Additive Manufacturing could be used to rapidly make Prototype or custom weapons

US defense leaders should consider developing limited-production prototypes deployed to operational environments as “one off” weapon systems tailored to specific missions. For prototyping to become a relevant component of military doctrine, promising weapon systems will need to be delivered quickly to the operational forces in limited quantities, with the option of building or modifying the …

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US Navy Ground Based Combat Laser

The Ground-Based Air Defense On-the-Move is a vehicle-based, mobile, high-energy laser that is a cost-effective defense against asymmetric threats like UAVs. GBAD’s evolution has mirrored that of other directed-energy programs sponsored by ONR, including the Laser Weapon System (LaWS). A three vehicle laser system should be demoed with on the move downing of drones using …

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China’s High-Speed Rail Diplomacy Hits Full Speed with 20 countries in deep talks about high speed rail with China involvement

China’s high-speed railroad network surpassed 10,000 kilometers in length, not even counting the track still being built, Li Keqiang has continued his efforts to seek overseas projects. The latest progress came during Li’s three-day visit to Britain in mid-June. The two countries released a statement stating that they “agree to promote substantive cooperation on rail, …

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Another layer of oil under the Bakken in the USA and Canada is proving to be profitable and productive

Oil producers are now “cracking the code” on the Torquay, or Three Forks formation below the Bakken, and coming up with incredible economics—these wells are paying back in only seven months. This news has completely re-invigorated the Canadian side of the Bakken. And on the US side, the Three Forks is causing industry to leap-frog …

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Carnival of Space 352

The Carnival of Space 352 is up at Everyday Spacer Universe Today – NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) literally ‘saw the light’ just days before crashing into the lunar farside last Thursday April 17. Skimming just a few kilometers above the moon’s surface, mission controllers took advantage of this unique low angle …

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Commercial and Technical feasibility of Superconducting engines for passenger electric planes

There was a design of vertical takeoff and vertical passenger electric planes. Also, Elon Musk has talked about creating a supersonic certical takeoff and vertical landing electric passenger plane. This would enable airports without runways to be in cities. The design was based upon batteries that had 1000 wh/kg and superconducting engines that had 7-8 …

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Brain implants could enhance learning and mental capacity by detecting desired activity and enhancing information flows to and from the hippocampus

The abilities to learn, remember, evaluate, and decide are central to who we are and how we live. Damage to or dysfunction of the brain circuitry that supports these functions can be devastating, leading to Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, PTSD, or many other disorders. Current treatments, which are drug-based or behavioral, have limited efficacy in treating these …

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Nanowires are improving quantum dot solar cell efficiency towards minimum commercial viability

Using exotic particles called quantum dots as the basis for a photovoltaic cell is not a new idea, but attempts to make such devices have not yet achieved sufficiently high efficiency in converting sunlight to power. Zinc Oxide nanowires are conductive enough to extract charges easily, but long enough to provide the depth needed for …

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Harvard study shows wind power will have a lot of trouble scaling beyond a few terawatts

The generating capacity of large-scale wind farms has been overestimated. Each wind turbine creates behind it a “wind shadow” in which the air has been slowed down by drag on the turbine’s blades. The ideal wind farm strikes a balance, packing as many turbines onto the land as possible, while also spacing them enough to …

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M2 measure might indicate and underestimation of China’s GDP

If calculated under the central bank’s target of 14 percent year-on-year growth rate of money supply, China’s M2 balance will break 97 trillion yuan by the end of this year. And the number is very much likely to approach or even exceed 100 trillion yuan by the end of the first quarter next year. This …

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China completes more high speed rail and an estimate of China’s corruption is 3 to 4% of GDP

Xinhuanet – new high-speed railway was put into operation in east China on Tuesday, integrating local cities into the country’s high-speed rail network that covers developed coastal regions. The 132-km new railway links Hefei and Bengbu, two cities in the inland Anhui Province, cutting the journey between them by at least one hour to 38 …

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