Last time I looked, the projected cost of a beanstalk (with a 100% cost overrun assumption) was about $40B, or about two big expensive floating targets Ford-class aircraft carriers.
Principles for making continuous sheet graphene
Previously, we explored a speculative new idea for a continuous process that can make graphene in large-scale sheets. Chris Bentley of the Strategy Exchange, read my column and immediately recommended a book by Arthur C Clarke. I always pay attention to Chris’ advice and this time it led me to some startling connections, read on…
There are limits for elevator (lift) cables. For example the steel cables in a 400-metre-high lift weigh about 18,650kg. This weight is a concern for design engineers. Make the cables too long and they eventually tear apart under their own weight. This places limits on how high we can build skyscrapers. Make the cables stronger and lighter and we can build taller buildings. Continuous graphene sheet could be made as ribbons by the method we outlined – and layered for strength. This layered graphene ribbon would be ideal for making elevator cable. This could usher in a new age of ultra-tall buildings across the world where the occupants do not have to keep changing elevators to reach higher floors.
And we could stop there, dear InvestorIntel reader, except for the fact that I made time to read the book Chris mentioned. Those of you familiar with the fountains of paradise will be ahead of me by now…
Arthur C Clarke imagined a rather different type of elevator.....
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