Cryptocurrency Magnate’s Plan to Turn 67,000 Acres into Blockchain-Based ‘Smart City’

“A cryptocurrency company that owns 67,000 acres in rural northern Nevada wants state government to grant technology companies power to form local governments on land they own,” reports the Associated Press. Jeffrey Berns, CEO of Nevada-based Blockchains LLC, ultimately envisions “a city where people not only purchase goods and services with digital currency but also log their entire online footprint —…

Nevada Department of Education Has No Direct Say In Who Gets Tesla’s $37.5 Million K-12 Donation

theodp writes: The Nevada Legislature in 2014 approved a $1.3 billion tax break — the largest tax break in the history of the state — to woo Tesla into locating its battery factory in Northern NV. In return, Tesla made a $37.5 million pledge to support K-12 education ($7.5M annually, for 5 years, beginning in 2018). Lawmakers are now expressing surprise…

How will the U.S. space program fare under Joe Biden?

Joe Biden is the United States presidential election winner, but his plans for NASA remain unclear. And while citizens digest the election results, the space industry is left wondering what comes next. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/how-will-the-u-s-space-program-fare-under-joe-biden…

What are your chances of a white Christmas this year?

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Here’s a map depicting which places in the US have the best chance of being snowy on Christmas Day 2020. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/chances-of-white-christmas-us-2020…

Electoral College Certifies Biden’s Victory, As Trump Still Refuses To Concede

The Electoral College gave Joe Biden a majority of its votes Monday, confirming his victory in last month’s election in state-by-state voting that took on added importance this year because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede he lost. The Associated Press reports: California’s 55 electoral votes put Biden over the top, clearing the 270-vote mark that affirmed he will be…

Ranchers fight US government to corral the last wild horses of Nevada

The US government keeps wild horse populations in check with costly round-ups that use helicopters to frighten the animals into a pen, but some ranchers are now trying fertility darts Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2262698-ranchers-fight-us-government-to-corral-the-last-wild-horses-of-nevada/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…

What’s the birthstone for December?

If you were born December, you’ve got 2 birthstones, turquoise and zircon. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/december-birthstone-zircon-turquoise…

Chuck Yeager, Test Pilot Who Broke the Sound Barrier, Dies At 97

jowifi shares a report from NPR: One of the world’s most famous aviators has died: Chuck Yeager — best known as the first to break the sound barrier — has died at the age of 97. Yeager started from humble beginnings in Myra, W.Va., and many people didn’t really learn about him until decades after he broke the sound barrier –…

Tesla Whistleblower Martin Tripp Ordered To Pay $400,000 To Settle Hacking Case

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: Martin Tripp, the former Tesla worker who has been embroiled in a bitter legal battle with CEO Elon Musk for over two years, was ordered to pay his former employer $400,000 after admitting to leaking confidential information to a reporter. The settlement is intended to bring an end to one of the…

Several US Utilities Back Out of Deal To Build Novel Nuclear Power Plant

Eight of the 36 public utilities that had signed on to help build an innovative new nuclear power plant in the U.S. have backed out of the deal. Science Magazine reports: The withdrawals come just months after the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS), which intends to buy the plant containing 12 small modular reactors from NuScale Power, announced that completion…