Space Carnival week 36 is up at Steinn Sigurdsson blog Dynamics of Cats My contribution was that new high energy density superconductors are getting us significantly closer to being able to enable all magnetic ground launch into space. Slenian boondocks talks about an air launched single stage to orbit concept. Although I think if you …
From Wired,Scientists have proof in human subjects that resveratrol, a derivative of an ingredient in red wine, combats some symptoms of aging. Sirtris Pharmaceuticals announced the results here on Monday at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference. Resveratol, naturally found in red wine, stimulates a gene known as SIRT1, which has been linked with extended lifespans in …
EMC2 Fusion has built an upgraded model of Bussard’s last experimental plasma containment device, which was known as WB-6. “We got first plasma yesterday,” Nebel said – but he and his colleagues in Santa Fe, N.M., still have a long way to get the WB-7 experiment up to the power levels Bussard was working with. …
Nanowerk has a review of nanomedicine. In particular the EU view from the 7th FWP which refers to the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program this shows the many different aspects and capabilities related to nanomedicine The expected change in the understanding of disease that they discuss in this quote: Future nanomedical diagnostics with an ultimate …
If you do not smoking; exercise; moderate alcohol intake; and eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day then you will live on average an additional fourteen years compared with people who adopt none of these behaviours.
Mathematical model created for formation of droplets in an electric field. Further progress in extending the model for variations under more conditions will be key in formalizing the process of improving inkjet printers Inkjet printing technology is the basis of printable electronics and many rapid prototyping fabrication systems. An accurate computational model will allow for …
Scientists from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Brewer Science, Inc. have used carbon nanotubes as the basis for a high-speed (312 megahertz) thin-film transistors printed onto sheets of flexible plastic. Their method may allow large-area electronic circuits to be printed onto almost any flexible substrate at low cost and in mass quantities. (Most Intel …
MIT/Westinghouse are developing annular fuel and looking at nanoparticles to improve the thermal properties of water for nuclear plants. The peak hotspot operating temperature can go down while efficiency is increased. I usually mention this technology as something which would make a huge difference in nuclear power generation. I am reviewing the work and updating …
Another potentially more efficient way to convert heat into electricity, from x-NASA super soaker inventor. Here’s how it works: One MEA stack is coupled to a high- temperature heat source (such as solar heat concentrated by mirrors), and the other to a low-temperature heat sink (ambient air). The low-temperature stack acts as the compressor stage …
I added some more analysis about the claimed 60mpg biodiesel Hummer. It would take a lot of increased efficiency for the modified engines to be that efficient as there is no streamlining or weight reduction. It would be interesting and useful to see more independent testing of the fuel economy of the turbine/hybrid hummer. A …
Physorg reports that General Motors plans to have robotically driven cars for commercial sale by 2018 The most significant obstacles facing the vehicles could be human rather than technical: government regulation, liability laws, privacy concerns and people’s passion for the automobile and the control it gives them. Much of the technology already exists for vehicles …