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Mar 17, 2021

Propagation of microwave breakdown in argon induced by a 28 GHz gyrotron beam

Posted by in category: energy

An atmospheric argon discharge plasma was induced by a high-power microwave beam using a 28 GHz gyrotron and investigated at pressures of 40 kPa–100 kPa and Gaussian peak intensities of 0.115 GW/m2…

Mar 17, 2021

Bitcoin Consumes More Electricity Than Most Countries in The World. Here’s Why

Posted by in categories: bitcoin, energy

The bitcoin market now exceeds $1 trillion with its price rising tenfold in a year, but focus is shifting towards the massive power requirements needed to sustain the online currency.

Here are some questions and answers about bitcoin:

Mar 17, 2021

A Morphable Ionic Electrode Based on Thermogel for Non‐Invasive Hairy Plant Electrophysiology

Posted by in category: biological

The complex surface topography on biological tissues presents a major challenge in bio‐electronic interfacing. Taking hairy plants as an example, an ionic electrode based on a thermogel is reported,…

Mar 17, 2021

An on-demand plant-based actuator created using conformable electrodes

Posted by in categories: mobile phones, space

By using a conformable electrical interface as an electrical modulating unit and a Venus flytrap as an actuating unit, a biohybrid actuator can be created that is power efficient and responsive, and it can be wirelessly controlled via a smartphone.

Mar 17, 2021

Fujitsu Leverages World’s Fastest Supercomputer and AI to Predict Tsunami Flooding

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, supercomputing

A new AI model that harnesses the power of the world’s fastest supercomputer, Fugaku, can rapidly predict tsunami flooding in coastal areas before the tsunami reaches land.

The development of the new technology was announced as part of a joint project between the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IREDeS) at Tohoku University, the Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo, and Fujitsu Laboratories.

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami highlighted the shortcomings in disaster mitigation and the need to utilize information for efficient and safe evacuations.

Mar 17, 2021

Detection of a particle shower at the Glashow resonance with IceCube

Posted by in category: particle physics

A particle shower detected by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the very high energy of the Glashow resonance demonstrates its potential for the study of high-energy particle physics and astrophysics.

Mar 17, 2021

Low Earth Orbit Slotting for Space Traffic Management Using Flower Constellation Theory

Posted by in categories: mathematics, policy, satellites

5 january 2020.


This paper proposes the use of Flower Constellation (FC) theory to facilitate the design of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) slotting system to avoid collisions between compliant satellites and optimize the available space. Specifically, it proposes the use of concentric orbital shells of admissible “slots” with stacked intersecting orbits that preserve a minimum separation distance between satellites at all times. The problem is formulated in mathematical terms and three approaches are explored: random constellations, single 2D Lattice Flower Constellations (2D-LFCs), and unions of 2D-LFCs. Each approach is evaluated in terms of several metrics including capacity, Earth coverage, orbits per shell, and symmetries. In particular, capacity is evaluated for various inclinations and other parameters. Next, a rough estimate for the capacity of LEO is generated subject to certain minimum separation and station-keeping assumptions and several trade-offs are identified to guide policy-makers interested in the adoption of a LEO slotting scheme for space traffic management.

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Mar 17, 2021

Provocative New Neil DeGrasse Tyson Book Highlights Little-Known Cosmic Tidbits

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, cosmology

Tyson’s latest book “Cosmic Queries” covers the gamut from early Earth’s pond scum to potential multiverses to out-of-the-box ideas about the potential that we live in a false vacuum cosmos.


After the past year’s pandemic pall, it’s nice to be reminded that we remain inextricably connected to the cosmos beyond Earth’s atmosphere. In the new book “Cosmic Queries: StarTalk’s Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going,” astrophysicist and StarTalk podcast host Neil DeGrasse Tyson, along with George Mason University physics professor James Trefil, clearly remind us of our cosmic legacy.

Tyson, Director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, is well known for his ability to provoke the public into thinking harder about our place in the cosmos. And “Cosmic Queries” does just that. Tyson and Trefil succinctly lead the reader through almost every aspect of cosmic history while addressing age-old questions with new verve.

Continue reading “Provocative New Neil DeGrasse Tyson Book Highlights Little-Known Cosmic Tidbits” »

Mar 17, 2021

Nanotech scientists create world’s smallest origami bird

Posted by in categories: nanotechnology, robotics/AI

If you want to build a fully functional nanosized robot, you need to incorporate a host of capabilities, from complicated electronic circuits and photovoltaics to sensors and antennas.

But just as importantly, if you want your robot to move, you need it to be able to bend.

Continue reading “Nanotech scientists create world’s smallest origami bird” »

Mar 17, 2021

Three-node quantum network makes its debut

Posted by in category: quantum physics

Nodes known as Alice, Bob and Charlie share entangled state across two different labs.