Coffee and Provocation

Lost, But Found

A French sled dog who went missing during the 900-mile Iditarod sled dog race was found, thinner but alive, after three months.

An Ancient Plant That's Hard to Burn
The world's largest living plant is at least 4,500 years old, and very hard to set afire.  The reason:  it's a single seagrass that covers more than 77 square miles, just over three times the size of Manhattan.

Norway Walruses Bounce Back
A hunting ban has resulted in the return of a nearly extirpated Norwegian species.

Electric Bikes Are Important

Electric Vehicles are reducing global oil demand by 1.5 million barrels a day.  Of this amount. 2/3 of the savings is due to the rise of from electric bicycles and 3-wheeled vehicles.

Japan is Harnessing Ocean Power

Japan is testing giant turbines that generate electricity using deep ocean currents. The 330-ton rigs float while attached to the sea floor, hovering between 100 and 160 feet below the surface, while generating 100 kilowatts of steady electricity.

California is Harnessing Irrigation Canals 

California is about to test its first solar canals. Solar cells over irrigation canals will slow evaporation even as the system collects electrical power -- a win-win. Covering all 4,000 miles of California’s canals with solar panels would save enough water for 2 million people's residential needs while generating 13 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity.

London Investing in Mass Transit

London has just added a massive new subterranean railway to whisk fare-paying passengers across the city. The $25 billion new metro line is called the "Elizabeth Line" and is named after the queen.

Japan Is Reducing Demand

Deaths in Japan far outpaced births in 2021, resulting in a population decline of 628,205 people. Japan is clearly heading in the right direction; they also have one of the highest percentages of forest cover of any nation.

Ford's Electric Car Sales to Model Tesla's On-line Program

Ford wants to move to online-only sales for Electric Vehicles -- a savings for consumers and a potential profit point for the automaker.  Tesla already does this, resulting in what Ford estimates is a $2,000 per car savings for that company.

Bats Need Deserve More Credit
Bats eat enough insects to save the US over $3 billion a year in crop damage and pesticide costs.

Armed to the Teeth

The US is the only country in the world that has more civilian-owned guns than people -- 120.5 guns per 100 residents.

Tougher Than Coconuts

Hawaii has the lowest gun death rate in the country. Hawaii also requires permits with a mandatory 14 day waiting period, an age requirement of being 21 to buy a gun, and bans on assault weapons and magazines with more than 10 rounds.

Gun Violence Is Not About "Broken Families"

Unmarried moms are rarer in America than France, Sweden, New Zealand, the UK, or the Netherlands.

Cheaper Fruit and Less Imported Labor
Robots have been created that can pick raspberries -- one of the toughest fruits to pick or mechanize.