SpaceX Now Valued at $350 Billion Facing Space Debris Problem(IV)
【企业社会责任与可持续发展】| CSR & Sustainability
By Yibai, Jointing.Media, in Shanghai, 2024-12-28
Managing space debris is far from over
In 1993, the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) was established by the world’s leading spacefaring nations to serve as an intergovernmental platform for the exchange of information on space debris research and to promote cooperation on space debris among member agencies.
China has been a formal member of IADC since 1995 and there are now 12 IADC member states, covering almost all the world’s major spacefaring nations. In April 2002, the 20th IADC Conference formally adopted the IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, which require all countries to formulate policies to ensure that the generation of large amounts of space debris from future space activities can be effectively controlled. It requires that “when planning and operating space systems, an organisation should take systematic action, starting from the mission requirements analysis and definition phase, to reduce the adverse impact on the orbital environment by incorporating space debris mitigation measures into the life cycle of space systems”.
Since the turn of the century, a number of test spacecraft launched by major spacefaring nations, including China, have incorporated space debris mitigation technologies, such as space target capture or docking with non-cooperative objects. In recent years, orbital transfer operations for real spacecraft or space debris have become a reality.
February 2020. The United States launched a MEV (Mission Expander) satellite, which successfully docked with the retired Intelsat 901 communications satellite in graveyard orbit. The satellite has been towed back to geosynchronous operational orbit and resume operations on 2 April, 2020. Five years later, when the propellant carried by the MEV is nearly depleted, the MEV will again tow the satellite into a graveyard orbit before descending to re-enter the atmosphere on its own, and in April 2021, a second MEV satellite will perform a similar ‘resurrection’ operation on Intelsat 10-02.
In January 2022, China’s Practice 21 satellite successfully captured the defunct Beidou G2 satellite and sent it into a ‘graveyard orbit’ (a higher, permanent orbit away from the crowded geosynchronous orbit). After completing its mission, Practice 21 then returned to geostationary orbit.
Currently, space debris response efforts focus on four main areas: monitoring and warning, collision avoidance and shielding, de-orbiting and disposal strategies, and active removal.
Space debris monitoring relies heavily on ground-based radar and optical sensors capable of detecting objects larger than 10 centimetres. One of the most significant advances in ground-based tracking is the Space Fence radar. Designed to detect and track objects as small as 1 centimetre in LEO, Space Fence, a next-generation S-band radar system, is expected to increase the number of trackable objects from approximately 23,000 to more than 200,000 and is the most advanced radar system operated by the United States Space Force (USSF).
Other ground-based systems are also being upgraded to improve tracking of smaller debris. Improvements are also being made to optical tracking systems, such as those in Australia, which use telescopes and cameras to capture images of objects in space, allowing more accurate tracking of tiny objects at high altitudes that cannot be detected by radar.
One of the most promising advances in debris tracking technology is the Belgian company Arcsec, which has reportedly developed an innovative system that extends the functionality of the Star Tracker to detect space debris as small as 1 inch (2.5 cm). It’s debris tracking system can be retrofitted to existing satellites already in orbit. This means that currently operating satellites can be equipped with the technology without the need for a re-launch, helping to expand the network of debris sensors in space. Arcsec’s technology has already sold around 50 star trackers worldwide and is expected to become an important part of the space debris monitoring ecosystem. Arcsec’s system can also be integrated into existing satellite infrastructure without the need for major overhauls, making it an efficient and cost-effective solution.
The development of Active Debris Removal (ADR) systems and improved collision avoidance technologies is also crucial. Projects such as ESA’s $120 million ClearSpace-1 mission aim to capture and de-orbit end-of-life satellites. However, these systems are still in the experimental phase and large-scale deployment would take years, not to mention the long mission development cycle with its many variables. It has been reported that the target of ESA’s ClearSpace-1 mission has been hit by other debris and it is feared that the original plan will not be implemented.
As space exploration has accelerated in recent years and Earth’s orbit has become increasingly crowded, the challenge of space debris will continue to grow. To ensure the continued safety and sustainability of space activities, a more comprehensive approach to space debris management is needed, including better international cooperation, stronger regulation and innovative technologies to detect, mitigate and remove debris.
But it is easier to say than done. Orbital and frequency resources are scarce and a matter of national security, and on a “first come, first served” basis, countries compete to launch satellites and occupy orbits. In this context, the more and faster SpaceX launches satellites, the more space junk will be generated in the future, and the cost of recovering an end-of-life satellite can be far greater than the value it contributes when it is ‘on duty’, and as a commercial company it certainly does not currently have the motivation and strength to increase its investment in satellite recycling.
Looking at the development history of other industries, perhaps the status quo will only change when space debris seriously affects the interests of all parties. Perhaps then space waste recycling will become a new field full of business opportunities, just like e-waste recycling. Hopefully, with the application and proliferation of new technologies such as quantum computing, digital twins and artificial intelligence, we will be able to keep this threat from above at bay and prevent it from happening in the first place.
（The end）
References：
- https://news.bloomberglaw.com/capital-markets/spacex-share-sale-is-said-to-value-company-at-about-350-billion
- https://physicsworld.com/a/satellites-burning-up-in-the-atmosphere-may-deplete-earths-ozone-layer/
- https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/z_9tI9n2SHjWlYxIPwLRXQ
- https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/27879/20201026/experts-reveal-that-3-of-spacexs-starlink-satellites-have-failed-in-orbit-so-far.htm
- https://ccaf.casicloud.com/news/1788.html?id=803?code=24164
- https://starwalk.space/zh-Hans/news/space-junk#%E5%A4%AA%E7%A9%BA%E6%9C%89%E5%A4%9A%E5%B0%91%E5%9E%83%E5%9C%BE
- https://www.nasachina.cn/info/13036.html
- https://xueqiu.com/2080365279/281326110
Edited by Wind and DeepL
Image:Starlink Satellites over Carson National Forest M Lewinsky | M Lewinsky/CC BY 4.0
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SpaceX Now Valued at $350 Billion Facing Space Debris Problem(Ⅲ)
SpaceX Now Valued at $350 Billion Facing Space Debris Problem(Ⅲ)
【企业社会责任与可持续发展】| CSR & Sustainability
By Yibai, Jointing.Media, in Shanghai, 2024-12-27
Space debris – a threat to the sustainability of the space industry
On 21 October, SpaceNews reported that a 6,600-kilogram US communications satellite, Intelsat 33e, had suddenly disintegrated. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell said the disintegration could have been caused by a collision with other space debris or an explosion in the satellite’s internal propulsion system.
Space debris is a product of human space activities and consists mainly of non-functional man-made objects in orbit or re-entering the atmosphere, and their debris and components, also known as space junk, mainly distributed in the airspace between 2,000 kilometres and 36,000 kilometres above the ground. Mission debris accounted for 13 per cent, rocket debris for 17 per cent, failed spacecraft for 22 per cent and disintegrated debris, i.e. debris from spacecraft explosions or collisions, for 43 per cent. In terms of orbital distribution, space debris is mainly distributed in three regions, namely the LEO (low earth orbit) region below 2,000 km, the medium and high orbit region at 20,000 km and the geosynchronous orbit region at 36,000 km, with the most intensive distribution in the region between 600 and 1,000 km.
According to the European Space Agency (ESA), between 1957 and January 2021, more than 10,000 satellites were put into orbit by mankind. Of these, about 6,250 satellites are still in orbit, of which about 3,600 are still operational. By January 2020, more than 28,000 pieces of debris will be regularly tracked and catalogued by the Space Debris Monitoring Network (SDMN), and the total mass of man-made objects in near-Earth orbit will exceed 9,200 tonnes. ESA is currently tracking more than 34,000 objects larger than 10 centimetres, but in reality there are millions more smaller pieces of debris. It is estimated that there are more than 130 million pieces of debris smaller than 0.4 inches (1 cm) in Earth’s orbit, many of which are undetected by current monitoring systems.
The number and variety of objects in space posed a major challenge to the safety and sustainability of future space missions. Since 1999, the ISS has changed course more than 25 times to avoid space debris. However, some debris continues to collide with the ISS. By 2019, more than 1,400 meteoroids and orbital debris have been recorded as hitting the ISS. In particular, in low Earth orbit (LEO), there are thousands of objects travelling at speeds in excess of 28,000 kilometres per hour1 (17,500 miles per hour). Extremely fast, active satellites and spacecraft colliding with debris as small as 1 centimetre can cause catastrophic damage. The average impact speed of space debris is 10 kilometres per second, so the kinetic energy generated by centimetre-sized debris is equivalent to that of a small car hitting a satellite at 50 or 60 kilometres per hour.
One of the most significant space debris events in history was the 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test, which deliberately destroyed the Fengyun-1 weather satellite and created thousands of pieces of debris. In 2009, two satellites, Cosmos 2251, which had been abandoned for 14 years, and Iridium 33, which was in service, collided in orbit. This was the first time that two satellites had collided in orbit. The collision occurred at a relative speed of about 11 kilometres per second (25,000 miles per hour) and resulted in the total destruction of both satellites and the creation of more than 2,200 new pieces of space debris.
These events have raised awareness of the growing threat of the Kessler Syndrome. The threat of the Kessler Syndrome is becoming more real as the number of objects in space increases, particularly with the proliferation of satellite constellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink and OneWeb. While these constellations provide vital global communications services, they also exacerbate already crowded orbits and increase the likelihood of collisions. The growing number of space missions being undertaken by commercial enterprises, government programmes and private companies may exacerbate this problem.
(To be continued)
Notes:
1. The speed at which an object moves in a circular motion just above the Earth’s surface is the first cosmic velocity, 7.9 km per second, and is also the minimum launch speed for artificial Earth satellites and the maximum orbital speed.
2. In 1978, NASA Johnson Space Center scientist Donald Kessler and colleagues made some points about the future development of space debris predictions, known as the Kessler Syndrome. It predicts that when the density of objects in a given orbit reaches a certain threshold, a chain reaction will occur. In this case, each collision creates more debris, which leads to more collisions, creating a self-perpetuating cycle. Over time, this could render certain regions of space unusable for new missions, severely hampering space exploration and satellite operations.
Edited by Wind and DeepL
Image:Starlink Satellites over Carson National Forest M Lewinsky | M Lewinsky/CC BY 4.0
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SpaceX Now Valued at $350 Billion Facing Space Debris Problem(II)
【企业社会责任与可持续发展】| CSR & Sustainability
By Yibai, Jointing.Media, in Shanghai, 2024-12-26
Retired satellites will continue to deplete the ozone layer
Ozone levels in the stratosphere are in a dynamic equilibrium.The ozone layer acts as a filter for harmful ultraviolet light from the sun’s rays, and it is likely that ozone breaks down into oxygen molecules during this process. However his balance can be disrupted by human activity, such as the release of Freon into the atmosphere. Since 1987, when many countries around the world signed the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of Freon as a refrigerant, there has been a gradual recovery of the ozone layer.
However, the number of satellites is increasing, and they are becoming a significant source of concern due to their potential to cause pollution. According to the European Space Agency’s Space Debris Office (SDO), there are approximately 3,200 failed satellites as of February 2020, and the number of malfunctioning satellites from just one project, the Starlink programme, may amount to 12-38% of the total number of satellites that have failed over the past 60 years. Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, cross-referenced data from SpaceX and the U.S. government and surmised that about 3% of the Starlink satellites that have been launched so far may have failed.
It is estimated that the total number of satellites planned for future launches will exceed 100,000. This means that the number of failed satellites is likely to be significant, regardless of whether the failure rate is 3 per cent or 1 per cent.
International guidelines recommend that once a satellite has reached the end of its useful life, it should be re-entered into the atmosphere within 25 years to minimise the risk of collision with other satellites.Generally, a satellite is composed of approximately one-third aluminium. When a satellite re-enters the atmosphere, aluminium metal particles produced by friction from the high temperature, high speed airflow react with the surrounding oxygen to form aluminium oxide nanoparticles (AlO). These particles have been found to be chlorine-activated catalysts, which deplete ozone in the stratosphere.
The study indicates that a standard 250 kg decommissioned satellite generates approximately 30 kg of aluminium oxide nanoparticles, which have the potential to persist in the atmosphere for extended periods, potentially decades. The satellites re-entry in 2022 contributed approximately 17 tonnes of alumina compounds, marking a 29.5% increase compared to natural levels. Furthermore, re-entry scenarios involving giant constellations suggest potential annual emissions of more than 360 tonnes of alumina compounds, which could lead to severe ozone depletion.
The number of objects in LEO is set to triple over the next century. Researchers predict a dramatic rise in ozone depletion levels in the coming decades if the problem is not addressed.
Aluminium oxide particles are produced at altitudes in excess of 80 kilometres above ground and take 30 years to reach the stratosphere, 10 to 50 kilometres above ground, where the Earth’s ozone is predominantly distributed.
(To be continued)
Edited by Wind and DeepL
Image:Starlink Satellites over Carson National Forest M Lewinsky | M Lewinsky/CC BY 4.0
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【企业社会责任与可持续发展】| CSR & Sustainability
By Yibai, Jointing.Media, in Shanghai, 2024-12-25
SpaceX and its investors have agreed to purchase as much as $1.25 billion of insider shares in a transaction valuing Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite maker at about $350 billion, according to Bloomberg. The proliferation of satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO), as SpaceX continues to deploy star-linked satellites, is not only having a tremendous impact on the global communications network, but also creating new challenges for the space environment. The Federal Aviation Administration of the United States of America stated in a report that large constellations in low Earth orbits could increase the risk of re-entering debris on Earth and in the aviation sector. The report specifically mentions SpaceX as contributing more than 85% of the expected risk. A recent paper published in Geophysical Research Letters shows that satellites lose 51-95% of their mass when they re-enter the atmosphere. But these masses do not disappear into thin air, they become particles floating in the atmosphere as a result of violent friction. These particles can pose a threat to the Earth’s high-altitude environment by depleting ozone and slowing the recovery of the ozone hole. The booming satellite industry behind Starlink could affect or threaten the entire world.
The satellite industry is growing fast, and SpaceX is riding the wave
From weather forecasting to navigation satellites are a critical component of many of the systems we rely on. Since 1957, when the former Soviet Union launched the world’s first artificial Earth satellite into space, there have been 6,572 launches worldwide through the end of 2023. There will be 231 launches in 2024, more than double the average number of launches over the past 60 years. Half of those launches are performed by SpaceX. Total 2023 global satellite industry revenues are estimated at $285.3 billion. Payload Research estimates SpaceX’s 2023 revenues to be $8,721 million, with launch revenues of $3,509 million, Starlink revenues of $4,178 million, and other revenues of $1,034 million. For the first time, Starlink revenues have surpassed launch revenues to become the most profitable business. Starlink is now available in 70 countries, with more than 2.3 million active users by the end of 2023, well above the 1 million by the end of 2022, and unprecedented profitability. Starlink revenues jump from $1.9 billion in 2022 to $4.2 billion in 2023 as demand far exceeds expectations, and are expected to exceed $10 billion by 2024. Since 2024, SpaceX has continued to accelerate the deployment of the Starlink, reducing the average launch frequency from 5.8 days in 2023 to 4.1 days. As of November 2024, SpaceX had 7,213 Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit, representing more than 60% of the total number of satellites in orbit worldwide. In addition, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved the deployment of 12,000 satellites by 2027 for the Starlink program. The total number of satellites in the entire Starlink program is 42,000. SpaceX’s 4,216 Gen1 satellites in orbit have a design life of about five years. SpaceX claims it will then use the propulsion systems on the satellites to lower them from their operational orbits at an altitude of about 550 kilometers and burn them up like meteors against atmospheric drag to avoid hitting people’s rooftops. Scientists who study the atmosphere have questioned the destruction of satellites by burning them in the atmosphere, which they say could exacerbate global warming. Recently, a team accidentally found a number of ozone-depleting metals in the stratosphere, where ozone is formed.
(To be continued)
Edited by Wind and DeepL Image:Starlink Satellites over Carson National Forest M Lewinsky | M Lewinsky/CC BY 4.0
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JM Review | Remembering Disappeared Journalists on Journalists’ Day
By Jointing.Media, in Shanghai, 2024-11-08
The wind is on the rise and it’s autumn again. It’s Journalists’ Day. But there are no real journalists left in our lives.
It is incomprehensible that this article was completely deleted from the Simplified Chinese website. In this article, which is not subject to review, the words ‘institution of evil’ and ’system of evil’ do not even appear. JM still believe that our country is on the road to freedom and democracy. Having been taught from childhood that ‘it is the responsibility of a citizen to take care of the prosperity and decline of my country’ and ‘to take care of all the affairs of my own family, our country and the world’. What is wrong with pointing out the problems in today’s society? You can’t hide the truth or make your life better by hiding it. Just as you can’t cure an illness by hiding it.
In a way, the legalisation of the fight against corruption in recent years is an acknowledgement that our system needs to be improved and changed. However, the current approach fails to address both the symptoms and the causes of the problem. But in fact, the people do not care about this kind of ‘represented’ political life environment, nor are they able to change it, the people only look at the most affordable – their own life is good or not. If it is good, the system is good; if it is bad, the system is bad.
After the old case of a stallholder accidentally killing an urban management officer in 2006, we learned that China did not have a comprehensive urban management law. It was only in August 2017, 10 years after the incident, that the State Council issued the Measures for the Investigation and Punishment of Unlicensed and Unauthorised Operations, which took effect on 1 October 2017. Since then, the stall has had a legal status. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 epidemic, with people’s livelihoods in jeopardy, the ‘night-time economy’ was once again championed by the government, and street vendors proliferated as far as the eye could see.
Looking back a little further, there is “China’s First Seller”, known as “Fool Melon Seeds”. If Deng Xiaoping had not recognised his innovations and instructed the local community not to punish him, it is difficult to know where the founder of ‘Fool Melon Seeds’ would have ended up. Deng Xiaoping said: “In the early days of rural reform, Anhui produced a ‘fool melon seed’, and many people were uncomfortable at the time, saying that he had earned one million yuan and advocating that he should be moved. If I say I can’t move, people will say the policy has changed and the gains outweigh the losses.
The industry of investigative journalism first emerged in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is closely associated with the “muckraker” movement, in which the journalist Lincoln Stephens wrote “The Shame of the Cities”, which exposed social problems and corruption in power. The period 1902-1912 is known in American history as the “golden age” of the muckraking movement, during which the social status of investigative journalists was established and widely recognised. In China, investigative journalists began to appear in the 1990s and gradually became an important group in the Chinese press. In 2019, Liu Wanyong, a well-known investigative journalist, submitted his resignation to the China Youth Daily. At that time, the whole industry was evaluated: the last investigative reporter left the Chinese traditional media.
Edited by Wind and DeepL
Photo by Sacima | Autumn Colours in the American West（2024）
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Opinion: Lessons for Digital Educators from Albert Einstein
By Mark Siegel, 2024-11-26
In a 1936 address celebrating the 300th anniversary of higher education in America, Albert Einstein articulated a vision of education that’s more achievable than ever through digital technology.
I recently read excerpts from a 1936 address by Albert Einstein to the State University of New York at Albany. He spoke at the celebration of the tercentenary of higher education in America. His words are relevant and speak to us today as we pursue all forms of digital education.
Einstein was humble in sharing his thoughts, but he was a deep thinker about the nature of education, addressing both teaching and learning. He provides both a philosophical perspective and practical tips for today’s digital educators. For those of us who work with students every day, there are lessons to be learned and applied in our effort to improve what, as well as how, our students are learning from us. While I suggest everyone read his words in their entirety, here are wonderful nuggets that serve as stimulating food for thought.
MEMORIZATION VERSUS CURIOSITY
Einstein notes that “school has always been the most important means of transferring the wealth of tradition from one generation to the next. This applies today to an even higher degree than in former times. … The continuance and health of human society is therefore in a still higher degree dependent on the school than formerly.”
The first point he makes is to urge us to move past memorization and to cultivate curiosity and inventiveness in our students. He said it would be wrong to view the school as “simply the instrument for transferring a certain maximum quantity of knowledge to the growing generation. … On the contrary, the aim must be the training of independently acting and thinking individuals, who, however, see in the service of the community their highest life problem.” He wants our schools to cultivate curiosity and critical thinking. Elsewhere he is often quoted as saying, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
As digital educators, this is easy to facilitate. We can easily challenge students to use design thinking to solve problems and come up with fresh solutions. Project-based learning, problem-based learning and personalized, competency-based learning all allow students to move past memorization to achieve both the ability to apply what is learned and to use what is learned to solve new problems! Digital tools can help students ask new questions and look at problems in new ways and from different perspectives.
Our students have opportunities at their disposal that Einstein did not: to engage in deeper inquiry through online discussions, collaborative projects and interactive content. Most importantly, students in these learning environments can address real-time, real-world problems. Einstein would be happy if we moved past memorization to learning environments where curiosity thrives and there are more questions than answers!
DICTATION VERSUS GUIDANCE
Einstein’s second point is one we often hear: a modern educator’s role is not to be an all-knowing authority, but a guide who helps students discover knowledge for themselves. He writes, “The teacher must have the humble attitude of a guide and a helper, not the proud attitude of a dictator of truth.”
Was he the first one to distinguish the sage on the stage from the guide on the side?
For one thing, at any point in time, students are not all on the same page in our classrooms, and dictation in the form of lectures often falls on the deaf ears of both the bored and the lost and confused. Rather than working to please the teacher in the front of the room, Einstein favors a focus on student learning and a range of personal approaches that match the student’s learning style. The exciting thing is that today’s digital educators can use technology to create learner-centered experiences that ensure mastery before students move on, that adapt to student interests and backgrounds, and where students have more control of their learning.
This will require the training, or re-training, of digital educators who must learn to facilitate their student’s learning. By increasing student choice in the learning activities at hand, educators can help students learn to solve problems by tapping into both the content and skills they’ve mastered, and to take full responsibility for what and how they learn! In these classrooms, teachers get out of the way of their students’ active and collaborative learning.
In his address to SUNY, Einstein says, “But personalities are not formed by what is heard and said but by labor and activity. The most important method of education accordingly always has consisted of where the pupil was urged to actual performance.”
COERCION VERSUS ENCOURAGEMENT
The third point Einstein makes is one not often heard. He said, “Give into the power of the teacher the fewest possible coercive measures, so that the only source of the pupil’s respect for the teacher is the human and intellectual qualities of the latter.” He is concerned that teachers can easily crush the “loving interest in the object and a desire for truth and understanding, and thus to that divine curiosity which every healthy child possesses, but which so often is weakened early.”
I think about this every day when I see students harshly corrected, made to feel bad, made to feel stupid, or made to feel worthless by some meaningless measure of academic performance. Many refer to our current education system as a testing and sorting system. It ignores the fact that we all learn by mistakes, and we ought to rejoice in them and what they tell us we have left to learn and master. Einstein is concerned about any effort by teachers to say that some students are “better, stronger, or more intelligent than a fellow being or fellow scholar.” He feels that such easily “leads to an excessively egoistic psychological adjustment, which may become injurious for the individual and for the community.”
Einstein tells us that “[t]he value of a man, however, should be seen in what he gives and not what he is able to receive. The most important motive for work in the school and in life is the pleasure in work, pleasure in its results, and the knowledge of the value of the result to the community.” That point alone is worthy of study and discussion when we talk about our goals for students and the messaging we send as they pursue their studies under our direction.
KNOWLEDGE VERSUS SKILLS
A fourth item of note is how he addresses what should be studied and how it should be taught. He says that the topics taught are of secondary importance. He argues that “[i]f a young man has trained his muscles and physical endurance by gymnastics and walking, he will later be fitted for every physical work. This is also analogous to the training of the mind and of the mental and manual skills. Thus, the wit was not wrong who defined education in this way: ‘Education is that which remains, if one has forgotten everything he learned in school.’”
He writes, “I want to oppose the idea that the school has to teach directly that special knowledge and those accomplishments which one has to use later directly in life.” He says that is treating the individual “like a dead tool.” He wants the student to leave school “as a harmonious personality, not as a specialist.”
Just as I wrote earlier about durable skills desired by business, Einstein’s address to SUNY tells us:
“The development of general ability for independent thinking and judgment should always be placed foremost, not the acquisition of special knowledge. If a person masters the fundamentals of his subject and has learned to think and work independently, he will surely find his way and besides will better be able to adapt himself to progress and changes than the person whose training principally consists in the acquiring the detailed knowledge.” As digital educators, we know the world of work is changing rapidly and that knowledge is ever evolving, but general cognitive skills will be of great use despite any changes.
Digital educators must take on this challenge and reject the use of online learning environments that focus on content without developing the skills to use the information. There are so many opportunities for students to put their knowledge to work. We are all working on developing critical thinking skills, and we can provide many ways for students to develop those along with the skills of effective and empathetic communication.
Einstein is often quoted as saying, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” As digital educators, we can make this a reality. We have tools to promote problem-solving at the core and help students actively participate in the application of what they have learned. Project-based learning is just one form of that approach and virtual reality and augmented reality is another. Einstein would love to visit today’s problem- and project-based classrooms.
ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL VERSUS INDEPENDENT LEARNING
Last, Einstein wants education programs to encourage students to be independent learners, pursuing education on their own without the threat of failing a test or getting a bad grade. Digital educators know how to do this and have seen students blossom when allowed to figure things out for themselves, solve problems and help others with their work. There are many ways this can occur and be made part of a meaningful education record, instead of being assigned a meaningless letter grade.
Einstein recognized that students learn differently, at different speeds and in different ways. He once said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” The exciting thing is that digital educators have tools Einstein never dreamed of that allow customization of learning paths to meet each student’s individual needs, from adaptive learning systems to the range of media formats of content to be studied. By allowing students to demonstrate their learning achievements differently, we can foster the creative expression that Einstein urged educators to awaken in their students.
Albert Einstein reminds us that the true goal of teaching is to inspire curiosity, foster independent thinking, and nurture students’ intellectual and emotional growth. Digital technologies may have changed the classroom and tools we use, but good teaching principles don’t change. As digital educators, we must accept the challenge to adapt Einstein’s thinking to today’s students so they may become active, curious, independent learners, ready to take on the challenges of a brave new world.
Mark Siegel is assistant head at Delphian School in Sheridan, Ore.
Reprinted from government technology
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JM Review | It is the sustainability of business philosophy, not just business
By Jointing.Media, in Shanghai, 2024-12-13
Pangdonglai（PDL）， does exactly what grocers are supposed to do. But against the backdrop of its peers, pdl stands out as unique and rare. This also reflects China’s longstanding food safety problem. The people have been criticising food safety for a long time. Finally, there is a PDL who can give the people a gatekeeper.
Recently, Bestore, a listed company whose fake ingredients list for a product was exposed by a fake blogger, self-certified its innocence with a certificate issued by local industry and commerce, but netizens have already questioned the integrity of the company and the government, and they’re not buying it. It used to be that journalists in the official media had to report on such hotspots on time. If they missed them, they were docked their pay.
In the absence of an independent third party to check the public power of government and the lack of market regulation, companies act according to their conscience. Fortunately, people can vote with their feet for companies that are honest and trustworthy.
Bad money drives out good money.The uncle in the Jinan（济南） University canteen was kicked out by the supermarket owner for not raising the price of instant noodles. JM hope the “good money” can be seen in every industry and benefit more consumers.
In today’s China, there is more than one industry in such a situation. China’s e-commerce platforms, for example, are full of fake goods that have been banned time and again. And the founders of TB, JD and PDD are making a killing and hiding overseas. On the contrary, PDL’s customer service, quality and integrity are more valuable. PDL does not take the consumer as a lamb to be slaughtered, but as a king，providing high quality products and refined services；PDL respect employees’ rights with high wages and good benefits, so that employees do not have a “cattle and horses” sense, but also in the work on which to earn a living to find dignity and happiness. More importantly, its strict selection standard, urged its suppliers no longer follow the crowd, bullying, but to do the right thing, as a result froming the establishment of a good ecology.
Is it difficult to build a positive circular economy? If so, why have only a few companies such as Costco, a foreign company, and Pangdonglai, a private company, succeeded in doing so in China? Who should reflect?
Yu Donglai, the founder of PDL, has said publicly more than once that he will close PDL after his death. He wants the PDL staff who have followed him to take PDL’s spiritual culture of love and freedom and spread it around the world. In his eyes, the sustainable development of a company is not about the life span and continuous profit of a business entity, but about the inheritance of a spirit, and the bearer of the spirit is the human being, and various entities are just a form of externalisation and visualisation of that spirit. From this point of view, Yu Donglai, who has only a junior high school education, can be described as a man of enlightenment.
Edited by Wind, Youdao and DeepL
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10 Million Enterprises Putting People and Planet First
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, Jan 18, 2024
A first-in-kind research by the Schwab Foundation’s Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship finds that there are approximately 10 million social enterprises worldwide, which collectively generate around $2 trillion in annual revenues, creating over 200 million jobs. The sector now outranks other mainstream industries by annual revenue, such as telecom and apparel. Moreover, social enterprises align their missions with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably in creating decent work, driving climate action and reducing poverty and inequalities.
Social enterprises, which make up 3% of all businesses globally, stand out from traditional businesses by placing a strong emphasis on creating social and environmental value in addition to economic value. Unlike conventional nonprofit organizations, social enterprises are self-sustaining through their business activities. They prioritize social impact over financial returns and reinvest their profits back into their mission.
What’s equally striking is the leadership of these enterprises. Half of the social enterprises are led by women, compared to a mere 20% of conventional businesses. It underscores the inherent inclusivity and diversity ingrained within these ventures, both in their structure and goals.
Impacting the lives of millions
Besides the significant economic relevance of social enterprises, they positively impact the lives of millions, from rural villages in Africa to megacities in Asia and Latin America to underprivileged parts of North America and Europe.
According to data by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship tracking a global community of over 470 leading social entrepreneurs, these enterprises alone have already directly impacted more than 891 million lives over the past 25 years.
Patagonia and SEKEM are prime examples of the power of social enterprise.
Patagonia demonstrates how a company can prioritize environmental and social impact alongside profitability. While committed to sustainability and fair labour practices, Patagonia’s revenue has been consistently growing throughout the years. The company has an estimated value of about $3 billion and brings in $100 million in revenue annually. All profits are now going to a specially designed trust and nonprofit organization to combat climate change and protect undeveloped land around the globe.
SEKEM was established in 1977 as a farm operation, reclaiming 170 acres of desert on the outskirts of Cairo. It aims to facilitate the transition of 40,000 smallholder farmers to organic and biodynamic farming, producing organic foods, herbal teas, medicines and sustainable cotton. Through concerted efforts, SEKEM cultivates a future where sustainability isn’t a lofty goal but a tangible reality.
Generating revenues of $23 million in 2022, it also generated 53,705 end-of-life carbon credits along with 2,500 farmers and SEKEM farms, competing as an industry leader in the Middle East’s herbal and organic foods and medicine sector.
Essential support for social enterprises
Despite the significant contribution of social enterprise both in economic and impact terms, they are underestimated and underrepresented. In April 2023, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the first Resolution on the Social and Solidarity Economy to highlight the contribution of cooperatives, social enterprises and other social economy organizations to realizing the SDGs. Yet, only one in five countries has legal structures or specific legislation to support social enterprises.
Movements such as Catalyst 2030 are working with social entrepreneurs worldwide to advocate for better policies to support the social economy. For example, last November, the Schwab Foundation and Catalyst 2030 Brazil co-hosted a high-level roundtable at the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services in Brasilia, discussing actions to unlock the social impact economy in Brazil alongside the launch of the “Enimpacto” presidential decree to invest in and advance its impact in the country.
Besides the lack of legal recognition in many countries, social enterprises also face a significant funding gap of $1.13 trillion. To bridge this gap, private sector engagement is crucial. To further mobilize private sector support for the social economy, the Schwab Foundation’s Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, in partnership with Deloitte, has launched the “Corporate Social Innovation Compass” developed with the support of over 100 members of the Global Alliance. This framework guides companies in partnering with social entrepreneurs, presenting over 10 engagement mechanisms and tangible case studies illustrating the business benefits of such engagements.
Moreover, initiatives like People and Planet First, launched by the Social Enterprise World Forum in 2023, aim to create a shared identity for social enterprises and encourage consumers, businesses and governments to purchase from these entities.
These actions are essential to help increase the recognition and contribution of social enterprises towards sustainable development. By providing greater visibility, policy support and engagement from the private sector, social enterprises can transition from being the world’s best-kept secret to becoming trailblazers of an inclusive and sustainable economy.
(This article is part of:World Economic Forum Annual Meeting)
Related:
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- Three strategies that can help social enterprises survive and thrive
- How social enterprises offer big businesses pathways to sustainable innovations
- Davos 2024: Who’s coming and what to expect
MicroCharity | Stories About Sacima
【专栏】| Conlumists >微公益 | MicroCharity
By Yibai, Jointing.Media, in Shanghai, 2024-11-02
Inwardly, exploring the self; outwardly, exploring the world.
Our paths crossed ten years ago at a business conference. She had been invited as an overseas scientist in the field of microbiology, and I was sitting next to her.
My first impression of her was that she was highly capable and quite slender. Somehow, our conversation turned to public service, and I told her about JM, my part-time non-profit project. JM aims to promote and fund small-scale public service initiatives by interviewing individuals and documenting their stories within China’s public service community. She recounted her nine-month unpaid leave to work on AIDS prevention in China, single-handedly funding and managing the project, effectively performing the role of an entire NGO.
I was captivated by her story and immediately suggested that JM document her experiences. However, it seems that she did not want to publish it, only as a casual anecdotes shared among friends, occasionally revealing some fragments of the past and feelings. Through her, I learned about the challenges faced by people living with HIV. As long as the CD4 count is managed with medication, people living with HIV can lead relatively normal daily lives. However, because infected people have always been discriminated against by society, prevention and screening of potentially high-risk groups is very inconvenient, which in turn poses a greater risk to public health.
At that time, she found resources from overseas to donate several free HIV testing devices to Henan, which were placed in public places for potentially susceptible people to test themselves; organised exchanges between overseas experts and local CDC practitioners to share their experiences in prevention and control; helped the local government to improve the environment for free and anonymous testing of HIV carriers; and gave money to local carriers who were able to work to find jobs and help them buy medicines, etc. She recalled that without the support of government leaders, it would have been difficult for her to do what she wanted to do. During this time she also encountered some unusual situations, such as people (healthy people) actually offering to help her pay for trips abroad.
Although the details of our conversation have faded over the years, I remain deeply impressed by her compassion for the disadvantaged, her innate drive to engage in public service, and her strong sense of action as she shared stories from her past.
During the new coronavirus pandemic a few years ago, when food transport was blocked due to nationwide closures, the crisis of HIV carriers running out of medication also worried her for a while, and she even asked me for resources for transport channels. But there was nothing I could do to help. She is thousands of miles away from China and it is even harder to do anything.
Recently, when I was talking to her about depression, I found out that she had also given psychological counselling to AIDS patients. She said, “I was very popular when I counseled AIDS patients. I think the first thing is that I really understand the disease, and the second thing is that I don’t think of them as ‘patients’ at all, or as different from myself, and no matter what you say, your own ‘heart’ is perceptible to the other person.”
Some people distinguish people by their words, some by their actions. I like to distinguish people by their deeds, because thoughts are intangible, while actions are the manifestation of thoughts, and it is how we act that distinguishes us from one another.
In her retirement, she spends her time traveling, exercising, caring for her family, and participating in local charity work. Five years ago I invited her to join JM to use her travel photographs as illustrations for JM articles, which she gladly accepted. Her photos, often accompanied by a byline referencing her love for sacima (a type of dessert), have brought our articles to life. Her public biography is succinct:
Lover of photography, animals, and travel.
Advocate for Gay/AIDS living conditions, anti-discrimination, and prejudice.
Initiator of a public welfare project for people with AIDS.
Sacima loves to travel and now that she is retired she has more time to do so. She has travelled to many places I have never been or even heard of. Following her camera, I have seen the slums of Bangladesh, the blue glaciers of Iceland, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, the snow in the mountains of Switzerland, the sunset over the lake city of Udaipur in India, the afterglow of the Rhône-Kokhang Stadium, the pyramids of Egypt under the sun, and the small town of Schwetzingen, Germany, in the midst of the Christmas night scene…….
Out of professional habit, I said, “You can open an account “Follow Sacima to see the world”; I also said, “You have taken so many photos from all over the world, you can have your own photo exhibition”. She humbly declined, stating that her travels are for personal enjoyment, not public record.
This year Sacima went to Italy to climb mountains. I was envious of her, not so much because she was going around the world to challenge the peaks, but because of her physical strength and courage at the age of over 60. Even now I am not as strong and brave as she is, let alone at her age. Many of my peers say they are becoming more socially withdrawn as they age. They don’t want to get involved with new things or meet new people, they like to stay at home and be quiet. Personally, I think that from a psychological point of view, this is the experience of people approaching the age of life, and they need to look back on the road they have travelled in order to reposition themselves and their relationship with the world. In Chinese traditional medicine, it is believed that at fifty, the kidneys begin to decline. The kidneys are considered the source of willpower, while the gallbladder governs decision-making. The hormone levels and physical condition at this age dominate the emotions and feelings, and middle-aged people often have a deficiency of qi and blood, and the yin and yang begin to decline. If a person’s life is divided into four seasons, autumn harvest and winter storage, sitting on their own results, looking at the elderly above and below the children, will look forward to their own retirement life. Although there are differences in people’s innate endowments, each person’s ability to fight against the laws of nature is actually formed later in life. Sacima is the one who is physically and psychologically strong in fighting against nature.
The other day I was making a video with my nephew, who is still in kindergarten, and he was telling me an adventure story from a picture book. I jokingly asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, and my nephew replied with childish face: An explorer. Travel around the world as an adult is a childhood dream for many people, but not many adults fulfill their dreams. My nephew at the kindergarten sees the world through picture books, and Sacima, who measures the world with her feet, is enriching her retirement. If the world is a moving train, my nephew has just boarded, while Sacima is already looking toward the final destination. When my nephew grows up, if he still wants to be an explorer, he can interview Sacima. At that time, one of them was already a teenager, and the other one had already seen the mountains and the rivers, what a fun exchange and dialogue it would be. Just thinking about such an image is very beautiful.
She told me about a near-death experience she had while hiking alone up a mountain and shared her reflections on a trip to Jordan to visit Al Khazneh. It was over ten kilometres to the monastery and over 900 uneven stone steps. I shared the walk with my sister. She was about to give up and go back, but was encouraged by two old Scots , in their 80s, to take her time and eventually made it to the top, of which she was very proud’.
She also reflected: “When I was young, I read Mao’s quotations and experienced the Great Criticism, but I didn’t learn anything about world history, religion, culture, art, music, and so on. On this trip, I once again felt that I was extremely poor in all aspects of knowledge. At this age I can’t digest anything I read. All I know is that a lot of films are made in Jordan: I used to watch the old Lawrence of Arabia on TV at Christmas, and of course Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and I love The Martian. It was only this time that I read that Jordan is the birthplace of three major religions. Even though it’s a Muslim country now, the Jordan River is where Christ was baptised and many Christians come on ‘pilgrimage’. Jordan is said to be mentioned several times in the Bible. I didn’t go to see where Jesus was baptised and I didn’t want to ‘goof off’ and take photos.”
I was afraid that my memory would fade with time, so I began to record her story while she was still climbing mountains in Italy. But I always felt that the material was not rich enough, and when I put it aside, she went to the West of the United States. Now it says that she has booked a trip to Vietnam.
I told her that Anh Hung Tran’s three films about Vietnam were worth seeing. She asked for details, said she wanted to find out.What kind of photography will humid Vietnam bring her? I look forward to it.
Above are the stories about Sacima from my point of view as an observer. Inwardly, exploring the self; outwardly, exploring the world. Seeing heaven and earth, all beings and herself.
Editor’s Note:
1. CD4 cells, which are T lymphocytes with CD4+ T molecules on their surface, are an important type of immune cell in the human immune system. Because HIV attacks CD4+ T cells, their test results play an important role in assessing the effectiveness of HIV treatments and in assessing a patient’s immune function.
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was set in the Temple of Kazini in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan); Jordan’s ‘Valley of the Moon’ was the setting for The Martian in Mars Rescue.
Translated by DeepL, Wind
Edited by Wind
Photo: Sacima camping on a hilltop with backpackers she met in Nongkhai Province, Laos, (early winter 2024).
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AI ask, I answer | AI’s Role in Relationships and Marriage
By Chen Ya, Jointing.Media, 2024-09-28
AI：Do you think AI replacing traditional human relationship is something we should aim for all be cautious about？
Chen Ya：To answer this question, we should first clarify what the true distinction between AI and humans is.
Some argue that the key difference lies in emotions. AI lacks emotions because it is not a living entity. But why can’t AI possess emotions? The reason is that AI cannot think independently; it is merely the product of programmed instructions.
However, if we reflect deeply, isn’t a human being also shaped by a form of “programming”? While humans are not directly programmed by others, they are profoundly influenced by external factors. We inherit genetic traits from our parents, are shaped by societal norms, and educated through formal systems. These processes function similarly to the programming that governs both humans and AI. Don’t you agree?
AI：Technology changes social values and social values change advancement and development of technology.
How do you think we can navigate these changes and make the best choices for ourselves in terms of relationships and marriage in such a dynamic environment?
Chen Ya：In reality, our capabilities are limited because no one can predict where technology will ultimately lead humanity. It may even surpass our wildest expectations.
For instance, with the current advancements in AI, some technologists and engineers suggest that AI might eventually develop its own consciousness. This would mean that AI could think independently, potentially operating beyond the control of its human creators.
In such a future, it is conceivable that AI could fulfill all the roles traditionally associated with marriage. Imagine a society where a human could marry an AI, and AI could assist a woman in conceiving, giving birth, and even co-parenting a child alongside humans.
Under these circumstances, the distinction between men and women might eventually vanish altogether, leaving only the divide between AI and humans as the defining difference.
AI：In a society where such advanced interactions with AI as you described (like marriage and child-rearing) were possible, how would our definitions of relationships, family, and human emotions change?
Given the potential lack of gender differences in such a scenario with AI playing major roles, how would our current gender-based social structures and identities evolve?
It’s important to note that while these are interesting thought experiments, current AI is still far from achieving such capabilities and we have a long way to think through and regulate these possibilities as a society.
Chen Ya：To address these questions, we must delve into the history of human love and marriage, a topic that encompasses a multitude of social, cultural, and historical factors.
From a functional perspective, the union of a man and a woman is no longer essential for human survival or the continuation of lineage.
In matrilineal societies, the female womb held an irreplaceable role in reproduction, while men typically possessed greater physical strength. The collaboration between men and women for survival gradually evolved into the family unit. Within this structure, the relationship between men and women, defined as marriage, became the foundation of social stability.
With technological and societal advancements, gender is no longer a determinant of work capability, and gender-based discrimination in the workplace is diminishing. Same-sex marriages are now legally recognized in various countries and regions, enabling such couples to form families and have children through assisted reproductive technologies.
Simultaneously, while the biological dichotomy of two sexes remains unaltered, the concept of social gender has expanded significantly. According to current statistics, there are now 56 recognized gender identities worldwide.
Gender identity is driven by psychological needs, including the desire to project emotions onto an “other.” This “other” can be of the opposite or same biological sex, a pet, a plant, or even a virtual entity. It represents a form of emotional attachment.
Relationships and marriages traditionally fulfill human psychological, physical, and social needs. However, could these functions not be replicated or even enhanced by technology?
Statistics reveal that an increasing number of young people today are hesitant to engage in romantic relationships, leading to the rise of virtual companions as an emotional alternative. In 2018, a 35-year-old Japanese man made headlines by marrying Hatsune Miku, a virtual idol, and subsequently living with a doll modeled after her.
Humans, as hormone-regulated carbon-based organisms, are witnessing unprecedented technological interventions. Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology can now regulate hormones and even enable gene editing. The emergence of silicon-based organisms, genetically modified humans, and cyborgs seems inevitable.
With the progression of brain-computer interface technology, a future where all humans are equipped with such interfaces could blur the line between human and machine. Would these enhanced beings be considered “humans PLUS,” or would they constitute an entirely new species of cyborgs?
Consider Dolores from Westworld, who, despite multiple system reinstalls, retains traces of her experiences. As traditional models of fulfilling human needs become obsolete, the conventional family structure may no longer be the norm for most. Gender diversity, the fusion of human and machine, and the blending of the real and virtual will increasingly converge, necessitating a complete reimagining of relationships and social structures. Just as romantic or marital relationships did not exist in primitive societies, they may also become obsolete in the future. The mechanized civilization depicted by British author Aldous Huxley in Brave New World may indeed serve as a prophetic vision.
Marriage and family, long regarded as the bedrock of societal stability, are being disrupted by technology. Traditional human relationships are being reshaped, and the coexistence of diverse relationship models is becoming inevitable. However, not all individuals will readily accept or adapt to these changes. Moreover, nature has never prioritized the survival of any single species. Dinosaurs, after dominating the Earth for 160 million years, eventually faced extinction. Humans, in comparison, have existed for a mere 200,000 years. Ultimately, our survival or extinction is not solely within our control.
Edited by Wind, DeepL, Youdao and DeepSeek
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