China Starts Construction on World's Largest Hydroelectric Dam in TibetChina Starts Construction on World's Largest Hydroelectric Dam in Tibet

China has officially launched the world's largest hydroelectric project in Tibet, raising expectations not only for its huge energy resources but also for its far-reaching economic and geopolitical impacts.

Photo: China Starts Construction on World's Largest Hydroelectric Dam in Tibet

Energy and Economic Expectations

The project to build a hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (also known as the Brahmaputra) in downstream Tibet has a capacity of up to 60 GW, three times that of the Three Gorges Dam - China's current largest hydroelectric project. With a total investment of up to 137 billion USD, this is considered one of the largest infrastructure projects in the world.

The electricity generated from the super dam will be transmitted through a modern high-voltage power grid worth 7 billion USD to key economic regions such as Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. The project is key to helping China increase its share of renewable energy while reducing its dependence on imported energy, which will account for nearly 25% of the country's total demand in 2023.

Environmental and social impacts

Construction of the dam in a rugged, high-altitude area and the complex winding Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge poses challenges in protecting diverse ecosystems and the lives of local communities. Many experts warn of the risk of negative impacts on the environment and natural landscape if the project is not strictly managed.

Geopolitical concerns from downstream countries

The hydropower project has raised serious concerns from downstream countries such as India and Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra River is an essential source of life for millions of people in these two countries, and China's control of the water source is considered to have a direct impact on the region's water security and economic development. 

The mega-dam in Tibet represents China’s great ambition to develop renewable energy and ensure national energy security. However, for the project to be truly sustainable and not cause environmental and social consequences as well as geopolitical tensions, there needs to be close coordination between stakeholders and strict supervision during the construction and operation process. 

References: 

People’s Online Newspaper 

Wall Street Journal 

VnExpress 

The Week

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The transformation that will make South Korea a technological superpower by 2025

Photo image South Korea

In less than a decade, South Korea has proven itself to be not only a “land of K-pop and movies,” but also a world-leading technology powerhouse. The year 2025 marks a significant turning point when South Korea officially rises to the position of a tech superpower, based on many key factors.

First of all, the South Korean government has invested heavily in research and development (R&D), with the technology budget doubling compared to 2020, while implementing programs to support startups and attract international talent. Major technology corporations such as Samsung, LG, and SK Hynix have continuously launched breakthrough products, from next-generation semiconductor chips, OLED displays, to AI technology and automated robots.

Not only that, Korea has taken the lead in developing the world's first commercial 6G network, creating the foundation for a fully connected and super-fast smart society. Smart cities with IoT infrastructure are being built widely, improving the quality of life and boosting economic productivity. 

Along with that, the Korean semiconductor industry has maintained its global No. 1 position in terms of output and quality, while expanding investment into the field of next-generation semiconductor materials and AI chip design. 

Experts say that the combination of the right policies, business capacity and innovation spirit has created a spectacular transformation, bringing Korea to the top of the global technology superpower by 2025. This is not only Korea's own success, but also a reference model for developing countries around the world.

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Elon Musk's Unbelievable Power Received $24 Billion in Bonus

Elon Musk's Unbelievable Power: Received $24 Billion in Bonus, Larger Than Tesla's Net Profit in 2 Years Combined.

Photo image Crazy about A.I.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has just recorded a bonus of up to $24 billion - a record number that far exceeds Tesla's net profit in the past 2 years combined. This is a reward for his outstanding success in developing electric vehicles and renewable energy strategies.

According to financial reports, Tesla only generated a total net profit of about $20 billion in the last two years, lower than the huge bonus Musk received. This bonus proves Elon Musk's "unique" position in the technology industry, as well as the huge influence he has on the market and investors.

However, this bonus number also makes many experts and shareholders raise questions about the fairness and sustainability of the current CEO bonus model. The fact that an individual receives compensation that exceeds the profits of the entire corporation raises questions about how to balance the interests of the leader and shareholders, and highlights the growing wealth gap among top business leaders.

Tesla and Musk remain at the center of the financial and technology world, as their stories of power, money and influence continue to attract global attention.

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Forecast for the period 2025–2035, the number of AI billionaires will double that of the dot-com period

AI “produces” billionaires at unprecedented speed.

Photo image AI

In less than 2 years, the wave of artificial intelligence has brought a series of startups from zero to “unicorn”, creating a new generation of billionaires. The most explosive fields include Generative AI, large-scale automation, AI chips and AI services for businesses.

According to Bloomberg, some entrepreneurs took less than 12 months to reach a net worth of over $1 billion – faster than the Internet or cryptocurrency boom. Experts say this speed comes from AI restructuring the industry, opening up global markets as soon as the product is launched, plus the influx of venture capital despite financial fluctuations.

It is predicted that the period 2025–2035 could see twice as many AI billionaires as the dot-com era, along with the rise of AI “super corporations” that dominate many fields. 

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Earth unexpectedly spins faster, many days are record short in summer 2025

Scientists have just recorded the phenomenon of Earth's rotation accelerating abnormally, making some days in 2025 the shortest since 2020. This development has raised debate about whether the "era of deceleration" governed by lunar tides for millions of years is coming to an end.

Photo Earth unexpectedly spins faster, many days are record short in summer 2025

Record short days since 2020

According to atomic clock data, since 2020, the Earth's rotation speed has tended to increase instead of decreasing as has long been the rule. The most recent record was set on July 5, 2024, 1.66 milliseconds shorter than the standard.

It is forecasted that this year, the three days of July 9, July 22 and August 5 will be shortened by about 1.25–1.51 milliseconds, becoming the shortest days since this phenomenon began.

Unexplained Cause

Researchers have yet to find the exact cause. Some hypotheses have been proposed, including:

Changes in the velocity of the Earth's core,

Seasonal effects of the atmosphere and oceans,

The relative position of the Moon and the equator.

However, none of these hypotheses can fully explain this acceleration trend.

Challenges to the timing system

Each millisecond difference, although too small for humans to perceive, has a major impact on systems that require absolute precision, such as GPS, telecommunications, and data servers. If the trend continues, the world may have to consider negative leap seconds for the first time to synchronize time.

Long-term trend is still slowing

Although the rotation speed is increasing, experts emphasize that in the long term, the lunar tides will still cause the Earth to rotate more slowly, lengthening the day by about 1.8 milliseconds per century. The current acceleration is considered a notable exception to the planet’s natural oscillation cycle.

Sources: GenK, Popular Mechanics, An Giang Online Newspaper, The Sun, Space.

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