Here's a few things that caught my attention this week. I have two hopes: that I'm giving you something you missed and that I can make this a regular feature.
Solar Roads Revisited
I'm old enough to remember the engergy crisis of the 1970's and discussions surrounding the nacent possibilities of solar energy. I remember in particular the smug way people with "common sense" would dismiss solar energy. "What do you do on cloudy days? He he!" Obviously, there isn't a complete absence of photons on cloudy days. But, to be honest, I don't know that there weren't real practical problems with solar collectors in those days.
For the last several months a company called Solar Roadways has been raising start-up money for a technology for paving roads with solar cells. Like any new technology, they're getting the range of typical criticism from perfectly valid to downright silly. Solar Roadways has responded. The response is not without problems either. Instead of another pundit run-down, I thought I'd give you their side directly.
Half-Baked Science
Is marijuana a harmless pastime or a societal menace? It turns out that facts don't really care about your beliefs, as an article in the latest edition of science news shows.
Egyptian Pixels
Did you ever want to visit an Egyptian building as it was when it was new? Have you ever thought to ask that question? I hadn't either, until I stumbled on a collaboration between a company creating immersive learning software and an Egyptologist.
A company called Corinth and one Jaromír Krejčí, Ph.D (no, I don't know how to pronounce that) both out of the Czech Republic have created an application that lets you move through a three dimensional reconstruction of the hall of a fifth dynasty pharaoh named Raneferef. Is ancient history not your thing? Corinth has a few other apps that might interest you. Please remember you're there for the 3D, not the translated text.
A company called Corinth and one Jaromír Krejčí, Ph.D (no, I don't know how to pronounce that) both out of the Czech Republic have created an application that lets you move through a three dimensional reconstruction of the hall of a fifth dynasty pharaoh named Raneferef. Is ancient history not your thing? Corinth has a few other apps that might interest you. Please remember you're there for the 3D, not the translated text.
I really wish I could weigh in with some Egyptian Pixel expertise...that seems soooo much cooler. Unfortunately, I know a little about solar panels and a LOT about bad marketing! First off, this idea is not new. Second, it is somewhat feasible, provided that we can make super-thinsolar uptake panels. They exist, but they are so deep in the R&D faze that they just are not economically viable. Give it five years and I say, YES. But not with these guys. This is the inherent problem I see with progressive ideas...they are presented by people that have the mentality of a five year old. Don't agree with us - you suck!. "Haters"...that is LITERALLY the verbiage they use to defend their technology. I get that your idol wears a hoodie to work everyday, but he took his company public and garnered billions of dollars. He ALSO continues to make astute business decisions that convince investors that he's not completely oblivious to the fact that to make anything work, you need widespread public support. You can't simply create something and say "Hey, dude...we wear hoodies" OH and by the way, we've got this shyte over here, love it or you're an idiot. That's the way my teenage son thinks, but he has the excuse of his frontal lobe not being fully developed yet.
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain of element of letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. I actually think they should forget about roads (perfect) and think sidewalks and parking lots (good). They would only need to deal with individual property owners. They wouldn't need to deal with legislators who are typically behind on new things.
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