Have you ever asked yourself what is going on when using a lighter? Let’s go macro and see the process in detail with extreme slow motion. Filmed with Photron Fastcam at 20.000 images per second.
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Analysis: Can EV Battery Swapping Gain In The U.S.?
San Francisco-based Ample has brought electric vehicle battery swapping to the U.S. The company was in stealth mode for seven years before launching recently with five swapping stations in the Bay Area. Uber drivers in the area are Ample’s first customers.
The concept isn’t new. A start-up called Better Place launched an EV and battery swapping company after it raised $850 million in venture funding, but it ultimately went bankrupt in 2013. Tesla also demoed battery swapping in 2013 but only opened one station for about a year. Elon Musk said Tesla owners were not interested in it.
Battery swapping is already common in China. Electric vehicle maker Nio, for example, plans to double its network of swapping stations to 500 this year and plans to open stations in Norway as part of its expansion into Europe. Ample has a different approach, with modular batteries and a focus on fleets. CNBC got an inside look at its headquarters and battery factory in San Francisco to learn how the company plans to bring battery swapping into the mainstream.
Art & Architecture: ‘The Pinault Collection’ – Paris
French billionaire François Pinault is not only one of the richest men in the world, he’s also an art collector of international renown. Now, he’s opening a museum for contemporary art in Paris. The new palace of art is located inside the former Bourse de Commerce, which has been redesigned by star architect Tadao Andō.
River Views: Castles Of The Rhine Valley, Germany
Imbued with the spirit of German Romanticism, the Rhine River has inspired fairy tales, fables, poetry, and paintings. Its mythical underwater maidens and their magic gold provided the muse for Wagner’s “Ring” opera cycle. The evocative voyage from Mainz to Koblenz has been a favorite with travellers since the 19th century. The stretch from Bingen, west of Mainz, runs through a steep and narrow gorge, and has more castles than any other river in the world. Below these cliff-top fortresses sit villages of half-timbered houses, like the settlement of Bacharach, which owe their existence to the Riesling grape grown along the hillsides.
00:00 Intro / Upper Middle Rhine Valley 00:38 Klopp Castle, Bingen 01:04 Mouse Tower, Bingen 01:46 Niederwald Monument, Rüdesheim 02:15 Rheinstein Castle, Trechtingshausen 02:52 Stahleck Castle, Bacharach 03:23 Pfalzgrafenstein Castle, Falkenau island near Kaub 03:51 Loreley Rock, St. Goarshausen 04:27 Katz Castle, St. Goarshausen 04:54 Maus Castle, St. Goarshausen 05:08 Rheinfels Castle, St. Goar 05:34 Marksburg Castle, Braubach 06:01 Stolzenfels Castle, Koblenz
Spring Walks: Covent Garden – London (Video)
A shopping and entertainment hub in London’s West End, Covent Garden centres on the elegant, car-free Piazza, home to fashion stores, craft stalls at the Apple Market, and the Royal Opera House. Street entertainers perform by 17th-century St. Paul’s Church, and the London Transport Museum houses vintage vehicles. Upscale restaurants serve European cuisines, and nearby theatres draw crowds for plays and musicals.
Aerial City Views: Tallinn – Capital Of Estonia (4K)
Tallinn, Estonia’s capital on the Baltic Sea, is the country’s cultural hub. It retains its walled, cobblestoned Old Town, home to cafes and shops, as well as Kiek in de Kök, a 15th-century defensive tower. Its Gothic Town Hall, built in the 13th century and with a 64m-high tower, sits in historic Tallinn’s main square. St. Nicholas Church is a 13th-century landmark exhibiting ecclesiastical art.
Aerial Views: Island Of Santorini – Greece (4K)
Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. It was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC, forever shaping its rugged landscape. The whitewashed, cubiform houses of its 2 principal towns, Fira and Oia, cling to cliffs above an underwater caldera (crater). They overlook the sea, small islands to the west and beaches made up of black, red and white lava pebbles.
Political Analysis: Brooks & Capehart On Failure Of Capitol Riot Commission
New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including QAnon conspiracy theories and the relation to Congress’ failure to establish a Jan. 6 commission, President Joe Biden’s budget plan and its influence on deficit and economic inflation, and how far America has come since George Floyd’s killing.
Finance: The $1 Trillion Market For ‘Green Bonds’
So-called green bonds have become more popular in recent years, and this fast-growing segment of the $128.3 trillion global bond market could grow even more. When an issuer sells a green bond, they’re making a nonbinding commitment to earmark the sale’s proceeds for environmentally friendly projects. That could include renewable energy projects, constructing energy efficient buildings or making investments in clean water or transportation. Green bonds fall under the wider umbrella of sustainable bonds, which include fixed-income instruments whose proceeds are set aside for social or sustainability projects. Big household names such as Apple and PepsiCo are diving into this space. A handful of massive banks and governments around the world are also issuing sustainable bonds, including China, Russia and the European Union. This may be contributing to the space’s rapid growth. A report from Moody’s said new sustainable bond issuance may top $650 billion in 2021. That would represent a 32% jump from 2020.
Walking Tour: Stuttgart – Southwest Germany (4K)
Stuttgart, capital of southwest Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state, is known as a manufacturing hub. Mercedes-Benz and Porsche have headquarters and museums here. The city is filled with greenspaces, which wrap around its center. Popular parks include the Schlossgarten, Rosensteinpark and Killesbergpark. Wilhelma, one of the largest zoos and botanical gardens in Europe, is just northeast of Rosenstein Castle.
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