Creating high-resolution metallic interconnects is an essential part of the fabrication of microchips and other nanoscale devices. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a simple and robust electrochemical process for the direct patterning of metallic interconnects and other nanostructures. Fang said the newly created “S4 process” uses a patterned superionic material …
The future goal of maglev launch assist would be to build a space vehicle and maglev sled—together weighing 100 tons—and accelerate them to a velocity of 255 m/s (918 km/hr). The main cost-saving areas would come from reduced fuel consumption and the reduced mass of the spaceship. This idea could be combined with hypersonic skyhooks, …
Ad Astra rocket is making progress towards a VASIMR rocket The variable specific impulse magnetoplasma rocket (VASIMR) is a hypothetical form of spacecraft propulsion that uses radio waves and magnetic fields to accelerate a propellant. Current VASIMR designs should be capable of producing specific impulses ranging from 10,000-300,000 m/s (1,000-30,000 seconds) – the low end …
the US department of Energy provides background on particulate control research (for making coal cleaner although the goals would still leave coal the deadliest energy source. Coal kills 1 million per year from air pollution) To date, most particulate control technologies have been installed to prevent so-called “coarse” particulates from escaping into the atmosphere. Coarse …
Japan new nuclear fuel reprocessing plant is the best short term solution to nuclear waste.Japan’s Rokkasho-mura reprocessing plant can handle 800/tons per year of waste. 95% by weight of the waste is uranium. The plutonium is not isolated at any point in the process so there are no proliferation issues. Entire construction site A 2004 …
A pulsed magnet reached 87.8 tesla The Earth’s magnetic field is one twenty thousandth of (.00005) of a tesla. The united states national magnet labs (Gainesville – University of Florida, Los Alamos – LANL, Tallahassee – Florida State University) have most of the most powerful magnets in the world. – The 45 tesla world-record hybrid …
The History Channel is showing Beyond the Final Frontier and Star Trek Tech If we were to really “Boldly go” into space, then I would look at successfully colonizing the solar system. I would say that means going with the proper scale to do the job. If we were wanting to make a viable and …
Models of the brain built from specially designed computer chips could reveal the secrets of our cerebrum and are on the path to re-engineering the brain to enable the Singularity and could lead to transhuman enhancements. Kwabena Boahen, a neuroengineer at Stanford University, is planning the most ambitious neuromorphic project to date: creating a silicon …
Google’s Larry Page believes that brute force computation will be able to achieve AI and not be exclusively dependent upon clever algorithms Brian WangBrian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology …
This summer, scientists are planning to see whether the powdered pig extract can help injured soldiers regrow parts of their fingers. And a large federally funded project is trying to unlock the secrets of how some animals regrow body parts so well, with hopes of applying the the lessons to humans. Up to about age …
One of the other lies and distortions resorted to by environmentalists like Herman Scheer is that there are only 50 years of Uranium reserves left. From wikipedia: At the present use rate, there are 50 years left of known uranium-235 reserves at the current extraction price per kilogram. Given that the cost of fuel is …