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Here’s what traveling could be like after COVID-19
We will travel again, but it will not be the same.
21 May, 2020
Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images
COVID-19 has upended global travel and brought the world to a standstill.
<p>
For the first time in history, close to <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/01/more-than-nine-in-ten-people-worldwide-live-in-countries-with-travel-restrictions-amid-covid-19/" target="_blank">90% of the world's population</a> now lives in countries with travel restrictions. Airlines, travel companies and the tourism sector as a whole are among the most affected businesses. An estimated <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-airlines-iata/battered-consumer-confidence-to-slow-airlines-recovery-iata-idUSKCN2231RH" target="_blank">25 million aviation jobs</a> and <a href="https://wttc.org/News-Article/WTTC-now-estimates-over-100-million-jobs-losses-in-the-Travel-&-Tourism-sector-and-alerts-G20-countries-to-the-scale-of-the-crisis" target="_blank">100 million travel and tourism jobs</a> are at risk. Between five and seven years' worth of <a href="https://www.unwto.org/impact-assessment-of-the-covid-19-outbreak-on-international-tourism" target="_blank">industry growth will potentially be lost</a>.
</p><p><a href="https://www.iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economic-reports/air-passenger-monthly-analysis---mar-2020/" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://assets.weforum.org/editor/w2NEINKGfaQ5sJds1G61xoss0lPnbTuk-Uy1_3L603A.png"></a></p><p>Air passenger volume as measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs). Passenger demand has fallen at an unprecedented rate. (Image: IATA)</p><p>We will travel again, but it will not be the same. Even if borders reopen, travellers must trust that boarding a plane is safe and that they will be able to enter the destination country. New health safety protocols and systems will need to be in place, and these have yet to be defined. As governments and industry plan for recovery in this new context and adapt to changing traveller behaviour, the use of digital identity and biometrics technologies could restore trust while also ensuring a seamless journey. However, these tools will only be effective if users feel that their data is protected. Privacy, consent and transparent data governance must be at the heart of any technical solution.</p><p>
Here are two key areas of transformation in which digital technologies will shape the future of travel.
</p>
<h3>Touchless travel</h3><p>The most immediate and perhaps most visible change will be a shift to touchless travel from airport curbside to hotel check-in. Even with strict cleaning protocols in place, exchanging travel documents and touching surfaces through check-in, security, border control, and boarding still represent a significant risk of infection for both travellers and staff.</p><p>Automation across the entire sector will become the new norm. Biometrics are already a widely accepted solution for identity verification, and their use will become more widespread as physical fingerprint and hand scanners are phased out. More touchless options will come into play including contactless fingerprint, as well as iris and face recognition. Moreover, technology for touchless data-entry such as gesture control, touchless document scanning and voice commands are already being tested. Care must be taken to ensure these technologies are inclusive and to eliminate the risk of potential biases.</p>
<h3>Digital health passports</h3><p>From now on, health could be embedded in every aspect of travel. According to a survey by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), measures such as visible sanitizing, screening and masks all increase passengers' feelings of safety when thinking about travelling after COVID-19.</p><p>To date, there is no standard or agreement on the acceptable level of risk for reopening borders or allowing individuals to travel. Until a vaccine is developed, the focus is shifting to assessing the risk of individual passengers. With the passenger's consent, travel companies and airlines could use personal data such as their age, underlying health conditions and travel history to compile an individual risk profile.</p><p>Efforts to develop health protocols and standards using digital technology for the travel and tourism industry <a href="https://wttc.org/News-Article/WTTC-outlines-what-the-new-normal-will-look-like-as-we-start-to-travel" target="_blank">are still in their initial stages</a>. In the meantime, airlines such as <a href="https://www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-becomes-first-airline-to-conduct-on-site-rapid-covid-19-tests-for-passengers/" target="_blank">Emirates are conducting on-site COVID-19</a> testing for passengers. <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/4f4ad557-7ea2-4d75-90e8-22137a939cb8" target="_blank">European airports</a> have begun drawing up industry guidelines for passenger health screening. While not new, the use of thermal cameras at airports is becoming more widespread. A number of symptom-tracking and contact-tracing apps now exist in many countries. Apple and Google are close to finalizing a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52415593" target="_blank">contact-tracing software scheme</a> for developers to build compatible apps.</p><p>New health-screening and tracking tools offer hope of a return to relaxed and confident travel. However, they have also brought privacy and data issues to the forefront of the discussion. Any solutions need to be transparent and secure if travellers are to embrace them. Data should be shared on an 'authorized to know' and 'need to know' basis, with informed consent and in line with applicable regulations.</p>
<h3>The digital traveller</h3><p>Many organisations are already well advanced in their digital journey. This must be accelerated to enable the new normal, help businesses to adapt to changed consumer behaviour and rebuild trust. Integrated digital identity solutions are key to realising touchless travel. They also allow organizations to draw on multiple data points to efficiently assess a person's risk profile, enabling them to manage risks in real time.</p><p>The World Economic Forum's <a href="https://ktdi.org/" target="_blank">Known Traveller Digital Identity</a> initiative is an example of such an approach. This initiative brings together a global consortium of individuals, governments, authorities and the travel industry to facilitate safe and seamless journeys. Consortium partners can access verifiable claims of a traveller's identity data to improve passenger processing and reduce risk. Travellers can manage their own profile, collect digital 'attestations' of their identity data and decide which information to share.</p><p>In a COVID-19 context, a traveller would be able to securely obtain and store trusted, verifiable health credentials such as immunizations or their health status in their digital identity wallets. This would be combined with other trusted, verifiable identity data from public or private entities.</p><p>Testing and health screening at airports is difficult to achieve at scale. Under schemes like Known Traveller Digital Identity, travellers would be able to consent to sharing their identity and health data in advance of the journey, allowing border officials to conduct any required risk assessments in advance of the journey while avoiding queuing and bottlenecks at airports.</p>
<h3>Collaboration is key</h3><p>In this time of unprecedented change, governments and industry have a unique opportunity to redefine travel and build a more sustainable, agile, and resilient industry. This will not be possible without collaboration.</p><p>In the near term, stakeholders will need to cooperate to accelerate the use of digital technologies. Next, they will need to develop a cohesive policy and legal regime around the deployment of digital technologies that balance the protection of civil liberties and public health. The third challenge is to ensure that different digital identity solutions can operate together. The role of organizations such as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will be critical to align health and aviation priorities, guidelines and policies.</p><p>Paper passports are still required as the main form of identity for travellers. In a contactless world, the adoption of standardized <a href="https://www.icao.int/Meetings/TRIP-Symposium-2019/PublishingImages/Pages/Presentations/Digital%20Travel%20Credentials.pdf" target="_blank">digital travel credentials</a> and initiatives like <a href="https://www.iata.org/en/programs/passenger/one-id/" target="_blank">IATA's ONE ID concept</a>, which promote the use of biometrics for a smoother journey, must be accelerated and adapted to this new context.</p><p>Ultimately, the pandemic is likely to speed up two trends that have been gathering steam for some time. One is seamless travel, where your face and body are your passport. The other is the idea of a decentralized identity. This means the individual is in possession of and controls their identity attributes, such as their date and place of birth and physical characteristics, but also travel history, health information and other data. Combined, these trends will ensure travel is enjoyable, efficient and safe.</p><p>Reprinted with permission of the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/this-is-what-travelling-will-be-like-after-covid-19/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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Ask an astronomer: What was Einstein’s most mind-blowing discovery?
Do space and time really exist? NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller looks at the implications of Einstein's famous equation E=mc2.
05 May, 2020
- NASA astronomer and science communicator Michelle Thaller explains that the real brilliance of Albert Einstein is that he was able to bridge ideas that appeared to others to be in different realms.
- The thing Einstein is most famous for is the equation E=mc2. Thaller explains why that equation is so mind-blowing: Pure energy and matter are the same thing. That means, as humans, we are both made of matter and of pure energy, and as pure energy, we would not experience space or time.
- "I think that, once we really understand this, we're going to be in for some very difficult truths to accept," says Thaller. "It may be that there is no space or time as we know it, really."
Space exploration is the ultimate plan B. Here’s why.
Why did the dinosaurs go extinct? Because they didn't have a space program.
02 May, 2020
- Space exploration is more than just the ultimate adventure, our study and investigation of space yields great scientific rewards, says astronaut Garrett Reisman.
- Earth is wonderful, but it won't last forever, so it's important that we maintain a big picture view to ensure the survival of the human species.
- Exploring space is our ticket to "the ultimate plan B," according to Reisman. If there were to occur a mass extinction event on Earth, the humans that inhabit another planet in our solar system will be the only hope of human survival.
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NASA reveals plans for a base camp near the Moon's south pole
The space agency is ready to establish a base camp by 2024.
06 April, 2020
Photo by Megan Jelinger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
- NASA's Artemis program plans on establishing a base camp on the Moon as soon as 2024.
- After testing technologies and securing resources on the surface of the Moon, NASA plans on exploring Mars.
- A number of robotic missions will first establish the Gateway, the flight path between Earth and the Moon's south pole.
<p>LinkedIn editors recently compiled an <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/heres-whos-hiring-right-now-andrew-seaman/" target="_blank">extensive round-up</a> of companies hiring during the coronavirus pandemic. The list includes Instacart bringing in 300,000 contract workers, Walmart adding 150,000 workers in its distribution and fulfillment centers, and Lowe's seeking an additional 30,000 employees to fill current demand. Nearly all jobs on offer deal with supply chain management in some capacity. At the very end of the list is an outlier:</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"SpaceX is hiring an unknown number of workers as it looks to ramp up production of its Starships."</p><p>While American corporations scramble to keep supplies moving (as well as <a href="https://www.politico.com/interactives/2020/coronavirus-impact-on-low-income-jobs-by-occupation-chart/" target="_blank">potentially endangering</a> workers accepting those jobs), Elon Musk is looking for an escape plan. Then again, the dream of inhabiting other planets and traveling to distant universes seems baked into the human imagination.</p><p>Musk isn't the only one dreaming of a galaxy far, far away. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/" target="_blank">NASA's Artemis program</a>, with the more humble goal of developing a consistent presence on the Earth's moon, is full steam—er, solar electric propulsion—ahead with its plan of <a href="https://www.space.com/nasa-plans-artemis-moon-base-beyond-2024.html" target="_blank">setting up camp by 2024</a>. The agency hopes to land the first woman on the Moon's surface that year, with the goal of "sustainable exploration" by 2028. </p><p>This news comes in the wake of a new 13-page report, "<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/a_sustained_lunar_presence_nspc_report4220final.pdf" target="_blank">NASA's Plan for Sustained Lunar Exploration and Development</a>." NASA believes that in the coming decades, the Moon will "be a source of new scientific advances and economic growth." Once camp is established there, the agency hopes to use the Moon as a launch pad for the next stage in space exploration. </p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjkxNDMxOS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NzI0MDUwOX0.PhEN6Tven4RVKEscbN2kRXlsd_jNBhgxifdCmTVSqJ8/img.png?width=980" id="33e0c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="44653b874d1f30e81ff6ac2a16de4d3f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>As NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-outlines-lunar-surface-sustainability-concept" target="_blank">commented</a> on April 2:</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"After 20 years of continuously living in low-Earth orbit, we're now ready for the next great challenge of space exploration – the development of a sustained presence on and around the Moon. For years to come, Artemis will serve as our North Star as we continue to work toward even greater exploration of the Moon, where we will demonstrate key elements needed for the first human mission to Mars."</p><p>The astronauts will face many hurdles trying to establish a camp near the Moon's south pole, such as radiation shielding, lunar dust, and extremely cold, long lunar nights. Once in place, these brave voyagers will test out new mobility technologies to help prepare humans for the next leap to Mars. </p><p>The report expresses interest in the development of relationships with private industry as well. While international partners are cited, there is an emphasis of America remaining at the forefront of space exploration:</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"As other nations steadily increase their presence and spending, American leadership is now called for to lead the next phase of humanity's quest to create a future comprised of endless discovery and growth in the final frontier."</p><p>NASA goes so far to dub this the "Artemis Generation." The agency puts forward a three-domain exploration strategy to coincide with the timeline of this generation. The first is low-Earth orbit, which it wants to open up to commercial operations and for testing new technologies; the second is the Moon, with the goal of long-term robotic explorations "with robust commercial and international partnerships"; and finally, Mars, which by reading over the document amounts to the grand goal of stating, "America was here first."</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjkxNDMyMC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTg4MTY5OH0.Hvs7m_tUc5HlJqii4eI4tcO9EH0XfL9Pssc4IufUXf0/img.png?width=980" id="4ab2f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bdd0ac6390301fcd5705cc898d7f2e85" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Kicking off this project in 2023 with robots, NASA's ambitions include opening up "terrestrial robotic mining systems and next-generation power storage." The robots will hunt for oxygen and water, or, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/a_sustained_lunar_presence_nspc_report4220final.pdf" target="_blank">as they frame it</a>, "extraction of usable resources." The more humans have at the ready, the easier the transition will be. The agency also believes that by intensively researching the Moon we will better understand the evolution of our own planet.</p><p>The first step is the development of the Gateway, the space travel path between Earth and the Moon. This requires numerous robot missions that establish a landing system in order to create a stable pathway for future astronauts to travel. There is political motive here as well: "The Gateway will establish U.S. leadership and a sustained presence in the region between the Moon and Earth."</p><p>Thus far, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agency have signed on as partners in the development of the Gateway. Russia has expressed interest in contributing an airlock. High priority items include a better understanding of heliophysics, radiation, and space weather. As the initial missions establish these conditions, the plan is to begin launching humans in four years' time. </p><p>Upon establishing the Artemis Base Camp at the south pole, astronauts will spend from one to two months in order to "develop new technologies that advance our national industries and discover new resources that will help grow our economy."</p><p>Though Mars (and beyond) is the long-term goal, the maximization of revenue seems to be the primary driver of this mission. Indefinite exploration of the Moon is in the plan, with the potential for commercial space travel. Besides, as NASA concludes, the moon is only "a relatively manageable 250,000 miles" away. </p><p>And yes, in case you were wondering, the "search for Martian life" is in there. Away we go.</p><p><span></span>--</p><p><em>Stay in touch with Derek on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. His next book is</em> "Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy."</p>
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Rolls-Royce to launch all-electric plane in 2020
The racing plane is hoped to be the fastest electric plane in existence.
26 December, 2019
- The electric aircraft industry is just starting to get off the ground, with Siemens breaking the world record for the fastest electric aircraft in 2017.
- With ACCEL (Accelerating the Electrification of Flight), Rolls-Royce intends to beat that record in the spring of 2020.
- While these are existing developments, the field of electric aviation has significant challenges to face before we can expect to see electric long-distance passenger planes.
<p><br></p></div>
<p>Rolls-Royce has announced that its zero-emission, one-seater racing plane will take flight in the spring of 2020 with the aim of beating the world record for the fastest electric aircraft. <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-xl/money/autos/rolls-royce-unveils-electric-plane-for-world-record-attempt/ar-BBYalPQ?li=BBJDXDP" target="_blank">Siemens</a> had set the previous record in 2017 with a speed of 210 miles per hour, but Rolls-Royce's plane — dubbed ACCEL (Accelerating the Electrification of Flight) — is aiming for 300+.</p><p>The <a href="http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc/aviation/index.htm" target="_blank">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) estimates that today's aviation industry contributes about 3.5 percent toward climate change. If no action is taken to mitigate or reduce the aviation industry's emissions the IPCC predicts that this number could rise to anywhere between 5 and 15 percent by 2050.</p><p>These facts and the nascent "flight-shaming" movement inspired by <a href="https://bigthink.com/politics-current-affairs/greta-thunberg-time-magazine" target="_self">Greta Thunberg</a> have pushed aviation companies to develop electric planes, a task that involves far greater technical challenges than developing electric automobiles. However, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-rolls-royce-hldg-electric-planes/rolls-royce-gives-first-look-at-one-seater-electric-plane-idUSKBN1YN1PU" target="_blank">experts</a> claim that zero-emission planes for passengers are decades away from being realized.</p><p>In a <a href="https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2019/19-12-2019-rr-unveils-all-electric-plane-targeting-the-record-books.aspx" target="_blank">statement</a>, Rolls-Royce officials described the importance of ACCEL in pursuit of this goal. "This is not only an important step towards the world-record attempt," said Rob Watson, the director of Rolls-Royce Electric, "but will also help to develop Rolls-Royce's capabilities and ensure that we are at the forefront of developing technology that can play a fundamental role in enabling the transition to a low carbon global economy."</p><p>In collaboration with the electric motor manufacturer YASA and the aviation startup Electroflight, Rolls-Royce's ACCEL features the most power-dense battery pack ever assembled for aircraft. Its 6,000 cells provide "energy to fuel 250 homes or fly 200 miles (London to Paris) on a single charge."</p><p>Rolls-Royce also points out that ACCEL's powertrain will have an energy efficiency of 90%. In contrast, conventional gasoline engines only use <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4678126/" target="_blank">15 percent</a> of their fuel's energy content, and even Formula 1 race cars only top out at 50% energy efficiency. Electric vehicles are more energy efficient, but ACCEL's powertrain appears to be beat the 80% efficiency that is typical for electric vehicles.</p>
The age of electric flight
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjIxMjE1My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNTI0NjQ1NH0.hUbX0LdIKwaKDVJqN7jUsBNe1wr1YfQ_vvnJq-vibPE/img.jpg?width=980" id="10a22" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="41f59059c97fbd80be5bb3c09c353f82" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="ACCEL" /><p>Other recent projects show that the electric age of aviation is just beginning to flex its wings. In December 2019, the Canadian commuter airline <a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/news/harbour-air-flies-first-all-electric-commercial-aircraft-a-dhc-2-beaver/135711.article" target="_blank">Harbour Air</a> demonstrated the first electric commercial passenger aircraft. The ePlane, as the project was dubbed, is a seaplane designed for island hopping around the Canadian coastline. Because of the relatively small passenger load and distances involved, this first electric aircraft is well-suited to this purpose, as it can only hold 6 passengers and fly for 30 minutes (with another 30 minutes of reserve power) before requiring recharging.</p><p>More projects related to electric aviation were unveiled earlier in the year during the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48630656" target="_blank">Paris Airshow</a>, including Alice, a project by the Israeli firm Eviation. Alice will be a nine-passenger commercial electric aircraft capable of flying 650 miles at 276 miles per hour and is scheduled to enter service by 2022.</p>Our biggest stumbling block? Batteries.
<p>While reducing emissions is a nice bonus for these companies, much of this development is driven by simple economics; electricity is far, far cheaper than conventional fuel, and even after investing in all this R&D, air travel will be significantly more cost-effective.</p><p>That R&D has delivered results. Much of the technologies involved in electric aircraft and electric vehicles in general has advanced extremely rapidly, with one crucial exception: batteries.</p><p>Without a means of storing large amounts of energy more densely and more efficiently, electric aircraft's range will be significantly limited. Currently, <a href="https://www.atag.org/facts-figures.html" target="_blank">80 percent</a> of aviation CO2 emissions result from flights that travel over 1,500 km (a little less than 1,000 miles), distances that no electric aircraft is capable of covering.</p><p>Batteries can be optimized for <a href="https://qz.com/1588236/how-we-get-to-the-next-big-battery-breakthrough/" target="_blank">six different characteristics</a>: their energy density, cost, lifespan, temperature endurance, safety, and power (or the rate at which energy can be released). A smartphone's lithium-ion battery, for instance, should be cheap and endure swings in temperature, but it doesn't need to last too long or release too much energy at once. An airplane's battery system needs to excel on all six of these metrics.</p><p>Batteries are tricky, but <a href="https://newatlas.com/science/battery-breakthroughs-2019/" target="_blank">advances are being made</a> in this industry. With further advancements in electric aviation technology and battery technology, we might get to continue to visit the beautiful places that Earth has to offer without risking their disappearance in the process.</p>
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