Before the quarantine started I was days away from embarking on a two week trip of a lime-time to Japan, first to see the sights in Tokyo and then to immerse myself in the temple laden culture of Kyoto. So suffice it to say, like most people I absolutely can not wait to travel again.
But truth be told I am actually more excited about the long-term future of traveling than I am about any one near-term trip I had planned. For the future of traveling could look vastly different than it does today thanks to a revolutionary new environmentally friendly engine concept.
Science Alert explains:
“A prototype jet engine can propel itself without using any fossil fuels, potentially paving the way for carbon-neutral air travel.
The device compresses air and ionizes it with microwaves, generating plasma that thrusts it forward, according to research published Tuesday in the journal AIP Advances. That means planes may someday fly using just electricity and the air around them as fuel.”
Upon hearing this news I am instantly reminded of climate activist Greta Thunberg who famously sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to attend a climate conference to adhere to her strict no flying policy. An arduous weeks long journey that I’m sure she would rather not have to endure all the time. Not to mention the fact that the journey isn’t even suitable for a lot of people for a host of medical reasons or logistical concerns. With an environmentally friendly jet engine that doesn’t use any fossil fuels on hand Greta no longer has to go to such great lengths to prove a point. Now she can enjoy air travel again. Everyone can.
This forthcoming guilt free, limitless air travel will enable millions of people to traverse the globe again and see the world. It’s the kind of innovation that could spur a rise in air travel and bring the airline industry back from the brink of the economic collapse they will likely face as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. Making it an innovation that can’t come soon enough. For my sake and yours.
Is an Air Plasma Engine the Greatest Idea Ever?
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