Ben Affleck as Batman, and 9 more super stories this week
A weekly roundup of the most interesting science and technology news published on the Web.
1. Bale is out, Affleck is in
To those who grew up loving comic books, it matters who steps in to fill actor Christian Bale’s shoes. But what we’re loving even more is the idea of the impending battle between the new Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (that guy who plays him) – pitting science and engineering against superpowers! Sure we’re a bit biased, but we’re cheering for the science and engineering guy.
READ: Ben Affleck to Play Batman in 2015 Superman Sequel
2. Big Data is more than just its size
It’s a hot topic these days, and yet many haven’t quite been able to get a firm grasp on what Big Data really means to the world now, and what it will mean moving forward. This great piece dispels some misconceptions, and breaks down how Big Data can be used to our advantage (and disadvantage).
READ: Five Myths About Big Data
3. Lock and load!
Perfect. As we already grip our phones for dear life, it would be nice if we could actually use them to protect our lives.
READ: A Smartphone Case Delivers a Defensive Jolt
4. Take that, skeptics!
When Marissa Mayer took over the helm as CEO of Yahoo, there was so much focus on her maternity leave, or lack thereof, people forgot how good she was at her actual JOB. It’s just a step, but in my opinion it’s a big one – everyone seemed to just about write off Yahoo completely. But remember this: when you’re down, there’s nowhere to go but up.
READ: Yahoo Gets More U.S. Visitors Than Google For the First Time Since 2011
5. “I’ll huff, and I’ll puff…”
“…and I’ll blow your house down?” I wonder if the big, bad wolf would be able blow down this building in Hamburg, built entirely without using any chemical treatments. Apparently it’s perfectly sturdy, and more breathable without the harmful chemicals.
READ: Five Story All-Wood House Built with Zero Chemicals
6. And the most sustainable country in the world is….?
SPOILER ALERT: It’s Sweden. Although nobody should be surprised that the greener countries are the ones in Northern Europe.
READ: Most Sustainable Country in the World – Sweden (Northern Europeans Top the List)
7. Here comes the sun
As evidenced by the huge growth of the solar power industry over the past few years, the sun is here to stay. This video nicely outlines just how much brighter the sun shines on us now, and will continue to do in the future.
WATCH: $77 Billion From the Sun: Solar Industry Facts
8. Earth Overshoot Day (yes, it’s a thing)
My first thought upon seeing the headline was “they are just making these holidays up left and right now!” but no, this is actually brilliant. Because on August 20th, apparently we (the world) reached our budget for ecological footprint for the year. Basically, everything we use for the remainder of 2013 is now borrowed from 2014. We are now, officially, overburdening the environment.
READ: Today is Earth Overshoot Day
9. Going green is just good business now
More than 40 percent of diners say they would pay more money at a “greener” restaurant (though I’m pretty sure my Uncle Leo does not fall into that group). But it brings up the interesting point that consumers are now holding companies, and the companies those companies do business with, responsible for being more energy efficient and sustainable.
READ: Diners Say They’ll Pay More for Sustainable Restaurant Meals
10. Why doth protest??
A reminder that as long as people are still really worried about the economy and paying their bills, they are less concerned about the environment.
READ: A Little Fractious