Let's say we assign an AI to find and execute a solution for the increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and oceans. The AI may decide that humans are the primary impediment to achieving it's goals, and set out to clandestinely destroy human industrial capacity. Maybe it would hack into the control equipment and cause machines to destroy themselves. "Reduction in CO2 output achieved" -- satisfied AI.

I wonder whether the magnetic coupler would be any lighter than a larger flywheel. Also, couldn't the slipping of the coupler set up harmonic vibrations in the prop as well? (I imagine a magnetic coupler would slip in a notch-y fashion.)

Really, they replaced the metal teeth with magnetic teeth.

I wonder how high speed electric trains are geared? Maybe they have more than one motor on the same axle, wound for different ranges of speed?

I agree on the unsprung mass issue, but I wonder if it would be possible to use a linear motor in place of a shock absorber to counter some of the negative handling effects. I doubt it would be able to make up for it completely, but I imagine it could help quite a bit.

Either you didn't understand my post, or you meant to reply to the grandparent... I drive a sports sedan, and completely agree with you.

If you can't feel the road at all, then that car probably has no business going faster than 80.

Most highway fencing I've seen seems to be geared toward keeping cattle out (only about 4-5 feet tall). You would need something like an 8ft fence to have a chance at keeping deer out.

In the USA the police can pull you over for 1mph over the posted limit, but it's pretty darn rare. Generally 10mph over the limit on highways is ignored, though it will vary from place to place.

You presume that we won't actively modify ourselves.

England gets stupendously cold? It routinely reached -28C last winter where I live. What would that be? "Ludicrously cold"? "Plaid"?

Pure water isn't run through the collector. They use a mix of water and glycol. It's also common to allow the fluid to empty out of the collector at night, to reduce heat loss.

Now they need to implement this in candy form, so you can taste the rainbow.

If so, you can just about guarantee that we're living in a simulation.

The "operational prototype" is a prototype commercial reactor. They plan to build 5 more research reactors, each within a year, before building a commercial prototype that they expect will take 5 years.