Month: November 2022

Enlarge (credit: Viorika | iStock / Getty Images Plus)

As blockchain technologies have evolved to enable ever-faster digital payments, the need for speed continues to drive both technological innovation and mainstream adoption of new digital assets. The sector is building a lot of momentum for obvious reasons—businesses have always wanted the ability to move money around faster, and individual consumers have become annoyed with waiting around for refunds. For many consumers and businesses experimenting with new digital assets, fast access to money has never felt more within reach.

This interest is not expected to cool, as younger generations become digital currency natives who only know of a world with digital wallets. But even for them, that future could remain out of reach because innovation in digital payments is slow. And that's not because we don't have the technology. According to many leading experts discussing fintech innovation at the Las Vegas conference Money 20/20 last month, the problem is that regulators have yet to set clear standards on what is and isn't allowed.

In the United States, the lack of regulatory clarity threatens to slow down not just mainstream adoption of new technologies but also innovation in digital payment options, potentially cutting off consumers and businesses nationwide from sought-after conveniences, simply because regulators can’t keep up with how digital assets are being used today.

Enlarge (credit: Viorika | iStock / Getty Images Plus)

As blockchain technologies have evolved to enable ever-faster digital payments, the need for speed continues to drive both technological innovation and mainstream adoption of new digital assets. The sector is building a lot of momentum for obvious reasons—businesses have always wanted the ability to move money around faster, and individual consumers have become annoyed with waiting around for refunds. For many consumers and businesses experimenting with new digital assets, fast access to money has never felt more within reach.

This interest is not expected to cool, as younger generations become digital currency natives who only know of a world with digital wallets. But even for them, that future could remain out of reach because innovation in digital payments is slow. And that's not because we don't have the technology. According to many leading experts discussing fintech innovation at the Las Vegas conference Money 20/20 last month, the problem is that regulators have yet to set clear standards on what is and isn't allowed.

In the United States, the lack of regulatory clarity threatens to slow down not just mainstream adoption of new technologies but also innovation in digital payment options, potentially cutting off consumers and businesses nationwide from sought-after conveniences, simply because regulators can’t keep up with how digital assets are being used today.

Enlarge / NASA's Space Launch System will make a nighttime launch on its current timeline. (credit: Trevor Mahlmann)

As subtropical storm Nicole moved across the Atlantic Ocean toward Florida on Monday afternoon, NASA confirmed that its Artemis I mission would remain at the launch pad along the state's east coast.

"Based on current forecast data, managers have determined the Space Launch System rocket and Orion will remain at Launch Pad 39B," the agency said.

The risks to these large and costly vehicles are non-zero, however, and appear to be rising as Nicole starts to strengthen. The space agency's primary concern from tropical systems is winds. Much of the rocket's structure is pretty robust, such as its tank-like solid rocket boosters. But there are sensitive elements prone to damage from debris and wearing effects due to high winds inside a tropical system.

Enlarge / NASA's Space Launch System will make a nighttime launch on its current timeline. (credit: Trevor Mahlmann)

As subtropical storm Nicole moved across the Atlantic Ocean toward Florida on Monday afternoon, NASA confirmed that its Artemis I mission would remain at the launch pad along the state's east coast.

"Based on current forecast data, managers have determined the Space Launch System rocket and Orion will remain at Launch Pad 39B," the agency said.

The risks to these large and costly vehicles are non-zero, however, and appear to be rising as Nicole starts to strengthen. The space agency's primary concern from tropical systems is winds. Much of the rocket's structure is pretty robust, such as its tank-like solid rocket boosters. But there are sensitive elements prone to damage from debris and wearing effects due to high winds inside a tropical system.

Enlarge (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

FRANCIACORTA, ITALY—Last night, Porsche unveiled its latest racing car at its Italian Porsche Experience Center, midway between Milan and Verona. The 99X is the marque's new Formula E car, as Porsche becomes the first of that series' competitors to show off its Gen3 machinery before the start of season nine. That gets underway in Mexico City in mid-January, and good news: Fanboost is definitely a thing of the past.

As the "Gen3" name suggests, it's the third race car design to compete in Formula E, and we've come a long way from the original Spark SRT_01E, which only had enough battery capacity to complete half a race. The new car isn't quite as light as we thought, but at 1,874 lbs (850 kg) it's still a chunk lighter than the Gen2 car, and 220 lbs (100 kg) of that was from the battery.

The new car can regeneratively brake its front wheels now, but only the rear electric motor can deploy power as well as recuperate it. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

"Overall, the new car is smaller, is shorter, shorter track width, more agile, it's lighter, more powerful. Compared to Gen2 where we had recuperation of maximum 250 kW (335 hp), we now have 600 kW (805 hp), which is more than double," said Florian Modlinger, head of Porsche's Formula E program.

Enlarge (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

FRANCIACORTA, ITALY—Last night, Porsche unveiled its latest racing car at its Italian Porsche Experience Center, midway between Milan and Verona. The 99X is the marque's new Formula E car, as Porsche becomes the first of that series' competitors to show off its Gen3 machinery before the start of season nine. That gets underway in Mexico City in mid-January, and good news: Fanboost is definitely a thing of the past.

As the "Gen3" name suggests, it's the third race car design to compete in Formula E, and we've come a long way from the original Spark SRT_01E, which only had enough battery capacity to complete half a race. The new car isn't quite as light as we thought, but at 1,874 lbs (850 kg) it's still a chunk lighter than the Gen2 car, and 220 lbs (100 kg) of that was from the battery.

The new car can regeneratively brake its front wheels now, but only the rear electric motor can deploy power as well as recuperate it. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

"Overall, the new car is smaller, is shorter, shorter track width, more agile, it's lighter, more powerful. Compared to Gen2 where we had recuperation of maximum 250 kW (335 hp), we now have 600 kW (805 hp), which is more than double," said Florian Modlinger, head of Porsche's Formula E program.