BrainStuff
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Interesting Reading…
by Marshall Brain | March 4, 2009
Surprise Asteroid Buzzed Earth Monday – “Discovered only days ago, asteroid 2009 DD45 zipped between our planet and the moon at 13:44 universal time (8:44 a.m. ET). The asteroid was moving at about 12 miles (20 kilometers) a second when it was closest to Earth…”
13 Unsolved scientific puzzles – “Author Michael Brooks has investigated some of the most puzzling anomalies of modern science, those intractable problems that refuse to conform to the theories. Here he counts down the 13 strangest…”
Bill gates Won’t Let His Kids Have iPods – “But Bill Gates’ kids aren’t allowed to have any Apple products, the Microsoft founder’s wife tells Vogue magazine…”
Planes Under Pressure: Glowing Paint Reveals Flight Physics – “Pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) looks unassuming to the naked eye. But under short-spectrum light and with special filtering cameras, it can sport a rainbow of information. The paint is sprayed—much like automotive paint—onto models, such as the one here being tested at Arnold Air Force Base near Tullahoma, Tenn. The paint is removed with a solvent after an aircraft or prototype is wind tunnel tested…”
Going Organic – “Just when you thought you’d gotten a handle on LEDs, along come OLEDs, or organic light-emitting diodes. OLEDs have been around since the 1980s but only recently received widespread attention for their potential to create a new generation of incredibly thin, bright, and energy-efficient televisions. Now the technology is winning converts among industrial and lighting designers, and may soon become a common element of people’s everyday environments….”
Trust Your Heart: Emotions May Be More Reliable When Making Choices – “When choosing a flavor of ice cream, an item of clothing, or even a home, you might be better off letting your emotions guide you, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research…”
Helping to keep government’s prying eyes at bay – “The Electronic Frontier Foundation today has taken the wraps off a new Web site designed to help you keep the government from taking the wraps off your personal communications and stored data…”
The SmartBolus System To Monitor The Health Of Dairy Cows – “The SmartBolusTM system enables several health monitoring capabilities for dairy herds. Because the data is collected internally, you don’t have to worry about sensors getting bumped and knocked off the animal…”
Google Next Victim Of Creative Destruction? – “dodobird.jpgThe web has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to evolve and leave embedded franchises struggling or in the dirt. Prodigy, AOL were early candidates. Today Yahoo and Ebay are struggling, and I think Google is tipping down the same path. This cycle of creative destruction — more recently framed as the innovators dilemma — is both fascinating and hugely dislocating for businesses. To see this immense franchises melt before your very eyes — is hard to say the least…”
Revolutionary proton therapy cures boy, 5, of brain tumour – ” A boy of five has become the first British child to undergo a revolutionary procedure to cure a brain tumour…”
My stroke of insight – “Jill Bolte Taylor got a research opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: She had a massive stroke, and watched as her brain functions — motion, speech, self-awareness — shut down one by one. An astonishing story…”
Power-Generating Glass: Windows of the Future – “It seems to be full of contradictions: a seemingly dematerialized surface that generates power and stores light. Rainbow Solar Inc. (RSi) has produced the transparent, photovoltaic-glass window which generates 80-250 watts of electricity. Although this is not the first “solar window” (see Suntech See Thru and NanaPower Window Technology) it appears that RSi has taken a big step forward…”
A Solar Dream from Israeli Kibbutzim – “The persistent sunshine in southern Israel and the government’s desire for energy independence have Arava Power poised to cash in…”
The Cameratruck: Shaun Irving and The World’s Largest Traveling Camera – “With an old mail truck purchased via eBay and lenses from old military surplus and a submarine periscope Shaun Irving travels around taking large-format photos that are not just stylish and intriguing but also 3,000(!) times bigger than the typical 35mm negative. As a matter of fact, The Cameratruck is not just a fascinating art and reuse project but also the world’s largest traveling camera…”
Obama announces Shuttle ends and Orion begins in 2010 – “A new manned space era is now quickly in the official transition stage for NASA as new U.S. president Barack Obama announced that the old Space Shuttle fleet will definitely be retired in 2010 so the development of the new Orion capsule fleet can move forward in the most efficient way possible…”
Why Hair Goes Gray – “Scientists may have figured out why hair turns gray, and their finding may open the door to new anti-graying strategies…”
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