big ideas
What does physics have to say about AI risk?
“In this essay, we consider whether some very special computers will become black holes before they become gods.” ~ learn more
Category: big ideas
big ideas
Battery storage becomes biggest source of supply in evening peak in California.
This matters because it demonstrates an effective way to smooth out intermittent solar and wind energy. “A landmark event occurred in the US on Tuesday night when battery storage become for the first time the largest source of supply in […]
big ideas
The extreme shortage of high IQ workers.
An interesting way to think about the distribution of talent. “It’s very difficult to run a high-IQ civilization of 330 million on just 100,000 high-IQ workers–the pyramid of ability extends only so far.” ~ learn more
big ideas
Bill Gurley speaks from the heart on regulatory capture.
He shares the story of his Washington DC lawyer advising him to get some friends in a room together for a visit from a congressman. He was early in his investing career and the startup he had backed needed support! […]
big ideas
How scientists harness the ocean’s power to fight climate change.
The Today show coverage of a startup that’s working on ocean carbon capture. There’s a balance of carbon between the air and the ocean. As we pump more into the air, the ocean absorbs some. When that happens it becomes […]
big ideas
MethaneSAT.
Oh, the things you can do from space. “The revolution of MethaneSAT is its ability to precisely measure methane levels with high spatial resolution over wide areas, allowing it to track all methane escaping from the production of oil and […]
big ideas
What is Frontier?
“We work with a multidisciplinary group of top scientific experts to help us evaluate promising carbon removal technologies.” The group’s backers have committed to spending $1 Billion on this critical work. They are bridging the early demand gap to get […]
big ideas
Wave-amplifying generator bounces twice as high as the swells.
The biggest challenge for offshore wave power is the occasional yet inevitable humungous storm. “CorPower says it’s a novel phase control technology called WaveSpring that sets its huge C4 buoys apart. An internal pneumatic cylinder is pre-tensioned to pull the […]
big ideas
Ocean-based carbon capture.
The ocean and air work together to balance the carbon dioxide load. So as the concentration has increased in the air, it has also increased in the ocean. But what if that could work backwards? Planetary Technologies is pursuing the […]
big ideas
Nuclear power’s tailwind in Washington.
“Freshly passed legislation and new rules from the Biden administration are putting teeth behind a renewed bipartisan push for nuclear power, which has suffered major setbacks in recent decades despite advocates’ repeated predictions over the years that the industry was […]