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Batteries and perennials.
These rather difficult times when the only thing that is for sure is that we can’t take anything for granted. However I have come across a couple of things in the last week that have really given me a sense of hope for our future. Both come from revisiting past ideas and asking why? The first is the work of Professor Paul Braun of the University of Illinois, who has redesigned the battery so that it will recharge a hundred times faster, and in so doing it uses existing battery manufacturing technology whilst maintaining the battery’s capacity to store. How brilliant, a better product from existing technology. You can listen to him explaining it here: BBC Today
The potential applications for this discovery are huge, not least being what it will do to the electric car’s future, imagine being able to fill your car up with electricity as quickly as you now fill it with fuel.
The difference in the roots of perennials compared to annuals, staggering.
The other bit of hope comes from the National Geographic’s Big Idea article this month, in which they take a look back in time to ask why we chose annual rather than perennial grains for our crops and imagines a world where we use our knowledge of annuals to develop perennials and how that could change the face of agriculture and our food supply. Well worth a read.
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"Loved the house, you have thought of everything. Thanks to Charles for letting Sam help feed the animals - he loved it!"
- Susan, Edinburgh
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