What is humanity's real problem — climate change or peak oil?

Answer: neither — they just aspects of a bigger problem that includes our still-expanding population.

World population passed 7 billion late in 2011 or early in 2012¹. Around one third of those 7 billion live in varying degrees of wealth, with more than enough food. Indeed, the dietary habits of the wealthy third are characterised by growing incidence of obesity & overweight. This is the same third that is largely responsible for climate change, & will be most affected by peak oil.

Of the remaining two thirds, many have a reasonable standard of living & enough to eat. Some though, live in poverty with malnutrition & famine a constant threat. You've seen the photos.

World population is expected to pass 9 billion around 2050¹. I.e. two billion more than we can't feed now.

http://www.resilience.org/stories/2014-09-02/why-peak-oil-refuses-to-die
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¹ World population
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population / fears imminent peak decline world oil production environmental problem oil supplies planet Earth petroleum resources peak-oil debunk extracting extract extraction resources affordable oil industry costs of production very high oil prices resources tight oil Arctic oil ultra-deepwater oil bitumen deep water US economy recession $20 per barrel oil $100 per barrel oil industrialized countries response oil producers liquid hydrocarbons industry apologists environmentalists global warming climate change carbon dioxide monoxide CO2 greenhouse effect fossil fuel energy transition substitution efficiency low-carbon energy sources solar wind nuclear use energy smarter electrify transport battery powered cars electric vehicle EV battery LiIon lithium ion anthropogenic climate change environmental issue humanity humanity transition to renewable energy politics regulation climate campaigners electricity sector variability wind solar power energy storage capacity redundancy grid upgrades /

Yes, Apple is entering the phablet market

Left to right: Apple iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, LG G3
Credit: GSMArena

Apple's big event yesterday announced the expected iPhone 6 in 4.7 inch & 5.5 inch variants, plus the smart watch that was less certain, & the payment system that was a late starter in the rumour stakes:

● iPhone 6 with 4.7 inch screen
● iPhone 6 Plus with 5.5 inch screen
● 16GB, 64GB & 128GB internal storage options
● prices in Australia, for outright purchase, range from $869 for a 16GB iPhone 6, to a startling $1249 for a 128GB iPhone 6 Plus
● Apple Watch — three versions — Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport & Apple Watch Edition — each available in two sizes, 38mm and 42mm in height, plus 6 different interchangeable band styles — although none of them to be called the iWatch
● Apple Pay — Apple's solution to security problems with credit cards

http://www.macworld.com.au/news/apple-september-event-wrap-iphone-6-iphone-6-plus-apple-watch-applepay-130342/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_content=News%20-%20Apple%20event%20wrap&utm_campaign=News%20-%20Apple%20event%20wrap&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=News%20-%20Apple%20event%20wrap&utm_campaign=News%20-%20Apple%20event%20wrap&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Apple+Event+-+109&utm_content=Apple+Event+-+109+CID_80d05d9074870edf461d3c9992950628&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Find%20out%20all%20you%20need%20to%20know%20in%20our%20full%20event%20wrap%20here#.VA-JzdB_W2d

With Apple entering the phablet market, GSMArena compares the specs:

http://blog.gsmarena.com/xl-size-apple-iphone-6-plus-vs-samsung-galaxy-note-4-vs-lg-g3/ / Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller thinner iPhone Retina HD display curved bezel A8 chip stainless steel Apple logo iPhone 6 model 1334 x 750 4.7 inch display pixel density 326 pixels per inch ppi iPhone 6 Plus 1920 x 1080 5.5 inch displaypixel density of 401 ppi deeper blacks wider broader viewing angles slimmer backlight thinner previous generation iPhones 6.9 mm depth iPhone 6 Plus 7.1mm Messages app faces contacts power button new gesture Reachability double tap Touch ID button next generation 64-bit A8 chip GPU CPU power efficiency motion co-processor M8 chip cycling walking running estimate distance travelled steps flights of stairs climbed new technology called VoLTE camera 8MP iSight photography True Tone flash 1.5 micron pixels f/2.2 aperture phase detection autofocus sensor fast autofocus 1080p 30 60 fps slow motion videos 240 fps frames per second front-facing FaceTime HD camera improved face detection new sensor LTE /

Apple iPhone 6 announcement just hours away

Apple's big announcement later today (10 a.m., 09 September US PDT) is universally expected to include the iPhone 6. Both 4.7-inch & 5.5-inch models are expected.

On a personal note: the suggested relocation of the sleep/wake button from the top to the side will represent the loss of the only feature I miss from my iPhone 4.

All the hype:

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/will-the-apple-iphone-6-be-a-crowdpleaser-or-a-flop-20140909-10ef4e.html

And a slightly different view:

http://theconversation.com/all-kneel-at-the-temple-of-apples-latest-technology-31364?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+9+September+2014+-+1905&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+9+September+2014+-+1905+CID_0f8224f68c78a5f4abcc34b3e46d8583&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=All%20kneel%20at%20the%20temple%20of%20Apples%20latest%20technology / hype Apple's product launch Wednesday Australian time new survey pricey iPhone 6 consumers Cupertino California smartwatch smart watch iWatch payment app feature iWallet health app eBay rumor rumour rumoured specs most expensive mass-produced smartphone market mobile wallet Visa MasterCard other credit companies connected wearable device iWatch Health app HealthKit developer tools track fitness exercise routine Samsung GearFit Fitbit sync smartphone wearable devices services launch near-field communication NFC payments tap-and-go payment cards Australian consumers contactless payments PayPass Paywave large screen iPhone L phablet iPhone 6L 6 Plus Samsung Galaxy Note larger screen functionality portability ease of use user experience software update iOS 8 Apple CEO chief executive Tim Cook predictive text respond to notifications unlock device new messaging features family user accounts connectivity smart devices hardware upgrades camera processor speakers wake/sleep button right-hand edge near the top top edge USB cable with a reversible plug longer battery life higher screen resolution more flash storage 128 GB /

Carbon fiber wheels cut weight & boost efficiency (video)

Carbon fibre wheels are stronger & lighter to reduce:

● Wheel flex for improved handling & control — see the video above.

● Unsprung weight for improved handling, traction, & ride.

● Gyroscopic torque — see the video above, around the 6:20 mark.

● Rotating mass — a moving object has kinetic energy. In a vehicle, this energy is provided by the motor. Less energy requirement means more distance for the same cost. A lighter vehicle accelerates faster, & is more efficient, because it requires less energy from the motor to increase its speed, & so its kinetic energy. Unlike many other parts of a moving car, the wheels also have rotational energy. Once again, this energy comes from the engine. Weight saved in any part of a car improves its performance & efficiency. Weight saved in a lighter wheel improves performance & efficiency as for any other part of a vehicle, plus reduced rotational energy.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094265_carbon-fiber-wheels-proposed-to-cut-weight-boost-efficiency / probably don't think about your car's wheels heavy rotated tires change spare heaviness fuel efficiency energy low density light carbon fiber wheels improving efficiency improving performance lightweight weight wheels curb weight more efficient vehicle sprung mass unsprung suspension energy lower lifetime emissions less inertia hitting a bump rotational mass spinning mass Carbon Revolution Brett Gass start stop wheel light fuel electricity used increasing mileage range carbon fiber light very stiff strong racing cars prevent flex cornering expensive set of wheels cost cheap aluminum wheels economy efficiency carbon fiber wheels /

Archer fish shoots its prey (video)

Check out this amazing video of the archer fish shooting insects. Amongst the difficulties the archer fish has to overcome are: refraction at the air/water interface, which distorts the position of the insect; & the the necessary trajectory of the water stream through the air.

/ insect glow beetle fire fly firefly refraction trajectory water air aquatic river light /

And the winner is — Nevada!

Credit: Tesla/Inhabitat

Tesla has been in negotiations for several months about the site of what will be the world's largest lithium ion battery factory. Candidates included Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, & Texas. Cost will be $5 billion, $500 million of which will be provided as incentives from the chosen state.

http://www.teslamotors.com/about/press/releases/nevada-selected-official-site-tesla-battery-gigafactory

Tesla is establishing what has become known as the Gigafactory to push the price of electric vehicles (EVs) down. Price cutting is an aim of all business entities. In this particular case, it has a special purpose for Tesla's Model 3 (formerly Model E). Major design parameters are 200 mile range & $35,000 price point. To meet the Model 3 price point, EV battery price must fall by 30% [1]. Tesla's recipe for this price reduction is the Gigafactory.

Nevada won after a lengthy battle, including claims that California offered to waive certain environmental provisions [2].

To Tesla's credit, a spokesman replied, “It would be completely counter to the mission of the company to go against environmental legislation.” [3]
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[1] Model E price point requires 30% reduction in EV battery cost:
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/7048/20140515/elon-musk-200-gigafactories-must-be-built-to-lower-lithium-battery-prices.htm

[2] California rumoured to offer to waive environmental rules:
http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-81059930/

[3] Tesla doesn't want environmental rules waived:
http://www.siliconbeat.com/2014/08/14/tesla-we-have-to-respect-the-integrity-of-ceqa/ / Tesla Elon Musk LiIon lithium ion battery pack charge recharge range press conference electric car Tesla Motors gigafactory Nevada state governor Brian Sandoval Carson City Project Tiger site USA Parkway Business Park Reno Tesla gigafactory San Jose Mercury News spokeswoman Liz Jarvis-Shean site preparation work Reno Tahoe Industrial Center huge plant Tesla CEO Elon Musk stay on schedule start production lithium-ion cells battery packs /

New "Dreadnought" dinosaur is the most complete specimen of a giant

Credit: Jennifer Hall/Scientific American

Dreadnought represents the most complete giant dinosaur discovered to date. "Giant"? At seven times the size of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the term seems justified.

Most things that die are soon destroyed. Fossilisation, therefore, is a rare event. Meat is eaten by scavengers, often with bones broken up &/or moved considerable distances. Anything that's left will usually be broken down by agents of decay, such as bacteria & fungi.

Fossilization depends on some relatively rare event, usually involving rapid burial. Something small, say the size of a mouse, can be buried relatively easily. Burial of an entire animal seven times the size of a T. Rex is much less likely. Thus, fossils of large animals are usually more or less incomplete.

How did Dreadnought live? Given its size, it probably had nothing to fear from anything, even a predator like T. REx. Hence the name — dread nought — fear nothing. In feeding, that long flexible neck would have given it access to an enormous volume of plant matter. Modern day giraffes use a similar strategy on a much smaller scale.

Between imperviousness to attack & that enormous neck, Dreadnought probably spent its days planted in one spot, munching its way through all the food it could reach. After exhausting everything in reach, it would have moved a few metres & repeated.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-dreadnought-dinosaur-most-complete-specimen-of-a-giant/

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29050114 / calculated size specimens new supermassive dinosaur species paleontologist Ken Lacovara dino sauropod Dreadnoughtus schrani 25 meter long Dreadnoughtus genus name dread naught herbivores 65 tons seven times massive Tyrannosaurus rex Dreadnoughtus schrani Scientific Reports largest animals most complete fossil supermassive dinosaur insights late Jurassic giants moved grew Kristi Curry Rogers paleontologist Macalester College Minnesota sauropods Dreadnoughtuses sauropods long-necked herbivorous group dinosaurs includes apatosaurs giant dinosaur supermassive sauropods generally poorly preserved completely covered with sediment after death sediment-filled flood corpses mostly inaccessible scavengers|otherwise scatter their evolutionary relationships compare their femurs paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara Dreadnoughtus femur /