How wind helps Antarctic sea ice grow, even as the Arctic melts

Credit: Mark Brandon/Flickr/The Conversation

Both the atmosphere & the oceans are heat engines. I.e. heat from the Sun provides energy to drive winds in the atmosphere & currents in the ocean. By these means, heat is redistributed around the globe. E.g., the climate of Western & Northern Europe is warmer than it would otherwise be, due to the North Atlantic drift, one of the branches of the Gulf Stream.

In the Antarctic, winds, intensified by global warming, are driving an expansion in sea ice:

http://theconversation.com/how-wind-helps-antarctic-sea-ice-grow-even-as-the-arctic-melts-24209?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+13+March+2014&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+13+March+2014+CID_3ee2d53f04d8b9b06fcc1d2f5e13ef2f&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=How%20wind%20helps%20Antarctic%20sea%20ice%20grow%20even%20as%20the%20Arctic%20melts / global warming climate change greenhouse effect green house CO2 carbon dioxide gas strong winds climate change hole in the ozone layer steady increase in Antarctic sea ice Arctic shrink ice coverage released Hobart yesterday Position Analysis report Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre co-operative confusion polar differences driver drive driving frozen seawater surface ocean cools cool cooling freeze freezing Southern Ocean sea ice cover surround surrounding surrounds Antarctic continent Dr Jan Lieser marine glaciologist Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems centre researchers physical driver wind warmer atmosphere increases convection greater wind speeds Southern Ocean stronger westerlies sea ice is growing more ice coverage ice factory Professor Ian Simmonds climate scientist University of Melbourne School of Earth Sciences new resource El Nino Australian rainfall Dr Sharon Stammerjohn University of Colorado impact marine life seasonal change summer minimum winter maximum ecosystem rate of change /

Life with Tesla's Model S: One year & 15,000 miles later

Credit: Car And Driver

Consumer Reports says its the best car they've ever tested, & continues to say so after a year of ownership.

David Noland of Green Car Reports has had a similar experience:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090685_life-with-tesla-model-s-one-year-and-15000-miles-later / LiIon lithium ion battery charge EV electric vehicle range year Tesla Model S ownership mile miles tire tyre tyres tires impressed mild irritations car Ratings road test road-test score 99 100 point 100-point scale highest rated highest-rated extended test tested last five years accolades highest ever highest-ever marks mark owner satisfaction latest annual auto survey reliable average reliability score based experiences 637 CR subscribers good early production niche luxury vehicle California start-up start u company Tesla’s thoroughly rewarding driving experience rocket rocketlike launch feel supreme quietness overlook drawback drawbacks notable quirks have emerged range cruise cruising range Tesla’s major drawing draw cards top spec top-spec 85 kWh version 300 mile 300-mile range charged normally maximum max range manufacturer company maker advice advises 225 miles electric vehicle EV EVs 245 EPA calculated electric car indicated range drops drop freezing weather cabin heat remaining miles remaining-miles calculator display displays software update Model S Teslas vampire losses off charger for 24 hours Supercharger stations 30 minutes reduce range anxiety commuter car Updates via cloud software updates road debris penetrated battery pack from below ride height highway speeds road debris /

Robert Llewellyn talks to the Merseyside Skeptics Society about electric cars (video)

Robert Llewellyn (Fully Charged, Red Dwarf, Scrapheap Challenge) gave an entertaining talk to the Merseyside Skeptics Society. Generous coverage of a diverse range of topics, including:

● parallels between the behaviour of climate deniers & patients given a terminal diagnosis (in the Kubler-Ross model, denial, anger, bargaining, depression & acceptance);
● Top Gear test of the Tesla Roadster;
● New York Times test of the Tesla Model S; &
● the fossil fuel industry funded researcher who discovered that the Nissan Leaf electric motor contains 90 kg of copper (a little like the TARDIS it has more mass on the inside than the outside).

Note: 1 hour 52 minutes running time. No video, as such, just audio with a series of stills from the night, so download size is less than you might expect.

/ electric vehicle EV car auto automobile charge recharge LiIon lithium ion lithium-ion battery BEV Tesla Model S Roadster Sport Nissan Leaf Mitsubishi iMieve Toyota Prius hybrid miles per gallon fuel consumption petrol General Motors Chevrolet Volt Opel Vauxhaul Ampera Fully Charged Scrap Heap Challenge war drove around in circles cold weather range /

Solar pushing electricity costs down in Australia (infographic)

Credit: Australian Solar Council / PV photovoltaic solar hot water renewable energy sustainable green cost price expense photo voltaic photovoltaic PV renewable green non-renewable finite resource clean energy solar reliable source electricity average electric power electricity investment generated generate generation power reduce environmental impact cleaner clean energy source carbon footprint energy greener sustainable renewable energy alternate alternative /

Schmidt: Not even the US government can get at Google user data

Google has had a long term project to encrypt user data stored on its servers against all comers. Eric Schmidt recently told a conference crowd in Austin, Texas, that that project is now complete.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57620078-93/schmidt-not-even-us-govt-can-get-at-google-user-data/ / Google's chief executive Eric Schmidt packed house Austin Texas company completed secure user data against unauthorized access annual South by Southwest Interactive conference panel moderator Stephen Levy Wired solution government governmental intrusions encrypt data more info information data Google safe from prying eyes USA US government company subject to the Patriot Act secret US courts stage Jared Cohen author co authored co-authored book The New Digital Age published last year book examined how technology Internet change changing society US government intrusions NSA National Security Agency intrusion intrusive access accessing Google user data without Google's knowledge similar incursions by other governments attacked Chinese 2010 attacked NSA 2013 hero heroism actions leak leaking leaked leakers shock shocking shocked Julian Assange leaked transcript conversation what information available to the public topic of discussion book on stage free and open Internet for all people skeptical motives people leak information anonymously anonymous cited cite Google executive biggest adversary to privacy coming improvements to encryption technology Internet safe country countries Iran Internet tech companies solution embrace technology hold back technology more education openness entrepreneurship capitalism capital /

Flow cell battery in a (kind of) practical car

Credit: La Vecchia/Green Car Reports

Flow cells can be recharged by connecting to a charger or by replacing the liquid electrolyte. These, & other characterisics, make them very attractive for automotive applications. To date, size & weight have restricted flow cells to stationary applications.

La Vecchia claim to have overcome these problems in their Quant e-Sportlimousine, revealed at the Geneva Motor Show. Claims of Tesla levels of range & performance have yet to be demonstrated, but plans for 4 prototypes for real world testing should answer the questions which their very big claims imply.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090746_quant-limousine-concept-pioneers-flow-cell-power-unit-at-geneva

http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2014/3/7/Quant-e-Sportlimousine-Unveiled-with-Staggering-Performance-Claims-7719058/

More flow cell progress:

http://www.green-energy-news.com/nwslnks/clips813/aug13033.html

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/524781/a-battery-with-liquid-electrodes-can-be-recharged-or-refilled/ / show concept car power powered fuel cells battery batteries debut La Vecchia's Quant e-Sportlimousine energy power system technology flow cell powertrain developed develop development nanoFLOWCELL German company technical ties Bosch flow cells electrochemical electro-chemical accumulator cells fuel cells liquid electrolytes stored two tanks circulated through circulate circulation cells membrane separates two electrolytic solutions fuel cell electrical charge passes flows cell produces power drivetrain benefits high charge density high performance density light weight contain no harmful substances chemicals no moving parts energy efficient efficiency energy-efficient electric cars car recharge liquid refills lithium ion LiIon electric vehicle EV greater performance-by-weight current lithium-ion cells greater range than a regular battery same weight storage capacity 120 kWh 85 kWh Tesla Model S 372 mile 372-mile driving range lighter Model S battery weighs several hundred pounds charge e-Sportlimousine no details here show car concept car four prototypes prototype real-world real world testing show-car styling gull wing gull-wing doors body /

Military drones: Shaving costs

Credit: The MITRE Corporation/The Economist

Expensive hardware meets off-the-shelf hardware & 3D printer – becomes cheap.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2014/02/military-drones / military armed forces best toys America information technology information-technology industry powered military budgets budget consumer electronics e;ectronic unmanned aircraft Razor Raven American armed forces workhorse small drone wingspan reconnaissance built conventional techniques AeroVironment Californian firm controlled bespoke software cost costs Razor experimental vehicle designed design MITRE Corporation not for profit not-for-profit organisation manages government research programmes program programme University of Virginia 3D printer controlled control Android smart phone loaded available apps costs brainchild Michael Balazs Jonathan Rotner project Dr Balazs rebuild old military robot machine’s proprietary electronics custom software standardising military robots using off-the-shelf components open-source open source programs leading source smart phones phone smartphone global positioning system GPS built navigation video camera drone mobile phone radio transmitter receiver app apps electronic devices steer operate robot breakout board Dr Balazs Dr Rotner colleagues University of Virginia David Shefler radio-controlled toy cars Android communicate instruments programming tweaking Android-powered drone military-grade drone hardware expensive redesign fly reconnaissance capability aerial pictures stitched together high resolution high-resolution map free software testing 3D printers becoming commonplace Pentagon massive procurement budget MITRE /