What's Emerging mid-May 2023
A newsletter on interesting stuff that is emerging around the world so you can think about strategy.
Welcome to our mid-May newsletter
In the next few weeks, Paul will continue working on a large foresight and strategic planning program for RSL Victoria. He will also be presenting at the Dairy Industry Sustainability Summit and running a scenario workshop for South Gippsland Water.
Paul will also be continuing his work with Save the Children and his new position as Chair of Social Venture Partners Melbourne, which supports innovative not-for-profit startups to scale their operations through engaged philanthropy.
If you are interested in talking to us about any of these approaches, please Contact Us.
The Emergent Futures Team
In case you missed it. The most popular link from the last edition:
‘Overemployed’ Hustlers Exploit ChatGPT To Take On Even More Full-Time Jobs
"ChatGPT does like 80 percent of my job," said one worker. Another is holding the line at four robot-performed jobs. "Five would be overkill," he said. Paul: A short-lived effect.....…. Read More
What are we Writing About?
As all work in the last two weeks has been private, we have nothing in this section this edition
What’s Emerging
A biodegradable drone for environmental monitoring
A new paper published in the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems proposes a transient flying robot that consists mainly of biodegradable and bio-sourced materials. …..Read More
Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise in Small Trial
Using mRNA tailored to each patient’s tumor, the vaccine may have staved off the return of one of the deadliest forms of cancer in half of those who received it..…..Read More
Plant Vaccines Delivered Via Microneedle Could Offer Alternative To Chemical Spraying
Scientists have developed the first silk microneedle to deliver drugs to plants........……. Read more
Robotic radio tower has potential to revolutionise communication in war-torn Ukraine, natural disaster zones
The 16-metre tower — able to withstand category four cyclones according to the developers — is powered by solar panels and lithium batteries, which all fold inside a shipping container-sized box. The box can lift itself off a moving truck with in-built robotic legs and takes under 10 minutes to set up once it has been delivered to a location.........……. Read More
HECS for farmers? Nature repair loans could help biodiversity recover – and boost farm productivity
The sheer scale of the problem is beyond the capacity of traditional approaches to funding repair. That’s one reason why the Australian government is looking to alternatives such as a nature repair market. This, the government hopes, would boost biodiversity – especially on private land such as farms. To make this market work, the government might consider creating a new version of Australia’s well-known HECS higher education loans. Call it FECS – Farm Environment Contribution Scheme. Paul: They might want to rethink the acronym - I can already hear in my head people saying “For FECS sake”.....…..Read more
Daimler Truck launches Freightliner eM2 electric truck in the US
Built on the best-selling Freightliner M2 106 Plus platform, the Class 6/7 eM2 expands CO2-neutral transportation to the medium-duty segment. DTNA is beginning full production of the eM2 in autumn of 2023 at its Portland truck manufacturing plant. The eM2 has a typical range of 180 miles (290 km) for the Class 6 version and 250 miles (400 km) for Class 7, and represents a reliable, efficient and sustainable solution for a battery electric truck........…..Read more
This beer is made from recycled shower water. Is it the taste of the future?
Epic OneWater Brew, from Epic Cleantec and Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company, is made from greywater recycled from showers, laundry and bathroom sinks in a 40-story San Francisco apartment building, where Epic has onsite equipment to capture, treat and reuse water for non-drinking purposes.......….. Read more
Why robotic worms could one day dig beneath your feet
In the Soft Robotics group at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), researchers have developed a robot that essentially bulges in and out at the sides while it stretches and contracts in length. This design is novel, according to Riddhi Das, a mechanical engineer at IIT, as it uses positive and negative pressure to generate force which is directed outwards and along the length of the robotic worm. The innovation means his creation more closely represents how an earthworm's muscles move, and allows for more varied movement..…. Read more
5G Base-Station-on-a-Chip Company EdgeQ Closes $75M in Series-B Funding
Achieving a highly integrated 5G wireless base station design is a high stakes game. The market opportunities in 5G are huge, but getting an architecture down to the single-chip level has many challenges......…..Read more
‘Mind-boggling’ methane emissions from Turkmenistan revealed
Methane leaks alone from Turkmenistan’s two main fossil fuel fields caused more global heating in 2022 than the entire carbon emissions of the UK, satellite data has revealed.............….. Read more
First UK Electric Timber Truck Gets £452k of Funding
During the three-year trial period, the electric lorries will be monitored and evaluated for their achievable mileage versus battery consumption, durability, viability, and total cost of ownership. Creel Maritime consultants will oversee the project and arrange knowledge exchange opportunities for the partners involved........….….Read more
Dungeons & Dragons role-playing skills transferable to the workplace, lecturer says
Fantasy tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) has drawn a cult following since its launch in the 1970s, but one researcher says its real takeaway could be transferable skills for the office. Paul: I certainly think the strategy board games we play every second Friday night have improved my strategic thinking. Simon Wardley also often talks about how the capacity to organise and lead a Guild in World of Warcraft should be a pre-requisite for corporate leadership roles…Read more.
Australia’s first genetically modified fruit sent for approval
Scientists have submitted Australia’s first genetically modified fruit – a Cavendish banana – to regulators for approval, saying it has been engineered to withstand a deadly fungus that poses a threat to banana growers worldwide……...…Read more.
CATL unveils battery that may power electric airplanes and 1000km-range EVs
Chinese Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), which makes one-third of the world's EV batteries, shared few details about the technology but said it would start mass production later this year.............…Read more.
Business Tips
Supercharge Your Home: Ultimate Guide To Charging Multiple EVs
If you’re living in a household of multiple EV owners or looking to the future where this may be the case, some planning will go a long way to ensure no one runs out of juice. This guide offers an overview of the current options to keep every EV charged without sparking any tensions...…..read more.
Fighting for Time
Paul: We time v me-time by my friend Stowe Boyd……Read more
How to update your router's firmware (and why you should be doing it regularly)
Updating your router is important to not only get the latest features but to protect yourself against security threats. Paul: had not done this for a while and this was a good reminder...…. Read More
Overemployed On Reddit
As a follow up from last editions most popular post there is a forum on Reddit with 180,000 plus members discussing how to be employed in more than one job if you are interested…... Read More
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