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November 16, 2006
Space Mirrors
Just as author Kim Stanley Robinson predicted in his book "Red Mars", a proposal heads to NASA regarding 300 space mirrors orbiting the red planet.
The concept centers around reflecting solar energy towards the surface, warming it to a mild 68ยบ F. The extra sunlight means less thermal insulation needed for astronauts and more solar power for equipment. On a larger scale, it's the first step to terraforming Mars. The heat would melt the giant ice caps creating oceans which in turn help create an atmosphere.
Although terraforming a planet would take several centuries, we better get started soon because I don't think Earth can handle much more of us. Perhaps moving to a brand spankin' new planet will encourage us to be more careful with our resources and pollution.
If you wanna think really long term, I think we should try and find a planet even further out. After all, our sun is aging and in about 2 billions years, the outer rim of the sun will have expanded so much, there won't be an Earth, much less a Mars left to call home.
via newscientist
Posted by tranism at 12:40 PM | Permalink
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November 15, 2006
Bone Rings
I know the title is sorta convoluted so let me explain. Biojewellry is an attempt at merging jewelry design with science. The rings are made from bone cells sampled from your wisdom teeth. The project is already successful but they're looking for more volunteer couples.
Basically you and your significant other go in, donate your bone samples, where they will be cultivated in a lab to form different shapes. In time, they hope to create combinations of bone with metals like gold and platinum to elevate the design. When the ring is complete, you wear rings made from each other's cells - tethering you two together for life.
The rings are lighter and much stronger than you think. It is real bone after all. Although kinda creepy, its fascinating where science (even when mad) can lead us.
Posted by tranism at 5:39 PM | Permalink
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November 6, 2006
Northern Lights
My friend Mattias recently sent me this amazing capture of the "Northen Lights" in Umea Sweden.
This atmospheric projection of light is the result of colliding particles that release their energy in the form of visible light. It's a fairly complex phenomena, but yet fairly common this time of the year.
Posted by diverseawareness at 9:49 PM | Permalink
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MIT Interactive Board
Seriously tho, those guys at MIT truly are geniuses. As the Professor here demonstrates their interactive board, I can only imagine how easier physics would have been for me to grasp if I had this learning tool.
The board is actually a large projection of a desktop application. Anything the professor draws, the computer can identify and apply the correct physics to the animated machine. Basically, the drawings come to life easily translating what is static to a visceral learning experience.
watch the video here
Posted by tranism at 1:14 AM | Permalink
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