Laika's latest stop-motion film is a love letter to all things Portland, Oregon, and it shows in every detail of its magical world. The film, based on Colin Meloy's novel, is set in the Impassable Wilderness, also known as Wildwood, where fantastical creatures roam free.

The story follows 13-year-old Prue, who navigates this mystical realm with a mix of wonder and skepticism. As she interacts with an owl having tea in a waistcoat, it becomes clear that even Prue herself is still adjusting to the absurdity of her surroundings. Her Portland upbringing has prepared her for some level of weirdness, but nothing could have fully readied her for this.

Laika's newest creation is a visual feast, with towering eagles and sprawling tree roots that seem to stretch across entire landscapes. The film's battle scenes are equally epic, reminiscent of the D-Day Landing in Saving Private Ryan. Yet despite these grand spectacles, Wildwood also takes time to appreciate the magic in even the smallest details, like a single blade of grass.

As the first Laika movie explicitly set in Portland, the studio looked for inspiration in their own backyard. The film's attention to detail is evident in its portrayal of local landmarks and cultural icons. From Voodoo Doughnuts to Decembrists posters, every element has been carefully considered to bring the city to life on screen.

For director Travis Knight, working on Wildwood was a unique experience that drew on his personal connection to Portland. "It was a joy, unlike anything I've ever experienced," he says of bringing the film to life. As someone who grew up in the city and has spent most of their life there, Knight felt a deep sense of familiarity with the place.

This sense of local knowledge allowed the team to infuse Wildwood with real specificity and personality. "We know that place better than anybody," Knight notes, and we could bring that world to life with real authenticity. The result is a film that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.

Laika's decision to set Wildwood in Portland was not just a nod to their home city, it also marked a new direction for the studio. As a stop-motion specialist, Laika has always pushed the boundaries of what's possible on screen. With Wildwood, they've shown that even the most fantastical worlds can be grounded in real-world settings.

The influence of Portland is evident throughout the film, from its characters to its landscapes. Knight sees this as an opportunity for audiences to experience their city in a new and imaginative way. We're not just making a movie about Portland, we're bringing Portland to life, he says.

The filmmakers behind Wildwood have brought a unique approach to animation by infusing their fantasy world with real-life locations from Portland and Oregon. This blend of reality and fantasy creates a captivating narrative that showcases the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

One of the key themes in Wildwood is the idea that magic exists in everyday life, often in unexpected places. This concept is mirrored in the film's portrayal of both the magical realm and the real world, where danger lurks alongside wonder.

The reverse is also true, the fantastical world of Wildwood contains subtle nods to Portland and the PNW. Fans of the region will delight in spotting familiar locations amidst the animated landscape.

While the film takes creative liberties with its setting, it's clear that the creators drew inspiration from real-life Oregon landmarks. Crater Lake and Haystack Rock are just two examples of the many iconic sites incorporated into Wildwood's fantasy world.

The filmmakers' decision to showcase Oregon as a fantasy realm was an exciting challenge for them. By infusing the film with local beauty, they aimed to create a visually stunning experience that would transport audiences to new worlds.

Wildwood's unique approach has garnered praise from critics and fans alike, particularly its entirely hand-crafted animation process. This labor-intensive method requires skill and dedication, but it also adds an extra layer of depth and emotion to the film.

One notable moment in the movie features Prue and Mac passing by a bustling art fair in St. Johns. This brief scene is more than just a visual gag, it's a nod to Portland's thriving craft and visual arts culture.

The filmmakers' emphasis on handcrafted goods and human creativity reflects their own values as members of the Portland maker community. In an increasingly automated world, Wildwood celebrates the beauty of human innovation and the importance of preserving traditional skills.

As the director of Wildwood, the new film set in Portland, Oregon, you must have had a deep connection to the city's unique character and charm to bring it to life on screen.

To infuse the film with authenticity, did you draw from your own experiences and observations of the city over time?

The human touch is indeed something special that deserves celebration and preservation in an increasingly automated world, where technology often takes center stage.

Stop motion animation, used in Wildwood, is a deliberate and painstaking process that requires great attention to detail, every wrinkle sculpted with precision.

When approaching a story, it's essential to listen to what the narrative wants to tell you, allowing its essence to guide your creative decisions.

The director's experiences growing up, such as visiting Japan for the first time at age eight, can have a profound impact on their work, shaping their perspectives and inspirations.

Those early encounters with foreign cultures and environments can leave lasting impressions, influencing the way they approach storytelling in future projects.

For Wildwood, the director drew heavily from their own experiences living in Portland, using personal connections to bring depth and authenticity to the film's settings.

Portland has undergone significant changes over the past 16 years, reflecting broader shifts in the world at large, presenting challenges for filmmakers aiming to capture its essence.

The city of Portland has undergone significant changes since Wildwood was first conceived seven years ago, when pre-production began in 2019. This period of transformation has been marked by both positive and tragic events that have altered the landscape.

As a result of these changes, filmmakers found themselves facing unique challenges in capturing the essence of Portland on screen. The city's evolution over the past decade has presented difficulties in preserving its distinct character for future generations.

The construction of sets and animation for Wildwood proved to be a daunting task due to the intricacies involved in stop-motion techniques. This process requires meticulous attention to detail, from designing and building individual components to manipulating them on camera.

One of the most challenging aspects of creating a stop-motion film like Wildwood is replicating nature's organic shapes. Forests, with their unique contours and textures, are particularly difficult to recreate using this method. The filmmakers decided to focus primarily on natural settings for the majority of the movie, which added an extra layer of complexity.

The team had to design and build entire environments from scratch, including a forest that serves as the primary backdrop for much of the story. This involved collaborating with set designers, dressers, painters, and artists to create spaces that not only looked realistic but also held artistic merit.

The initial entrance into Wildwood, a pivotal moment in the film, was particularly time-consuming to design. The resulting scene is breathtakingly beautiful, showcasing the team's attention to detail and dedication to crafting immersive environments.

The set designers' goal was to create a work of art that could stand on its own, even outside the context of the movie. For many scenes, this level of craftsmanship will be fleeting, lasting mere seconds on screen.

The attention to detail in "Wildwood" is breathtaking, showcasing extraordinary human craftsmanship and artistry on a grand scale.

Incorporating the wildlife and ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest into this film was a deliberate choice, reflecting the region's unique character.

As someone familiar with the area, it's clear that the filmmakers drew from their own knowledge of coyotes, using it to inform the story.

Crows also play a significant role in the film, another nod to the rich biodiversity of the Pacific Northwest.

Growing up in Portland and its surroundings instilled a deep appreciation for nature in the filmmakers, who often found themselves next to the natural world.

Childhood experiences spent exploring forests and climbing trees had a profound impact on their worldview, shaping their perspective on the world.

The film's eco-fable narrative is multifaceted, with layers that explore themes of environmentalism in an organic way, rather than hitting viewers over the head with a message.

This approach allows the story to breathe, inviting viewers to connect with it on a deeper level and honor the natural world in an authentic manner.

Living in Portland, Oregon, is an experience like no other, shaped by the city's unique blend of quirky charm and natural beauty.

The city's distinct personality is a result of its eclectic mix of cultures, neighborhoods, and landscapes, making each experience truly one-of-a-kind.

As artists, we recognize that our individual perspectives are what set us apart from others, allowing us to offer a fresh and authentic voice in storytelling.

This approach is essential when capturing the essence of a place like Portland, where every aspect, from its food trucks to its parks, contributes to its distinctive character.

Conde Nast Traveler: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/wildwood-is-a-love-letter-to-all-things-portland-oregon

This innovative approach is designed to move beyond the confines of hotel walls, allowing guests to truly immerse themselves in local culture and traditions.

Expeditions by The Luxury Collection offer an array of unique experiences that provide private access to exclusive locations and activities.

The Luxury Collection has long recognized that a destination's true essence lies in its people, rituals, and landscapes, as well as the knowledge passed down through generations. This understanding is at the core of their new Expeditions program.

These expeditions offer a range of unique experiences that provide private access to exclusive locations and activities. They come in three forms: multi-day journeys spanning several destinations, single-day discoveries, and hands-on residencies with specialists. The most extensive option is the Private Tailored Journey, which combines multiple destinations and Luxury Collection hotels through private transportation and expert-led experiences.

The Luxury Collection has crafted two particularly notable expeditions. In Japan, The Imperial Journey spans 10 days across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara, allowing guests to explore rarely opened temple spaces alongside a resident monk. They also get the chance to make sushi with a fourth-generation master and dine with a geisha in Kyoto.

In Italy, the Grand Italia Rally is an unforgettable experience. Inspired by the country's legendary endurance races, this seven-day loop takes drivers from Milan to Venice to Florence and back again. The journey is taken in a pristine 1955 FIAT 1100 TV Spider or 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider.

The Luxury Collection's new Expeditions offer travelers a chance to immerse themselves in Italy's rich culture and history by visiting some of its most iconic properties. The journey takes guests through four regions: Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Tuscany, where they can experience the unique charm of each area.

One of the highlights of this route is the convenience provided by a support van that carries luggage throughout the trip, allowing travelers to focus on enjoying their time in Italy. This aspect of the Expeditions is designed to minimize logistical worries and maximize relaxation.

The itinerary also includes stops at Casa Brera in Milan, The Gritti Palace in Venice, and The Excelsior in Florence, giving guests a chance to explore some of Italy's most famous cities and landmarks.

The unique blend of experiences offered by The Luxury Collection's new Expeditions program allows guests to delve into the rich cultural heritage of destinations around the world. This is achieved through collaborations with local experts who share their knowledge and passion for the region.

These immersive journeys showcase the intricate relationships between people, traditions, and landscapes, providing a deeper understanding of what makes each place truly special. By entrusting the planning process to those intimately familiar with the destination, travelers can focus on fully immersing themselves in the experience, rather than worrying about logistics.

Elle: https://www.elle.com/culture/travel-food/a74223405/the-luxury-collection-expeditions-launch-casa-brera-hotel/

The official statement suggests that the neurological complications experienced by the patient before their death were likely caused by the infection with the Shamonda virus.

According to preliminary evidence, the patient contracted the virus through a bite from an insect, which is known to be a primary route of transmission between animals.

The Shamonda virus is primarily transmitted to animals via bites from a tiny gnat called the biting midge, and it has been identified in various parts of Africa and Japan since its discovery in Nigeria in the 1960s.

Livestock, particularly cattle, are considered the main host of the virus, as they develop visible symptoms when infected.

When an animal is bitten by a midge carrying the Shamonda virus, the infection typically takes two to three days to incubate before causing symptoms.

Pregnant cows infected with the Shamonda virus can suffer from severe outcomes, including miscarriages or deformities in their calves. The virus's impact on cattle has been a concern for some time, and it is one of several factors that highlight the need for effective prevention measures.

Public health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, as the first reported human case was particularly concerning due to the individual's severely compromised immune system. This exceptional circumstance has prompted an alert across several European countries, which had previously considered themselves free from the virus.

The Shamonda virus has been detected in multiple countries, including Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Italy, and Spain. A new variant known as Shamonda-Europe was identified this summer, and two distinct forms of the virus - Shamonda Type 1 and Shamonda Type 2 - have been confirmed to be circulating in Europe.

The recent case of Shamonda virus infection reported in France marks a significant milestone in understanding this viral strain.

The patient who contracted the virus had a pre-existing serious medical condition that made them more susceptible to infections. This underlying health issue raises questions about the role of Shamonda virus in their death, as it is unclear whether the virus contributed to their demise.

Leading experts agree that drawing conclusions about the virus's ability to infect humans would be premature at this stage.

Wired: https://www.wired.com/story/what-to-about-shamonda-virus-following-the-first-reported-human-infection/

The storm, named Typhoon Champi, is expected to make landfall on the island's northeast coast on Friday and Saturday as it moves northwards towards China and Japan. According to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA), the typhoon is packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 213 kilometers per hour.

Typhoon Champi has been downgraded from a super typhoon, with previously reported maximum sustained winds of nearly 300 kph, but its intensity remains a concern for local residents. The storm's strong winds and heavy rains are expected to cause significant disruptions, with officials urging people to prepare accordingly.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has taken to social media to warn the public about the impending storm, stating that everyone should remain vigilant and be prepared for the strong winds and heavy rains brought by Typhoon Champi.

The storm system Typhoon Champi continues to intensify as it bears down on Taiwan, with forecasters predicting heavy rainfall and strong winds for the region. In preparation for the severe weather, over 23,000 military personnel have been placed on standby to assist with rescue efforts.

Air travel has also been severely impacted, with more than 150 domestic and international flights canceled for Thursday due to the approaching storm. The cancellations are a precautionary measure aimed at minimizing risks associated with flying in adverse weather conditions.

According to CWA forecaster Jason Cheng, Typhoon Champi is expected to have its most significant impact from tomorrow through the first half of Saturday, bringing torrential rains and powerful gusts to affected areas. Cheng noted that while the typhoon's storm radius is substantial, spanning 320 kilometers, it is not as extensive as that of previous storm Typhoon Bavi.

Meanwhile, millions of people in eastern China are bracing for heavy downpours and flash flooding in the coming days, prompting China's Ministry of Water Resources to initiate a level four emergency response for flooding in Shanghai and several coastal provinces.

Taiwan is taking precautions as Typhoon Champi approaches, with the ministry warning of significant rainfall from Friday to Sunday. Heavy downpours are expected in areas including most of Shanghai and eastern Zhejiang, where residents can anticipate disruptions to their daily lives.

In response to the impending storm, Japan's two major airlines have canceled over 110 flights from Thursday to Saturday, affecting thousands of passengers. Meanwhile, the United Nations has sounded a warning about the impact of El Niño on global weather patterns. This natural climate cycle is expected to peak in December but will have far-reaching consequences lasting into 2027 and beyond.

The warming phase of El Niño temporarily raises sea temperatures in the tropical Pacific, triggering changes that can lead to droughts or floods and exacerbate the effects of human-induced global warming.

Phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2026-10-taiwan-issues-typhoon-champi-nears.html

As a result, many small businesses are being listed on succession platforms at low prices, with some owners having no heirs to inherit their legacies.

Kengo Ohama, 31, is one of the young entrepreneurs taking advantage of these opportunities. He recently took over Country Road, a café in Hiroshima, Japan, which he manages alongside his wife.

Ohama had been searching for a business to start from scratch, but found an established café listed on Relay, a Japanese business-succession platform. The owners' main concern was finding someone who would care for the shop and keep it vibrant.

The business's existing customer base and equipment were major selling points for Ohama, allowing him to hit the ground running with minimal startup costs.

As the previous owners of a Japanese café grew older, they began searching for a suitable successor to take over their legacy.

The terms of the takeover were straightforward: Kengo Ohama would keep the business operational but was free to redesign the interior as he saw fit, giving him creative freedom with the property.

Ohama now pays 50,000 yen in monthly rent for the building, a significant cost savings compared to starting from scratch.

This flexibility made the opportunity extremely appealing to Ohama, who values his independence and autonomy in running the business.

The existing customer base and equipment were major selling points for Ohama, allowing him to hit the ground running with minimal startup costs.

Relay, an online platform connecting business owners with potential buyers, has listed approximately 900 businesses to date, with around 350 active listings available for purchase.

The majority of these businesses are being sold by older entrepreneurs who are approaching retirement age, typically in their sixties and seventies. In contrast, the younger successors taking over these companies are often in their thirties and forties.

BATONZ, another platform that facilitates business acquisitions, has listed more than 42,000 businesses to date. As of March 2026, this company had successfully matched 3,421 buyer-seller pairs, indicating a high level of activity in the market for transitioning businesses.

For some business owners, online platforms like Relay and BATONZ can provide a vital lifeline when unexpected circumstances force them to confront succession planning earlier than anticipated. This was the case for Akitaka Mitsui, who had to temporarily close his guesthouse due to the pandemic and subsequently reduce operations after it reopened.

Akitaka Mitsui's experience is a common one among Japan's aging business owners, many of whom are struggling to stay afloat due to the pandemic.

The financial strain has forced some entrepreneurs to reconsider their legacy and consider selling their businesses at discounted prices to younger, more agile entrepreneurs who are eager to take on new challenges.

One such entrepreneur is Kota Fujisawa, a 29-year-old from Nagano who had been looking for ways to revitalize his home region. He was introduced to Akitaka Mitsui's guesthouse through BATONZ, an organization that connects aging business owners with potential successors.

Fujisawa and two childhood friends took over the guesthouse in May 2024, renaming it Local Knot Backpackers. They paid less than 10 million Japanese yen for the business, which came with its website, booking systems, and staff.

The drastic change from his stable office job has given Fujisawa more freedom to shape the entire operation and decide where to take it next, allowing him to interact with guests from all over Japan and the world.

Kota Fujisawa's new role as owner of a guesthouse has brought him closer to tourists and given him more freedom to shape the operation, but it also comes with a delicate balance between preserving what's worked in the past and introducing changes for the future.

Fujisawa must decide which aspects of the business to retain and which to modify, ensuring that any significant changes don't fundamentally alter the guesthouse's identity. This balancing act is crucial to maintaining the trust and loyalty of regular customers while also adapting to changing market conditions.

In making his decisions, Fujisawa aims to honor the preferences of long-time guests while implementing necessary updates to ensure the guesthouse remains competitive and attractive to new visitors. By striking this balance, he hopes to preserve the essence of what made the guesthouse successful in the first place.

For entrepreneurs like Fujisawa, finding a suitable business model is only half the challenge, they must also navigate the complexities of infrastructure and resources required to bring their vision to life.

Aspiring entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to succession platforms as a means of accessing the necessary infrastructure to launch their ventures, rather than inheriting an entire established business.

Takayuki Otawara's journey to becoming a farmer began with a search for a greenhouse and farmland to start his own venture. As he struggled to find suitable facilities through local farmers, he turned to Relay, a platform that connects buyers with sellers of businesses or business assets.

Through Relay, Otawara found a listing from a strawberry-farming family looking to scale back their operations as they grew older. Under a business succession agreement, Otawara purchased the greenhouse and irrigation equipment for 3 million Japanese yen. This enabled him to start his own farm, where he now grows a diverse range of crops including cacao, strawberries, bananas, and rice.

Unlike taking over an existing business, Otawara used the facilities provided by Relay to launch his own venture from scratch. This approach has allowed him to tailor his farm's operations to his specific needs and goals, rather than being tied to the legacy of a previous owner.

As a result of this new venture, Otawara reports that he now experiences a sense of satisfaction in his work that he never found as a civil servant. His efforts are directly reflected in the success of his farm, giving him a clear understanding of what he achieves through hard work.

Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-small-business-owner-retirement-successor-crisis-2026-10

For centuries, Japan's funeral system was built around family and community ties, as well as the support of Buddhist temples. This traditional framework allowed for burials to remain a staple of Japanese culture into the 20th century.

However, Japan now faces a crisis when it comes to funerals and burials. According to a recent national survey, the average cost of a funeral in Japan is approximately 1.2 million yen, or about $7,600. This is roughly one-quarter of an average Japanese worker's annual gross earnings.

As a result, many Japanese are rethinking their commitment to traditional burial practices, which can place significant financial, logistical, and emotional burdens on future generations. With the country's birthrate in decline, there are fewer people available to care for ancestral graves, making this issue even more pressing.

As a result of Japan's shift towards cremation, the traditional burial practices are being modified to accommodate the change. In many cases, family members place bone fragments in funerary urns after cremation, which they then take home to be displayed on a Buddhist altar.

These urns often contain some or all of the bone fragments from the deceased, and are later interred in permanent structures known as nōkotsudō. Nōkotsudō come in various forms, including graves, ossuaries, and columbariums, which are compartmentalized spaces for storing bones.

A significant portion of Japanese funerals involve cash gifts from mourners to help offset the costs associated with these elaborate ceremonies. Family members typically reciprocate by sending return gifts worth half the value of the original cash gift, usually within a few weeks after the funeral.

These return gifts often consist of practical items such as high-quality towels or soaps, rather than more sentimental offerings like flowers or wreaths. The focus on return gifts reflects Japan's complex and nuanced approach to death and mourning.

The post-death rituals that follow are equally intricate, with weekly ceremonies held through the 49th day after a person's passing, followed by periodic observances until at least the third anniversary of their death.

The expenses associated with purchasing a grave and interment are substantial additions to the cost of a funeral. When buying a plot, individuals must also pay for a headstone and cemetery-use fees, which can be quite high.

In Japan, the average cost of a gravestone, plot, and cemetery-use fees combined is approximately 1.52 million yen, equivalent to nearly $10,000 in US dollars. This amount is staggering when compared to an average worker's annual salary, with funeral and burial costs equating to almost 60% of their income.

However, the financial burden does not end after the initial interment. Municipal and private cemeteries charge annual fees for land maintenance, which are passed on to descendants who continue to care for the grave. This includes performing Buddhist rituals at the site to ensure the deceased person's well-being in the afterlife.

These annual fees vary depending on the cemetery or temple, with most Tokyo municipal cemeteries charging less than $40 per year. Descendants are also responsible for visiting and maintaining the grave, making offerings, and keeping the surrounding area tidy.

If a grave is abandoned and annual maintenance fees go unpaid, it can be effectively repossessed by the cemetery or temple. In such cases, the bones in the repurposed grave are typically reinterred in a communal ossuary or columbarium.

The combination of declining birth rates, limited grave plots, and ongoing costs has led to an increasing interest in alternatives to traditional graves. One popular option is the "tree burial," also known as "jumokusō, where the deceased's remains are buried in or around a tree.

In recent years, Tokyo Metropolitan public cemeteries have introduced a new type of burial option called Forest Type" or "Jūrin-gata. This unique approach involves interring cremated remains in silk bags into designated plots of land, allowing individuals to reserve a burial spot and avoid management fees for eternity.

Unlike regular graves at these cemeteries, where spots are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis due to the unpredictable nature of death, Forest Type burials offer more flexibility. This option has gained popularity among those seeking a more permanent solution to their final resting place.

In addition to individual graves and Forest Type burials, some people opt for ossuaries and columbariums as an alternative. These structures come in various styles, from traditional Buddhist altars to modern locker-style housing for urns. Some even feature automated systems that store urns in a centralized location, making it easier for families to visit and pay their respects.

One such example is the communal ossuary, where the remains of multiple individuals are mixed together either immediately or after a specified period. This approach raises interesting questions about the nature of individual identity and the concept of self.

The practice of creating bone buddhas has been a rare sight in Japanese temples for centuries. This unique tradition was born out of necessity, as temples struggled to manage the remains of individuals who had no family to claim them.

These bone buddhas are not just a creative solution but also a beautiful one. Temples that still offer this service accept not only complete skeletons but also partial bones or even small amounts of skeletal remains.

As people opt for more modern burial practices, temples that once cared for the dead are now facing an unusual problem: what to do with the abandoned and neglected graves left behind. The process of hakajimai is becoming increasingly popular as families seek to disinter their loved ones and reinter them in a communal ossuary.

The shift towards hakajimai reflects a broader societal trend, where individuals are seeking ways to break free from the logistical, financial, and emotional burdens of maintaining family graves.

In recent years, Japan has seen a significant shift towards a new approach to ancestral care, known as hakajimai". This trend involves not maintaining individual family graves, but rather, sharing a single grave among multiple families. The shared grave is often located in a large cemetery, and the families take turns caring for it.

The growing popularity of hakajimai reflects Japan's changing demographics, including declining birthrates and increasing costs associated with funeral services. As a result, many individuals are seeking more affordable and practical solutions to ancestral care.

Phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2026-10-japan-expensive-funerals-declining-birthrates.html

The concept of space-based solar power originated in the 20th century as a techno-utopian idea popularized by writers and visionaries. However, for decades it was viewed with skepticism due to its perceived complexity and high costs. But researchers are now reassessing the feasibility of SBSP, driven by growing concerns about climate change and the need for renewable energy sources. While critics argue that the technology is still in its infancy and faces numerous challenges, proponents believe it has the potential to provide a sustainable solution to the world's energy needs.

The main challenge facing SBSP is getting the massive solar-panel-covered satellites into space, assembling them, and ensuring that the solar panels are constantly pointed at the sun. Additionally, researchers must find ways to convert, concentrate, and transmit the collected power back to Earth. These technical hurdles have led some critics to dismiss SBSP as a viable option for meeting the world's energy needs.

Despite these challenges, researchers continue to explore the potential of space-based solar power. One expert notes that the most crucial step in generating energy is already being done by the sun itself, which fuses hydrogen atoms every second to expel an enormous amount of energy equivalent to nine trillion atomic bombs. All that remains is to harness this energy and transmit it back to Earth.

The technology has the potential to provide a significant boost to renewable energy sources while minimizing environmental harm. According to proponents, SBSP can meet global energy needs many times over without causing pollution or contributing to climate change. However, critics argue that the high costs associated with launching and maintaining satellites in space will make it difficult for SBSP to become a viable option.

The development of SBSP is not intended to compete with fusion power but rather to provide an additional source of renewable energy. Researchers are working on several projects to overcome the technical challenges and bring this technology to fruition, with test launches planned for the next five years.

The concept of harnessing solar power in space has been around for nearly a century, and its origins can be traced back to Russian rocket scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. In 1923, he proposed deploying space-based mirrors that could concentrate sunlight on Earth with enough intensity to boil water.

Tsiolkovsky's proposal was not just a theoretical concept; it was the result of his extensive work on designing steerable cargo airships. Although his designs for these vessels were never built, they laid the groundwork for future ideas in space exploration. His fascination with space travel and energy production would eventually influence the development of more advanced concepts.

In 1937, British writer Olaf Stapledon popularized the idea of using concentrated solar energy in his novel "Star Maker. He described an alien civilization harnessing escaping solar energy to focus it for intelligent use. This concept was later formalized by theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson as a Dyson sphere, which is essentially a massive structure that surrounds a star and captures its energy.

The concept of space-based solar power gained further traction in 1941 when science fiction writer Isaac Asimov published his short story Reason. In the tale, a robot colony operates on a power station that collects solar energy and beams it back to Earth as microwaves. While Asimov's focus was on the robots' worship of their vessel rather than its engineering details, he laid the groundwork for future proposals.

The transformation from science fiction to concrete proposal happened relatively quickly. In 1968, aerospace engineer Peter Glaser developed an engineering design for a solar power satellite. His concept consisted of three key elements: a ray-collecting device, a converter and a transmitter. The collector was designed as a disk of photovoltaic panels that would be placed 22,400 miles off the ground.

The distance of 22,400 miles is crucial in understanding Glaser's design. It is far enough away from Earth to allow for efficient energy transmission back to our planet while minimizing interference with other space-based systems.

The satellite would be situated in a geostationary orbit above Earth, allowing it to harness solar energy continuously while minimizing interference with other space-based systems. Its location also enables efficient transmission of energy back to our planet.

Once the energy is harvested and converted into microwaves, it will be transmitted through the atmosphere to receiving antennae on the ground. These antennae would then convert the microwaves back into electricity for distribution across the grid.

The assembly of the satellite's microwave transmission antenna has been completed, showcasing one of its key components. This technology is crucial for transmitting energy from space to Earth with minimal loss or interference.

Despite initial promise, Glaser's design faced significant technical and financial challenges due to its enormous size. A study by the Department of Energy estimated that a meaningful contribution of 300 gigawatts would require 60 satellites, each spanning over 21 square miles and weighing 50,000 tons.

This massive scale made the project unaffordable, and subsequent assessments continued to raise doubts about the feasibility of space-based solar power. However, some reports suggested that advances in technology could make the concept more viable.

Advances in rocketry and satellite manufacturing have led to a decrease in costs, with reusable rockets like SpaceX's Falcon 9 reducing launch expenses significantly. This shift has also made satellites cheaper due to mass production and improved clean room facilities.

The development of space-based solar power (SBSP) technology is gaining momentum, and several companies are working on satellite designs that can harness unlimited energy from the sun in orbit around the Earth.

SpaceX's Starship rocket, which is currently under construction, promises to significantly reduce the cost of launching satellites into space. With a payload capacity more than five times greater than its Falcon rocket, SpaceX aims to make space travel even more affordable and accessible.

The SBSP concept involves beaming energy from a satellite in orbit around the Earth back to the planet's surface using microwaves or lasers. This technology has been deemed feasible by experts, who believe it could provide a reliable source of renewable energy without any greenhouse gas emissions.

Several companies have received funding to develop SBSP technology, including Space Solar, which is working on a satellite design that can generate 2 gigawatts of constant power from solar radiation. The company's design, called CASSIOPeiA, uses a unique shape and sun-synchronous orbit to maximize energy collection without the need for moving parts.

The CASSIOPeiA design is based on a concept known as a giant DNA strand," which allows the satellite to constantly receive and transmit solar energy. This innovative approach has been chosen as the reference architecture by experts, who believe it could be an efficient way to harness solar power in space.

SBSP technology has several advantages over traditional forms of renewable energy, including lower costs and the ability to generate power in remote locations. While the initial investment may seem high, the long-term benefits of SBSP could make it a cost-effective option for countries looking to transition away from fossil fuels.

The efficiency of space-based solar power systems is significantly improved once the satellite reaches orbit, as it avoids the limitations imposed by the Earth's atmosphere.

Unlike terrestrial solar panels, which are subject to deflection and attenuation caused by atmospheric conditions, the light hitting a space-based power station remains unimpeded, allowing for more efficient energy production.

This advantage translates into reduced material requirements and optimized use of resources, according to Sam Adlen, co-founder and co-CEO of Space Solar, one of the companies involved in developing this technology.

However, the process of beaming down gigawatts of energy from space remains a significant technical challenge, with multiple methods being considered for its implementation.

One approach involves using lasers to transmit energy across vast distances, while another utilizes microwaves to achieve the same goal.

The microwave transmission method has shown promise in laboratory settings, with some companies demonstrating the feasibility of beaming kilowatts of power from orbit or even from an airplane.

The development of space-based solar power systems is gaining momentum, with several projects worldwide opting to use microwave-beaming technology to transmit energy back to Earth.

This approach has its limitations, however, as microwaves have longer wavelengths compared to other forms of electromagnetic radiation, causing their beams to diffract more widely over distance. As a result, Earth-based receivers would need to be enormous, covering dozens of square miles, to capture the transmitted energy effectively.

The scale of transmitters required for microwave-beaming is equally impressive, with current technology necessitating massive constructions in space to successfully beam microwatts to larger receivers on Earth.

Despite these challenges, researchers remain optimistic that advancements in power-beaming efficiency will eventually overcome the hurdles, paving the way for gigawatt-scale energy transmission from space.

Live Science: https://www.livescience.com/space/were-not-a-competitor-to-fusion-we-are-fusion-inside-the-race-to-harness-unlimited-solar-power-in-space