Lightning: The Origin of Life?

Daily Upsider on August 8, 2024

Scientists have long investigated the origins of life on Earth, with many theories pointing to asteroids or comets as sources of life’s building blocks. However, a team of chemists at Harvard University has uncovered evidence suggesting that cloud-to-ground lightning strikes might have played a role in generating these essential components.

In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Harvard team detailed an experiment designed to replicate early Earth conditions and observe the chemical reactions resulting from simulated lightning strikes. While previous theories focused on comets, asteroids, and cloud-to-cloud lightning as sources of these building blocks, the team found these explanations less convincing. For instance, space collisions became less frequent after Earth’s formation, and cloud-to-cloud lightning is less effective in producing useful materials.

The Harvard researchers propose a more plausible scenario involving cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. They recreated early Earth conditions in a lab and simulated lightning strikes across models of air, water, and land. They analyzed the products of these simulations, particularly focusing on substances that ended up in the water.

The results showed that carbon and nitrogen transformed into molecules potentially crucial for early life, such as carbon monoxide, formic acid, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonium. Adding minerals similar to those on early Earth, they repeated the simulations and found the formation of sulfide minerals, like those near volcanic eruptions, and increased ammonia production, which is essential for life.

Their findings suggest that cloud-to-ground lightning strikes might be a more likely source of life’s building blocks than comets, asteroids, or cloud-to-cloud lightning.

Floating “Wall of Wind Turbines’ Gets Approval

Daily Upsider on August 7, 2024

A Norwegian company is developing an innovative wind energy concept called the “Windcatcher,” an offshore floating facility. Instead of using a few giant turbines, the Windcatcher will comprise hundreds of small turbines packed together. This visionary project is spearheaded by Wind Catching Systems (WCS).

The Windcatcher has reached a significant milestone by receiving certification from DNV, a leading global classification agency. This certification confirms the technical feasibility of the design, allowing the project to advance to the next stage.

The Windcatcher concept involves a floating offshore wind farm that uses multiple small 1MW turbines instead of traditional large turbines. These innovative turbines can capture 2.5 times more energy per square meter of wind flow compared to standard three-blade turbine designs. The unique design, resembling a “floating wall of wind,” aims to double energy output.

The company plans for the Windcatcher to generate 40MW of power in the future. In the long term, WCS aims to add units with a capacity of up to 126 MW.

The Windcatcher is designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the open sea. It is a modular system that can be scaled up or down based on energy needs. Each unit connects to a central substation, which transmits the electricity to the grid.

This is a very interesting concept. One of the issues surrounding wind turbines is there tendency to kill large amounts of birds. Hopefully these are big enough for flocks of birds to recognize that they need to go around it.

New Drug Reduces Severe Shaking in Parkinson’s Patient

Daily Upsider on August 7, 2024

A 52-year-old man with Parkinson’s disease has experienced a significant transformation after starting a new drug treatment. Damian Gath was diagnosed ten years ago with a condition that causes involuntary shaking.

Gath, who was the head of operations at a communications firm, noticed symptoms when he began losing the use of his fingers and dropping objects. After seeing a neurologist, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a disease he had little knowledge of.

Gath tried every available oral medication to manage the disease’s effects, but each one brought severe side effects, including hallucinations, paranoia, depression, and anxiety.

In June, following the drug’s approval by England’s National Health System (NHS), Gath became one of the first patients in the country to receive Produodopa. This treatment, delivered through a small pump under the skin, provides a more gradual release of medication, offering better symptom management. Gath described the treatment as revolutionary.

A video shared by SWNS shows the remarkable change in Gath’s condition after just one week. He could make a cup of coffee with ease, a task that was previously challenging due to spastic upper body movements. Gath reported that he now experiences less pain and can sleep well at night, unlike before when his symptoms would return after his medication wore off.

Dr. Nishantha Silva from Sherwood Forest Hospital, where Gath was treated, stated that the successful use of Produodopa marks a new era in managing advanced Parkinson’s disease. The NHS plans to extend the therapy to other patients soon.

$100,000 Diamond Found in India

Daily Upsider on August 6, 2024

In central India, a family man named Raju Gond discovered a 19.22-carat diamond worth nearly $100,000, changing his life forever.

“Our lives have changed forever,” he told CNN after opening his first bank account, anticipating the proceeds from the diamond’s sale.

Raju, 40, and his brother Rakesh live in Madhya Pradesh and typically earn around $4 a day by digging for gold on government-leased land. When gold is scarce, they work in fields driving tractors to make ends meet.

This uncertain livelihood left Raju heavily in debt, trying to support his family and renew his prospecting lease. His fortunes turned when he discovered the diamond in a makeshift mineshaft, a moment he knew was significant as soon as he saw the gemstone’s shine.

Excited, Raju and Rakesh rushed home on their bike, traveling 7 miles to share the good news. They soon took the diamond to the Panna Diamond Office for evaluation.

The process involves paying around $9.50 for the rights to prospect gemstones. Any finds are evaluated and held by a government office until they reach a value threshold—in this case, $360,000 for diamonds. At that point, an official auction is held, with the government taking an 11.5% royalty and the remainder going to the discoverer.

The monsoon season had reduced their work opportunities, prompting Raju and Rakesh to switch from gold panning to diamond prospecting. With a large family to support, including in-laws and seven children, Raju needed a significant find.

“The first thing I’ll do is pay off the $6,000 debt. Then we’ll invest in our children’s education, build homes, buy land, and maybe a tractor,” Raju said. The following morning, the brothers were already back at the mine, eager to find more diamonds.

Spray-On Shoes

Daily Upsider on August 6, 2024

The Cloudboom Strike LS shoes are designed for speed and acceleration, offering a lightweight construction that could make the difference between winning and losing a gold medal. They feature a carbon fiber sole with no heel cap or toe spring, and their upper is made from LightSpray, a thermoplastic that sets in just three minutes. On’s co-CEO, Marc Maurer, sees LightSpray as a potential step towards a more sustainable and circular future.

Hellen Obiri, who joined On in January 2022 after leaving Nike, wore a prototype of the LightSpray shoe when she clinched her second Boston Marathon victory in April. The concept was inspired by Johannes Voelchert, who was influenced by a child’s Halloween glue gun toy used for spraying spider webs.

Australian middle-distance runner Olli Hoare and Irish 1,500-meter runner Luke McCann have previously worn the Cloudboom Strike, and On hopes they’ll choose these new shoes for their upcoming races.

Available to the public for $300, the Cloudboom shoes are not just for elite athletes. With spray-on dresses already seen on Milan runways and spray-on sneakers gaining popularity, it’s exciting to imagine what other products might soon be available in spray-on formats—perhaps even spray-on furniture?