3D printing huge objects will impact the world economy not small hobbyist crap

China is investing heavily in 3D printing, just like those in the U.S. and Europe. In June, China announced a gigantic 3D printer, which they claimed was the world’s largest at the time, with a 1.8 meter build diameter. Basically the thing could print out a nice sized bathroom vanity if you wanted it to. …

Read more

China’s coal mining deaths down to 1049 and everyday energy slaughter. But hey at least we are not using nuclear which would kill anyone

China had 549 coal mining accidents in 2013 that left 1,049 people dead or missing. Industry reports from a year ago say more than 1,300 people died in mining accidents in China in 2012 and 1,973 died in 2011. The United States had 20 coal mining fatalities in 2013. The US mines about one third …

Read more

New digital modulation enables more spectrum, 4 times the distance and half the power for the next boost in wireless communication

Magnacom emerged from stealth mode claiming it has a new twist on digital modulation technology that provides big gains for any wired or wireless network. The company will license its technology on which it already has 14 US patents, all granted in less than a year. The startup will demonstrate in a private suite at …

Read more

United States could become number one producer of crude oil and natural gas liquids in 2014

The International Energy Agency was predicting that the US would become the top producer of crude oil and natural gas liquids with 11.6 million bpd in 2015. This would be up from 9.2 million bpd in 2012. The US is already at 10.5 million bpd in November. The US could be at 11.5 million bpd …

Read more

Cheap, spray-on solar cells developed by Canadian researchers

Silicon-free solar cells, light and flexible enough to roll up or use as window blinds, are under development at a University of Alberta lab. The solar cells are made using nanoparticles — microscopic particles just 30 to 40 atoms across — that are very cheap to produce from zinc and phosphorus, said Jillian Buriak, a …

Read more

Artificial muscle created which can lift 80 times its weight

A research team from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Engineering has created efficient artificial, or “robotic” muscles, which could carry a weight 80 times its own and able to extend to five times its original length when carrying the load – a first in robotics. The team’s invention will pave the way …

Read more

Inflatable space stations, Reusable rockets and Spiderfab for the 2020s

Bigelow Aerospace has launched some smaller scale demonstration inflatable space stations. They have a design for an 84 persons resupply Depot. It would have 8300 cubic meters of space. Six BA 330 modules, three BA 2100 modules, nine propulsion buses with docking node and three crew capsules. Stem for the Classroom analyzes the Bigelow proposals …

Read more

2012 38 KHz Mach Effect Thrusters experiments get 2-3 micronewtons which is close to updated theoretically expected 3.2 micronewtons

The theory underlying Mach effects – fluctuations of the restmasses of accelerating objects in which internal energy changes take place – and their use for propulsion is briefly recapitulated. Experimental apparatus based on a very sensitive thrust balance is briefly described. The experimental protocol employed to search for expected Mach effects is laid out, and …

Read more

NSA taps all phonecall metadata, emails, chat, video chat, IM and basically all electronic activity

1. The Guardian newspaper published a classified court document from April that authorized the government to seize all of Verizon’s phone records on a daily basis—an estimated 3 billion phone calls a day. The government didn’t eavesdrop on anyone (under this court order, at least), but it received all outgoing and incoming numbers for every …

Read more

Carnegie Endowment looks at the likely balance of power in 2030 between China, Japan and the US in the Pacific Region

Carnegie Endowment has a 400+ page analysis of what the economic-military situation will be in 2030 between China, Japan and the US. Japan has crappy 0.6-0.8% annual GDP growth in all scenarios with the possibility that it could be worse. A China with 6-8% GDP growth through 2030 is dealing from strength in the scenarios. …

Read more