Archive for the 'Interesting' Category
Send the Shuttles to Mars?
Today’s Mad Science link comes to you courtesy of Eric Knight (notable founder of UP Areospace and temporary misplacer of James “Scotty” Doohan’s ashes), who suggests that NASA repurpose the Shuttle Orbiters for a mission to Mars.
He would like to see the two Orbiters trussed together, with an accordion transfer tube between, and then flung to the Red Planet with a crew of determined pioneers, hell-bent on a one-way trip. The landing will be especially tricky, since the shuttle’s wings will be totally useless in the rarified Martian atmosphere. He suggests a very large parachute to assist in the landing. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Zapski in Interesting, Science | No Comments
2008 Teh Year of teh Geek
Again from Cracked (I promise not to keep doing this, OK?) comes a nice write up of how geeks finally took over. We’re in your culture, writing your memes.
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Posted by Zapski in Interesting | No Comments
Leap Second
Just to let you know well in advance, this year is one in which we will get an extra second of time. And just to make it weird, we get it at 6:59:59 pm Eastern Standard Time, on December 31st, and not at midnight, as one might expect.
So, how will you spend your extra second?
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Posted by Zapski in Interesting, Science | 2 Comments
Mother Nature Doesn’t Like Loud Noise
A Russian professor at the University of Akron in Ohio has applied to patent a method for snuffing out hurricanes by flying jet fighters around the eye of the storm at supersonic speeds. Apparently the shock-waves from the sonic boom will be enough to disrupt the airflow, and diminish or eliminate the hurricane’s winds.
Where’s Superman when you need him?
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Posted by Zapski in Interesting, Science | No Comments
Six Disruptive Civil Technologies
Though the article is kind of old, it’s still pertinent. In April, 2008 the National Intelligence Council released a report on the six technologies that could harm (or possibly protect) American interests in the world depending on how we deal with them. Here’s their list:
Biogerontechnology
Energy Storage Materials
Biofuels and Bio-Based Chemicals
Clean Coal Technologies
Service Robotics
The Internet of Things
Their rationales are interesting as much of this I wouldn’t have guessed (for example, nanotechnology didn’t make the cut). You can read the whole article here.
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Posted by dugh daren in Interesting, Technology | 2 Comments
Green Urbanity
If designers ruled the world, it might look like this. Each of the designs presented here are supposed to be “green” or have a low environmental impact. Some look pretty cool, others look like 1950’s pulp SciFi covers. In any event, it’s worth checking out.
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Posted by Zapski in Interesting | No Comments
Independent Speculative Analysis
Or in more common parlance: Conspiracy Theories. Here’s 30 of them to spend some time reading about.
Now I’m a firm believer that large-scale conspiracies don’t actually exist, but I do find that they make nifty stories. I also think it’s a good exercise in critical thinking to consider them, and to find the flaws in reason or bad science.
What are your favorite ones? Are there any that you subscribe to?
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Posted by Zapski in History, Interesting, Questions | No Comments
World Philosophy Day!
Today is World Philosophy Day, so in celebration, I offer up Four Questions To Make Your Brain Hurt.
Discuss in comments.
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Posted by Zapski in Interesting, Questions | No Comments
Electric Cigarettes
Apparently England has these devices that heat and atomize liquid nicotine of varying strengths, and you smoke that instead of nasty, nasty tobacco.
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Posted by Zapski in Gadgets, Interesting, Video | 1 Comment
Talk With a Pirate!
In case you missed it, a group of Somali Pirates hijacked a ship the other day that’s carrying a… well… boatload of Russian tanks.
Right now they’re surrounded by the US Navy, and demanding a $20 million dollar ransom.
The cool thing? The NYT actually interviewed the pirates. It’s not exactly what you’d expect. (link may require registration)
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Posted by Zapski in Crime, Interesting, News, Pirates | No Comments
