Sep 30
Korean researchers have engineered a new strain of E. coli that can produce a suitable substitute for gasoline. And as they quite rightly point out, bacteria that poops out petroleum could be some valuable shit.
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Sep 30
Recently, scientists have been coming up with more and more, er, creative
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Sep 30
One of the main goals of putting the rover Curiosity on the surface of Mars was to help determine if the planet could’ve harbored life in the past, or perhaps still has life on its surface or under. Prior to putting Curiosity on the surface of the red planet, measurements taken from Earth and by […]
Sep 30
When a drop of water hits a hot enough pan, it doesn’t instantly boil away. Instead, the drop’s outer layer vaporizes, producing an insulating effect that causes it to skitter across the hot surface. This is known as the Leidenfrost effect, and it can be harnessed for some neat tricks, like the Mythbusters being able to stick their hands in molten lead, or this wonderful science experiment from the University of Bath.
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Sep 30
Sep 30
Artificial Intelligence is the Holy Grail of computer science—and, for that matter, science fiction. But just how far have we come?
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Sep 30
SpaceX launches new Falcon 9 rocket with 60 percent stronger engines (video)
Posted in: Today's Chili
While most of the news about SpaceX has surrounded the Grasshopper lately, the firm has been plugging away at its Falcon rocket, too. This just-launched Falcon 9 (dubbed version 1.1) boasts 60 percent more powerful engines, longer fuel tanks and according to the Global Post, other new features that were designed to boost lift capacity and “simplify operations for commercial service.” To that end, the spacecraft was carrying a science and communications satellite for Canada’s MDA Corp. when it left Earth’s atmosphere. The take-off comes just over five years after the first Falcon’s departure, and its itinerary will take it around both poles. Just remember, for a cool $56.5 million you too can send a Falcon 9 into space.
Filed under: Transportation, Science
Via: YouTube
Source: SpaceX (YouTube), SpaceX (Twitter)
Sep 29
More than four years after winning a contract (along with Space X) to resupply the International Space Station, Orbital Sciences has finally docked its Cygnus capsule with the space outpost. The achievement makes it the second private outfit to have run a resupply mission to the station, with Musk and Co. beating them to the punch last October. Achieving the rendezvous with the ISS didn’t go without a hitch, however: a data format bug delayed the planned September 22nd berthing until a software fix was applied. Once Monday morning rolls around, the craft’s hatch will be opened to reach 1,300 pounds worth of supplies, which include clothing, food and student experiments. In 30 days’ time, the cargo vessel will detach and head for a destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean.
[Image credit: NASA, Instagram]
Filed under: Transportation, Science, Alt
Source: NASA, Orbital Sciences
Sep 29
Inhabitat’s Week in Green: inflatable concert hall, Xkuty One electric bike and an E. coli filter
Posted in: Today's ChiliEach week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green.
Most of the world still runs on fossil fuels, but renewable energy is making big gains. Not only are renewables better for the environment, but they’re also becoming just as cost-effective as their dirtier counterparts. A new study finds that wind farms are less expensive than new coal-fired plants, and they cost about the same as new natural gas plants. Speaking of energy costs, Inhabitat shared a new infographic this week that shows how much it would cost for the entire world to switch over to renewable energy. In other energy news, the world’s largest solar thermal energy plant opened in California’s Mojave Desert. Once it’s operational, the plant will produce enough energy to power 140,000 homes. The largest photovoltaic plant in the world is set to be built in India, and it will produce 10 times as much energy as the next-largest solar plant in the country. And in another exciting development, a team of German and French scientists produced the world’s most efficient solar cell, which boats an efficiency of 44.7 percent.
Filed under: Misc, Transportation, Science
Sep 28
The U.S. Department of Energy, with the help of researchers at Stanford University and other public and private institutions, have demonstrated the ability of a chip no larger than a grain of rice to accelerate particles 10 times faster than a conventional particle accelerator can do alone. The chip, which is specially nano-fabricated of fused […]
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