pretty clear that this stuff is everywhere,” he added, and that unless something changes, humanity will eventually reach a point of “wide-scale” and “irreversible” harm to the environment.

One thing that has become much clearer since the early 2000s is the sheer extent of microplastic pollution. While Thompson’s 2004 paper documented small fragments of acrylic, nylon, and polyester in coastal environments around the U.K., further investigation has shown that contamination is global. By now, microplastics have been found in virtually every ecosystem researchers have looked, including in soils, lakes, and rivers, and on remote mountains. One alarming study from 2020 found that microplastics are present in rainwater, while others have shown that the particles are ubiquitous in the indoor air we breathe. Earlier this year, the environmental consulting firm Earth Action estimated that nearly 13 million metric tons of microplastic enter the oceans and terrestrial environment annually. More of this article (grist.org) - link - more like this (microplastics) - link - more like this (pollution) - link - more like this (microplastics) - link

(EUN) RICHEST 1% OUTPOLLUTES POOREST 66%

The carbon emissions of the world's richest 1 per cent are thought to be the same as poorest two thirds of humanity.

Demands for climate policies targeting the polluting activities of the super-rich are rapidly gaining traction.

Several countries have so far proposed billionaire taxes to raise funds for, among other things, tackling climate change. Earlier this year finance leaders from G20 countries agreed on a wealth tax on the world’s super-rich.

It could raise around €230 billion to tackle causes like climate change and poverty.

Disagreements have been bubbling away under the surface about whether the plan is viable, who would oversee the process, and how to actually introduce a tax on the super-rich.

How high are emissions from the world’s richest people?

New research has shown that the general population finds it hard to estimate exactly how wealth changes people’s carbon footprint. And that could affect their support for climate policies that would tax the highly polluting activities of the super-rich.

So just how vast is the difference in emissions?

An analysis by Oxfam and researchers in the US from November last year looked at the luxury purchases and financial investments of 12 billionaires. It found that they account for almost 17 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year - the same as 2.1 million average homes or 4.6 coal-fired power plants annually.

Previous research has also shown that the wealthiest 1 per cent of people contribute more emissions than two-thirds of all humanity.

And flying by private jet, according to a study from last year by Green Alliance, releases 10 times more carbon for each passenger than commercial flights. European private jet emissions have soared in recent years, with a 31 per cent increase between 2005 and 2019 - faster than commercial aviation emissions. More of this article (Euro News Green) - link - more like this (private aviation) - link - more like this (wealth) - link

(GRE) THE BLUE PLATE

Early into his new book The Blue Plate: A Food Lover’s Guide to Climate Chaos, ecologist Mark Easter poses a playful, but loaded, question: “How could a morning piece of toast or a plate of dinner pasta be such a world-altering culprit?” This, like many ideas Easter digs into in his illuminating debut, is a glimpse at how the author goes about breaking down the climate toll of the U.S. agricultural system: One dish at a time.

Seafood, salad, bread, chicken, steak, potatoes, and pie are just some of the quintessentially “American” kitchen table staples Easter structures the book around as he tries to help readers understand how greenhouse gases move into and out of soils and plants on land across the country. Each of the nine chapters examines how a single dish is made; from the soil needed to grow the ingredients, to the people who manage the land and the laborers who toil to get it to the table, and the leftovers that remain — documenting the emissions created each step of the way.

The Blue Plate also takes a look at some of the innovative practices being implemented around the U.S. to make such culinary favorites more climate-friendly. Stopping off at an Arizona produce farm, a Wyoming fertilizer plant, a Colorado landfill, an Idaho fish farm, and several dairies, Easter shows how small businesses are making conscientious changes to how they work. He theorizes how each could be applied at scale while quantifying how the widespread adoption of such techniques, and minimal shifts in consumer purchasing and consumption habits, could reduce agriculture’s gargantuan role in warming.

It’s a topic driven by Easter’s own family history. His great-grandmother was a farmer during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s who, along with others growing grain at the time in the Great Plains, unknowingly contributed to the release of one of the greatest known pulses of carbon emissions. The book uses her story to probe how the Great Plains was transformed from one of the planet’s most carbon-rich grasslands into one of its largest agricultural complexes.

By analyzing the emissions released when food is grown, produced, harvested, and shipped, The Blue Plate makes the case that curbing the carbon footprint of what we eat won’t require an agricultural revolution. It’s already happening, in bite-sized cases across the country. More of this article (green queen) - link - more like this (food) - link - more like this (climate) - link

(NAT) SHINE 2.0 - NOT MUCH DIFFERENT TO SHINE 1.0

Even though we head into nature to get away from it all, we usually haul along our mobile gadgetry. Phones, laptops and handheld consoles all need power of course, which might not be easy to find in the middle of nowhere. That's where the Shine 2.0 comes in.

The 3-in-1 portable wind turbine is designed for "outdoor enthusiasts and emergency preparedness." It folds to about the size of a 1-liter water bottle for between-use transport in a backpack, and weighs in at around 3 lb (1.36 kg). The Shine 2.0 is also weather-sealed to IP54 standards.

The portable turbine sports three 23.6-inch (60-cm) composite-reinforced blades and can be had with a 6-ft-high tower mount accessory (with integrated level). It automatically turns itself into the wind, and is reported capable of generating 50 watts of power when its blades catch a 28-mph wind (45 km/h) – that's reckoned enough to top up a phone in 17 minutes or a laptop in under 2 hours. But if the wind drops to a "slight breeze" of 8 mph, then estimates show that same laptop taking more than 75 hours to recharge. More of this article (New Atlas) - link - more like this (Shine 1.0) - link

(GRE) GROWING FOOD, GROWING EMISSIONS

Methane has highly detrimental impacts on the planet, with the food system – particularly livestock – the main emitter of the gas. What can we do about it?

When we talk about greenhouse gas emissions, many of us are really just talking about carbon emissions. And it makes sense – carbon dioxide is responsible for 75% of global warming.

But we often overlook methane (CH4), a gas contributing to a further 20% of warming. Its impact may have been even bigger since the Industrial Revolution, with scientists saying it’s made up 30% of total warming since that period.

However, unlike carbon, the largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions isn’t fossil fuel production – it’s the food system. Agriculture already accounts for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly half of these come from carbon dioxide, and 35% are from methane.

Methane emissions are rising faster than ever before, growing by as much as 20% between 2000 and 2020. And if we don’t take any action, human-caused methane emissions will rise by up to 13% between 2020 and 2030, taking the world in the opposite direction on the path to 1.5°C.

So addressing methane is critical to the climate fight. According to the UNEP, anthropogenic methane emissions can be cut by 45% within the decade, which alone would avert almost 0.3°C of temperature rises by 2045.

With the food system’s outsized impact on methane – and vice-versa – it is vital to consider just what we can do to fix the situation, and what solutions companies and governments are looking into. More of this article (green queen) - link - more like this (methane) - link - more like this (animal gas) - link

(SIM) NUTS COMMISSION POLICY

A mother and son who were meant to fly with Allegiant Air earlier this summer were reportedly removed from the flight because the son was severely allergic to nuts and, as per the complaint filed, a crew member onboard did not want to miss out on the commission they earn on selling nuts in flight.

This resulted in the pair having to make a long drive to an alternative airport to get a flight to their destination the next day.

A complaint has been filed with the United States Department of Transportation (DoT) regarding an incident that occurred in July onboard an Allegiant Air aircraft. According to Business Insider, the complaint was filed by a passenger after she and her son were "wrongfully removed" from the aircraft earlier this year in July.

As per the complaint filed, the passenger's son is allergic to nuts, severe enough to experience anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal, and on informing the crew upon boarding the aircraft, one crew member was reportedly "enraged". More of this article (Simple Flying) - link - more like this (flying bum) - link - more like this (trashing aviation) - link

(TIN) STAYING WARM THIS WINTER

More like this (Tina Ann) - link

(GRE) ECOACOUSTICS

Think back to the last concert you went to. Now replace the music that rang through the venue with an erratic series of pops, muffled staccatos, distorted taps, and sudden clicks. Not one sound is quite distinguishable from the other, all blending together in a medley of unsynchronized noise.

Except, instead of musicians, what you’re hearing is a mass of underground invertebrates. And they’re putting on an unorthodox show for the handful of humans who know where, and how, to tune in — a complex symphony of vibrations and pulses that relay the state of the very soils these organisms are moving within.

“You can actually use sound to listen to the soil, and get an indication of soil health, based on the little critters moving around,” said Jake Robinson, a microbial ecologist at Flinders University in Australia. He’s the lead author of a study just published in the Journal of Applied Ecology that found that ecoacoustics, or the study of environmental sounds, can not only be used to detect organisms in the soil, but also mined to identify the difference between restored and degraded land.

Although the practice of recording the sounds of nature has existed for over a century, using those recordings to analyze ecosystem health is a newer discipline. Scientists have, in recent years, started experimenting with using ecoacoustic tools to capture the full range of sounds in healthy ecosystems — such as in coral reefs, caves, and oyster beds — and applying those recordings to restoration efforts in damaged and degraded areas.

And yet, soils, and the many hidden species and organisms that subsist underground, haven’t been considered for such techniques. Until now.

“People in the past have thought ecoacoustics probably can’t be used for that, because there’s no vocalization or echolocation. We’ve shown that it actually can be used,” said Robinson. The trick, he noted, is deploying sensitive-enough microphones that allow you to detect the most minuscule of movements. “Things like millipedes, the little tappy legs, you can compare that to a worm, [which has] more of a slidey action. So actually, you can tell slight differences between the acoustic profiles of these little critters.” more of this article (green queen) - link - the secrets you keep - link - more like this (monitoring nature) - link - more like this (soil management) - link

(NAT) LEGO MCLAREN SMASHES 40 MPH

What's the most amount of time you've ever spent putting together a Lego model? A team of 23 lunatics from the Lego group and McLaren Automotive spent over 8,000 hours putting together a full-size working P1 replica – and it actually clocked 40 mph (64 km/h) on a racetrack.

Comprised of a whopping 342,817 Lego Technic pieces, the build is roughly the same size as the actual hypercar from 2013. It even includes 768 Lego motors, in a configuration of eight motor packs to resemble the P1's V8 powertrain. At 2,690 lb (1,220 kg) it's a tad lighter than the original's 3,075 lb (1,395 kg).

With an electric battery and a functional steering wheel, this model was built to be driven for real. British McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris took it for a lap around the UK's Silverstone Circuit, covering 3.66 miles (5.89 km) and hitting a top speed of nearly 40 mph, according to Autocar. More of this article (New Atlas) - link - more like this (Lego) - link

(JOE) RAT SIZED SPIDERS RELEASED

Thousands of rare spiders the size of rats have been released across the UK by a 15-year long conservation project.

The Fen Raft Spider was on the verge of extinction in the UK just 15 years ago, but now – thanks to the hard work of conservationists – up to 3,750 breeding females have been recorded at 12 sites in Norfolk alone.

Now, estimates suggest that the spider’s population has surged into the thousands with 10,000 breeding females, thanks to the hard work of conservationists at Chester Zoo.

The spider’s numbers had dwindled just over a decade ago due to a lack of wetland habitats, however, the spider that can range from the size of a human’s palm to a rat, has made a staggering return to Britain’s ecosystem.

However, thanks to a remarkable project at Chester Zoo to hand rear thousands of the spiders in individual test tubes to prevent cannibalism and reintroduce them into the wild, they are back. More of this article (JOE) - link - more like this (insects) - link

(NAT) MOTORCYCLE SEAT BELTS

Manufacturer applies for seat belt patent for motorbikes to make it easier for paramedics to find motorcyclists involved in high speed head on collisions.

Chinese manufacturer CFMoto thinks motoryclists should buckle up. The company has recently applied for a patent for a seat belt setup that holds riders in their seat under hard braking, or in a frontal crash.

As per the the patent, the motorcycle itself will act as a kind of crumple zone, to cushion the force of frontal impacts against solid objects, such as when a biker runs into the back of a car – an event that's anecdotally becoming more common in the era of automated emergency braking (AEB) systems.

There's no doubt these AEB systems are useful in a four-wheeler, but it's hard to see how they could ever work on motorcycles. A biker needs to be physically prepared and positioned for a hard braking event, even in a straight line, and if the bars are turned at all, hitting the brakes can be a spectacularly bad idea. So when AEB systems pull cars up to an abrupt halt, you sure don't want to be behind them on a motorcycle.

But I digress, back to the seat belt patents. Per CFMoto, the proposed safety belt system will hold the rider on the seat, only allowing them to slide off the bike when the bike falls over, or when it senses a sideways force during a collision. More of this article (New Atlas) - link - more like this (motorbikes) - link

(SDE) FACIAL RECOGNITION BRITAIN

A civil liberties group has said Hampshire police must 'urgently drop' a planned use of facial recognition tech set to help battle crime.

Big Brother Watch hit out as the force said it would use cameras to identify wanted people, track down offenders recalled to jail, find missing people and safeguard children.

For three days Hampshire police will use a van from South Wales Police equipped with a camera and tech that checks faces against a database of images used in the operation.

But Big Brother Watch said Hampshire Constabulary is "trampling over the public’s rights".

A spokesperson said: "Live facial recognition is a dystopian mass surveillance tool more commonly used in countries like Russia and China than in liberal democracies like the UK.

"Hampshire police are trampling over the public’s rights and liberties by using this Orwellian technology.

"This technology completely destroys our privacy and has serious problems with accuracy and bias.

"This year, Big Brother Watch launched legal action against the Metropolitan Police after their live facial recognition surveillance systems mis-identified an innocent member of the public."

"Hampshire police must urgently drop their plans to use this rights-abusive technology."

Southern Co-op has been previously criticised for using facial recognition technology to deter and detect shoplifters. More of this article (Southern Daily Echo) - link - more like this (security) - link

(IAN) THE ORACLE

The Oracle, Reading - as shopping centres go - it a good one - link - Cote Brasserie - link

(ENG) HOTTEST SUMMER IN 130 YEARS

Southeast Europe was “trapped” this summer under a subtropical warm air mass from Western Africa and the Mediterranean Sea.

Jelena Popović normally loves summer and all it brings along, including the hot weather. But this year it was just too much.

“This summer was too hot, you couldn't walk in the city. It was only pleasant when you swim," said Popović, a resident of Belgrade, Serbia's capital.

“It was like a tropical summer, like we live in Africa and not in Europe."

This was true for much of the Balkans, a region in southeast Europe that is used to hot summers but where this one broke previous records with repeated heat waves and almost a totally dry July and August.

Experts say the summer of 2024 in the Balkans was the hottest since measurements started more than 130 years ago. Long periods with temperatures above 30C that didn't fall below 20C overnight have pushed average temperatures to new highs, meteorologists explained.

“Summer normally means exchange of hot days with high temperatures and then a break after five to six days with rain and thunderstorms,” Serbian meteorologist Nedeljko Todorović said.

“But this happened only in June. Practically entire July and August had no rain while high temperatures persisted.” more of this article (Euro News Green) - link - more like this (drought) - link - more like this (Serbia) - link

(YMC) SINGLES TO PAY 25% MORE COUNCIL TAX?

The Labour Party has refused to rule out scrapping the 25% council tax discount for single occupiers, piling pressure onto widows, divorcees, single parents and other people who live alone.

As it stands at the moment, people who live alone or who are the only adult in their household get a 25% ‘single occupier’ discount on their council tax bill.

According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), the discount currently reduces the average Band D council tax bill by about £543 per year.

This leaves single dwellers still paying significantly more for council services per person than people who live as a couple or in a multi-adult household.

Responding to a question in the House of Commons last week, the deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner refused to rule out scrapping the discount for people who are the only adult living in their home.

According to the latest figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, a total of 8.39 million households in England received the discount in 2023. The data shows just over a third (34%) of all households in the country would be affected if the discount was ditched. More of this article (your money.com) - link - image (The Osborn) - link - (more like this (mental health) - link

(NAT) MINGYANG - 20 MW AND COUNTING

Mingyang Smart Energy said last week that it's installed “the world’s largest single-capacity offshore wind turbine” in a project in Hainan, China. The turbine delivers a power output of up to 20 MW, besting its previous 18 MW model from 2023.

According to Mingyang, the MySE18.X-20MW turbine is designed to be lightweight, modular, and highly reliable. With its massive wind rotor diameter of 260-292 m (853-958 ft), it has a maximum wind sweeping area of 66,966 sq m – that's more than 12 NFL football fields.

The company has a history of building the largest turbines our oceans have ever seen, and notes that with an annual average wind speed of 8.5m/s, its new turbine can generate 80 million kWh of electricity; that's said to be enough to power housing for 96,000 residents annually.

With a turbine that large, one would hope it'll hold up against extreme weather. Mingyang said it's built this one to withstand level-17 typhoons at wind speeds of up to 79.8 m/s (178.5 mph). More of this article (New Atlas) - link - more like this (wind turbines) - link

(CNN) X VERSUS BRAZIL

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro began flooding Sao Paulo’s main boulevard for an Independence Day rally Saturday, buoyed by the government’s blocking of tech billionaire Elon Musk’s X platform, a ban they say is proof of their political persecution.

A few thousand demonstrators, clad in the yellow-and-green colors of Brazil’s flag, poured onto Av. Paulista. References to the ban on X and images of Musk abounded.

“Thank you for defending our freedom,” read one banner praising the tech entrepreneur.

Saturday’s march is a test of Bolsonaro’s capacity to mobilize turnout ahead of the October municipal elections, even though Brazil’s electoral court has barred him from running for office until 2030. It’s also something of a referendum on X, whose suspension has raised eyebrows even among some of Bolsonaro’s opponents all the while stoking the flames of Brazil’s deep-seated political polarization.

“A country without liberty can’t celebrate anything this day,” Bolsonaro wrote on his Instagram account Sept 4., urging Brazilians to stay away from official independence day parades and instead join him in Sao Paulo.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered X’s nationwide ban on Aug. 30 after months of feuding with Musk over the limits of free speech. The powerful judge has spearheaded efforts to ban far-right users from spreading misinformation on social media, and he ramped up his clampdown after die-hard Bolsonaro supporters ransacked Congress and the presidential palace on Jan. 8, 2023, in an attempt to overturn Bolsonaro’s defeat in the presidential election.

The ban is red meat to Bolsonaro’s allies, who have accused the judiciary and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government of colluding to silence their movement.

“Elon Musk has been a warrior for freedom of speech,” staunch Bolsonaro ally and lawmaker Bia Kicis said in an interview. “The right is being oppressed, massacred, because the left doesn’t want the right to exist.” more of this article (CNN) - link - more like this (Brazil) - link - more like this (free speech) - link

(ECN) THE FUTURE IS COPPER

And so it is that as the world scrambles to cut carbon emissions and electrify the transport system, the power sector, and building stock, copper has emerged as the golden metal of choice. Its superior conductivity makes it essential in renewable energy applications, electric vehicles, and power distribution systems.

However, the soaring demand for copper is putting pressure on global inventory, prompting questions about how much of this versatile metal will be available to underpin the energy transition. The copper industry is facing a dense field of problems that may affect its capacity to satisfy global demand, which could undermine endeavors to address climate change and advance the transformation of energy systems.

The following 25 years will see copper demand soar beyond historical levels, leading to unprecedented supply challenges.

The overall consumption rate of copper is growing at an unprecedented pace worldwide, and more so because of its use in renewable energy and electric vehicle sectors. In the S&P global report that was recently released, the assumption is that for the next twenty-five years, copper demand will hit the market, and it will be more than double the cumulative demand for copper that has ever existed.

As many analysts have indicated, it has put a lot of pressure on the mining industry; for instance, they believe there will be a supply shortage of millions of tonnes in the next few years. The scenario has become so dire that Goldman Sachs stated there should be “no decarbonization without copper” and called the metal “the new oil.”

The supply and demand imbalance is not only driving prices up to record highs but also questioning the achievability of global climate targets and the transition to a green economy. This impending scarcity further underlines the importance of developing new mining technologies, boosting the recycling rates and possible substitutes for copper across numerous industries. More of this article (Econews) - link - more like this (metals) - link - more like this (metals) - link

(SCR) BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE

After decades of development, Beetlejuice is finally getting a legacyquel — and, improbably, it’s from its original director and stars, Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, and Winona Ryder.

When the original movie was released in 1988, it became the unlikeliest of hits: A pitch-black comedy about ghosts, death, monsters, and a foul-mouthed bio-exorcist (that’d be Beetlejuice, played by Keaton) that was pitched to families and even kids. (Trust me: You’ll never guess what Beetlejuice was rated.)

Maybe the unlikeliness of that success is why Beetlejuice 2 took more than three decades to get off the ground; it’s awfully hard to catch lightning in a bottle once; twice is basically impossible. And looking back at Beetlejuice all those years later, the movie (which was written by Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson, and Warren Skaaren) does hold up as a really funny and truly twisted dark comedy.

But that’s the thing — it is so dark and so twisted, it is hard to imagine it being made today. Certainly, if Tim Burton tried to make Beetlejuice 1 right now, he would face enormous opposition, if not outright rejection. And even making a sequel to this beloved ’80s classic, it was all but guaranteed that the new Beetlejuice will have to severely tamp down certain aspects of the first movie (and remove others altogether) in order to appeal to modern audiences and their sensibilities. Here are seven examples from Beetlejuice that definitely won’t appear in Beetlejuice 2...

The Killer Dog

One of the most twisted jokes in the original film involves the deaths of the main couple, the Maitlands, who die after their car drives off a bridge. But the culprit isn’t an icy road or a drunk driver; Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) swerves to avoid an adorable dog and careens through the side of his town’s covered bridge. Then the dog hops onto the one plank that’s keeping their car from falling into the water below, and the pooch just ... hops off. Almost as if it’s on purpose. Almost as if this dog is a deliberate murderer.

This kind of humor is part of the reason people love Beetlejuice. In conventional Hollywood movies, dogs are the closest things that exist to actual saints; audiences will happily watch the slaughter of dozens of bad guys in a John Wick movie, but if one dog is injured, it is over. Do you think the sequel would be able to get away with a bloodthirsty, murderous yet adorable pup? I doubt it.

Truly Disturbing Special Effects

While some of Beetlejuice’s makeup effects veer into the cartoonish, others are downright terrifying. In the scene pictured here, the Maitlands are trying to terrify their house’s new owners into leaving. Barbara Maitland (Geena Davis) here has hanged herself in one of the closets, and in the next shot — which is too gruesome to even put on this website — she peels off her own face, revealing her skeleton beneath as her eyes bulge out. This is borderline R-rated stuff, and yet Beetlejuice wasn’t even rated PG-13; it was just PG! There is literally no way the sequel will be a PG-rated film — and it will probably need to trim out a lot of these more gruesome bits just to get that. More of this great article (ScreenCrush) - link - more like this (movies) - link

(NAT) VOLVO - EV LONG HAUL

For over 30 years, Volvo has been a leader in the long-haul heavy-truck category with its successful FH series. Its 12 to 16-liter diesel "world engine" made excellent power output, lower emissions, and relatively low fuel consumption with its single OHC configuration. Next year, it'll be powered by batteries.

Volvo has just announced a new electric long-range version of the FH (Forward control High entry), a cab-over, heavy-duty truck set to hit the market in the latter half of 2025. Don't worry, Volvo will still be producing ICE units as well ... for a while, at least. Volvo Trucks' goal is to have its entire fleet of new rigs "green," running on electrons, fuel cells, biogas, or hydrogenated vegetable oil by 2040.

"Our new electric flagship will be a great complement to our wide range of electric trucks and enable zero-exhaust emission transport also for the longer distances," says Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks. "It will be a great solution for transport companies with a high annual mileage on their trucks and with a strong commitment to reduce CO2."

How far? About 373 miles (600 km), according to Volvo.

or those of you familiar with trucking in the United States, that might not seem like a lot. Average long-haul over-the-road (OTR) routes will see distances over 500 miles (800 km) – a range that the Tesla Semi boasts on a single charge.

That being said, it was only six years ago that Volvo released its first electrified FL and FE series trucks into the wild. The FL only had a max range of 186 miles (300 km), while the FE – Volvo's especially heavy-duty version, able to haul nearly double that of the FL – boasted a meager 124 miles (200 km) of range, more suitable for inner cities than open roads. more of this article (New Atlas) - link - more like this (Volvo) - link - more like this (Tesla) - link

(GRE) X FROM OUTER SPACE

After Brazil’s high-profile ban on the social media platform X, Elon Musk has turned to another one of his enterprises to enable the app in the country. Musk is planning to use Starlink to allow Brazilian users to post, view, and interact on X once again.

The radical decision to beam X from space comes after Brazil’s supreme court voted on Monday, September 2 to uphold the ban on X that was introduced last week.

It is worth mentioning that the ban came into effect after Justice Alexandre de Moraes deemed the company failed to follow a court order to appoint a new legal representative in Brazil.

Musk claims Judge Moraes is a dictator

After Brazilian legislators ruled against X, Elon Musk labeled Judge Moraes a dictator, who should be impeached for violating free speech.

Brazilian law, however, says otherwise. A newly passed law in Brazil requires internet service providers in the country to completely ban X, or they could face both financial and legal consequences.

It is increasingly likely that Starlink will face these sorts of consequences. The internet provider is under SpaceX’s control (which is another one of Musk’s companies) and has yet to comply with the ban on X.

The lack of compliance has resulted in the Internet network bank accounts in Brazil being frozen by the government, effectively not allowing Starlink to process financial transactions.

Due to these sanctions imposed on Starlink by the Brazilian government, the company replied with a statement on X, saying “This order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied – unconstitutionally – against X.”

The statement put out by the company also explained that “It was issued in secret and without affording Starlink any of the due process of law guaranteed by the Constitution of Brazil. We intend to address the matter legally… We are proud of the impact Starlink is making in communities across the country, and the Starlink team is doing everything possible to ensure their service is not interrupted.” more of this article (Greek Reporter) - link - more like this (Elon Musk) - link - more like this (Brazil) - link

(NAT) PFAS - CAPTURED AND DESTROYED

Proposed methods of removing toxic ‘forever chemicals’ from water have either only trapped the chemicals or broken them down. A new study has demonstrated a method that does both – quickly and cheaply.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly called PFAS or ‘forever chemicals,’ are a group of synthetic chemicals that resist degradation – hence the forever moniker – and pose a risk to the environment and us.

Now, chemical engineers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada have come up with an all-in-one solution for trapping and breaking down these forever chemicals into harmless components. Their method is explained in a recently published study.

“PFAS are notoriously difficult to break down, whether they’re in the environment or in the human body,” said Dr Johan Foster, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering in UBC’s faculty of applied science and the study’s co-corresponding author. “Our system will make it possible to remove and destroy these substances in the water supply before they can harm our health.”

Activated carbon is commonly used to absorb PFAS from drinking water due to its high surface area and strong affinity for organic compounds. However, one drawback of activated carbon is that additional steps are needed to dispose of the adsorbed chemicals. So, the researchers turned their minds to developing a means of destroying them in situ.

Photocatalytic degradation is a promising way of breaking down PFAS using light energy. Various metal oxides have emerged in recent years as potential options for eliminating the chemicals under UV irradiation. To that end, the researchers developed an iron oxide/graphemic carbon hybrid photocatalyst and found that it trapped PFAS chemicals and broke them down into harmless components. More of this article (New Atlas) - link - diagram - link - more like this (pfas) - link

(MAI) DEATH IN HOSPITAL

A man found slumped over a table at a hospital coffee shop may have been dead for over three hours before alarm was raised, it has emerged.

The 36-year-old, from Birmingham, died in the coffee shop in the main reception area of Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich on July 10, The Times reported.

He reportedly went to the café after being discharged from the hospital around midday. He sat down and was not seen moving after 1.30pm.

A security guard, after noticing he had not moved, tried to wake him around 4.45pm, but he reportedly had no pulse. A&E doctors tried to resuscitate him, but hospital insiders told the newspaper that rigor mortis had already set in.

The NHS has now launched an investigation into the incident which, sources say saw hospital staff, including doctors and nurses, using the café as normal for several hours before anyone paid notice to the man. More of this article (Daily Mail) - link - more like this (end of days) - link

Sandwell General Hospital is an acute teaching hospital of the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in West Bromwich, England and provides an extensive range of general and specialist hospital services - link