The figure below shows the architecture of the new VectorWise engine. Theleft part shows the system architecture (“X100” execution engine andColumnBM buffer manager) and how it maps on the computer resources(CPU cache, RAM and disk). The right part shows a query in action, havingbeen decomposed into so-called relational operators (Aggregate, Project,Select and Scan) and execution …
At a Brazil-based lab, a hypersonic shock tunnel is linked to two pulsed infrared lasers with peak powers reaching the gigawatt range – the highest power laser propulsion experiments performed to date. Leik Myrabo is an aerospace engineering professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute who has demonstrated the feasibility of using ground-based lasers to propel objects …
An SEC filing reveals that General Fusion has sold US$9 million out of $13.75 million offering. H/T to Xconomy for the details on this fund raising. General Fusion had been award C$13.9 million from the Canadian government. General Fusion is using the MTF (Magnetized Target Fusion) approach but with a new, patent pending and cost-effective …
sample of a novel material that may be used to remove heat from future radar systems. (Georgia Tech Photo: Gary Meek) Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) are developing a novel material for transferring heat away from ultra-high-power defense electronics. The exotic material, a composite of diamond and copper, is one of the …
Key milestones have been passed after three years of planning, machining, wiring and welding, in the progress of the Advanced Graphite Capsule project. This six-phase project will test over 2,000 different samples of graphite in INL’s Advanced Test Reactor facility over a roughly 10-year period that will last until 2020. Today, nuclear experts envision two …
J Storrs Hall is at the DARPA workshops for physical intelligence. It turns out they are trying to advance the concepts of entropy and cybernetics. The picture is an example of cybernetics from wikipedia. I’m currently at the Proposer’s Workshop for the program, and it turns out that what they’re actually talking about is a …
Lack of competition is the reason why broadband speeds in the United States are not faster and at lower price. Other cable operators are concerned that not only will prices fall, but that the super-fast service will encourage customers to watch video on the Web and drop their cable service. Pretty much the fastest consumer …
This 2005 presentation on using nuclear fusion for propulsion in space within 20 years of the start of a development program mentions John Slough’s work and the graphics match what is being used by Helion Energy. Star Thrust experiment page (1000 to 1 million ISP) This work was in the 1990s. Helion Energy development of …
The move to second place is not complete yet but depends primarily in the near term on weakness in the japanese Yen. If the yen moves to 110 to the US Dollar over the next couple of months or to 105 to the US Dollar later in the year and the Chinese Yuan stays about …
From Wired magazine, the top 30 most used basic chemical foundation shapes. 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 and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, …
The Economist reviews how China is handling the current crisis. China is taking advantage of some opportunities to gain some more influence at an affordable cost by trading investment and money for more influence. China is being a bit more forward in various international dealings, but is avoiding the generation of unnecessary conflict and tensions. …