103 page pdf, advanced propulsion study for the US Air Force made in 2004 On pages 25-27, the blast wave accelerator is described. It is something that could be made with current technology and would have launch costs of $200-2000/kg. Explosive or blast-wave accelerators are a member of the class of chemical catapult (artillery gun …
In Vitro and In Vivo Pluripotency of piPSCs(A) piPSCs can effectively differentiate invitro into cells in the three germ layers, including neural progenitor cells (Pax6+), characteristic neurons (TUJ1+), mature cardiomyocytes (CT3+), definitive endoderm cells (Sox17+), pancreatic cells (Pdx1+), and hepatic cells (ALB+). Images were merged with DAPI (blue) staining.(B) RT-PCR analysis of invitro differentiation of …
A Tel Aviv University researcher’s fingertip (bottom right) points to a “Smart Dew” droplet. Proposed smart dust designs were of comparable size. More advanced concepts exist for even smaller version of smart dust but this is the smallest and cheapest to date. A new invention from Tel Aviv University — a network of tiny sensors …
MIT Technology Review provides details on how the robotic cars for Masdar City in the UAE will work. At both Heathrow and Masdar City, the vehicles will be battery-powered, driverless cars. The system at Heathrow–built by Advanced Transport Systems, based in Bristol, UK–uses cars powered by lead-acid batteries along a concrete track and guided by …
Desert sand is made hydrophobic be adding the additive SP-HFS 1609. The additive creates a capilliary breaking hydrophobic encapsulation of the sand making it resistant to salts, particularly sodium chloride salts. The Federal Environment Agency (FEA) in Berlin has approved Hydrophobic Sand as being environmentally safe. The product comes with a 30 year guarantee for …
IBM has promised the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration a 20 petaflop supercomputer that is scheduled for delivery in 2011. The supercomputer will be called Sequoia. The computer should be ten times more energy efficient per calculation than current supercomputers. Can’t Afford IBM Supercomputers Consider DIY SupercomputersCan’t afford IBM Supercomputers ? Consider following the example …
Eric Drexler indicates in a new post that stiffness matters for nanotechnology. Drexler also continues his discussion on stiffness of materials and different proteins at e-drexler.com Drexler also has an article about molecular assembly lines and getting away with less programmability. In the comments, Chris Phoenix notes that it is easy to add a useful …
Steven Chu, nobel prize winning physicist, has been named Energy Secretary Steven Chu is pro-nuclear and has a deep understanding of all the technical issues around energy. This is a great choice. It is definitely an example of real change from the previous Bush administration in selecting extreme competence. It is not in any way …
Professor Peter Weyand, Southern Methodist University (Texas), known for his expertise in terrestrial locomotion and human and animal performance says that humans would soon have the ability to modify and greatly enhance muscle fibre strength. This would enable speeds of 45 miles per hour and 5 seconds times for 100 meters. The fast four-legged runners …
Japan considering Using gene engineered seaweed to get million of tons of Uranium The Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI) has recently recommended Japan mass-culture seaweed to collect natural resources such as bio-ethanol and uranium. In the “Apollo and Poseidon Initiative 2025,” MRI suggests that Japan cultures gulfweed, which can grow more than 2 metres high a …
GM researcher Jihui Yang indicates that GM has a thermoelectric device that surrounds an exhaust pipe which can increase fuel economy in a Chevrolet Suburban by about 5 percent, a 1-mile-per-gallon improvement that would be even greater in a smaller vehicle. John Fairbanks of the DOE said thermoelectric generators should be on the verge of …