New tech can make air conditioning less harmful to the planet
The key is energy efficiency
In many parts of the world, the cool blast of an air-conditioner on a hot day is nowadays seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Climate change is tipping the balance. Average global temperatures are now roughly 1.2°C higher than they were before the Industrial Revolution: by mid-century they are projected to be about 2°C higher. Air-conditioning (AC) use, correspondingly, is set to soar. By one estimate, the number of room-cooling ACs could nearly triple between now and 2050.
Fewer babies are born in the months following hot days
The effect is small but consistent
The noisome economics of dung beetles
They are worth millions a year to cattle ranchers
Digital twins are making companies more efficient
They will also help them reap the benefits of advances in AI
Digital twins are enabling scientific innovation
They are being used to simulate everything from bodily organs to planet Earth
Digital twins are speeding up manufacturing
Makers of Formula 1 cars and jet engines are leading the way
Billionaire space travel heads for a new frontier
Flying on Elon Musk’s spaceship; sponsored by Doritos