Lifeboat Foundation

Are humans disrupting the Earth’s salt cycle through deicing roads and other salt activities? This is what a recent study published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment hopes to address as a team of researchers led by the University of Maryland examine the environmental impact of salting roads as a safety measure from freezing temperatures, resulting in increased levels of salt throughout the environment, including the air, soil, and water, thus disrupting the Earth’s natural salt cycle. While the Earth’s natural salt cycle is a process that occurs over vast periods of geologic time, human activities are increasing this cycle in alarming ways.

Salts being used as deicing agents are common across the United States during the winter, with more than 44 billion pounds of deicing agent used annually. In fact, between 2013–17, road salts accounted for 44 percent of the salt use in the United States, which accounts for 13.9 percent of total dissolved solids that make their way into streams and waterways across the nation.

“This is a slow-moving train wreck,” said Dr. Megan Rippy, who is an assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech and a co-author on the study. “It’s playing out so slowly that it’s easy to overlook that our streams, lakes, and drinking water resources are becoming progressively saltier.”

E-Revolt cuts conversion time from weeks to just a day.

Converting a fuel-run car to a fully electric car in 24 hours sounds unbelievable, but that’s what German startup e-Revolt claims it can do.

Normally this conversion process takes weeks, but e-Revolt’s battery design and workflow are revolutionizing this landscape.

Continue reading “This company can convert your fuel car into an EV — in just a day” »

The powerful jet engine will help reduce travel times between popular global destinations in an environment-friendly manner.

Dassault Aviation’s newest business jet Falcon 6X has entered service powered by Pratt and Whitney’s (PW) 812D engines offering 14,000 pounds (lbs) of thrust. The engines underwent rigorous testing since their selection five years ago and will now help the first extra wide-body business jet zoom around the world at 0.9 Mach.

Dassault’s newest offering aims to redefine the travel experience by offering unparalleled comforts of space and luxury in a business jet. The extra wide body design of the aircraft is further enhanced by the “uninterrupted lines” feature of the cabin that de-clutters in interiors like never before.

E-bikes and self-driving cars both entered the year with momentum. Only one maintained it.

Tesla has introduced new features for the Cybertruck, including the ability to detect speed and red light cameras, a 360° live camera feature, and innovative technology that will shape the future of electric vehicles.

Questions to inspire discussion.

Continue reading “Tesla Unveils $120K Cybertruck Foundation Edition with Advanced Features” »

The Cybertruck’s groundbreaking technology and controversial design are driving significant interest and attention, expanding the market beyond traditional truck lovers and potentially doubling production capacity.

Questions to inspire discussion.

Continue reading “Cybertruck Demand Surges, Attracting New Buyers” »

My first drive with Tesla Full Self-Driving Beta 11.4.8.1Raw 1x speed footage: https://youtu.be/Pdqxm6NDqfE

When motoring content firm Hagerty published its video review of the Tesla Cybertruck, automotive journalist Jason Cammisa lightly noted that Tesla had sent other auto CEOs a pamphlet called “How to Design a 48-Volt Vehicle.” Cammisa seemed like he was joking in the video, so his comments were mostly taken in stride by the electric vehicle community.

But as per a recent comment from Ford CEO Jim Farley, it appears that Tesla really did send out a “How to Design a 48-Volt Vehicle” guide to other auto CEOs. In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Farley noted that Tesla was definitely not joking, as Ford had received the document.

Farley also remarked that Ford had received the pamphlet on December 5, 2023. The Ford CEO actually seemed like he appreciated the document, as he thanked Elon Musk and stated that the guide would be “great for the industry.” Elon Musk, for his part, seemed to appreciate the Ford CEO’s reaction to the 48V guide. In a response on X, Musk simply noted, “You’re welcome.”

Are bright cities making it worse for birds during their migrations? Find out here!

A recent study published in Nature Communications examines how increased levels of artificial light, specifically in urban areas, has contributed to increased bird deaths during their annual migrations. This study comes as hundreds of birds were killed after colliding with a Chicago building, and despite a 2021 study recommending that reduced building lights would reduce bird collisions by 60 percent. This recent study holds the potential to help scientists and the public better understand how rapidly expanding urban areas are impacting bird migration and their safety.

For the study, the researchers used the Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD), which is jointly operated by the U.S. Air Force, Federal Aviation Administration, and the U.S. National Weather Service, to track bird migration stopover density during spring (March 15 to June 15) and fall (August 15 to November 15) seasons between 2016 and 2020. After analyzing more than 10 million radar observations, the researchers found that light pollution was the second-highest ranked reason for birds stopping for breaks out of 49 reasons measured for the study, with the top reason being elevation.

Continue reading “The Dark Side of Urbanization: Light Pollution’s Toll on Bird Migration” »