Citroën Racing Formula E car during pre-season testing for the 2025-26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship
Independent photo agency/Alamy
With their sleek designs, smoking tires, and throaty engines, Formula 1 cars have dominated the speed charts for the last five decades. However, the rise of electric racing has the potential to shift that paradigm, especially as advancements in technology propel Formula E vehicles forward.
Formula E recently introduced its fourth-generation vehicle, capable of generating up to 600 kilowatts, equating to about 815 horsepower, enabling speeds of over 350 kilometers per hour. 320km/h has already been achieved.
Despite Formula 1’s current edge with top speeds exceeding 370 km/h, Formula E vehicles already demonstrate a 30% faster acceleration than their F1 counterparts, with the existing third generation capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.82 seconds. As power and energy retention technology evolves, Formula E CEO Geoff Dodds anticipates that races on tracks such as Silverstone and Monte Carlo will showcase even faster speeds.
“In the upcoming years, this vehicle may equal or even surpass the speed of an F1 car,” Dodds stated. “It’s more about the principles of physics than our skill.”
A significant advantage lies in the exceptional efficiency of electric motors. In consumer electric vehicles like Tesla, Kona, and Ioniq, up to 90% of the energy used is efficiently directed towards movement. In contrast, conventional combustion engines, such as those in F1, lose roughly 25 percent of energy as heat, while F1’s hybrid motors waste around 50 percent. Conversely, Formula E cars achieve energy efficiency rates of 96%, largely due to regenerative braking systems that recharge the battery.
Electric motors deliver maximum torque instantly, eliminating the lag associated with gear shifts during acceleration. The fourth-generation Formula E cars utilize permanent all-wheel drive with distinct motors for each axle, enhancing acceleration, subject to the grip of the still-developing fourth-generation tires.
A notable challenge for Formula E is its battery technology. At the outset of the series in 2014, competitors had to switch vehicles mid-race to complete the distance. Sylvain Filippi, director of Envision Racing Team, remarks that Formula E could currently construct vehicles boasting 1,000 horsepower, surpassing F1’s capabilities for a single lap, but the battery limitations hinder such performance across numerous race laps.
“We’re not yet able to fit 80 liters of fuel equivalent into a single battery. It simply doesn’t exist,” Filippi elaborated. “The advantage of conventional fuel lies in its high energy density.”
Formula E Gen 4 cars can exceed speeds of 350 kilometers per hour
Formula E
Formula E aims to transition from liquid lithium-ion batteries to solid-state alternatives in its upcoming fifth-generation vehicles, which promise reduced weight and enhanced energy storage. This advancement could potentially enable Formula E cars to outperform Formula 1 in direct competitions, according to Dodds.
Nonetheless, even solid-state batteries struggle to match the energy density of liquid fuels, suggesting that F1 may maintain an advantage in race laps, as noted by Daniel Auger, PhD from Cranfield University in the UK.
“They’re definitely in for an exciting contest,” he remarked. “Yet, it’s likely that battery limitations will still play a significant role.”
However, this debate may remain purely theoretical, as the two racing formats adhere to different regulations. For instance, Formula E does not permit tire changes during pit stops and features “Attack Mode” functionality, inspired by power-ups from the Mario Kart series.
Brands such as Porsche, Jaguar, and Nissan are now focused on refining the powertrain and energy management systems of their fourth-generation vehicles to maximize performance ahead of their race introduction scheduled for December 2026.
Many of the technological developments from Formula E might also trickle down to consumer electric vehicles. For instance, the current Porsche Cayenne Electric incorporates direct oil cooling technology that originated in Formula E.
The performance metrics of Formula E “demonstrate the capability of electric vehicles to equal or surpass the performance of traditional internal combustion engines,” insists Graham Evans from S&P Global. “Moreover, this can be achieved with a stronger commitment to environmental sustainability.”
With the aim of attracting British consumers, Tesla displayed its vehicles and vibrant signage at its dealership located at the iconic Hogarth Rotary in West London. Engaging with 500,000 drivers daily, the American automaker has established itself as the top seller of electric cars in the UK. However, passersby are now met with a new sight: the twin Chinese brands Omoda and Jaecoo, both under the umbrella of the state-owned Chery Automobile.
Chinese automotive brands are gaining traction across Europe, surpassing Korean competitors in sales for the first time in Western Europe as of September. The UK plays a crucial role in this success, with 30% of the 500,000 Chinese cars sold in Western Europe from January to September being purchased by British consumers, as reported by Berlin-based auto analyst Matthias Schmidt.
“Their success has been impressive,” remarks Steve Young, managing director of Hogarth dealerships, part of the Turkish group Setash Otmotiv. “This location makes a bold statement — it’s like waving a flag for us. Every minute the lights shift, and drivers find themselves captivated outside.”
Steve Young, beside a Jeku car at his West London dealership, notes that Chinese automakers are “becoming increasingly competitive.” Photo: Graham Robertson/Guardian
Chinese automotive firms, bolstered by support from both national and local governments, are seizing the opportunity presented by the transition to electric vehicles to take a leading role in the global car market.
Challenges such as elevated trade barriers in the EU and U.S. and global supply chain disruptions are currently impacting the industry. Following the Netherlands’ move to regulate the Chinese-owned semiconductor firm Nexperia, export restrictions on critical semiconductors have begun to surface. Additionally, China’s limitations on rare earth metals crucial for various automotive components are unsettling for executives in the industry, leading Brussels to expedite negotiations for a moratorium similar to last month’s U.S.-China trade agreement.
Despite these hurdles, the UK continues to maintain an open stance and has emerged as a key playing field.
Leading the charge is China’s BYD, expected to surpass Tesla this year to become the largest battery electric vehicle manufacturer globally. Sales in the UK have soared tenfold in September compared to the previous year, establishing BYD as its largest market outside of China.
Other participants are also joining the fray, with Chery Automobile recognized as Britain’s top-selling Chinese manufacturer in October. The Jaecoo, Omoda, and Chery brands are targeting the UK market with electric and hybrid offerings that merge small batteries with traditional petrol engines. While MG represents a historic British name, its monthly sales, manufactured by state-owned SAIC, have surpassed those of the proud British nameplate Vauxhall (despite much of its production occurring in Germany).
Meanwhile, Swedish brands Volvo and Polestar, both owned by China’s Geely Automobile, alongside Great Wall Motors, Volkswagen-backed Expen, and Stellantis-backed Leap Motor, have each sold over 1,000 vehicles in the UK this year, preparatory to extensive product launches.
In the U.S., Chinese electric and hybrid vehicles are subject to a 100% tariff, while EU tariffs vary by manufacturer, falling between 17% to 38%. Although these rates are not excessive, they do not encompass hybrid cars, inadvertently encouraging Chinese manufacturers to market vehicles with higher emissions. Countries such as Italy and Spain are also emerging as targets for Chinese sellers.
Conversely, the UK—a significant car importer—is confronted with new tariffs but is keen on introducing electric models to fulfill carbon reduction goals.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers’ Trade Association, stated that Britain desires both a thriving domestic market and a robust manufacturing base, grounded in “free and fair trade.”
“British car buyers benefit from having over 50 global brands at their disposal, and the market remains receptive to new entrants,” he asserts. Chinese brands are “stimulating competition as established market players adapt, enhance model development, and lower costs.”
While diplomatic issues may affect relations, recent tensions surrounding accusations of Chinese espionage have underscored the UK’s inconsistent attitude towards the world’s second-largest economy.
“The primary factor is [the lack of tariffs in the UK] — there are no domestic manufacturers to safeguard,” noted Tu Le, a former auto worker in Detroit and Shanghai who established the consultancy Sino Auto Insights.
According to Mr. Schmidt, British consumers are increasingly receptive to earlier waves of international brands. In the 1980s, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher attracted Japanese manufacturers such as Nissan, Honda, and Toyota to establish operations in Britain, promoting the country as a portal to Europe (a distinction complicated decades later by Brexit-imposed rules of origin). The next wave consisted of imported Korean cars.
“We are witnessing history repeat itself,” Schmidt remarked. The UK has emerged as the initial European entry point for Chinese brands, despite the absence of a local manufacturing base.
Historically, low-quality Chinese cars were often dismissed as jokes by Western executives, a perception that has long subsided. Forecasts predict China will surpass Japan in 2023 to become the largest global exporter. Similar to Europe, Chinese brands are still selling in Russia, whereas their European counterparts have faced blockades following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Meanwhile, interest in Latin America is steadily increasing.
“There have been two waves of Chinese entry into Europe,” Young states. “Some of the initial products did not align with UK market demands. However, the brands have generally improved.”
The push for expansion, driven by regional competition in urban centers, has led to significant overcapacity within Chinese automotive factories. While the potential output could reach 55.5 million vehicles annually, actual production is just under half that figure, according to Bloomberg, citing data from the Shanghai-based Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute.
This has sparked fierce price competition within the Chinese market. The Chinese Communist Party has urged manufacturers to avoid excessive competitive behaviors, fearing “entrainment,” which could lead to destructive competition that stifles advancement.
Domestic pricing pressures contribute to more rational export strategies. Nevertheless, according to Andrew Bergbaum, global leader for automotive and industrial at consulting firm AlixPartners, the Chinese brands successfully breaking into European markets typically retail their vehicles at higher prices than in China—a sign of strength rather than desperation.
“The exporting brands are often well-established,” Bergbaum explained. “This represents a strategic move rather than a fire sale. The ability to command higher prices is highly attractive.”
China’s market influx coincides with Europe grappling with excess factory capacities. AlixPartners estimates that European automakers could be carrying two excess factories, potentially risking up to 2 million sales to Chinese brands in the forthcoming years.
This surplus capacity, combined with tariff incentives for local construction, suggests Chinese automakers might acquire properties from older rivals. This is already occurring in Barcelona, where Chery Automobile has taken over a factory previously owned by Japan’s Nissan.
European lawmakers and manufacturers argue that substantial subsidies have diluted the profits of Chinese automakers (though Western companies rarely lack support from their governments). Yet, the primary driver behind the surge in sales in China remains straightforward: consumer preference.
“British drivers are benefitting,” stated Tanya Sinclair, chief executive of British Electric Vehicle, a group funded by the industry advocating for increased battery sales.
“Regardless of the name change, the appeal is evident: high standards, competitive pricing, and innovation that enhances standards universally,” she affirms. “As long as the UK vehicle market is integral to the battery electric future, British cars will maintain a strong presence. However, competition and variety are paramount to a robust market.”
Exploring the features available in vehicles reveals their allure for customers. Special offerings from some Chinese brands range from novelty features like built-in karaoke apps to advanced technologies such as driver assistance systems—importantly, made available at far lower prices than European luxury brands.
“Ultimately, it’s about value,” Lee states. “These cars are exceptional. If I create a superior product that offers greater value to the customer, I’ve succeeded.”
Prime Minister Tony Blair asserted that “history will not permit” Britain to lag behind in the quantum computing race. This advanced technology is anticipated to ignite a new era of innovations across various fields, from pharmaceutical development to climate analysis.
“The United Kingdom risks losing its edge in quantum research,” cautioned the former Labor prime minister at the Tony Blair Institute, a think tank supported by tech industry veterans such as Oracle founder Larry Ellison.
In a report advocating for a national quantum computing strategy, Mr. Blair and former Conservative leader William Hague drew parallels between the current situation and the evolution of artificial intelligence. While the UK made significant contributions to AI research, it has since surrendered its leadership to other nations, particularly the US, which has triggered a race to develop “sovereign” AI capabilities.
“As demonstrated with AI, a robust R&D foundation alone is insufficient; countries with the necessary infrastructure and capital will capture the economic and strategic advantages of such technologies,” they noted. “While the UK boasts the second-largest number of quantum start-ups globally, it lacks the high-risk investment and infrastructure essential for scaling these ventures.”
Quantum computing operates in unusual and fascinating ways that contrast sharply with classical computing. Traditional computers process information through transistors that switch on or off, representing 1s and 0s. However, in quantum mechanics, entities can exist in multiple states simultaneously, thanks to a phenomenon called quantum superposition, which allows transistors to be in an on and off state concurrently.
This leads to a dramatic boost in computational capabilities, enabling a single quantum computer to perform tasks that would typically require billions of the most advanced supercomputers. Although this field is not yet mature enough for widespread application, the potential for simulating molecular structures to develop new materials and pharmaceuticals is vast. The true value of quantum computing lies in its practical delivery. Estimations suggest that industries such as chemicals, life sciences, automotive, and finance could represent about $1.3 trillion.
There are increasing fears that extraordinarily powerful quantum machines could decipher all encryption and pose serious risks to national security.
Prime Ministers Blair and Hague remarked: “The quantum era is upon us, whether Britain chooses to lead or not.” They added, “History will not excuse us if we squander yet another opportunity to excel in groundbreaking technology.”
This alert follows the recent recognition of British, Cambridge-educated John Clarke, who received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to quantum computing, alongside the continued growth of UK quantum firms supported by US companies.
In June, the Oxford University spinout Oxford Ionics was acquired by US company IonQ for $1.1 billion. Meanwhile, Cyclantum, a spinout from the University of Bristol and Imperial College London, primarily thrived in California, discovering that its most enthusiastic investors were located there, where it developed its first large-scale quantum computer. These advancements can be made in Brisbane, Australia.
A report from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change critiques the UK’s current quantum approach, highlighting that both China and the US are “ahead of the game,” with countries like Germany, Australia, Finland, and the Netherlands also surpassing the UK.
A government representative stated: “Quantum technology has the potential to revolutionize sectors ranging from healthcare to affordable clean energy. The UK currently ranks second globally for quantum investment and possesses leading capabilities in supply chains such as photonics, yet we are resolute in pushing forward.”
They continued: “We have committed to a groundbreaking 10-year funding strategy for the National Quantum Computing Center and will plan other aspects of the national program in due course.”
In June, the Labor party unveiled a £670 million initiative to expedite the application of quantum computing, as part of an industrial strategy aimed at developing new treatments for untreatable diseases and enhancing carbon capture technologies.
I am a centenarian. Not too long ago, reaching this milestone was a rarity, often only mentioned in local newspapers. Yet today, it’s an aspiration that many can achieve. Recently, Japan celebrated reaching a remarkable count of 100,000 centenarians, marking a significant milestone. By 2015, nearly half a million people globally surpassed the age of 100, with projections suggesting this number could reach 3.7 million by 2050.
This increase is largely due to advancements in healthcare and a better understanding of longevity. What the human body requires to thrive has become clearer. I’ve also learned how to enhance my own chances of living to a hundred. In our special issue, you will discover insights into diet, travel, and mindset that could help you celebrate a century with your own birthday cake.
However, individual choices have their limits; a stark reality exists between life expectancy and health status among different socio-economic groups. Those residing in the wealthiest areas of the UK now enjoy nearly 18 healthier additional years compared to those in less affluent communities, accounting for significant disparities among men and women over a decade. A recent The Lancet report indicated that the gap in life expectancy among demographics in the U.S. widened from 12.6 years in 2000 to 20.4 years in 2021, with Asian Americans living the longest and Native Americans the shortest. The divide continues to widen. In 2020, high-ranking Hindus saw their life expectancy drop by 1.3 years, while Indian Muslims experienced a loss of 5.4 years. These statistics are alarming. Access to nutritious foods, secure housing, and healthcare must be prioritized to address the growing inequality.
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By 2050, the global centenarian population is expected to reach 3.7 million. “
As we push for enhancements in longevity, it’s essential to hold our politicians accountable to combat this escalating inequality. Achieving a life to 100 should be a goal accessible to all, not just the affluent.
It seems that something might have struck Saturn. If so, amateur astronomers could play a crucial role in validating this potential historical event for the gas giant.
Approximately seven asteroids or comets are predicted to collide with Saturn each year, yet these instances often go unnoticed. Currently, NASA employee and amateur astronomer Mario Lana is capturing images that may reveal such an occurrence.
Lana is part of a project called Detect, which employs software to scrutinize images of Jupiter and Saturn, aiming to identify any brief flashes caused by impacts. If these flashes are detected through various telescopes, it can help eliminate the chance of a glitch and confirm the impact.
Ricardo Fuso from the University of Basque Country in Spain is also engaged in detection efforts, but Lana’s flashes are described as “a faint shock signature or just a bright pixel on the camera.” Specifically, astronomers are interested in footage of Saturn taken on July 5th UTC between 9:00 AM and 9:15 AM.
“If only one person witnessed this flash, then it might be an overstatement. Lee Fletcher at the University of Leicester, UK, commented, “If others also witnessed the flash, that’s fantastic; we confirmed an impact.”
Mark Norris, at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, notes that the rising popularity of amateur astronomy and advances in telescope technology are beneficial. “There’s a good chance that someone has captured something they haven’t noticed yet or dismissed as a technical issue,” he notes.
That said, even if the impact is confirmed, the scientific value of the data may be limited due to insufficient information about the impacting object. Ideally, knowing its speed and mass in advance would facilitate observations, allowing us to assess the impact on known variables. This was the case in 1994 when Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacted Jupiter.
hDoes OW follow just as complete and wide-ranging games as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? Nintendo has banked in the answer: it’s getting bigger. Double the number of racers to 24. Increase the number of characters (total of 60). More weapons. And, by catching the eye the most, more exploration.
While this is not a term related to closed circuits, the three-lap formula that the series has completed over the past 30 years, in the upcoming Switch 2 flagship launch title, Mario Kart World, Nintendo has demolished the tire barrier and offers players a For the Horizon style open world. It’s not exactly a complete reinvention of the wheel, but it’s a major change in format since the series began. Considering that a physical copy of Mario Kart World is retail for £75, is that enough?
I had the opportunity to spend some time playing new games, but what immediately struck me was that it was what I would expect from the next generation Mario Kart title. It’s familiar, incredibly refined, it plays perfectly no matter what’s slaughtered, and it looks fantastic. As I ran through the course, the temptation was to slow down and incorporate all the small, quirky details.
The famous internet… Mu Moo Meadows Beef. Photo: Nintendo
Perhaps you’ll have the opportunity to do that with the free roaming element of the game. I didn’t get much opportunity to explore this. It was essentially a lobby while waiting for 24 players to join. I had two modes. First it was the Grand Prix. This is your traditional Mario Kart incident: start, 3 laps, finish. The slight tweak here is that it’s not using closed circuit courses, but sprints all over the world. The moment you are in Boo’s cinema, the next moment you’ll become a prehistoric jungle. I chose to play as a cow of Mu Moo Meadows, a breakout star known for the recent Nintendo direct internet.
As a veteran Mario Kart player (to put it gently), I found you to play as expected. Muscle Memory Takes over: You skid (maybe less agile than the MK8D to explain the wider track). You throw a shell at the enemy. Just like he was trying to use the boost, he screams in frustration when he gets hit by lightning. The level’s design is beautiful, with each track apparently packing with alternative routes and small secrets. Wideer roads mean that the game will lose some of the claustrophobic massacre and cannot escape the sense that the emphasis on weapons rather than promoting skills in the series iterations, but I can live with it. Anyway, I win my first race – I want to record it – and my cow is given a glorious crown.
My time in the game also had one race in the knockout tour mode in Nintendo’s Battle Royale Style series. Follow the course and you will encounter checkpoints on the horizon. Crossing these, the four racers below block continuous and dropouts. This continues up to the final track where the remaining four races compete on the podium. I hadn’t noticed that I would race 23 other journalists in the room with me, so I chose to choose a racing comedy choice as a Wiggler on the Pink cruiser. If I had noticed the stakes, I would have been a Wario/Monster bike, but it’s my fault to assume that it’s a race that doesn’t matter. They are all important.
Knockout Tour mode is refreshing. If, like me, you believe you can achieve a godlike position in the MK8D and run each course during your sleep, if you are used to cruising in the first place without any single bananas in your name, prepare yourself. In Knockout mode, you may start from 24th to 24th.
The solution is to embrace the massacre. I feel that weapons are more important (I lost the number of golden mushrooms, bullet bills, and star powers I experienced). Amidst all the enthusiastic confusion, I had no idea how long the race had lasted – I think I’m somewhere between 3 minutes and 3 hours. I see the checkpoint and know that I know there is only one scary, timing red shell apart. Clearing the checkpoints provided relief. It was a hurry. I finished fifth and couldn’t qualify for the final section. Aside from this shame mark, my first impression of knockout mode is that it is an exciting reinvention of form and there is a strong chance that it is trying to become my whole personality.
IThis was one of the most impressive technology events of the year. On October 13, Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, blasted into space from a launch pad in Texas. The main booster reached an altitude of more than 65 km and then began returning to Earth at speeds exceeding the speed of sound.
A crash was averted when the rocket, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, reignited its engines, slowed, and came to a grinding halt above the tower from which it had launched just seven minutes earlier. The scissor’s claws grabbed the massive launcher, gripping it tightly, ready to refurbish and fire again.
“Today is textbook day in engineering history,” said SpaceX engineer Kate Tice.
prestigious research journal science “This feat heralds a new era of affordable heavy-lift rockets that can reduce the cost of doing science in space,” the company said last month in awarding Starship’s October flight. Announced. This year’s breakthroughs.
Elon Musk’s company plans 25 Starship flights in 2025. Photo: Argi February Sugita/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock
Musk’s company has already cut the cost of putting cargo into Earth orbit by one-tenth, the magazine said. Further reductions of similar magnitude can be expected when Starship, the most powerful launcher ever built and designed to be completely and rapidly reusable, becomes fully operational later this year, it added.
This view is shared by many space engineers, who believe Starship is poised to take a major leap forward with a schedule of launches every two to three weeks. SpaceX engineers have learned how to salvage and reuse the main booster stage and plan to do the same with the upper stage this year.
With a total of 25 flights planned over the next year, this is an incredibly ambitious program. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that their research schedule is unprecedented,” astrophysicist Ehud Behar, a Technion professor at the Israel Institute of Technology, told the website Space.com.
For scientists, the benefits of Starship are clear. The cost of missions on reusable launch vehicles could drop significantly from current levels, making it possible to conduct research in space that was previously unaffordable. This point is important, he said. science In an editorial about Starship’s achievements, he said:
Until now, access to space was too precious to risk failure, the magazine said, and NASA missions tested components over and over again, driving up costs. “But regular Starship flights will give scientists more opportunities, allowing them to build instruments using inexpensive off-the-shelf parts and launch them more frequently.”
In addition to single vehicles, fleets of robotic probes could be sent to Mars, and fleets of mirror segments could be flown in formation to create giant self-assembling telescopes in space. While such a vision is exciting, there are downsides to Musk’s rocket success.
Elon Musk has grand ambitions to colonize Mars. Photo: Dot Zebra/Alamy
First, Starship could destroy NASA’s own rocket system, the troubled and extremely expensive Space Launch System (SLS), which the agency has been planning for decades. Unlike the reusable Starship, its rocket is expendable, while launching SLS will cost billions of dollars compared to the $10 million goal Musk has planned for the system. It is expected that it will cost. Many scientists predict that Starship will eliminate the need for SLS within a few years.
Another major problem for many scientists involved with SpaceX is that they have difficulty accepting Musk’s right-wing politics and close ties to Donald Trump. He is a vocal critic of U.S. immigration policy, has disdain for many Democratic politicians, and was recently given permission by President Trump to cut $500 billion from the U.S. federal budget.
In any case, Musk’s hopes for Starship have less to do with scientific aspirations and much more to do with his desire to eventually begin colonizing Mars using giant rockets. Last September, he promised that SpaceX would launch its first unmanned Starship mission to Mars in two years. If successful, manned flights would follow within four years. Ultimately, Musk said he envisions a potential colony of up to 1 million people on Mars within 30 years.
The controversial billionaire’s plans brought him a lot of attention and ridicule. Indeed, we have sent humans on a 140-meter-mile journey to the Red Planet, survived blasts of dangerous cosmic radiation, and figured out how to grow food in an atmosphere where water is scarce and the average pressure is less than 1% that of Earth’s oceans. Finding the level – challenging to say the least.
NASA’s Space Launch System at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Photo: Jennifer Briggs/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock
Leaving Earth for Mars is “like leaving a cluttered room to live in a toxic waste dump,” Kelly and Zach Weinersmith write in their book. Cities on Mars: Can and should we settle in space? And have we really thought about this?, which one Winner of the 2024 Royal Society Trivedi Scientific Book Award.
This is a view echoed by Astronomer Royal’s Martin Rees, who has also attacked Musk’s Mars proposal. “We should never expect mass immigration from Earth,” he says. “It’s a dangerous delusion to think that space can escape Earth’s problems. We have to solve them here. Dealing with climate change may seem daunting, but Mars Nowhere in our solar system are environments as harsh as Antarctica, the ocean floor, or the top of Mount Everest.
“For ordinary risk-averse people, ‘Planet B’ does not exist.”
From this perspective, Starships may have some impact on space science, but they are unlikely to change the course of human history.
MJust as Christmas isn’t very fun for someone who has to prepare all the presents and prepare dinner, the annual gaming season can be pretty scary for someone who has to put together a shortlist. Every November, I add up all the critically acclaimed games of the year I haven’t played yet, the underground picks I haven’t followed, and the games I loved but forgot about in February. I feel the panic rising. And when all the year-end lists are released, you inevitably realize you missed something anyway.
The Game Awards has announced the nominations for this year’s ceremony, which will be held on December 12th in Los Angeles. (Disclosure: The Guardian is one of 130 voting bodies for this award, but my knowledge and involvement is limited to sending a ballot to Geoff Keighley each year, usually 1-2 (Sorry, Jeff.) But I’m happy to say that one of the top two games with the most nominations is Astro Bot, which received seven nominations. As far as I know, this game doesn’t get enough reviews. (The other was Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which won six awards and which critics called a miracle of fan service.) Sadly, after many attempts over the years to get into Final Fantasy Despite this, I’m still not immune to Final Fantasy’s charms.
The other contender for Game of the Year is Balatro, the ridiculously obsessive card game that took over my life in January. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, an expanded version of the 2022 action role-playing masterpiece. Metaphor: ReFantazio, a very stylish Atlus RPG that I wrote about a few weeks ago. And Black Myth: Wukong was a huge hit this summer, despite huge controversy surrounding its development and release.
It’s a close race, but my prize goes to Shadow of the Erdtree as the Grand Prize. Because this game is especially loved by game critics. However, I would be happy if Astro Bot wins. The dark horse is Baratolo. Everyone I know loses a week or two at that game, but the moment I win, the appeal wears off. However, there is a public vote worth 10% of the weighting. Significantly Black Myth: Wukong is powered by a huge fan base in China.
Neva, rightly nominated for Best Art Direction. Photo provided by: Nomada Studio
Elsewhere, I had the pleasure of seeing Neva, a game about a warrior and his wolf. This one completely made me sob and was nominated for best art direction, best independent game, and confusing game. Games that make an impact category. The latter list is supposed to be “thought-provoking games with pro-social meanings or messages,” but it appears to be an umbrella category of “emotional games.” I’ve played most of the games nominated in that category and a) I don’t see what ties them together, and b) I couldn’t explain what “prosocial” means in this context .
Indika is a dark and fascinating horror-inspired game about a 19th century nun who attacks a Russian Orthodox church. Hellblade II, like its predecessor, depicts the protagonist’s struggle with mental illness. Tales of Kenzera: Zau is about sadness and draws from its creator’s African heritage. “Closer the Distance” is also a song about sadness. Mr. Nevaeh could be interpreted as an environmentalist, and I think there is some loss in that. However, it is impossible to determine what kind of message Life is Strange: Double Exposure has along these lines.
Otherwise, there are few welcome surprises. Creepy exploration puzzler Animal Well was named Best Independent Game, followed by Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, an unpredictable mystery set in an abandoned hotel, and Mosmouth’s 1980s-style game, Ridiculously Generous The same goes for the compilation UFO 50. “Pacific Drive,” a spooky and bizarre fictional road trip about a broken old car that is constantly being repaired and reinforced, also made it onto our list of best debut games. While Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown deserves praise as the best action game, it was a real shame that Dragon’s Dogma II was only named as the best RPG.
and, ofcourse, The Pokémon trading card game Pocket won the award for Best Mobile Game. I’ve been playing it for several hours every day since it was released (and I still No shiny Articuno).
video game chronicle Easy to parse list Among all categories and nominations. But if you think The Game Awards is too commercial, a new awards show is debuting this year. indie game awards which celebrates the “creativity, innovation and passion” of small game developers, has just announced the nominees. Excerpt from the Best Games category: Mouthwashing, a horror game about the final days of the doomed crew of a space freighter. Arranger is an innovative RPG puzzle game. And Nine Sols, an action game that’s like a cross between Hollow Knight and Sekiro, is something I’ve been meaning to try all year.
Please tell us your favorite…
Before I get back to my own ghastly list, I’ll be giving a shout-out to Pushing Buttons readers’ favorite games of 2024, as always, in my newsletter towards the end of December. So go ahead and send it in with a few sentences about what it means to you and see the results in a few weeks.
what to play
Gloomy and strange…the rise of the Golden Idol. Photo: Color Gray Games
I continue to be fascinated ofRise of the Golden Idola gruesome and bizarre detective story that combines logic puzzles, fill-in-the-blank clues, and hidden object games. Each case is presented in the form of a tableau, and although I’m not sure of the style, it reminds me of a version with a certain twist. Grant Wood’s painting “American Gothic”.
The characters are frozen in a loop of seconds at or immediately after the crime, and you have to figure out who everyone is, why they’re there, and what the heck happened. It all connects to a larger story about corruption, deception, and cursed objects. This game often makes me feel very stupid (I don’t have a great brain to figure out names or details), but I still stick with it.
Available: Smartphone (if you subscribe to Netflix), PC, game console Estimated play time: 12 hours
There’s nothing like the real thing…World of Warcraft II remastered. Photo: YouTube
to celebrate world of warcraftOn the anniversary of , Blizzard re-released Warcraft and Warcraft II with updated graphics. unfortunately, everyone hates them. of the valve half life 2 Anniversary update speed has been significantly improved. Only venerable games Broke the long-standing concurrent player record. With steam.
a minecraft theme park ‘ is scheduled to be released in the UK in 2026 or 2027. I’m already breaking into a cold sweat thinking about how crowded it will be during the first half of the year.
Another game event comes up. WASDa popular showcase of indie-focused PC games, He’s not there anymore.
I’ll answer new questions next week, but for now, I have a few questions. Reader Recommendations Here are the answers to the last few question blocks. First, some more suggestions for Jonny’s wife who’s looking for a game like Civilization VI, but not quite so chill.
TThe first time Terry Vandenbos saw a bear run away from a drone was on a spring day two years ago when he was chasing a bear himself. After seeing a grizzly bear cross a road near his property, a Montana rancher hopped in his all-terrain vehicle and planned to chase it away from his cattle if necessary.
However, when the bear was still far away from him, he began to sprint as fast as he could, looking over his shoulder, and Vandenbos also looked up. A small drone was chasing the bear overhead, its four propellers emitting a high-pitched whine as it flew toward a nearby lake.
“I don’t think I need to be here,” Vandenbos remembers thinking. He drove home. The bear never touched the cow.
At the other end of the drone was Wesley Sarmento, a grizzly bear management specialist with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP). For the past six years, he has been testing various non-lethal methods to scare bears away from human settlements. An act commonly referred to as “hazing.”
Sarmento, a doctoral student at the University of Montana, said in a study to be published in the journal Frontiers of Conservation Science that aerial drones outperformed all other hazing methods he tested in his experiments. These provide a way to keep grizzly bears away from humans that is safe for both humans and animals.
“Drones are now a tool that you can’t do your job without,” Sarmento said. “That’s how convenient it is.”
Increase in human-wildlife conflict
For nearly two centuries, prairies like those around Vanden Bosch Farm in northeastern Montana have had few large predators.
“The really good news is that we’ve done a good job recovering some of the large carnivores,” said Julie Young, a Utah State University wildlife biologist who studies ways to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
Trillions of neutrinos pass through our bodies every second. The sun produces them through nuclear fusion. The same goes for nuclear power plants. Some come from supernova explosions in space. Neutrinos are paired with antineutrinos, which scientists believe mirror the behavior of neutrinos.
As such, JUNO is designed to capture antineutrinos, specifically the antineutrinos emitted by two nuclear power plants located approximately 53 miles from the observatory.
The 13-story JUNO sphere will be filled with a special liquid called a scintillator and submerged in a cylinder of purified water, said project leader Wang Yifang, director of the China Institute of High Energy Physics.
When the antineutrinos pass through the liquid, they trigger a chemical process that produces a brief burst of light that can be picked up by sensors inside the sphere.
“This event will cause a flash that will last only about 5 nanoseconds, and we hope to capture it with thousands of photomultiplier tubes surrounding the sphere,” he says, as a worker behind him says, Mr. Wang, wearing a helmet, spoke while installing the doubler. “We hope to catch 60 events per day.”
Thanks to its approach, JUNO should be able to measure differences in antineutrino masses about 10 times more accurately than previous instruments.
First of three new neutrino observatories
JUNO is part of China’s ambitious efforts to become a global scientific powerhouse. In a speech this year, President Xi Jinping laid out plans to transform the country into a science and technology superpower by 2035.
October 11th, workers at the bottom of JUNO.Eric Baclinao/NBC News
JUNO is expected to be the first of three next-generation neutrino observatories to open over the next decade, making it a kind of spearhead in a new era of physics. In Japan, the Hyper-Kamiokande Observatory is scheduled to open in 2027. And a U.S.-backed program called the Deep Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) calls for particle accelerators to send beams of neutrinos underground from Illinois to North Dakota starting in 2027. 2031.
The three upcoming observatories are both complementary and competitors, as they all plan to use different techniques to detect particles. Each project involves extensive international collaboration aimed at advancing the field, creating new spin-off technologies and training a new wave of scientists.
“When you start these experiments, it’s not unlikely that you’ll observe something unexpected,” said Chris Marshall, an assistant professor of physics at the University of Rochester who works on the DUNE project. “Trying to unravel these very complex effects will require multiple experiments measuring things in different ways.”
The ability of each observatory to answer important physics questions depends in part on how well researchers can collaborate between and among projects. But there is growing concern among some scientists around the world that rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, and the resulting deterioration in their scientific relations, could hinder progress. are.
In recent years, the United States has pursued policies to prevent Chinese scientists from bringing American-based technology to the country and to prevent China from poaching its scientific stars.
Wang said the U.S. is denying visa applications for 2022 and 2023 without explanation and limiting U.S. involvement in JUNO.
“In science, cooperation and competition are good, but it can’t be all about competition,” he said.
On October 11, Mr. Wang pointed out to journalists the underlying characteristics of JUNO’s domain.Eric Baclinao/NBC News
U.S.-based scientists also said they have found new obstacles to cooperation with Chinese scientists.
“From the U.S. side, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to obtain funding for collaborations with Chinese colleagues,” Patrick Huber, director of the Center for Neutrino Physics at Virginia Tech, said in an email. It has also become much more difficult for our Chinese colleagues to obtain U.S. visas.” .
“It’s not impossible to collaborate with Chinese scientists, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult,” said Ignacio Taboada, a physics professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology who directs an existing neutrino observatory in Antarctica. “I’m working on it,” he said.
Solving the mystery of neutrinos
The data generated by JUNO could go a long way toward solving important mysteries about how and why neutrinos change shape more than other elementary particles.
Neutrinos can oscillate, or transform, between three so-called “flavors” during their travels: muon, tau, and electron. For example, the sun sends electron neutrinos toward Earth, but they can also arrive as muon neutrinos. When neutrinos interact (which rarely happens), they settle on a particular flavor.
Additionally, scientists believe that neutrinos travel as one of three different mass states, and that state helps determine the likelihood of a neutrino interacting as a particular flavor. However, it is not yet clear which state has the largest population.
Scientists also found that neutrinos and antineutrinos may deform differently as they travel, and that those differences may account for some of the imbalance in the physics between matter and antimatter in the universe. I think there is.
Journalists take photos at the top of JUNO’s sphere on October 11th.Eric Baclinao/NBC News
If so, learning more about the masses and oscillations of neutrinos and antineutrinos will help researchers find a missing page in the Standard Model of physics (the rulebook of particles and their interactions), or something that has never been known before. This could help researchers understand whether missing particles or forces are having invisible effects. role.
“Our beautiful theory of reality, the Standard Model, is not the final theory,” said Sergio Bertolucci, an Italian particle physicist and DUNE co-spokesperson. “It turns out that we need to know more about neutrinos to answer things that the standard model can’t answer.”
Wang hopes JUNO will win the race to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy before the United States and other countries.
“We just want to be good scientists. In science, being first is most important. There’s nothing to be second,” he said. “As a scientist, I can’t always be a follower. I want to have my own thing.”
Entrance to the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory in China.Eric Baclinao/NBC News
If JUNO explains the neutrino mass story before DUNE comes online, the U.S.-led project will be able to measure that question differently and confirm JUNO’s results.
DUNE’s plan is to measure neutrinos as they leave the Illinois facility, then travel 800 miles around Earth, where they can interact and oscillate. If the neutrinos arrive in South Dakota and can be detected, scientists could compare the flavor combinations of the neutrinos at the beginning and end of their journey. However, the project experienced delays and cost overruns.
“JUNO’s uniquely rich dataset, alone or in combination with other experiments, will play a key role in determining bulk orders by 2030,” said Professor Pedro Ochoa said in physics and astronomy from the University of California, Irvine.
However, several scientists involved in neutrino observation projects acknowledged that it is impossible to predict how much benefit the research will actually bring to Earth. They suggested that in the future, new technologies could be spun off, driving innovation in data-intensive computing and advancing particle accelerator science.
“We can’t make electric light by improving candles, so we need to take a step forward. We need a break,” said John C., a particle physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory and co-spokesperson for the DUNE project. Mary Bishai says. “Basic research inherently creates discontinuities.”
Wang put it another way, saying his work is driven by pure curiosity: “I work in ‘useless’ science.”
pictureEven in the warm summer sunshine, the stagnant pools and rugged rock faces of Ribblehead Quarry in North Yorkshire feel like an unlikely frontier for the AI industrial revolution. Standing next to a waterfall gushing from broken rock, Bupe Mwambingu reaches his hand into the green mud behind the falls and emerges with a handful of algae.
Balancing precariously on the rock, the researcher passes the dripping glob to his colleague Emma Bolton, who uses a mobile app to record GPS coordinates as well as acidity, temperature, and light exposure.
“Be careful,” Bolton told Mwambing, who stumbled over the edge of the waterfall, and the two moved on to another part of the former limestone quarry in search of more dirt and debris.
The pair work for London-based startup Basecamp Research and are collecting genetic information.This is information from the organisms hiding in the nooks and crannies of rocks. In the past, scientists hoping to develop new products from rare lichens, microbes, or fungi had to travel to their habitats to collect samples. Now, most of the genetic code from these organisms is exchanged digitally through genetic signatures called digital sequence information (DSI).
Samples are collected carefully to avoid contamination. Photo: Rebecca Cole/The Guardian
The back-and-forth is at the heart of an international battle over who owns the world’s genetic data and who should benefit from the multi-billion-dollar discoveries that could result from it. In October, world leaders met to discuss the issue. Cali, Colombia attends COP16The World Biodiversity Summit was held to reach a first-of-its-kind global agreement on the issue.
Low-income countries, where much of the world’s remaining biodiversity remains, are hoping to pump billions of dollars into protecting the rainforests, lakes, and oceans where it resides.
NASCAR introduced a prototype electric race car over the weekend as part of their initiative to reduce emissions and electrify the sport.
This move represents a major step towards sustainability, which may seem contradictory to the traditional roots of stock car racing, but it is in line with NASCAR’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero operational emissions by 2035.
The debut of the vehicle is a result of a partnership with electrification and automation company ABB. NASCAR Chicago Street Race.
The ABB NASCAR EV Prototype, developed in collaboration with Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota, is an electric stock car capable of generating a peak output of 1,000 kW (1,341 horsepower). Equipped with a regenerative braking system, the race car converts kinetic energy from braking into electricity, similar to many existing hybrid and fully electric vehicles.
Officials at ABB highlighted that NASCAR’s efforts to decarbonize and reduce carbon emissions align with the broader energy transition happening in the United States.
Chris Sigas, U.S. public affairs director for ABB, expressed, “This partnership provides us with a platform to address issues impacting our nation and the direction we are collectively moving towards.”
While there are no immediate plans to phase out internal combustion engines from stock car racing, there is potential to explore high-performance electric cars for racing, as per sources.
Both organizations will collaborate to identify areas within NASCAR racing, specific race tracks, office operations, and long-haul transportation that can transition to electrification.
Sigas added, “We will evaluate all aspects of their operations – from long-haul trucking to golf carts on the track to EV charging stations. This multi-year partnership serves as an opportunity to showcase not just NASCAR but companies nationwide on how they can enhance their sustainability efforts.”
In the previous year, NASCAR committed to achieving net-zero emissions from operations by 2035 This commitment includes prioritizing 100% renewable electricity at owned race tracks and NASCAR facilities, expanding on-site EV charging stations, and developing sustainable race fuels.
Eric Nyquist, NASCAR senior vice president, stated in a release that the collaboration with ABB will support their endeavors to decarbonize operations and work towards achieving net-zero emissions in the next decade.
The rise of artificial intelligence has propelled the stock prices of major tech companies to new heights, but this growth has come at the expense of the industry’s environmental efforts.
Google recently admitted that AI technology poses a challenge to its sustainability objectives. The company disclosed that its data centers, crucial for its AI infrastructure, have caused a 48% increase in greenhouse gas emissions since 2019. Google cited “significant uncertainties” in achieving its goal of net-zero emissions by 2030, particularly due to the complex and unpredictable environmental impacts of AI.
As the tech industry races ahead with AI advancements, the question arises: can technology mitigate the environmental impact of AI, or will the pursuit of cutting-edge innovation overshadow these concerns?
Why is AI a threat to tech companies’ environmental goals?
Data centers play a critical role in developing and operating AI models like Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s GPT-4. These centers house complex computing equipment that require substantial electricity, leading to CO2 emissions both from energy sources and the manufacturing processes involved. According to the International Energy Agency, data centers are projected to double their electricity consumption by 2026, equivalent to Japan’s energy demand. Additionally, studies suggest that AI’s water consumption could reach significant levels by 2027, potentially straining resources equivalent to England’s annual consumption.
What do experts say about the environmental impact?
Government-sponsored reports in the UK have highlighted the importance of energy sources in determining the environmental cost of technology. Some experts caution that the reliance on fossil-fuel-powered energy sources for training AI models remains a significant challenge. While tech companies are increasing their use of renewable energy to meet sustainability goals, concerns persist that the lack of clean energy may push other users towards fossil fuels.
Alex de Vries, founder of Digiconomist, notes the dual challenge of rising energy consumption in AI and the struggle to secure sustainable energy sources.
Will there be enough renewable energy?
Global efforts to triple renewable energy resources by the end of the decade face challenges due to surging energy demands from AI data centers. The International Energy Agency warns that current plans may only double renewable energy capacity by 2030, potentially impacting climate goals.
Technology companies may need to invest heavily in new renewable energy projects to meet the escalating electricity needs driven by AI.
How quickly can new renewable energy projects be built?
While renewable energy projects like wind and solar farms can be developed relatively quickly, bureaucratic hurdles and grid connectivity issues can delay the process for years. The pace of building offshore wind and hydroelectric schemes faces similar challenges, posing concerns about whether renewable energy can keep up with the expansion of AI.
The reliance on existing low-carbon sources by tech companies may divert clean energy away from other users, potentially increasing fossil fuel consumption to meet growing demands.
Will AI’s power demands keep growing?
The escalating energy needs of AI systems could lead to higher energy costs, prompting cost-saving measures in the industry. However, the competitive landscape and the push for cutting-edge AI technologies may result in excessive electricity consumption despite rising costs.
The pursuit of state-of-the-art AI systems has fueled a “winner takes all” mentality among tech giants, compelling heavy investments in the development of advanced AI. The pressure to remain at the forefront of AI innovation, including the race towards achieving AGI, threatens to escalate energy consumption and costs.
Despite advancements in AI efficiency, the industry’s drive for innovation may offset potential energy savings, akin to the economic concept known as “Jevons’ Paradox.”
Won’t AI companies learn to use less electricity?
While AI breakthroughs continue to enhance efficiency, the industry’s relentless pursuit of cutting-edge models may counteract potential energy savings. The growth in AI capabilities does not necessarily translate to reduced energy consumption, leading to a paradox similar to historical instances of technological advancements increasing use rather than conserving resources.
HHydrogen is a fascinating substance, being the lightest element. When it reacts with oxygen, only water is produced and an abundance of energy is released. This invisible gas looks like the clean fuel of the future. Some of the world's top automakers hope it will usurp batteries as the technology of choice for zero-emissions driving.
In our EV myth-busting series, we've looked at a range of concerns, from car fires to battery mining, range anxiety to cost concerns and carbon emissions. Many critics of electric cars argue that gasoline and diesel engines should not be abandoned. This article asks whether hydrogen offers a third way and has the potential to overtake batteries.
Claim
Many of the strongest arguments for the role of hydrogen in the auto industry are coming from CEOs at the heart of the industry. Japan's Toyota is the most vocal promoter of hydrogen, with Chairman Akio Toyoda saying last month that he expects the share of battery cars to peak at 30%, with hydrogen and internal combustion engines making up the rest. Toyota's Mirai is one of the only widely available hydrogen-powered vehicles, along with Hyundai's Nexo SUV.
“Hydrogen is the missing piece of the jigsaw when it comes to emission-free mobility,” Oliver Zipse, president of German automaker BMW, said last year. BMW may be investing heavily in battery technology, but the company is testing the BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle despite using Toyota's fuel cells. “One technology alone is not enough to enable climate-neutral mobility around the world,” said Zipse.
science
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, but that doesn't mean it's easily available on Earth. Most of today's pure hydrogen is made by decomposing carbon from methane, which releases carbon. Zero-emission “green hydrogen” is produced through electrolysis. In other words, it uses clean electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
To use hydrogen as a fuel, it can be burned or used in fuel cells. Hydrogen reacts with oxygen in the air in the presence of a catalyst (often made of expensive platinum). This strips the electrons flowing through the electrical circuit and charges the battery, which can power the electric motor.
According to Jean-Michel Billig, chief technology officer for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development at Stellantis, hydrogen enables refueling in four minutes, higher payload and longer range. (The Mirai can travel 400 miles on a full tank.) Stellantis, which began producing hydrogen vans in France and Poland last month, is targeting companies that want to use their vehicles all the time but don't want the downtime required to charge them. .
“They need to be on the streets,” Billig said. “If there are no taxis running, you will be losing money.”
Stellantis believes it can lower sticker prices. Billig said that although the company manufactures both, he expects “by the end of this decade, hydrogen mobility and BEVs will be on par from a cost perspective.”
Many energy experts do not share hydrogen carmakers' enthusiasm. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has described this technology as “sold by idiots.” Why use green electricity to make hydrogen when you can use the same electricity to power your car?
All energy conversion involves wasted heat. This means that hydrogen fuel necessarily provides less energy to the vehicle. (These losses are even greater when hydrogen is directly combusted or used to make electronic fuels that replace gasoline and diesel in noisy, hot internal combustion engines.)
David Sebon, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Cambridge, said: “With green hydrogen, it would take around three times more electricity to produce the hydrogen to power a car than just to charge the battery. “It will be.”
This may be a slight improvement, but not enough to cause problems with the battery. “It's hard to do anything much better than this,” Sebon said.
Michael Liebreich, chairman of Liebreich Associates and founder of analyst firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance, is an influential “Hydrogen ladder” – A league table ranking the use of hydrogen in terms of whether there are cheaper, easier or more likely alternatives. He placed automotive hydrogen on the “doom row”, with little opportunity even in niche markets.
Can hydrogen overtake car batteries? “The answer is no,” Liebreich said without hesitation. He added that carmakers betting on a large share of hydrogen would be “completely wrong” and set for costly disappointments.
The main problem with hydrogen cars is not the fuel cells, but actually delivering clean hydrogen where it is needed. This gas is highly flammable, with all the attendant safety concerns, so it must be stored under pressure and easily leaks. It also contains less energy per unit volume than fossil fuels, so unless you use electrolyzers on site, you will need many times more tankers.
The United States and Europe are beginning to invest in hydrogen supplies with heavy government subsidies. But so far, it has been a chicken-and-egg problem. Buyers don't want hydrogen cars because they can't fill them up, and since there are no cars, there are no filling stations. According to the European Hydrogen Observatory, there are 178 hydrogen filling stations in Europe, half of them in Germany. In the UK, he compares nine hydrogen stations to 8,300 petrol stations or his 31,000 public charging locations (not including household plugs).
Are there any precautions?
So why does the International Energy Agency think hydrogen will account for 16% of road transport in 2050 on the path to net zero? The answer lies primarily in heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks .
Liebreich said he is so convinced that batteries will continue to dominate the energy supply for heavy-duty vehicles that he co-founded a truck charging company. “HGVs may contain hydrogen, but it will be in the minority,” he said.
Speaking to Autocar in October, even Toyota admitted that the use of hydrogen in cars has so far been “unsuccessful” primarily due to fuel supply shortages. said Hiroki Nakajima, technical director. Trucks and coaches have high hopes for the technology, and the company is also prototyping a hydrogen version of its Hilux pickup truck.
What kind of energy supply will govern heavy goods vehicles? Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
verdict
As government enthusiasm waxes and wanes, the economics of hydrogen will change as well. Other changes may occur. As technology improves (within limits), gas may become more attractive, and prospectors may be able to find cheap “white hydrogen” drilled out of the ground.
However, when it comes to cars, it seems like the deal has already been settled. Batteries are already the second choice after gasoline for almost all manufacturers. According to the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Trade Association, fewer than 300 hydrogen cars will be sold in the UK over 20 years, compared to 1 million electric cars.
The battery advantage is likely to grow even further as research and infrastructure dollars address issues of range and charging time. Compared to that flood of investment, hydrogen is a tiny fraction.
Proponents of hydrogen now face the question of whether they can build a profitable business in transporting long-distance, heavy goods by road. They need answers soon about where they will get enough green, cheap hydrogen and whether that gas is better used elsewhere.
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