Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Electric Cars with Balls

.



New form of Graphene
Developed in Korea
Holds promise for Super-Capacitors



Essentially the research team have found a way of making 3D Buckyballs from two dimensional graphene. The graphene balls can be made more easily and far less expensively than graphene sheets. It can relatively easily be formed into various shaped more easily than trying to deal with graphene sheets.



Above one of the tiny graphene 3D Buckyballs which we hope can be a building block for a range of exciting new materials but especially the development of Super Capacitors.

Super Capacitors, when realised, will fundamentally change the concept of the electric car, They will allow long journeys to be made before re-charging, and recharging with take minutes instead of hours. Also, very importantly, super capacitors will have a lifespan as long or longer than that of the cars in which they are fitted. Also, they are not prone to overheating and going on fire, and they will come in at less that half the cost of current lithium-ion batteries making electric cars much cheaper.

This age, we are now moving into, might yet be termed the Graphene age.

Good luck guys with the development work.



.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Sustainable Cost of Living

.

Austerity 
can 
Cause Death


One of the more recent public statistical figures to emerge, directly linked to the imposed Austerity programme along with increased taxation in Ireland, is that one - in - six cars on Irish roads are running on over worn tyres. Gee - I wonder why that is the case?

Ireland is largely a rural country. Most of the working population has to use private transport to access jobs, simply because efficient public transport is a mere dream or rather a joke! 

Fuel prices have increased some 50% in recent years, Road Tax or MotorTax even for a modest car is over €500 per year or about €10 per week. Insurance costs have risen, and additionally VAT has been increased. Also a household charge or Poll Tax of €200 per year now applies to modest residences, and food and heating costs have increased. All that taking from disposable income while in many cases, actual wages or income has DECREASED.

Perhaps that is why people cannot afford to keep their cars up to full scratch.

I have a feeling that austerity will go down in history as a very bad strategy.


.


Sustainable Life for Men

Yes - I am still here!
Back on the Blog!
This Post is about the
Sustainability of Life itself 
in Older Men


Recent studies clearly show that what we consume, by way of food and drink, has a massive impact on our health and well being.

Another aspect of nutrition is also now clearly emerging from studies. When we eat is nearly as important as WHAT we eat.

The studies concentrated on men in middle age and up. The findings are very interesting.

Guys Take Note:

Men who regularly skip breakfast are 27% more likely to have heart problems.

Men who regularly eat late at night had 55% increase in the risk of heart disease.




.