Thursday, December 31, 2015
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Wind turbines now produce enough power to energize 19 million U.S. homes
This is a HUGE increase:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/now-over-50-000-wind-014500079.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
"Back in 2007, less than 1 percent of total electricity in the U.S. came from wind power. Today, we’re approaching 4.5 to 5 percent of total electricity use in the United States"
"There’s now enough wind power installed to meet the equivalent of total electricity demand in Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/now-over-50-000-wind-014500079.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
"Back in 2007, less than 1 percent of total electricity in the U.S. came from wind power. Today, we’re approaching 4.5 to 5 percent of total electricity use in the United States"
"There’s now enough wind power installed to meet the equivalent of total electricity demand in Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming."
Monday, December 28, 2015
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
New Technique for Developing Nanodevices at One-Hundredth the Current Cost
It's really microdevices, not nanodevices, but still...
http://scitechdaily.com/nanodevices-at-one-hundredth-the-cost/
http://scitechdaily.com/nanodevices-at-one-hundredth-the-cost/
Monday, December 21, 2015
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Woodland, NC bans solar farm out of fear it will steal sun's energy . . . No, seriously!
Does this belong here or in my political blog? Either way, it's insane:
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2015/12/13/1459759/-Woodland-NC-bans-solar-farm-out-of-fear-it-will-steal-sun-s-energy-No-seriously?detail=email
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2015/12/13/1459759/-Woodland-NC-bans-solar-farm-out-of-fear-it-will-steal-sun-s-energy-No-seriously?detail=email
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Elon Musk Backs $1 Billion Artificial Intelligence Research Group
Not much on details, but a thrilling development nevertheless:
http://time.com/4146754/elon-musk-artificial-intelligence-2/?xid=newsletter-brief
http://time.com/4146754/elon-musk-artificial-intelligence-2/?xid=newsletter-brief
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
7 Ways Nanotechnology Could Provide The Solutions To Combat Climate Change
http://www.worldnanofoundation.com/blog/paris-climate-summit-2016-nanotechnology-solutions-7
Personally, I think this is way too conservative. We're talking about future applications, so where's the mention of massive numbers of nanoscale robots filtering carbon from the air and repurposing it for carbon-based products?
Personally, I think this is way too conservative. We're talking about future applications, so where's the mention of massive numbers of nanoscale robots filtering carbon from the air and repurposing it for carbon-based products?
Monday, December 7, 2015
Record battery energy density achievement compared with gasoline
http://www.openthefuture.com/2012/02/record_battery_energy_density.html
It's catching up fast...and don't forget the factor of greater simplicity and lower weight of electric engines.
It's catching up fast...and don't forget the factor of greater simplicity and lower weight of electric engines.
Electric planes aim to soar high for cleaner aviation sector
http://news.yahoo.com/electric-planes-aim-soar-high-cleaner-aviation-sector-150616464.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
"The plane covered 650 kilometres (400 miles) in the space of two hours with an average speed of 172 kilometres per hour. "The car industry, with all the money it has at its disposal, and practically no weight limitation, even today isn't capable of producing an electric car that would take four passengers for 600 kilometres at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour," Pipistrel's founder, Ivo Boscarol told AFP."
"The plane covered 650 kilometres (400 miles) in the space of two hours with an average speed of 172 kilometres per hour. "The car industry, with all the money it has at its disposal, and practically no weight limitation, even today isn't capable of producing an electric car that would take four passengers for 600 kilometres at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour," Pipistrel's founder, Ivo Boscarol told AFP."
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Rotating Cone Shaped Solar Collectors Are Putting Out A Lot More Power Than Their Flat Cousins
This sounds like a really cool innovation (pun not intended):
http://www.greenenergyjubilation.com/rotating-cone-shaped-solar-collectors-are-putting-out-a-lot-more-power-than-their-flat-cousins/
http://www.greenenergyjubilation.com/rotating-cone-shaped-solar-collectors-are-putting-out-a-lot-more-power-than-their-flat-cousins/
How Solar Power Could Slay the Fossil Fuel Empire by 2030
Based on the steady drop in the cost of solar and the many new solar and battery technologies I've been reporting here, this is no surprise...but it's nice to see people more "in the know" confirm it:
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/how-solar-power-could-slay-the-fossil-fuel-empire-by-2030
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/how-solar-power-could-slay-the-fossil-fuel-empire-by-2030
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
This is the fastest cell phone network ever
10 times faster than Google Fiber and 40 times faster than 4G...but of course there's a catch or two:
http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/08/technology/nokia-5g-cell-phone-network/
http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/08/technology/nokia-5g-cell-phone-network/
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Quantum entanglement achieved at room temperature in macroscopic semiconductor wafers
I haven't had particularly high expectations of quantum computing, but advances like this keep popping up and moving the process forward:
http://www.kurzweilai.net/quantum-entanglement-achieved-at-room-temperature-in-macroscopic-semiconductor-wafers?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=f12d48cc77-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-f12d48cc77-281903081
http://www.kurzweilai.net/quantum-entanglement-achieved-at-room-temperature-in-macroscopic-semiconductor-wafers?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=f12d48cc77-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-f12d48cc77-281903081
Monday, November 23, 2015
This Stunning Music Video Was Made By Artificial Intelligence
Even artists will have to compete with AI:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/music-video-ai_565238e0e4b0879a5b0b6935
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/music-video-ai_565238e0e4b0879a5b0b6935
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Friday, November 20, 2015
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
This awesome DIY railgun fires rounds with 27,000 joules of force
You NEED this for home defense. If your neighbor bought a tank....
http://www.engadget.com/2015/11/09/this-awesome-diy-railgun-fires-rounds-with-27-000-joules-of-forc/
27,000 joules equates to 19,914 foot pounds energy. To put that into perspective, a .50 BMG (the round used in the vehicle-mounted M2 heavy machine gun and the massive Barrett M82 sniper rifle) generates a maximum of "only" 15,000 fpe. But possibly the most powerful (and totally impractical) rifle round is the .905, with up to 38,700 fpe...or about as much as a 20mm Vulcan cannon round.
http://www.engadget.com/2015/11/09/this-awesome-diy-railgun-fires-rounds-with-27-000-joules-of-forc/
27,000 joules equates to 19,914 foot pounds energy. To put that into perspective, a .50 BMG (the round used in the vehicle-mounted M2 heavy machine gun and the massive Barrett M82 sniper rifle) generates a maximum of "only" 15,000 fpe. But possibly the most powerful (and totally impractical) rifle round is the .905, with up to 38,700 fpe...or about as much as a 20mm Vulcan cannon round.
Monday, November 9, 2015
A Texas Utility Offers a Nighttime Special: Free Electricity
I always find it amusing when a conservative place ends up embracing a liberal issue in spite of itself:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/09/business/energy-environment/a-texas-utility-offers-a-nighttime-special-free-electricity.html?_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/09/business/energy-environment/a-texas-utility-offers-a-nighttime-special-free-electricity.html?_r=0
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Chinese-Backed Startup Targets Tesla With $1 Billion U.S. Plant
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-05/chinese-backed-startup-targets-tesla-with-1-billion-u-s-plant?cmpid=yhoo.headline
I wish it weren't a Chinese company, but the competition is good.
I wish it weren't a Chinese company, but the competition is good.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Monday, November 2, 2015
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Scientists Reveal New Lithium-Oxygen Battery Design
http://scitechdaily.com/scientists-reveal-new-lithium-oxygen-battery-design/
"Scientists have developed a working laboratory demonstrator of a lithium-oxygen battery which has very high energy density, is more than 90% efficient, and, to date, can be recharged more than 2000 times..."
"Scientists have developed a working laboratory demonstrator of a lithium-oxygen battery which has very high energy density, is more than 90% efficient, and, to date, can be recharged more than 2000 times..."
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Researchers create technology to produce lighter, long-lasting batteries from silicon with 10x the energy
https://uwaterloo.ca/news/news/waterloo-researchers-create-technology-produce-lighter-long
"Current lithium-ion batteries normally use graphite anodes. The Waterloo engineers found that silicon anode materials have a much higher capacity for lithium and are capable of producing batteries with almost 10 times more energy."
Really???
"Current lithium-ion batteries normally use graphite anodes. The Waterloo engineers found that silicon anode materials have a much higher capacity for lithium and are capable of producing batteries with almost 10 times more energy."
Really???
Monday, October 26, 2015
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Most Earth-Like Worlds Have Yet to Be Born
Which would imply Earth is one of the vanguards of life:
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2015/35/full/
Also, life may be a lot older than was previously thought:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/shaenamontanari/2015/10/21/is-life-on-earth-300-million-years-older-than-previously-thought/
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2015/35/full/
Also, life may be a lot older than was previously thought:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/shaenamontanari/2015/10/21/is-life-on-earth-300-million-years-older-than-previously-thought/
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Astronomers Conclude That Fewer Than 1% of Stars Have a MMSN Disk
http://scitechdaily.com/astronomers-conclude-that-fewer-than-1-of-stars-have-a-mmsn-disk/
I think this means few stars forming today produce many planets...but that's only today. In the past stars likely produced many more planets, and as far as our interests are concerned (finding habitable/inhabited planets), this finding is irrelevant.
I think this means few stars forming today produce many planets...but that's only today. In the past stars likely produced many more planets, and as far as our interests are concerned (finding habitable/inhabited planets), this finding is irrelevant.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Why a Mysterious Star Does Not Mean Life in Space (But Other Things Do)
It's always good to be a critical thinker:
http://time.com/4074957/flickering-star-aliens/?xid=newsletter-brief
http://time.com/4074957/flickering-star-aliens/?xid=newsletter-brief
Engineered Viruses Provide Quantum-Based Enhancement of Energy Transport
http://scitechdaily.com/engineered-viruses-provide-quantum-based-enhancement-of-energy-transport/
"Nature has had billions of years to perfect photosynthesis, which directly or indirectly supports virtually all life on Earth. In that time, the process has achieved almost 100 percent efficiency in transporting the energy of sunlight from receptors to reaction centers where it can be harnessed — a performance vastly better than even the best solar cells.
One way plants achieve this efficiency is by making use of the exotic effects of quantum mechanics — effects sometimes known as “quantum weirdness.” These effects, which include the ability of a particle to exist in more than one place at a time, have now been used by engineers at MIT to achieve a significant efficiency boost in a light-harvesting system."
"Nature has had billions of years to perfect photosynthesis, which directly or indirectly supports virtually all life on Earth. In that time, the process has achieved almost 100 percent efficiency in transporting the energy of sunlight from receptors to reaction centers where it can be harnessed — a performance vastly better than even the best solar cells.
One way plants achieve this efficiency is by making use of the exotic effects of quantum mechanics — effects sometimes known as “quantum weirdness.” These effects, which include the ability of a particle to exist in more than one place at a time, have now been used by engineers at MIT to achieve a significant efficiency boost in a light-harvesting system."
Computer outperforms humans in intuition tests
This is one area those who dismiss the possibility of true general A.I. developing often say will never be superseded by machines:
http://scitechdaily.com/data-science-machine-replaces-human-intuition-with-algorithms/
http://scitechdaily.com/data-science-machine-replaces-human-intuition-with-algorithms/
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Monday, October 12, 2015
Friday, October 9, 2015
Neuroscientists simulate tiny part of rat brain in a supercomputer
And we get another step closer to modeling the human brain...
http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-major-proof-of-concept-for-brain-simulation?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=03a47d229d-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-03a47d229d-281903081
http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-major-proof-of-concept-for-brain-simulation?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=03a47d229d-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-03a47d229d-281903081
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Fusion power only a few decades away!
This article could have been written a couple decades ago and STILL said basically the same thing. Sigh:
https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/newsitem/?itemno=25499
https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/newsitem/?itemno=25499
Monday, October 5, 2015
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Friday, October 2, 2015
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Electrophysiology of Intuition
I don't know if this is valid, but if so it's an interesting factor that may need to be accounted for in A.I. research:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=7-Trg51GKwM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=7-Trg51GKwM
100% Renewable Energy Possible by 2050, Says Greenpeace Report
http://ecowatch.com/2015/09/21/100-renewables-2050-greenpeace/
Greenpeace and DLR found that the investment necessary to reach a 100 per cent renewable goal will be a considerable US$1 trillion a year.
However, this will be more than covered by the US$1.07 trillion in savings on fuel costs alone in the same period, not to mention the vast co-benefits to human health and the avoided costs from climate change-related extreme weather that come with the renewable transition.
Greenpeace and DLR found that the investment necessary to reach a 100 per cent renewable goal will be a considerable US$1 trillion a year.
However, this will be more than covered by the US$1.07 trillion in savings on fuel costs alone in the same period, not to mention the vast co-benefits to human health and the avoided costs from climate change-related extreme weather that come with the renewable transition.
Bosch claims they will commercialize 400 watt hour per kilogram solid state batteries at half the price of today's batteries by 2020
http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/09/bosch-claims-they-will-commercialize.html
117 watt-hours per kilogram: The level Tesla and Panasonic were achieving in 2008 for the Roadster
200 watt-hours per kilogram: The level Sonny Wu, Boston-Power's CEO, says the company is achieving today
250 watt-hours per kilogram: The approximate energy density of the batteries in the Tesla S
400 watt-hours per kilogram: According to Tesla's Elon Musk, the concept of battery-powered transcontinental airplanes becomes “compelling” once batteries hit 400 watt-hours per kilogram
400 watt-hours per kilogram: The level that battery aspirant and ARPA-E grant recipient Envia claimed it could achieve
117 watt-hours per kilogram: The level Tesla and Panasonic were achieving in 2008 for the Roadster
200 watt-hours per kilogram: The level Sonny Wu, Boston-Power's CEO, says the company is achieving today
250 watt-hours per kilogram: The approximate energy density of the batteries in the Tesla S
400 watt-hours per kilogram: According to Tesla's Elon Musk, the concept of battery-powered transcontinental airplanes becomes “compelling” once batteries hit 400 watt-hours per kilogram
400 watt-hours per kilogram: The level that battery aspirant and ARPA-E grant recipient Envia claimed it could achieve
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Stanford engineers invent transparent coating that cools solar cells to boost efficiency
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
GoPro's Google-Powered Camera Is the Next Best Thing To Teleportation
This is pretty amazing. Play it on a smart phone, and wherever you tilt or turn it, the view changes like in virtual reality, but with great resolution and no hiccups:
http://gizmodo.com/gopros-15k-google-powered-camera-is-the-next-best-thin-1729264199
Some pretty amazing things are coming down the pike....
http://gizmodo.com/gopros-15k-google-powered-camera-is-the-next-best-thin-1729264199
Some pretty amazing things are coming down the pike....
The year humans finally got serious about saving themselves from themselves.
Long but good. This belongs in both the Political Venom and Advancing Technologies blogs:
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/09/sunniest-climate-change-story-ever-read.html?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/09/sunniest-climate-change-story-ever-read.html?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003
Friday, September 4, 2015
Physicists Create a Magnetic Wormhole for the First Time
http://scitechdaily.com/physicists-create-a-magnetic-wormhole-for-the-first-time/
Not as exciting as a gravitational wormhole, but this is fascinating:
"The overall effect is that of a magnetic field that appears to travel from one point to another through a dimension that lies outside the conventional three dimensions."
Not as exciting as a gravitational wormhole, but this is fascinating:
"The overall effect is that of a magnetic field that appears to travel from one point to another through a dimension that lies outside the conventional three dimensions."
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Monday, August 31, 2015
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
First human head transplant could happen in two years
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22530103.700-first-human-head-transplant-could-happen-in-two-years/#.VUVY87r6cXM
Um...this isn't a head transplant...it's a BODY transplant! Unless the body is more important than the head???
Um...this isn't a head transplant...it's a BODY transplant! Unless the body is more important than the head???
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
New research paves the way for rechargeable batteries with almost indefinite lifetimes
https://news.mit.edu/2015/solid-state-rechargeable-batteries-safer-longer-lasting-0817
"Solid-state electrolytes could be “a real game-changer,” Ceder says, creating “almost a perfect battery, solving most of the remaining issues” in battery lifetime, safety, and cost."
"Solid-state electrolytes could be “a real game-changer,” Ceder says, creating “almost a perfect battery, solving most of the remaining issues” in battery lifetime, safety, and cost."
Thursday, August 20, 2015
‘Diamonds from the sky’ approach turns CO2 into valuable products
This appears to be the most realistic method for reversing climate change:
http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2015/august/co2.html
“We calculate that with a physical area less than 10 percent the size of the Sahara Desert, our process could remove enough CO2 to decrease atmospheric levels to those of the pre-industrial revolution within 10 years,” he says.
http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2015/august/co2.html
“We calculate that with a physical area less than 10 percent the size of the Sahara Desert, our process could remove enough CO2 to decrease atmospheric levels to those of the pre-industrial revolution within 10 years,” he says.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Google's making it easy for you to get solar panels onto your roof
http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/17/google-project-sunroof/
I have almost 2000 hours of usable sunlight a year, and can get 100% of my energy needs from the sun. Not bad! Unfortunately, it's a condo complex with a shared roof.
I have almost 2000 hours of usable sunlight a year, and can get 100% of my energy needs from the sun. Not bad! Unfortunately, it's a condo complex with a shared roof.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Watch a Boston Dynamics humanoid robot wander around outside
http://venturebeat.com/2015/08/15/watch-a-boston-dynamics-humanoid-robot-wander-around-outside/
Humanoid home robots can't be THAT far away....
Humanoid home robots can't be THAT far away....
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Small, modular, efficient fusion power plant could be a decade away
Instead of always being 30 years away, now it'll always be only 10 years away! ;-) Seriously, this looks like another potential game changer, one without the limitations of solar or wind (though still terribly expensive):
https://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/small-modular-efficient-fusion-plant-0810
https://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/small-modular-efficient-fusion-plant-0810
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Friday, August 7, 2015
Scientists crack the secret of centenarians
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press.office/press.release/item/scientists-crack-the-secret-of-the-centenarians
Unfortunately, there's not yet a clear path to lengthening telomeres or eliminating inflammation for the long haul.
Unfortunately, there's not yet a clear path to lengthening telomeres or eliminating inflammation for the long haul.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
The MIND diet may slow brain aging by 7.5 years
I'm already following most of this, but I think I'll try to follow it more rigorously:
http://www.kurzweilai.net/the-mind-diet-may-slow-brain-aging-by-7-5-years?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=2b3ba12420-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-2b3ba12420-281903081
http://www.kurzweilai.net/the-mind-diet-may-slow-brain-aging-by-7-5-years?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=2b3ba12420-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-2b3ba12420-281903081
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Sleeping on one's side may clear waste from one's brain most effectively
One possible way to keep one's brain healthy long enough for advancing tech to take over:
http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/news/general/150804sleeping.php
http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/news/general/150804sleeping.php
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Meet the High-Performance Single-Molecule Diode
"...outperforms the best of its predecessors by a factor of 50."
http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2015/07/29/high-performance-single-molecule-diode/
http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2015/07/29/high-performance-single-molecule-diode/
Monday, August 3, 2015
Sunday, August 2, 2015
How the Research Community Is Addressing the ‘Reproducibility Crisis’
http://time.com/3978589/research-reproducibility-crisis/
With around 1.8 million articles published in scientific journals each year, a couple hundred cases of fraud isn't bad. But the lack of replication of studies is disturbing.
With around 1.8 million articles published in scientific journals each year, a couple hundred cases of fraud isn't bad. But the lack of replication of studies is disturbing.
Precursors of Life Found on a Comet
http://time.com/3980243/organic-comet-philae/
I'd love to see someone model this prebiotic chemistry and run abiogenesis experiments at millions of times the speed of real chemistry to see what might evolve.
I'd love to see someone model this prebiotic chemistry and run abiogenesis experiments at millions of times the speed of real chemistry to see what might evolve.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Scientists discover genetic pathway responsible for aging
It's a long way from roundworm to human, but...
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/211044-scientists-discover-genetic-pathway-responsible-for-aging
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/211044-scientists-discover-genetic-pathway-responsible-for-aging
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Researchers boost solar energy by tapping infrared light
Sounds very promising, if they can overcome their two main hurdles:
http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/28/solar-energy-from-infrared-light/
and
http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/30606
http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/28/solar-energy-from-infrared-light/
and
http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/30606
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Friday, July 24, 2015
The Windows PC That's Smaller Than a Snickers Bar
I'm going to have to get myself one of these:
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/intel-compute-stick-a-full-windows-pc-smaller-124848163919.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/intel-compute-stick-a-full-windows-pc-smaller-124848163919.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
A jet engine powered by lasers and nuclear explosions?
Not really appropriate for within the atmosphere, but for spaceflight...yes!
http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-jet-engine-powered-by-lasers-and-nuclear-explosions?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=6398b7c763-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-6398b7c763-281903081
http://www.kurzweilai.net/a-jet-engine-powered-by-lasers-and-nuclear-explosions?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=6398b7c763-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-6398b7c763-281903081
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Monday, July 13, 2015
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Autonomous cars and man's future
A nicely detailed assessment of the impact of our driverless future:
http://factor-tech.com/feature/autonomous-cars-and-mans-future-the-road-ahead/
http://factor-tech.com/feature/autonomous-cars-and-mans-future-the-road-ahead/
Monday, June 29, 2015
Saturday, June 27, 2015
D-Wave Systems breaks the 1000 qubit quantum computing barrier
I have no idea if this is really groundbreaking or amazing, but it sounds like it is:
http://kurzweilai.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aad1a7eea269839c7d10845e8&id=8ffcd82815&e=b5efa4426b
http://kurzweilai.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aad1a7eea269839c7d10845e8&id=8ffcd82815&e=b5efa4426b
Friday, June 26, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
7 Ways These Rolling Robots With Screens Could Change Our Lives
The next step after videoconferencing:
What's next? Perhaps offices populated by android drones with full human motion capability becoming commonplace, eliminating a lot of commuting need.
Single-catalyst water splitter from Stanford produces clean-burning hydrogen 24/7
Use excess solar power to generate hydrogen during the day, and use the hydrogen for power at night:
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/june/water-splitter-catalyst-062315.html
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/june/water-splitter-catalyst-062315.html
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
The Way Humans Get Electricity Is About to Change Forever
According to this, we're still screwed as far as global warming is concerned. However, it doesn't take into account the potentials of nanotech:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-23/the-way-humans-get-electricity-is-about-to-change-forever?cmpid=yhoo
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-23/the-way-humans-get-electricity-is-about-to-change-forever?cmpid=yhoo
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
First UK user receives world’s most lifelike bionic hand
They're getting more and more realistic!
http://rslsteeper.com/news/first_uk_user_receives_worlds_most_lifelike_bionic_hand
http://rslsteeper.com/news/first_uk_user_receives_worlds_most_lifelike_bionic_hand
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Here's what it would take for the US to run on 100% renewable energy
Big tax incentives could make this move along more rapidly, as will improving technology:
http://www.vox.com/2015/6/9/8748081/us-100-percent-renewable-energy
http://www.vox.com/2015/6/9/8748081/us-100-percent-renewable-energy
The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Continent; Europe's Import Tariffs On Chinese Solar Cells
Arguably more suitable as a political post, but it's the argument for buying cheap solar, whatever the source, that intrigues me:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2015/06/07/the-lunatics-have-taken-over-the-continent-europes-import-tariffs-on-chinese-solar-cells/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2015/06/07/the-lunatics-have-taken-over-the-continent-europes-import-tariffs-on-chinese-solar-cells/
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Military technology: Laser weapons get real
Enjoy the tech boner! I love that they're applying sounds from SF movies:
http://www.nature.com/news/military-technology-laser-weapons-get-real-1.17613
http://www.nature.com/news/military-technology-laser-weapons-get-real-1.17613
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
New ‘deep learning’ technique enables robot mastery of skills via trial and error
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2015/05/21/deep-learning-robot-masters-skills-via-trial-and-error/
It's interesting how the process is more like how a human fumbles with something than the precision we associate with robots.
It's interesting how the process is more like how a human fumbles with something than the precision we associate with robots.
A concept for a thermal space solar power satellite
Too vulnerable to terrorism and space debris, I think, but an interesting addition to the options for replacing fossil fuels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Lrj35HcbQ&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Lrj35HcbQ&feature=youtu.be
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Monday, May 18, 2015
Google plans to test its new self-driving vehicle prototypes on Mt. View roads
Friday, May 15, 2015
System designed to label visual scenes according to type turns out to detect particular objects, too
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/visual-scenes-object-recognition-0508
The most fascinating section to me:
“Deep learning works very well, but it’s very hard to understand why it works — what is the internal representation that the network is building,” says Antonio Torralba, an associate professor of computer science and engineering at MIT and a senior author on the new paper. “It could be that the representations for scenes are parts of scenes that don’t make any sense, like corners or pieces of objects. But it could be that it’s objects: To know that something is a bedroom, you need to see the bed; to know that something is a conference room, you need to see a table and chairs. That’s what we found, that the network is really finding these objects.”
I suspect the road to full general A.I. will be littered with many such "we don't know how it's doing this" sentiments.
The most fascinating section to me:
“Deep learning works very well, but it’s very hard to understand why it works — what is the internal representation that the network is building,” says Antonio Torralba, an associate professor of computer science and engineering at MIT and a senior author on the new paper. “It could be that the representations for scenes are parts of scenes that don’t make any sense, like corners or pieces of objects. But it could be that it’s objects: To know that something is a bedroom, you need to see the bed; to know that something is a conference room, you need to see a table and chairs. That’s what we found, that the network is really finding these objects.”
I suspect the road to full general A.I. will be littered with many such "we don't know how it's doing this" sentiments.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Solar power is booming. But is it booming fast enough?
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy/2015/0505/Solar-power-is-booming.-But-is-it-booming-fast-enough
We can only hope that as prices drop, people will demand it faster and faster until there's simply no upside to fossil fuel plants.
We can only hope that as prices drop, people will demand it faster and faster until there's simply no upside to fossil fuel plants.
Google Blames Humans for Accidents Involving Its Self-Driving Cars
http://time.com/3854528/google-self-driving-cars-accidents/?xid=newsletter-brief
Over 700 thousand driverless test miles in California and Nevada, and 1.7 million total miles so far, with only 11 minor accidents, apparently all caused by human error. Not bad. Now if they can just make the price of a robot car affordable to all....
Over 700 thousand driverless test miles in California and Nevada, and 1.7 million total miles so far, with only 11 minor accidents, apparently all caused by human error. Not bad. Now if they can just make the price of a robot car affordable to all....
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Friday, May 1, 2015
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
DARPA's steerable bullet proves it can hit moving targets
This could be a game-changer for soldiers and police (yikes!), but if terrorists got hold of it...
http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/27/darpas-steerable-bullet-proves-it-can-hit-moving-targets/
Still, very cool!
http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/27/darpas-steerable-bullet-proves-it-can-hit-moving-targets/
Still, very cool!
Audi Just Invented Fuel Made From CO₂ and Water
I'd much prefer to go with the smoothness and quietness and instant torque of electric engines, but this could be a viable source for existing ICE cars. I wonder how cost-effective this is? Could the high heat part of the production be cost prohibitive?
http://time.com/3837814/audi-environmental-protection-green-energy-climate-change-cars/?xid=newsletter-brief
http://time.com/3837814/audi-environmental-protection-green-energy-climate-change-cars/?xid=newsletter-brief
Monday, April 27, 2015
A way to (potentially) massively increase data speeds
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
A Diet Might Cut the Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s
http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-diet-might-cut-the-risk-of-developing-alzheimers-1429569168?mod=trending_now_1&ncid=newsltushpmg00000003
One odd thing, though:
"The study compared the so-called MIND diet with the popular, heart-healthy Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which is intended to help control high blood pressure. The MIND diet borrows significantly from the other two, and all are largely plant-based and low in high-fat foods. But the MIND diet places particular emphasis on eating “brain-healthy” foods such as green leafy vegetables and berries, among other recommendations.
The study, conducted by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, found strict adherence to any of the three diets lessened the chances of getting Alzheimer’s. But only the MIND diet seemed to help counter the disease even when people followed only some of the diet’s recommendations."
If the MIND diet is largely based on the other two diets, and only following some of the MIND diet's recommendations is still effective...doesn't it follow that the other diets would show the same effect?
One odd thing, though:
"The study compared the so-called MIND diet with the popular, heart-healthy Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which is intended to help control high blood pressure. The MIND diet borrows significantly from the other two, and all are largely plant-based and low in high-fat foods. But the MIND diet places particular emphasis on eating “brain-healthy” foods such as green leafy vegetables and berries, among other recommendations.
The study, conducted by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, found strict adherence to any of the three diets lessened the chances of getting Alzheimer’s. But only the MIND diet seemed to help counter the disease even when people followed only some of the diet’s recommendations."
If the MIND diet is largely based on the other two diets, and only following some of the MIND diet's recommendations is still effective...doesn't it follow that the other diets would show the same effect?
Monday, April 20, 2015
New electric aircraft motor is five times more powerful than comparable powerplants
http://www.gizmag.com/siemens-world-record-electric-motor-aircraft/37048/
I wonder if this could be applied equally to ground vehicles?
I wonder if this could be applied equally to ground vehicles?
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Boosting creativity with electrical brain stimulation
The effects appear rather significant. I wonder what it would do to someone already highly creative?
http://www.kurzweilai.net/alpha-rhythm-brain-stimulation-shown-to-boost-creativity?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=ac3411d781-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-ac3411d781-281903081
http://www.kurzweilai.net/alpha-rhythm-brain-stimulation-shown-to-boost-creativity?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=ac3411d781-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-ac3411d781-281903081
Friday, April 17, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
The Cubic robot personal assistant
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242431
Sounds great, but it took all of ten seconds before I started referring to it as "pubic."
Sounds great, but it took all of ten seconds before I started referring to it as "pubic."
Monday, April 13, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
A hyperspectral smartphone-based Star Trek ‘tricorder’
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Texas Town First Of Many To Switch To 100% Renewable Power
I love the irony of an oil state leading the way....
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/texas-town-first-many-switch-000000293.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/texas-town-first-many-switch-000000293.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
Friday, March 27, 2015
Analysis sees many promising pathways for solar photovoltaic power
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/promise-challenges-solar-photovoltaics-0326
Researchers combine two types of photovoltaic material to make a cell that harnesses more sunlight
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/tandem-solar-cell-0324
"In this initial version, the efficiency is 13.7 percent, but the researchers say they have identified low-cost ways of improving this to about 30 percent — a substantial improvement over today’s commercial silicon-based solar cells — and they say this technology could ultimately achieve a power efficiency of more than 35 percent."
"In this initial version, the efficiency is 13.7 percent, but the researchers say they have identified low-cost ways of improving this to about 30 percent — a substantial improvement over today’s commercial silicon-based solar cells — and they say this technology could ultimately achieve a power efficiency of more than 35 percent."
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Vehicle battery prices falling faster than many expect
http://www.rtcc.org/2015/03/23/falling-battery-prices-boost-outlook-for-electric-vehicles/
"We reviewed more than 80 different sources and found that in 2007, cost estimates for lithium-ion batteries for EV manufacturers were above US$1000 per kWh.
"We reviewed more than 80 different sources and found that in 2007, cost estimates for lithium-ion batteries for EV manufacturers were above US$1000 per kWh.
Seven years later, the battery cost for leading electric car models was around US$300 per kWh. This is particularly impressive, given that production and sales of EVs have only really started to pick up in the last couple of years.
If prices keep falling at this rate, we could be on course to reach US$150 per kWh – the price point around which some people believe EVs can become directly competitive with petrol-driven cars – in the next decade."
Sunday, March 22, 2015
New ‘MIND’ diet may significantly protect against Alzheimer’s disease
https://www.rush.edu/news/press-releases/new-mind-diet-may-significantly-protect-against-alzheimers-disease
"The MIND diet has 15 dietary components, including 10 “brain-healthy food groups” — green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine — and five unhealthy groups that comprise red meats, butter and stick margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food.
The MIND diet includes at least three servings of whole grains, a salad and one other vegetable every day — along with a glass of wine. It also involves snacking most days on nuts and eating beans every other day or so, poultry and berries at least twice a week and fish at least once a week. Dieters must limit eating the designated unhealthy foods, especially butter (less than 1 tablespoon a day), cheese, and fried or fast food (less than a serving a week for any of the three), to have a real shot at avoiding the devastating effects of Alzheimer's, according to the study."
"The MIND diet has 15 dietary components, including 10 “brain-healthy food groups” — green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine — and five unhealthy groups that comprise red meats, butter and stick margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food.
The MIND diet includes at least three servings of whole grains, a salad and one other vegetable every day — along with a glass of wine. It also involves snacking most days on nuts and eating beans every other day or so, poultry and berries at least twice a week and fish at least once a week. Dieters must limit eating the designated unhealthy foods, especially butter (less than 1 tablespoon a day), cheese, and fried or fast food (less than a serving a week for any of the three), to have a real shot at avoiding the devastating effects of Alzheimer's, according to the study."
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Imperfect graphene may lead to fast-charging batteries for vehicles
http://www.kurzweilai.net/imperfect-graphene-may-lead-to-fast-charging-batteries-for-vehicles?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=0b4a244040-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-0b4a244040-281903081
http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/18/graphene-fuel-cell-membrane/?ncid=rss_truncated
http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/18/graphene-fuel-cell-membrane/?ncid=rss_truncated
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Battery Hackers Are Building the Future in the Garage
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-03-11/battery-hackers-are-building-the-future-in-the-garage
"Within five years, researchers want to create one or more battery types that can store at least five times more energy than today’s batteries at one-fifth the cost."
"Within five years, researchers want to create one or more battery types that can store at least five times more energy than today’s batteries at one-fifth the cost."
Will Hawaii Be the First State to Go 100% Renewable?
http://ecowatch.com/2015/03/11/hawaii-go-100-percent-renewable/
If one state goes 100% renewable, I suspect the others would hurry to follow suit.
If one state goes 100% renewable, I suspect the others would hurry to follow suit.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Even Texas has begun to embrace solar
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/solarcity-mp2-energy-offer-solar-120000513.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
I'm glad I've invested with SolarCity. :-)
I'm glad I've invested with SolarCity. :-)
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Manufacturing meat, leather and milk
For those who don't like factory farming:
Synthetic milk: http://muufri.com/
Synthetic meat and leather: http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/06/18/modern-meadow-raises-10m-to-grow-leather-in-labs-not-from-livestock/
Synthetic milk: http://muufri.com/
Synthetic meat and leather: http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/06/18/modern-meadow-raises-10m-to-grow-leather-in-labs-not-from-livestock/
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