Menu

Blog

Page 1364

Nov 19, 2023

Nowhere to hide

Posted by in categories: existential risks, military

But the catastrophe will not be limited to those two belligerents and their allies.

The long-term regional and global effects of nuclear explosions have been overshadowed in public discussions by the horrific, obvious, local consequences of nuclear explosions. Military planners have also focused on the short-term effects of nuclear explosions because they are tasked with estimating the capabilities of nuclear forces on civilian and military targets. Blast, local radiation fallout, and electromagnetic pulse (an intense burst of radio waves that can damage electronic equipment) are all desired outcomes of the use of nuclear weapons—from a military perspective.

Continue reading “Nowhere to hide” »

Nov 19, 2023

US Defense unveils new vertical take-off, landing aircraft competitors

Posted by in category: transportation

Bell.

Announced on the DARPA website on the 1st of November 2023, the chosen few will design and build a prototype vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL) “to demonstrate the key technologies and integrated concepts that enable a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence.”

Nov 19, 2023

ChargePoint Introduces New 500 kW Ultra-Fast DC Charging System

Posted by in category: energy

ChargePoint announced today the first large-scale deployment of its all-new Express Plus Power Link 2000 DC fast charging platform, which is capable of delivering charging speeds up to 500 kilowatts.

The hardware and associated software of the Power Link system debuted today at the all-new Mercedes-Benz HPC NA fast charging network, which due to the high power output, is being called “the fastest public charging network in North America.”

Let’s recall that the Mercedes-Benz HPC NA will be a premium DC fast charging network for all EVs, consisting of up to 400 sites (and over 2,500 chargers) by 2030. Some of the stations will be installed at Simon Property Group’s locations (at least 55) and Buc-ee’s chain of travel centers (about 30 sites).

Nov 19, 2023

The Next Leap in Battery Tech: Lithium-Ion Batteries Are No Longer the Gold Standard

Posted by in categories: energy, sustainability, transportation

Lithium metal, chosen for battery anodes due to its superior energy density compared to other materials, is a smart choice. Yet, challenges arise at the interface between the electrode and the electrolyte, presenting opportunities for enhancement to achieve safer and more efficient performance in future applications.

Researchers from Tsinghua University are keen on replacing the graphite anode with a lithium metal anode to construct a battery system with higher energy density. However, the Li metal anode is unstable and readily reacts with electrolytes to form a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). Unfortunately, the natural SEI is brittle and fragile, resulting in poor lifespan and performance.

Here, the researchers have looked into a substitute for natural SEI, which could effectively mitigate the side reactions within the battery system. The answer is ASEI: artificial solid electrolyte interphase. ASEI corrects some of the issues plaguing the bare lithium metal anode to make a safer, more reliable, and even more powerful source of power that can be used with more confidence in electric vehicles and other similar applications.

Nov 19, 2023

Researchers 3D printed and deployed a communication satellite in 90 min

Posted by in category: internet

Rick_Jo/iStock.

Broadband internet is so ubiquitous these days that one does not realize its importance until it becomes unavailable. From work to entertainment or staying in touch with family and friends, works on the backbone of high-speed internet delivered through a cable or wirelessly these days.

Nov 19, 2023

Milky Way-like galaxy found in the early universe

Posted by in category: space

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, an international team, including astronomer Alexander de la Vega of the University of California, Riverside, has discovered the most distant barred spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way that has been observed to date.

Until now it was believed that barred spiral galaxies like the Milky Way could not be observed before the universe, estimated to be 13.8 billion years old, reached half of its current age.

The research, published in Nature this week, was led by scientists at the Centro de Astrobiología in Spain.

Nov 19, 2023

Nuclear Bomb Maps Show Impact of Russia, China, U.S. Weapons

Posted by in categories: mapping, military

Russia and China have both recently developed intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of dropping several nuclear bombs at once.

Nov 19, 2023

Meet Grok: Elon Musk’s new AI chatbot that can access X

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, robotics/AI

Grok is based on xAI’s proprietary “Grok” model, which Musk claims is one of the best in the market.

So it was eventually coming and now here it is. After initially announcing that Elon Musk’s xAI, an artificial intelligence company will release its new AI product. The company has surprised the AI community by launching its first AI model, named “Grok.” Grok is a chatbot that can converse with users on various topics using xAI’s proprietary “Grok” model. What makes Grok stand out from other language models, such as OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s PaLM, is its ability to access information from X, Musk’s popular social media platform (formerly known as Twitter), in real-time.


Elon Musk/X

Continue reading “Meet Grok: Elon Musk’s new AI chatbot that can access X” »

Nov 19, 2023

Mathematicians Found 12,000 Solutions to the Notoriously Hard Three-Body Problem

Posted by in category: mathematics

Understanding the orbital dance of three celestial objects has challenged mathematicians for centuries. Now, the game has changed.

Nov 19, 2023

Mathematicians Have Found The Ninth Dedekind Number, After 32 Years of Searching

Posted by in categories: mathematics, supercomputing

Undeterred after three decades of looking, and with some assistance from a supercomputer, mathematicians have finally discovered a new example of a special integer called a Dedekind number.

Only the ninth of its kind, or D, it is calculated to equal 286 386 577 668 298 411 128 469 151 667 598 498 812 366, if you’re updating your own records. This 42 digit monster follows the 23-digit D discovered in 1991.

Grasping the concept of a Dedekind number is difficult for non-mathematicians, let alone working it out. In fact, the calculations involved are so complex and involve such huge numbers, it wasn’t certain that D would ever be discovered.