A un paese che vive le ore peggiori della sua storia moderna dopo lo tsunami che ha causato distruzione e morte.
Gyokusen - Schizzo
Museo Arte Orientale, Torino
Saturday, March 12, 2011
U.S. Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility. http://www.usgs.gov/
http://www.usgs.gov/natural_hazards/
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/
http://www.usgs.gov/natural_hazards/
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/
Northern Honshu devastated
"Rescuers struggled to reach survivors on Saturday morning as Japan reeled after an earthquake and a tsunami struck in deadly tandem. The 8.9-magnitude earthquake set off a devastating tsunami that sent walls of water washing over coastal cities in the north. Concerns mounted over possible radiation leaks from two nuclear plants near the earthquake zone."
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/world/asia/13japan.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/world/asia/13japan.html
Friday, March 11, 2011
Karangetang
Just hours after the earthquake stuck Japan, triggering a powerful tsunami, a volcano has erupted in Indonesia. This is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanos, Mount Karangetang
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=126132
Volcán Karangetang erupciona en Indonesia
http://connuestroperu.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15908&Itemid=1
"Horas después del terremoto de 8.9 grados que golpeó a Japón, un volcán entró en erupción en Indonesia, sin que haya todavía datos precisos sobre daños o víctimas."
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=126132
Volcán Karangetang erupciona en Indonesia
http://connuestroperu.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15908&Itemid=1
"Horas después del terremoto de 8.9 grados que golpeó a Japón, un volcán entró en erupción en Indonesia, sin que haya todavía datos precisos sobre daños o víctimas."
NOAA-DART forecasting
DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis) is a service for real-time monitoring the ocean waves. The network has sites positioned at strategic locations throughout the ocean and play a critical role in tsunami forecasting. http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/Dart/
http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/honshu20110311/
"Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea. Out in the depths of the ocean, tsunami waves do not dramatically increase in height. But as the waves travel inland, they build up to higher and higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases. The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave. Tsunami waves may travel as fast as jet planes over deep waters, only slowing down when reaching shallow waters. While tsunamis are often referred to as tidal waves, this name is discouraged by oceanographers because tides have little to do with these giant waves."http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/tsunami.html
http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/honshu20110311/
"Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea. Out in the depths of the ocean, tsunami waves do not dramatically increase in height. But as the waves travel inland, they build up to higher and higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases. The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave. Tsunami waves may travel as fast as jet planes over deep waters, only slowing down when reaching shallow waters. While tsunamis are often referred to as tidal waves, this name is discouraged by oceanographers because tides have little to do with these giant waves."http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/tsunami.html
INGV - Istituto Geofisica Vulcanologia
Segnalo il sito dell'istituto INGV
http://www.ingv.it/eng/, http://www.ingv.it/, http://cnt.rm.ingv.it/earthquakes_list.php
http://www.ingv.it/eng/, http://www.ingv.it/, http://cnt.rm.ingv.it/earthquakes_list.php
Tsunamis hit Japan
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/11/japan.quake/index.html
Massive 8.9 quake, tsunamis hit Japan, By the CNN Wire Staff
March 11, 2011 -- Updated 0902 GMT (1702 HKT)
Massive 8.9 quake, tsunamis hit Japan, By the CNN Wire Staff
March 11, 2011 -- Updated 0902 GMT (1702 HKT)
Distant galaxy helped relight the universe
"The discovery of a small but distant galaxy 12.8 billion light years from Earth is providing important clues about the earliest years of the universe's life. By measuring the age of the galaxy's stars, astronomers in Europe and the US say the galaxy began to shine when the universe was just 150–300 million years old. The work suggests that such galaxies were responsible for dispersing the atomic fog that once cloaked the cosmos, during a period in the history of the universe that astronomers know very little about." by Ken Croswell
Distant galaxy helped relight the universe - physicsworld.com
Distant galaxy helped relight the universe - physicsworld.com
Thursday, March 10, 2011
SuperMoon, ovvero la SuperLuna
"The moon will be at its closest to earth since 1993 on March 19th next.
The “Lunar Perigee”, or ‘SuperMoon’ as some astrologers refer to it as, is the opposite of the “Lunar Apogee”, when the Moon is furthest from Earth. Generally, the Moon looks about 12-14% larger at its perigee compared to its apogee. Full moon (19 March) will occur during Lunar Perigee meaning it will look much larger than normal especially when it rises on the eastern horizon at sunset, or given the right atmospheric conditions."
"La "superluna” el 19 de marzo alimenta especulaciones. El anuncio de una “superluna” para el 19 de marzo comienza a levantar una serie de especulaciones sobre los efectos apocalípticos que ésta tendrá sobre la Tierra. Para este 19 de marzo nuestro satélite alcanzará su distancia más cercana a la Tierra en 19 años, acercándose a 356,578 kilómetros.."
The “Lunar Perigee”, or ‘SuperMoon’ as some astrologers refer to it as, is the opposite of the “Lunar Apogee”, when the Moon is furthest from Earth. Generally, the Moon looks about 12-14% larger at its perigee compared to its apogee. Full moon (19 March) will occur during Lunar Perigee meaning it will look much larger than normal especially when it rises on the eastern horizon at sunset, or given the right atmospheric conditions."
"La "superluna” el 19 de marzo alimenta especulaciones. El anuncio de una “superluna” para el 19 de marzo comienza a levantar una serie de especulaciones sobre los efectos apocalípticos que ésta tendrá sobre la Tierra. Para este 19 de marzo nuestro satélite alcanzará su distancia más cercana a la Tierra en 19 años, acercándose a 356,578 kilómetros.."
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Measure for measure
Measure for measure, 9 March 2011, by Stuart Nathan
"There’s a new gadget in my flat. It’s small and unflashy, it’s sitting on the corner of a worktop in my kitchen, and it tells me, from second to second, how much carbon dioxide the electricity I use is generating. And already it’s proving strangely fascinating....So for the past couple of days, everytime I or my partner switches on anything electrical, we’ve been dashing into the kitchen to see what’s happened ...
"There’s a new gadget in my flat. It’s small and unflashy, it’s sitting on the corner of a worktop in my kitchen, and it tells me, from second to second, how much carbon dioxide the electricity I use is generating. And already it’s proving strangely fascinating....So for the past couple of days, everytime I or my partner switches on anything electrical, we’ve been dashing into the kitchen to see what’s happened ...
Having this little chunk of plastic handy has really pointed out what physicists always knew and engineers have been saying since the industrial revolution: if you can’t measure something, you can’t control it. Just knowing, vaguely, in the back of your mind that a certain appliance is a bit juice-hungry is no substitute for seeing the hard numbers when you switch the thing on. Knowledge is power; or, in this case, cutting the amount of power."
Read more: Measure for measure | Opinion | The Engineer
Read more: Measure for measure | Opinion | The Engineer
The Sixth Extinction (ActionBioscience)
The Sixth Extinction, by Niles Eldredge
"There is little doubt left in the minds of professional biologists that Earth is currently faced with a mounting loss of species that threatens to rival the five great mass extinctions of the geological past. As long ago as 1993, Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson estimated that Earth is currently losing something on the order of 30,000 species per year — which breaks down to the even more daunting statistic of some three species per hour. Some biologists have begun to feel that this biodiversity crisis — this “Sixth Extinction” — is even more severe, and more imminent, than Wilson had supposed."
"There is little doubt left in the minds of professional biologists that Earth is currently faced with a mounting loss of species that threatens to rival the five great mass extinctions of the geological past. As long ago as 1993, Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson estimated that Earth is currently losing something on the order of 30,000 species per year — which breaks down to the even more daunting statistic of some three species per hour. Some biologists have begun to feel that this biodiversity crisis — this “Sixth Extinction” — is even more severe, and more imminent, than Wilson had supposed."
Life from Space: An Emerging Paradigm
Life from Space: An Emerging Paradigm (ActionBioscience)
"This article summarizes Evolution of Life: A Cosmic Perspective, an original paper by Chandra Wickramasinghe and Sir Fred Hoyle posted on this site (click on above title to read their paper). There, readers will also find a link to the commentary by the peer reviewer of that paper, which provides counterpoint views to the authors’ controversial ideas. The hypothesis, called cosmic ancestry/panspermia, posited by the authors is not widely accepted by the mainstream scientific community. It is published on this site in consideration of the authors’ distinguished contributions to science to date and to provide an opportunity for both scientists and the public to evaluate ideas presented in their paper."
More http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/wickramasinghe.html
"This article summarizes Evolution of Life: A Cosmic Perspective, an original paper by Chandra Wickramasinghe and Sir Fred Hoyle posted on this site (click on above title to read their paper). There, readers will also find a link to the commentary by the peer reviewer of that paper, which provides counterpoint views to the authors’ controversial ideas. The hypothesis, called cosmic ancestry/panspermia, posited by the authors is not widely accepted by the mainstream scientific community. It is published on this site in consideration of the authors’ distinguished contributions to science to date and to provide an opportunity for both scientists and the public to evaluate ideas presented in their paper."
More http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/wickramasinghe.html
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Archaeoastronomy in Ancient India
The Journal of Cosmology, 2010, Vol 9, 2063-2077. JournalofCosmology.com, July, 2010
is publishing the paper "Visions of the Cosmos: Archaeoastronomy in Ancient India" by Subhash Kak, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
Abstract This paper is an overview of archaeoastronomy in ancient India. It describes the Vedic conception of the cosmos and the representation of the knowledge of the motions of the sun and the moon in the design of fire altars. Sites of archaeoastronomical interest described include Neolithic and Megalithic sites and the Sanchi Stupa.
"In the Indian view, the cosmos is seen as being tripartite and recursive (see Kak, 2000a and Kak, 2008 for review and additional references). The universe is viewed as three regions of earth, space, and sky (Dumézil, 1988) which in the human being are mirrored in the physical body, the breath (prāna), and mind. The processes in the sky, on earth, and within the mind are taken to be connected."
is publishing the paper "Visions of the Cosmos: Archaeoastronomy in Ancient India" by Subhash Kak, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
Abstract This paper is an overview of archaeoastronomy in ancient India. It describes the Vedic conception of the cosmos and the representation of the knowledge of the motions of the sun and the moon in the design of fire altars. Sites of archaeoastronomical interest described include Neolithic and Megalithic sites and the Sanchi Stupa.
"In the Indian view, the cosmos is seen as being tripartite and recursive (see Kak, 2000a and Kak, 2008 for review and additional references). The universe is viewed as three regions of earth, space, and sky (Dumézil, 1988) which in the human being are mirrored in the physical body, the breath (prāna), and mind. The processes in the sky, on earth, and within the mind are taken to be connected."
Life from space
"Richard Hoover, an astrobiologist at the US space agency's Marshall space flight centre in Alabama, said filaments and other structures in rare meteorites appear to be microscopic fossils of extraterrestrial beings that resemble algae known as cyanobacteria. Some of the features look similar to a giant bacterium called Titanospirillum velox, which has been collected from the Ebro delta waterway in Spain, according to a report on the findings.... Hoover, an expert on life in extreme environments, has reported similar structures in meteorites several times before. So far, none has been confirmed as the ancient remains of alien life.
But writing in the Journal of Cosmology, Hoover claims that the lack of nitrogen in the samples, which is essential for life on Earth, indicates they are the remains of extraterrestrial life forms that grew on the parent bodies of the meteorites when liquid water was present, long before the meteorites entered the Earth's atmosphere."
But writing in the Journal of Cosmology, Hoover claims that the lack of nitrogen in the samples, which is essential for life on Earth, indicates they are the remains of extraterrestrial life forms that grew on the parent bodies of the meteorites when liquid water was present, long before the meteorites entered the Earth's atmosphere."
Friday, March 4, 2011
Image processing?
"An interdisciplinary group of researchers is calling for the help of other scientists to help them to understand how some of the key features of human vision have evolved. The team, led by Gasper Tkačik, a physicist at the University of Pennsylvania, has compiled a database of roughly 5000 images of the Okavango Delta region in Botswana. This tropical savannah habitat is believed to be similar to the conditions that existed in Africa around 20–30 million years ago, at the time of the origins of Old World monkeys, when the basic adaptations in our visual system are thought to have evolved."
Snapping the birthplace of the human eye - physicsworld.com
by James Dacey Snapping the birthplace of the human eye - physicsworld.com
Snapping the birthplace of the human eye - physicsworld.com
by James Dacey Snapping the birthplace of the human eye - physicsworld.com
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Die bunten Buddhas
Afghanistan - Die bunten Buddhas von Bamiyan – für immer verloren?
"Seit dem 6. Jahrhundert blickten zwei riesige Buddha- Statuen auf das Tal von Bamiyan in Afghanistan – ehe die Taliban die Standbilder 2001 in wenigen Tagen zerstörten. Erst nach dem Sturz des Regimes hatten Forscher die Möglichkeit, die Statuen mit modernen Methoden zu untersuchen. Anhand der Bruchstücke will man nun Bautechnik und Farbgebung rekonstruieren und die Möglichkeiten eines Wiederaufbaus beurteilen."
"Seit dem 6. Jahrhundert blickten zwei riesige Buddha- Statuen auf das Tal von Bamiyan in Afghanistan – ehe die Taliban die Standbilder 2001 in wenigen Tagen zerstörten. Erst nach dem Sturz des Regimes hatten Forscher die Möglichkeit, die Statuen mit modernen Methoden zu untersuchen. Anhand der Bruchstücke will man nun Bautechnik und Farbgebung rekonstruieren und die Möglichkeiten eines Wiederaufbaus beurteilen."
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Horse and dog - Tang Dinasty - China
An animal sits on a pad behind the saddle.
Hunters can have a dog or a cheetah with them.
China
Museo Arte Orientale, Torino
Tiny antennas for radio telescopes
"Tiny antennas form vast radio telescope array.
A grassroots telescope array is taking aim at a wide range of astronomy questions, with projects in geophysics and agriculture piggybacking on its infrastructure.
Dipole antennas dotting the Netherlands and several nearby countries together form a radio telescope that is sensitive in the relatively unexplored wavelength range of 1–10 m (roughly 10–250 MHz) and has an enormous field of view. About three-fourths of the telescope’s 44 stations are functioning, and the rest are set to be completed by the end of the year."
Dipole antennas dotting the Netherlands and several nearby countries together form a radio telescope that is sensitive in the relatively unexplored wavelength range of 1–10 m (roughly 10–250 MHz) and has an enormous field of view. About three-fourths of the telescope’s 44 stations are functioning, and the rest are set to be completed by the end of the year."
by Toni Feder, Physics Today March 2011
Tiny antennas form vast radio telescope array - Physics Today March 2011
It is the International LOFAR Telescope
http://www.lofar.org/about-lofar/image-gallery/latest-lofar-images
It is a radio interferometric array, consisting of many low-cost antennas. There are two distinct antenna types: the Low Band Antenna (LBA) between 10 and 90 MHz and the High Band Antenna (HBA) between 110 and 250 MHz. These "sensors" are organised many stations, distributed over an area about one hundred kilometres in diameter, located in the North-East of the Netherlands. This infrastructure will give rise to new resources for non-radio astronomers. In the geosciences field, it should be possible, for example, to extend the understanding of natural and induced seismicity, subsidence, and water management. The agricultural application of LOFAR is in the measurement of the micro-climate.
Tiny antennas form vast radio telescope array - Physics Today March 2011
It is the International LOFAR Telescope
http://www.lofar.org/about-lofar/image-gallery/latest-lofar-images
It is a radio interferometric array, consisting of many low-cost antennas. There are two distinct antenna types: the Low Band Antenna (LBA) between 10 and 90 MHz and the High Band Antenna (HBA) between 110 and 250 MHz. These "sensors" are organised many stations, distributed over an area about one hundred kilometres in diameter, located in the North-East of the Netherlands. This infrastructure will give rise to new resources for non-radio astronomers. In the geosciences field, it should be possible, for example, to extend the understanding of natural and induced seismicity, subsidence, and water management. The agricultural application of LOFAR is in the measurement of the micro-climate.
Acoustics of free-reed instruments
Documents dating back to before 1000 BC describe a wind instrument whose reed vibrates back and forth across the frame that houses it. Nowadays, free-reed instruments inspire both scholarly study and musical innovation. James Cottingham , Acoustic of free-reed instruments, Physics Today, March 2011, Vol.63, pp. 44-48.
A free reed? What is it? More http://www.patmissin.com/history/whatis.html
A free reed? What is it? More http://www.patmissin.com/history/whatis.html
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Nazca
"The Nasca culture was the archaeological culture that flourished from 100 to 800 AD beside the dry southern coast of Peru in the river valleys of the Rio Grande de Nazca drainage and the Ica Valley (Silverman and Proulx, 2002). Having been heavily influenced by the preceding Paracas culture, which was known for extremely complex textiles, the Nasca produced an array of beautiful crafts and technologies such as ceramics, textiles, and geoglyphs (most commonly known as the Nazca lines)."
More Wiki
Cahuachi - pyramids
"Hablar de Cahuachi es hablar de una ciudad perdida en la noche de los tiempos. Cahuachi fue la capital teocrática de la Cultura Nasca gobernada por sacerdotes". More http://www.peruecologico.com.pe/esp_cahuachinasca_1.htm
Cahuachi was the major ceremonial center of the Nazca culture from 1 CE to about 500 CE. The "ciudad perdida" contains over 40 mounds topped with adobe structures. The permanent population was quite small. The town was apparently a pilgrimage center that grew its population during the ceremonial events. These events probably involved the Nazca lines.
"Cahuachi's most famous monument is the Great Pyramid, which hogs the skyline and casts an eye over the Nazca Lines, the geoglyphs which have made the culture so famous. As with most buildings in the city, the pyramid looks like a giant maze thanks to the winding ceremonial staircases which lead to its summit.... Many ceramics and other ceremonial items, such as fabrics and paintings, have been found in Cahuachi. ... Like many pre-Columbian American cities, Cahuachi was mysteriously abandoned, around 500 AD."
Cahuachi was the major ceremonial center of the Nazca culture from 1 CE to about 500 CE. The "ciudad perdida" contains over 40 mounds topped with adobe structures. The permanent population was quite small. The town was apparently a pilgrimage center that grew its population during the ceremonial events. These events probably involved the Nazca lines.
"Cahuachi's most famous monument is the Great Pyramid, which hogs the skyline and casts an eye over the Nazca Lines, the geoglyphs which have made the culture so famous. As with most buildings in the city, the pyramid looks like a giant maze thanks to the winding ceremonial staircases which lead to its summit.... Many ceramics and other ceremonial items, such as fabrics and paintings, have been found in Cahuachi. ... Like many pre-Columbian American cities, Cahuachi was mysteriously abandoned, around 500 AD."
Thanks to Wikipedia and Ed88!
Flying on Andes
"Birds were precious resources in the economy of Andean societies. Merchants traded brilliantly colored parrot and macaw feathers in long-distance networks connecting the Amazonian rainforest, the Cordillera, and the remote Pacific coast, where they adorned the sumptuous garments of rulers and kings. Coastal agriculturalists used guano to enrich their fields. Sailors collected the valuable fertilizer offshore on sacred islands, where they left prestigious offerings. On the coast, domesticated muscovy ducks may have been part of the subsistence."
Birds of the Andes, by Hélène Bernier, Source: Birds of the Andes | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Birds of the Andes, by Hélène Bernier, Source: Birds of the Andes | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Amazon Earthworks
Ancient Amazon Earthworks Seen by Satellite
"Amazonia is not the “wilderness” many assume it to be. For thousands of years human beings have been residing in and cultivating lowland and upland areas across the Amazon basin and beyond.
A recent article in National Geographic News provides a glimpse of earthworks built long before Columbus. Rediscoveries of the ancient croplands and city sites force us to re-evaluate notions of wilderness and to consider the long-standing, organized, cultural interactions and influences of humanity upon western landscapes."
"Amazonia is not the “wilderness” many assume it to be. For thousands of years human beings have been residing in and cultivating lowland and upland areas across the Amazon basin and beyond.
A recent article in National Geographic News provides a glimpse of earthworks built long before Columbus. Rediscoveries of the ancient croplands and city sites force us to re-evaluate notions of wilderness and to consider the long-standing, organized, cultural interactions and influences of humanity upon western landscapes."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/01/100104-amazon-lost-civilization-circles.html
http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/amazonian-geoglyphs.html
http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/amazonian-geoglyphs.html
Hidden simplicity
Hidden simplicity
"Casey and Anderson’s idea is based on the ansatz that the strange metal phase of the cuprates is described by an ordinary, well-understood Fermi-liquid theory that exists, but which is hidden in an unphysical Hilbert space (an analog of a Platonic world). In this picture, projecting the familiar Fermi liquid back into the physical world (i.e., making a measurement) converts the Fermi liquid into the experimentally observed strangeness. If Casey and Anderson’s theory withstands further experimental scrutiny, it will surely be a leap forward in our understanding of the cuprates. "– Alex Klironomos, Hidden simplicity
http://physics.aps.org/synopsis-for/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.097002
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 097002 (2011)
Hidden Fermi Liquid: Self-Consistent Theory for the Normal State of High-TcSuperconductors
Philip A. Casey and Philip W. Anderson
Hidden Fermi liquid theory explicitly accounts for the effects of Gutzwiller projection in the t-J Hamiltonian, widely believed to contain the essential physics of the high-Tcsuperconductors. We derive expressions for the entire “strange metal,” normal state relating angle-resolved photoemission, resistivity, Hall angle, and by generalizing the formalism to include the Fermi surface topology—angle-dependent magnetoresistance. We show this theory to be the first self-consistent description for the normal state of the cuprates based on transparent, fundamental assumptions. Our well-defined formalism also serves as a guide for further experimental confirmation.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 097002 (2011)
Hidden Fermi Liquid: Self-Consistent Theory for the Normal State of High-TcSuperconductors
Philip A. Casey and Philip W. Anderson
Hidden Fermi liquid theory explicitly accounts for the effects of Gutzwiller projection in the t-J Hamiltonian, widely believed to contain the essential physics of the high-Tcsuperconductors. We derive expressions for the entire “strange metal,” normal state relating angle-resolved photoemission, resistivity, Hall angle, and by generalizing the formalism to include the Fermi surface topology—angle-dependent magnetoresistance. We show this theory to be the first self-consistent description for the normal state of the cuprates based on transparent, fundamental assumptions. Our well-defined formalism also serves as a guide for further experimental confirmation.
One-way sound
One-way sound
" Xue-Feng Li and colleagues at Nanjing University and California Institute of Technology report on a new acoustic diode design that manipulates the sonic crystal itself to achieve nonreciprocal propagation of sound. The device consists of a two-dimensional sonic crystal arranged in a mesh of square steel rods. By rotating the steel rods, Li et al.are able to manipulate the unit cell of the sonic crystal element to turn the diode on (sound waves only propagate one way) and off (sound waves can move back and forth). Li et al. make their device entirely from linear acoustic materials, which allows them to control sound propagation with a simpler and more efficient process". – Daniel Ucko, One-way sound
Monday, February 28, 2011
Era de Pando, Peru
"Ancient Village in Liberec Department, Peru. This is a late Archaic site, thought to be created by the same Supe Culture responsible for the larger nearby site, Caral. The site includes and adobe pyramid and about two dozen buildings. A comparison aerial view on Google maps of both Caral and Era de Pando shows the similarities in architectural layout."
More http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=25983
More http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=25983
Caral, in Peru, the oldest town in the New World
"In 2001, the oldest town in South America was officially announced. Dating to 2600 BC, it pushed back the date for the “first town” with one millennium. What is even more intriguing, is that the town of Caral has pyramids, contemporary with the Egyptian Pyramid Era....The ancient pyramids of Caral predate the Inca civilization by 4000 years, but were flourishing a century before the pyramids of Gizeh. No surprise therefore that they have been identified as the most important archaeological discovery since the discovery of Machu Picchu in 1911" by Philip Coppens, read more http://www.philipcoppens.com/caral.html
Friday, February 25, 2011
Domenico Pacini and the discovery of cosmic rays
Domenico Pacini, uncredited pioneer of the discovery of cosmic rays
A. De Angelis
Vol 33 No 12 2010,
A. De Angelis
Vol 33 No 12 2010,
Rivista del Nuovo Cimento
Volume 033 Issue 12 pp 713-756
Published online: Fri, 28 Jan 2011
3D screen with voxels
"Researchers at Southampton University are using the holographic-style display to design a flawless-quality communication system that comes closer to the impression that users are in the same room.
... This ‘HoloVizio’ screen is made up of tiny elements called voxels (rather than pixels) that can represent depth information. Each voxel emits multiple beams of light that vary in colour and intensity depending on which direction they travel."
... This ‘HoloVizio’ screen is made up of tiny elements called voxels (rather than pixels) that can represent depth information. Each voxel emits multiple beams of light that vary in colour and intensity depending on which direction they travel."
Bent-Core Liquid Crystals
Most Cited Articles 2009 Japanese Journal Applied Physics
The 10 articles published in JJAP from 2006 to 2008 that were most frequently cited in 2009, in order of publication date. PDF files of the full text of these articles are available free of charge for one year from January 2011.
Bent-Core Liquid Crystals: Their Mysterious and Attractive World, by Hideo Takezoe, and Yoichi Takanishi, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 45 (2006) 597 [Abstract] [Full Text PDF Free ]
Bent-Core Liquid Crystals: Their Mysterious and Attractive World
Hideo TAKEZOE and Yoichi TAKANISHI
Structures and properties of liquid crystalline phases formed by bent-core molecules are reviewed. At least eight phases designated as B1–B8 have been found, being unambiguously distinguished from phases formed by usual calamitic molecules due to a number of remarkable peculiarities. In addition to B1–B8 phases, smectic A-like phases and biaxial nematic phases formed by bent-core molecules are also reviewed. The most attractive aspects of this new class of liquid crystals are in polarity and chirality, despite being formed from achiral molecules. The bent-core mesogens are the first ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystals realized without introducing chirality. Spontaneous chiral deracemization at microscopic and macroscopic levels occurs and is controllable. Moreover, achiral bent-core molecules enhance system chirality. The interplay between polarity and chirality provides chiral nonlinear optic effects. Further interesting phenomena related to polarity and chirality are also reviewed. [DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.45.597]
KEYWORDS: bent-core liquid crystals, polarity, chirality, ferroelectricity, antiferroelectricity, phase structure, layer structure, X-ray diffraction, nonlinear optics, SHG
Bent-Core Liquid Crystals: Their Mysterious and Attractive World
Hideo TAKEZOE and Yoichi TAKANISHI
Structures and properties of liquid crystalline phases formed by bent-core molecules are reviewed. At least eight phases designated as B1–B8 have been found, being unambiguously distinguished from phases formed by usual calamitic molecules due to a number of remarkable peculiarities. In addition to B1–B8 phases, smectic A-like phases and biaxial nematic phases formed by bent-core molecules are also reviewed. The most attractive aspects of this new class of liquid crystals are in polarity and chirality, despite being formed from achiral molecules. The bent-core mesogens are the first ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystals realized without introducing chirality. Spontaneous chiral deracemization at microscopic and macroscopic levels occurs and is controllable. Moreover, achiral bent-core molecules enhance system chirality. The interplay between polarity and chirality provides chiral nonlinear optic effects. Further interesting phenomena related to polarity and chirality are also reviewed. [DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.45.597]
KEYWORDS: bent-core liquid crystals, polarity, chirality, ferroelectricity, antiferroelectricity, phase structure, layer structure, X-ray diffraction, nonlinear optics, SHG
Thursday, February 24, 2011
La Medusa di Wayland's Smithy
Un crop circle del 2009, che si vede con Google Maps. "Formazione anomala, e spettacolare. È stata riportata da tutti i media internazionali in quanto dotata di una rara quanto unica energia espressiva."
Wayland's Smithy is a Neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb site located near the Uffington White Horse and Uffington Castle, at Ashburyin the English county of Oxfordshire (historically in Berkshire).
Wayland's Smithy is a Neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb site located near the Uffington White Horse and Uffington Castle, at Ashburyin the English county of Oxfordshire (historically in Berkshire).
Shale gas
From Wiki "Shale gas is natural gas produced from shale. Shale gas has become an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States over the past decade, and interest has spread to potential gas shales in Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. One analyst expects shale gas to supply as much as half the natural gas production in North America by 2020."
Study says natural gas use likeky to double, NYTimes, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/business/energy-environment/25natgas.html?_r=1&src=busln
Study says natural gas use likeky to double, NYTimes, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/business/energy-environment/25natgas.html?_r=1&src=busln
Dal Sole24ore "L'Eia ha ritoccato le stime sulle riserve nazionali di shale gas - il metano che si ricava da antiche e stratificate formazioni rocciose – più che raddoppiandole. Così, quegli Stati Uniti già abbastanza ossessionati dalla dipendenza dal petrolio d'importazione, scoprono con sollievo di essere una potenza nel gas: secondo l'Eia, nel 2035 il 45% del fabbisogno americano verrà dalle rocce sedimentarie."
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
American mastodon
Mastodons were large tusked mammal species of the extinct genus Mammut which inhabited Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Central America from the Oligocene through Pleistocene, 33.9 mya to 11,000 years ago. The American mastodon is the most recent and best known species of the group.
The American mastodon, Mammut americanum, lived from about 3.7 million years ago until about 10,000 BC. It was the last surviving member of the mastodon family. It is known from fossils found ranging from present-day Alaska and New England in the north, to Florida, southern California, and as far south as Honduras and El Salvador.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastodon
The American mastodon, Mammut americanum, lived from about 3.7 million years ago until about 10,000 BC. It was the last surviving member of the mastodon family. It is known from fossils found ranging from present-day Alaska and New England in the north, to Florida, southern California, and as far south as Honduras and El Salvador.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastodon
Cryogenic energy storage
Cryogenic energy storage plant could provide valuable back-up | News | The Engineer
"The UK’s first cryogenic power storage plant, which uses liquid nitrogen to store and release energy, is scheduled to open next month. Its operator, Highview Power Storage, said the system could provide a relatively cheap way of storing power, particularly from intermittent sources such as wind turbines, to better match the supply of electricity to demand.The pilot facility near Slough has been providing electricity to the National Grid since April last year by evaporating liquid nitrogen stored at -200ºC to drive turbine generators. Highview is now installing equipment to re-liquefy and compress the nitrogen using electricity from the grid, creating a closed cryogenic system that can store energy at times of surplus and release it when it is needed, while re-using the cold air exhaust."
"The UK’s first cryogenic power storage plant, which uses liquid nitrogen to store and release energy, is scheduled to open next month. Its operator, Highview Power Storage, said the system could provide a relatively cheap way of storing power, particularly from intermittent sources such as wind turbines, to better match the supply of electricity to demand.The pilot facility near Slough has been providing electricity to the National Grid since April last year by evaporating liquid nitrogen stored at -200ºC to drive turbine generators. Highview is now installing equipment to re-liquefy and compress the nitrogen using electricity from the grid, creating a closed cryogenic system that can store energy at times of surplus and release it when it is needed, while re-using the cold air exhaust."
Lanzan pájaro espía
Un miniavión espía en forma de colibrí que funciona a control remoto fue presentado por el Pentágono.
