Interesting Science Stuff Thread

[Easy Bakes 253]

That old 1970s era refrigerator uses more electricity than 2 high efficiency refrigerators. Their point is that these chips are for energy efficiency. Laptops not getting hot is one thing but if the entire USA electrical system became as efficient as possible, electricity usage would be reduced by roughly 30% and power production per unit of fuel would increase by 20-100% depending.

Soon, they will no longer sell any appliances that are less efficient than a certain standard just like we have minimum fleet gas mileage.

the main power use for a fridge is when the compressor is running.

So you just need a more energy efficient compressor and more accurate thermostat not a processor to tell it when to turn off and on.

[hym 358]

Appliances surely will be bulletproof. Being on the net doesn't mean being subject to viruses.

If any machine associated with the construction of any part of a computer is at any time connected to any other machine or transmission media, or exposed to one or more human beings with the potential to inflict damage, the computer is vulnerable to attack. Hackers demonstrated this concept against Dell not that long ago; they attacked the machines that built the computers the company sold. Brand new desktops that had never been connected to the internet were being shipped out with infections at the hardware level.

the point is to make things more complicated then they need to be.

So you can sell the latest and greatest "High Tech innovation" model of what ever it is your selling.

The point is to convince customers that Brand XYZ is offering a superior product than its competitors.

A refrigerator does not need to ever be connected to the internet,heck they don't even need the processors they put into them today they seem to run perfectly since the 40s with a thermostat and freon compressor.

Product design worries about what the customer wants, not what the customer actually needs. If the customer wants an internet connected refrigerator (and there are people willing to pay for it), the customer is going to get one.

they are already replacing the old analog electric meters here with the new connected ones.

If it gets people to adjust their consumption habits, that's a good thing.

Now the new low energy processors are a darn good idea.Lap tops wont get so hot.

The motivation behind low energy CPU designs is saving battery life, not reducing heat output. As laptop manufacturers are moving to lower power designs, they are also cutting out the number of fans, which will help keep laptops warm.

the concussive force ( thunder)of a real lightning strike would destroy the lap top.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the laptop would survive a direct strike for two reasons. First is personal experience. I have had lightning strike the ground less than 20 feet from where I was standing. While painfully loud, the concussive force dissipates very quickly. Even at less than 20 feet, you might not feel anything. Second, even in individuals who suffered a direct lightning strike, injuries associated with a shock wave are inconsistent. Many people can get thrown to the ground, go to the hospital, and there is no evidence of blunt force injuries.

Tesla coils are not lightning.

From a physics standpoint, it's lightning regardless of whether it comes from a cloud or a Tesla coil.

That old 1970s era refrigerator uses more electricity than 2 high efficiency refrigerators. Their point is that these chips are for energy efficiency. Laptops not getting hot is one thing but if the entire USA electrical system became as efficient as possible, electricity usage would be reduced by roughly 30% and power production per unit of fuel would increase by 20-100% depending.

Do you have sources for the statistics concerning reductions in electricity usage and power production per unit of fuel?

Soon, they will no longer sell any appliances that are less efficient than a certain standard just like we have minimum fleet gas mileage.

The US uses the Corporate Average Fuel Economy regulations for mandating vehicle fuel efficiency. There is no minimum mileage requirement, only an efficiency mandate. You can market a vehicle that gets 1 MPG if it meets the efficiency mandate.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

I will dig up the magazine article in the Special Electricity Issue of Scientific American when I can visit my grandmother,

Popular Science gave me some of the more ... entertaining predictions.

  Edited March 16, 2012 by OcramSeattle  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Cap'n, the warp drives are down.

Whew. So far, Dr. Einstein is right.

The amount of Argon in the atmosphere seems to be depleted. Note the mass of this stuff that was used in the neutrino detector. Brrrr.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

No funding allocated.

This is either bad science or it is too little, too late.

[Easy Bakes 253]

No funding allocated.

This is either bad science or it is too little, too late.

Bad science since the volume you would have to cool would be so immense it would be so very expensive to try.

the other idea someone had was to fill the upper atmosphere with reflective debris, that sounds iffy as well , when you think how you are to remove the stuff if they make it too cold.

permanent giant mirrors in space would be a better idea.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

No funding allocated.

This is either bad science or it is too little, too late.

Bad science since the volume you would have to cool would be so immense it would be so very expensive to try.

the other idea someone had was to fill the upper atmosphere with reflective debris, that sounds iffy as well , when you think how you are to remove the stuff if they make it too cold.

permanent giant mirrors in space would be a better idea.

Or we can start learning how to live with the new conditions.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Old is sometimes new.

Aspirin has been around for a very long time and yet research continues into its effects. I've been on enteric coated aspirin for many years due to my circulatory problems, using it as a blood thinner. Fancy it does other good things as well. But then, I am a pharmaceutical stew anyway.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Old is sometimes new.

Aspirin has been around for a very long time and yet research continues into its effects. I've been on enteric coated aspirin for many years due to my circulatory problems, using it as a blood thinner. Fancy it does other good things as well. But then, I am a pharmaceutical stew anyway.

its also one of the best fever reducers around and is an anti-inflammatory.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Old is sometimes new.

Aspirin has been around for a very long time and yet research continues into its effects. I've been on enteric coated aspirin for many years due to my circulatory problems, using it as a blood thinner. Fancy it does other good things as well. But then, I am a pharmaceutical stew anyway.

its also one of the best fever reducers around and is an anti-inflammatory.

Well yes. It was originally formulated as an anti-pyrotic, anti-inflammatory analgesic. However, good old Bayer 606 holds its place as one of the best and least harmful pharmaceuticals ever. It is the first line of defense for early stages of arthritis.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Massive Super Nova in Galaxy M95

Mars interferes with pictures

  Edited March 22, 2012 by Easy Bakes  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Massive Super Nova in Galaxy M95

Mars interferes with pictures

Well, the progression into a new black hole (long since finished) will be interesting to watch in this delayed broadcast. One thing about astronomy at these distances is that we are looking at events before our world came together.

---

Here are some baby steps in that direction.

[astronelson 339]

One thing about astronomy at these distances is that we are looking at events before our world came together.

It's only 37 million light-years away, our world was quite together 37 million years ago. Heck, this post-dates the dinosaurs.

[blade2k5 1,523]

here's a nifty little news article about one of Saturn's moons....

http://news.yahoo.com/nasas-cassini-space-probe-finds-saturnian-ocean-104043825.html

Enjoy.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

Giant mirrors orbiting the earth could also be used to create electricity (microwave power plants anyone?).

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Cool it, baby.

This may be the answer to hot laptops in the future. Hide the components from the heat, neat.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Now, if we only had an FTL drive ...

[astronelson 339]

FTL's not going to happen unless you have a plan to change physics. Best you could do is near-light-speed and wave goodbye to everyone you knew on Earth.

Good to lock in some of the figures in the Drake equation though.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

How many figures are locked in at this point?

[astronelson 339]

The rate of star formation is roughly known (it's about 7), and this figure, along with the number of stars in the galaxy, gives us the product of the next two (fraction of stars with planets and number of planets that could support life per star with planets).

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

7 what? 7 per eon, 7 per second?

[astronelson 339]

Oops, thought I put units. 7 per year.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Graphene strikes again!

Carbon must be the most interesting element. It seems to have more forms than any other one.

[Duke87 1,070]

Non-newtonian fluids and potholes.

Doubt this'll ever catch on, but it's interesting.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Non-newtonian fluids and potholes.

Doubt this'll ever catch on, but it's interesting.

But when someone drives over it slow?

[Ocram's Razr 963]

That is really interesting!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Water, water everywhere, but little to drink.

The reserve is up to 70 years, but for the number of people involved it would only be a drop in a bucket.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

That bodes well for Africa but coastal cities (such as where I live) should start to rely more on desalination.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

That bodes well for Africa but coastal cities (such as where I live) should start to rely more on desalination.

Why, with all those mountains behind you, you should get lots of precipitation?

[Ocram's Razr 963]

We (Seattle) have 40 years

By 2050, demand for water will outstrip supply from glacial runoff watersheds, according statistical projections.