Aliens (Ancient & Current)

I became a fan of Ancient Aliens almost immediately and I remember buying a DVD of the first season so I could watch all of the episodes several times. However, over time I have become disenchanted. If I here “Ancient Allien Theorists say yes” I will scream. In an effort to create more programming content they have the program has ventured off into any area with little or no evidence and considerable speculation. Big Foot – Aliens, Disasters – Aliens, Cults – Aliens, Geniuses – Aliens, Crystal Skulls – Aliens, The Ark of the Covenant – Aliens, Mysterious mountains – Aliens, Child prodigies – Aliens. I could go on but you get the idea. Recently I found a series that is much better and more informative. The name is called “Unidentified” and is available on Roku and Hulu. It contains interviews with credible individuals who have had alien encounters.

My view is that the subject is clear based on overwhelming evidence that we are being visited by Aliens. There are millions of unexplained sightings and thousands or reported abductions from reliable sources. Are they from other planetary systems, other dimensions or time travelers? Or Venus as in the case of Valient Thor? I have no idea but if you can suspend your belief for a few minutes let’s assume that I am correct. What does this mean?

Then our government surely knows quite a bit more than they are telling us and I think that makes sense. If I had access to advanced technology, would I want my adversaries (and likely my allies) to know it? Of course not. Other countries would take the same view. It’s like an alien cover up war and no country knows what the others have. You might think that if that is true then why hasn’t our technology advanced at a faster rate. While some of our advances might be a result of alien tech it might be much more difficult to reverse engineer than we imagine. Let’s say they are only hundreds of years advanced than we are. Go back two hundred years and ask them to reverse engineer a mobile phone. They would not know where to start. Now imagine a technology that is a thousand years ahead or a million.

Where does that leave Seti? Despite loving the movie “Contact” I’ve always thought that Seti was a crazy project. First, we are trying to communicate with “Intelligent Life” when much more intelligent Alien life is already here. Putting that aside, let’s assume what they are searching for is relatively close by (assume 50 light years). The first signals where transmitted in 1984. There are 10 years remaining before they will be received. Their response, if they have the same technology as us, will come to us in 2084. If they are much more advanced, they may show up sooner in person with good or bad intentions?

Despite my criticism of the Ancient Aliens series there are many episodes that stick to the facts and are worth the watch. Almost all that involve Linda Moulton Howe are good. On in particular that I highly recommend is Season 12, episode 9. Linda is an experienced, serious investigative reporter.

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The Future of Driving Is Here: E-Fuels vs. EVs

The Future of Driving Is Here: E-Fuels vs. EVs

Story by José Bossellini

Internal combustion engines, as we know them, maybe are nearing the end of their reign. While they may not completely disappear within the next five to ten years, their use will likely be limited to specific niches.

The automotive industry is transitioning towards electrification, but there’s another promising technology on the horizon: e-fuels. These synthetic fuels offer a potential alternative to battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs).

Porsche, a pioneer in the automotive industry, is actively involved in the development of e-fuels. Karl Dums, responsible for this area at Porsche, recognizes the importance of e-fuels as a way to extend the life of internal combustion engines, particularly for iconic models like the 911.

E-fuels are produced using green hydrogen and carbon dioxide extracted from the air. This process allows for the creation of a synthetic gasoline that can be used in existing internal combustion engines without modifications. E-fuels offer a way to reduce emissions while preserving the driving experience associated with traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

Source: Porsche US.

While electrification is poised to dominate the automotive landscape, e-fuels provide a valuable option for those who want to continue enjoying the thrill of internal combustion engines. The combination of EVs and e-fuels could ensure a more sustainable future for the automotive industry.

In1963 the price of crude oil was $30, as of 20 Sep 2024 it was $72. The price of gas (in Arkansas) was $.30 per gal in 1963 and on Sep 30th, 2024 it was $3.00. So most of the inflation in the price at the pump is due to refining and transportation. Despite that our inflation adjusted fuel cost is comparable to what it was in 1963. The real issue is that we have failed to consider the actual cost of maintaining roads infrastructure and have not taxed fuel enough. As our roads continue to deteriorate our short-term thinking has come to haunt us.

Sodium Battery Update

Sodium Battery Update

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a high-power hybrid sodium-ion battery that can be charged in seconds. 

Sodium is considered nearly 1000 times more abundant than lithium. Therefore, sodium-ion electrochemical energy storage devices are more appealing than traditional lithium-ion electrochemical energy storage.

Led by Professor Jeung Ku Kang from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the research team integrated anode materials typically used in batteries with cathodes suitable for supercapacitors.

The combination helped the battery to achieve high storage capacities and rapid charge-discharge rates. The study indicates that the battery can be a viable next-generation alternative to lithium-ion batteries.                                                                                    

Hybrid sodium-ion energy storage device

Comprising the newly developed anode and cathode, the assembled full cell forms a high-performance hybrid sodium-ion energy storage device, which crosses the energy density of commercial lithium-ion batteries available in the market. According to researchers, the device exhibits the characteristics of supercapacitors’ power density.

“The development of a hybrid battery with high energy and high power density requires an improvement to the slow energy storage rate of battery-type anodes as well as the enhancement of the relatively low capacity of supercapacitor-type cathode materials,” said the team in a statement.                                                                                                                                                        

Sodium batteries can fulfill an increasing demand

Salt batteries: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/technology/scientists-make-breakthrough-in-production-of-salt-based-battery-technology-this-process-makes-it-easier/ar-AA1nF2YR?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=f94d02a42bd34c7dab303c7464fd9352&ei=15

The battery may fulfill an increasing demand for low-cost electrochemical energy storage devices with high energy density for prolonged operation on a single charge and fast-chargeable power density to meet a wide range of applications ranging from mobile electronic devices through electric vehicles (EVs) to large-scale grid systems.

Currently, available Sodium-ion energy storage systems are poor in rechargeability as they have a low power density while providing a relatively high energy density. Currently, two types of sodium storage systems are available, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and sodium-ion capacitors (SICs). Therefore, researchers focused on sodium-ion hybrid energy storage (SIHES) cells. 

SIHES can use the different potential windows of capacitor-type cathodes and battery-type anodes. It has attracted a lot of attention because this storage system, in principle, could simultaneously allow high energy density and fast-rechargeable power density.

According to researchers, the SIHES can achieve an energy density of 247 Wh/kg and a power density of 34,748 W/kg. Professor Kang said that the research represents a breakthrough in overcoming the current limitations of energy storage systems. He anticipates broader applications across various electronic devices, including electric vehicles.

It’s likely to be useful for rapid charging applications ranging from electric vehicles to smart electronic devices and aerospace technologies.

Co-authored by KAIST doctoral candidates Jong Hui Choi and Dong Won Kim, the study was published in the journal Energy Storage Materials.

Story by Adrien BERNARD

A significant advancement in battery technology could soon revolutionize smartphone and electric vehicle technologies. Researchers have developed a new sodium-based battery capable of recharging in seconds, providing a promising alternative to current lithium-ion batteries.

🔋 This battery recharges in seconds: the revolution for smartphones and electric vehicles?© Provided by Techno-Science

Sodium batteries aren’t new and have historically had many drawbacks. Scientists have combined materials for anodes from conventional batteries with cathodes from supercapacitors, creating a new type of sodium-ion battery distinguished by high capacity and rapid recharge capabilities.

Sodium, being far more abundant than lithium, makes these new batteries potentially less expensive and more sustainable. However, previous sodium-ion batteries had lower performance in terms of power and energy storage capacity compared to lithium-ion batteries and required longer charging times, limiting their applications.

In this new study, researchers aimed to overcome these shortcomings. They developed an innovative type of anode with ultrafine iron sulfide particles integrated within sulfur-doped carbon and graphene, thereby enhancing conductivity and energy storage. For the cathode, they used a “zeolitic imidazolate framework” (ZIF), a porous crystalline structure that combines metallic ions with organic molecules, thus improving the battery’s charge and discharge speed.

The complete prototype achieved an energy storage capacity of 247 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and could deliver power up to 34,748 watts per kilogram (W/kg), far surpassing existing technology. Additionally, the battery maintained its efficiency and performance over more than 5,000 charge and discharge cycles, suggesting enhanced longevity critical for applications such as energy storage on the electrical grid and electric vehicles.

Source: Energy Storage Materials