Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announces so-called world’s largest solar project

Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has hailed the launch of the world’s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant, with the announcement of the winning contract for the much anticipated fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Complex.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said it had awarded the tender for the new 700MW extension to the solar complex to China’s Shanghai Power and Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power.

Under the terms of the contract, the new plant will deliver energy at 7.3 US cents per kilowatt-hour, the lowest price ever for a solar energy plant.

The new plant will come online in stages from 2020 and is expected to cost Dh14.2 billion to build.

“The implementation of the world’s largest concentrated solar energy project underlines the UAE’s leadership on the world stage in producing clean and renewable energy and reinforces our position at the forefront of the most advanced countries in this field,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

“We are implementing projects that translate the overall development directions in our country and support the ambitious goals that we set for the future and started implementing it today. “

 

Researchers have linked a human brain to the Internet for the first time ever

A team of researchers at Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa have made a major breakthrough in the field of biomedical engineering. According to a release published on Medical Express, for the first time ever, researchers have devised a way of connecting the human brain to the internet in real time. It’s been dubbed the “Brainternet” project, and it essentially turns the brain “€¦into an Internet of Things (IoT) node on the World Wide Web.”

The project works by taking brainwave EEG signals gathered by an Emotiv EEG device connected to the user’s head. The signals are then transmitted to a low cost Raspberry Pi computer, which live streams the data to an application programming interface and displays the data on an open website where anyone can view the activity. Adam Pantanowitz, a lecturer in the Wits School of Electrical and Information Engineering and the project’s supervisor, said:

Brainternet is a new frontier in brain-computer interface systems. There is a lack of easily understood data about how a human brain works and processes information. Brainternet seeks to simplify a person’s understanding of their own brain and the brains of others. It does this through continuous monitoring of brain activity as well as enabling some interactivity.

Intellectual Muscle

Pantanowitz said this is just the beginning of the possibilities of the project. He adds that the team is now aiming to allow for a more interactive experience between the user and their brain. Some of this functionality has already been built into the site, but it is very narrow-limited to stimulus such as arm movement. “Brainternet can be further improved to classify recordings through a smart phone app that will provide data for a machine-learning algorithm. In future, there could be information transferred in both directions -inputs and outputs to the brain,” Pantanowitz said.

Future applications for this project could lead to some very exciting breakthroughs in machine learning and brain-computer interfaces like Elon Musk’s Neural Lace and Bryan Johnson’s Kernel. Data collected from this project could lead to a better understanding of how our minds work and how we can take advantage of that knowledge to augment our brain power.

This article originally appeared at: https://futurism.com/researchers-have-linked-a-human-brain-to-the-internet-for-the-first-time-ever/.

How the Blockchain revolution will be bigger than the internet

The internet has changed things about as much as anything in history. 

Now we’re seeing blockchain uses that go well beyond the currencies that are in the news today. 

Imagine if every transaction between people. All finance, legal, trading, transportation, records, health, property.. anything in a ledger were secure and private but transparent in a way that couldn’t cuts out fraud.

And cheaper by at factor of 10-100x. 

That’s blockchain.

Here’s Alex Tapscott in a Google Talk, explaining as well as anyone.

China is Working on a Timetable to Ban the Production and Sale of Non-Electric Cars

The Chinese government is working on a plan to halt the production and sale of cars powered by fossil fuels. Given that the country sees more cars bought and sold than any other, this could have a huge impact on the global electric auto industry.

Deputy industry minister Xin Guobin stated that officials are working on a timetable for the change, speaking at an automotive industry forum on 9 September. While the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles will obviously help with the country’s far-reaching ecological efforts, it would also contribute to its attempt to curb a growing reliance on imported oil.

China is already the biggest market for electric autos, having surpassed the US in 2016. In 2015, sales of electric-powered and hybrid vehicles swelled by 50 percent, accounting for 40 percent of worldwide sales.

Authorities have been proactive in encouraging this growth, investing billions in research and programs to spur adoption. Starting next year, auto manufacturers will be required to ensure that 8 percent of their output is comprised of electric vehicles and hybrids, with that proportion rising to 10 percent in 2019, and 12 percent in 2020.

Electric Avenue

China is not the only country that’s preparing to enforce constraints on the manufacture of gas-powered cars in an effort to encourage more eco-friendly alternatives. France committed to putting a ban in place by 2040 at the beginning of July, and the UK followed suit just a few weeks later.

However, it should be noted that these measures don’t extend to decommissioning gas-powered vehicles that are already out on the roads. China’s goal is to hasten the transition to electric autos, but there hasn’t been any mention of banning vehicles that were sold before the restrictions were put in place.

 

This article originally appeared at: https://futurism.com/china-is-working-on-a-timetable-to-ban-the-production-and-sale-of-non-electric-cars/.

What time is the eclipse?

It’s the Super Bowl of the Solar System! 

On Monday, August 21st, the moon will obscure the sun. People across the US will travel to the narrow band of land where the sun will be completely blocked out, but even if you’re far away and watching from home you’ll see something special happen in the sky.

The eclipse won’t last long, so you’ll want to be sure you’re ready to watch at the precise time when it will peak. Our friends at Vox made a handy eclipse watching tool that tells you exactly when you should be outside to see the action-just type your zip code into the tool below to see what time to watch and what your eclipse will look like. Just make sure you don’t look at the sun without the proper safety equipment. (Seriously, even if you have to do it yourself, protect your eyes.)

If you have more questions about the eclipse, like “what is an eclipse?”, be sure to read The Verge science team’s explanation.

previously appeared at: https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/20/16175776/total-solar-eclipse-2017-what-time-is-it.