Information from the Human Enhancement & Nanotechnology Conference

The Human Enhancement & Nanotechnology Conference was at Western Michigan University at Kalamazoo on March 28-29, 2009. The conference is organized by the Ethics and Emerging Technologies which is headed by Patrick Lin at California State Polytechnic University. There were about fifty folks here at the conference. Nicole Hassoun, an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at …

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Connectomics Definition, History and Progress to Map of the human Brain

Brain mapping process and work from a 2008 research paper. High-resolution T1 weighted and diffusion spectrum MRI (DSI) is acquired. 66 cortical regions with clear anatomical landmarks are created and then (3b) individually subdivided into small regions of interest (ROIs) resulting in 998 ROIs The Economist magazine describes the history and progress of Connectomics. From …

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Geoengineering Proposals Analyzed and Compared for Cooling Potential

Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have carried out the first comprehensive assessment of the relative merits of different geoengineering schemes in terms of the climate cooling potential. Their paper appears in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions. [H/T Greencar congress Using a mix of these geoengineering techniques and mitigating production of …

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Oak Ridge National Labs Cray XT5 is the Fastest Computer for Open Science and NEC’s SX-9 Supercomputer

The latest upgrade to the Cray XT Jaguar supercomputer at the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has increased the system’s computing power to a peak 1.64 “petaflops,” or quadrillion mathematical calculations per second, making Jaguar the world’s first petaflop system dedicated to open research. Scientists have already used the newly upgraded …

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US Energy Subsidies Updated

From a new Management Information Service analysis of US energy funding of all kinds from 1950-2006 Click on the images for a larger view. Tax PolicyTax policy includes special exemptions, allowances, deductions, credits, etc., related to the federal tax code. RegulationTwo types of federal expenditures associated with regulation were identified:1) gains realized by energy businesses …

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Space flux telescope without upper size limit

Here is a diagram for a many small mirror modules that held in position for a space telescope using magnetic flux pinning is 200 meters in diameter. The phenomenon of magnetic flux pinning might provide a way to connect the telescope components that overcomes the limitations of formation flight or a mechanical support structure. A …

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North Dakota Bakken oil production over 166,000 barrels per day, up 10,000 over May

North Dakota June 2008 daily production is now over 166,000 barrels of oil per day which is 10,000 barrels per day more than in May 2008 North Dakota is hitting transportation issues getting the oil out of the state. However, oil can still be moved out it just costs more to do it. North Dakota’s …

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Confining light to 10 nanometers matching size of future lithography

Berkeley University has compressed light to 10 nanometers This will make possible smaller optical fibers, but it could lead to huge advances in the field of optical computing. Many researchers want to link electronics and optics, but light and matter make strange bedfellows, Oulton said, because their characteristic sizes are on vastly different scales. However, …

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DNA sewing machine

DNA sewing machine created by Kyohei Terao from Kyoto University and colleagues. They designed laser-directed microdevices to pick up and manoeuvre giant individual molecules of DNA. The technology will also be useful for a number of other applications including DNA sequencing and molecular electronic. This should help enable the goals of $10-1000 whole genome sequencing …

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