Wind-powered cargo ship is hopefully just the start
The maiden voyage of the sailing cargo ship Anemos, with its load of cognac and champagne, is excellent news. However, bulk transport of iron ore etc., which accounts for a large chunk of maritime emissions, must also be made in vessels that use wind as a primary power source (7 September, p 15).
To be economical, a modern version must be fully automated and uncrewed for ocean passage, something being developed rapidly. There would be many advantages, from avoiding the tragedy of bulk carriers sinking with their crew to a quieter world for cetaceans.
The shipping industry needs to wake up to the reality of primary sail-powered alternatives and recognise there is no way that green fuel will be available in the quantities needed for the sector to reach net zero by 2050. For most purposes, big diesel is dead.
Time to truly recognise animal consciousness
You report that individuals in numerous species, including a type of marmoset, seem to call members of their group by name. This suggests they have a concept of individual identity. While people argue about whether computers will ever be conscious, shouldn’t we be passing laws to establish the rights of non-human animals who already show signs of being conscious? (7 September, p 11)
Nature's psychological effect is no surprise
Kathy Willis says that the most calming landscape is an “open one with a few scattered trees”. This exactly describes the savannah that our ancestors adapted to after they left the forest and took up hunting, so it makes sense that our brains find it welcoming (31 August, p 40).
Try this cycling trick to make driving smoother
While computer modelling of smoother “eco-driving” shows a reduction in emissions, the question of how to encourage it remains. There are some ideas from the cycling world. One city placed indicator lights on a major street’s bike lane 110 metres in advance of a traffic light for riders that signalled how long until the signal would change. Cyclists adapted their pace to make it to the lights without having to stop, reducing travel time. It is likely that such nudges for drivers would also see them learn to adapt their speed. Let’s try (7 September, p 17).
In this tropical zone, too many clouds is a problem
It is suggested that decreased cloud cover will be a characteristic of a warming world. However, along the Daintree coast in tropical, far-north Queensland, we have experienced the opposite phenomenon. Over the past several years, the number of days in a year with substantial cloud cover has increased noticeably, to the point that it is affecting the region’s ability to utilise solar power systems effectively. The number of rainy days also seems to be increasing. Once confined largely to the summer months here (November to February), the wet, as it is known, is increasingly impinging on the winter months (June to August) (7 September, p 36).
Reclaim reality? We never quite had a handle on it
Your cover story asserts that we are reclaiming reality. Yet our notion of reality has never really made sense and it has taken quantum physics to discover that. A “thing” with “properties” is actually an infinite regress. And now there might be a “Cheshire cat” effect 鈥� properties without their particle “thing” (17 August, p 11). Just what are we reclaiming? And from what? (7 September, p 32)
How to behave, even if morality isn't innate
Andrew Whiteley says the lack of an explanation for intrinsic morality gives no fundamental reason to not pursue personal interest at the expense of others. However, to go against one’s moral programming, whether innate or learned, will cause some sort of cognitive dissonance. What’s more, society worked out long ago how to respond to those who don’t play ball and obey the unwritten rules. They will be ostracised and otherwise punished (Letters, 14 September).
Like OCD, you can't be a little bit autistic
You point out that obsessive-compulsive disorder “is no joke” and advise against using the term OCD to describe things like ordering your books logically. In a similar vein, can people also stop saying that everyone is a bit autistic, please. As an autistic adult, this undermines difficulties in life related to aspects of my autism (Leader, 14 September).
Valkyrie 鈥� personal pronouns, she and her
You report that the Woodside engineers call NASA’s Valkyrie robot “Val” and talk about it in feminine terms. For anyone wondering why, the valkyries were female beings in Norse myths (14 September, p 14).
I know a good antidote to growing levels of distrust
Jamil Zaki notes that 18 per cent of US 17 and 18-year-olds believe that most people can’t be trusted. This probably reflects their experience. The internet has made us all disproportionately more aware of individuals who certainly shouldn’t be trusted. Right-wing politicians and some industries exploit this, stoking distrust in science and factual journalism. I recommend 快猫短视频 as an antidote (17 August, p 36).
Another vote against the plan to ditch the ISS
Along with readers making suggestions about reusing the International Space Station, I really do object to the proposal to dump it back on Earth. It is akin to throwing your empty fizzy drink can out of the car window. Why not boost it to a stable orbit to serve as a scrapyard in the sky to provide parts for future projects? (Letters, 7 September)