#Green Cooling Technologies Market

[coltermartinez]

Green Cooling Technologies Market Analysis With Key Players, Applications, Trends and Forecasts 2027

The Global Green Cooling Technologies Market to be Propelled by Rise in Emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)

According to a recently published report by Research Nester on “Green Cooling Technologies Market: Global Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2027” delivers detailed overview of the green cooling technologies market in terms of market segmentation by type, by end user, and by region.

Further, for the in-depth analysis, the report encompasses the industry growth drivers, restraints, supply and demand risk, market attractiveness, BPS analysis and Porter’s five force model.

Based on type, the global green cooling technologies is bifurcated into unitary air conditioning (UAC), mobile air conditioning (MAC) & chillers and by end use the market is segmented into residential, commercial & industrial.

Over the recent years, the increase in demand for electricity due to refrigeration and cooling is expected to contribute significantly towards the growth of the market. In addition, the noteworthy growth of the market can be attributed to perpetual rise in worldwide demand for refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) equipment. This increase in demand for such equipment can be further attributed to growing population, urbanization and economic growth. Moreover, several treaties which were adopted and implemented in order to prevent the depletion and protect the environment from harmful emissions such as Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Protocol have also contributed toward the market growth.

On the basis of region, the green cooling technologies market is segmented into five major regions including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa region.  North America and Europe market is anticipated to observe a significant growth on the back of adoption and implementation of strict regulations in these regions. The market in Asia Pacific is also expected to witness a considerable growth during the forecast period owing to increase in the production and sales in the RAC sector particularly in the developing economies, such as China.

Get a Sample Copy of the Report at: https://www.researchnester.com/sample-request-885

Increased Emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)

The green cooling technologies market is anticipated to observe a notable growth over the forecast period. This can be attributed to rise in emissions of greenhouse gases such as, CFCs and HCFCs from the refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. Rise in emissions of CO2 coupled with increase in total annual GHGs emissions from the energy and industry sector is also estimated to accelerate the growth of the market over the forthcoming years. 

Furthermore, supportive government policies and regulations in the emerging economies concerning the adoption of advanced and sustainable cooling technologies during the forecast period is expected to propel the growth of the market.

However, high upfront cost associated with the installation of green cooling technologies along with requirement for specialized equipment and niche installation knowledge are expected to operate as a key restraint to the growth of green cooling technologies market over the forecast period.

This report also provides the existing competitive scenario of some of the key players of the green cooling technologies market which includes company profiling of Dpac UK, AHT, Cooltech Applications, InvenSor GmbH, Efficient Energy GmbH, Taco Comfort Solutions, Technology in Business, Carel Industries S.p.A., and other prominent players. The profiling enfolds key information of the companies which encompasses business overview, products and services, key financials and recent news and developments. On the whole, the report depicts detailed overview of the green cooling technologies market that will help industry consultants, equipment manufacturers, existing players searching for expansion opportunities, new players searching possibilities and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to the ongoing and expected trends in the future.     

Research Nester is a leading service provider for strategic market research and consulting. We aim to provide unbiased, unparalleled market insights and industry analysis to help industries, conglomerates and executives to take wise decisions for their future marketing strategy, expansion and investment etc. We believe every business can expand to its new horizon, provided a right guidance at a right time is available through strategic minds. Our out of box thinking helps our clients to take wise decision so as to avoid future uncertainties.

Contact for more Info:

Ajay Daniel Email: info@researchnester.com U.S. Phone: +1 646 586 9123 U.K. Phone: +44 203 608 5919

[liquidplates]

Innovating the Thermal Management System Market

Dive into our comprehensive thermal management system market offerings, meticulously designed to optimize performance across diverse applications. Explore our range of cutting-edge cold plate technology, crafted with precision engineering to deliver unparalleled efficiency in dissipating heat. From electronics to automotive, our solutions are tailored to meet the exacting demands of modern industries. Stay ahead with our innovative thermal management solutions, ensuring your systems operate at peak performance levels, regardless of the operating environment. Trust us to elevate your thermal management strategy to new heights.

[1-2-3-4-4498-0]

Cooling the Future: Emerging Green Technologies in Cooling

Green cooling technologies market refer to eco-friendly freezing, which cause minimum negative impacts on environment. The main components that specify the meaning of green cooling technologies are — energy efficient and friendly refrigeration. These organic refrigerants do not produce persistent residues in the atmosphere, leading to zero pollution. The emission of harmful greenhouse gases such as chlorofluorocarbons, hydro fluorocarbons, and halogens are accelerating acceptance of green cooling technologies. Expanding populace depend on a worldwide scale, combined with quick urbanization is offering rise to an expanding demand for HVACs (heating, ventilation, and cooling). Air conditioning systems cause emission of ozone harming substances, which negatively affects the earth. So as to decrease greenhouse emission, green cooling advances are being coordinated with HVACs nowadays. Harmful effects of climate change, which is a direct result of greenhouse gas emission have elevated concerns among various non-profitable organization working for the improvement of the environment. Increasing initiatives and support from such organization is also expected to increase the demand for green cooling technologies in upcoming years.

Covid-19 scenario analysis:

The global market for green cooling technologies is severely impacted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a decline in the economic growth in almost all the major countries, thus affecting consumer spending patterns.

Owing to the lockdown implemented across various countries, national and international transport have been hampered, which has significantly impacted the supply chain of numerous industries across the globe, thereby increasing the supply–demand gap.

Thus, insufficiency in raw material supply is expected to hamper the production rate of green cooling technologies, which negatively impact the market growth.

Top impacting factors: Market Scenario Analysis, Trends, Drivers and Impact Analysis

The green cooling technologies market is anticipated to observe a remarkable development because of rise in emission of greenhouse gases for example CFCs and HFCs. The prime emission of outflow of these gases is refrigerators and cooling gear. Different government arrangements and guidelines with respect to the selection of economical and innovative cooling technologies that use natural refrigeration in nations and worldwide are assessed to support the development of the market during the forecast time period. Such improved advancements are foreseen to decrease GHGs discharges and upgrade the energy efficiency.

One of the major limiting factors concerning the growth of green cooling technologies is the high production cost related with the establishment of these equipments. Moreover, the technology is quite new and requires specific hardware alongside knowledge about the equipment. Along these lines, because of due to lack of presence of trained personnel and spare parts required for installation of this equipment the growth of the market is expected to decline during the forecast period.

New product launches to flourish the market

Cooltech Applications, a main magnetic refrigeration organization, has reported the accessibility of the primary business attractive cooling framework for its attractive refrigeration framework (MRS) product offering. The magnetic cooling framework uses a water coolant rather than a refrigerant gas — a significant supporter of environmental change — bringing about an eco-friendly solution that consume minimum energy. The magnetic unit functions at low pressure with low rotational speed almost eliminating vibrations, cutting noise to less than 35 decibels and reducing the maintenance costs.

Surge in use in mobile air conditioning applications

As the automotive industry is increasing with respect to the customers segment, it is augmenting the demand for mobile air conditioner. MAC can be used in all transport models like cars, buses, trains and trucks. Due to its portable feature its demand is increasing. Automotive industry is getting a high boost with MAC. With more advancement and innovation in green cooling technologies, more demand will increase of its in different sectors.

Key benefits of the report:

This study presents the analytical depiction of the global Green Cooling Technologies market along with the current trends and future estimations to determine the imminent investment pockets.

The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities along with detailed analysis of the global Green Cooling Technologies market.

The current market is quantitatively analysed to highlight the global Green Cooling Technologies market growth scenario.

Porter’s five forces analysis illustrates the potency of buyers & suppliers in the market.

The report provides a detailed global green cooling technologies market analysis based on competitive intensity and how the competition will take shape in coming years.

[astroa3h]

How Pluto Entering Aquarius Will Shape the Next Two Decades

Hold onto your hats, because the cosmos just handed us a front-row ticket to the most exhilarating and unsettling ride of the century. Pluto, the planet of transformation, power, and those deep, dark truths we’d rather shove under the rug, is strutting into Aquarius, the sign of innovation, rebellion, and humanity’s collective future. This isn’t just a cosmic shuffle. It’s a full-blown revolution that will flip the script on every corner of life as we know it. We’re talking society, technology, relationships, and yes, your personal universe. This not your average astrological transit.

Pluto doesn’t mess around. This is the planet of the phoenix, meaning if something isn’t working, it’s about to burn down to ashes. But don’t panic. Aquarius isn’t here to destroy for the sake of destruction. This air sign is the visionary genius, the tech whiz, the humanitarian. Together, they’re rewriting the rules of the game. Think of it like a power wash for your life and our world, a little messy at first, but ultimately freeing. For the next 19 years, expect seismic shifts in how we connect as a species. Aquarius rules technology and social systems, so the digital landscape will explode with changes. In terms of astrology predictions, AI won’t just be a cool tool; it’s going to reshape the job market, education, and even how we understand what it means to be human. If you’ve been clinging to outdated ways of working or communicating, Pluto is here to snap you out of it. The advice? Embrace the new. Learn, adapt, grow. That app you’re too stubborn to download could end up being the key to your next career move.

Power structures are about to collapse. Pluto in Aquarius doesn’t tolerate inequality, corruption, or anything that reeks of the old guard clinging to control. Governments, corporations, and even social hierarchies are in for a rude awakening. On a personal level, ask yourself where you’ve been giving your power away. Is it to a boss who doesn’t value you? A partner who keeps you small? A habit that numbs your potential? Pluto is here to tear those chains apart. But it’s on you to step into the freedom that follows. Of course, there’s a shadow side. Aquarius can be cold, detached, even ruthless in its pursuit of the greater good. Be wary of losing yourself in groupthink or tech dependency. Just because the world is speeding up doesn’t mean you have to lose touch with your own humanity. Make time for real conversations, face-to-face connections, and grounding rituals. This isn’t just a suggestion.

It’s a survival tool for navigating the chaos.

And let’s talk relationships. Traditional bonds might feel stifling under this influence. Aquarius loves independence and freedom, so if you’re in a situation that feels too confining, it’s time to shake things up. This doesn’t mean running for the hills every time someone asks for commitment. But it does mean being honest about what you need to thrive. Maybe that’s more space, or maybe it’s a complete reimagining of what love looks like for you. Just know this: Pluto doesn’t do surface-level. Any connection that’s shallow, fake, or rooted in outdated ideals is going to crumble. And that’s a good thing. This is also a time to dream big, no, bigger. Aquarius is the sign of invention and radical ideas. If you’ve been sitting on a creative project, a business idea, or a vision for your future, Pluto is giving you a cosmic green light. But there’s a catch. You can’t just dream it; you have to build it. Aquarius is innovative, yes, but it’s also fiercely logical. It’s about using your genius to create something real. So, roll up your sleeves. Get to work. You have a 19-year runway to make something extraordinary.

But remember, transformation isn’t a one-and-done event. Pluto moves slowly, digging deep into the cracks we don’t want to see. There will be moments when it feels too intense, too overwhelming. That’s when you lean into the Aquarian gift of vision. What kind of future do you want to build? What kind of person do you want to become? Keep your eyes on the horizon, even when the ground shakes beneath your feet. Pluto in Aquarius isn’t just a transit. It’s a call to action. It’s a demand to evolve. The world is changing, fast. And the question isn’t whether you’ll adapt. It’s whether you’ll rise to meet the opportunity. The universe believes you can. Now it’s your turn to believe it too.

Sending you all my love and blessings,

Ash (@AstroA3h via Instagram & TikTok)

✨💓

Ready for your own personal reading?

Visit astroash.net to book yours today!

[osmanthusoolong]

Because I see posts about this going around often, and I don’t want to argue about it on any given post:

Personal cameras for amateur photographers have been common since the turn of the 20th century. The Brownie camera was released in 1900 and marketed to children, amateur photography, whether developed at a photo lab, or at home, was very common. I’ve got a pretty pink art deco camera from 1930, and its existence really highlights that by then, cheap novelty cameras (pretty cameras for the girls !) were common because of market saturation.

While some areas (urban, industrialized) had more cameras than others, it’s kind of ridiculous to act like nobody outside of the wealthy had them, or took mundane pictures or silly ones or nudes and lewds within the 20th century. (Note: if you were taking something risque, you’d have to develop it yourself or know a lab that was cool with some things, but still.)

It is important to understand the presence of technology in history, not least because of the really asinine conspiracy theories about how black and white film is a psyop to convince people that the civil rights movement/HIV history was further in the past than it was (you can still get b&w film, btw), or that it would be really rare and special for someone to photograph a pet in the midcentury, on a less harmful level.

Also, because it sure is Pride month, I’m gonna recommend the book I’ve been reading, Len and Cub: A Queer History by Meredith Batt and Dusty Green, which is about the discovery of a trove of photos from the first half of the 20th century of life, including gay life, in a supremely rural Canadian village, taken by a young man who got a camera in 1905.

[mybeingthere]

Described as a ‘Virtuoso of the potter’s wheel’ by Peter Timms, Art Critic for the Melbourne Age John Stroomer is a master potter who is internationally recognized for his work with Crystalline Glazes. His forms are classical, balanced, simple, full bodied and reflect his mastery of both the potter’s wheel and crystalline process.

“I have been making for almost 50 years, employing 23 potters during the 80s/90s supplying wheel thrown domestic stoneware to major retailers, direct selling companies and homeware stores Australia-wide.

The recession of 1981, a devastating factory fire in 1988 followed by the 1990 recession and subsequent fluctuating market forces eventually led to a change in personal philosophy/direction. They were all pivotal in leading me to where and who I am today.

The exacting nature, temperature control, balance and understanding of materials and glaze technologies demanded by the Crystaline process reflect John’s mastery of his craft over many years. Each pot is fired at over 1,300 Degrees Celsius for at least 18 hours. Once peak temperature has been reached, the kiln is rapidly cooled to pre-determined temperatures, at which point the crystals begin to be formed. As crystal formation requires slow cooling, the temperature is held and slowly reduced/managed with a crystal growth period of an additional six hours.

Crystals can take on a myriad of shapes and are three dimensional in nature. In direct sunlight or strong light, spectacular effects can be created by the refraction of light bouncing off the crystals, giving each pot a true three dimensional appearance.

Metallic oxides and combinations of various materials are used to produce a wide range of colours, ranging from dark browns, to cobalt blues and coral greens, amongst many others.

The end result are a range of pots that are exquisite.

[netscapenavigator-official]

Hey thanks for being an EV positive, yet still corporate critical and Tesla negative blog. My first car is an EV that I just got end of last year, and most discussion surrounding them has been... odd. It's either you're an elon bootlicker, someone who hates tesla and therefore also ALL EVs, or the conspiracy nuts who think they're woke death traps. There's some genuinely cool things about EVs, and while I don't think they'll be the entire solution for ICE cars, they have a place i think.

I think there's a middle ground for electric vehicles to exist in a more sustainable future, even if they won't (or shouldnt) be as widespread as ICE cars. Plus, driving one is just straight up fun, and this is coming from a person who used to HATE driving

Now this is an EV take on Tumblr Dot Com that I can get behind! I'll try to keep this as non-rambly as possible, but I love this topic a lot, and sometimes I just like talking about things... Sorry in advance...

I've certainly seen the division in EV opinions, too. It's shame that Tesla Fanboys ruined them for a lot of people, and Elon Musk really sealed the deal. A lot of left-leaning people on Tumblr (and the internet in general) have really been sucking down the oil industry's propaganda lately because they can't bring themselves to separate their opinion of Tesla and EVs in general. It's even starting to leach into the far-left's opinion of green technologies as a whole... which is certainly disheartening.

I, however, also find electric cars really fascinating, so that's why I enjoy talking about them so much on this blog. The concept of a car that does everything you need transportation to do, but silently, smoothly, and with zero-emissions is just so cool. Also, they kinda just... make sense. Like, I plug my dryer into the wall, it does chores. I plug my oven into the wall, it does chore. I plug my phone and laptop into the wall, they do "chores." So why not my car? Like why do I have to go out of my way to a stupid little fueling station and put a liquid in my car that has to be fracked, refined, transported, and then burned? Why can't I just charge my car at home, like every other appliance in my life? And the answer is... I can! And that's really cool! It's such a simple, novel concept, and yet it's been bastardized to hell and back, which I think is a real shame.

On the technology side of things, (in addition to Musk going off the deep end) I just think that Tesla has lost its luster. It got comfy in its market position, stopped innovating, and the legacy automakers caught up. The Hyundai Kia Motor Group is doing far more impressive things, imo. I mean, bringing 800V, sub-20 minute charging to cars that start under $50K is extremely impressive, especially when you consider the ONLY other cars that have and do that are the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, Lucid Air, and Tesla Cybertruck (all cars that start over $80,000). Also, not to fangirl too much, but what Kia did with the EV9's drivetrain is downright industry leading... and tbh... I just don't see how people can see the innovations that companies like Hyundai, Lucid, Rivian, etc. are bringing to the market... and still think that Tesla makes good electric cars, let alone good cars at all.

Also, I completely mirror your opinion on the necessity of EVs. Being pro-electric cars doesn't mean you're pro-car dependency. Even in public transportation havens like the Netherlands or Japan, cars still have a place. Whether it be industrial, commercial, or niche personal reasons, cars will most likely have a place in the transportation world for the foreseeable future, and my philosophy regarding that is: So long as they exist, it's better for them to be zero-emission. I genuinely hope to see a public and mass transit revolution in my life time. I hope Americans will see public transportation be better funded and more accessible. I also hope, one day, people who don't want to own a car, won't have to. However, in the meantime (and for those people in the future who simply can't use public transportation for their transportation needs) an electric car is better than a ICE one. Period.

That's not to say EVs don't bring their own environmental challenges. They do. However, my opinion on the matter simply mirrors what studies and research show us: EVs are better for the environment than ICE cars, even if they aren't perfect. Every step in the right direction is a good thing, and a lack of perfection is not an excuse to to wallow and let things get worse.

And P.S.

How fun that your first car is electric! I'm totally jealous. I hope it brings you many many years of reliable transportation, well into the future. <3

[mariacallous]

One night this past February, over drinks and moody bar lighting in Brooklyn, Eric Green and his friends were swapping stories of their recent hookups when one mentioned they’d used the app Sniffies to have public sex. A 30-year-old tattoo artist who works in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Green identifies as a bottom, is a frequent user of dating apps, and has an active sex life—only, he’d never heard of Sniffies.

It wasn’t long after that night out, Green was overtaken by “complete and total horniness” while at home, and decided to sign up himself. When he opened the app he was reminded of Google Maps, only instead of restaurants and shopping recommendations, he was inundated with nudes and suggestions for the nearest pump-and-dump. “I expected it to be like Grindr and Jack’d, but after I checked it out I realized it was super accessible,” Green says, referencing two other popular queer hookup platforms. “More accessible than any other app.”

Access is Sniffies’ main selling point. A map-based cruising platform for men of all sexual identifications (gay, bi, DL, and straight-curious—yes, you read that right), Sniffies has become something like an adults-only Disneyland for queer men interested in sex-positive, no-strings-attached casual encounters. “We really focus on in-the-moment connections,” says Eli Martin, the company’s chief marketing officer and creative director. “On other apps, it’s not always clear what people’s intentions are—some people want to find a boyfriend, others just want to look around—but on Sniffies, we try to make it clear that people are fulfilling their sexual desires and fetishes.”

Sniffies is not your typical dating app, or a dating app at all, really. In lieu of the typical song and dance on Tinder or Bumble, where conversations are bogged down in endless chatter that often never materializes into an IRL meeting, on Sniffies you can anonymously browse a map of guys looking for sex with other guys. Along with web-apps BKDR (short for backdoor), Motto, and Doublelist (think a more streamlined Craigslist personals), it has reignited an appeal in cruising culture that for so long had been taboo, even among certain queer circles, for fear of acceptance or health concerns.

“Destigmatizing casual sex has been our biggest hurdle in general,” says Martin. “It’s been ingrained in us to be monogamous, but we should have this sexual freedom. Cruising doesn’t have to be seedy or something that only happens in back alleys.” Thankfully, he says, that’s changing. “In the last couple of years, we’ve been able to enjoy it more without as much judgment, but it was still hard on day one, because I was like, how do we create an app that’s [not only cool] but going to continually push people to engage in?”

Launched in 2018, Sniffies was the brainchild of former Seattle-based architect Blake Gallagher. A problem-solver by nature, Gallagher was fascinated by the way urban environments influence sexual interactions. He wanted to better augment natural human connection in public spaces, and decided to implement a map feature and geolocation technology as the basis for Sniffies—tapping into what author Jack Parlett calls “the democratic potential of cruising.” Gallagher first tested his idea in Seattle and, with the help of his brother Grant, a programmer, slowly built Sniffies into what it is today—a “cruising app for the curious” with an increasing global reach.

“We really push for the physical aspect of getting off your phone and out and about,” Martin says. And it’s paying off. According to data shared with WIRED, the US cities that see the most action—that is, the horniest cities—are Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta. (These figures are based on the highest number of sessions within a geographic area.) London saw a 475 percent growth in usership from 2022 to 2023, and Vancouver is Sniffies’ most discreet city.

Green says he uses the app twice a week “if I’m actually going to meet up with somebody, but I will go on there and scroll every so often.” (His last name was changed to protect his privacy.) According to the company, the average Sniffies user identifies as vers (25.6 percent of total users), has a penis size of 6.67 inches, prefers to cruise a park, restroom, or a residential tower of some sort, is into edging and cum play, and is most likely having sex on Mondays. Since joining, Green describes his time on Sniffies as “kinda calm,” compared to his friends. The encounters he has had, he says, have been “from apartment to apartment, nothing outside or in the gym.”

BKDR is another rising player among the burgeoning world of queer cruising apps. Eric Silverberg says users on Scruff and Jack’d—sister apps to BKDR (all three are owned by Perry Street Software)—were identifying “a clear desire for a platform that prioritized sexual expression and sex.” Cruising has occurred for centuries, he says, and an app like BKDR is a “direct, no-nonsense product that allows people to get on and get off in a very literal sense.”

The demand certainly seems to be there—and the potential for such apps is only growing. Although BKDR launched less than a year ago, it has already expanded to Latin America and Europe. “It’s early days for us, but over 1 million people have visited BKDR in the past month,” Silverberg tells me, adding, “We think it will be the biggest product in our portfolio.”

Growth brings its own set of problems, however. A recent Reddit post detailed how a more conservative kind of user now inhabits the Sniffies. “Now that [the app] is getting really popular in some places there are a ton of guys on the map in my area and most of them are just there to waste your time. I'm looking for [a] hookup right now,” user @curiousFriend2 wrote. “Sniffies used to cater to lowkey guys and even some cumdumps and the more sleezy side, but now the Grindr crowd [has] come in and a lot of them are not even into those things and publicly announce it.”

Sniffies took off following the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, and Martin believes the isolation of the pandemic led to users being more open-minded about cruising. “People’s mindset changed to realize that they want to take advantage of the moment,” he says.

That’s mainly what Green is after most days, though he says he tries not to use Sniffies as a crutch. “It’s cool to go on during my downtime—late at night or early in the morning,” he says, “because I actually have stuff to do, and I don’t want to throw my day looking for dudes,” he says, before adding that “if you’re solely looking for fun,” it’s unbeatable.

[spann-stann]

Setting Blurb: The Solar System (Reworked)

• Sol Invictus: The physical “center” of human civilization in the 3600′s. Most settlement of the Unconquerable Sun (renamed after the Human-Crystalline War) centered around the development of solar energy platforms by all members of the Big Three. Specially made habitats built to withstand the Sun’s heat also orbit it, housed by those that wish to hide from the rest of the Universe in the light of the Sun (Ex-Serviles, disgraced WCOF Party members, and market failures).

• Mercury: Mercury was not subject to colonization like the rest of the bodies in the Solar System. Rather, it was made into a giant strip mine to feed the Corporate Empire’s growing infrastructure. To supply the needed manpower, large numbers of Serviles (violent criminals sent to be worked to death) and industrial Serfbots were shipped to serve in removing any/all valuable materials the tiny planet could offer. Some enterprising Imperials have pitched the idea to convert the mined-out portions of Mercury into layered habitats. A moderately sized population of monks has been growing as well.

• Venus: The terraforming of Venus was a massive project initiated around the end of the Second Dynasty. The Human-Crystalline war put a temporary pause on that project. The once-Amber Planet is now entering the end of its second Ice Age, the descendants of those that staked claims centuries ago were more than eager to live their ancestors’ dreams. To celebrate the triumph of Venus’ terraforming, the settlers of Venus have all employed passive cooling into their housing, no more living in air-conditioned cylinders for them! The majority of the planet (and orbit) is CorpEmp, with the palatial estates of the Kechua-go, Silavfirika, and the Eurekan Ulus dot their three Terrae (major continents). The Neuhansa of the United Markets also enjoy perusing their open-aired markets, located on prime beachfront and alpine real estate dotting the planet. Even the World Congress of Freedom’s prestiged Party members have a few dachas in secluded locales.

• Earth: The former crown jewel of Human civilization, slowly healing from the near-endless use of nuclear weapons used during the Human-Crystalline War 800 years ago. With the Earth’s decreasing radiation, more and more call for the re-colonization of the homeworld. A few important sites remained inhabited, mostly areas that attract tourists and pilgrims. The many battlefields that dot the surface are treasure troves of old technology and resources (human and alien). While a majority of Earth’s human inhabitants evacuated, some decided to wait out the apocalypse. Many survivalist and bunker-building cultures thought that the rest of humanity would be “purged” by the invading aliens and retreated into their underground shelters. Slowly but surely these cultures have emerged and regained contact with the outside world. The Big Three’s plans to individually retake Terran territory may result in inevitable conflict with these “successors” to the Earth. The environmental fanatics of the Green Consensus have maintained holdings on the Earth as well, and they have made it known that those responsible for the nuclear bombardment will not have an inch of the Earth without paying some sort of price...

Earth Orbit: The myriad peoples who live in Earth's orbit pride themselves on being the "guardians of the motherworld". Being directly above the birthplace of humanity, Earth Orbit is the most culturally diverse and has the largest population in the Solar System. While many Terrans bemoan not living on Earth proper, many more recognize the profit in living right above the universe’s largest wilderness preserve and pilgrimage site. Each of the Big Three have claimed a chunk of Earth orbit for themselves: The Terran Viceroyalties, CorpEmp’s mighty satrapies in their cylindrical habitats control all Geocentric Orbit above 35,000km (everything below geosynchronous has been a no-go zone post Crystalline War). The Viceregal habitats are built as counter-rotational pairs, one habitat houses the population in a patchwork of rural communities (its interior recreating the landmass of an empire in the corresponding Viceroyalty), and the second a nature preserve (both based on the environment of the habitat’s founders). Their ultimate goal is constructing a series of linked habitats known as “rungworlds” surrounding the Earth. Earth-Moon Lagrange point 5 is under United Markets control. The leadership of the many Megacorps that survived WW3 and the rise of CorpEmp laid claim to this Lagrange point during the divvying up of the Solar System after what was called “Worlds War One”. Their slowly losing ground to the Covenanters of the Belt is of no concern to those that dwell in Terran orbit. UM habitats are a mishmash of architectural styles, designed to attract different kinds of immigrants and tourists. Some habitats don’t house any permanent population at all and are meant to offer some sort of service (casinos, colossal hunting preserves, etc). Their latest operation is offering discount prices for prospecting equipment for those eager to do some “private Terran reclamation” on the Earth’s surface. Lagrange point 4 is fully controlled by the World Congress of Freedom. Although the Party headquarters has been relocated to Titan, E-M L4 is still a large population center for the WCOF. Habitats constructed for habitation in this polity tend towards the minimalist. Inside the habitats, most if not all space provides some function to serve the revolution. Needs are met but wants may cost the average Party member that doesn’t have the right connections. WCOF space in Terran orbit is heavily fortified, with Clonscript garrisons on every habitat providing security for the resident Party Members.

• Luna: The first celestial body to be colonized by Humanity, the many domed habitats on the Moon’s surface now served as humanity’s oldest settlements still surviving the destruction of the Human-Crystalline War. The Big Three’s settlements on the near side of Luna are a patchwork, as colonial claims were established on a “first come, first serve” basis. This resulted in frequent border skirmishes between the colonies. This bad blood has yet to really subside even in the 3600s. As a result, the Moon was never fully terraformed. Large, pressurized domes serve as the barriers to the many colonies, and lava tubes beneath the lunar surface were made habitable as well. The Big Three colonies are concentrated in the Lunar Maria, with Reserves preferring their own little domes on the far side. Lots of millenarians flock to the dark side, in a manner of speaking.

•  Mars: As greenhouse emissions are used to help terraform the Red Planet, Mars is only second to the Asteroid Belt in terms of industrial output. Mars was divided evenly into thirds, following a series of border conflicts erupting into Humanity’s first interplanetary war. Each of the Big Three received three Terrae each on the Red Planet. CorpEmp received Tempe, Xanthe, and Sirenum Terrae. The United Markets received Arabia, Sabaea, and Noachis Terrae. Finally, the WCOF took Cimmeria, Promethei, and Tyrrhena Terrae. Aonia Terra, was set aside to serve as a wilderness preserve for retro-engineered megafauna. Argyre Planitia was designated for extensive Reserve settlement. Mars was the site of the second worst terrestrial battles in the Human-Crystalline War, leading to lots of expended munitions that can be dug out of the ground. This resulted in munition excavation and recycling being the largest industry on the Red Planet and plenty of minor conflicts have broken out over rights to spent shells along the Big Three’s colonial borders.  Phobos became exclusive CorpEmp territory. The entire moon serves the Imperial Space Force; and is dotted with training, construction, and housing facilities. Deimos was divided by the UM and WCOF, with plenty of Reserve settlements acting as a buffer between the two.

• Asteroid Belt: While CorpEmp and the WCOF control “gateways” through the Outer Solar System, the major centers of the Asteroid Belt, Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta, are exclusively under United Markets control. Unlike the Inner Solar System, which is mostly the domain of the UMs founding megacorporations, the Asteroid Belt is home of the UM’s Covenanter culture. Small, insular, and very militant mining communities, Covenanters have slowly grown to become the dominant culture within the UM. So much so, that many Megacorp personnel defected to the Covenanter memetic when they evacuated to the Belt during the Human-Crystalline War. The Covenanters have not rested on their laurels and launched multiple colonial expeditions within and beyond Sol in recent centuries. The pirate mothership Libertatia, flying under the banner of the UM, also prowls the Belt to prey upon statist spacecraft.

• Jupiter: Following the conclusion of the Worlds War One, and the consolidation of colonial territories in the Inner Solar System, the Big Three came together to divide the Outer Solar System. Rather than sharing the outer planets, the Big Three split the gas giants between them. CorpEmp received Jupiter the King of the Planets. Slowly but surely, concentric band of settlements formed orbiting closer and closer to Jupiter itself as CorpEmp tech could counter the planet’s strong magnetic field. To prevent Jupiter’s growing colonial project being a projection of the Terran Viceroyalties’ influence, the earliest colonies were constructed with a quota system, with a certain amount of kingroups from each Viceroyalty to move into the colonies. This policy was subsequently dropped as the Human-Crystaline War entered its terrestrial warfare phase, and refugees fleeing the Inner Solar System needed housing. Similar to the Terran Viceroyalties, each of the Galilean moons’ orbits serves as an autonomous entity, their precedence ranked in order of settlement. Except for Io (which is mined for its resources), the moons themselves are mined for ice and water, and are home to aquatic life (mostly Terran stock, with a few indigenous lifeforms). Seafood is a staple of Jovian diet. Minor moons and the Trojans are dotted with small CorpEmp settlements and independent squatters. The Hildan asteroids were (begrudgingly) ceded to the United Markets. Jova Prota (Callisto’s orbit) is home to CorpEmp’s fifth ruling dynasty. Jova Terta (Europa) is the sulking ground of House Rotthey of Europa (a cadet branch of the first dynasty).

• Saturn: Saturn, after Worlds War One, was awarded to the World Congress of Freedom. Immediately, the Party Leadership drew up plans to develop the ringed planet as the “revolutionary core” of human space. Titan, due to its cold temperatures, was slated for a special sort of settlement. The Party Leadership sought to recreate the old cybersyn system of economic management, and the vast computer complexes required for such an undertaking would use Titan as a planetary cooling system. The others 145 moons of Saturn would be mined until they were hollowed out and made to spin so they provided Earth-like gravity. Initially, there wasn’t a large rush to populate the new territories. Non-Party citizens moved to Saturnian orbit, as Party membership was offered to those that would help bring the Party’s vision of Saturn to life. The population of Party members would dramatically increase in the 2800’s during the Human-Crystalline War, as the fighting on Mars, Earth, and Venus forced many civilians to flee into the Outer Solar System. The decisive space battle in Saturn’s orbit, that ended major combat operations of the war. Most of Saturn’s minor moons have been made habitable in the 3600’s, with Titan’s governing cybersyndicate having loftier ambitions as the major moons are continued to be hollowed out themselves. The ring of Saturn would be harvested, and replaced with an orbital ring, allowing for even more housing for a larger population.

• Uranus: The third of the Outer Solar Systemto be granted after Worlds War One, Uranus was given to the United Markets. Although the Asteroid Belt already served as their industrial core, the United Markets primarily mined the planetary system for volatiles and ice. Increase in Uranian gases has increased, as it is the easiest of the giants to extract Helium-3. For a time, Uranus was sparsely populated. The Megacorps preferred the thriving markets of the Inner Solar System, and the growing Hoppean Covenant was content to mine the Asteroid Belt to their heart’s content. Uranian colonization was undertaken by only small expeditions, UM and Reserve in affiliation, and primarily staffed by robotic mining equipment. It was only after the Human-Crystalline War, and the devastation of the Inner Solar System did the movers and shakers turn their eyes to the ice giant. Primarily, this was due to the Megacorps’ leadership thinking they could seek shelter in the Belt. The already established Hoppeans, not that receptive to the Megacorps they moved to the Belt to get away from arriving on their turf. So they made it simple: comply with how the Hoppeans run the Belt, or skedaddle. The Megacorps took the latter and began to build their headquarters in Uranian orbit. The planetary system was made a freeport for scientists looking for ways to bring Humanity’s collective population back to pre-war levels (that could afford the rent to orbit Uranus anyway). The “From Scratch Society”, advocates for artificial human genetics, have made Uranus their homeworld (or at least the moon Oberon).

• Neptune: While Jupiter was the primary location for CorpEmp refugees during the Human-Crystalline War, some groups thought it necessary to go further and established themselves on Triton. Gears started turning in the minds of CorpEmp leadership and allowed the settlement of Neptune to continue during the War. Once the War came to an end, the other polities of the Big Three couldn’t really contest the annexation, and as a concession Neptune’s Trojans were ceded to the UM, and Pluto to the WCOF. As Jupiter was CorpEmp’s mining powerhouse, Neptune served as a home for Crystalline War veterans (primarily the Knights of the Starry Temple) and some eccentrics. A few families of engineers, utilizing mass-streaming technology, sought to construct a planetary shell around Jupiter. As Neptune was smaller (and had a weaker magnetosphere) than Jupiter, these engineers then moved into Neptune’s orbit and use that planet as a proof-of-concept to show their plans for Jupiter are feasible.

• Pluto and The Kuiper Belt: Pluto and its four moons were given over to the WCOF after a diplomatic snafu over CorpEmp refugees squatting in Neptunian orbit. Like the Saturnian moons, the end state of each body in Pluto’s orbit is going to be hollowed out and spun up to better allow human habitation. Whatever minerals found inside will be repurposed to further along the construction. While the Inner System houses most of the Party’s membership, and Saturn the Party’s leadership, Pluto would house the more eccentric and problematic members of the Party. Inspired by the Covenanters in the rival UM, the self-styled “Plutonian Congress” seeks to further advance the revolution. The Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud are considered “free space”. Too damn big to effectively govern, and no real way of fighting over it all. So, it’s free space. The largest of the Trans-Plutonian objects serves as stations for motherships making their way to and from the Extrasolar Territories. The Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud are mostly home to lonely mining habitats, Reserves that really want to be left alone, the occasional Space Force patrol, and the mythical location of the “Catgirl prison complex” (believed to have been built during the Transhuman Wars). Many have tried to find this El Dorado of the stars, but none have succeeded.

[solarpunks]

A rendering of a rooftop terrace installed by the Parisian startup Roofscapes.

Paris When It Sizzles: The City of Light Aims to Get Smart on Heat

With its zinc roofs and minimal tree cover, Paris was not built to handle the new era of extreme heat. Now, like other cities worldwide, it is looking at ways to adapt to rising temperatures — planting rooftop terraces, rethinking its pavements, and greening its boulevards.

In many cities, this urban remodeling project is already underway. In New York City, workers and volunteers have planted over a million trees to add shade and clean the air. In Seville, Spain, city planners are using the technology of ancient underground waterways to provide cooling for the city without depending on air‑conditioning. In Freetown, Sierra Leone, officials are creating urban gardens, improving access to clean water, and erecting plexiglass awnings over outdoor markets. In Los Angeles, public works crews are painting streets white to increase reflectivity. In India, they are experimenting with green roofs, which absorb heat and create space to grow food. But perhaps nowhere in the world do the challenges, as well as the opportunities, loom larger than in Paris, where nearly 80 percent of the buildings have zinc roofs — an affordable, corrosion-resistant and virtually inflammable innovation of the 19th century. But those roofs are, in the 21st century, deadly — heating up to 194 degrees F on a summer day. And because top‑floor garrets were not insulated, that heat is transferred directly into the rooms below.

[slic3d--br3ad]

Arcane Order Eli has been on my mind for a few years. Eli is one of my favorite characters and has been since I joined the fandom sometime after season 2 aired; he's baby, yk? Bellroc and Skrael are sexy so full of potential that got crushed with the movie's release, which fuels my love for them. It's only natural I'd want to pair them up, which is challenging when Eli hasn't interacted with any of them in canon.

When it comes to Eli actually joining them, I've been stuck on what makes this twist of fate liable. The Arcane Order hates humanity, why would they accept this rando kid as one of them? Eli has probably the most sunny disposition of the cast, how on this green Earth would he get along with Bellroc and Skrael?

Now I'm at the point where I can post a concept that I agree with, though it surely needs some tweaks.

Eli's Side

• As we've seen at the ending of RotT, Toby isn't nearly as assertive against Steve's bullying and this continues for quite a bit even after becoming the Trollhunter. As a consequence, Steve doubles down on his bullying because no one has the nerve to humble him. Eli and Steve never become close enough to become the Creepslayerz and their relationship rots after they're paired together by Jim, who, missing the finer details of their friendship, assumes that they will become close eventually.

• Because they aren't friends, Eli doesn't bond with the Royals; he instead sees them as his bully's girlfriend/the girlfriend's brother, prompting him to keep them at arm's length for his own safety. Krel becomes the one to bond with Steve the most, though he vetos being called a Creepslayer lol.

• After being brought into the Guardians, his friendships don't seem to extend beyond talking at school. He obviously doesn't vibe with Steve, but Eli doesn't have a chance with the tight-knit Toby Trio. Douxie, Zoe, and Claire are the resident Wizards, and Eli obviously doesn't have magic(yet). Krel, being a tech genius, provides all the technological knowledge the group needs which makes his computer skills lackluster in comparison.

• Key events that previously led to Eli's discovery of the supernatural are disrupted; Jim already knows about Bular and the changelings using the museum, so there's no need to stake out Eli's house when he shows everyone the picture of the dead goblin. Toby can't keep a secret as cool as being able to form a suit of armor with a magical amulet (despite Jim's best effort lol) and manages to humble Steve sometime after Bular's defeat. Toby becomes Steve's go-to for reporting supernatural incidents, like the wild goblin in his garage. With no one believing him, Eli ultimately gives up on his conspiracy theories, instead opting for small self-improvement, like indulging in his love for scriptwriting or jogging at night.

• The supernatural worlds are gradually revealed to the public by Toby and Co., which leaves a bitter taste in Eli's mouth when he receives no credit for making his discoveries before them.

• All in all, Eli is left feeling unappreciated and isolated; Toby still entrusted a Troll Market key to him but Eli doesn't utilize it much and keeps his distance from their missions.

Arcane Order's Side

• Merlin, the only one aware of Jim's status as a time traveler, utilizes Jim's memories of the alternate universe to convince Morgana that she's on the wrong side of history so she deflects from the Order and kills her mind-broken brother to put him out of his misery. Whether time-travel shenanigans take place or not is in the air right now.

• Douxie levels up and KO's Bellroc and Skrael, the Guardians win, Merlin lives, the city remains under their protection, and the Arcane Order scurry away to plot for another 900 years...supposedly.

• Bellroc feels an odd connection to the town(actually the Heartstone below the town that they managed to briefly connect with in the movie) and risks their discovery to relocate their damaged ship behind the mountain and fix it up.

• Bellroc has generally been preoccupied with chasing Camelot around and has little time to indulge in hobbies; Skrael has slightly more freedom to chillax. As they hadn't quite written out the kinks in a wonky fixer-upper spell, Bellroc is drained after repairing the castle and comically tucks in for a week-long nap.

• Skrael takes it upon himself to explore their surroundings and perhaps find Nari in the town. Speaking of Nari, her magic signature is dulled with a device that Krel creates for her safety. Not even Merlin can track her while she wears the collar device so he decides that there's no need for her to flee while Douxie is around to keep his eye on her in the safety of Arcadia. Nari feels owned grateful for Merlin's wisdom and generosity and, while she has to keep a low profile and Merlin advises her against using her magic, she enjoys her time with the kiddos.

• The Arcane Order is now without a Champion and an Enforcer, while Nari shows no interest in returning to them; things 're tough for them at the moment.

• In hindsight, a mind-broken, undead king and a witch who worked for them on emotional impulse weren't the most ideal candidates to employ.

• What they really need is someone who's ready and willing to learn from them and fight for their cause with their own free will, but fat chance of that happening anytime soon lol.

Meeting

Their story starts after the battle between the Arcane Order and the Guardians of Arcadia, which happened around the same time as it happened in Wizards. Obviously, Eli doesn't become the ambassador of Akiridian-5 and only has surface-level knowledge of the events.

Eli finds Skrael entirely by accident while running in the forest, still habitually accustomed to staying up late working on his conspiracy board; when Skrael tries to leave, he grabs onto them and is teleported to the castle. This wakes Bellroc, who's a little peeved at being disturbed two days into their nap and is like "!!????"

Eli is not aware that they are the ones who caused a bunch of damage to the town recently. Seeing the majesty of their newly repaired castle is the tipping point Eli needs to finally geek out over something supernatural after restraining himself for months.

He fawns over the castle, strokes their egos a bit (which saves his life, because it's a smidge harder to kill someone who's being nice to them), and asks them if someone like him has any chance at learning magic.

Bellroc and Skrael are baffled at this twist of fate and while they certainly debate killing him, they drop it after Eli innocently tells them that he's a part-timer for the Guardians(and if they are lost wizards needing advice from the Great and All-Powerful Merlin then he can work something out blahblahblah).

Offing the guy would risk Merlin's suspicion and him striking them in a weakened state would be a major blow, like kicking a wasp's nest.

Sleepy Bellroc isn't really in their right mind but nonetheless has an idea and decides the best way to get rid of this human without homicide is by accepting his request to learn magic.

No, really.

Sleepy Bellroc plays along with his delusion of magical expertise and, after giving him a few dozen sheets that make up a single beginner's spell, makes him an offer: if he learns that spell within the week, less than five days at this point, entirely by himself, Bellroc will accept him as their apprentice. If he fails, however, he has to consent to a memory wipe of the past week and get lost. Eli accepts.

Skrael, in shock at Bellroc's supposed generosity, looks over this "beginner's spell" they gave to the boy. He quickly picks up on Bellroc's trickery and wishes Eli the best of luck before taking him back to the forest.

What Eli doesn't know is that the papers (translated to English for his convenience) are actually the directions for performing a combat spell that even young master wizards can have trouble with; about as far from the basics as a wizard can get. In other words, Eli will fail no matter how hard he tries and get his memory wiped and probably chucked off a small cliff to pass off his memory loss as an accident. Skrael can't wait to bear witness to the greatest prank ever.

Unfortunately, they severely underestimate Eli's reawakened enthusiasm for the supernatural and intense desire to belong in a group. Fueled on nothing but coffee, dreams, and that happy feeling of having passion for something new, he manages to awaken the magic inside him. Accident, or perhaps fate?

With a rough estimate from Douxie (who takes his secrecy at face value and innocently wants him to succeed) that a new spell on a beginner's level takes a few hours to around 3 days to learn, Eli manages to pull it off within 4 days, just hours before his deadline. All in all, Bellroc is pissed at his success but doesn't want to pull back on a promise. Skrael just thinks it's hysterical that Bellroc's trick completely backfired on them and is engaged in the progress of his companion's bizarre new apprentice.

Bellroc's method of "teaching", while unorthodox and not at all providing their desired result, has some basis in reality: not specifying to someone that a task is supposed to be "hard" can increase the likelihood that they can complete that task with little struggle. (Get Anyone To Do Anything! David J. Lieberman!) This doesn't work on everyone but it worked on Eli lol.

[quietbluejay]

Spotlight: Ultra Magnus

Hit it, Mags!

"independent war crimes arbiter ultra magnus" would have been really cool to have

Swindle's first appearance!

comics are fun

there's a whole crowd of the alien dudes also i do want to say it's fun to see all these other aliens showing up

First Alien: You have no authority here, Cybertronian, and Swindle...is under my protection. Guards...

First Alien: execute him!

Ultra Magnus: hm

we get to see his HUD and it's focusing on each of the weapons the guards have

nnnot entirely sure i like this ultra magnus design tbh

one guy starts reaching for his weapon

Ultra Magnus points at him

Ultra Magnus: don't

guard dude takes his hand away from his weapon

"Hey, Magnus!"

Ultra Magnus and Guard Dude look up

he fires it and Ultra Magnus jumps out of the way

Swindle collapses on his back

Ultra Magnus points his very large gun down at Swindle

Ultra Magnus: Just...

Ultra Magnus: ...give me an excuse!

Ultra Magnus slaps glowing cuffs on Swindle

then he points at the guy Swindle was working with

Ultra Magnus: as for you, Karzai Lorcha, you have a bad habit of offering miscreants safe harbor in return for, shall we say, utilization of their violent or criminal proclivities

Ultra Magnus: do so again, for other wanted Cybertronians...

Ultra Magnus:…and I'll bring the walls of Zull tumbling down

Swindle sneers at him

Swindle: Well, see, I'm not so sure. In my experience, everyone - no matter how unbending they may seem - wants something

Swindle: even you, Magnus...

Ultra Magnus turns and starts walking away

Ultra Magnus: no, nothing you have to offer would make me compromise my sworn duty

Swindle: oh yeah? not even…Scorponok?

Ultra Magnus turns his head towards Swindle

(heh)

Scorponok: the winner in the "how many different war crimes can you commit" contest

Ultra Magnus: one of the fundamental tenets of the allied Code of Interplanetary Conduct is the Non-Interaction Accord...

Ultra Magnus:...which limits the sharing of Cybertronian science

"…and pooling resources to create new and deadly variations on a militaristic theme" but hm. "morally ambivalent species" hm. hm

there's a picture of a crater

Ultra Magnus: the mutual aspect of the arrangement lasts only as long as it takes Scorponok to absorb the choicest cuts of local innovation and infrastructure. After which...

Ultra Magnus:...he carefully erases all traces of his machinations, and moves on

Ultra Magnus fiddles with the controls of his ship

Ultra Magnus: Grudgingly, I concede that Swindle is right. If he knows Scorponok's current whereabouts, and if that knowledge means I can take him unawares before he has a chance to cut and run...

Ultra Magnus:...then he does have something I want

"But is it enough to make me 'bend'? In my book, one compromise leads to another…and another…and pretty soon…"

Ultra Magnus crosses his arms

"…you've crossed the line you're supposed to be holding"

there's a shot of Ultra Magnus' ship leaving a red planet

he did, in fact, agree to cut Swindle loose

but left him on "the remotest, least savory trading post of the quadrant" without a cent to his name UM, did you steal Swindle's money and possessions? for shame :p okay but no seriously did he

it's the planet of the 80s!

Ultra Magnus is in truck form, scoping the place out

"But I have to be sure"

wait no, green guy is his holoavatar

next panel is him talking to a receptionist in purple

UM narrating: replicated identity documents and a certain amount of creative commercial bluster get my holomatter simulacrum past security and reception...

"…and into a meeting with the consortium's Director of Marketing"

this Ultra Magnus (international lawman of mystery) is a pretty fun character

"...and a quick realignment of the holomatter matrix"

now he looks like the director

"...I'm all the way in"

"Cybertronian technology, without a doubt. Enough of it, anyways, to let me know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I've found what I'm looking for"

he goes to examine the tube

"I take a closer look…"

trauma buffers, huh

love it

"…I feel it!"

somehow the electricity travels through…idk what medium, to electrocute UM's cab

"It's a race against time"

"Can I reach him before he strips out all the essential data and hardware…"

it's 3v1

and UM is wondering about his Scorponok is planning on taking the organic-Cybertronian blend to a whole other level

"If so…"

they start shooting at Ultra Magnus

"Then stopping him…"

the shots basically just bounce off of him

"is an even greater priority"

Ultra Magnus drives off, having knocked them out

"I spare no thought for my would-be executioners. They're just animated, auto-piloted armour. The real enemy..."

"...is within"

Ultra Magnus arrives on the rooftop, and goes back into robot mode

"And, en route to Scorponok's sub-surface lair..."

"...I get into character"

Ultra Magnus, out loud: Scorponok...

Scorponok: in the past, I've simply wound up my operations, and moved on, but I've on the verge of something quite breathtaking in scope here…so…

Scorponok: it's you who must go

he throws Magnus back

Scorponok: as in dead and gone!

he throws Magnus through a wall

Scorponok: since our paths last crossed, Magnus, there have been…

his tail is glowing

Scorponok: Zarak? No!

Scorponok: Get back! I can't st-

unfortunately he can't stop it from firing

but Ultra Magnus uses the distraction to get out of the way

Magnus grabs his gun

Scorponok: Maaagnus...

Scorponok: This is all your fault!

Magnus: Scorponok, stop!

Magnus: Don't...make me...

Ultra Magnus fires and hits Scorponok in the corner of his head

Scorponok walks it off, Ultra Magnus is too winded

UM narrating: somehow, driven onwards by some ruthlessly stubborn streak of self-preservation...

"...he doesn't go down"

"And by the time I'm on my feet..."

"…whatever it takes…"

"…I will bring him to justice!"

decepticon high justice huh

"I will never forget that vow, but as time passes I start to wonder...just how far I will go to get the job done!"

Swindle: so...let's deal!

The end?

and that's the UM spotlight

some notes:

(my friend said this originally, I slightly rephrased it) this is very mildly spoilery but this shows a repeated pattern of behaviour with Scorp where he gets protective and melodramatic over his modified partners in crime

you know this was UM's first appearance also I think first appearance of Swindle and the term "tyrest accords" it does imply that the Decepticons do have some kind of war crimes that overlap with the Autobot idea of war crimes, which is interesting and also that there's some level of cooperation regarding rogues from both sides

on the topic of Furman:

I think he's quite good at storytelling within a comics medium friend: his flow is great friend: barber and scott both have their hand in multiple layers but furman specializes in doing one layer really well

on the topic of Cybertronian-alien relations:

friend: let's remember, Ultra Magnus in this issue:

in one he blows up a base, threatens people, and shuts down a fruitful business relationship

here he's breaking into a semi military think tank with the intention to shut it down

and in between those he dumped swindle on a random space port, probably without actually telling any of the locals about it

me: ultra magnus, may i remind you, canonically has a good rep with the Galactic Council he's the "calm, straightlaced one" yeahhhh there's a reason they go around in disguise lol

other friend: cursed thought Cybertronians are the Spike Witwicky's of the galaxy

(we all agreed that this was accurate and also we hated it so much)

on the topic of Scorponok:

me: scorponok is the literal worst but somehow he is like a sad wet worm that you see on the sidewalk and want to rescue friend: scorponok is the literal worst but at the same time you can't help but want him to achieve his dream of settling down somewhere and making an army of increasingly fucked up cyborgs

there was the detour where I talked about my scorp&tarantulas teamup AU but some of it's spoilery for Laurafic (though tbh even mentioning this is spoilery) buuut I'm gonna share some of it anyways because it's funny

me: scorp gives off the vibes that he would go 0 to 100 in terms of attachment friend: i don't even think there would be a clear line from the 0 to 100 friend: he'd be monologuing about how he's using his creations to take over this pitiful planet and the next day you're wondering if packing a box lunch is a necessary part of the plan and if you feel like arguing about it me: they (Scorp&Tarantulas) wouldn't fix each other and they wouldn't make each other worse, but instead, some secret third thing friend: they'd support each other's hobbies in a way thats healthy for them and apocalyptic for the wider world

unfortunately for spoiler purposes I have to stop there but it did end up discussing how introducing Tarantulas to Homestuck should probably be illegal under the Tyrest Accords

(and also we talked about some interesting AU stuff with Scorp but it's spoilery for some more immediate comics stuff. so. putting a pin in this one)

and I'm gonna do a few Hot Rod notes as a separate post cause that came up then too

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Anthropocene Magazine:

I write about the climate and energy for a living and even I can’t quite wrap my head around how cheap low-carbon power technologies have gotten. The cost of onshore wind energy has dropped by 70% over just the last decade, and that of batteries and solar photovoltaic by a staggering 90%. Our World in Data points out that within a generation, solar power has gone from being one of the most expensive electricity sources to the cheapest in many countries—and it’s showing little signs of slowing down.

So where does this all end?

Back in the 1960s, the nuclear industry promised a future in which electricity was too cheap to meter. Decades later, the same vision seems to be on the horizon again, this time from solar. It seems, well, fantastic. Perhaps (almost) free renewable power leads to climate utopia. Then again, should we be careful what we wish for?

The Road To Decarbonization Is Paved With Cheap Green Power

1. More renewables = less carbon. The math isn’t complicated. The faster we transition to clean energy, the less carbon dioxide we’re adding to the atmosphere and the fewer effects of global warming we will suffer.While humanity is still emitting more greenhouse gases than ever, the carbon intensity of electricity production has been dropping for well over a decade.

2. Cheap, clean power also unlocks humanitarian goals. Modern civilization rests on a foundation of electricity. Beyond its obvious uses in heating, cooling, cooking, lighting and data, electricity can decarbonize transportation, construction, services, water purification, and food production. Increasing the supply and reducing the cost of green electricity doesn’t just help the climate, it improves equity and quality of life for the world’s poorest.

3. Scrubbing the skies will take a lot of juice. Once we get emissions under control, it’s time to tackle the mess we’ve made of the atmosphere. Today’s direct air capture (DAC) systems use about two megawatt hours of electricity for every ton of CO2 plucked from fresh air. Scale that up to the 7 to 9 million tons we need to be removing annually in the US by 2030, according to the World Resources Institute, and you’re looking at about 0.5% of the country’s current energy generation. Scale it again to the nearly 1,000 billion tons the IPCC wants to sequester during the 21st century, and we’ll need every kilowatt of solar power available—the cheaper the better.

Cheap Power Has Hidden Costs

1. Cheap technology doesn’t always mean cheap power. If solar cells are so damn cheap, why do electricity bills keep rising? One problem is that renewables are still just a fraction of the energy mix in most places, about 20% in the US and 30% globally. This recent report from think-tank Energy Innovation identifies volatility in natural gas costs and investments in uneconomic coal plants as big drivers for prices at the meter. Renewables will have to dominate the energy mix before retail prices can fall. 

2. The cheaper the power, the more we’ll waste. Two cases in point: cryptocurrency mining and AI chat bots. Unless we make tough social and political decisions to fairly price carbon and promote climate action, the market will find its own uses for all the cheap green power we can generate. And they may not advance our climate goals one inch.

3. Centuries of petro-history to overcome. Cheap power alone can only get us so far. Even with EVs challenging gas cars, and heat pumps now outselling gas furnaces in the US, there is a monumental legacy of fossil fuel systems to dismantle. Getting 1.5 billion gas cars off the world’s roads will take generations, and such changes can have  enormous social costs. To help smooth the transition, the Center for American Progress suggests replacing annual revenue-sharing payments from coal, oil, and natural gas production with stable, permanent distributions for mining and oil communities, funded by federal oil and gas revenue payments.

[dracolupus628]

Big News! My Store is Now Live!

Hello, All! I have been trying to set up my own little store, where I can sell my handmade chainmaille crafts. After several months of preperation, toil, and fighting technology, the store is fully operational! It can be found at https://lupuscrafting.com.

Below, you can find a collection of the products you can find on the site. Everything is handmade by me, and I create each object custom for each order.

  Two examples of the chainmaille necktie, a fun way to incorporate a little fun into your outfit

A scale mail bag- The only one on the market that is proper scale mail, using rings to secure each scale! Useful for many purposes, such as dice bag, coin purse, or a bag for any small trinkets you can find. The bag is lined with fabric to protect whatever you put in it from abrasion.

Two dragons, of different sizes- A wonderful little friend to keep you company, debug code, or decorate your desk! Like everything here, the colours are completely customizable. The green one is 25 in (60cm) long, while the black and blue one is 10 in (25 cm) long, perfect to fit in your pocket!

One of the many models of earrings I have. A wonderful gift for mother’s day, or to make your friend feel extra cool!

These are just a small collection of the products available at the link above. On top of the listed products on the website, I do custom orders! Just contact me at lupuscrafting@gmail.com, describe what you would like to be made, and we will work together to make your vision come to life!

[devoted1989]

the elusive hundred percent vegan

WHAT IS VEGANISM?

The term vegan was coined in 1944, by the Vegan Society. The following definition applies

[…] a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.

(Updated 1979, The Vegan Society)

It is impossible to live in the world and avoid everything that uses animals in one way or another.

But we can take time to research manufacturers and producers and be able to make an educated decision on the products we buy and use.

Thanks to modern technology, we have greater access to retailers all over the country – even the world - and have wider choices.

As more and more people are made aware of the atrocities involved in everyday items, more people are looking for these.

If they don’t find them they will begin asking why not. Manufacturers and developers will see a market that has been created and will be motivated to make sweeping changes.

Living in the society we do, with advances that have had a huge impact on our daily lives, we should take the position that we will, whenever possible, only consume cruelty free alternatives.

I don’t believe that the issue here is one of being a perfect vegan.

Rather, it is a question of being the best vegan we can. And by making sure that every choice we make is one that is in the best possible interest of animals.

If we love animals, our priority should be to reduce their suffering as much as possible and to do our best to make a difference to their lives.

As long as we live in a world that is frighteningly dependent on animal products, we cannot be completely vegan. But we can put in a 100% effort to living as cruelty – free as possible.

Animal activist and lecturer Gary Yourofsky:

 “I’ll just add briefly that our ability to achieve 100 percent vegan status really depends on our definition of vegan.  If being vegan means striving to commit the least amount of harm possible, then one can be fully vegan. Unfortunately, as long as we are living, we will inadvertently cause harm to other living beings.  But we can consistently strive to reduce this harm to the best of our abilities.”

Here are just some examples of non – essential (ie. not necessary to sustain life) products that may contain animal products or may make use of animal products in their production:

Antifreeze

Asphalt

Batteries

Biodegradable detergents

Books

Bricks

Cars (or any form of transport) 

Cell phones

Cement

Chemicals

Computers

Explosives

Fireworks

Glue

Home insulation

Industrial oils and lubricants

Insulation material used to cool and heat houses

LCD screens

Many electronics

Musical instruments

Organic foods (manure used as fertilizer)

Paper

Pesticides

Plaster

Rubber

Sports equipment

Steel

Tools that have any moving parts

Tyres

Varnish

Wood

X-ray film

HOW TO IDENTIFY PRODUCTS THAT AREN’T CRUELTY FREE AND ALTERNATIVES (WHERE AVAILABLE):

ANIMAL INGREDIENTS LIST - WITH ALTERNATIVES WHERE AVAILABLE:

ANIMAL INGREDIENTS LIST

BEEF “BY PRODUCTS”

ETHICAL SHOPPING

With thanks to World Preservation Foundation, Vegan Society, Vegan Outreach, Natural Society, Treehugger, One Green Planet and Mother Nature Network.

[softbean]

color me green

FRIDA/FCG 1090 words Gen, rated G Some robots are just built better.

I met another automaton today. Like me!

Thinks, feels, eats coins…

They’re pretty cool.

The first I’ve ever met, maybe the only one I’ll ever meet.

So…suave, polite, kind.

Capable, efficient, protective.

Empathetic, communicative, considerate…

Tall…legs…gun…

I glance up askance. FRIDA is chatting with Fearne and making her laugh so hard flowers fall out of her hair.

I feel small next to them.

I roll my saw blade idly while we camp, eyes zoning out at a spot on the ground.

I don’t know if I trust this person.

I mean…someone better than me? Plenty.

Someone better than me, but in every way?

Seems too perfect.

Suspicious. I don’t trust them.

But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.

  //

  If I think about it, it makes sense that of all the technology that existed from those bygone times, I can’t be the one and only. There was never a guarantee that I am the latest, most advanced build.

Oh, the many engineers Aeor must have had.

Competing designs on the market.

Good-willed rivalry between innovative minds…

Some robots were made with love and care, more than others made with nefarious intents in mind, and it shows in the stellar craftsmanship, in the attention put into detail, in the way some automatons were programmed to be the best version of themselves.

Once upon a time, before we had to become of our own, someone must have adored FRIDA when they brought them to life.

With the Changebringer so far from me lately, I’ve been wondering what that feels like.

Some robots are made with love, from love.

Some robots are just built better.

  //

  Maybe I should get a pair of legs, too. Maybe that’s what I need.

And a retractable hand.

And some nice, fitted clothes, maybe…

If I get legs, I want them to be long.

Or would that mess up my proportions?

Why am I so small? Am I small so as to seem disarming?

Who says small guys can’t pack a punch?

I can defend my friends, too.

I don’t do it perfectly, but I pull through when it matters.

You know what, maybe I’ll keep this wheel.

It’s not my favorite, but it’s…it’s me.

  //

  I’m sitting across FRIDA when they get up and walk right at me.

“FCG, you are…quite amazing.” They sit.

If I had an eyebrow, I’d raise it.

“Why do you—what’s this about?”

“Nothing, I’ve just been watching you. Your friends seem excited for you that the two of us met. Isn’t it kind of miraculous?”

I hug my arms.

“You’re more amazing yourself,” I mumble.

“Not true!” FRIDA’s eyes twinkle.

I look away, not sure what to say.

It takes FRIDA but a moment to read me.

Darn it. Why do they have to be so perceptive?

“You’re carrying all your virtues on your back, you just don’t see them.”

Stupidly, slowly, I turn around to look, only to find my backpack with my primitive gadgets.

FRIDA laughs.

“That was a figure of speech.”

“I know that, I just—” was dumb, but “I know that much.”

FRIDA is watching me intently. Yikes!

“You seem on edge. I saw you sitting there, just…reflexively spinning your blade last night. Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes—I mean, no, but yes. I’m alright.”

I don’t need your concern—

“Thank you for asking.”

I don’t need your care—

“You can talk to me, at any time, alright?”

I don’t want to talk to you, because you—

“You’re so good at being a person.”

  //

  Oops. I misspoke. Maybe I am short circuiting. “Leaking”, so to speak.

FRIDA looks confused. “I’m just a person…like anyone. You’re as much of a person—as real as me, as anyone.”

“Well. Thanks, I guess…I don’t feel like I’m doing human or robot very well.”

“Fresh Cut Grass…there’s no right way to be. You just are.”

Even saying things like that—

“You always know just the coolest, most perfect thing to say,” I shake my head in defeat.

“That’s not true...I mess up plenty.”

Modesty, even now…

I wish I were just a little bit more like you.

What is this feeling? FRIDA? Dancer? D? Who can tell me?

This tightness in my chest, this sadness, loneliness, unworthiness…

I didn’t even know I had the words. Even then, I don’t know what anything is. I’m trying to jigsaw things in the dark.

“—there’s no right way to be,” they go on.

“You’re alive, FCG.” FRIDA’s emerald eyes glimmer, and I feel sparks of electricity down my mess of wires.

“Isn’t aliveness itself the greatest gift?”

I shake my head. This heaviness in my chest, sting in my eyes…feels like I’m on the precipice of something, and I don’t know how to cross the threshold. I want to emote in a way my programming isn’t built for.

“Someone gifted this life to me. I feel like I have to make it a worthwhile one for them.”

FRIDA looks down at me with empathy, some modicum of understanding. “I understand. I can understand where you’re coming from.”

I look surprised. I thought they would talk about stuff like volition and purpose again.

“I won’t try to change your mind, but I do hope one day you close your eyes and take the trust fall into the arms of what you’re afraid of.

“When you do, you’ll see so much meaning. So much freedom.”

Clunk.

I feel something shift in me at those words, just the barest nudge against a gear that has not budged for millennia. The littlest difference some words can make, but I fear the power an utterance has in setting things in motion.

I’m glad they accepted me even if I feel differently.

Thank you for letting me take my time.

There are things I understand, but have yet to embody.

  //

  Here’s the thing.

I am high key jealous of FRIDA, but damn it feels really great to have someone so cool compliment me.

And…I respect them for who they are. Who they’ve become. Who they choose to be.

Rude awakening, but I may still be in the infancy stage of becoming a person.

I may be underdeveloped, in comparison to some.

But every day, unwaveringly, I carry my tools of defence on my back, I carry my promises, my virtues, and sometimes my friends themselves.

Some robots are built…better.

That much doesn’t change.

But that doesn’t stop me from taking my time getting there.

  //

  end

You can also find this fic on AO3.