Norwegian companies, Bergen Energi, have applied for licenses to build a Thorium-based nuclear power plant. Hat tip to Nuclear notes Brian WangBrian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends …
The United Kingdom turns around from plan to phase out nuclear power and will build ten new generation reactors for a cost of £1.2 billion ($2.4 bn) each. Electricity grid connections make Hinkley Point and Sizewell the two sites best suited to accommodate either a 1600-megawatt single reactor, or a 3200-MW twin-reactor station. Seven other …
Royal Dutch Shell PLC is looking at nuclear power to support its experimental oil sands ambitions, on which it has already placed a bet of more than half a billion dollars. Note: This looks like a done deal. Shell is the customer. The local town does not oppose it. The provincial and federal government on …
30 Gigawatts by 2020 is considered achievable (supply chain constraints) but 40 gigawatts by 2020 is the target India and Brazil have 80% of the known Thorium reserves and Thorium nuclear fission is India’s long term energy strategy. Funding projects would not be a problem as NPCIL is currently sitting on cash reserve of Rs …
Wired has an article by Gregg Easterbrook which discusses the problems of NASA I mostly agree with his analysis but his 4th place recommended priority Figure out a way to replace today’s chemical rockets with a much cheaper way to reach Earth orbit should be first. I also believe that laser arrays (preferrably with mirrors), …
From nanowerk, Harvard and Princeton researchers have developed steps toward biological computers These machines can convert cellular signals and activity into easily detectable markers. 1. The entire computer (device able to perform boolean logic) is “encoded” by genes made of engineered DNA molecules. 2.The genes enter the cell using special delivery techniques and interact with …
Toshiba claims they will be able to increase harddrive density by 10 times over 5 years using Nanocontact Magnetic Resistance, or NC-MR NC-MR uses an enormous difference in magnetoresistance which is achieved when two magnetic materials are situated close together and connected by a contact point that narrows to around 1nm. A prototype thin-film NC-MR …
China’s state investment company announced on Sunday it would take a $3 billion stake *just under 10%) in Blackstone Group LP Blackstone is one of the leading global private investment firms. China will learn how to structure and value private equity deals, as well as gaining a network of well connected people. “The Blackstone deal …
The EEtimes reports that a secure superconducting power grid is being piloted and developed for New York Superconducting cable The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will provide up to $25 million of the total project cost of $39.3 million to develop technology for “Secure Super Grids.” The new grids will use customized HTS wires, …
Nanofiber scaffolds can help nerves grow 4 millimeters in 5 days anda method developed at the University of Miami shows how magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) may be used to create mechanical tension that stimulates the growth and elongation of axons of the central nervous system neurons. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have developed a …
This is an interesting lengthy article about the net economy and scarcity in general Brad deLong points to the last part of the first ariticle,that describes why scarcity will not be completely eliminated The scarcity could be greatly reduced using advanced technology such as molecular nanotechnology. This is expanding upon the cornucopian view Here is …