Arxiv – Persistence of black holes through a cosmological bounce If the Universe expands and contracts in cycles of Big Bangs and Crunches, some black holes may survive from one era to the next, according to a new analysis. Coley and Carr say that since the mass of primordial and pre-crunch black holes is similar, …
bloomberg – President Barack Obama, presenting his second plan in as many months to reduce the nation’s long- term debt today, is vowing to cut $4 trillion in cumulative deficits within 12 years with $3 in spending cuts and interest savings for every $1 in tax increases, according to two congressional aides familiar with the …
Carbon nanotubes could enable plastics to be manufactured that are ten times stronger than the strongest materials available today. Mastering carbon nanotube growth would enable high volume and lower cost production of longer and stronger carbon nanotubes so that the vision of using carbon nanotubes for more applications in society can be realized. Currently only …
Researchers at Princeton University developed a technique for generating a laser beam out of nothing but air. They focus a pump laser on a distant point in the air and another laser beam comes back. The image shows a pulse of infra-red light from this “air laser.” The center region represents the highest intensity; the …
As many as 150 people have been killed in the unrest, Ibrahim al-Zafarani, head of the rescue and emergency committee at the Arab medical union. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with top military commanders as tens of thousands of protesters defied a curfew and gathered in central Cairo, chanting slogans against the prime minister and …
Using a single Xbox Kinect and standard graphics chips, MIT researchers demonstrate the highest frame rate yet for streaming holographic video. Naturally for the hologram demo (video below), one of the group’s members donned full Princess Leia garb to re-enact the fabled “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope,” scene from Star Wars. The …
The carnival of nuclear energy 36 is up at ANS Nuclear Cafe Atomic insights discussed how a US reactor could be brought up for $1500/kw within five years. The Zion Nuclear power station in Illinois was deactivated in 1998 but could be very affordably be refurbished and relicensed. This site looked at the energy return …
Researchers at Nanotek Instruments in Dayton, Ohio, have now made graphene electrodes that could lead to ultracapacitors with more than five times the energy density of commercial devices. By using graphene–atom-thick sheets of carbon–Nanotek increases the surface area of the electrodes in the ultracapacitors, boosting the amount of charge that they can store. The company’s …
A personalized vaccine is a powerful therapy to prevent recurrence among certain follicular lymphoma patients (University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine). Vaccination with IgM but Not IgG Idiotype (proteins) Prolongs Remission Duration In Follicular Lymphoma Patients. Individuals who responded to initial chemotherapy and remained in remission for at least six months were eligible to continue …
Over the most recently reported two months, the CPI-adjusted (inflation adjusted) real exchange rate of the yuan has been appreciating relative to the dollar at about a 13 percent annual rate. That would be enough to eliminate the estimated 20 to 40 percent undervaluation of the yuan in less than three. Analysis from Edwin G. …
1. IEA has electricity statistics for the OECD up to August, 2010. Nuclear generation was 1449.9 Twh for the first 8 months which is 0.9% more than in 2009 and about at the level of 2008. 2. Japan’s nuclear generation for October was 11.4% over 2009 and for September was 4.2% more than the same …