The world's first solar electric car

Plus: Megatsunami on Mars linked to an asteroid strike 3.4 billion years ago. Dec 03, 2022 [Blueprint]( For quite some time, people have been using solar energy in numerous ways, ranging from large solar panels on the roofs of houses to small solar panels on the top of outdoor garden lights. Although different car companies have started creating electric vehicles, creating a solar-powered electric vehicle was still a novel concept. Until now. [The Dutch company Lightyear]( has created the world’s first solar-powered electric vehicle. The automobile features solar panels, and uses both solar charging and a charging cable for electric power. The solar-electric car has now entered the production phase, becoming available to those who might be interested. However, everyone who wants a solar electric vehicle may not be able to get one just yet. The company is currently producing one car a week in its preliminary stages. Before checking out this amazing new electric vehicle that can generate power directly from sunlight, [take a look at this video]( to see what happens when an engineer drops an egg from outer space. Watch for yourself to see if the egg cracks or not. Good morning. I’m Brittney, an Editor at IE. Welcome to today’s issue of The Blueprint. Let’s get started. Last Saturday, Blueprint subscribers read about solar sailing technology and the Planetary Society's collaboration with NASA for the agency's first solar sail mission launch. This week, premium subscribers hear from a [wreck diver who found part of the Space Shuttle Challenger](. Don't miss out — [subscribe to IE+ today]( to receive exclusive interviews, features, and much more. [Play]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Watch: Former NASA engineer drops an egg from space.]( [Mark Rober built a special device with a parachute to land the egg safely on Earth.]( Mark Rober built a special device with a parachute to land the egg safely on Earth. [Must Read]MUST READ [The world's first solar electric car Lightyear 0 now enters production.]( [The facility will produce one car a week, to begin with.]( The Dutch company [Lightyear started the production phase on the world's first solar-powered electric vehicle](. The company spent the last six years developing technologies to make innovative solar electric vehicles. Its first model is called Lightyear 0. As the world moves toward electric modes of transportation, there have been new challenges. Unlike combustion engine-powered vehicles that can be refueled virtually anywhere and in no time, electric vehicles require dedicated charging infrastructure and time to charge the batteries. → Combined with the solar charging available through double curved panels, the Lightyear 0 can reach up to 432 miles (695 km). Advances in battery technology have reduced charging times over the past few years. Lightyear founder and CEO Lex Hoefsloot, believes the rapid transition to EVs will result in a large number of vehicles seeking access to charging infrastructure, which won't scale up in sync with the increased demand. However, solar-powered Lightyear cars won't be dependent on the infrastructure. Lightyear has teamed up with Finland-based Valmet Automotive for its production requirements, a manufacturer that has collaborated with Mercedes Benz, Porsche, and Saab. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [SCIENCE]SCIENCE [The event is likened to the Chicxulub collision on Earth.]( [The event is likened to the Chicxulub collision on Earth.]( michalz86/iStock [Megatsunami on Mars linked to an asteroid strike 3.4 billion years ago.]( A study has found that[the megatsunami that swept Mars around 3.4 billion years ago was caused by an asteroid strike]( on one of its oceans. The event is compared to the likes of the Chicxulub collision—which is believed to have wiped out dinosaurs from the face of the earth about 66 million years ago. Researchers, led by Alexis Rodriguez of the Planetary Science Institute in Arizona, have also suggested that Nasa's Viking 1 Lander, which was deployed on a mission to find evidence of life on Mars in 1976, could have landed near the crater of this megatsunami. “Our investigation provides a new solution – that a megatsunami washed ashore, emplacing sediments on which, about 3.4 billion years later, the Viking 1 lander touched down,” Rodriguez said. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [INNOVATION]INNOVATION [The experiments were done to prove the effectiveness of 70mm rockets.]( [The experiments were done to prove the effectiveness of 70mm rockets.]( BAE Systems [BAE Systems' new drone-hunting missiles can take down unmanned aerial systems.]( AE Systems has tested its [latest drone hunting missiles machine]( by conducting ground-to-air test firings, according to a press release by the company published on Tuesday. The experiments were done to prove the effectiveness of 70mm rockets guided by APKWS guidance kits against Class-2 unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that weigh roughly 25-50 pounds and can travel at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The demonstration was done in Southern Arizona and saw five APKWS-guided counter-UAS rockets fired from a containerized weapon system. They managed to destroy all targets, including fast-moving drones. The test results further demonstrate APKWS guidance kits' ability to enable low-cost, precision strikes against airborne threats. "Militarized drones are becoming more prevalent in conflicts around the world, and we're giving our customers an efficient way to counter them without wasting expensive missiles," said Greg Procopio, director of Precision Guidance and Sensing Solutions at BAE Systems. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [CULTURE]CULTURE [Researchers use infrared technology on ancient Egyptian mummies to detect tattoos invisible to the naked eye.]( [Researchers use infrared technology on ancient Egyptian mummies to detect tattoos invisible to the naked eye.]( Anne Austin/University of Missouri-St. Louis, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (2022) [Technology reveals the secrets of ancient Egyptian tattoos]( A new study has identified tattoos on two mummies found in tombs in Egypt. Examining the mummified skin, the researchers came across the first tattoo on the lower back, which appeared to show a bowl, a purification ritual, and the Egyptian god Bes. This god was known for protecting women and children, with a particular focus on childbirth. Because the second mummy was still wrapped, researchers analyzed it via infrared photography. It’s worth noting that archaeologists do not unwrap mummies at this point in time. The mummy turned out to be of a middle-aged woman and featured a different tattoo — a wedjat, or eye of Horus, and again an image of the god Bes, but now with a crown of feathers. They propose that the two tattoos were essentially a request by the wearer for protection during childbirth. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [MAIL & MUSINGS]MAIL & MUSINGS The world's first solar electric car. Do you think using solar electric cars are the future of electric vehicles (EVs)? [Yes, it would be great to have cars eventually fully powered by sunlight]( [No, it’s a long way off, and electric cars are innovative enough]( [I’m not sure, but it could be the future of EV cars]( [Maybe, we’ll have to wait and see]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Yesterday we asked if learning more about previous mast extinctions would help prevent future ones. A majority of you (41 percent) said maybe while 21% said you wanted to prevent this current one. 51% Nope. Twitter is not that important 28% I don't have an iPhone already 15% Definitely 6% I'm not sure about that [THINGS WE LOVE]THINGS WE LOVE [image]( [Mortillo Patio Heater]( [image]( [IKTCH Under Cabinet Range Hood]( [image]( [Twin Star Electric Fireplace TV Stand]( [image]( [Winflo Convertible Island Range Hood]( [AND ANOTHER THING]AND ANOTHER THING - [A new sunspot]( has two dark cores wider than the Earth. - Fecal transplant: FDA approves groundbreaking [new treatment for colon infections](. - What should we do if [aliens make contact]( Scientist reveals the first 4 steps to take. [premium] - FCC gives permission to [SpaceX to launch up to 7,500 Starlink internet satellites](. - China allegedly copied Russian plane and made its [most advanced fighter jet](. - [Breakthrough HIV vaccine]( triumphs in phase 1 clinical trial. - [Let there be light]( Award-winning engineer uses unique materials to sculpt lamps. [premium] Prepared by Brittney Grimes Enjoy Reading? 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