Diamond light, brighter than the sun Imagine that the only thing limiting you is your imagination – that the physical means of achieving what you see in your mind’s eye is right in front of you. That, according to Professor Mark Hodson, is how it is for scientists at the Diamond synchrotron in Oxfordshire. With its curving walls, lined with walkways, pipes and colourful, clunky-looking machines and gadgets, it’s a sight that wouldn’t seem out of place in an early episode of ‘Doctor Who’. Diamond light, brighter than the sun From a birds-eye view, Diamond looks like a massive ring doughnut or a spaceship half a kilometre in circumference (roughly the size of five football pitches). As the name suggests, Diamond is a source of intensely bright light, which can be up to 10 billion times brighter than the sun. Researchers go to the synchrotron to use that brilliantly intense light in much the same way as they use visible light in a microscope or X-rays: to reveal things we can’t see.
Solar System Scope AlphaKnowledge: Christopher Donohue: A sweet lesson on patience. This post falls outside of my normal business oriented content. Yet this is a lovely story that should be shared, which falls within my core philosophies: be kind, be loyal, be helpful and contribute. There is so much niceness in the world, but it goes unreported usually. A sweet lesson on patience. A NYC Taxi driver wrote: I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After a long pause, the door opened. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. 'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. 'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.. 'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. I looked in the rear-view mirror. 'What route would you like me to take?' For the next two hours, we drove through the city. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. 'How much do I owe you?' 'Nothing,' I said
movies you should watch before you die How to Build a Tiny, Off-Grid House for $2500 (Video) Paul Wheaton/Video screen capture From life inside a tiny, 7'x12' portable house to touring an infamous roundhouse, we've been pretty fascinated by the DIY tiny house movement. Here's a great video on how to build your own tiny, cordwood, off-grid roundhouse—including some detailed tips and ideas on both the drawbacks and strengths of this particular approach. Uploaded by Paul Wheaton—the same chap who brought us videos on how to build "hugelkultur" raised beds, and making organic lawn fertilizer from moldy hay—what I like about this video is not just the tour of an awesome, unique dwelling. It's refreshing to also see full and frank discussion of the drawbacks and difficulties encountered on any particular project. The search for truly sustainable living is a journey, and nobody has it all figured out yet. For more information on the venue of this video, check out this blog post by Mr Kraft Does Life on Feral Farm's off grid way of life.
The Rosette Nebula A Beginner's Guide to DSLR Astrophotography This book on CD-ROM for beginning astrophotographers explains how to take beautiful images with your digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera using simple step-by-step techniques that anyone can learn. You will see how easy it is to take great pictures with very modest equipment and basic methods that are within everyone's ability. With this book you will learn how to take amazing images of the night sky with your DSLR camera. Get Started in DSLR Astrophotography Today! Click here to learn more about the book or to order it now!
AlphaKnowledge : The joy of innocence and complete... Why Piracy Is Indispensable For The Survival Of Our Culture Last Year Techdirt wrote about the case of the huge collection of historic jazz recordings that had been acquired by the US National Jazz Museum. The central problem is that even if the recordings can be digitized before they deteriorate, very few people will hear them because of their complicated copyright status. But as this eye-opening article from Benj Edwards explains, bad as that situation is, it's even worse for the entire category of software creations. For example, consider the earlier generation of floppy-based programs: Floppy disks, which were once used as the medium du jour for personal computers, have a decidedly finite lifespan: estimates for the data retention abilities of a floppy range anywhere from one year to 30 years under optimal conditions. That's great, apart from one slight problem: under today's copyright laws, all these wonderful backups that will probably ensure the programs' survival while civilization itself is still around, are illegal.