CNN BUSINESS | Forget silicon. This material could be a game-changer for solar power

Oxford, UK (CNN Business) –  Solar energy is poised for what could be its biggest transformation in over half a century.

A group of materials called perovskites are being used to create the next generation of solar panels, which could eventually be twice as efficient as current models, and flexible enough to wrap around entire buildings.

The first solar cell capable of powering everyday electrical equipment was made in the 1950s at Bell Labs in New Jersey. Back then the silicon-based panels were hugely expensive and converted just 6% of sunlight into electricity.  —read more— 

F1 | ‘Michael is, and always will be, a legend’ – Hamilton ‘humbled’ to equal Schumacher’s win record

When Lewis Hamilton crossed the line to win the Eifel Grand Prix he equaled a record many had thought would never be matched – Michael Schumacher’s tally of 91 Formula 1 victories. And after the race the reigning World Champion paid tribute to the former Ferrari star, saying he felt “humbled” to have drawn level with him on wins in motorsport’s top tier.

“It’s not sunk in, that’s for sure,” said Hamilton after winning the race at the Nurburgring by just over four seconds with Max Verstappen second. The Mercedes driver is, of course, also a massive Ayrton Senna fan, and began by saying that following in the Brazilian’s footsteps was his first target when he started his career.  —read more— 

F1 | Bottas beats Hamilton to Eifel GP pole as Hulkenberg makes surprise qualifying return

Mercedes continued their 100% pole position record for 2020 at the Eifel Grand Prix. But unlike the last five Grands Prix, it was Russian GP winner Valtteri Bottas rather than Lewis Hamilton who took P1 this time, ending up 0.256s ahead of his team mate – while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured his near-traditional P3 slot on the grid, but just 0.037s off Hamilton.

One of the biggest stories coming into qualifying was the news that a sick Lance Stroll would be replaced for the rest of the weekend by Nico Hulkenberg at Racing Point, the German having been in town to do some broadcast work before getting the call up to drive ahead of the session. There’d be no fairy-tale result for Hulkenberg, alas, as he ended up 20th and last, albeit a respectable 1.7s off the pace in Q1.  —read more— 

CNN | Why the Electoral College has long been controversial

(CNN) – The Electoral College will again determine who’ll become President this year, as it has for more than two centuries of confusion. And Americans will once again ask themselves how the system has outlived generations of controversies.

In five US presidential elections — including in 2016, when Donald Trump edged Hillary Clinton — the eventual winner has lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College.  —read more— 

CNN BUSINESS | Space is becoming too crowded, Rocket Lab CEO warns

New York (CNN) – In 1978, NASA scientist Donald Kessler warned of a potential catastrophic, cascading chain reaction in outer space. Today known as “Kessler Syndrome,” the theory posited that space above Earth could one day become so crowded, so polluted with both active satellites and the detritus of space explorations past, that it could render future space endeavors more difficult, if not impossible.

Last week, the CEO of Rocket Lab, a launch startup, said the company is already beginning to experience the effect of growing congestion in outer space.

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said that the sheer number of objects in space right now — a number that is growing quickly thanks in part to SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation, Starlink — is making it more difficult to find a clear path for rockets to launch new satellites.  —readmore— 

CNN | Citing abuse, Florida prosecutor stops pursuing most resisting arrest charges, sparking police concerns

(CNN) – Weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a crackdown on civil disobedience and protesters who target police, a Florida prosecutor has instructed her staff to stop pursuing resisting arrest charges in many cases.

Police have used resisting arrest charges to stifle protests and free speech, said State Attorney Aramis Ayala, whose jurisdiction covers almost 1.8 million people in Orange and Osceola counties.

She’s tangled with DeSantis and his predecessor before over her refusal to seek the death penalty. The state Supreme Court backed former Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to re-assign such trials. DeSantis may challenge her again, she suspects.  —read more— 

CNN US | Footage of a Kansas City officer kneeling on the back of a pregnant Black woman sparks ongoing protest

(CNN) – Protesters upset by social media videos of Kansas City police arresting a pregnant Black woman have now occupied the lawn in front of City Hall for more than five days.

The footage shows an officer kneeling on the back of a pregnant woman during an arrest after a gathering at a gas station. However, her lawyer disputes the police account of the events leading to her arrest.

The Kansas City Police Department said in a statement that police were called to the location on September 30 at 10:49 p.m. by a security officer at the gas station and convenience store who said there were “15-20 individuals fighting on the business’s property.”  —read more—