Newsletter 83
Drones, blowing up dams and the godfather of solar PV
Hi folks,
This newsletter has been on an extended hiatus due to work, but I’m gradually getting the ducks back in a row to reset. This edition is a little shorter than most but it covers all the interesting stuff I’ve spotted over the past week or two.
I’m aiming for cadence to improve into the autumn and winter with more extended and improved editions. This week is a little heavy on videos - but lots in the Tabs section for longer reading also!
Gavin
Reading list - the best stuff to read
(The best reads I’ve come across, with excerpts, links, authors and how long it will take to read. Climate change, COVID and China are consistently the stories at the top so are semi-permanent)
🌏 Climate change & biodiversity destruction
This is very interesting. Microsoft has put up a job ad for a nuclear SMR manager.
We're looking for a Principal Program Manager, Nuclear Technology, who will be responsible for maturing and implementing a global Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and microreactor energy strategy.
This senior position is tasked with leading the technical assessment for the integration of SMR and microreactors to power the datacenters that the Microsoft Cloud and AI reside on. They will maintain a clear and adaptable roadmap for the technology’s integration, diligently select and manage technology partners and solutions, and constantly evaluate the business implications of progress and implementation.
The ideal candidate will have experience in the energy industry and a deep understanding of nuclear technologies and regulatory affairs. This role will also be responsible for research and developing other precommercial energy technologies.
🇨🇳 China / Taiwan
Things are really busy in this area right no. Worth watching this WSJ summary.
Also see: https://twitter.com/ianellisjones/status/1704286902180839895
Binkov looks at the drone situation in this area. (11 mins)
This is a long speech about US-China relations and how they may evolve - from a US perspective. (60 mins)
An interesting look at hypothetical scenario of blowing up the Three Gorges Dam. (14 mins)
🇺🇦 Ukraine / Russia
A long overview of Russian defence production (70 mins).
A good overview of just by how much Poland’s military is growing. (14 mins)
🚆 Public infrastructure
An excellent overview of design decisions in the Netherlands (17 mins).
🧠 Drones
A detailed look s the future of air warfare (67 mins)
Philosophy Corner (a journey through thinking about thinking every week)
(A serialised section that started with Greek Tragedy and moved to philosophy. Something to spark ideas. Feel free to go backwards!).
Documentary
(A good thing to watch - also serialised - so feel free to go back through past editions!)
I recommend watching the new Netflix documentary Ordinary Men, based on the book by Christopher R. Browning. It explores some very dark aspects to human behaviour - involving ego, shame and groupthink.
Podcast(s)
(The best stuff I’ve listened to, or been recommended by subscribers)
The godfather of solar. (30 mins. This goes into the history of Solar PV tech and the companies behind it, as well as where it’s going. Very interesting indeed.
Falling for Fusion (25 mins) This is from back in May - but worth a listen.
A summer of climate reckoning. (64 mins).
Pulling energy out of nothing? (19 mins). This one blew my mind and reminds you of matter → energy teleportation in Star Trek.
Still in my tabs
(Or stuff I haven’t read yet, but looks promising)
A Fully Autonomous Ship's Perilous Journey at Sea
How to train your jellyfish: brainless box jellies learn from experience
The Man Who Trapped Us in Databases - Hank Asher was a drug smuggler with a head for numbers — until he figured out how to turn Americans’ private information into a big business.
Spreading rock dust on farms seems at first like an odd way to lock up carbon. (see this Irish startup)
How Mark Milley Held the Line (Long read)
NASA readies for dramatic return of asteroid sample to Earth
In a first, researchers have engineered marine bacteria to destroy plastics in seawater
Tucker Carlson, the American Face of Authoritarian Propaganda