he object of this proposal is to conduct a feasibility study for a novel, fusion-powered, space propulsion architecture that can ultimately change drastically the potential for human and robotic space exploration. The proposed design is based on neutron-free nuclear fusion as the primary energy source. An innovative beam conditioning/nozzle concept enables useful propulsive thrust directly …
BBC News looks at who has the most employees The US Department of Defense has most then the Chinese army and then Walmart and MacDonalds. Foxconn became notorious in 2010 when news spread that 10 of its workers had committed suicide. Although these deaths were tragic, an understanding of how massive an employer the company …
A team of scientists from the University of Southampton have developed a revolutionary ultrasonic attachment for taps, which massively enhances the ability of water to clean. Professor Tim Leighton and Dr Peter Birkin’s device works with cold water, minimal additives and consumes as much electrical power as a light bulb. Its application will be wide …
Grist has an article that makes the claim that solar PV will become the cheapest option to generate electricity by about 2018 in the sunniest places in the world. Cumulative installed PV capacity globally was 40 gigawatts (GW) at the end of last year. Three doublings mean this has to grow by a factor of …
Nanowire array production from a macroscopic rod by iterative thermal size reduction. Step 1: A macroscopic cylindrical rod (diameter 10 mm, length 200 mm) is fabricated from the material that is to become nanowires upon axial alongation. An thermomechanically suitable polymer sheet (PES, PEI, PSU) is tightly rolled around the rod in a clean room …
The Department of Energy awarded nearly $7.5 million to help develop next generation wind turbines. Each project has been selected to receive up to $700,000 to conduct technology cost and readiness assessments during Phase I. Following the six-month Phase I funding period, several of the projects will be selected for award negotiations of up to …
DARPA is providing $30 million towards the goal of living foundries Through an engineering-driven approach to biology, Living Foundries aims to create a rapid, reliable manufacturing capability where multiple cellular functions can be fabricated, mixed and matched on demand and the whole system controlled by integrated circuitry, opening up the full space of biologically produced …
I am at the Foresight Conference today. I will try to liveblog but the WiFi seems very sluggish. Hopefully that clears up You can try sending questions to speakers by using this Twitter tag (though in-person participants get first priority): #foresight2011 Foresight conference schedule Free webcast at ustream tv 9:00-9:15am “Nanotech: the Next 25 Years” …
General Fusion (Canadian magnetized target nuclear fusion) has completed its US$19.5 million Series B funding round providing the financing necessary to complete the first phase of its development and demonstration program. The investors include Cenovus Energy, through its Environmental Opportunity Fund, Bezos Expeditions, the personal investment company of Jeff Bezos, together with existing investors Chrysalix …
MIT is reporting growing acceptance of economic growth theories of César Hidalgo and Ricardo Hausman. The standard theoretical framework for development economics was established more than 50 years ago by the MIT economist Robert Solow, who developed a mathematical model that predicts countries’ economic growth on the basis of labor and capital (the tools of …
Extended the US State department graph of iraq oil production and exports with the new numbers and forecasts. Reaching 3 million barrels per day (mbpd) would be 25% higher (590,000 bpd increase) than the 2010 production and 3.26 mbpd (850,000 bpd increase) would be 25% higher than 2010. Iraq’s exports surged to a postwar record …