QLN 22 (138) - EV Batteries, AI Job Losses, Trapped Energy, Space Trash & China's Internet Cable

This newsletter has?5?cover stories,?31?articles,?5?videos &?1?quote

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SMALL TALK

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This abundant material could unlock cheaper batteries for EVs

Lithium is currently the ruler of the battery world, a key ingredient in the batteries that power phones, and electric vehicles, and even store energy on the electrical grid. But as concerns about the battery supply chain swell, scientists are looking for ways to cut down on battery technology’s most expensive, least readily available ingredients. There are already options that reduce the need for some,?like cobalt and nickel, but there’s been little recourse for those looking to dethrone lithium. Over the past several months, though, battery companies and automakers in China have announced forays into a new kind of battery chemistry that replaces lithium with sodium. These new sodium-ion batteries could help push costs down for both stationary storage and electric vehicles if the technology can meet the high expectations that companies are setting.

AI has started to cause disruption & Job losses

According to a recent report by the World Economic Forum, approximately 25% of jobs will be negatively affected in the next five years. Furthermore, Goldman Sachs, a major U.S. investment bank, has predicted that the widespread adoption of AI technology will impact around 300 million jobs. As technology continues to advance, we are witnessing both positive and disruptive effects. Companies like educational organization Chegg and IBM have announced that AI will bring about changes within their respective organizations. Additionally, in April, BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti disclosed that the company would be discontinuing its entire news division, following the introduction of AI quizzes and content just a few months prior.

Energy of '25 billion atomic bombs' trapped on Earth in just 50 years

A recent study has discovered that global warming has caused an unprecedented amount of energy to be trapped in Earth's atmosphere over the past 50 years. The findings, published in the journal Earth System Science Data on April 17, reveal that an international team of researchers has estimated roughly 380 zettajoules of energy have been captured by global warming between 1971 and 2020. To put that into perspective, this amount of energy is equivalent to 25 billion times the energy released by the detonation of "Little Boy," - the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945.

A Swiss startup edges closer to first-ever space trash collection

A significant milestone has been achieved in the mission to actively remove space debris, as a new agreement has been signed for the groundbreaking project. Swiss company ClearSpace and French rocket manufacturer Arianespace recently confirmed that they have signed a launch contract for the assignment. Dubbed ClearSpace-1, the project's objective is to capture and deorbit a piece of space junk that weighs over 100 kg. Initially, the spacecraft designed for garbage collection will be deployed into a sun-synchronous orbit by the new European light launcher, Vega C. Following commissioning and crucial testing, the spacecraft will approach the target debris and dispose of it through atmospheric reentry.

China plans a subsea internet cable to rival US-backed project

According to Reuters, state-owned telecom companies in China are working on the development of a $500 million undersea fiber-optic internet cable network. This network aims to connect Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, providing competition to a similar project supported by the United States. The undertaking highlights the escalating technology rivalry between Beijing and Washington, which poses a threat to the integrity of the internet. The plan involves China's three major carriers: China Telecommunications Corporation, China Mobile Limited, and China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd. These companies are collaborating to establish an advanced and extensive subsea cable network, which would rank among the most sophisticated globally.

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Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use

to change the world.

Nelson Mandela

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