Category Archives: Life Extension

In Africa, charcoal is ubiquitous as an energy source for cooking, even in urban areas where electricity and gas are available. Yet when Catherine Nabukalu was taking courses on energy as part of her degree in the Master ofEnvironmental Studies program at Penn, she noticed charcoal was often left out of the conversation about energy sources and their contribution to global carbon emissions.

We would systematically go through coal, then nuclear, then hydropower, then geothermal, solar, etc., says Nabukalu, now a project coordinator at the District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility. You become aware that something is missing. Just because you dont have electricity, doesnt mean you dont have energy.

Reto Gier, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science, encouraged her to research charcoal as an energy source for her final paper in his course, Energy, Waste, and the Environment. He then helped her get funding to travel to her native Uganda to continue to pursue the topic as an independent project that they conceptualized together. Nabukalu and Gier shared the findings in a paper published in the journal Resources.

Im African, and Ive used charcoal personally, says Nabukalu. Its not fun to use, cooking is often not a healthy or enjoyable experience, but its a big part of the energy mix. Its not the only source, but its one of them.

As a step toward better understanding the full life cycle of charcoal, from creation to consumption, Nabukalu spent time at a number of sites in Uganda where charcoal is created, traded, sold, and consumed. She observed and interviewed participants at each of these stages and reviewed the literature about charcoal production and use worldwide. Gier and Nabukalu shared some of the key results from this research with Penn Today that shed light on an overlooked source of energy.

In the locations Nabukalu visited, people produced charcoal by felling trees, stacking their trunks, and covering them with branches and leaves. A final layer of damp soil serves to keep as much oxygen as possible out when the pile is set alight. In this way, the wood undergoes pyrolysis instead of combustion, leaving behind carbon-dense charcoal.

These kiln installations are created and used only once. In some cases, this necessitates that the people who use them are nomads, Gier notes.

Indeed, some workers interviewed had moved to northern Uganda from the central region specifically for the opportunity to produce charcoal. Some were entrepreneurs who moved on their own because they thought the trees were disappearing in the more southern areas, says Nabukalu. But others were contracted by entrepreneurs that had informal companies to do this work.

Despite efforts by the Ugandan government to regulate charcoal production, it takes place by and large on private lands and thus is nearly impossible to suppress. Partially, its because the government has limited power on private land, but also there is strong demand for the product, Nabukalu says. Neighboring Tanzania attempted a ban that lasted only a couple of weeks, she found, as prices for charcoal soared on a quickly established black market.

For landowners, allowing charcoal production on their property can be a win-win. They may wish to clear land for agriculture and can invite charcoal producers onto their land, receiving a portion of the proceeds of the products eventual sale. For the producers, it gives them a source of income without needing to own land.

While this type of small-scale charcoal production doesnt involve clearcutting, it still leads to forest degradation as the felled trees are unlikely to be replaced. Each year, Africa produces 24.5 million metric tons of charcoal, nearly 60% of the worlds supply. In addition, much of the supply chain is informal, without any oversight. With traders selling charcoal far from where it is sourced, it is hard to track or quantify how much is actually being produced.

I think a lot of reports grossly underestimate how much charcoal is being produced and used, Nabukalu says.

Nabukalu knew from personal experience that access to electricity did not obviate charcoal use. Its a matter of home economics, she says. When cooking, either youre going to use charcoal which youve already paid for, or youre going to turn on the gas or the electricity, but you dont know how high the bill will be.

In her research she found that Egypt, a country with a diversified mix of modern sources of energy, was still a top producer and importer of charcoal.

Thats true not only in Africa but around the world.

Take a look at Europe: Having wide and reliable access to electricity hasnt stopped usage there, she says, noting that Germany is the worlds top charcoal importer. You could ask, Gier says, do people in Germany really need to be using it? There its for a Sunday barbecue as a leisure fuel, whereas in Uganda its used for daily cooking.

Nabukalu and Gier note the health impacts of cooking with charcoal, especially when done without proper ventilation.

Burning biomass of any kind, whether it be firewood or charcoal, in a confined space exposes those nearby to fumes containing gases and particulates, says Gier. Similarly, producing the charcoal generates vapors during the pyrolysis process, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane, which all deteriorate air quality in the area surrounding the kilns.

In follow-up work, Hope Elliott, a student in Penns Master of Science in Applied Geology program, also working with Gier, is analyzing samples of the charcoal Nabukalu collected. In her research, Elliot is determining the chemical makeup of the charcoal and, by extension, the potential health effects of burning it.

Images courtesy ofCatherine Nabukalu.

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The many lives of charcoal - Penn: Office of University Communications

Those of you who have watched Syfys Expanse season resurrected by Amazon for its fourth iteration would be well aware of the concept of space mining. Set in a future where humans have colonized the entire solar system, the series explores a realistic take on what may well become reality in the near-future. After all, humans have a rapacious appetite and our sole planetary home, the Earth, does not possess unlimited depositories of resources that have become so vital in the modern era.

We are currently in an ecological overshoot. This means that our demand for resources that the Earths land and oceans can provide food, wood, cotton for clothing, carbon dioxide absorption, etc. far exceeds what the planets ecosystems can renew. Moreover, this imbalance is only growing more pronounced with time. Today it takes the equivalent of 1.75 Earths to provide the resources that we currently consume. In other words, the Earth now requires one year and eight months to regenerate what we use in a single year. This manner of consumption is unsustainable in the long run.

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Then there are resources, such as rare metals, that have a very limited supply on Earth and whose scarcity is increasing day by day.

The following infographic from Visually illustrates how long some of our most vital resources will last at the current consumption rate (for a detailed view, head to this link):

Fortunately for us, our immediate celestial neighborhood is literally brimming with resources that can be accessed via space mining. For example, a resident of the asteroid belt 16 Psyche is worth an estimated $10,000 quadrillion or $10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000! Bear in mind that 1 quadrillion equals a whopping 1 million trillion. So why is this chunk of rock so valuable? It is thought to be the exposed iron core of a protoplanet and is considered one of the most massive metallic M-type asteroids. Additionally, it is believed that the asteroid contains gigantic deposits of gold.

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Moreover, at current market price, an ounce of platinum is worth around $1,500. A single 500-meter platinum-rich asteroid can meet the entire global annual demand. A 450-meter wide platinum-rich asteroid, officially named 2011 UW158, passed Earth in 2015 at a distance of 2.4 million kilometers. This asteroid is believed to contain an astonishing 90 million tons of platinum in its core!

The following infographic from Statista details some of the other valuable asteroids in our vicinity:

Then there are other uses of space mining without which extraterrestrial exploration will remain unviable. For example, an astronaut staying on the International Space Station for six month requires 1 ton of water. At present, this water has to be transported from the Earth and costs around $50 million. However, numerous asteroids are believed to be extremely rich in water and may serve as a crucial node to sustain humans in their extraterrestrial voyages.

The infographic below from 'Planetary Resources' visualizes the space economy of the future:

Given the size of wealth that awaits explorers in our celestial vicinity, it is hardly surprising that key players are gearing up to take a bite out of the space mining goldrush.

On the 25th of November 2015, the U.S administration brought this new frontier into the limelight when President Obama signed the so-called Space Law. The law facilitates private American companies in exploring space resources commercially and makes it clear that whoever is capable of recovering resources from an asteroid has the right to own, transport, use and sell it. Bear in mind that previously space was considered publicly-owned which barred any single entity from claiming ownership over any space resource. This law, however, upended that regime by opening space mining to the competitive forces of capitalism which, in turn, have responded both swiftly and decisively.

At present, a number of entities are vying for their place in history as the pioneers of space mining.

At the forefront is SpaceX, founded by Teslas (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk. The company transports satellites into orbit for the U.S. military as well as other customers, carries cargo to the International Space Station and aims to start flying NASA astronauts and high-paying tourists soon.

Currently, SpaceX primarily relies on its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets for orbit and space missions. Moreover, the companys rocket retrieval and reuse technology has allowed it to cut costs significantly. However, the company is also developing a new and fully reusable launch system known as Starship which also includes a novel Super Heavy booster. Eventually, Starship could replace both Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy and become SpaceXs sole launch vehicle, thereby, reducing launch costs and boosting profitability in the process. Starship may also prove to be a crucial node in achieving Elon Musks long-stated goal of colonizing Mars which, in turn, could go a long way in facilitating space mining. The enterprise is currently valued at $33 billion and may be worth as much as $120 billion in a few years.

Next, we have the Blue Origin aerospace company owned by Amazons (NASDAQ:AMZN) CEO Jeff Bezos. The company envisions a future where millions of people will live and work in space. Its New Shepard is a reusable suborbital rocket system designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Krmn line the internationally recognized boundary of space in 11 minutes.

Also, Blue Origins New Glenn is a single configuration heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of carrying people and payloads routinely to Earth's orbit and beyond. Featuring a reusable first stage built for 25 missions, the vehicle is key to the companys vision of building a road to space and, ultimately, space mining and exploration.

Bear in mind that Jeff Bezos is currently the richest person on the planet with a net worth of $126 billion. Elon Musk, on the other hand, has a relatively modest net worth of $38.2 billion. However, should either of these two entrepreneurs deliver a viable space mining operation, we would be looking at a net worth counted in trillions of dollars.

The Deep Space Industries (DSI) is another valid contender in this arena. The company was acquired on the 1st of January 2019 by Bradford Space. DSI's stated goal is to democratize access to deep space and the company is currently working on a number of projects to achieve its aim.

Its Xplorer spacecraft is being designed to use its own propulsion system to travel from low Earth orbit (LEO) to an Earth departure trajectory or higher Earth orbits such as geostationary orbit (GEO). It will enable exploration and high delta-V applications within low Earth orbits, geosynchronous orbit, near-Earth asteroids, and deep space destinations such as Lunar orbits, Venus, or Mars.

Similarly, DSIs Comet is a launch-safe electrothermal propulsion system being designed for orbit raising, life extension, and de-orbit. It uses water as a propellant, and is scalable for a wide range of spacecrafts.

These are just a handful of companies vying for space mining and exploration. Others include Mars One, Bigelow Aerospace, and ConsenSys Space (previously called Planetary Resources).

In conclusion, I would like to point out that the endeavor of space mining is not without its challenges. The logistical complications and financial costs involved are astronomical. However, given the current rate of depletion of Earths resources, we have no other viable option than to look beyond our planet for sustenance and continued economic progression. This is not a matter of choice but of necessity. One incontrovertible conclusion that can be drawn from looking at the collective human history is that when push comes to shove, we deliver!

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Space Mining the Quest for the Worlds First Trillionaire Amid Earths Growing Resource Scarcity - Wccftech

Akhil Aryan, the Co-founder of ION Energy, was interested in the physics of energy and software since he was a young boy. He was managing product and growth at Haptik as CPO in 2015. This was the time when there was a lot of hype surrounding Tesla Model S, which had just come out.

So instead of selling the car, he suggested his father let him convert it into an electric car. He started reading books on how to convert an internal combustion engine into an electric one, and bought components online.

Co-founder ION Energy, Akhil Aryan

As he read up more on batteries, he understood that the battery is the most expensive and complicated component of an EV and if you solve that problem and make the battery accessible in a way that it lasts longer or performs better, then you can significantly reduce the total cost of ownership of the vehicle even though the upfront costs might be similar.

This is when Akhil decided to go deeper into the battery management space and realised that nobody at the time was doing it in India.

Thus, in 2016, he started ION Energy in Mumbai. ION is a deep technology platform to optimise battery performance and life-extension for the new era of electric vehicles, energy storage, and connected devices. The startup supplies its product to companies that are building EVs and energy storage systems for renewable energy.

In 2017, ION acquired Freemens SAS, an eight-year-old French company that is building battery management systems. Today, ION has offices in India and France.

Alexandre Collet, who was the founder of Freemens SAS, joined ION as the co-founder in 2017. Today ION has a total team strength of 53 people.

Akhil considers his startup journey as unusual.

The startup today has operations in 12 countries, the biggest markets being India, France, Germany, and the UK.

ION has raised over $1 million in three transactions from Tessellate Ventures and other undisclosed investors.

Talking about the future, Akhil says,

The startup is focused on continued investments in product innovation. We want to build a deep link between hardware and software so that we can continue to innovate software to improve the quality of our hardware and build partnership with period OEM that can be built over time as the market matures, he adds.

(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)

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[The Turning Point] How a family car led to the idea of deep tech startup ION Energy - YourStory

New travel bans imposed by Donald Trump on four African countries have prompted anger, concern, disappointment and resignation on the continent.

The measures significantly restrict visas that could end with permanent residency in the US for Eritreans and Nigerians, and end so-called diversity migration visas from Tanzania and Sudan.

Chad Wolf, the acting homeland security secretary, said the countries hit by the new measures failed to meet US security and information-sharing standards. Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar were also included in the list.

Trump has made cracking down on immigration a focus of his 2020 re-election campaign, and his travel ban policy is popular with Republican supporters but experts say that it will harm US efforts to roll back the growing influence of Russia and China in Africa.

A previous ban, introduced in 2017, barred nearly all immigrants and travellers from three African countries Libya, Somalia and Chad and five elsewhere. The policy sparked outrage and was revised amid court challenges before the US supreme court ultimately upheld it in June 2018.

I think we are seeing a domestic political agenda steamrolling foreign policy concerns, said Matthew T Page, an associate fellow with the Africa programme at Chatham House, London.

Eritrea is a minor economic and diplomatic player on the continent, but is strategically situated on the Red Sea. The repressive, authoritarian regime has been courted by Moscow, which wants to build a major logistics base there to rival the vast US base in nearby Djibouti.

The Eritrean foreign minister, Osman Saleh Mohammed, said the government saw the ban as a political move that would hurt the countrys relations with the United States.

We find this move unacceptable, he told Reuters by telephone.

An official statement from Asmara said the measure was an unfriendly act.

Page said that the new measures sent an alienating and patronising message to Nigeria, Africas most populous country with 206 million inhabitants and its biggest economy.

The country sent 7,900 immigrants to the US in 2018, by far the biggest number for any African nation. Almost all visas went to relatives of US citizens.

Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigerias foreign affairs minister, said he was disappointed by the decision, and President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a minister to examine the problems that led to Nigerias inclusion.

Nigeria has been a key ally of the US in Africa, consistently voting with Washington in international forums. Economic and cultural ties between the more than 400,000 Nigerian Americans and the country are strong.

Atiku Abubakar, an opposition leader, said he was saddened by the decision.

The ban does not take into account the pro-American sentiments of the Nigerian public and the solidarity previous Nigerian administrations have had with the United States, Abubakar said on Twitter.

The ban also seems to run counter to a new US policy for Africa unveiled in 2018 by Trumps then national security adviser, John Bolton prioritising trade and the fight against Islamic militants. At the time, Bolton accused great power competitors, namely China and Russia of predatory practices.

In recent years, Russia has sought to increase influence in Nigeria, offering military cooperation to help Abujas weak military fight a tenacious Islamic extremist insurgency in the countrys north-east. The country is also a fast-growing market for Chinese exports, and Beijings state-owned companies have built airports and railways financed by major loans from Chinese banks.

Beyond the geopolitics, the new US measures will have significant impact on individuals.

Trumps new law is very hurtful for us, said Awet, an Eritrean refugee who is now a US citizen.

Awet, who used a nickname to avoid reprisals against his family, was resettled to the United States in 2009. When a 2018 peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea made it possible for his four children to leave Eritrea safely, Awet began trying to bring them over on family visas.

At least let the children in those who want to come to be with their mother or father, he said.

According to official figures quoted by Fox News, 1,674 such visas were awarded in Sudan last year.

A fierce battle for influence in Khartoum is under way, pitting western powers against Middle Eastern states as well as Russia and China. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who took power following the fall of the dictator Omar al-Bashir last year, recently received an invitation to visit Washington as part of a new push by the US to improve relations.

But the decision to restrict visas has disappointed many Sudanese young people.

It was disappointing. I was thinking that could be an opportunity to upgrade oneself in terms of work and study in America, said Muzamil Abdulmola, 31, who has a degree in agricultural engineering.

Trump is viewed coolly across much of the continent though he has significant popularity in some places, including Nigeria. The president prompted fury after it was credibly reported he had described African nations, as well as Haiti and El Salvador as shitholes and questioned why so many of their citizens had ever been permitted to enter America.

Ahmed Abdulkarim, a Sudanese who works with an NGO helping refugees and has applied three times for the diversity visa, said the ruling had dismayed many family members and friends.

Trump is racist and hates Sudan I hope opportunities open up and we get treated equally like other nations, Abulkarim, 41, said. It could have been an opportunity to let my daughter have a decent life in the States.

Additional reporting by Zeinab Mohammed Salih, Khartoum

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Trump travel ban extension leaves Africans angry and disappointed - The Guardian

With the trade deadline nearly here, the Los Angeles Lakers have had some rumors surrounding them about some of the marquee names available.

One player who the Lakers have been linked to since the summer is Andre Iguodala. The hope for the Lakers was that Iguodala was going to be bought out by the Memphis Grizzlies after the Golden State Warriors traded him there.

However, the Grizzlies were insistent on trading him, and it looks like they were able to get a decent asset in return for him with Justise Winslow.

Considering Iguodala never showed up to play for the Grizzlies, this is certainly a good deal for Memphis. In addition to being traded to the Miami Heat, Iguodala also is reportedly getting a contract extension.

Considering Iguodala is 36-years-old, this is quite the extension for him. While the Heat are looking to make a run for it in the Eastern Conference and compete with the Milwaukee Bucks, handing an extension to Iguodala is a bit surprising.

For the Lakers, even though Iguodala would have helped them, trading for him was never going to be a good option. If the Lakers were to trade for Iguodala, they would have not only had to find a way to match his salary, but the Grizzlies would have also wanted some sort of young asset or a pick.

In order to fill those needs, a potential Danny Green and Kyle Kuzmapackage for Iguodala would have been an awful move for the Lakers. While Iguodala was part of the Warriors dynasty, he is essentially a very good role player at this point.

Last season, Iguodala averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 23.2 minutes per game in the regular season. In the playoffs, those numbers did go up, as he averaged 9.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 30 minutes per game. Iguodala certainly plays strong defense, but it would have been a lateral move if the Lakers had to send Green to Memphis for him.

Iguodala is certainly a player that could have helped the Lakers come playoff time, but trading anything of value for him wouldnt have really upgraded the team all that much. If he was a free agent and bought out, the Lakers absolutely would have pursued him. However, not trading for Iguodala was the right move for the Lakers at this point.

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Los Angeles Lakers: Not trading for Andre Iguodala was the right move - Lake Show Life

Be it through literature, film, or television, the idea of life extension has been nothing short of prolific. The concept has become so ingrained in our cultural psyche that most give its presence little thought. In North America, the average life expectancy today is 78 years of age. Even though our current life expectancy is much higher in the West than in other parts of the world, we nonetheless continue to be fascinated, and in some cases, obsessed with the idea of extending our lives beyond what is currently possible.

Today when we hear of someone living to 100, it is considered almost miraculous. But as scientific developments continue to progress, the idea of radical life extension well beyond 100 may become a reality.

The average age a person could live until would increase to roughly 115 years old.

Scientific studies and technology have since developed even further, and brought hope to those seeking a way to extend human life. That being said, there a lot of questions that are raised when we think about life extension. Will everyone have an equal opportunity to benefit from these scientific discoveries? How will this affect the planet? Or society? Because of these questions, the pursuit of life extension is a highly controversial debate that will only become more important with the growth of technological advancements.

via http://www.viralnovelty.net

One of the underlying sentiments behindlife extension is the idea the life isgoodanddeath isbad. For those who are pro-life extension (life extensionists), this perspective is a response to our current experiences and expectations given our limited maximum lifespans. From their perspective, if we were able to live longer lives (and perhaps have better health throughout), this would change how, and if, we perceive deaths as tragic. If we couldlive to 150, woulddying at 90 make us feel the same sadness as it does today?

Another argument amongst life extensionists is thatdeath is a waste sincewe loseaccumulated knowledge, experiences, and memories. Scientist Victoria Stevenswas quoted as saying, I think the prospect of death it just seems like an awful waste after people spend their lives learning and progressing (source). For some life extensionists, prolonging human life allows us topreserve the memories and accomplishments of humankind, resulting in positive social consequences. For instance, people may feel a greater sense ofpersonal responsibility and accountabilityfor their actions if they lived longer. If we think about the current state of the environment, this point definitely strikes a chord. If we expect to live longer, we may be more likely to care about how our actions and behaviours influence others, ourselves, and the planet (no more of that, let the next generation figure it out mentality).

via http://www.img.rt.com

Not only wouldonly certainpeople in society be able to afford life extension, but certain societieswill be unable to afford itat all.

If humans were to somehow have indefinite life spans, the question of lifes meaning may become even more complex and confoundingthan it already is. And what would we do with the time that we have? Though it may seem to open us up to endless possibilities, the reality is that our lives would be similar to how they are now just longer. We would have the same joys, but also the same struggles.

via http://www.iacpublishinglabs.com

There is also the argument that life extension technologies and treatments will createsocial problemsdue to the likely cost of these services. At first, they will undoubtedly be very expensive, essentially meaning that they wouldonly beaccessible to higher-incomeindividuals.This presents society with a wholemyriad of issues, as only certainpeople in society would be able to afford life extension, and certain societies (such as third worldcountries, for instance) would be unable to afford itat all. This couldcause greater social inequality, and greater social unrest. Disparities between rich and poor individuals, communities, and countries wouldgrow the implications of which we cannot possibly know or predict. But its likely safe to say that whatever these implications would be, they would not be positive.

There are alsoenvironmentalconcerns to consider. Our planet is suffering greatly from climate change. Earth is over-populated, and does not have enough natural resources to continue to support the current population (that is growing exponentially each year!) So, if life extension is thrown into the mix, what does this mean? If everyone is able to live longer lives, there would have to be entire generations of human beings that were unable to reproduce in order to avoid further overcrowding our world. We would also have to reevaluate how our resources are distributed and preserved. Needless to say, there would have to be a great deal of thinking and rethinking regarding our planets population and use of resources in order for life extension to be at all a reasonable pursuit.

via lamcraft.wordpress.com

According to scholar Shai Lavi, one of the biggest changes in the 20th century was the way that death came to be seen as a failure, while medicine and science offered an intelligible hope in the face of a hopeless existence. While life extensionists want to showcase a highly optimistic future, the arguments against extending life are worthy of serious consideration. Our new will to master death goes hand-in-hand with the ways in which we avoid death. But as those in the Death Positive movement have tried to argue, death acceptance can bring us a long way towards fulfillment in life, and even hope in death (to say nothing of the role of religion in this respect).

A shift in our values and ethics will be unavoidable in the face of such a dramatic change in the way we live. Additionally, even if we live until 178 instead of 78, human beings are still just that: humans. Radical life-extensionist Aubrey de Grey acknowledges that humans will always be subject to violence, war, suicide, and accidents (Source). Life extension is not the same as invincibility. The extension of our human lives may makeus feel more than human, but that is what we will remain all the same.

With these arguments in mind, and regardless of which side of the debate you are on, it is important to consider how life extension will affect how human beings think about themselves and each other.

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The Ethics of Radical Life Extension | TalkDeath

Photo Source: James Dimmock/CBS

Calling all captains! One of the most beloved characters in the Star Trek franchise, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, has returned to the small screen with the premiere of Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access. If youre ready to head back to the final frontier, theres no reason you have to only watch the sci-fi action and adventure! Check out these science fiction projects casting now and discover a production you can beam onto in a lead or supporting role.

Remember, as Captain Picard once said, things are only impossible until they are not.

BETALogic Film Company is searching for its two leads for an upcoming sci-fi short film. The titular character is a robot built with artificial intelligence by a young man named Byron. Things go awry when Byron realizes Beta does not feel for him how he feels for her. The production is looking for female talent, aged 2133, to play Beta and male talent, aged 2139, to play Byron. Rehearsals and filming begin this spring in Bakersfield, CA. Travel, lodging, and food are included. Pay is TBD. Apply here!

BLACK BOXThis sci-fi fiction podcast series, modeled after the hit TV show Stranger Things, is casting leads and supporting roles. The production needs both male and female talent, aged 1325 but believably sounding aged 1315, as well as male and female talent, aged 2545, for lead roles. Talent, aged 3050, is wanted for a supporting role. Recording begins in late February in Los Angeles, CA. Pay is $150+ per day. Apply here!

Alison Pill on the Unlikely Timeliness of Star Trek: Picard + How She First Fell in Love With Acting

VINTAGE RADIO SHOW STYLE PODCASTThis vintage radio show style podcast takes place in the retro-futuristic 1950s. The Planetary Broadcast focuses on a space crew sent on an interplanetary rescue mission as they encounter aliens and other intergalactic characters. The podcast is looking for female talent, aged 2030, female talent, aged 3550, male talent, aged 2135, and more. Recording begins in late January in Los Angeles with compensation set at $75 per hour. Apply here!

DARK CYCLEA science fiction feature-length film with a spooky twist is looking for two supporting characters. Dark Cycle tells the story of an extraterrestrial beauty company that harvests young women for life extension purposes. Male talent, aged 1839, and female talent, aged 1828, is wanted. Filming dates are TBD in Los Angeles, CA. Pay and meals will be provided. Apply here!

BROADCASTA Rhode Island-based independent film company is casting talent for an upcoming sci-fi feature film. While male talent, aged 3045, white male talent, aged 3550, Latina or Hispanic female talent, aged 1723, and more are wanted. Filming will take place in Rhode Island and New England. Pay is TBD. Apply here!

Feel the Force by Auditioning for These Disney + Sci-Fi Projects

FOREVERThis sci-fi musical is a love story between two people who can fly. The production is looking for white female talent, aged 1828, male stunt talent, aged 1845, martial artists, aged 1850, and more. Rehearsals will take place in Hollywood, CA with filming in Los Angeles. Talent will be paid. Apply here!

TARTARUSShort film Tartarus follows Vitus Alexiyev, a spaceship captain whose ship crashes on another planet and leaves him stranded without a crew. The production is looking for its two leads: Alexiyev for white male talent, aged 3040, and Grigory Luschenko for white male talent, aged 2530. Filming in London will run from April 1420. Talent will be paid 30 per day. Apply here!

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Boldly Audition for These Sci-Fi Gigs in Honor of 'Star Trek: Picard' - Backstage

It typically takes 21 days to build a new habit. Today is January 26th. How are you doing on new year resolutions?!

If you feel you need help formulating resolutions that stick, I highly suggest you pick up a copy of Master Your Code by Darren Gold. The book explores the art and science of a successful life and it is a breakthrough guide thats deeply rooted in science, peppered with personal stories.

The book is structured like a guide, but it will feel more like an autobiographical novel. Thats intended: it was born out of the authors need to explain to his son how he recoded his life.

It typically takes 21 days to build a new habit. Today is January 26th. How are you doing on new year resolutions?!

First Principle: You Run The Code. The Code Doesnt Run You.

The foundational premise behind Golds rules for rebooting your life is that humans are in control of their own code. By code, Darren refers to our psyche, the conscious and unconscious habits that run our lives. In two words: our Operating System (OS).

Darren believes that its up to each of us to harness the opportunity to continuously update or upgrade our OS. Just like a phone or computer gets upgrades to handle new conditions, the Human OS can be upgraded to better handle the situations of its time.

How many of us are taking the necessary steps to fix and upgrade our operating system? How many of us react to situations because thats how weve always reacted in the past? How many times have you caught yourself exhibiting less than excellent behavior and excuse it as a habit caused by factors you cant control?

One of my favorite quotes in this book is Victor Frankls: Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

Just like a phone or computer gets upgrades to handle new conditions, the Human OS can be upgraded to better handle the situations of its time.

By the time youre done with chapter one, Gold will have proven that humans are not simply the product of their evolutions but rather they have tools to master their lives and emotions. One such tool is how we define and control our environment and, by extension, the environment and reactions of others.

Even better: as you continue reading, youll learn that science proves that our code is not only very malleable but that its development accelerates each time we upgrade it.

This level of awareness will help you get better, but it will also help you to help others get better. This is when your lifes leadership opportunities come into play.

Let Your Faith Be Bigger Than Your Fears

Im a big fan of Bren Browns work. If you havent picked up her books yet, simply watch her talk on vulnerability here. She explains that the lack of psychological safety is the key reason for why teams fail.

Getty Images for Massachusetts Conference for Women 2019

Teams fail when individuals cant confess the truth without fearing consequences. Teams fail when their leaders are unable to foster psychological safety. This creates dysfunctional behaviors that science explains as survival strategies.

But, in reality, as Gold explains, these behaviors inhibit the potential of teams and their members. When people cant trust each other, they lie by omission. They mask the truth. They rarely do so because they are bad people. They do so because they want to protect themselves.

The good news is that science validates this. As Gold writes: your psyche has been designed for the protection and survival of your ego. That design has served you well. But it will soon reach the limits of its effectiveness.

Teams fail when individuals cant confess the truth without fearing consequences. Teams fail when their leaders are unable to foster psychological safety.

The solution? Science again: to reverse the deficiencies of our codes early wiring, take the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) test. Want to find out more about this? Watch Dr. Velitti, one of the doctors who was involved in the study related to this test below: How Childhood Trauma Can Make You a Sick Adult.

Net-Net Though: if you want to be the master of your code, you need to be the master of your past. Take the test.

May The Force Be With You

Only when youve embraced the reality that you control your code and that you can change it, can you move to the next step of your evolution: changing your future.

When I asked Darren what leadership was, he said something that I think should be on everyones desk: Leadership is the ability to create a future for people to live into such that the actions they take will be consistent with the realization of that future.

On the way to realizing your teams full potential, you will have to define your future clearly. You will have to help them face their fears. You will have to create psychological safety.

Leadership is the ability to create a future for people to live into such that the actions they take will be consistent with the realization of that future.

But, as Gold explains: the fact that you model these behaviors does not guarantee that others will value them and mirror them. You will have to take unconditional responsibility for your success. Despite the past. Despite the future. Despite the actions of others. This took me a while to internalize. In fact, I had to re-read that chapter multiple times.

If you dont think the above is enough, there is more! The book also covers what you might call good habits, such as 6 rules for living purposely, never stop learning and forgiving unconditionally (I particularly struggle with this last one).

Dont have time to get the book? Just listen to one of Golds latest podcast interviews here.

And may this help you make 2020 your best year ever.

Read more here:

3 Ways To Reboot Your Life In 2020 - Forbes

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins may be the most polarizing athlete in the area since Joe Mauer hung up his cleats a couple of years ago. At his best, Cousins can put up strong stat lines and lead a comeback as long as the game is on a Sunday at noon. Anything else and all bets are off.

On Sunday, Cousins provided the full experience in the Pro Bowl, which started at the dreaded time of 2 p.m. CT. Relieving Drew Brees and Russell Wilson, Cousins came in and had plenty of "Good Kirk" moments, throwing for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Unfortunately, "Bad Kirk" also made the trip to Orlando. As the NFC was trying to make a late-game comeback, Jacksonville's Calais Campbell of the sacked Cousins from behind, putting the ball on the turf. Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt was more than happy to take advantage of the opportunity, returning the fumble for a 90-yard touchdown.

With Cousins also throwing an interception, it's clear to see the decision that Minnesota needs to make this offseason. Cousins has been good enough for the Vikings to compete the past two seasons, but there are also moments like this that make life after Cousins appealing.

Cousins enters the final year of his three-year, $84 million contract signed in March of 2018 and there have been whispers that the team will approach him for an extension. If that happens, the Vikings will have to try to limit moments like this, something that may not happen for the 31-year-old.

Read more here:

Watch: Kirk Cousins fumbles away comeback in Pro Bowl - Bring Me The News

]]> Royal Tank Regiment upgraded Challenger 2s. Credits: Elbit Systems UK. Sign-up to the Army Technology newsletter

The upgrade, which delivers an urbanised Challenger 2 variant, was developed by the Royal Tank Regiment to meet soldiers needs and identifies and fills the capability gap between the British Armys forces and adversaries in urban combat.

Supported by Army HQ, project Streetfighter II is aimed at adding modifications to the existing Challenger II Main Battle Tank (MBT) to improve lethality, situational awareness and infantry-tank cooperation of ground forces.

The vehicle was recently trialled at the UKs urban operations facility at Copehill Down Village on Salisbury Plain, where the Streetfighter was put through its paces in an urban combat environment testing a range of upgrades from industry partners.

This year Streetfighter demo built on earlier experience of the project that began in 2018 and saw the upgrades showcased to a range of senior military figures and officials from the Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

The Streetfighter II MBT demonstrated by the British Army featured a range of lethality upgrades including heavier, more lethal machine gun systems to provide dismounted infantry better support fire.

The most notable upgrade was one of the two urbanised Challengers being equipped with a Brimstone anti-tank guided missile system designed to neutralise the threat of heavily armoured, highly survivable land platforms at long-range.

The Brimstone, made by MBDA, is designed to destroy fast-moving vehicles alongside tanks and other lighter-armoured vehicles as well as fixed positions like bunkers and can be fired from a range of platforms.

On the situational awareness front, the Streetfighter concept greatly improves the ability of mounted and dismounted personnel to communicate and understand their environment, with communications improved to let personnel on the ground directly communicate with those inside the tank.

The upgraded Challenger features a host of cameras to provide a 360-degree view of the area outside the tank; the original Challenger 2 has a limited field of view and the upgrades mean the commander and gunner can now see everything around them.

The Streetfighter II variant also features a barrel-mounted camera to enable the tank commander and crew to see around corners before they approach them, alerting them and the following personnel in advance of any previously hidden threats.

A major situational awareness upgrade comes in the form of Elbit Systems UKs IronVision platform which uses a heads-up-display (HUD) to provide tank crews with full 360 situational awareness.

The zero-latency system allows the crew to have a full picture of their operating environment despite being under armour by feeding in a picture from outside the tank into the HUD.

Elbit Systems UK CEO Martin Fausset said: It is great to see Elbit Systems UK supporting the UK Armed Forces as they enhance their battlefield protection systems for urban environments. We relish the opportunity to protect our servicemen and women in the field and are pleased to see the IronVision system delivering in this capacity.

IronVision pulls together the feeds from the various cameras outside the MBT and then converts them into a single picture where the tank operator only needs to turn their head to see a different view of outside the vehicle, rather than cycle through cameras on a screen.

Elbits IronVision system. Credits Elbit Systems UK.

On the slightly more low-tech front, the MBT also supports infantry by physically lightening the load on personnel by carrying extra gear from medical equipment to ammunition, and the addition of a storage rack to carry an urban assault kit.

The improved Challenger 2 is also fitted with steps built into the side of the vehicle allowing personnel to mount and dismount the platform more easily. One of the tanks is also fitted with a plough to clear obstructions from the urban environment allowing personnel to continue moving forward and acting as a makeshift stretcher to transport injured personnel out of the combat environment.

It is unclear whether the upgrades made by the Royal Tank Regiment will be employed across the wider fleet of Challenger 2 vehicles. However, in the British Armys wider plans for tanks, the life-extension programme continues to be a priority, in order to continue the service life of the vehicle and maintain the ability of the UK to deploy MBTs into battle.

Current plans for the Challenger 2 life extension programme are slowly drawing to a close after first being tabled in 2013. Any decision on the future of the Challenger 3 will now likely become wrapped up in the planned UK Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) which will look at the needs of the Armed Forces and help guide their future shape.

At Defence IQs International Armoured Vehicles 2020, British Army director capability, Major General Jez Bennett reaffirmed the commitment to the vehicle and outlined the scope of the current life extension programme.

Bennet said: The Challenger 2 programme aims to deliver an enhanced main battle tank, with greater lethality and survivability that will provide precision direct fire and intimate support to the infantry until well into the next decade.

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Streetfighter and the future of the Challenger 2 - Army Technology