Saturday, April 27, 2013

Excellent reading. Worth reading the text following the link.


Excellent reading. Worth reading the text following the link.

Originally shared by Fraser Cain

Why We'll Never Meet Aliens?

In a long essay, Paul Tyma makes the case that we'll never meet aliens. And his conclusion is that we'll never meet aliens because once they've developed the technology to travel the great distances between stars, the trip will be meaningless.

I think there's a lot of validity to this argument. We anthropomorphize aliens based on our current state of technology. We imagine aliens flying around in their alien spaceships, sipping their alien coffees, perusing alien laptops. "We come in peace."

But you have to comprehend the compounding effect of exponential technological advancement. iPhones didn't exist 5 years ago, now we consider smartphones a commodity. Once an alien has the ability to travel from star to star, they'll probably just be getting their robots to do the work for them - in fact, they'll probably be indistinguishable from robots themselves.

Once you're far enough along that technology curve, it all just comes down to energy. What's the most efficient way to get more energy? Traveling to other stars probably isn't it.

Stars provide energy, and planets give you a place to stand on. But they come with tricky gravity fields, that aliens might decide just aren't worth the effort to vist. 

Anyway, read Paul's essay. It makes a compelling answer to the Fermi Paradox.

http://paultyma.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/why-well-never-meet-aliens.html

Thursday, April 25, 2013

This technology applied to solar cells, may be a game changer in zero energy buildings. Something to follow...

This technology applied to solar cells, may be a game changer in zero energy buildings. Something to follow...

Originally shared by David Fuchs

First we see the ability to print graphene, now in this article a day later, we have the ability to print organic transistors. Very neat stuff.

see also
https://plus.google.com/u/0/108971911025874242115/posts/MTJQp9tv2ar
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201205371/abstract;jsessionid=F10862E905A3B2BDDACB9D3D932E9043.d04t03

#transistors   #organictransistor   #biocomputer  Gerd Moe-Behrens 
http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/newsid=30200.php

Very good reading. Agile engineering techniques applied to start ups.


Very good reading. Agile engineering techniques applied to start ups.

Originally shared by Harvard Business Review

75% of start-ups fail. But the "lean" start-up movement is changing everything for those looking to start a business.

Read serial entrepreneur Steve Blank's faster, smarter methodology for launching companies that may make business plans obsolete:
http://hbr.org/2013/05/why-the-lean-start-up-changes-everything/ar/1

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Hydrogen fuel is a tech to follow. German car makers are investing in this tech and it could replace the petrol in autos in some years

Hydrogen fuel is a tech to follow. German car makers are investing in this tech and it could replace the petrol in autos in some years

Originally shared by David Fuchs

Hydrogen production game changer?

#Hydrogen  
http://www.kurzweilai.net/breakthrough-in-hydrogen-fuel-production-could-revolutionize-alternative-energy-market

Nice view from mars... the Opportunity Rover has done a spin drive. Its a panoramic view.

Nice view from mars... the Opportunity Rover has done a spin drive. Its a panoramic view.
http://panoramas.dk/mars/greeley-haven.html

Originally shared by Astronomy Picture of the Day (APoD)

Originally shared by Astronomy Picture of the Day (APoD)

X-rays from Supernova Remnant SN 1006
Image Credit: NASA/CXC/P. Frank Winkler (Middlebury College)
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130423.html

What looks like a puff-ball is surely the remains of the brightest supernova in recorded human history. In 1006 AD, it was recorded as lighting up the nighttime skies above areas now known as China, Egypt, Iraq, Italy, Japan, and Switzerland. The expanding debris cloud from the stellar explosion, found in the southerly constellation the Wolf (Lupus), still puts on a cosmic light show across the electromagnetic spectrum. In fact, the above image results from three colors of X-rays taken by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory. Now known as the SN 1006 supernova remnant, the debris cloud appears to be about 60 light-years across and is understood to represent the remains of a white dwarf star. Part of a binary star system, the compact white dwarf gradually captured material from its companion star. The buildup in mass finally triggered a thermonuclear explosion that destroyed the dwarf star. Because the distance to the supernova remnant is about 7,000 light-years, that explosion actually happened 7,000 years before the light reached Earth in 1006. Shockwaves in the remnant accelerate particles to extreme energies and are thought to be a source of the mysterious cosmic rays.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Very interesting discussion on an issue that is relevant in the manufacturing area. The MIT article is worth reading.

Very interesting discussion on an issue that is relevant in the manufacturing area. The MIT article is worth reading.

Originally shared by David Fuchs

MIT's technology review had an article this week, will robots create new jobs when they take over existing ones. The answer to that question is a full on an emphatic no. The robot shown below is named Baxter, manufactured by rethink robotics. Baxter is a human safe robot that moves at slow speed so as to not injure humans. Baxter is programmable by showing him objects and what needs to be done with those objects. No programming is required.

Given the CAD files, software, hardware, and wiring diagrams of Baxter he can be redesigned so that he can manufactured copies of himself. With the ability to download and upload manufacturing processes from one robot to another, it would allow you to train a single robot, then  transfer that knowledge to robots on other assembly lines doing the same job.

See Also
http://www.technologyreview.com/view/513761/will-robots-create-new-jobs-when-they-take-over-existing-ones/
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/429248/this-robot-could-transform-manufacturing/
http://www.rethinkrobotics.com/

#robotics   #artificialintelligence   #baxter  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OIxWMTrGl8

Friday, April 19, 2013

Africa and Asia are moving forward.... probably the migration flows will change slowly, specially between Europe and Africa.


Africa and Asia are moving forward.... probably the migration flows will change slowly, specially between Europe and Africa.

Originally shared by The Economist

Daily chart: Outlook for economic growth in the West is bleak, according to the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook, released on April 16th. Worldwide output is expected to grow at just over 3% in 2013, but rich countries will lag behind, expanding at 1.2%. Growth in emerging markets, by contrast, will exceed 5%, with Asia and sub-Saharan Africa motoring along at 7% and 5.6% respectively. View chart on GDP growth forecasts for 2013http://econ.st/17Jr0aV

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Aos poucos vamos conhecendo a vizinhança do nosso planeta.


Aos poucos vamos conhecendo a vizinhança do nosso planeta.

Originally shared by Roberto Teixeira

Telescópio acha planetas de tamanho similar ao da Terra em zona habitável

Cientistas descobriram dois planetas de tamanho similar à Terra e que ficam na chamada "zona habitável" ao redor de uma estrela. A descoberta, divulgada nesta quinta-feira em artigo na revista Science, pode ser uma das mais - ou a mais - importante do telescópio Kepler.

A zona habitável é aquela na qual o calor de uma estrela é suficiente para manter água em estado líquido e a presença de outros elementos necessários à vida como conhecemos, como dióxido de carbono e nitrogênio - ou seja, em situação similar à da Terra. Contudo, os cientistas alertam que isso não significa que o planeta é habitável - já que as condições dependem de diversos fatores, principalmente da composição da atmosfera.

O telescópio descobriu um sistema com cinco planetas que orbitam a estrela, chamada de Kepler-62. Suas massas variam de "meia-Terra" ao dobro daquela do nosso planeta. O "ano" desses corpos (ou seja, o tempo que demoram para dar uma volta ao redor de sua estrela) varia entre seis dias na Terra (o que indica um local muito próximo de seu sol e, portanto, muito quente) e nove meses - no planeta mais afastado descoberto, chamado de Kepler-62f. Este e o Kepler-62e são os dois que estão na zona habitável e eles têm 1,61 e 1,41 vez o tamanho da Terra, respectivamente.


O observatório espacial já vasculhou mais de 100 mil estrelas e descobriu diversos planetas - mais de 100 com tamanho inferior à nossa Lua. O telescópio já encontrou outros planetas em zonas habitáveis antes, mas, segundo a Science, não se sabe o tamanho deles, apenas sua massa mínima.

Para a pesquisadora Sara Seager, do Instituto de Tecnologia de Massachusetts (MIT), a descoberta é importante, mas a missão "não diz 'é habitável, vamos lá ver'. As estrelas do Kepler são muito fracas; a quantidade de informação será muito pequena para demonstrar habitabilidade."

Segundo a Science, para caracterizar exoplanetas potencialmente habitáveis, os astrônomos precisam de estrelas mais próximas e mais brilhantes. O Satélite de Pesquisa de Trânsito de Exoplanetas (Tess, na sigla em inglês), aprovado neste mês pela Nasa - a agência espacial americana - e programado para ser lançado em 2017, pode encontrar esses sistemas mais brilhantes.

http://noticias.terra.com.br/ciencia/espaco/telescopio-acha-planetas-de-tamanho-similar-ao-da-terra-em-zona-habitavel,78d2e49dc4a1e310VgnVCM4000009bcceb0aRCRD.html

http://www.universetoday.com/101489/kepler-team-finds-system-with-two-potentially-habitable-planets/

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Looks good on road bikes (not for BTTs).


Looks good on road bikes (not for BTTs).

Originally shared by Mashable , Inc

If you ride your bike at night, you know all about the challenges of staying visible. To improve this situation, a startup has a solution that incorporates LED lighting directly on the bike wheels: http://on.mash.to/14qextQ

What do you think about these built-in bike wheel lights?

Friday, April 12, 2013

Why make it simple if you can make it complicated.... and expensive


Why make it simple if you can make it complicated.... and expensive

Originally shared by TECHNICS


The Bavarian Electric Touring Bicycle

In case you ride a bike so as to not pedal manually, then this is the perfect touring bike for you. With this price tag ( $10.000 ), you may just thrown on a yellow jersey and feel like Lance Armstrong for an hour. Assembled from the finest components available, this is the German-engineered bicycle designed for distance touring. The 48-volt Lithium-Ion battery integrates with the 250-watt motor for a maximum speed of 17 mph, providing a 125-mile range on a single charge.  The battery can recharge 80% of its capacity in 30 minutes.

15 super expensive Gifts & Gadgets for the very rich ► goo.gl/0muCT

This one is close to my place....


This one is close to my place....

Originally shared by Greenpeace International

A new record for a European country!

New figures show that during the first quarter of the year about three quarters of the electricity consumed in Portugal came from renewable sources. Check the awesome news here: http://goo.gl/p7EfX

The Energy [R]evolution is possible!

Picture via 350.org

#renewableenergy   #renewables   #energyrevolution

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Sunday, April 7, 2013

A first step... it could be interesting if they crack up a generic translation algorithm...

A first step... it could be interesting if they crack up a generic translation algorithm...

Brain scans can 'read our dreams' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22031074
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22031074

Amazing the size difference. See also http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/VY_Canis_Majoris


Amazing the size difference. See also http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/VY_Canis_Majoris


Originally shared by Aleandra Hrdlicia

Nice toy for the TV...


Nice toy for the TV...

Originally shared by Linux News Here

#Android #Jelly-Bean with an external Wi-Fi antenna

Other than an external Wi-Fi antenna, the device also boasts 2 GB of RAM and a Rockchip RK3066 dual-core processor. All told, you can purchase this little Android TV stick for about $70 via Geekbuying. Besides the above-mentioned features, the device offers users a USB port for easily hooking a keyboard and mouse, along with a microSD card slot for storage expansion.

http://www.tgdaily.com/hardware-brief/70720-android-jelly-bean-with-an-external-wi-fi-antenna

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Great for vacations....


Great for vacations....

Originally shared by Claudia Queen

Interesting Design!!!  If u like this plz share

Find interesting and amazing posts at ► http://interestingstrangefacts.com

Some more great photos from Trey Ratcliff.

Some more great photos from Trey Ratcliff.

Originally shared by Trey Ratcliff

San Francisco in Full Rez - 6728x4726

I'm loving the new ability in Google+ to upload full-rez photos automatically via that new checkbox!  I've updated my old article at http://goo.gl/3AFkw with the new steps.    

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Originally shared by Rhys Taylor


Originally shared by Rhys Taylor

Infographic : Galaxy Size Comparison Chart

The size of various galaxies compared to one another. For more information visit : http://astrorhysy.blogspot.com/2013/04/infographic-galaxy-size-comparison-chart.html

A second chart is also available featuring IC 1101, the largest known galaxy. This is so completely dwarfs the other galaxies that it needs a very high resolution : http://zoom.it/qbvd

Monday, April 1, 2013

Interesting. I wonder what is outside the cup. Interesting to see that most is dark energy.


Interesting. I wonder what is outside the cup. Interesting to see that most is dark energy.

Originally shared by Andrij “Andrew” Harasewych

Analysis of data from the European Space Agency’s Planck mission has found out some pretty cool new things about our universe, including:

- It's older than we believed, at about 13.81 billion years.
- It's expanding more slowly than we expected.
- It's made up of 4.9 percent normal matter, 26.8 percent dark matter, and 68.3 percent dark energy.
- And finally, that it's a tiny bit lopsided.

Read more here: http://slate.me/Yci6Bi

via fb.me/scienceisseriouslyawesome