Musica Universalis – Blackbird
An evening pause: A remarkable performance, using juggling to play music. Stay with it, it only gets better.
Hat tip Danae.
Tag: technology
Hovercraft Deer Rescue
An evening pause: Another example of the wonders of modern technology. This is intended to illustrate the GoPro family of tiny portable cameras, but note the hovercrafts as well.
Hat tip Tim Vogel.
China lifts export limits on rare earth minerals
Having lost its case before the World Trade Organization China has lifted the limits it had placed on the export of rare earth minerals back in 2009.
Because of low costs, China produces about 90% of all rare earths worldwide, needed for most high tech electronics. This decision eases a concern that has existed now for better part of a half decade.
Having lost its case before the World Trade Organization China has lifted the limits it had placed on the export of rare earth minerals back in 2009.
Because of low costs, China produces about 90% of all rare earths worldwide, needed for most high tech electronics. This decision eases a concern that has existed now for better part of a half decade.
Kraftwerk – The Robots
Maintaining a high voltage line
The things your kids will never understand
Link here. The one about MTV was especially funny.
Link here. The one about MTV was especially funny.
The return of vinyl records
The sales of vinyl records has been booming, exceeding numbers not seen in decades.
The sales of vinyl records has been booming, exceeding numbers not seen in decades.
Happy birthday Linux!
On this date in 1991 Linus Torvalds announced that he had developed a free computer operating system and wanted help from others to improve it. That operating system is what we today call Linux.
On this date in 1991 Linus Torvalds announced that he had developed a free computer operating system and wanted help from others to improve it. That operating system is what we today call Linux.
Use a smart phone? Google knows where you’ve been
If you use a smart phone or tablet, Google is very likely tracking all your movements.
Go to this website with your smart phone and you will see your travels for up to the past month. Which is why I don’t use a smart phone, and my own tablet has as few identification settings activated as possible. This information is no one else’s business, unless I say so.
If you use a smart phone or tablet, Google is very likely tracking all your movements.
Go to this website with your smart phone and you will see your travels for up to the past month. Which is why I don’t use a smart phone, and my own tablet has as few identification settings activated as possible. This information is no one else’s business, unless I say so.
A brief history of USB
Link here.
Link here.
How ctrl-alt-delete came to be
The best part of this story is this quote by the programmer who created the three-finger salute:
“I have to share the credit,” Bradley joked. “I may have invented it, but I think Bill made it famous.”
The best part of this story is this quote by the programmer who created the three-finger salute:
“I have to share the credit,” Bradley joked. “I may have invented it, but I think Bill made it famous.”
A laptop/tablet case designed to let you use either while standing and walking.
An evening pause: I think this is clever, a laptop/tablet case designed to let you use either, even while standing.
Want to fly into space? All you have to do is “build the future” and win the Hackaday Prize.
Want to fly into space? All you have to do is “build the future” and win the Hackaday Prize.
You’re probably wondering what you’re actually supposed to build? We’ve been vague up to this point on purpose, because spouting specific categorization stifles creativity. We want you to Build the Future — not fit inside of a tiny box made of disqualifying restraints. … The only requirements you really have to hit are quite simple:
- You must actually build something
- It must involve some type of electronics that are connected to something
- Our main requirements have to do with documentation. This includes lists of parts, schematics, images, and videos. Remember, Openness is a Virtue.
The winner gets just under $200K to buy a ticket on the commercial space carrier of their choice. Or they can cash it in. Numerous additional prizes will also be awarded.
Hat tip to commenter Eric who says he has entered, is not building a rocket engine “that seems to be in demand all of a sudden,” but is building something that is “out there” nonetheless.
Want to fly into space? All you have to do is “build the future” and win the Hackaday Prize.
You’re probably wondering what you’re actually supposed to build? We’ve been vague up to this point on purpose, because spouting specific categorization stifles creativity. We want you to Build the Future — not fit inside of a tiny box made of disqualifying restraints. … The only requirements you really have to hit are quite simple:
- You must actually build something
- It must involve some type of electronics that are connected to something
- Our main requirements have to do with documentation. This includes lists of parts, schematics, images, and videos. Remember, Openness is a Virtue.
The winner gets just under $200K to buy a ticket on the commercial space carrier of their choice. Or they can cash it in. Numerous additional prizes will also be awarded.
Hat tip to commenter Eric who says he has entered, is not building a rocket engine “that seems to be in demand all of a sudden,” but is building something that is “out there” nonetheless.
29 fascinating images.
#18 is the best, as it illustrates bluntly in one image the technological advances in just the past decade.
#18 is the best, as it illustrates bluntly in one image the technological advances in just the past decade.
Ten modern conveniences we take for granted that didn’t exist before 1970.
Ten modern conveniences we take for granted that didn’t exist before 1970.
I especially like the picture of the audio cassette and the pencil with the caption, “Our children will never know the link between the two.”
Ten modern conveniences we take for granted that didn’t exist before 1970.
I especially like the picture of the audio cassette and the pencil with the caption, “Our children will never know the link between the two.”
The creation in the lab of an as yet unnamed superheavy element adds weight to the theory that there might exist even heavier elements that are stable in nature.
The creation in the lab of an as yet unnamed superheavy element adds weight to the theory that there might exist even heavier elements that are stable in nature.
The scientists did not observe element 117 directly. Instead, they searched for its daughter products after it radioactively decayed by emitting alpha particles—helium nuclei with two protons and two neutrons. “The heavy nuclei makes an alpha decay to produce element 115, and this also decays by alpha decay,” says Jadambaa Khuyagbaatar of GSI, lead author of a paper reporting the results published on 1 May in Physical Review Letters.
After a few more steps in this decay chain, one of the nuclei produced is the isotope lawrencium 266—a nucleus with 103 protons and 163 neutrons that had never been seen before. Previously known isotopes of lawrencium have fewer neutrons, and are less stable. This novel species, however, has an astonishingly long half-life of 11 hours, making it one of the longest-lived superheavy isotopes known to date. “Perhaps we are at the shore of the island of stability,” Düllmann says.
If these superheavy elements could be created, they would be the stuff of science fiction. They might have properties that we would find extremely useful.
The creation in the lab of an as yet unnamed superheavy element adds weight to the theory that there might exist even heavier elements that are stable in nature.
The scientists did not observe element 117 directly. Instead, they searched for its daughter products after it radioactively decayed by emitting alpha particles—helium nuclei with two protons and two neutrons. “The heavy nuclei makes an alpha decay to produce element 115, and this also decays by alpha decay,” says Jadambaa Khuyagbaatar of GSI, lead author of a paper reporting the results published on 1 May in Physical Review Letters.
After a few more steps in this decay chain, one of the nuclei produced is the isotope lawrencium 266—a nucleus with 103 protons and 163 neutrons that had never been seen before. Previously known isotopes of lawrencium have fewer neutrons, and are less stable. This novel species, however, has an astonishingly long half-life of 11 hours, making it one of the longest-lived superheavy isotopes known to date. “Perhaps we are at the shore of the island of stability,” Düllmann says.
If these superheavy elements could be created, they would be the stuff of science fiction. They might have properties that we would find extremely useful.
A list of some incredibly useful webpages.
The crashes that changed aviation and plane designs forever.
The crashes that changed aviation and plane designs forever.
Like the 1964 Alaska earthquake, sometimes bad things have to happen to force humans to face a problem and fix it.
The crashes that changed aviation and plane designs forever.
Like the 1964 Alaska earthquake, sometimes bad things have to happen to force humans to face a problem and fix it.
Eight museum Corvettes go caving when a sinkhole opens up below them.
Eight museum Corvettes go caving when a sinkhole opens up below them.
Eight museum Corvettes go caving when a sinkhole opens up below them.
Amazing German designed cat climbing furniture.
News you really can use: Amazing German designed cat climbing furniture.
News you really can use: Amazing German designed cat climbing furniture.
The first person to cycle to the South Pole.
The first person to cycle to the South Pole.
Leijerstam used a modified version of the commercially-available Sprint trike, made by recumbent tricycle manufacturer Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE). She chose to go with a recumbent trike because it would allow her to maintain stability in the often very-high winds. This allowed her to concentrate simply on moving forward, instead of having to waste time and effort keeping her balance. The strategy paid off, as she not only made it, but also beat two other cyclists who had set out for the Pole on two-wheelers, days before her Dec. 17th start date.
The first person to cycle to the South Pole.
Leijerstam used a modified version of the commercially-available Sprint trike, made by recumbent tricycle manufacturer Inspired Cycle Engineering (ICE). She chose to go with a recumbent trike because it would allow her to maintain stability in the often very-high winds. This allowed her to concentrate simply on moving forward, instead of having to waste time and effort keeping her balance. The strategy paid off, as she not only made it, but also beat two other cyclists who had set out for the Pole on two-wheelers, days before her Dec. 17th start date.
A 3D printer comparison guide.
Five myths about hacking you probably believe, thanks to the movies.
Five myths about hacking you probably believe, thanks to the movies.
The article is focused on hacking, but it really illustrates the general difference between reality and the movies in almost all things. You simply have to ask the same questions about almost every other Hollywood generalization to find out how far from reality those generalizations are.
Five myths about hacking you probably believe, thanks to the movies.
The article is focused on hacking, but it really illustrates the general difference between reality and the movies in almost all things. You simply have to ask the same questions about almost every other Hollywood generalization to find out how far from reality those generalizations are.
Why it costs so much to buy WiFi on an airplane.
Why it costs so much to buy WiFi on an airplane.
Why it costs so much to buy WiFi on an airplane.
The man who invented the first programmable computer.
The man who invented the first programmable computer.
The man who invented the first programmable computer.
It appears the Easter Island statues did walk the eleven miles from the quarry where they were carved.
It appears the Easter Island statues did walk the eleven miles from the quarry where they were carved — as believed by natives. With video.
It appears the Easter Island statues did walk the eleven miles from the quarry where they were carved — as believed by natives. With video.
A three man crew took a Chinese submersible to a depth of 22,800 feet in the Mariana Trench earlier this week, the record for that nation.
China isn’t only going up: A three man crew took a Chinese submersible to a depth of 22,800 feet in the Mariana Trench earlier this week, the record for that nation.
China isn’t only going up: A three man crew took a Chinese submersible to a depth of 22,800 feet in the Mariana Trench earlier this week, the record for that nation.
An IBM supercomputer today became the fastest in the world.
The answer is 43: An IBM supercomputer today became the fastest in the world.
The answer is 43: An IBM supercomputer today became the fastest in the world.
Fifteen picturesque shipwrecks from around the world.
Fifteen picturesque shipwrecks from around the world.
Fifteen picturesque shipwrecks from around the world.
A Japanese dentist has invented a self-stirring cookpot that also saves energy.
A Japanese dentist has invented a self-stirring cookpot that also saves energy. Video below the fold.
» Read more
A Japanese dentist has invented a self-stirring cookpot that also saves energy. Video below the fold.
» Read more