China, Japan and South Korea have long been in the lead when it comes to car battery technology. With new technologies and better production methods, Tesla now wants to change that. Germany is falling behind. By Philip Bethge Tesla CEO Elon Musk doesn’t shy away from grand visions. When he kicked off his highly anticipated “Battery […]
Author Archive | Philip Bethge
Is Nuclear Power the Solution to Climate Change?
Paul Dorfman and Staffan Qvist both want to save the climate. But one of them wants to rid the world of nuclear reactors while the other wants to build more of them. We brought them together for a debate. Interview Conducted by Philip Bethge und Rafaela von Bredow Dorfman, 64, of University College London, is founder and chair […]
The Changing Virus
Scientists are suspiciously tracking every change in SARS-CoV-2, with dangerous looking mutations regularly appearing. On the long term, though, experts hope that the pathogen could prove less aggressive. By Philip Bethge Open eyes, hollow cheeks, a face torn by dread – Edvard Munch’s painting, “The Scream,” is an icon of horror. Some experts believe its […]
Coronavirus Heaven: Why Meatpacking Plants Are Superspreaders
As the recent outbreak in Germany shows, meat processing facilities offer perfect conditions for the transmission of coronaviruses, with cool temperatures and people cramped in close quarters. Additional changes are needed to protect workers – and theoretically even consumers. By Philip Bethge If there is a paradise for SARS-CoV-2, it would probably be a slaughterhouse. […]
What the Coronavirus Does Inside the Body
SARS-CoV-2 does much more damage to the human body than initially assumed. It can attack any number of organs and even penetrates the brain. But why do some people experience worse symptoms than others? By Philip Bethge The pathogen has already done a fair bit of damage. It has only been five days since the […]
Can Nuclear Power Offer a Way Out of the Climate Crisis?
Billionaires and leading researchers in the United States are developing next-generation nuclear reactors that are small, reputedly safe and suitable to modern power grids. They could be part of the climate change solution. By Philip Bethge The core of the reactor will be almost entirely filled with nuclear waste, which is a great way of […]
A Former Military Operative Sets Sights on Poachers
Faye Cuevas worked in the U.S. military intelligence for 17 years and has hunted terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, as part of a conservation program, she’s turning her skills to fighting poachers in Kenya and saving protected species in the region.
‘Never Good News Having Particles in Your Brain’
Microplastics are everywhere, but nobody really knows what dangers they might present once they enter the human body. British toxicologist Rosemary Waring warns our oceans will be inundated with the stuff. Interview Conducted by Philip Bethge DER SPIEGEL: Plastic contamination of the environment seems to have reached epidemic levels. Of particular concern are tiny microplastic […]