NBC News – The IPad Mini has an Apple A5 chip, FaceTime HD front-facing camera, a 5MP iSight camera on back, LTE cellular wireless, faster 802.11 A/B/G/N Wi-Fi and of course a Lightning connector. It’s got 10 hours of battery life, just like fourth-gen iPad. The iPad Mini will start shipping Nov. 2 (for the …
Researchers from North Carolina State University have created flower-like structures out of germanium sulfide (GeS) – a semiconductor material – that have extremely thin petals with an enormous surface area. The GeS flower holds promise for next-generation energy storage devices and solar cells. “Creating these GeS nanoflowers is exciting because it gives us a huge …
National Geographic has an article by Ian Johnson on China’s high speed rail. Ian Johnson is a Beijing-based writer who won a Pulitzer Prize. Riding from Beijing to Shanghai, the experience seems as good as any I’d had in Europe, and possibly even better, given the greater distances. Yes, the finish and the details look …
1. EcoMotors is developing high-efficiency engines — specifically the unique opoc (Opposed Piston Opposed Cylinder) engine — for use in cars, light trucks, marine applications, agricultural vehicles, stationary generators, etc.; essentially anywhere conventional gas or diesel power is utilized. They have stackable engines. Below is a picture of a dual module Ecomotors OPOC engine. EcoMotors, …
Bloomberg – Iraq’s crude-oil production has risen to 3.2 million barrels a day and will increase as planned to 3.4 million barrels a day by year’s end Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Hussain al-Shahristani said. The country’s output has now surpassed that of Iran and Kuwait, al-Shahristani told reporters today in Baghdad. The figure …
Forbes – a supply glut caused by overbuilding and reduced subsidies has dramatically slashed the price of c-Si cells. Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) forecasts that demand will not catch up with supply until 2014, even in their most optimistic scenario. In May, the spot price for a Chinese c-Si module was only $0.85 per …
Google announces Google Drive a new cloud storage service. Today, we’re introducing Google Drive—a place where you can create, share, collaborate, and keep all of your stuff. Whether you’re working with a friend on a joint research project, planning a wedding with your fiancé or tracking a budget with roommates, you can do it in …
Forbes – Javelin Strategy and Research of Pleasanton, California published a paid report today on tablets and their impact on mobile consumer banking. Javelin’s findings and predictions are based on two surveys of more than 5,000 consumers each last October and December. It found that among the 16 million U.S. tablet owners, 42% owned an …
Researchers at Rice University and Penn State University have discovered that adding a dash of boron to carbon while creating nanotubes turns them into solid, spongy, reusable blocks that have an astounding ability to absorb oil spilled in water. That’s one of a range of potential innovations for the material created in a single step. …
The Carnival of nuclear energy 98 is up at Idaho Samizdat Neutron Economy – the EPA issued its first-ever regulation on carbon dioxide emissions from new power plants, limiting emissions to 1000 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour of electricity produced. Given the fact that the average coal plant vastly exceeds this limit (weighing in around …
Alex Lightman He discusses Lifespan – years until you are declared dead Healthspan – years until you need assisted living Fitspan – years that you can still do new and challenging sports Exercise counters many effects of aging What exercise does to your body is interesting but what it does to the Brain is vital …