Nasa Wants To Build Spaceships in Space With Using 3D Printers

NASA has appointed Made in Space to build a robotic 3D printer for the ISS. The company is certainly leading the way when it comes to providing equipment for off Earth printing. The contract is worth $20 million and is part of an ongoing program that is paying for space technology and will be beneficial to both governments and commercial ventures.

It is hoped that the project will allow the development of the technology that will enable 3D printing and assembly with no great input from the astronauts. Large space structures will be assembled and complex structures can be put together ones the system is up and running.

The first phase is expected to be completed in 2018 and if this machine is successful the next one will be worked on and this will be bigger. The future model is expected to have 3 robotic arms and they would be able to catch things sent up from Earth and will also collect pieces that are from decommissioned aircraft and recycle them.

_elg6172 — The International Space Station’s 3-D printer has manufactured the first 3-D printed object in space, paving the way to future long-term space expeditions.

The main aim for NASA is to build spacecraft and base stations actually in orbit rather than having to build them on Earth then launch them. Archinaut will be capable of including the makers of satellites and up and coming space platforms.

Prices will drop when it is possible to harvest matter from asteroids, Mars, and the moon. Companies such as Planetary Resources have been formed purely for this purpose and there are some big name investors including Larry Paige CEO of Alphabet and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson.

A Company From Denmark Find New Ways to Turn Ocean Waves to Energy

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Mehmet Hatipoglu

Danish company Wavestar is working towards using the oceans power and is producing a machine to do it. It is hoped that the 1-megawatt machine is ready for use by 2017. It is necessary to stop relying on fossil fuels and replace them will clean energy. If it is renewable, then that is so much the better according to co-founder Niels Hansen.

There are 20 floaters that move along with the waves, and the machine will use them to power a generator and the intention is to have up to 6 megawatts coming from each machine, and this means they will power 4,000 houses each. Tidal power dates back to the middle ages when grain was ground by moon power, and an advantage with tidal power is its predictability. It is easy to tell when it will be it’s most useful, and it is also much stronger than the wind.

As water is denser, the machine will adapt to the conditions and floaters will rise if the weather is too bad. Keld and Niels Hansen got their idea when sailing back in 2000 and purchased the rights to the machine in 2003. Testing started at Aalborg University in 2004 and according to Tidal Energy Today, larger machines are being tested.

The university has a number of other projects underway including Seawave Slot-cone Generator and Wave Dragon. All energy companies are hoping that it will be their machine that can be a commercialized wave energy machine.

Recent Developments of Wave Energy Utilization

IBM Will Use Quantum Computing In Cloud Service

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Andrew Thomas

IBM are hoping to bring forward the development of quantum computing by providing a cloud service for researchers. It is a brave move and as part of the scheme they are allowing groups that are interested in the use of a five-qubit quantum computer. At present, the New York IBM research lab is home to the hardware and IBM will set up a programming interface and give access to a quantum computer that will let experimental programmes be run.

A big problem is going to be the cooling system as this needs to be large and has to be kept extremely cold. There is also the issue of the amount of information that is stored plus the fact that it is not static means that it is hard to carry out analysis.

IBM Wil Use Quantum Computing In Cloud Service — Jerry M. Chow Ph.D. manager of theory of quantum computing and information at IBM Research inspects cables connecting the vast array of microwave equipment powering quantum computing processors in the lab.

Pund-IT Inc. analyst Charles King said that there are some essential differences between quantum and conventional computers including the use of qubits that can be off, on or both. At present, the machine runs five qubits, but it would need to be 50-100 qubits before it outran superfast computers already in use.

IBM are still using silicone to there are blocks faced before consistent use is achieved. Earl Joseph of IDC believes the biggest hurdles will be putting together the computer and then working out how to programme it. He added that other companies are working on quantum computers including Google and NASA Ames and think others will join in over the next few years. Hopefully, a team will be established, and research can go forward.

Aston Martin’s New Twin-Turbo V12 Engine

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Andrew Thomas

Aston Martin has done well out of the V-12 since it was produced back in 1999. Engineers at Gaydon produced an exciting vehicle, gave it a sharp throttle response along with a stirring soundtrack. It does, unfortunately, have a downside, and this is the fact that it uses a lot of fuel when efforts are being made to cut back on gas consumption. There are a replacement engine and Brian Fitzsimons the chief engineer at Aston Martin explained that there had to be modifications as the green agenda and changes in the law meant that it could not stay as they were.

The new engine has a couple of twin-scroll turbochargers as well as retained port fuel injection. The valves operate on six deactivated cylinders and don’t shut them down as some brands do. As the engine switches periodically, concerning the cylinders to be deactivated when loads are low and the engine is prepared for stop-start technology. As a further fuel economy measure, OW-20 oil is used.

Aston Martin's New Twin-Turbo V12 Engine

Rather than select a dry-sump system, they have stuck with and optimised the wet-sump one so that it can perform be effective when driving on track. As it was designed alongside the engine, both were tested together in Italy at a high-speed track in Nardo.

In November 2012, Aston Martin tried out the vehicle and was impressed with the performance. As a result, the project was given the go-ahead in 2013 and by May 2014 was ready for tooling.

Story Via; Car and Driver / Photos: DW Burnett/Puppyknuckles

Researches Turned Skin Cells into Heart and Brain Cells using Drugs

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Andrew Thomas

Skin cells have been turned into heart cells with the use of chemicals rather than genes being added. Hopefully, cells will be regenerated in the future with drugs rather than the controversial genetic engineering. Scientists at the Roddenberry Centre for Stem Cell Biology used tie chemicals to alter the cells to brain or heart cells.

According to Sheng Ding Ph.D., the aim is to use altered cells to treat Parkinson’s and heart failure by letting the body regenerate their own cells. It is an attempt to replicate the actions of salamanders and newts who are able to regenerate their parts. Heart transplants are not easy, and it will be a great improvement of the hearts’ own cells can be replicated.

Researches Turned Skin Cells into Heart and Brain Cells using Drugs — A human heart cell that was chemically reprogrammed from a human skin cell. [Image: Nan Cao, PhD, Gladstone Institutes]

Nine drugs have been used in the process, and it was a trial and error that got the scientists to this point. Further drugs were used to turn the cells than into heart muscle cells. 97% of the cells take on the characteristics of heart cells and hormones receive the correct response. When implanted into a mouse, the cells took on the traits of heart cells.

Ideally, this is the way to treat heart failure in the future and reprogramming a person’s cells will be the safest way to do it. A second lot of tests found that it took ten days for the cells to rejuvenate and change, then the cells changed from one type to another. The study showed that chemicals can change the mechanical make-up of cells.

Story Via, GLADSTONE INSTITUTES

Is Nuclear the Only Proven Low-Carbon Technology That Can Provide Continuous Power?

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Andrew Thomas

Amber Rudd, the Energy Secretary, has said that the UK taxpayer will not be liable if Hinckley Point C is cancelled. If EDF ( Environmental Defense Fund ) does withdraw their support, the question is being asked: “who will foot the bill?” Costs in Finland and France have escalated, and the same could happen in the UK.

Once the electricity is produced, there is still the waste to deal with so who will pay for that as it is not going to be cheap. There could be hundreds of tonnes of spent nuclear fuel to deal with.

The idea that the public purse would not be used is not possible, and the comments made by the Energy Secretary are not helpful. It has been suggested that the new builds should be cancelled now before money is wasted and the local community is left to pick up the pieces. This is the opinion of the Chairperson of Together Against Sizewell C, Pete Wilkinson.

Despite the remarks from Amber Rudd claiming that new nuclear is the only way to have continual power, she is accused of being misleading. Woody biomass is at present being used as the clean alternative to burning coal at the Drax station. Real Ventures are planning to build two new biomass plants. One will be in Hull and the other in Immingham. They will be heat and power plants, and building will begin as soon as there is government funding provided according to CEO Ray Tucker.

It is hoped Amber Rudd will see sense and turn to various types of power.

Story Via; The Guardian / Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The Link Between LSD and Music

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Mehmet Hatipoglu

LSD and music are always linked, and it is now known that music alters the experience of taking the drug. Imperial College neuroscience student Mendel Kaelen has been studying music and the drug, and a big challenge is the type of music.

It has been Mendel Kaelens job to set the ideal playlist for a trip, and as it must fulfill research regulations, it has not been easy. The intent is to find a therapeutic use for the drug, and the initial attempt is to find a way to treat depression. As all therapy trials use music now it is vital the right tunes are used.

The Link Between LSD and Music — The areas that contributed to vision were more active under LSD, which was linked to hallucinations. Image adapted from the Imperial College press release.

Before testing on people, the team tested the theory that drugs such as LSD improve the response to music. Volunteers listened to a few musical tracks, once after taking LSD once after taking a placebo. The tracks were largely unknown so as there would not be an immediate attachment and Brian McBride’s and Greg Haines music was used – along with others. Emotional responses were given to the tracks – were they peaceful, was their tension – and emotions were rated higher after taking LSD not the placebo. Power and tenderness were emotions that scored highly.

Kaelen has also researched using a substance found in magic mushrooms to patients who were resistant to treatment for depression, but the results are not yet available. Here the music ad to last for 6 hours and some tracks were taken from the list of Helen Bonney, a music therapist in the 1960’s.

Article Via; Motherboard.Vice

The European Commission Will Invest €1 Billion in Quantum Technology Research

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Mehmet Hatipoglu

Quantum computers are doing their part when it comes to space exploration and cancer research and in Europe, there are big things expected of the machine. The latest project announced is a billion Euro deal to expand on current developments and to last for ten years.

The quantum is expected to match the European Union’s other major projects, the Human Brain Project, and the Graphene scheme. Quantum sensing, quantum simulation, and quantum secure communications are also included.

A Commission spokesperson has said that 2018 is the expected launch date, and the development will transform computing. Richard Feynman has been involved with Quantum computing since 1982 and David Deutsch – a computing pioneer believes that a quantum computer can work so much quicker and more efficiently than current computers.

The European Commission Will Invest €1 Billion in Quantum Technology Research

The manifesto is due for release at a conference in Amsterdam in mid-2016 and claims are being made that these technologies will improve society and the economy. It has been hailed as a once in a lifetime chance for Europe to develop this Quantum flagship.

D-Wave in Canada claims that they have already developed quantum computers, but there has been disagreement regarding this. Many researchers argue that the machines are not suited to be classed as quantum computers although they are working alongside Google, NASA and the CIA. They are seen as an exciting development but are not considered the real deal. They are able to compete with silicon and have only been in existence for the last eight years.

Article Via; Newsweek

Google Announced Their D-Wave 2X Quantum Computer Succesfully Works

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Mehmet Hatipoglu

Google Announced Their D-Wave 2X Quantum Computer Succesfully Works

It seems that the D-Wave Computer does work, and the theory is that the hardware is 3,600 times faster than other supercomputers. It is the nearest we have to quantum computing, and there have been two tests leading to the announcement that it was far more quickly than simulated annealing which is a copy of quantum computation carried out on a standard computer chip.

The results were commented on by Hartmut Neven the Google Director of Engineering. He explained that it was 108 times faster than simulated annealing run on a single core and comparisons had been carried out against Quantum Monte Carlo. Despite running on conventional processors, it copies the quantum system, and there is little to choose when it comes to scaling.

Google is still working with NASA and also has its own hardware laboratory. Size and cost are not an issue at present as the main aim is to ensure the computer works. This is the view of John Martinis, who is leading the program at the University of California.

Non-toxic, Cheap and Thin-film Solar Cells for ‘Zero-Energy’ Buildings

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Mehmet Hatipoglu

There have been two problems when it comes to providing zero energy buildings. The first is the cost of the solar cells and the fact that the material used to make them is toxic. This could now change thanks to Dr. Xiaojing Hao and his team at UNSW who have produced an equally thin film called CZTS. These cells are made from products such as copper, sulphur tin and zinc, and along with being abundant, they do not have the same toxic element that CdTE and CIGS have.

Non-toxic, Cheap and Thin-film Solar Cells for 'Zero-Energy' Buildings — Dr Xiaojing Hao of UNSW’s Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics holding the new CZTS solar cells. Credit: Quentin Jones/UNSW

There is now more than 20% efficiency, and a milestone has been marked on the way from being a project in the lab to a commercial product on the market. Work still needs to be carried out, especially regarding size, but it is an ongoing project. CZTS solar cells can be placed on a number of surfaces and soon they will be made to be flexible or rigid, as well as being cheap enough to allow them to make electricity from sunlight on tiles and windows.

The USA’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, confirmed this world leading 7.6% efficiency in a 1cm2 area CZTS cells.

There are already companies prepared to get involved and manufacture the item, and it is hoped they will be available in the next few years. Hao believes that technical challenges can be overcome as some of the processes used on CIGS and CdTE have not taken place yet. Eventually, CZTS may be used in homes as they are not toxic and also could be curved to fit other types of roofs.

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