This site had examined a study of the economics of nuclear power for commercial shipping. The study showed that a nuclear ship would be $40 million per year cheaper to operate when bunker oil is at $500/ton. Those studies had indicated improved economics when bunker fuel is over $300/ton. Bunker oil is currently about $375/ton. …
Cheap Astronomy has the Carnival of Space 114. Nextbigfuture provided articles on the space elevator games [delayed 4+ weeks] and new developments in carbon nanotube technology required to build space elevators. Weird warp talks about the Technological singularity, computers and brain computer interfaces. Centauri Dreams takes another look at extraterrestrial life and puctuated evolution. Check …
The blog Capacity Factor has several excellent articles and overall the entire site has excellent analysis and research. Sustainable energy and the Kardashev scale analyzes different energy sources to maintain civilization energy levels over time. The Nextbigfuture analysis of seawater uranium for fission is ten times the world’s current electricity needs for 100 million years. …
New Scientist explains how come sometimes less is more for healthcare. Research at the Dartmouth School of Medicine in New Hampshire shows how high-spending regions of the country are driving the spiralling costs. Insurers and the government pay set fees for each medical intervention performed. In some regions, doctors in institutions that are competing to …
The helicopter flight was not successful in maintaining constant tension or position for hanging the 1 kilometer long tether for the space elevator games. This resulted in a safety device dropping the line – which means we’ll have to do this yet again, until we get it right, and so the games cannot proceed as …
“Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee,” also known as the “Augustine Committee,” declared a new overarching purpose for America’s national space enterprise: “the underlying reason why we do human spaceflight is the extension of human civilization beyond Earth“ The official Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee webpage is here. This is …