Oceans trapped under ice appear to be pretty common in the solar system and one of them, on a small moon of Saturn’s, appears to be quite hot. Scientists reported evidence for hydrothermal vents on the Saturnian moon Enceladus, with temperatures of its rocky core surpassing 194 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius) in spots. The …
China’s new VN12 armored infantry fighting vehicle is based off of a Soviet BMP-3 design but is modified to look like western armored vehicles. The BMP-3 was priced at about $3 to 3.5 million. A US Bradley fighting vehicle is about 6 million. Designed originally based on the Soviet-built BMP-3, the VN12 is the export …
Chinese scientists recently discovered a fossil of a primitive sponge animal believed to be 600 million years old, the oldest animal fossil in the world. The finding proves that sponges made their evolutionary debut 60 million years earlier than in the previously confirmed Cambrian Period (541-485.4 million years ago). The discovery was published on Tuesday …
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has the best evidence yet for an underground saltwater ocean on Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. The subterranean ocean is thought to have more water than all the water on Earth’s surface. Identifying liquid water is crucial in the search for habitable worlds beyond Earth and for the search of life as …
1. Kazatomprom, the world’s biggest uranium producer, plans to increase output this year to 23,400 tU, up from 22,800 tU in 2014 2. Three US uranium producers say they are poised to ratchet up production quickly if prices swing higher after a four-year slump. Colorado-based Ur-Energy looks to produce 750 000 lbs to 850 000 …
Deutsch Bank expects solar electricity to become competitive with retail electricity in an increasing number of markets globally due to declining solar panel costs as well as improving financing and customer acquisition costs. Unsubsidized rooftop solar electricity costs between $0.08-$0.13/kWh, 30-40% below retail price of electricity in many markets globally. In markets heavily dependent on …
A Russia-India joint venture is entering the final stages of work on a hypersonic missile. Russians have announced creation of special fuel for hypersonic vehicles and missiles, as well as the creation of an oxygen-free engine for the PAK FA fighter jet. Maxim Kuzyuk, CEO of the Aviation Equipment Holding (part of the state corporation …
An arxiv paper looks at possible engines for a manned Mars mission that are currently being tested or with flight proven capabilities. One propulsion system that was examined that is unproven is the “Pure Electro-Magnetic Thrust” (PEMT), presented in 2002 by Carlo Rubbia. In his proposal, the engine produces thrust as a Solar Sail, but …
The Carnival of Nuclear Energy 251 is up at Neutron Bytes Atomic Power Review – SMART SMR Moves Ahead – in Saudi Arabia and at Home It has been announced that South Korea and Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which includes the construction of SMART Small Modular Reactor nuclear plants. SMART …
US Crude oil hit new post 1972 highs of 9.366 million barrels per day. Total liquids oil production hit a new all time high of 14.556 million barrels per day US daily crude oil production history from 1920 to today. The peak was in 1970 and was just short of 10 million barrels per day. …
Sukhoi — is Russia’s major aircraft holding company, and employs more than 26,000 people. Sukhoi is placed 3rd in the world in terms of the numbers of modern fighters produced. The T-50 (PAK-FA) is intended to be the successor to the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian Air Force and serve as the basis for …