High Energy Lasers getting ten times smaller and direct diode lasers

1. The goal of DARPA’s High-Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS) is to develop a 150 kilowatt (kW) laser weapon system that is ten times smaller and lighter than current lasers of similar power, enabling integration onto tactical aircraft to defend against and defeat ground threats. DARPA recently completed laboratory testing of a fundamental …

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Many countries have strategic oil reserves but China has strategic pork reserve for social stability

Pork plays a vital role in China’s commerce. There are almost half a billion pigs in China, one for every three people. In gross terms, like in humans, China dwarfs other countries in pigs. And there’s no India of pigs to rival China. The next biggest producer is the U.S., which has 65 million pigs, …

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Rossi’s E-Cat (Energy Catalyzer) Press Conference in Greece set for June 23

Defkalion Green Technologies, who has world rights (minus Americas and military) to sell, distribute, and license Andrea Rossi’s E-Cat (Energy Catalyzer), recently sent out invitations to certain individuals to attend a press conference about the technology on June 23 in Greece. Several places are covering the announcement of the press conference. By combining Hydrogen and …

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Interview with Energy Catalyzer’s Partner Ampenergo in the United States

Three E-cats without insulation and one insulated. Text in blue indicates hydrogen inlet, main heater, auxiliary heater and water inlet. Foto: Giuseppe Levi Nyteknik – Under a new agreement, a newly formed company, Ampenergo, will receive part of the royalties on all sales of licenses and products built on the energy catalyzer in the Americas. …

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Sufficient Urgency and Budget of $9 billion could enable a ZettaFLOP supercomputer by 2022

The ASCI Red supercomputer first broke the teraFLOPS barrier in December 1996. On May 25, 2008, an American military supercomputer built by IBM, named ‘Roadrunner’, reached the computing milestone of one PetaFLOP by processing more than 1.026 quadrillion calculations per second The budget was $100 million. A 20 PetaFLOP supercomputer is being completed in 2012 …

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Alcoholism in the countries of the old Soviet Union not because of Chernobyl

Some people try to blame alcoholism deaths in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus on Chernobyl. Alcoholism causes about half of all premature the deaths in Russia. Alcohol has been a very important part of Russia’s social history since around the 10th century AD. Nearly every class and both genders appeared to over indulge regularly. Effectively, there …

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New switching device could help build a dream: the ultrafast quantum Internet

Northwestern University researchers have developed a new switching device that takes quantum communication to a new level. The device is a practical step toward creating a network that takes advantage of the mysterious and powerful world of quantum mechanics. The research demonstrates the first all-optical switch suitable for single-photon quantum communications. The researchers can route …

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Fukushima update

Brave New Climate has a new update on Fukushima which compiles IAEA, NEI and other information sources. Radiation Levels * At 07:00PM (JST) on March 20, radiation level outside main office building (approximately 1,640 feet from Unit 2 reactor building) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: 2,623 micro Sv/hour. * Measurement results of ambient dose …

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US and British forces launch more than 110 cruise missiles into Libya

The U.S. and Britain launched more than 110 Tomahawk missiles at more than 20 targets. The strikes targeted specifically surface-to-air missile sites and radar detectors that are part of the Libyan military’s air defense infrastructure, said Vice Admiral William E. Gortney, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. Thousands of Libyans packed into Mr Gaddafi’s …

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Rice University researchers create single-atom lithography in graphene

Controlled layer-by-layer removal of graphene. (A) Schematic illustration of the method: (Step 1) The bilayer graphene on top of a Si/SiO2 substrate. (Step 2) A patterned layer of zinc metal is sputtered atop the graphene. (Step 3) The zinc is removed by aqueous HCl (0.02 M) in 3 to 5 min with simultaneous removal of …

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Space Manufacturing conference – Session 5: Engineering Materials from Non-Terrestrial Resources

Session 5: Engineering Materials from Non-Terrestrial Resources covered by Hobbyspace and Parabolic Arc Electrical Energy Storage Using Only Lunar Materials Dr. Peter J. Schubert, Packer Engineering Inc. – Resources available on the moon for in-situ battery fabrication – Can make batteries from in-situ materials by robots before humans land – Storage requirements for a 2 …

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