NASA releases global maps of six of Saturn's moons. Over the past decade the Cassini-Huygens mission has done a great deal in order to keep it under intense examination. The global maps also represents the end of one of the legendary spacecraft's key mission objectives. During 1980s, the twin Voyager spacecraft provided some low-resolution maps of some of the bodies orbiting around the giant planet. But there were concerns which lead astronomers and scientists to explore more. And now, Cassini became the answer for their prayers, and over the past 10 years had found new moons, also gave us insight into the formation of Saturn's rings etc. Cassini helped in creation of stunningly-detailed maps of Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea and Lapetus.
Rosetta reaches the next phase. Over the next course of year, Rosetta will orbit around and observe a comet (first of its kind & the first to do so) as it approaches the sun. You can read more on Rosetta mission
Researchers have developed a glue that might be an alternate for stitches for defects in heart. Jeffrey Karp, a post-doctoral researcher at MIT along with del Nido - a cardiac surgeon and a team of surgeons and engineers worked together to develop the new glue which was recently tested in hearts of living rats and pigs.
Jeffrey Karp have been working on new biodegradable polymers in his entire life time. He ultimately developed a material as a scaffold for growing artificial organs. Currently he is working as researcher with Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. In Boston, he met a cardiac surgeon named Pedro del Nido of Boston Children's Hospital. Pedro who specialized in sealing up children's heart defects asked Karp whether there can be an alternative solution for sealing up, something like a glue. But there were a lot of issues such as the glue have to be biodegradable, safe for use inside body, a but stretchy, and strong enough to hold onto a beating muscle which is continually awash in blood. This lead to the incredible invention. Karp's previous experience with cell scaffolding played an important role in the new development. The glue is made of friendly chemicals that cells produce. In the future this glue can be a gentler alternative to the stitching doctors for many surgeries.
The TidGen Power System takes advantage of one of nature's most consistent energy sources, "The Tide". It sits on the floor of a bay of or deep river, where water rotates the foils that drive a permanent magnet generator, sending about 150 kilowatts of electricity to the shore. The first TidGen Unit, was installed off the coast of Maine last, as a part of the ocean energy project connected to US Grid. Few weeks before an assessment was released and it showed there is no impact on the marine ecosystem.
I think its time to take a look on to our energy sources, their capabilities and work for the future. Its not late yet... :)
We all know the properties of light. But is it possible to reflect or focus heat in the same way as light does? The question has been answered by Martin Maldovan, a research scientist in MIT's Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He developed a new technique which will provide a new way of manipulating heat. It means heat is going to be controlled as the light waves can be manipulated by lenses or mirrors.
This technique includes nano structured semiconductor alloy crystals. As we all know "Heat is a resultant of vibration of matter". These vibrations as considered as a stream of phonons (a kind of virtual particle analogous to the photons). In this method spacing of tiny gaps in the nano structured materials are tuned to match the wavelength of the heat phonons. The frequency of the heat phonons were reduced initially bringing it closer to the sound range. Maldoven call it as "hypersonic heat". The new technique made 40 percent of the total heat flow to be concentrated within a hypersonic range and most of the phonons aligned in a narrow beam, instead of moving in every direction. Maldovan says, the new technique along with the material used can bring a wide variety of applications which includes thermoelectric devices, thermal diodes etc. Lets wait and see... :) :D
This blog have dealt with a lot of technical stories that helped human kind in a great deal. We met a lot of intelligent people, scientists who spend their entire life time on inventions and creations. But today I am writing a different story, a short story but the one which helped their upcoming future.
Its Douglas Billingtonma, a retired Royal Navy Lieutenant who battled his entire life against the flood waters which came to his home. He and his wife Suzette were attracted by the romance of the rural wilderness, which blooms into a colourful countryside paradise during summer months. Hence they bought what could be Britain's most flood prone home.
The isolated rural home sits on its marooned flood island. 200 yards from the River Tone on the Somerset Levels which was regularly found submerged under 3 feet of water. They kept a boat nearby ready, every time the flood comes. But this time when high winds and deadly storms paved their path for severe floods which effected most of the parts of Britain, only one home stood with the head raised like ever before. It was this home which fought against the flood the entire life time.
Douglas Billington who has now sadly died, encircled his two-acre garden with a clay flood bank. It was almost about 6 ft high which helped to protect the home from severe floods. This story attracted me mainly for the dedication and hard work that he showed all the way to protect his home. A creation which no one thought to be a success and a lesson for all. :) :D
Home of Douglas Billington near taunton remains protected by clay banks
The view of the home in 1990 when the flood hit rural area
Douglas Billington, who has passed away, battling the flood waters in the 1990s
Douglas Billington built the 6 ft clay bank and standing near by- August 2000 floods
"A major breakthrough in communication making impossible to possible :) "
Scientists at the University of Warwick in the UK and the York University in Canada, have developed a molecular communications system for the transmission of messages and data in the toughest environments. This technique can be used for a wide range of applications where the EM (electromagnetic waves) waves cannot be used. For example, underground structures such as pipelines, tunnels or in underwater environments.
The need for conveying information over a distance, especially in hard environments has always been a difficult task. Many techniques were brought, for e.g.: em waves, electrical signals, smoke signals etc. As we know the modern communication systems depend mainly on electrical and em signals. But there are many applications and extremely small dimensions where these technologies are not up to the task.
Now the Scientists came back to the nature asking for help. Inspired by the nature, they developed a technique where chemical signals are used as carriers, which is referred as molecular communication. Another important factor is, they can be used at micro and nano scales. Molecular communication signals are bio compatible and they need only very little energy to generate and propagate. Moreover its much more cost effective, simple and robust.
Any communication system can be broken into three major parts: the transmitter, the receiver and the channel. The transmitter send information in the form of discrete signals, which can be a string of binary numbers to the receiver. The transmitter also uses an encoder to encode the information. A channel encoder block is usually used at the transmitter end which introduces redundancy by adding extra bits. The receiver in turn have a decoder to do the reverse process. In between a modulation process happens where the transmitter modulate the channel signals on to carrier signal and release it for propagation in the channel. The channel might could be a wire where electrical signals propagate or air with em waves. In between these transmissions a number of interferences or disturbances can happen that might affect the information. Hence such a transmission, reception system cannot be used efficiently in extremely hard environments.
Scientists now brought a new system where the transmitter takes the input message, converts into a sequence of binary bits and modulates them on a chemical signal for propagation in the channel. The transmitter system consists of Arduino Uno open-source electronics prototyping platform, which is an ATmega328 based micro controller board. To convert the test message to binary sequence, they used International Telegraph Alphabet No.2 standard, where every letter is represented using five bits. To modulate the channel symbols into chemical signals, they use an electronic spray called DuroBlast made by Durotech Industries. At the receiver end too they use Arduino Uno open-source micro controller for programming and controlling receiver operations.
Transmitter Design
Receiver Design
The first demonstration signal was performed in Canada and was 'O Canada,' from the Canadian national anthem. It was sent several metres across open space before it was decoded by a receiver. The scientists believe this technique can be used widely for a number of applications in hostile underground environments to nanotechnology. I cant wait for more... :) :D
A German laser weapon hobbyist Patrick Priebe has made a laser rifle which could be one heck of a tool for highlighting. The aluminium bodied 12-lb (5.4-kg) rifle incorporates a 7-watt infrared burning laser along with a 2-milliwatt red aiming laser. The power comes from an 18 V rechargeable battery pack converted to run at 12,000 volts while a 12 V pump circulates one litre of distilled water to help keep things cool. An LCD indicated when the temperature of that water is getting too high the rifle has to stop shooting. It works best at a distance of about 13 feet from its target. A number of applications yet to come from this spectacular maker.
Latest News from Cambridge University says, they have been able to successfully print new eye cells which could be used to treat sight loss. The work was carried out using animal cells and it was a success. This opens a new age and hope for people who are affected with sight loss.
The tests are at initial trials. Most are tests are waiting ahead before human trials. Initial experiments were conducted on adult rats. An inkjet printer was used to print two types of cells from the retina of adult rats, ganglion and glial cells. These are the cells that transmit information from eye to specific parts of brain, and provide support and protection for neurons. Currently the printed cells remains healthy and also retained their ability to survive and grow in culture.
Even though the tests are conducted on these cells, scientists says that their aim is to use this concept and technology to use in retinal repair in the future. That is, attempt to print cells such as light-sensitive photoreceptors such as rods and cones. They have already been able to reverse blindness in mice using stem cell transplants. I hope this can be a major breakthrough in medical science and I am always inspired and motivated by "what the technology does in the field of medical science". :)
