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Monthly Archives: April 2008
Tortoises in the fridge
If tortoises become too warm during hibernation they are in danger of waking up and then not being able to sustain themselves. So Shirley Neely of the Jersey Tortoise Sanctuary keeps them at a constant temperature in her fridge.
Tagged tortoise
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New solar power efficiency record
Sandia National Laboratories and Stirling Energy Systems have set a new solar power efficiency record of 31.25%. Whilst solar power is only suitable for use in a very small number of areas and doesn’t offer the continuity of service or reliability … Continue reading
Tagged power, solar
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The Universe is 13.73 billion years old
Data from a space probe called WMAP have enabled scientists to calculate the best yet value for the age of the Universe: 13.73 ± 0.12 billion years old.
Tagged cosmology, space
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Anechoic chamber
An anechoic chamber is one in which there are no echoes, they are used for making extremely sensitive sound measurements. Car manufacturers use them to test how much noise an engine makes at different speeds. The military use them to … Continue reading
Tagged sound
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Phoenix robot
Phoenix is a multi-legged robot that is capable of some pretty unique moves: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqWKGh4XLbk[/youtube] There are lots more videos at the Trossen Robotics Community.
Tagged robot
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10 things you don’t know about the Milky Way
The Bad Astronomy website has a great story about 10 Things You Didn’t Know about your own galaxy — The Milky Way.
Tagged astronomy, space
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The earliest recording
The International Herald Tribune has a story about the recent discovery of a sound recording that predates Edison’s famous “Mary had a little lamb” recording by more than 10 years!
Tagged sound
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Darvaza flaming crater
The Darvaza flaming crater in the Turkmenistan desert has been burning for over 50 years. The crater is 60 metres across and over 20 metres deep. By night thousands of moths and spiders gather, attracted by the light and heat. There are more … Continue reading
Tagged natural world
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Moon buggy
NASA’s Goddard Space Centre is working on the next generation of Moon buggy. The buggy costs two million dollars and has a top speed of 15mph!
Tagged moon
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Fireworks research
Goverment researchers in Germany are working on firework safety. Part of that work involves stuffing a shipping container full of fireworks and then setting fire to it. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nC0FetkeqA[/youtube] Not a bad job if you can get it!
Airbag suit
Dainese has developed an “airbag suit” for use by motorbike riders. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo9Vlt5tGwY[/youtube] The suit provides head and neck support that can stop a rider from becoming paralysed.
Striped iceberg
The Daily Mail (eurgh!) has some fantastic photographs of striped icebergs.
John Archibald Wheeler Dies
The eminent theoretical physicist John Archibald Wheeler who coined the terms black hole, wormhole and quantum foam, has died aged 96. Wheeler was a driving force in the Manhattan (A-bomb) and Matterhorn (H-bomb) projects and collaborated with Einstein on unified … Continue reading
Tagged death
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