Day: February 26, 2018

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Trump administration reins in US offshore drilling plans; steers clear of Florida coast – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

The Trump administration was proposing to open nearly all US offshore waters to oil and gas drilling, reversing Obama-era regulations imposed after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke claimed Obama administration bans on drilling in the continental shelf had cost the United States billions of dollars in lost revenue. The new proposal would make about 90 per cent of those waters available for leasing. The plan gives energy companies access to blocks off California for the first time in decades and opens up the Arctic and Eastern Seaboard. Only the … Continue reading Trump administration reins in US offshore drilling plans; steers clear of Florida coast – an annotated infographic

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President Donald Trump’s first year in office – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

Recording President Donald Trump’s first year in office, for what it’s worth. US Republican President Donald Trump has been in office for a year. So far there is no wall along the US-Mexican border and Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into potential collusion between Trump’s campaign team and Russia during the election campaign remains active. The Iran nuclear deal still stands, as does the NAFTA trade deal and the Paris climate accord — despite Trump’s symbolic withdrawal. The shift to renewable energy continues and Obamacare is more popular than ever. Less than six in 10 of America’s 231.3-million electorate (55.7 … Continue reading President Donald Trump’s first year in office – an annotated infographic

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President Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo Bay military prison open – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to keep open the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, marking a formal reversal of Barack Obama’s eight-year effort to shut it down. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading President Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo Bay military prison open – an annotated infographic

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CubeSats drive commercial space race – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

CubeSats are ultra-small spacecraft weighing 1.3kg or less. Most CubeSats piggyback to orbit on big, expensive rockets – but affordable rocket technology is launching a new generation of space start-ups. In the past satellites have been built and launched by multibillion-dollar companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Orbital Sciences Corporation. That began to change in January 2014 when Orbital’s Cygnus spacecraft carried 33 nanosatellites to the International Space Station, ISS. These tiny satellites, built to the CubeSat standard format — a 10cm cube weighing 1.3kg or less — were launched from the ISS a month later. Since 2014 more than … Continue reading CubeSats drive commercial space race – an annotated infographic

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Bitcoin’s wild price ride – cryptocurrency craziness – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

Bitcoin has lost more than 50 per cent of its value since mid-December, sliding amidst escalating regulatory threats, international banks blocking crypto purchases and fears of fraud and hacking. Bitcoin’s price has been on a wild ride, from about $1,000 this time last year, shooting up to over $19,000 before dropping down to its current value of around $8,000. Bitcoin is the most prominent cryptocurrency, but there are more than 1,500 others out there. Startups offer new coins, or tokens, in events known as ICOs, or initial coin offerings. Beware: between 14 to 30 per cent of ICOs are fraudulent, … Continue reading Bitcoin’s wild price ride – cryptocurrency craziness – an annotated infographic