Category Archives: News

Future Of City Travel: “Volocopter” Secures Financing For Launch Of Air Taxi In Three Years

From a Volocopter.com online release:

Volocopter Urban Taxi RevolutionVolocopter builds electrically powered air taxis to get people safely and directly to their destination. The aim is to save people time and to help megacities transform their transportation systems towards a more sustainable future by adding a new mobility option for their citizens. Since its foundation in 2011, the company has built three generations of Volocopter aircraft, two of which received licenses for manned and unmanned flight with a total funding of EUR 35 million. The company has performed numerous public demonstrations of the viability of electrically powered vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), most recently it successfully completed a flight at Helsinki International Airport.

Bruchsal/Frankfurt, 09. September 2019 – Today, Volocopter, the Urban Air Mobility pioneer, announced that it signed the first closing of its Series C funding round, which is being led by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding). The new funds will be used towards bringing the VoloCity aircraft to commercial launch within the next three years. Volocopter remains in discussions with additional investors for a second closing around year-end. The first closing will increase the total capital that Volocopter has raised to EUR 85 million.

To read more: https://press.volocopter.com/index.php/urban-air-mobility-pioneer-volocopter-raises-new-capital

Top Science Podcasts: Modelling Embryonic Development, Baby Sea Turtles, “Nature” News

Nature PodcastListen to the latest from the world of science, with Benjamin Thompson and Shamini Bundell. This week, modelling embryonic development, and an analysis of male dominated conferences.

In this episode:

00:44 Imitating implantation

Researchers have created a system that uses stem cells to model the early stages of pregnancy. Research article: Zheng et al.News and Views: Human embryo implantation modelled in microfluidic channels

08:03 Research Highlights

Traces of baby turtle tracks, and Titan’s explosive past. Research Highlight: A baby sea turtle’s ancient trek is captured in a fossilResearch Highlight: Giant explosions sculpted a moon’s peculiar scenery

09:36 ‘Manferences’

Nature investigates the prevalence of conferences where most of the speakers are male. News Feature: How to banish manels and manferences from scientific meetings

15:41 News Chat

An update on India’s latest moon mission, drugs that may reverse biological age, and this year’s Breakthrough Prize winners. News: India loses contact with its Moon lander minutes before touchdownNews: First hint that body’s ‘biological age’ can be reversedNews: First-ever picture of a black hole scoops US$3-million prize

Medical Innovations: Researchers Successfully “Supercool” Human Livers For Later Transplant

From an MIT Technology Review online article:

Doctors have put human livers in suspended animation - MIT Technology ReviewResearchers say they’ve successfully plunged human livers to subzero temperatures and then warmed them back up.

The “supercooled” organs were still in good shape after 27 hours, adding nearly a day to how long livers can last outside the body.

The supply of donor hearts, kidneys, and livers from accident victims is sharply limited. In the US, a nationwide system of registries and transplant centers coordinates to move them around by air in coolers for what are invariably emergency surgeries.

The research is part of a wider effort to learn how to keep organs operational outside the body for longer periods of time. 

To read more: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614283/doctors-have-put-human-livers-in-suspended-animation/?utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=76642352&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_y-4VMsKkIwnBGtCLujBv0huOO8iZmVLSHmpZKga1LGyMuwA7smhGhHb-93ZZm9yIU9jR1xGWj9jujn8i-r8U3O0NAOA&_hsmi=76642352

Top Political Podcasts: Tamara Keith And Amy Walter Discuss 2020 Election News (PBS)

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter Sept 9 2019NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Lisa Desjardins to discuss the latest political news, including what’s at stake in North Carolina’s special congressional election on Tuesday, former Rep. Mark Sanford’s announcement that he’ll challenge President Trump in the GOP primary and the outlook for Congress, newly back from recess, to pass gun legislation.

Top Political Podcasts: Mark Shields & David Brooks Discuss The Latest In Washington (PBS)

Shields and Brooks Sept 6 2019Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including whether Democrats are taking a “politically risky” approach to climate change policy, President Trump’s fixation with Alabama being hit by Hurricane Dorian, Trump’s diversion of Defense Department funds for border security and “Trump fatigue” in the GOP.

Top Political Podcasts: Tamara Keith And Amy Walter Discuss Latest In Washington (PBS)

Tamara Keith Amy Walter PBS NewshourNPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Lisa Desjardins to discuss the latest political news, including President Trump’s attacks on unions and how 2020 Democrats are courting this crucial voting bloc, the status of gun safety legislation after another mass shooting, and what a trend of retirements and resignations among House Republicans says about minority politics.

Top Political Podcasts: Shields And Brooks Talk About G-7, Debates (PBS)

Shield and Brooks aug 30 2019Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including whether impeachment will have any momentum when Congress resumes, President Trump’s performance at the G-7 summit, Joe Biden’s stories, the rules governing eligibility for the 2020 Democratic debates and the candidates’ latest poll numbers.

Environment: World’s Largest Research Vessel “REV Ocean” Launches, Will Be Towed To Norway

From a REVOcean.org news release:

REV Ocean world’s largest and most advanced research and expedition vessel rear viewREV Ocean will be equipped for conducting missions that cover the entire marine ecosystem. It will be used by scientists and innovators for ‘solutions’ oriented research that explore issues such as the impact CO2 emissions have on the ocean, plastic pollution, and unsustainable fishing. REV Ocean will be an inclusive global vehicle for testing and proliferating ocean solutions. The vessel is 182.9 meters long and will have the capacity of holding 55 scientists and 35 crew. Equipment onboard includes scientific trawls, sonar systems, laboratories, auditorium and classrooms, moonpool, AUV and submarine, an ROV with 6000 meters depth capacity, and advanced communication equipment.

A monumental day for a monumental ship. REV Ocean is thrilled to announce the first water launch of the world’s largest and most advanced research and expedition vessel (REV Ocean). After an extensive and complicated build period over the past 18 months, the vessel was finally lowered into the water today at the VARD Tulcea shipyard in Romania.

Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean, commented: “Today is an especially exciting day, our state-of-the-art research vessel has achieved a major milestone and we are now one step closer to realizing our vision of safeguarding the ocean. We look forward with great anticipation to REV Ocean’s journey to Norway and seeing the next stage of progress towards our ambitions of developing ocean solutions.”

To read more click on the following link: https://www.revocean.org/rev_splash/

Top Political Podcasts: Tamara Keith And Amy Walter Discuss The Latest News From Washington

PBS Newshour Tamara Keith and Amy Walter Aug 26 2019NPR’s Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Lisa Desjardins to discuss the latest political news, including recent poll and fundraising numbers for the remaining 2020 Democrats, whether former Rep. Joe Walsh can mount a serious primary threat to President Trump and what the economy and trade tensions mean for Trump’s favorability ratings.

Trends In Housing: Boomers’ Downsizing Leaves “Trail Of Luxury Ranches” In Colorado

From a Wall Street Journal article by Katherine Clark:

Tom Bradbury, a Denver real-estate developer, and his family are listing South Comanche Ranch for $22 million. PHOTO REBECCA STUMPF FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL“If you look back in the day to the ’70s and ’80s, there were these guys…raised with this mythology of the West,” said Ken Mirr, a local ranch broker. “It was attachment to something Hollywood produced. Their children aren’t necessarily always as interested in operating the properties. Sometimes the kids just see cows and think ‘What should I do with this?’”

Operating costs vary dramatically, depending on how much infrastructure ranchers have on their land and the level of agricultural activity but can often be millions a year.

Decades ago, a generation of America’s wealthiest, raised on television shows like “Howdy Doody” and “The Lone Ranger,” headed west with dreams of owning some of the country’s most prestigious ranches. Now, as those John Wayne- loving baby boomers age out of the lifestyle or die, they or their children are looking to sell those trophy properties.

To read more click on following link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/baby-boomers-are-leaving-behind-a-trail-of-luxury-ranches-11566487531?mod=hp_listc_pos3