As previously noted on this site Ray Kurzweil (inventor, author of the Singularity is Near) and Peter Diamandis (Xprize founder and co-founder of the International Space University) are starting up a Singularity University. This site has noted that the term “University” has some getting their expectations messed up. By examining the program and its stated …
This plasmonic whispering gallery microcavity consists of a silica interior that is coated with a thin layer of silver. It improves on the quality of current plasmonic microcavities by better than an order of magnitude and paves the way for plasmonic nanolasers. (Credit: Image courtesy of DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) 1. The principle behind whispering …
Carnival of Space Week 88 is up at the Space Writer This site provided the article on laser array space launch details The Music of the Spheres provides an introduction to electric propulsion rockets. Electric Propulsion rockets were also featured in the latest Popular Science magazine. Orbital Hub looks at the Kepler exo-planet hunter mission …
Scientists at the RIKEN Advanced Science Institute in Wako, and co-workers at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU), have shown for the first time that the Casimir force has a complex dependence on temperature. They propose a related experiment that could clarify the theory around this important interaction, which has widespread applications in …
Ricardo Montalban dies at age 88. Famous for Mr Roarke on Fantasy Island and Khan Noonien Singh on Star Trek. Patrick McGoohan Dead At 80 famous for being Number Six on the Prisoner. The Prisoner Number Six on a Break from the Island Village Mr Roarke on Fantasy Island Brian WangBrian Wang is a Futurist …
Lawrenceville Plasma Physics, the group looking to develop dense plasma focus fusion (focus fusion), has provided details of $1.2 million in funding and the project plan. This approach to nuclear fusion has been covered before on this site Lawrenceville Plasma Physics Inc., a small research and development company based in West Orange, NJ, has announced …
Here is a video showing what General Fusion is doing. As previously described: if you can get within ten to hundred times the cost of regular power, you would still have huge uses for nuclear fusion. You could revolutionize space travel even if it costs more for nuclear fusion than it does for regular power. …
1. Alan Boyle at msnbc reports that the IEC fusion project is still in limbo awaiting a review of their results and for word on follow up funding. [EMC2 Fusion] is waiting for guidance from a peer-review panel and his funders on whether to proceed to the second phase. “We’ve been pretty busy, but it’s …
Dr. Jansson, professor of engineering at Rowan University confirms BlackLight’s 50 kilowatt reactor [H/T to a reader Ron B.] Rowan Scientists confirmed BLP‟s 1 kW and 50 kW power source tests corresponding to 20 kilojules and 1.0 megajoules respectively. Chemical analysis of the reactant and product R-Ni powder could account for less than 1% of …
Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University researcher Hao Yan is making DNA based nanostructures inside a living cell. “Cells are really good at making copies of double stranded DNA and we have used the cell like a copier machine to produce many, many copies of complex DNA nanostructures.” DNA nanotechnologists have made some very exciting …
Extra wearable robotic arms would be helpful. Above is a statue of Vishnu. If Rodney Brooks’ Heartland Robotics goal of low cost worker robots and robot arms were merged with the new bionic arm work at John’s Hopkins, then able bodied people could wear or use robotic arms that would function as an extra helping …