Important Innovations

Wearable  Solar Panel Source:  SunUp Innovation from UK This is a wearable solar panel that's called SunUp for easy use to travel with you.  There's a lot unique about this technology.  But a couple of outstanding points.  These are flexible solar panels that can fit around your backpack as you walk to university.  Or they are flexible enough to fit around a tent as you go on a forest adventure.  Or they wrap around your boat in a stream.  This portable system pulls in 15 watts of solar energy to fully charge a mobile device within 12 hours. This device is a national top runner-up at the James Dyson Awards. UK Brunel University Innovation This new, green energy system comes from the UK's Brunel University and design student Bradley Brister.  The design overcomes low efficiency, thin film silicon panels that have traditionally been used in flexible displays to pull in solar energy.  What's innovative is that Brunel has changed the game by using triangles of pol

"How Dare You" by journalist Edward Kane Adventure Story with Life Lessons This new work of fiction for kids by my fellow journalist & brother Ed Kane is magical, instructional and educational.  "How Dare You" is 5-star rated on Amazon and showcases a young girl facing a very common but difficult problem for kids.....moving to a new neighborhood, starting at a new school and having no friends.  In fact, not knowing anyone there and feeling very lonely. It's a tough and difficult situation for any child to face. Running and Winning at Life The story takes young readers, listeners (audiobook also) and their parents on a magical adventure to a life changing solution.  Through cross country running, the heroine Cordy experiences an enchanted forest of fireflies that comes alive and adventures that win friends, teach teamwork and reveal the goodness sometimes hidden in others.  Along the running route of Cordy's young life, her dog Bash is always the

Egypt To Launch 1st Communications Satellite on Friday Source: Egyptian Space Agency TIBA-1 to Provide Egypt Call and Internet Full Service Egypt is sending its first communications satellite into orbit on Friday.  The government believes this will improve its communications infrastructure and internet services and also attract new investors.  The satellite will work along with existing land and telecommunications infrastructure.  Egypt believes that a strong communications network is essential to its economic growth.  Interestingly, the satellite called TIBA-1's coverage area includes nearby Arab and African nations.  The Egyptian government may sell those areas new satellite services. Launch Date Friday The Friday launch of Egypt's first communications satellite will take place from a space center in French Guiana in one of Europe's Arianespace rockets.  The satellite is 5.6 tons and was made by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space.  It will stay in orbit

Grocery Shopping with No Checkout Lines Source:  Amazon Amazon Tech - Amazon Go Amazon is introducing a grocery shopping experience with no checkout lines.  Your grocery shopping is monitored by cameras, machine learning and a smartphone app.  When you leave the supermarket, you're automatically billed for your purchases by Amazon. There are no checkout lines, no cashiers.  It's grocery shopping ease through new Amazon technology which it's expected to rollout and expand store operations in the first quarter of 2020.  The base technology is Amazon Go. Amazon Go Amazon is a global retailing behemoth created by entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos and his mother, first to sell books.  It's made Jeff Bezos, by expanding his retail lines way beyond books, into the #1 or #2 richest person in the world.  It's only natural that Bezos would target grocery shopping through his proprietary online technology in a big way.  It looks like he's ready to greatly grow his Amazon

NASA Discovery: Possibilities of Life on Saturn's Biggest Moon Titian Source:  NASA Titan Moon Surface image Does Life Exist Beyond Earth? The images from NASA are mesmerizing.  This is the terrain of Titan, which is Saturn's largest moon.  There are oceans and lakes of liquid methane, vast plains and dunes of frozen organic material, which is the basis of life.  These are the first ever global geological maps of Titan, provided by NASA.  NASA scientists say they suggest the possibility of life of some form is possible on Titan. NASA has a Dragonfly mission with a drone to explore Titan in upcoming years,  For more details on the possibilities, go to Important Innovations Collection: Saturn's Titan Moon & Life : New Science from NASA - Possibility of Life on Titan, Saturn's Largest Moon Source:   NASA Jet Propulsion Lab Moonscapes, Science...

Ford Ponies Up Its Latest Mustang that Electric Source:  Ford Motor Company Fully Electric, Mustang SUV As we promised in an earlier blog, here's the new Ford Mustang. Ford just unveiled its long awaited, brand new Mustang.  Mach-E, the Mustang inspired vehicle, is a fully electric SUV.  Ford is taking reservations now - a $500 deposit is required - but, you'll have to wait awhile for delivery.  Ford says production will start on the Mach-E at a Ford facility in Mexico in the 4th quarter of 2020. Sleek, Green Vehicle with Performance The Mach-E is a 5-passenger crossover electric SUV with style and performance inspired by the original Mustang.  The Mustang is an iconic vehicle, treasured by many, that dates back to the 1960's. The latest iteration on the Mustang theme was unveiled by Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford and actor Idris Elba in Los Angeles (photo above). Important Details The Mach-E is priced to start at $50,000 which experts say may give Tesla

Chinese Mars Lander Passes Important Landing Test Source:  Chinese Mars Lander Test China - Emerging Space Power China just successfully completed a landing test of its Mars lander that will contain a rover to explore Mars.  This puts China squarely on track for its Mission to Mars in the summer of 2020.  This mission involves landing on and exploring the Red Planet.  Mars is cold and barren but it's considered the only planet other than Earth that is habitable.  The Chinese space mission could contribute to the international effort to learn about and start understanding the climate conditions and mineral resources on Mars. Billions of Dollars Invested in Space China is pouring billions of dollars into its military-run space program.  It hopes to have a crewed space station in orbit by 2022.  China's space investment is paying off.  Early in 2019 it landed a rover on the far side of the Moon, which is a first.  Clearly, China is emerging as a major space power along