China and Future

It is widely predicted that China will continue to grow at an astonishing rate. Today, China is already the world's factory, producing most consumer products for the Western world. The energy use in China and the pollution created with that huge amount of energy will significantly impact on the global environment.

China will become the world's largest economy. Every research shows that it is going to happen, the disagreement is in when that would happen. If China continue to grow through an energy intensive development (like what USA has done before), our future is not sustainable. China must take a more efficient and environmentally sensitive approach to the development.

Here are two articles - interview of Prof Weidou Ni who was vice president at Tsinghua University and is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and vice chairman of the Beijing Association for Science and Technology. They are both worth a read for an understanding of how China is to tackle the energy problem while maintaining its growth.

Resonantware

This website is "Near-Future Ubiquitous Networking Devices Visualized" by NEC Designers.

Among all those "show-cased", I like P-ISM which is "A Pen-style Personal Networking Gadget Package".

P-ISM is a gadget package including five functions: a pen-style cellular phone with a handwriting data input function, virtual keyboard, a very small projector, camera scanner, and personal ID key with cashless pass function.

Strength increased by Robotic skeleton

Can we increase our running speed by technology?

Of course, the answer is yes.

This video shows a German invention which does not require extra fuel (except you probably need to be fairly fit in order to achieve the speed and jump height claimed).



or this running video

Another version is by Russian which requires fuel.


or this video showing a speed test

Slow Going for Alt Vehicles

So around the time Jenna Bush or Chelsea Clinton might consider presidential runs [that's 2030], 72 percent vehicles will rely entirely on the trusty internal combustion engine for power.

I wish (like the author John Gartner) that this estimate by US DOE's Energy Information Administration "will be as sound as their plan for post-war Iraq".

It is also interesting to read some comments posted.

David E Y Sarna

I am skeptical if the low estimate was based on any science; more likely, it is a political estimate to advance other agendas. I believe that the economic forces and technological advances with greatly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by 2030.

John Rowell

Clearly the DOE didn't make it to the Alt Car Expo in Santa Monica last weekend. Returning from the expo I was left with the impression that the return of the electric car is surprisingly close. There were freeway-capable electric cars in there with range up to 300 miles on a charge ( http://www.universalelectricvehicle.com/ ). One electric SUV had a new type of batteries enabling 150 miles range and 10 minute recharges ( http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com/ ). And Honda's natural gas powered vehicle is for sale now, costs a bit over $20,000 can be fueled at various natural gas fueling stations on the road AND at home from your water heater connection ( http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=Civic+GX ).

Eric

Matt has a valid point.
Existing electric cars such as:
http://www.teslamotors.com
and Battery Technology:
http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?type=article&article_id=218392803
make the possiblity of electric vehicles becoming common place a reality.
I'll miss the sound of the internal combustion engine.

Paul

Bottom line, when hybrids/Alternative energy are cheaper than their gasoline counterparts then more people will buy them.

I have to agree with Paul. See Plug-in Hybrid. At a saving of $0.10 per mile, it will take little time for electric car to achieve economic advantage over fossil-fuel powered car! AND remember, electric car and battery technology are at their early stages compared with internal combustion energy, the future is much greener than predicted by DOE!

Stop Child Poverty

Future of human being should be a future for all human being, not just the rich in the developed countries.

Child provety is defined as [see here]

a child unable to pay the fees to attend school; an orphaned child whose parents have died of AIDS; a child sold into slavery; a child whose bones weaken from malnutrition; a child who must live in unsafe and unhealthy surroundings; a child who does not receive nurture, love and support.

According to the website, there are seven forms of deprivation: lack of adequate food, safe drinking water, sanitation, health, shelter, education and access to information.

Fortunately, humankind is now in a position that such child poverty can be eradicated within our lifetime only if the countries can donate 0.7% of their national income to help reach these goals¹. It is our obligation to our fellow human to see that our countries' leaders are acting promptly with their pledges.



¹The Millennium Development Goals are:
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

An Inconvenient Truth

Last night, I finally got the chance to watch the video.

I am ashame of being an Australian. Our government is one of the two developed countries refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol!

It also strikes me that a small ground of lobbyist is able to influence the media so much. According to the film, out of 900+ peer-reviewed scientific papers, none dispute the coming of "global warming", but 53% articles in the media still treat this fact as a theory.

Help save our Earth - our home. If the Earth is gone, wealth means nothing. Afterall, you cannot bring your wealth with you when you die.