Good morning!

NASA's cooking up a battery that's tougher than your grandma's old Nokia (iPhone users, the future looks ✨ bright✨!), Thailand's planning a land project that could redefine trade routes and a gang of elusive turtles just pulled a Houdini and reappeared on Singapore's shores after a year-long vanishing act.

Also - find out how the US Senate is helping artists!

Innovation

NASA Makes Big Leap Forward in Revolutionizing Battery Power

NASA has recently made significant progress in the development of solid-state batteries. Which have a remarkable potential for electric vehicles and aviation.

Traditional lithium-ion batteries, widely used in electric vehicles, suffer from safety concerns due to their liquid components, including overheating, fire risks, and gradual loss of charge capacity over time. In contrast, NASA's SABERS (Solid-state Architecture Batteries for Enhanced Rechargeability and Safety) project is dedicated to creating experimental solid-state battery packs that eliminate these issues.

Funded by NASA's Convergent Aeronautics Solutions project, which seeks solutions to aviation's challenges, SABERS focuses on battery-powered flight.

Rocco Viggiano, the principal investigator for SABERS at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, explained that this new design not only reduces the battery's weight by 30 to 40 percent but also doubles or even triples its energy storage capabilities, surpassing the capabilities of conventional lithium-ion batteries.

In its current phase, SABERS aims to ensure that its solid-state batteries meet stringent energy and safety criteria while operating safely under real-world conditions and maximum power loads.

If this is successful, it could be a real game changer for those of us that are a bit concerned about their electric car suddenly combusting or who want their smartphone battery to last for more than a day.

Entertainment

New Laws to Take on Deepfake AI

The U.S. Senate is taking steps to protect individuals, including actors, musicians, and performers, from the unauthorized use of their digital replicas, comprising their image and voice. The bipartisan “No Fakes Act” legislation gives individuals the right to authorize the use of their image, voice, or likeness, which extends to 70 years after their death.

Exceptions to this legislation include usage in news, public affairs, documentary, advertising, sports broadcasts, or for comment, criticism, scholarship, satire, or parody. Violations can result in fines up to $5,000 per violation, and punitive damages.

The rise of AI technology in the music industry has prompted record companies to seek greater protection for their artists. The Recording Industry Association of America supports the Senate bill, expressing concerns about generative AI models infringing on artists' rights.

The use of digital replicas has raised ethical concerns due to their potential to blur the lines between real and fake content. Ensuring that AI content is not allowed to become a form of theft or identity fraud is paramount as the technology continues to be developed.

Popular rapper Drake has had his voice used for several AI songs. One of which, named “Winter’s Cold” has garnered millions of views on YouTube. While many people have enjoyed these songs, Drake does not seem to be a fan, saying “This the final straw AI” in an Instagram post after discovering one of these AI creations. His record label Company has decided to take legal action to remove these pieces of content.

World News

Build a Bridge! But Make It 55 Miles Long…

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is spearheading an ambitious initiative aimed at constructing a 90-kilometer land bridge across the southern region of Thailand. The project, viewed by Thavisin as a catalyst for attracting international investors and positioning Thailand as a thriving production hub, carries significant positive implications for the environment by virtue of its potential to reduce carbon emissions.

At the heart of this groundbreaking endeavor is the intention to substantially cut down transportation time through the Malacca Strait. By doing so, the project not only captivates attention for its economic prospects but also emerges as a strategic move to foster sustainability. The reduction in maritime travel distances is poised to curtail carbon emissions associated with traditional shipping routes, offering a tangible contribution to global environmental conservation efforts.

The envisioned land bridge aims to create a new trade route connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans, effectively circumventing Malaysia and Singapore. The strategic placement of two deep-sea ports, intricately linked by a comprehensive rail and road system, is expected to streamline regional transportation networks. With an estimated budget of US$35.6 billion, the project signals a significant investment in the future of sustainable infrastructure.

Anticipated to unfold in two phases, with the first phase projected for completion by 2030 the final phase is targeted to be completed by 2039.

Environment

Endangered, Adorable and Back in Singapore

A critically endangered species was sighted in Singapore after not being seen all last year.

For many years, the endangered hawksbill sea turtle came to Singapore's Pulau Satumu to lay its eggs. After last years absence, there were three nests sited this hatching season.

Channel News Asia reported on the event, showing footage of the newly hatched sea turtles. If you want to see a nest of 65 adorable little sea turtles swarming/tumbling across the beach to the sea, then check out the link to the video!

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.

Mind Stretchers

Q: What 5-letter word typed in all capital letters can be read the same upside down?

Q: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?

Q: What is more useful when it is broken?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers
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