NYC bans TikTok on city-owned devices
As of now, New York City employees are prohibited from downloading or using the app and accessing TikTok’s website from any city-owned devices. I personally suspect WeChat will be banned sometime in the future, too. Both are suspected of sending information to the Chinese Communist Party. My lovely wife and I use WeChat because she's Chinese, grew up in China and is still set in her ways. If the CCP is spying on us I hope our boring conversations help with their insomnia.
A Salt and Battery
Arizona State University is mixing lithium and sodium to cut costs and stabilize the supply chain of lithium-based batteries. So far, they have a thermodynamically stable 10% sodium-lithium mixture.
UCLA researchers have discovered a way that could enhance the safety and efficiency of lithium batteries. They prevent corrosion during the deposition of lithium which gives lithium atoms form a unique 12-sided shape. This supposedly reduces the risk of explosions.
Speaking of explosions, Connecticut Replaces Electric Bus Fleet With Diesel Buses After Electric Bus Burns to Ashes.
All We Are Is Dust In The Wind
A huge wave of dust and sand coming off Africa and spreading across the Atlantic may be suppressing Atlantic hurricane development. There's some talk about a potential tropical storm forming in the Gulf of Mexico next week, but the gulf isn't covered in sand and dust. NOAA also has it's eye on a couple of spots near Africa south of the stream of sand and dust.
You can view particulates like the above and many other things like SO2 at this link:
