Important Innovations

Germany's Flying Taxi Startup Lilium Source:  Lilium Top Tesla Investor Takes a Stake Tesla's top external investor, Edinboro based Baillie Gifford, has taken a stake in the German air taxi startup Lilium.  The investment management firm has invested $35 million, which is a less than 5% stake, in Lilium which vows to be the global leader in the emerging air taxi industry. Flight Tested Lilium has a proven air taxi prototype.  Its 5 seat, passenger air taxi took a maiden flight in October 2019 and successfully took-off, flew and landed.  The Lilium Jet is an electric, vertical take off and landing vehicle (eVTOL).  It takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter.  The vehicle is powered by 36 electric jet engines placed in the wings. Competitive Racing for Market Launch With a fresh round of funding, Munich-based Lilium has a market valuation of more than $1 billion.  It is racing to bring the eVTOL flying taxi to market.  Competitors include Uber

Genetics Bear Down on DNA of Loch Ness Monster Source:   Loch Ness The Monster May Be a Giant Eel The famed Loch Ness Monster has been the stuff of fiction and news reports from observers for 16 centuries.  The mystery of Nessie dates back to 565 AD when St. Columbia reportedly had an encounter with a monster on the River Ness.  It turns out that the monster may be fact and not fiction.  Scientists from New Zealand have done extensive analysis of DNA in Loch Ness's waters.  Their conclusion is the Loch Ness Monster may be a giant eel. New Science My favorite detective Sherlock Holmes would love this. An animated version of  the Loch Ness Monster was featured in an episode of the Private Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  Now 21st  century science is nailing it. It looks like the Loch Ness Monster exists but it may be a huge eel that is keeping the legacy going. The New Zealand scientists believe that the lake's eels hail from the Bahamas and migrate to the Loch Ness wat

2000 Year Old Hilda the Druid Source:  University of Dundee - Hilda the Druid 3D Reconstruction of Her Face Just Unveiled The face of one of Scotland's oldest Druids, Hilda who lived 2000 years ago, has just been unveiled.  It's a 3D reconstruction just completed by a graduate student at the University of Dundee.  It's a case of 21st century smarts and technology bringing to life a look at humanity from the Iron Age in ancient Scotland.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Face of Scottish Druid Unveiled : 2000 Year Old Druid Woman from the Iron Age Source:  University of Dundee: Top Hilda (reconstruction) Bottom Karen Fleming (left) &am...

First European Spaceports for Space Tourists Source:  Cornwall, UK image UK in Cornwall and Scotland The UK has signed on to launch destinations for  tourist space vacations.  They're developing spaceports for tourists to take off and land from their vacations in space. The spaceports will be in Cornwall and in the Scottish Highlands. The UK is also working on the regulations.  For more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: UK Providing SpacePorts for Space Vacations : Britain Joins Space Tourism Race Source:  Virgin Galactic Readies for Blast-Off Britain will provide Europe's first spaceports...

2020 - High as a Wind Power Kite in the UK Source:  Kite Power Systems' Wind Power Kite Kite Powered Electricity Scotland-based Kite Power Systems vows to provide wind generated electricity to more than 5000 British homes by 2020.  Their kite power technology system is novel and promising.  They say they can harness clean wind energy at the utility scale.  They're the UK's only company active in the high altitude wind power sector. They claim they're cheaper than fossil fuel electricity generation and cost much less than traditional wind turbines.  They also use 85% less material. Kite Tech Kite Power Systems features 2 kites that fly up to 1500 feet. They travel up to 100 mph in 20 mph winds. They're attached by tether to a winch system that drives a generator as they spool out producing electricity for the grid.  In essence, the tether tension causes the line to spool out from a rotating drum, which turns a generator to produce electricity.  Sustainable,

Celtic Renewables Driving on Whiskey Source:  Celtic Renewables - World's 1st Whiskey Powered Car No Engine Modification Needed It's called biobutanol.  It's a whiskey powered biofuel that's sustainable, renewable with no CO2 emissions.   And, it works.  Celtic Renewables, the startup behind the breakthrough biofuel, has demonstrated its viability by fueling a car with it and taking it for a spin. That was the world's 1st drive powered by whiskey biofuel.  It's a case of Scotch whiskey powering Green transportation with no engine modification needed. Scottish Ingredients for Spirited Biofuel The biofuel was created in Edinburgh at Napier University by an Irish Professor Martin Tangney.  His company Celtic Renewables works with a large distillery.  The biofuel is produced from draff, the sugary barley kernels that make fermentation happen.  Another ingredient is pot ale, the liquid loaded with yeast after the distillation of whiskey.  It's an all-na