Qwant and Ecosia debut Staan, a European search index that aims to take on Big Tech
fenrir @ fenrir @infosec.pub Posts 2Comments 3Joined 10 mo. ago
fenrir @ fenrir @infosec.pub
Posts
2
Comments
3
Joined
10 mo. ago
Pretty much my conclusion is that, yes, although not necessarily greenwashing, it can be what it is; a practical way to light paths in the wood without needing to construct stuff nor pick up the litter.
This is huge actually. Don't underestimate the power of making fairy paths. I'm at Bornhack right now and I think I tripped over tent strings once per second day. I have a headlamp but the batteries ran out. The people marked out important paths like 'fire trucks go here' and 'this way from noisy camp to the bar' but us poor hammock-dwellers are left to our own devices, in the dark.
Also, can the fungus survive and spread outside of the wood? If you left this on the ground to biodegrade would you be introducing an invasive species to wherever?
As long as it's in an environment/territory where the fungus is occuring naturally, this shouldn't be an issue.
The chips will be pre-seeded in whatever way, so in those the fungus will outcompete others due to having a monopoly of sorts.
Outside the chips, it's every fungus for themselves.
Yes, the bioluminescent one will have a stockpile of food (chips) to build from, but that only lasts so long.
All the other fungi in that place, whereever it may be, will have been around for a long time for a reason, and won't be easily invaded by upstart wannabes.
(or well since fungi tend to spread everywhere regardless they probably already have genetically compatible neighbours anyway)
I agree with the criticism that this is probably not going to be much use in established public parks, where lights of the indicator variety would likely be much better solved by fixed-installation solar led bulbs.
But!
Events!
Imagine a company settling down to produce this wood. Large batches, and hopefully some alternative wood species too, as balsa wood is not super available in Europe, at least not cheaply.
And then various pop-up events all over the place, maybe pagan in nature, maybe burning-man stuff, maybe naturey rock concerts or techno meetups. And then these fairy-style illuminated paths to show you the way from one place to another as you walk between densely-packed tents or through at dark forest needing to get from a to be and hopefully not tripping over branches on the way.
Totally doable. Aforementioned company grows the glowy mycelium, uses existing technology to shred finished trunks to wooden shrapnel, and delivers this in big bags; eventmakers strew the stuff whereever people are supposed to walk, and, done.
Not much work or effort. No need to clean up the forest afterwards because the stuff is wood and -very- biodegradable in a forest.
I just tried quant, ecosia and lilo.
For something intended to enhance privacy, I think it's problematic that 2 of those three immediately wants to set cookies. It kind of makes me suspicious that the third one did it surreptitiously, honestly.
All of them present pop-ups about 'making the shift'.
I mean.
Like the top-down push at getting everyone to use AI, every time something tries to force a thing to happen - doesn't that indicate it is not the best option for me? If it was, I would likely figure that out on my own?