Solar energy production by country

When the researchers analyzed computer models of haze formation, they discovered that if the same chemical reactions at work on Titan happened on Pluto, they could only create about half the haze particles that prior work detected on the dwarf planet. (Since Pluto's atmosphere is roughly 175 degrees Fahrenheit, or 80 degrees Celsius, colder than Titan's, its atmospheric chemistry runs slower.) … [Read more...] about Pluto’s haze made up of ice crystals with cyanide hearts

TL;DR: DeepMind Technologies, a research lab in the UK owned by Alphabet, has developed an AI that can determine the folded shape of a protein in a matter of hours, which would typically require months or years of lab research. Depending on how Alphabet distributes this technology to the science community, this development has the potential to affect a huge array of medical and biological research. Computer scientists at DeepMind, a lab owned by Alphabet, Google’s parent company, have developed an AI that has made a monumental leap in solving “the protein folding problem.” This conundrum has plagued biologists for decades, and solving it can accelerate countless other studies in medicine, agriculture, and conservation, to name a few. … [Read more...] about Alphabet’s DeepMind AI has solved “the protein folding problem” that could aid medicine research

The Biden administration has already said it will return to including global damages in its cost estimate. And many economists favor drastically reducing the discount rate. Inflation-protected 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds now average only a 1% return—a sign that future buying power may not grow as fast as it once did. Surveys of economists have also suggested a 2% discount rate better reflects the need to avoid foisting responsibility on future generations. When New York set its own carbon cost in late 2020, it used a 2% rate, raising the cost to $125 per ton. The IWG, which will include staff from eight federal agencies, should consider adopting a similar interim standard, says Fran Moore, an economist at UC Davis. “Based on the return to capital we’re seeing, there are good reasons those rates should be revised down.” … [Read more...] about Trump downplayed the costs of carbon pollution. That’s about to change

In something of a poetic twist, the investment fund that’s merging with EVgo to take it public is one started by climate investor David Crane. Crane was once the CEO of energy company NRG, which helped start EVgo a decade ago. Roughly $175 million of the proceeds will come from Crane’s SPAC (called Climate Change Crisis Real Impact I Acquisition Corporation). The other $400 million is coming from a new, concurrent round funding organized by Crane’s SPAC that includes institutional investors like BlackRock and Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO). … [Read more...] about Charging company EVgo is going public via SPAC merger

"The past three years were mostly about establishing infrastructure for digital payments. We saw numerous startups offering digital payments services through mobile wallets, credit and debit cards, acceptance methods for merchants both online and at retailers. Banks also expanded their online presence, acceptance offerings, and started building digital bank subsidiaries. Governments promoted digital payments for their services, payroll and social support. They also introduced numerous regulations to support the sector enabling data protections, electronic know-your-client (eKYC) and interoperability. … [Read more...] about 5G, fintech and mega-projects: What 2021 will mean for tech in the Middle East