Japan has quite had its fill of nuclear power, thank you very much. As the country rebuilds from the devastating 2011 tsunami and subsequent Daiichi power plant disaster, it’s looking toward alternate energy sources. Good call, minna-san. More »
While Russia’s submarine fleet remains a formidable force in the 21st Century, the country still relies on craft built before the Iron Curtain lifted. Today, a lot of the subs are getting long in the tooth. However, the new SSBN Yury Dolgoruky will provide Mother Russia with a fresh set of nuclear fangs. More »
On July 16, 1945, the US Army destroyed a small part of New Mexico by testing the first nuclear bomb in human history, the most powerful weapon of all time. It then proceeded to blow up 1,054 more. More »
One thing’s for sure – nuclear power plants are not exactly the safest place in the world to be, never mind that it delivers far more energy to the world compared to traditional methods, although there is the issue of disposing of nuclear waste in a clean and efficient manner. After all, all of that garbage will still need to go somewhere, right? Well, the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March last year still lingers on in the memories of many, where entire towns were leveled, and the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company Inc. was crippled, resulting in it being a radiation hazard to the general public. It was rather ironic that Japan had to enlist the help of robots from the US in order to help in the clean up, which is why the Japanese decided it would be best to come up with home grown robots just in case something similar (keep your fingers crossed that it doesn’t) happens sometime down the road. Toshiba has come up with a version of a four-legged robot that will help out in nuclear plants.
This particular Toshiba robot will see action for surveillance as well as recovery operations in areas where it is not deemed safe for humans to work. Boasting a camera and a dosemeter among other hardware specifications, this Toshiba robot can be remotely controlled in order to check on the state of power plant’s innards, especially in areas where the radiation levels are way too high for a human to venture into safely, lest he or she turns into a green rage monster – or something.
Sporting an algorithm which Toshiba came up with in order to control the robot so that it can walk on an irregular ground or steps alongside its multi-jointed structure, this particular puppy is capable of getting up and about on all four legs, all the while avoiding obstacles in addition to navigating through stairs without missing a beat – in both directions. This would allow it to operate in areas where wheeled and crawler-type robots are unable to work in.
Toshiba is also kind enough to throw in a tiny vehicle which can be hooked up to the four legged robot with a cable, where this add-on will be tasked with snapping photos of the facilities around, various equipment and pipes that are located at the ends of narrow paths and behind structures. Toshiba intends to continue developmental work of the robot so that it can be more utilitarian, installing shields, stopping water leakage, as well as taking out obstacles.
Source
[ Toshiba 4-legged robot to venture into nuclear power plants copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Joe Pasquini, a RAF flight navigator, had the unfortunate job of collecting samples of a nuclear bomb after it exploded. Which meant, Pasquini had to fly an airplane covered in wax through the mushroom cloud to capture the floating radioactive particles. That doesn’t sound fun. More »
If your home is blasted by a nuclear bomb and most everyone you know dies or is at the very least severely mangled, you’re going to need a drink. Honestly, you’ll going to need many drinks. The good news is, no matter how many loved ones are obliterated, your beer is still safe. More »
According to Pat Bradley, one of the cameramen who documented US atomic tests during the 1950s, the Wahoo and Umbrella underwater explosions were more amazing than a atmospheric nuclear explosion. Watch this stunning video and listen to him explaining his experience of living these explosions just 2.5 miles away. More »
Top aerospace and defense company Tupolev is developing a new stealth plane that will replace Russia’s mighty but aging nuclear strategic bomber fleet. Called the PAK-DA bomber, it will enter service in the mid-2020s, just in time to face the USAF’s new stealth strategic nuclear bombers. But that’s inoffensive compared to what’s coming next. More »
Most watches with glow-in-the dark parts achieve the effect using special paint that absorbs light and reflects it back for an extended period. But the faint glow from the Nuclear Watch comes from decaying radioactive hydrogen atoms. They died for you!
According to its product page, each watch contains about 100 quadrillion radioactive hydrogen atoms, divided among the dials and hands of the watch. The atoms are stored in a glass tube that is lined with phosphorescent material. As the hydrogen atoms decay, the electrons they emit hit the lining. This causes the glow. The page also claims that about 250 million of the hydrogen atoms decay every second, but their sheer number means that the watch will keep glowing 24/7 for 25 years.
If you’re not creeped out at the thought of carrying an atomic genocide on your wrist, order the Nuclear Watch from Gadgets & Gear for $175 (USD).
I love these images—created by photographer Clay Lipsky—and their premise: “Imagine if the advent of the atomic era occurred during today’s information age. Tourists would gather to view bomb tests, at the ‘safe’ distances used in the 1950s, and share the resulting cell phone photos” on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. More »
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