DINNER PARTY INTEL: A shady idea to cool down the planet

1. Parasol for Earth

Scientists and astronomers led by Yoram Rozen, a physics professor and the director of the Asher Space Research Institute at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, are planning to build a sunshade covering an area the size of Argentina and launch it into space to help cool the Earth. They say it will reduce the planet’s temperature by 1.5ºC.

2. Look ahead to see behind

Polestar, a Volvo-owned carmaker in the UK, is set to launch its first model without a rear-view window. It will instead use a high-definition dashboard screen that displays a live feed from a camera fitted to the car’s roof. The designers claim the camera is better for motorists because many coupé SUVs have poor visibility out of the rear window.

3. Sad end to a toy story

A toy shop that inspired the movie Toy Story is closing this month. Jeffrey’s Toys opened in 1938 and is the oldest such store in San Francisco. The Luhn family, who founded and still run the shop, say it had been struggling for “a number of years”. They blame “the perils and violence of the downtown environment, inflation, the decrease in consumer spending and the demise of retail across the world”.