- xAI bypassed the grid to power data centers in 2024, when the company built data centers in Memphis to house its Colossus and Colossus 2 supercomputers. The facilities are powered by a private collection of dozens of temporary, mobile gas turbines despite a ruling by the Environmental Protection Agency that they were being used illegally.
- Meta, in addition to building private power stations in the short term, is pursuing a long-term strategy to build nuclear power plants, which are scheduled to come online in the early 2030s. The company committed to help build new reactors and to purchase electricity from older reactors. These deals are expected to supply more than 6 gigawatts.
- Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft have entered into smaller agreements to obtain nuclear energy. Alphabet is working to reopen a disused nuclear plant in Iowa, Amazon invested in the reactor developer X-Energy, and Microsoft agreed to buy 10.5 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity between 2026 and 2030 for an estimated $17 billion.
Common Sense
In honor of Thomas Paine and other Founders & Immigrants. In memory of my daddy Horst Bingel and my mom Irma Bingel
Friday, March 13, 2026
AI Data Centers Go Off the Grid
IPCC's Earth Energy Imbalance Assessment is Based on Physically Invalid Argo-Float-Based Estimates of Global Ocean Heat Content
Watching a lifetime of a small vertebrate reveals the process of aging
- Stanford researchers studied African killifish to explore links between behavior and aging, revealing varied aging paths in similar environments.
- Findings show early behavioral differences, like sleep patterns, can predict lifespan potential in individuals, suggesting insights for human aging.
- The study’s implications extend to developing interventions for healthier aging, leveraging technology to track behavioral changes in real-time.
The behaviors of long-lived animals differed markedly from those of short-lived animals, even relatively early in life, and were linked to organ-specific transcriptomic shifts.
Tree tops sparkle with electricity during thunderstorms
Disclaimer
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.
No evidence ADHD is being over-diagnosed in the UK, say experts. Really!
Thursday, March 12, 2026
With declining diversity, the U.S. theatrical film industry faces an uncertain future. Really!
- The UCLA team’s latest release on theatrical film finds the industry missing opportunities to support diverse filmmakers and bring audiences back to the theater as Hollywood loses footing to foreign productions.
- Horror, the most common genre last year and a favorite of Black and Latino audiences, had the highest median return on investment, and demonstrates a potential place for profit growth.
- Representation for women onscreen and behind the camera showed volatility, as female employment metrics hit a downward trend after last year’s highs, falling to 2022 and even 2018 levels.
Scientists identify regenerative checkpoint that limits muscle repair
Jailed Dictator Nicolás Maduro Spends Nights in Brooklyn Prison Yelling 'I Am the President!'
Unusual tumor cells may be overlooked factors in advanced breast cancer
High resolution mouse study shows a gut microbe can promote memory loss
Price tag for Epic Fury (war on Iran) tops $11 billion in first six days, Pentagon tells Congress
Ukrainian advisors to teach German army how to win a modern war by 2029
Bilder aus der Bananenrepublik D
Ohne Worte!
"Ein Bild mit Symbolkraft: Das AfD-Bürgerbüro in Ludwigshafen ist mit PKK-Schriftzügen beschmiert."
Strom aus dem Fluss: Erstes Schwarmkraftwerk startet am Rhein
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Iranian attacks U.S. data centers in two Gulf states, a first in war
Bad news!
"Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched coordinated drone attacks on Amazon Web Services data centers across the UAE and Bahrain early Sunday morning, striking what appears to be the first deliberate military targeting of commercial datacenter infrastructure. An Iranian Shahed 136 drone hit an AWS facility in the UAE, triggering a devastating fire and power shutdown; follow-up strikes hit additional datacenters. The attacks disrupted services for millions of residents—payment apps, food delivery, and banking systems failed across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, although the military impact remains unclear. Iranian state media claimed the strikes targeted facilities supporting US military and intelligence operations. ..."
Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.
Friedrich Merz verweigert jede Reform der Energiepolitik. Er muss gehen von Roland Tichy
Ukraine is slashing its reliance on Chinese components in drone production
How much are other, Western countries dependent on Chinese components for drones?
"Ukraine is slashing its reliance on Chinese components in drone production, boosting domestic manufacturing as drones dominate the battlefield. Ukrainian-made drones now account for more than 90% of Russian battlefield losses, with Chinese parts dropping to just 38% of components, down from near-total dependence in 2022." (Kyiv Post)
Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.
U.N. Secretary-General Guterres again to Fast with Muslims in Strict Ramadan Observance in Turkey
Chart of the day
What stunning turnaround since about 2005! Drill, baby drill (or renewed domestic production)! Note, the chart show net imports (exports - imports)!
Thanks to President Trump's two terms the trend continues!
US Defense Department eyes cheap commercial satellites that can spy on other satellites
Damalige Verteidigungsministerin von der Leyen (CDU) liess 25 Kitas auf Kasernengeländen bauen
Nutrition policy scholar Nestle to speak on food and politics
Trump announces first US oil refinery in 50 years to open in Texas with investment from an Indian company, a $300 billion project
Good news!
"Key Points
Trump announced a $300 billion refinery project backed by Reliance Industries.
The plant was planned for Brownsville, Texas, processing U.S. shale oil.
Trump said it would be the first new U.S. refinery in 50 years. ...
The refinery will process 1.2 billion barrels of U.S. light shale oil, valued at $125 billion, and produce 50 billion gallons of refined products worth $175 billion. ..."
Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.
International Energy Agency announces release of crude oil from global strategic reserves
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Google Scholar Annoyances
Update: As of late afternoon 2026-03-11, I can not even use Chrome browser incognito window anymore to avoid being blocked! Grrrr! The Mozilla browser did not help either!
This really stinks! Since about yesterday I have been locked out of Google Scholar. I have tried many times since yesterday, but it will always show this! Unfortunately, I am a heavy user of Google Scholar!!!
Unfortunately, the usual test to show I am not robot does not pop up!
Plus, I am a paying customer of Google, I have a subscription for my Google account. I was logged into the Browser with my main Google email address! How stupid is Google????
P.S. Yesterday, I was able to get around this annoyance by using a Chrome browser incognito window.
Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China. My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.
The timing of rewards plays a key role in learning, identifying a new biological principle governing learning
Google rolls out new Gemini capabilities to Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive
Uzbekistan's Uzum valuation leaps over 50% in 7 months to $2.3B
YouTube surpasses Disney, Paramount, WBD in 2025 ad revenue
Good news! YouTube is now among the largest media companies by revenue!
"... YouTube pulled in $40.4 billion in ad revenue last year, which is more than Disney, NBC, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery combined. ...
Last month, parent company Alphabet reported that YouTube’s total revenue in 2025 soared to $60 billion. A big portion of YouTube’s revenue now comes from subscriptions, which include services like YouTube TV, YouTube Premium, YouTube Music, and NFL Sunday Ticket. (For context, that’s well above Netflix’s reported $45.2 billion for the full year.) ..."
YouTube surpasses Disney, Paramount, WBD in 2025 ad revenue
Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.
Is Russia perhaps one of the biggest winners of the war against Iran?
Quite possible! Putin the Terrible may want to thank President Trump for that!
Russian oil is in higher demand again and sanctions are ignored!
US support and arms exports to Ukraine may suffer!
However, the war on Iran will most likely be short. Hopefully, the people of Iran will finally get rid of the theocratic dictatorship to form a better government and Peace in the Middle East will become a reality!
Disclaimer
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China. My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.
What’s the science behind acupuncture?
EU Von der Leyen nennt Atom-Ausstieg strategischen Fehler. Wirklich!
Monday, March 09, 2026
US & Israel continue to strike Law Enforcement Command centers in Iran
Good news! Yesterday, it was reported that paramilitary units (associated with suppressing unrest) in Iran were attacked.
What are the Iranian people waiting for? I have not seen any recent reports that the Iranian people are staging any insurrection/revolution to topple the theocracy/dictatorship (Caveat: Behind the Great Firewall of China my access to current news is limited).
"The combined force also continued to strike Law Enforcement Command (LEC) institutions in central and western Iran. The IDF confirmed on March 9 that it struck the Esfahan City LEC Headquarters. The combined force previously struck the Esfahan Province LEC Headquarters." (Iran Update Morning Special Report, March 9, 2026)
FDP – Aus und vorbei!
Trump's sons want to buy Ukrainian drone companies via a publicly traded golf-course holding company
Amazing stuff! Anything goes! The drone rush is on! :-)
"Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are backing a new drone company that’s vying to meet Pentagon demand and fill a hole left by the administration’s ban on new Chinese drones in the U.S.
Powerus is merging with a publicly traded golf-course holding company backed by the Trumps, drone-company executives said. The reverse merger will result in Powerus trading on the Nasdaq in the coming months. The company’s co-founder said it’s working on deals to acquire Ukrainian drone companies or license their technology and build and white-label it in the U.S. He declined to share details." (Source)
Anthropic sued the Trump administration for designating it a security threat. Really!
Is this a frivolous lawsuit by Anthropic? Quite possibly!
It is probably well within the discretion and authority of the US President to designate a US company as such a threat.
".. The DOD and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are among the defendants. “President Trump will never allow a radical-left, woke company to jeopardize our national security by dictating how the greatest and most powerful military in the world operates,” the White House said. ..." (Source)
Ukraine will send drone specialists to the Middle East
Good news!
"But President Zelensky said Ukraine will send drone specialists to the Middle East this week as Kyiv seeks to trade its expertise in countering Iranian-designed drones for additional US-made air defense missiles."
Kyiv to Deploy Drone Specialists to Middle East as Zelensky Floats Missile Trade "Kyiv to Deploy Drone Specialists to Middle East as Zelensky Floats Missile Trade"
Sunday, March 08, 2026
Croatia is officially free of landmines
Good news! Unexploded landmines and ordnance are horrible reminders long after a war has ended. How many children have been maimed in the past?
"Croatia is officially free of landmines set during its 1990s war of independence."
New gene-sequencing system can read an entire human genome for about $100.
Good news!
"A San Diego biotech startup claims its new gene-sequencing system can read an entire human genome for about $100."
Aurora Innovation, a self-driving truck company, has expanded its network to 10 routes in Texas and Arizona
Good news!
"Aurora Innovation, a self-driving truck company, has expanded its network to 10 routes, including a 1,000-mile circuit between Fort Worth, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. On such long routes, the company says its trucks can cut transit times in half by avoiding regulations that limit the number of hours a human trucker can drive continuously."
Remote work by couples may help boost fertility
Closeness makes a difference! Just one touch away! :-)
Governments of so many countries around the world are struggling to get the birth rate up of their population to counteract e.g. aging populations. How about tax incentives for couples to work from home and their employers? :-)
"A new working paper suggests that remote work may help boost fertility. Using survey data from 38 high- and middle-income countries, the researchers found that couples who work from home at least one day a week have about 0.32 more children on average than those who don’t."
Amygdala volume linked to increased social tolerance in macaques
Saturday, March 07, 2026
Blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China
Since I arrived in China on 2/26/2026, I have only a very spotty Internet access. Some webpages are not rendered properly in the Chrome browser etc.
Thus, I have a hard time to write my usual blog posts. A lot of my sources etc. are censored and not accessible.
My sincere apologies!