Watch this crazy Chinese hacker turns his laptop into a giant touchscreen cellphone. I'm not sure if this is real or not, but I want to believe it is:
Now, if only Andre the Giant was alive. [Motherboard]
It probably won't result is as many hilarious candids as Street View, but the rumored "Google Store View" sure sounds handy. Presumably, it will eventually let you check out the interior of any participating retailer through Google Maps.
The report comes from Search Engine Land, which was contacted by a New York company called Oh Nuts. Apparently the almond-monger recently got a visit from camera-toting Google guys, who photographed their entire store, six feet at a time, in every direction.
So essentially, you'd be able to see a storefront in Street View, click on it, and check out the interior for inventory, cleanliness, layout, etc. Not bad! Although a project of this scale would take a looooong time to roll out.
Google's officially issued a no-comment non-denial of the sort that early-stage projects like this usually get. We'll find out eventually, I suppose, especially if any other nut stores out there come forward with tales of Google guy visits past. [Search Engine Land via Consumerist]
The primary reactions in photosynthesis—the first steps in plants’ conversion of sunlight energy into energy stored in carbohydrates—are incredibly efficient. And in a new study in Nature, chemists reveal that they may have found part of the reason why: quantum mechanics.
A couple years ago, scientists first showed in bacteria proteins that the electrons were moving according to a quantum mechanical phenomenon called coherence, rather than abiding by the classical laws of physics. But where those early experiments had been cooled to 77 kelvins (–196 degrees Celsius)—this experiment was the first conducted at room temperature, 294 K, to replicate such effects [Scientific American]. Thus, the new study, which was done on marine algae, suggests this phenomenon can occur in a living biological system.
Quantum coherence occurs when an electron interacts with more than one molecule at a time, entering a multi-state kind of existence. Study leader Greg Scholes explains this quantum trick in a slightly simpler way: “The analogy I like is if you have three ways of driving home through rush hour traffic. On any given day, you take only one. You don’t know if the other routes would be quicker or slower. But in quantum mechanics, you can take all three of these routes simultaneously. You don’t specify where you are until you arrive, so you always choose the quickest route” [Wired.com].
To see if this was happening in their test algae, the scientists targeted lasers onto antenna proteins, which play the role of routing the solar energy the plant receives to places where the photosynthetic reactions are taking place. The incredibly short laser bursts sent electrons spinning that the team could track. Sure enough, the energy passed simultaneously through multiple pathways, the team says, showing coherence at work.
The researchers can’t yet say how widespread this trick is in the plant kingdom. But if coherence happens in many different plants, it could help to explain why photosynthesis is so efficient. “That vibrating electron could put some feelers out and see which path to take,” Scholes says [Science News].
Related Content:
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Image: NASA
I’ve been watching the video from ScienceOnline2010 on ScienceInTheTriangle’s youtube channel, where I also found this short interview I did last summer with Sabine Vollmer about Unscientific America. This is part 2 of our informal discussion, which took place after my first UA talk ever at Quail Ridge Books and Music:
Looking for a none returning compresed air valve The air valve that will back up 5000 psi adjust from 0 to 800 psi --- needs to cycle 15 to 20 times a sec. - has to be miny as small as possibe but still do the job - we need the burst of Air in the millions of cycles --Can any one help on this Geo.
Admit it. As confusing and impractical of a concept that the Gesture Cube may be, If Apple had announced this instead of the iPad, the world would have gone freaking nuts. [Gesture Cube via CrunchGear]
This week's image:
Be sure to vote for your favorite caption!
The right way forward on space exploration, OpEd, James Cameron, Washington Post
"... the president and NASA have crafted a bold plan that truly makes possible this nation's dreams for space. Their plan calls for the full embrace of commercial solutions for transporting astronauts to low Earth orbit after the space shuttle is retired this year. This frees NASA to do what it does best: deep space exploration, both robotic and human. By selecting commercial solutions for transportation to the international space station, NASA is empowering American free enterprise to do what it does best: develop technology quickly and efficiently in a competitive environment."
Keith's note: The director of the highest grossing movie of all time - a movie overtly about space exploration, a former member of the NASA Advisory Council, writes a glowing OpEd in a prominent national newspaper in support of the new White House's space policy - and yet NASA cannot find a way to make mention of it - any where? Not even a single Twitter posting? At a time when a lot of people are hammering NASA and the Administration over this new space policy, one would think that NASA would be looking for good news wherever they could find it. Guess not.
James Cameron Endorses Commercial Spaceflight, New NASA Plan, Commercial Spaceflight Federation
I love South African Kulula airlines' new airplane paint jobs. Called Flying 101, it shows all the elements of the aircraft over its entire surface, from the nose cone to the tail's rudder, going through the gallery and the toilet.
It's not as detailed as I would like it to be, but it looks good. [PSFK via Swissmiss]
In
January was rough. Heavy rains in the San Francisco area resulted in our finding the weak link in our roof. Busted a 28inch glue-lam and opened up a 50'x100' sky-light. And then it continued to pour for a week.
We got lucky though. It missed my ammonia piping by 4' on one side an
Prostate cancer has a number of symptoms, and it should be remembered that the most typical prostate cancer symptoms and those of a non-cancerous enlarged prostate are identical. As a result, medical advice should be sought as soon as possible on identification of any such symptoms. These symptoms include the sudden need to rush to the lavatory in order to pass water and also a difficulty in passing water. There may also be instances of passing water more often than would otherwise be usual-particularly during the course of the night. Those so afflicted may also experience pain when passing water and may also find that there is blood in their urine-and also in their semen.
The symptoms themselves are often as a result of the growth pressing on the urethra (the tube that transports urine), causing a blockage to the flow of urine. This is true in both prostate cancer cases-as well as non-cancerous enlarged prostates. It is, as stated earlier, vital for those experiencing any such symptoms to consult a doctor as soon as possible. Also, it should be remembered that in its very early stages, prostate cancer does not, in the normal course of events, result in any symptoms whatsoever, as any prostate growth at this point is generally too small to affect the flow of urine in any appreciable or noticeable way. It should also be stated that many prostate enlargements are noon-cancerous, and can be treated without fuss or worry.
Enlargement of the prostate is more common in older men, and is one of the markers of growing older, as is the need to pass urine more often at night. Also, cancers of the prostate will often develop slowly in older men, and, as a result, the symptoms may develop over the course of many years and can be fairly mild. Primary symptoms can occur when the cells from prostate cancer spread to the bones, which can cause back, hip or pelvis pain (or pain in any bony area of the body). The medical term for this is secondary prostate cancer. Men may also experience other symptoms, such as difficulty in obtaining and maintaining an erection-especially where there existed no prior problem. There may also be symptoms associated with other forms of cancer too, such as sudden weight loss without trying-especially in older men. you may also experience extreme fatigue, experience pain or burning when passing water, pain and swelling i the lower extremities and a loss of appetite.
It is vital then to consult your GP, who will understand the warning signs and red flags, and will, if need be, refer you to a specialist to undergo tests. You may be offered a PSA blood test as well as a rectal exam. Remember to ask your GP to explain all of the tests and reasons as clearly a possible. Get as full an understanding as you can.
Lumerical Solutions has donated FDTD Solutions Engine licenses to ScotGrid, one of the largest grid computing sites in the United Kingdom. The donated licenses will enable photonics researchers at academic institutions to perform large-scale simulations of devices such as silicon photonics components, solid-state light emitters, and thin-film solar cells.
Neue Farbstoffsonden erhoehen mikroskopische Aufloesung.
Infineum UK Limited along with 14 other partners have secured funding from the Framework Programme 7 of the EC to start the collaborative project AddNano on 1 October 2009. The strong partnership from industry and academia across Europe and Israel, will work on the development of new formulation lubricants with improved performance.
MIT researchers have demonstrated the first laser built from germanium that can emit wavelengths of light useful for optical communications. It's also the first germanium laser to operate at room temperature.
ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia are jointly funding the Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES) at Ruhr University Bochum. The new center is also cooperating with the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research. It will focus on a discipline which is regarded as the basis for numerous high-tech applications.
COMPLOIDS will focus on adding complexity to colloids. By integrating the experimental, computational and theoretical research programs of the member groups, the network will advance the state-of-the-art of colloidal science via the training of a cohort of graduate students and junior researchers.
LayTec has now developed the ultimate temperature calibration tool for its EpiTT, EpiTwinTT and EpiCurveTT tools: the AbsoluT. The new instrument is designed for on-site use in AIXTRON Planetary and CRIUS reactors. It performs temperature calibration inside the MOCVD chamber through the original viewport without any sophisticated alignment and with unrivaled accuracy.
In a deal that will generate economical new process options for the 3D integration market, Alchimer S.A., a provider of nanometric deposition technology for semiconductor interconnects and through-silicon vias, and KPM Tech Co. Ltd., a manufacturer of plating materials and systems, today announced a multi-level collaboration that gives KPM Tech exclusive rights to produce chemicals in Korea for Alchimer's technology.
Scientists at Michelman, Inc., a global supplier of water-based surface modifiers, polymers and coatings, are using a rotational rheometer from Malvern Instruments to tailor products for the exacting demands of the company's diverse customer base.
