The Truth About Fossil Fuels

Daily Upsider on January 22, 2024

Were you taught in school that fossil fuels come from dinosaurs bones? Or maybe you just have that impression from the very name “fossil fuels”.

The origin of the word actually does not refer to what we generally think of as fossils. According to Oxford Dictionary, the word “fossil” means, “[o]btained by digging; found buried in the earth” and the use in the word “fossil fuels” predates our more common usage in reference to fossilized bones.

Fossil fuels are actually from things like algae, bacteria, and phytoplankton, not from dinosaur bones.

I remember watching a neat video on the subject early last year and seeing an interesting comment saying that because of how they say it in his native language, he had never even considered that some people would draw a connection to dinosaur fossils. He was from somewhere in Europe if I remember correctly.

There is also an internet factoid (definition 1) floating around that claims John D. Rockefeller came up with the term “fossil fuel” to trick people into thinking it was a scarce resource to drive up the price. From what I could find, this seems to be entirely made up.

Honda Unveils Future-Forward EV Lineup

Daily Upsider on January 22, 2024

At the CES tech conference, Honda presented two concept cars, the “Space-Hub” and “Saloon,” providing a sneak peek into their forthcoming electric vehicle (EV) lineup set to launch in North America by 2026.

The inaugural model in the new “Honda 0 Series” EV range will draw inspiration from these concepts, aligning with Honda’s commitment to the principles of being “Thin, light, and wise.” Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe emphasized the goal of creating value and advancing mobility experiences.

The initial model, based on the Saloon concept, is slated for release in North America, followed by rollouts in other regions. The Saloon features a futuristic design with neon lighting, a redesigned Honda “H,” and a minimalistic digital cockpit. Entry is facilitated by a falcon wing door opening from the roof.

The Space-Hub, a larger minivan/shuttle variant, shares design elements with the Saloon. Both concepts suggest a focus on autonomous driving, indicated by retractable steering yokes.

Honda’s 0 Series will debut with an advanced driver-assistive system, followed by a subsequent automated driving (AD) system. Developed under the “human-centric” safety concept, the AD system incorporates advanced AI, sensing, recognition, and driver monitoring technologies for more natural and precise risk predictions during autonomous driving.

While specific specifications are undisclosed, Honda projected fast-charging capabilities for the 0 Series models in the late 2020s. The EVs aim to charge from 15% to 80% battery capacity in approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

The 50-Star American Flag’s Humble Origins

Daily Upsider on January 22, 2024

In 1958, amidst the 48-state America, Bob Heft, a high schooler inspired by Betsy Ross, took on a class project to redesign the U.S. flag in anticipation of Alaska and Hawaii joining the Union. Despite his meticulous layout of 50 stars, his teacher dismissed it with a B minus, claiming Heft was clueless about the current number of states.

Undeterred, Heft saw an opportunity. Determined to prove the worth of his design, he embarked on a two-year journey, lobbying Washington and even enlisting the support of his state representative. His persistence paid off when President Eisenhower selected his 50-star flag out of a thousand submissions. On July 4th, 1960, Heft witnessed his school project transform into the official American flag at the White House. In 2007, it became the longest-running U.S. flag, and yes, his grade was finally upgraded to an A.

Not one to rest, Heft looked ahead and crafted a 51-star design, just in case Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico attained statehood. Though he passed away in 2009, his legacy remains. So if D.C. or Puerto Rico becomes a state, Heft’s foresight might yet again reshape the stars and stripes!

British Schoolgirl Sends Time Capsule to Moon!

Daily Upsider on January 21, 2024

Elizabeth Norman, a 10-year-old space enthusiast from Leicester, England, secured a spot on the recent US commercial lunar launch by catching the attention of United Launch Alliance (ULA) with her backyard rocket launch. The Vulcan Centaur rocket, carrying the Peregrine lunar lander, successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, with Elizabeth and her family watching the live countdown.

The primary payload of the mission is the Peregrine lunar lander, developed by Astrobotic. Elizabeth’s contribution, part of the first-ever lunar time capsule, includes a sticker with ‘Astro Liz,’ her blog and social media pages’ name, and a message for her brother. However, an unexpected post-launch challenge may affect the lander’s ability to land on the moon, and the team is investigating.

Elizabeth’s passion for space ignited after watching NASA’s Perseverance Rover’s flight to Mars in July 2020. She immersed herself in space knowledge, started a science-themed YouTube channel, and created a model of the ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, impressing ULA’s CEO Tory Bruno. His admiration led to Elizabeth becoming part of the real lunar launch.

The Norman family expresses gratitude to Astrobotic for making Elizabeth’s space dream a reality, seeing it as an opportunity to inspire other young individuals to pursue space exploration. Elizabeth, known as Astro Liz, celebrates the mission’s success and expresses her support for Peregrine from her hometown.

Teen’s Makes $34K a Month!

Daily Upsider on January 21, 2024

At 12, Bella Lin faced a problem: her guinea pigs kept disappearing in her parents’ backyard. Unhappy with traditional cages, she started drawing prototypes to create a better enclosure. When Lin was a senior in high school, she invested using $2,000 from her savings, she launched GuineaLoft on Amazon in November 2022. GuineaLoft took off, selling nearly 11,000 cages and generating over $410,000 in 2023 — an impressive average of $34,000 per month.

After taking a break from GuineaLoft for a while, Lin is back at it. Now juggling academics, extracurriculars, and college applications, Lin spends about 20 hours weekly on GuineaLoft. Her dad’s connection to a Chinese factory helped bring her prototypes to life refining designs, opting for acrylic instead of glass and biodegradable bottoms. Lin manages a six-person team in China, handling product design, pricing, marketing, and overall strategy.

GuinneaLoft gained attention and earning Lin $10,000 in investment funds from BizWorld. The businesses impressive 25% profit margins are all currently reinvested back into the company for growth. Lin has also managed to find a lot of satisfaction from the endeavor. “Witnessing the tangible effects of [GuineaLoft cages] through customer reviews and emails is empowering,” says Lin. “As someone who once placed great emphasis on academic validation, the success … of [my side hustle] has boosted my confidence in navigating life beyond high school.”