Africa’s largest hydropower plant 🌍

The U.S. government is investigating Tesla for "phantom braking," and researchers develop self-healing materials from salt and gelatine Feb 21, 2022 [View in browser]( The ancient Egyptians believed the Nile River was a gift from the gods. But for me, it was also a source of childhood fascination — whenever I looked at my desk globe, I’d be awestruck by its length and picture myself on a cruise, sailing down Africa to witness the earliest and most mysterious works of engineering. The Nile was the lifeblood of the continent and remains so today. In fact, it now houses Africa’s largest hydropower plant, which will generate 5,150 megawatts of electricity per year when completed. This could drastically change the fate of the continent. But before we get to the Nile, we have the perfect video about a physics-defying shape called gömböc to get your gears oiled up and rolling. It’s mind-bending in all the right ways. Good morning. I’m Derya, an editor here at IE. This is The Blueprint. Grab your tools, it’s time to make it happen. [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Meet gömböc: a shape defying the laws of physics]( A homogenous shape with two equilibrium points. [Meet gömböc: a shape defying the laws of physics]( INNOVATION [Ethiopia's mega-dam will generate 5,000 MW of electricity along the Blue Nile]( [The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).]( Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous country, also has the second-largest electricity deficit on the continent. But that won’t be the case for long. Ethiopia's Prime Minister [has pressed the button to kick-start]( the country's mega-dam, a huge effort that'll hopefully revolutionize the nation's future — in addition to the larger region's. - The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) sits in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region on the Blue Nile. Once completed, it’ll be the continent's largest hydroelectric power plant, generating 5,150 megawatts (MW) of electricity. In progress. Only one of the dam’s impressive 13 turbines is currently in operation, with a capacity of 375 MW. The next turbine will come to life in a few months, and the dam will be fully completed by 2024. Even though it's not as big as [China's Yarlung Tsangpo Dam project]( with its 60-gigawatt capacity, GERD could transform the lives of many people in the region. [Read More]( SCIENCE [Researchers develop self-healing materials. From salt and gelatine?]( [Self-healing soft robotics holding a knife on the left and a cactus on the right.]( A team of University of Cambridge researchers [has produced low-cost]( salt and gelatine materials that can sense strain, temperature, and humidity through soft sensors and repair themselves at room temperature. - The researchers used printing sensors containing sodium chloride (yes, salt) instead of carbon ink which means the resulting materials are cheap and easy to make. They are also superior in strength and stability. There’s more. These new materials don't need to be heated to self-heal: They can also autonomously detect when they are damaged, proceed to temporarily heal themselves, and then resume their previous activities. Since the materials bond so well with a variety of different other materials, they can easily be incorporated within many types of robotics. The researchers are now investigating additional uses for the self-healing materials [like artificial skins and wearables](. [Read More]( TRANSPORTATION [The US government is investigating Tesla for "phantom braking"]( [A Tesla Model 3.]( Federal regulators [began a preliminary investigation]( into an issue that causes some Tesla vehicles to brake suddenly, in a phenomenon called "phantom braking.” - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says it received 354 reports from Tesla drivers who claim "unexpected brake activation" while using an advanced driver assistance system, which the company calls Autopilot. Whoopi Goldburn. The complaints stated that the vehicle unexpectedly engages its brakes while traveling at highway speeds on Autopilot. The problem affects 2021 and 2022 Model 3s and Model Ys, and the agency estimates there are 416,000 affected cars on U.S. roads. This isn't the first time regulators have turned their attention to Tesla's Autopilot feature. In April 2021, the NHTSA launched an investigation into the system after several Teslas crashed into parked emergency vehicles. The investigation, [which appears to be ongoing]( affects 750,000 vehicles. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS Tesla continues to lead the electric vehicle sector worldwide in terms of sales. With such problems, do you think other electric car manufacturers will gain the upper hand? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [No, this is normal for developing technology.]( [Yes, this bad reputation will only grow.]( [Tesla is faking it until it makes it. Other manufacturers don’t have a chance.]( [I’m looking at China. Whoever does it cheapest wins.]( Yesterday’s Results Bill Gates thinks vaccine development should be much faster in the "next" pandemic, so we asked whether a shorter production process might raise red flags. And, according to the majority, we better get used to it. It could, but everything gains speed with the developing technology. We better get used to it. 45% It shouldn’t. If there's a challenging pandemic ahead, we have no choice but to be faster. 28% Naturally, rushing can lead to worse consequences. 22% I'm really confused about this topic. 6% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it. ” Max Planck in 'A Scientific Autobiography’ AND ANOTHER THING... - [Can an entire planet think like we do]( In a way, this could mean climate change is linked to an "immature technosphere". - An unprecedented oil spill [has caught Peru off-guard](. Scientists are appalled at the environmental damage — and calling for the country to end its reliance on oil. (Nature) - An A.I. face study has revealed a shocking new tipping point for humans: [These A.I. faces are so realistic]( that we can't tell the difference. - Your body knows you’re burned out: Recognize [the physical symptoms of work-related stress]( — and learn what to do about them. (The New York Times $) - Global warming is leading to a rise in the Earth's average temperatures with dramatic effects on the climate and ecosystems. [Here’s why you should care](. - So, where did Elon Musk’s $5.7-billion gift go? [There are some speculations](. (Forbes) - What is the Martian sky like? [We now have an answer]( thanks to NASA's Mars rover. [Share to Win]SHARE TO WIN [All products]( Share The Blueprint! Give your friends deeper insights into engineering and tech, and win exclusive IE swag for free. [Read Details]( Share your link Copy & share your referral link with others. [ [Referral Program Terms and Conditions]( Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? 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