http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110218111709.htm
A regular uptake of the trace element lithium can considerably promote longevity. This is the result of a new study by scientists of Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
Incredible work being done in the field. A good read if you can spare a few minutes. In other news, I've had more bad news involving a close family member, so I apologize for not updating yesterday. The Propulsion Algorithm might be sketchy for the next couple of days so bare with me. Thank you.
-Riley
Friday, February 18, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Laser-Powered Lightcraft "At the Cusp of Commercial Reality"
http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-amp-space/article/2009-07/high-powered-lightcraft-experiments-hint-future-space-travel
Riding a Beam of Light: Kick back and relax for your one-hour commute from New York City to Tokyo. Media Fusion; Courtesy of NASA
Astounding to say the least. Using laser technology to move light weight craft to the stars is an incredible idea. Scientists are also looking into the possibility of using this technology for ground based travel. If more trials are successful in the coming year, expect a revolution in travel. Except an awesome future. Now if we could only produce the necessary electricity for this laser cheaply and with low/ no emissions. Anyway, what are your thoughts on this subject? Please comment below!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Vaccine Against Cocaine Making Progress
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/69024/title/Vaccine_against_cocaine_makes_headway
Would you take a vaccine for cocaine, heroine, or even meth? Sure, the benefits seem to outweigh any risks, but I do know that sometimes cocaine is used in surgery as a topical anesthetic. It could create problems in the future because of this. However, helping the brain resist harmful drugs could be the cornerstone our civilization has been waiting for. To help mankind finally, once and for all, overcome it's vices. What do you think about this? Please share your thoughts below!
Would you take a vaccine for cocaine, heroine, or even meth? Sure, the benefits seem to outweigh any risks, but I do know that sometimes cocaine is used in surgery as a topical anesthetic. It could create problems in the future because of this. However, helping the brain resist harmful drugs could be the cornerstone our civilization has been waiting for. To help mankind finally, once and for all, overcome it's vices. What do you think about this? Please share your thoughts below!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Water Powered Jet Pack!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC4988JqEOk
Talk about innovation! Taking the water and literally using it to fly is an incredible idea. Don't go buying just yet however, the price tag is estimated to be around 50,000. Still, if this technology could be mass produced, imagine the consequences it would have on transportation, search and rescue, and so on. I'm also curious, how high in the air could this invention take you? I would think that even increasing the thrust of the machine and the suction tubes distance, a limit would have to be reached eventually. In any event, I hope you enjoyed the video! Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!
Talk about innovation! Taking the water and literally using it to fly is an incredible idea. Don't go buying just yet however, the price tag is estimated to be around 50,000. Still, if this technology could be mass produced, imagine the consequences it would have on transportation, search and rescue, and so on. I'm also curious, how high in the air could this invention take you? I would think that even increasing the thrust of the machine and the suction tubes distance, a limit would have to be reached eventually. In any event, I hope you enjoyed the video! Please tell me what you think in the comments section below!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Researchers Produce World's First Programmable Nanoprocessor
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-02-world-programmable-nanoprocessor.html
"This work represents a quantum jump forward in the complexity and function of circuits built from the bottom up, and thus demonstrates that this bottom-up paradigm, which is distinct from the way commercial circuits are built today, can yield nanoprocessors and other integrated systems of the future," says principal investigator Charles M. Lieber, who holds a joint appointment at Harvard's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
The work was enabled by advances in the design and synthesis of nanowire building blocks. These nanowire components now demonstrate the reproducibility needed to build functional electronic circuits, and also do so at a size and material complexity difficult to achieve by traditional top-down approaches.
Moreover, the tiled architecture is fully scalable, allowing the assembly of much larger and ever more functional nanoprocessors.
"For the past 10 to 15 years, researchers working with nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and other nanostructures have struggled to build all but the most basic circuits, in large part due to variations in properties of individual nanostructures," says Lieber, the Mark Hyman Professor of Chemistry. "We have shown that this limitation can now be overcome and are excited about prospects of exploiting the bottom-up paradigm of biology in building future electronics."
An additional feature of the advance is that the circuits in the nanoprocessor operate using very little power, even allowing for their miniscule size, because their component nanowires contain transistor switches that are "nonvolatile."
This means that unlike transistors in conventional microcomputer circuits, once the nanowire transistors are programmed, they do not require any additional expenditure of electrical power for maintaining memory.
"Because of their very small size and very low power requirements, these new nanoprocessor circuits are building blocks that can control and enable an entirely new class of much smaller, lighter weight electronic sensors and consumer electronics," says co-author Shamik Das, the lead engineer in MITRE's Nanosystems Group.
"This new nanoprocessor represents a major milestone toward realizing the vision of a nanocomputer that was first articulated more than 50 years ago by physicist Richard Feynman," says James Ellenbogen, a chief scientist at MITRE.
Alphanumeric article! Additionally, I'm still tweaking the music and the format for all of my future posts. Should I just axe the music altogether? Leave your thoughts in the comments section!
This is a false-color scanning electron microscopy image of a programmable nanowire nanoprocessor super-imposed on a schematic nanoprocessor circuit architecture. Credit: Photo courtesy of Charles M. Lieber, Harvard University
Engineers and scientists collaborating at Harvard University and the MITRE Corporation have developed and demonstrated the world's first programmable nanoprocessor.
The groundbreaking prototype computer system, described in a paper appearing today in the journal Nature, represents a significant step forward in the complexity of computer circuits that can be assembled from synthesized nanometer-scale components.
It also represents an advance because these ultra-tiny nanocircuits can be programmed electronically to perform a number of basic arithmetic and logical functions."This work represents a quantum jump forward in the complexity and function of circuits built from the bottom up, and thus demonstrates that this bottom-up paradigm, which is distinct from the way commercial circuits are built today, can yield nanoprocessors and other integrated systems of the future," says principal investigator Charles M. Lieber, who holds a joint appointment at Harvard's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
The work was enabled by advances in the design and synthesis of nanowire building blocks. These nanowire components now demonstrate the reproducibility needed to build functional electronic circuits, and also do so at a size and material complexity difficult to achieve by traditional top-down approaches.
Moreover, the tiled architecture is fully scalable, allowing the assembly of much larger and ever more functional nanoprocessors.
"For the past 10 to 15 years, researchers working with nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and other nanostructures have struggled to build all but the most basic circuits, in large part due to variations in properties of individual nanostructures," says Lieber, the Mark Hyman Professor of Chemistry. "We have shown that this limitation can now be overcome and are excited about prospects of exploiting the bottom-up paradigm of biology in building future electronics."
An additional feature of the advance is that the circuits in the nanoprocessor operate using very little power, even allowing for their miniscule size, because their component nanowires contain transistor switches that are "nonvolatile."
This means that unlike transistors in conventional microcomputer circuits, once the nanowire transistors are programmed, they do not require any additional expenditure of electrical power for maintaining memory.
"Because of their very small size and very low power requirements, these new nanoprocessor circuits are building blocks that can control and enable an entirely new class of much smaller, lighter weight electronic sensors and consumer electronics," says co-author Shamik Das, the lead engineer in MITRE's Nanosystems Group.
"This new nanoprocessor represents a major milestone toward realizing the vision of a nanocomputer that was first articulated more than 50 years ago by physicist Richard Feynman," says James Ellenbogen, a chief scientist at MITRE.
Alphanumeric article! Additionally, I'm still tweaking the music and the format for all of my future posts. Should I just axe the music altogether? Leave your thoughts in the comments section!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Secret Powers of Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oIiH7BLmg&feature=related
Within this video I found a treasure trove of information that was extremely helpful to me. Understanding time and having it drawn out in such a way (no pun intended) can really help build up your character and potential. I promise that after watching this video, you will, at the very least, learn a little bit about yourself and the people around you. I myself am more of a paste oriented type of person, meaning I usually look at my past history to make judgments and to relive memories. It will also inform you about what type of ethic you have. Alright, enough of my raving, enjoy the video!
-Riley Courter
Within this video I found a treasure trove of information that was extremely helpful to me. Understanding time and having it drawn out in such a way (no pun intended) can really help build up your character and potential. I promise that after watching this video, you will, at the very least, learn a little bit about yourself and the people around you. I myself am more of a paste oriented type of person, meaning I usually look at my past history to make judgments and to relive memories. It will also inform you about what type of ethic you have. Alright, enough of my raving, enjoy the video!
-Riley Courter
Friday, February 11, 2011
Don't Play With Your Food And Inhale It!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1350817/Le-Whaf-Now-theres-food-dont-eat-INHALE.html?ITO=1490
Say, are you one of those people that hate chewing? Hate swallowing? Can find the time to sit down and absorb essential vitamins and minerals? Try inhaling your food! This interesting design is something out of the science fiction. Imagine bars that server alcoholic mists, coffee shops that offer caffeine mists to jump start your day, and even hydration mists in order to prevent dehydration in areas where heat is a constant problem.
Now, according to this story, the 10,000 test subjects of this misting device received no bad symptoms and actually enjoyed the device. Even if this is a revolutionary new invention that will forever change how we eat and drink, I still don't think you can replace solid foods and liquid...well, liquid. Still, this contraption is a cool, new idea to toy around with in your mind.
Even if this is a new and revolutionary idea in terms of consumption, I wonder if they can do anything about Broccoli?
Say, are you one of those people that hate chewing? Hate swallowing? Can find the time to sit down and absorb essential vitamins and minerals? Try inhaling your food! This interesting design is something out of the science fiction. Imagine bars that server alcoholic mists, coffee shops that offer caffeine mists to jump start your day, and even hydration mists in order to prevent dehydration in areas where heat is a constant problem.
Now, according to this story, the 10,000 test subjects of this misting device received no bad symptoms and actually enjoyed the device. Even if this is a revolutionary new invention that will forever change how we eat and drink, I still don't think you can replace solid foods and liquid...well, liquid. Still, this contraption is a cool, new idea to toy around with in your mind.
Even if this is a new and revolutionary idea in terms of consumption, I wonder if they can do anything about Broccoli?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Kevin
This morning I found out that one of my old high school friends, Kevin McWain, took his own life. Kevin, I didn't know you very well in middle school, high school, or at the theater. Even so, the memories I have of you I will treasure. I remember the first day of 7th grade gym class when we were running laps around the field. You hurt your leg and had to fall behind, so I fell back and ran with you to the end. We didn't talk to each other through this trek or after it, but that's my fault. I've never really been well off socially. I remember at the theater we had some great times. I would put a mop handle through the back of those red vests they made us wear and pretend I was stuck and you would get a good laugh out of that. Sometimes, to my surprise, you would hide behind those giant black curtains and wait for me to do my rounds. When I would get close, you would jump out, yelling at the top of your lungs. Needless to say, I was petrified, but it was all in good fun. I'm sorry we couldn't keep in touch, but life sometimes takes us in different directions. I wish I had gotten to know you better. You were a good guy Kevin and I'll never forget you.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Universal Flu Vaccine May Soon Be Reality
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/02/early-success-for-universal-fl.html
Now, when I initially read this article, I was a little skeptical. This sounds like the end all be of vaccines, and a major victory for the tens of millions of people it would save. Let's go a little deeper into this story, shall we? According to this article, this vaccine would be able to combat and cure all strains of the influenza virus. From what I've read on this page and several other sources, human trials were indeed effective. Needless to say, THIS IS INCREDIBLE!
While most flu vaccines rev up antibodies in our own bodies, this super vaccine, otherwise known as MVA, uses the bodies white blood cells to help cull the thread of the flu virus in humans. With successful trials in animals and humans, I think it's safe to say that MVA is going to change the world. Stay tuned for more! Please follow me and comment! Thank you!
-Riley Courter
Now, when I initially read this article, I was a little skeptical. This sounds like the end all be of vaccines, and a major victory for the tens of millions of people it would save. Let's go a little deeper into this story, shall we? According to this article, this vaccine would be able to combat and cure all strains of the influenza virus. From what I've read on this page and several other sources, human trials were indeed effective. Needless to say, THIS IS INCREDIBLE!
While most flu vaccines rev up antibodies in our own bodies, this super vaccine, otherwise known as MVA, uses the bodies white blood cells to help cull the thread of the flu virus in humans. With successful trials in animals and humans, I think it's safe to say that MVA is going to change the world. Stay tuned for more! Please follow me and comment! Thank you!
-Riley Courter
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Skin Gun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXO_ApjKPaI
A gun that...fires human skin? No, you didn't misread that This rather simple idea is backed by stem cell research, or more specifically, the stem cells from the victim. The 'skin gun' takes actual stem cells grown over the course of a couple hours and sprays them, say on a 2nd degree burn, and the burn is completely gone after only a few days. The implications of this technology are MIND BOGGLING! Imagine all the people that will be saved the trials of living day to day with a terrible burn injury, now imagine all of them completely healed.
Since this is going to be my first post in a long line of scientific related topics, I thought this video, this amazing story in particular, is the perfect example of why I created this blog. Not only will your life change by looking at the video, getting my readers to understand the scope of these advancements is my primary goal. Basically, to bring you the best and only the best scientific stories from around the web. I hope you will comment and stay with me!
I feel the best is yet to come.
-Riley Courter
A gun that...fires human skin? No, you didn't misread that This rather simple idea is backed by stem cell research, or more specifically, the stem cells from the victim. The 'skin gun' takes actual stem cells grown over the course of a couple hours and sprays them, say on a 2nd degree burn, and the burn is completely gone after only a few days. The implications of this technology are MIND BOGGLING! Imagine all the people that will be saved the trials of living day to day with a terrible burn injury, now imagine all of them completely healed.
Since this is going to be my first post in a long line of scientific related topics, I thought this video, this amazing story in particular, is the perfect example of why I created this blog. Not only will your life change by looking at the video, getting my readers to understand the scope of these advancements is my primary goal. Basically, to bring you the best and only the best scientific stories from around the web. I hope you will comment and stay with me!
I feel the best is yet to come.
-Riley Courter
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