Food production accounts for 26%[1] of global greenhouse gas emissions, profoundly impacting our climate. Alarmingly, if current food consumption patterns persist, we could see nearly 1°C of additional global warming by 2100[2]. This environmental impact is predominantly driven by meat production. For instance, 1 kilogram (or about four pieces) of steak has a climate footprint ...
Marine Geoengineering: Potential and Challenges in Combating Climate Change
Climate change is a pressing issue that needs no further introduction. It is now evident that achieving the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement will require not only significant reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions but also active removal of carbon from the atmosphere. Because they absorb about 20% of global CO2 emissions annually, the world’s oceans attract ...
Home is where the heart is
‘Home is where the heart is’ sung Elvis Presley in the early sixties. What did not change in that roughly 50-year time frame, is that buying a home still remains the most expensive outlay for nearly all people in their entire life. What is different today is that buying a home has never been so difficult in the sense that affordability of homes in the US is at record lows! Com ...
The Quest for Longevity: Lifestyle Trumps Genes
The age-old question of longevity—how long we live—is increasingly shifting from one of fate to one of choice. While genes play a role, mounting evidence suggests lifestyle is the dominant factor. This shift has profound implications for healthcare, public policy, and the burgeoning "longevity" industry. The quest to unlock the secrets of aging and extend human lifespan faces ...
AI projected to consume 3.5% of global electricity by 2030
Artificial intelligence has become more and more a staple in our everyday lives. With the introduction of ChatGPT, the wonders of AI were introduced to the masses. Whether it is your trusted partner at work to boost efficiency or a personal chef that tells you what to cook with those leftover ingredients in the fridge, AI is there for you to solve the problem. The societal impa ...
Embracing the Green Industrial Revolution
The transition towards a greener, more sustainable future is no longer a distant dream — it is an industrial revolution unfolding before our very eyes. At the heart of this seismic shift lies the meteoric rise of clean tech manufacturing, a sector igniting economic growth while propelling us towards an environmentally friendly tomorrow. This presents abundant investment opportu ...
Belgium Tops Europe in Power-to-Gas Price Ratio: A Call for Reform
Our built environment, which includes all human-made structures and spaces like buildings, infrastructure, utilities, and public areas, is responsible for approximately 18% of the total emissions in our country, making our building stock a significant source of CO2 emissions. In a European context, Belgium has one of the highest per capita emissions for residential buildings. I ...
Is Double-Digit Day Nearing for Li-ion Batteries?
In the field of transistor technology, Moore's law has long influenced expectations. It suggests that the number of transistors that can fit on a microchip doubles approximately every two years, leading to rapid improvements in performance and cost efficiency. This principle demonstrates how technological progress can accelerate when demand for a product increases. While Moore' ...
Gold through the ages: its economic and historical significance
Tracing gold's impact: from ancient empires to modern economies If you were to chart the price of gold across a timeline spanning hundreds or even thousands of years, you would be able to identify many key events in world history. For instance, around 550 BC, Croesus minted the first gold coins, earning a reputation immortalized by the phrase "as rich as Croesus." The conquest ...
EBITDA, or the delicate metric of bull**** earnings
Language and impact in finance EBITDA stands for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Amortization involves spreading the cost of an intangible asset (e.g. patents or brand names) over its useful life. Depreciation refers to the process of expensing a tangible fixed asset(e.g. machines or buildings) over time to reflect its anticipated wear and tear ...