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Nov 4, 2018

7 Ways The ‘Biological Century’ Will Transform Healthcare

Posted by in category: biological

From conquering death to automatic insulin deliveries, we will be able to finetune our biology to a once-unthinkable degree.

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Nov 3, 2018

In a Land of Quakes, Engineering a Future for a Church Made of Mud

Posted by in categories: engineering, futurism

High in the Andes Mountains, conservators are testing traditional methods for strengthening adobe buildings.

The bell tower of the church of Santiago Apóstol in Kuño Tambo, Peru. Built by the Spanish in 1681, it has been weakened by earthquakes, but traditional techniques are helping with its restoration. Credit Credit Angela Ponce for The New York Times.

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Nov 3, 2018

Neil Armstrong astronaut memorabilia auction lifts off

Posted by in category: space travel

Space enthusiasts stirred by NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong’s venture to the moon spent more than $4 million (€3.5 million) in just the first day of a rare auction of Armstrong’s personal collection of memorabilia.

On July 20, 1969, Armstrong, who led the Apollo 11 mission, became the first human to walk on the moon.

The auction is the first major sale of his personal collection that comes amid a growing demand for space collectibles as the 50th anniversary of the July 20, 1969 moon landing approaches.

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Nov 3, 2018

Elon Musk and SpaceX are building a monster rocket for Mars. Here’s how big it is compared to 20 familiar objects

Posted by in categories: Elon Musk, space travel

Elon Musk and SpaceX’s Big Falcon Rocket is a 387-foot-tall Mars launch system. This size-comparison tool shows how big a real-life BFR might be.

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Nov 3, 2018

Pitt Rivers museum hires Syrian refugees as tour guides

Posted by in category: futurism

Oxford University forges intercultural understanding with objects from ethnographic and science collections.

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Nov 3, 2018

Pushing the Boundaries in Quantum Electronics

Posted by in categories: computing, quantum physics

So-called “topological insulators” could revolutionize computing.

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Nov 3, 2018

Manta rays feed using ricochet separation, a novel nonclogging filtration mechanism

Posted by in categories: biological, engineering, particle physics

Solid-liquid filtration is a ubiquitous process found in industrial and biological systems. Although implementations vary widely, almost all filtration systems are based on a small set of fundamental separation mechanisms, including sieve, cross-flow, hydrosol, and cyclonic separation. Anatomical studies showed that manta rays have a highly specialized filter-feeding apparatus that does not resemble previously described filtration systems. We examined the fluid flow around the manta filter-feeding apparatus using a combination of physical modeling and computational fluid dynamics. Our results indicate that manta rays use a unique solid-fluid separation mechanism in which direct interception of particles with wing-like structures causes particles to “ricochet” away from the filter pores. This filtration mechanism separates particles smaller than the pore size, allows high flow rates, and resists clogging.

Several fundamental mechanisms for solid-fluid separation have been described in the biological and engineering literature, including sieve (1, 2), cross-flow (3–6), hydrosol , and cyclonic separation. Sieve filtration passes a mixture of particles and fluid through a structure with regularly sized pores, causing the particles to be retained while the fluid is drained. Although effective, sieve filters must have pore sizes smaller than the particle size, and they inevitably clog in use (2, 8, 9). Cross-flow filtration is similar to sieving, except that the incoming flow runs parallel rather than perpendicular to the filter. This configuration shears captured particles off the filter’s surface, which reduces but does not eliminate clogging (5, 6). Unlike sieve and cross-flow filters, hydrosol and cyclonic filtration do not require regularly sized pores.

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Nov 3, 2018

Daylight Savings Is a Glimpse Into How Your Metabolism Works on a Clock

Posted by in categories: food, health

The time when we eat is more crucial to our health and wellbeing than we realized.

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Nov 3, 2018

SpaceX’s ‘Starman’ and Its Tesla Roadster Are Now Beyond Mars

Posted by in categories: space travel, sustainability

Starman has put a lot of miles on his Tesla Roadster in the last nine months.

The red electric car and its spacesuit-clad mannequin driver, which launched on the maiden mission of SpaceX’s huge Falcon Heavy rocket in February, have made it beyond the orbit of Mars, company representatives said Friday night (Nov. 2).

“Starman’s current location. Next stop, the restaurant at the end of the universe,” SpaceX posted on Twitter Friday, along with an orbit diagram. [Epic SpaceX Road Trip Photos: Starman Rides a Tesla Roadster in Space].

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Nov 3, 2018

Dutch couple to drive a solar-powered, 3D-printed vehicle to the South Pole

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, sustainability, transportation

This couple is preparing to travel to the South Pole in a solar vehicle made from upcycled, 3D-printed plastic parts to promote zero-waste living. Learn more.

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