Interesting Graphics. Our neibourhood is full of old dead stars....

Interesting Graphics. Our neibourhood is full of old dead stars....

Originally shared by Astro Trails

This is a really useful visual aid produced by www.space.com looking at our nearest stars - with distances, categories and spectral information.

This guy knows how to ride a bike....

This guy knows how to ride a bike....

Originally shared by Todd Tuinier

Amazing video +
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0&feature=share

Interesting competition between Robots. Sort of Olympics by DARPA.

Interesting competition between Robots. Sort of Olympics by DARPA.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/darpa-vrc-challenge-results-heres-who-gets-an-atlas-humanoid/?utm_source=roboticsnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=070913

Interesting hybrid wind/current generator.

Interesting hybrid wind/current generator.

Originally shared by ****

World's first hybrid wind/current generator could generate double the power

Combining a three-bladed Darrieus turbine on top, a Savonius turbine underneath, and a generator in between, the SKWID power generation concept is claimed to be the world's first hybrid system "capable of maximizing the harvesting of ocean energy from wind and current".

The SKWID, from the Japanese company Mitsui Ocean Development & Engineering Company (MODEC), is designed to capitalize on the energy potential available both in the winds above the ocean, and in the currents flowing beneath the waves. The device uses an omnidirectional Darrieus wind turbine sitting 47 meters above the sea on one end of a vertical shaft, with a different type of omnidirectional turbine design, a 15 meter diameter Savonius, spinning at the other end under the surface.

The Darrieus wind turbine efficiently harnesses the ocean wind :

The omnidirectional Darrieus turbine rotates regardless of the wind direction. Due to the location of the generator, the system has excellent stability with a low center of gravity, as well as excellent maintainability with easy access. The Darrieus’ rectangular swept area catches twice as much wind when compared to the circular swept area of typical onshore wind turbines of the same diameter and is therefore capable of delivering twice as much power from a single installation - far more power from the same wind farm area

The Savonius current turbine harnesses the current :

The split-cylinder-shaped buckets of the Savonius current turbine can harness any weak current and will rotate in one direction regardless of current direction. This turbine is insensitive to marine growth on the buckets and is harmless to the marine ecosystem, as it rotates slowly at the speed of the current. - MODEC

The floating unit is said to be stable and self-righting, thanks to a gimbal-like support structure that isolates the generator unit from the motion of the waves, as well as the underwater turbine acting as a ballast or keel. According to CBS News, a prototype SKWID unit will be deployed off the coast of Japan this fall

Reference : treehugger.com/wind-technology/worlds-first-floating-windcurrent-hybrid-generator.html

Video Link : cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57584292/worlds-first-wind-wave-power-system-to-be-installed-off-japanese-coast/

Interesting article on 3D printing.

Interesting article on 3D printing.
http://3dprintingindustry.com/2013/07/04/additive-manufacturing-and-industrial-tooling-part-1/

A promissing tech that can make solar energy a competitor to conventional energy generating technologies.

A promissing tech that can make solar energy a competitor to conventional energy generating technologies.

Originally shared by Yes! Knowledge

New Ultra Thin Solar Solar Cells Are 1000 Times More Powerful

The general drive in the solar energy technology industry has been towards the development of higher solar cell efficiencies and lowered manufacturing costs. That’s exactly what new research from MIT is suggesting — that the development of extremely thin, lightweight solar cells has the potential to completely revolutionize the industry.

Such extremely thin and lightweight solar cells have the potential to greatly surpass “any substance other than reactor-grade uranium” with regard to the energy produced per pound of material.

Read More: http://bit.ly/127PqVn

#science   #sciencesunday

Well, some evolution here....

Well, some evolution here....

Originally shared by Electronic Frontier Foundation

The German Parliament recently eliminated software patents and urged all of Europe to follow.
https://eff.org/r.b7VP

Interesting discussion on the introduction of printing technology in building industry

Interesting discussion on the introduction of printing technology in building industry

Originally shared by Industry Tap

The Printer That Can Print A 2,500 Square Foot House In 20 Hours ➜ http://www.industrytap.com/the-printer-that-can-print-a-house-in-20-hours/9056

Interesting article. Great illustration from our galaxy

Interesting article. Great illustration from our galaxy

Originally shared by Stellar Eyes

Kepler's Search Area.

Kepler is studying over 150,000 stars in our neighborhood of our galaxy in the Cygnus and Lyra constellations. Most of these stars will be somewhere between 500 and 3,000 light years from our Solar System. The Kepler team has now identified 503 additional planet candidates in this small region of the sky. The telescope uses the transit method which involves observing repeated transit of planets in front of their stars, which causes a slight reduction in the star's apparent magnitude.

Although the Kepler spacecraft remains in its Point Rest State, scientist and citizens still have years of data to sift through.

-See more at: http://stellareyes.com/component/k2/item/29-kepler-finds-503-new-exo-planet-candidates.html#sthash.WkSTXcLu.dpuf

Nice simple tech idea.

Nice simple tech idea.

Originally shared by The Economist

Kone, a Finnish liftmaker, announced that it has devised a system that should be able to raise an elevator a kilometre (3,300 feet) or more. Since the effectiveness of lifts is one of the main constraints on the height of buildings, Kone’s technology could result in buildings truly worthy of the name “skyscraper” http://econ.st/196PsTk

Excellent article about the human genome. In the future we may be able to mold human behaviour (to the better i hope).

Excellent article about the human genome. In the future we may be able to mold human behaviour (to the better i hope).
http://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/13-grandmas-experiences-leave-epigenetic-mark-on-your-genes#.Ub4PZk6UGq8.google_plusone_share

Self healing materials is an interesting research and could open doors in space exploration.

Self healing materials is an interesting research and could open doors in space exploration.

Originally shared by Gary Ray R

Did Skin for the Terminator Just Get Invented? "Self-Healing Microvascular System"

I thought the post that Zaine Ridling made about self healing materials that use microcapsules that had contained a healing agent before rupturing. Upon rupture, the healing agent spread via capillary action into the fracture, where it encountered catalyst that had also been embedded into the polymer matrix.
was interesting. And then Tomo Owa commented about another self healing material. 
This one uses microvascular networks and was conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois.  This stuff is modeled on human skin.  In fact this could be the first model of skin for the Terminator. ;-)
Kidding aside this is an amazing material.  It will repair itself more than once. While the repeated self-healing of a microvascular system is a tremendous step over the microcapsule healing system, there are still areas for improvement. The repeated healing of a crack in a coating using a microvascular network is not limitless --- it is restricted by the finite supply of catalyst in the coating. While the fluid delivered through the network continues to fill the crack, access to the reactive catalyst in the crack plane decreases with each healing event.

The image below is the test rig for the material, using a four point beam.

Thanks to both Tomo and Zaine for sharing this fascinating research.

http://autonomic.beckman.illinois.edu/network_background.html

Interesting ideia. It would be probably difficult for the hackers to break in....

Interesting ideia. It would be probably difficult for the hackers to break in....

Originally shared by The Hacker News

Israeli Scientists develop advanced biological computer http://thehackernews.com/2013/05/israeli-scientists-develop-advanced.html #Security #Infosec