Maximizing Human Performance -hacking creativity and performance, Using tools and metrics for everyone to become more #gsummit

Dr. Andrew Walshe is a globally recognized leader and expert in the field of elite human performance. For over 20 years the Australian native has been focused on the goal of “de- mystifying talent” by researching individuals and teams across a vast network of world-class programs in sport, culture, military and business settings with the …

Read more

Apple will use South Korea Hollow battery technology for self-driving electric cars

Korean news site ETNews claims that Apple has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with an unnamed South Korean battery developer, which would presage a partnership of some sort. Apple did not immediately return a request for comment. MacRumors did some digging and did, in fact, come across a Korean battery company called Orange Power, which …

Read more

Uber to Sell China Business to Rival Didi After Losing Billions

Didi Chuxing, the dominant ride-hailing service in China, said it will acquire Uber Technologies Inc.’s operations in the country, ending a battle that cost the two companies billions as they competed for customers and drivers. Didi will buy Uber’s brand, business and data in the country, the Chinese company said in a statement. Uber Technologies …

Read more

Sidewalk Labs will launch Flow a smart traffic and parking platform in Columbus, Ohio

Google’s Sidewalk labs will introduce Columbus, Ohio to Flow, a smart traffic platform that processes information and fare cost from every available form of transportation. A user can type a destination into Google Maps and the app suggests the best trips based on pricing and timing. Low-income riders might be able to apply their discounted …

Read more

China’s have not provinces are closing the gap with Shanghai and other richer regions

Despite a gradual moderation of China’s national growth, the favorable news is that Chinese regions are converging (link is external). The chart below shows those regions that had relatively low per capita GDP in 2009 have grown significantly faster in the subsequent years than the more developed (mostly coastal) provinces. 13 of the 31 provinces …

Read more

Berkeley Lab research on how lithium-rich cathodes work is leading to 50% higher capacity lithium ion batteries

In the quest for a radically better lithium-ion battery, a promising direction is the so-called “lithium-rich” cathode, in which the cathode contains a higher proportion of lithium than normal. While it has the potential to have far higher energy density, scientists have lacked a clear picture of the chemical processes, especially the role of oxygen. …

Read more

Russian Lada class submarines are far quieter than Kilo Subs and China is likely to buy them

Russia’s new Lada-class diesel-electric submarines are far stealthier than previous Russian Kilo submarines. The new submarines are able to maintain such a low profile thanks to a clever implementation of a next-generation anti-reflective acoustic coating and a new improved hydro-acoustic system. During the new submarines’ construction and design process, the development team managed to gather …

Read more

IQ Prediction from Structural MRI using Machine Learning

Stephen Hsu at Information Processing reports on a paper where the authors use machine learning techniques to build sparse predictors based on grey/white matter volumes of specific regions. Correlations obtained are ~ 0.7 A separate UCLA paper show that brain size alone correlates 0.4 with IQ. Also, a notable genetic sequence, located within the HMGA2 …

Read more

Sensors and longer range weapons means speed and dogfighting don’t matter and the future could be a Thunderbird 2 like modular battleplane

A 76 page report by the Center for Budgetary and Strategic Assessments Trends in Air-to-air combat : Implications for future air superiority by John Stillion indicates that dogfighting jet capability no longer matters. Trends from the database of air combat since 1965 show the rise of long range missiles and a steep decline in dog-fighting. …

Read more

China close to operation of two CPR1000 reactors at Fangjiashan and close to approving the CAP1400 reactor design

1. The process of loading fuel assemblies into the reactor core of unit 1 at the Fangjiashan plant in China’s Zhejiang province has begun. The process of loading all 157 assemblies into Fangjiashan 1’s core is expected to take three days to complete. Trial operation of the CPR-1000 reactor will then be able to begin, …

Read more

Japan edges towards restarting some nuclear reactors starting in 2015

Japan’s nuclear regulator has approved changes in the reactor installations of units 1 and 2 of the Sendai nuclear power plant, moving the units one step closer to restarting. Kyushu received draft approval from the NRA in mid-July for the restart of the Sendai units. That approval – which meant the NRA considered the two …

Read more