World's First Hoverbike Unveiled!
Australian inventor Chris Malloy has built a hoverbike from motorcycle parts and claims it can fly up to 173 mph, at an altitude of 10,000 feet. The designer says the one-person vehicle could replace conventional helicopters for tasks over rugged terrain, such as aerial surveys, search-and-rescue missions and cattle roundups. Along with two Tasmanian Oak propellers, the 240 pounds hoverbike has a 1,170cc 4-stroke engine and carbon-fiber driveshaft. To lift off, the driver increases thrust with the right hand via a throttle grip, exactly like that of a motorcycle. At 21.8 miles per gallon, one full tank of gas will take you 92 miles. In regards to safety, Malloy plans to add a pair of explosive parachutes or require riders to wear one. Once the safety tests on the hoverbike are completed, Malloy plans to sell them at $40,000 a piece. Hoverbike website via [Wired], [Cnet],
Underwater Viewing System, HydroView | Aquabotix Technology Corporation - Aurora
The HydroView is very cool! -Mia It wasn't the best conditions. -Capt. Recently, while leaving the port of Montauk in Long Island, unexpected fog created zero visibility and unfortunately our auxiliary engine began overheating. -Jeff
The illustrated guide to a Ph.D.
Imagine a circle that contains all of human knowledge: By the time you finish elementary school, you know a little: By the time you finish high school, you know a bit more: With a bachelor's degree, you gain a specialty: A master's degree deepens that specialty: Reading research papers takes you to the edge of human knowledge: Once you're at the boundary, you focus: You push at the boundary for a few years: Until one day, the boundary gives way: And, that dent you've made is called a Ph.D Of course, the world looks different to you now: So, don't forget the bigger picture: Keep pushing. There's a bit more below, but I also wrote a follow-up 5 years after the illustrated guide which may be of interest -- HOWTO: Get tenure. Related posts If you like these posts, then I recommend the book A PhD Is Not Enough Get it in print; fund students; save lives By request, a print version of The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D. is on sale. Click here to preview or buy it. Why biology? License: Creative Commons Resources
Heads Up, Hoverboarders: Here Comes Quantum Levitation
Few motifs of science fiction cinema have been more appealing to us than the subtle defiance of gravity offered by futuristic hovercraft. So every once in a while we check in to see how humanity is progressing on that front, and whether the promise of hoverboards will be delivered by 2015 as evidenced in Back to the Future Part 2. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re definitely getting off the ground, so to speak. Get ready to hover your brain around the art of quantum levitation. That’s right, quantum. Normally that word indicates that it’s difficult to explain what’s going on. Because of its chemical properties, a superconductor (when brought to low enough temperatures using, say, liquid nitrogen) exhibits this effect, causing the energy from the magnet below to warp around the superconductive object in a way which “locks” it in space. NASA has been interested in quantum levitation for quite a while, as it turns out. Connections:
Dangerously Fun - Aurora
altered books
Cut the bindings off of books found at a used book store. Find poems in the pages by the process of obliteration. Put pages in the mail and send them all around the world. Lather, rinse, repeat. This site is a chronicle of a very specific set of collaborations between the artists listed below working on the titles listed below. *loves = referred 200+ people our way loved us on August 21st, 2005 MilkandCookies loved us on August 21st, 2005 The J-Walk Blog loved us on August 22nd, 2005 In4mador! robot wisdomloved us on August 22nd, 2005 MetaFilter loved us on August, 23rd, 2005 G4 Attack of the Show loved us on August 24th, 2005 Oink! mishechkaloved us on November 19th, 2005 granolagirlloved us on November 23rd, 2005 Bifurcated Rivetsloved us on November 28th, 2005 Zaborloved us on November 28th, 2005 zloblogloved us on December 1st, 2005 Glubibulgaloved us on December 1st, 2005 jessickaloved us on December 3rd, 2005 juliepatchouliloved us on December 3rd, 2005 deze-hierloved us on December 11th, 2005
How to drink a beer, engineer style
Can’t Beet It: The easiest, tastiest way to cook beets « Cleaner Plate Club - Aurora
A few years ago, we were heading over to a dear friend’s house in late autumn. It was a potluck; we were to bring something. I’d already started heading down this path of good food – real food – whole food. I wanted to cook something — really cook something, something fresh and seasonal and organic and full of goodness. There was only one glitch: at that time, we had no money. Actually, we had less than zilch; we were falling a little behind every day. I went to the local co-op and scoured the produce section for a great deal. Beets! Beets! “World?” When I arrived at the dinner, I pulled the foil off of the beets, revealing my ruby red masterpiece, and the hostess giggled. I ate the beets that night. Well, friends, it was their loss, and the loss was a mighty one. Beets are great in so many ways. I mean, seriously. They’re also delicious, with a full, sweet flavor and a dense, meaty texture. And? I’ve been working with beets for a few years now. Like beets on crack, sort of. Like this:
Dad level 439932.
The laziest gun in the world. When random people talk to me in public. Sloth needs a hug. Game show idea. If somebody tells you that you can't do something... Catho-licks.
Engineering News, Date
February 3, 2003 Vol.73, no. 3S ME student discovers a unique fact about polar bears Everyone knows that polar bears are furry and cute, but few know that sometimes they can also be invisible. While still an ME undergrad at Berkeley, Jessica Preciado plumbed the icy depths of a question that already had the whole natural science community buzzing. A few years ago, scientists doing an aerial census of the polar bear population in the arctic encountered a problem. “Everyone got really excited about this, particularly the military because it could have ramifications for creating infrared camouflage in cold climates,” says Preciado. The excitement calmed when it was hypothesized that the reason for the invisibility was the polar bear’s deep layers of blubber and fur, which trap body heat below their skins, making the polar bears’ surface temperatures the same as the snow. “Infrared detection functions not only by surface temperature, but also by the radiative properties of hair and skin.
stereomood - emotional internet radio - music for my mood and activities - Aurora
