Midnight

Hold up. Is this thing even real? - S11 E01

Novels, television, cinema and even video games have gotten us used to the idea of teleportation. Despite this collective imagination, no one imagines actually travelling like this one day. However, researchers are working pretty hard on it…

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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16.12.2023

10.1.2024

Will night trains replace planes? - S10 E04

As seen in episode three, there’s still a long way to go for night trains to replace short- and medium-haul planes. But does that mean we won’t see this revolution? It's not as simple as that.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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9.12.2023

2.2.2024

Can we really replace planes with trains? - S10 E03

The night train’s ecological balance sheet leaves no room for doubt. It crushes its competitors, starting with the plane. But can we actually replace all the aircraft flying in our skies with night trains? Let’s explore this together.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.12.2023

15.12.2023

Is it as eco-friendly as it seems? - S10 E02

Now that we've covered the meteoric rise and sudden disappearance of night trains, we have to question their eco credentials. Even if it’s generally accepted as a more sustainable option, we have to put it under the microscope in the same way as all the other forms of transport.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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25.11.2023

12.1.2024

The rise and fall (temporary) of the night train - S10 E01

A revolutionary invention almost as old as the railway, the night train slowly declined until it almost disappeared at the start of the 21st century. But how could this popular and eco-friendly means of transport come close to extinction?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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18.11.2023

10.1.2024

Is it really that eco-friendly? - S09 E02

The ambition of sustainable fuel aircraft is exciting, because they might just decarbonise flying operations. But not everything is coming up roses in the world of SAF. It could be less eco-friendly than you think.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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28.10.2023

3.11.2023

The sustainable fuel aircraft (SAF) - S09 E01

Some aviation advocates argue that there’s a way to keep their beloved planes in the air: flying them on SAF, or Sustainable Aviation Fuel. But what does that actually look like? And what does that name really mean?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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21.10.2023

12.1.2024

Will our children remember thermal engine cars? - S08 E04

Unlike many technologies explored in these columns, the electric car could well change the face of the world. It's now almost inevitable (and that's good news). But when exactly? Might it be so far in the future that only our children and grandchildren will benefit from it?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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14.10.2023

10.1.2024

Can the electric car revolution be green too? - S08 E03

Compared with a thermal engine car, the electric car appears to be a much better alternative from an eco point of view. But will this still be the case when it’s the status quo in France, Europe and the rest of the world?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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7.10.2023

10.1.2024

Can electric really replace the combustion engine car? - S08 E02

As we know, the electric car occupies an ever-increasing share of the vehicle fleet. But can it truly become the first, or even the only technology to transport humans on four wheels? And, if so, under what conditions?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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30.9.2023

29.9.2023

How did it conquer the world? - S08 E01

Already omnipresent in many countries, the electric car hasn’t always been as popular as it is today. Its rise has been slow, long and painful - but unstoppable.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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23.9.2023

12.1.2024

Will our children take hydrogen trains? - S07 E04

As at the end of every season, we reflect on when various new technologies will see the light of day. It’s our approach to future gazing, with some bad faith thrown in.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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16.9.2023

23.9.2023

Can we scale it? - S07 E03

It’s now clear that the hydrogen train will only be of interest if it’s deployed on a large scale, or a very large scale. It remains to be seen whether this will be possible and, if so, when? And at what price?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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9.9.2023

12.1.2024

Is it really being abandoned? - S07 E02

Now that Nicolas is aboard the same boat - well, the same train - as Adrien and Romain, he must deal with a subject that’s as important as it is huge: the future Midnight Trains network. His expertise will profoundly change the route map and the company's development strategy.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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2.9.2023

29.9.2023

Why is it so popular? - S07 E01

Unlike other technologies we’ve examined in our newsletters, the hydrogen train is already mature and in circulation. For many managers, it even represents the future of railways. So we’re going to explore the reasons – good or bad – for this success.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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26.8.2023

12.1.2024

Is it as green as it seems? - S06 E02

Now we know a little more about solar aircraft technology, it's time to look at its ecological credentials. Just because solar energy is clean, doesn’t mean we should accept it at face value. We have to ask questions and figure out which vehicles it could feasibly power.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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5.8.2023

4.10.2023

Erm… What's this device? - S06 E01

After five seasons of talking about vehicles running on hydrogen, oil, gas and man-made electricity, we’re now exploring a solar-powered vehicle. But not just any solar-powered vehicle. A plane which, according to its advocates, could fly without a drop of kerosene. Let’s dig into how this strange contraption actually works.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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29.7.2023

4.10.2023

Is it really good for the planet? - S05 E02

As we’ve seen, biogas trains could offer a temporary solution for the decarbonisation of the railway industry. But is this fuel as planet-friendly as it’s made out to be

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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7.7.2023

1.12.2023

Why use it on the railways? - S05 E01

It's no secret that trains are already the most environmentally friendly means of passenger transport in the world. So why are people trying to decarbonise this mode of travel with biofuels?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.7.2023

5.11.2023

Will it be rolled out widely? - S04 E04

Already limited to ‘autonomy’ levels 1 to 3, possibly 4 in certain, very particular environments, and clearly an obstacle for the fight against climate change, the self-driving car doesn’t seem to have a very rosy future. But could it still be rolled out widely? Perhaps, but not in the way you might expect.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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24.6.2023

29.10.2023

Will we see it in our lifetime? - S05 E04

Now that we're a little clearer on the ecological benefits and drawbacks of biogas trains, it’s time to ask ourselves whether it’s possible to scale it up. Because even the most interesting railway technology is useless if it’s too complex to run.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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21.6.2023

25.1.2024

Are they really good for the planet? - S04 E03

We all know that certain kinds of autonomous car are already used on roads around the world. But could they really become the norm? The jury’s out.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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17.6.2023

18.1.2024

Where did the idea for autonomous vehicles come from? - S04 E01

Unlike flying cars, which we looked at in our first series, self-driving cars are already in action in several parts of the world. But where exactly did the idea for these vehicles come from? And how has it evolved over the years?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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3.6.2023

1.9.2023

Will our fleets be powered by hydrogen anytime soon?‍ - S03 E04

Insufficient ‘green’ hydrogen production, the many technological challenges that may get in the way of motorisation and the explosion in the number of planes in our skies: hydrogen-fuelled aircraft won’t be zooming across our skies anytime soon. No way.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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27.5.2023

1.9.2023

Could the technology be rolled out widely? - S03 E03

Now we know a little more about the production of green hydrogen and the technological challenges that may get in the way of motorisation, it remains to be seen if this technology could ever be rolled out at large scale in our skies.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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20.5.2023

31.8.2023

Can planes really be powered by hydrogen? - S03 E02

Now we’ve studied the production of hydrogen necessary for a carbon-neutral fleet, next we’ll be looking at how feasible it actually is to power planes using this technology. Because despite all the hype, things might not be so simple.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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13.5.2023

4.2.2024

Can hydrogen be green? - S03 E01

When it comes to reducing the huge environmental impact of air traffic, hydrogen fuel is often put forward as one of the most viable solutions. But is this so-called low-carbon energy as green as claimed?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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6.5.2023

17.8.2023

Can it make a dent in the aviation industry? - S02 E03

Now that we all know a little more about the history of speed on the railways – and the infrastructure required – it’s time to ask a crucial question. Can trains travelling at 1,000 kilometres/hour eradicate the plane? And if so, over what sort of distance?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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22.4.2023

8.6.2023

Can we create the necessary infrastructure? - S02 E02

For the pursuit of speed to keep rolling on, it will be necessary to build new infrastructure all over the globe. But would this be economically, technologically or environmentally feasible? The jury’s out.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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15.4.2023

Two centuries in pursuit of speed - S02 E01

Since the railways were invented, engineers and operators have always aimed to make trains as fast as possible. To such an extent that Very, Very High-Speed may soon be a reality.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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8.4.2023

8.6.2023

Is the flying car incompatible with our era? - S01 E04

Unable to find the right economic model, hampered by regulation and wrongly supported by automobile manufacturers, the flying car really does seem like a distant reality. Above all because it looks like it’s fundamentally incompatible with our era.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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1.4.2023

8.6.2023

When will it see the light of day? - S02 E04

Now that we know what led to the race for the (very, very) high-speed and we’ve explored its potential, it’s time to ask whether it will actually see the light of day in our lifetimes. And if we had one bit of advice? Don’t put much money on it.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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29.3.2023

8.6.2023

Why do flying-car prototypes keep being made? - S01 E03

Despite the conclusions of our first two episodes, the press regularly hails the arrival of the flying car based on the results of experiments and success of prototypes. The reasons for this aren’t what you might expect.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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25.3.2023

8.6.2023

Can drones revive the flying car? - S01 E02

With their innovative motors and ability to take off horizontally, drones have carved out a space in our skies over the past decade or so. But could they become fully-fledged vehicles one day too?

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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18.3.2023

8.6.2023

The impossible fantasy of total freedom - E01 S01

Since the start of the twentieth century, inventors have built flying-car prototypes of all sorts. From cars with foldable wings to mini-planes with detachable limbs, they’ve tried basically everything. But never with any real success.

Jean-Baptiste Bonaventure

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11.3.2023

8.6.2023

Are these means of transport actually deployable? - S12 E03

Will the future of transport be green and sustainable? - S12 E02

An update on the transports of tomorrow - S12 E01

Will humans teleport before the world ends? - S11 E04

Is it ecological and can it be deployed on a large scale? - S11 E03

Can it really fit into our lives? - S11 E02

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Hold up. Is this thing even real? - S11 E01

Will night trains replace planes? - S10 E04

Can we really replace planes with trains? - S10 E03

Is it as eco-friendly as it seems? - S10 E02

The rise and fall (temporary) of the night train - S10 E01

Is it really that eco-friendly? - S09 E02

The sustainable fuel aircraft (SAF) - S09 E01

Will our children remember thermal engine cars? - S08 E04

Can the electric car revolution be green too? - S08 E03

Can electric really replace the combustion engine car? - S08 E02

How did it conquer the world? - S08 E01

Will our children take hydrogen trains? - S07 E04

Can we scale it? - S07 E03

Is it really being abandoned? - S07 E02

Why is it so popular? - S07 E01

Is it as green as it seems? - S06 E02

Erm… What's this device? - S06 E01

Is it really good for the planet? - S05 E02

Why use it on the railways? - S05 E01

Will it be rolled out widely? - S04 E04

Will we see it in our lifetime? - S05 E04

Are they really good for the planet? - S04 E03

Where did the idea for autonomous vehicles come from? - S04 E01

Will our fleets be powered by hydrogen anytime soon?‍ - S03 E04

Could the technology be rolled out widely? - S03 E03

Can planes really be powered by hydrogen? - S03 E02

Can hydrogen be green? - S03 E01

Can it make a dent in the aviation industry? - S02 E03

Can we create the necessary infrastructure? - S02 E02

Two centuries in pursuit of speed - S02 E01

Is the flying car incompatible with our era? - S01 E04

When will it see the light of day? - S02 E04

Why do flying-car prototypes keep being made? - S01 E03

Can drones revive the flying car? - S01 E02

The impossible fantasy of total freedom - E01 S01