SR-71 Blackbird — Running out of superlatives (video)

Credit: NASA

Having entered service in 1964, the SR-71 remains the fastest air breathing, manned aircraft. Ever. At an altitude of 87,000 feet (16.5 miles, 26.5 kilometres), the pilot could see the curvature of the Earth & the blackness of space. Faster than a bullet, the SR-71 flew too high & too fast to be threatened by fighters or missiles.

At Mach 3 it had a turn radius of 100 miles (160 kilometres).

Interestingly, it is claimed that the SR-71 is the only plane that used less fuel the faster it travelled.

Stories from SR-71 pilots:

http://www.twinturbo.net/nissan/300zx/forums/general/view/1116764/Humor-Man-Ive-been-stressed-badlythis-broke-it.html

Video of SR-71 Blackbird:

http://youtu.be/vpVT5Lr0BbI

Longer video (47 minutes)

http://youtu.be/kn6CgKEuB-M / sr71 plane air plane aeroplane photograph aerial surveylance pilot photograph photography Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird advanced long range long-range Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft development develop developed black project Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft Skunk Works division Clarence Kelly Johnson design designing designer design's innovative concepts reconnaissance missions SR-71 operated operate operation high speeds altitude altitudes outrace threats surface-to-air missile launch detected standard evasive action accelerate outfly missile serve served U.S. Air Force Habu world record fastest air breathing air-breathing manned aircraft /

TronicalTune adds push-button tuning to your existing guitar (video)

Credit: TruNorth/The Gadgeteer

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/11/01/tronicaltune-adds-push-button-tuning-to-your-existing-electric-guitar/

Video of TronicalTune add-on push-button tuning in action:

http://youtu.be/Y0D8k5TwtcI / TronicalTune Cybertronic Tuning System Germany German TruNorth tunes tune guitar seconds push button strum strings system consists miniaturized low profile micro controller micro-controller six motorized tuning pegs install installs back guitar’s headstock replace replacing replaced existing tuning pegs peg 10 minutes professional installation alteration special tools TronicalTune powered rechargeable lithium polymer battery lithium ion LiIon provides 300 tunings tuning tune per charge charged charging system compatible with hundreds of electric acoustic guitars well known brands brand Gibson Fender Yamaha Taylor Epiphone Ibanez music musician musicians switch between 18 different tune tuning tunings 12 factory presets 6 user presets preset press of a button button pressed TronicalTune signals signal servomotor servo motor peg turn tighten tightening tighten loosen tight loose loosening string adjust adjusting adjusted pitch tune TronicalTune recommend recommended retail price pricing suggested price $329 chrome vintage pearl $349 black $369 gold close closest retailer /

Blood & Gore: Coal is becoming a stranded asset

Credit: BBC

With widespread installation of solar, wind farms & other renewable sources of electricity, coal is becoming less attractive to investors. In an article published in The Wall Street Journal, Al Gore & David Blood, claim that coal may become a stranded asset. I.e. "... an asset that has become obsolete, or non-performant, but must be recorded on the balance sheet as a loss of profit. The term has particular relevance to pricing long-term economic and environmental sustainability." — Wikipedia

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1088081_gore-and-blood-coal-is-becoming-a-stranded-asset / power station Gore Blood our energy future stranded assets those lose economic value anticipated useful life reserves fossil fuels particularly coal unused value values fall decrease legislation legislative technology improvements obsolescence petroleum future stranded asset regulation education automotive industry spending more cut contribution climate change form emitted carbon regulatory regulation side influenced carbon budgets budget limits limit restrict carbon output energy usage use company companies industry long term long-term carbon budgets reduce fossil fuel use existing fuel reserves monetized authors suggest cause the current energy market energy-market bubble burst investors see perceive value assets will fall Al Gore David Blood writing The Wall Street Journal carbon based carbon-based energy investors same mistake invest investment invested sub-prime mortgages global economic crisis 2007 2008 ignore risk stranded carbon assets government governments governmental policy attempts mitigate effects climate change coal reserves viewed as valuable major part electricity electrical electric energy generation particularly susceptible stranded-asset stranded asset risk regulation advances technology green greener options fixing fix problem best option divestment encouraging investors away from portfolios carry high carbon related carbon-related risks risk towards low risk reduce reduced alternative energy convinced by climate change global warming green house greenhouse green-house effect carbon dioxide CO2 arguments change changes government governmental policy invest investing industry increasing increasingly expensive regulation political economic outlook renewable energy becoming cost competitive cost-competitive subsidy subsidies future success alternative energy base based regulation regulatory mandates energy companies company looking towards alternatives investors invest investment coal exports reducing reduction dropping USA U.S. coal-heavy China reduce pollution problems hint fairly value coal decline future investors overlooking risk stranded assets asset bottom line continued use carbon-based fuel fuels economic /

When will the last gasoline car be built? 2070, Shell Oil says

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1088044_when-will-the-last-gasoline-car-be-built-2070-shell-oil-says / disappearance internal combustion internal-combustion engines government governments predict predicted predicting last gasoline vehicles sold latest prediction particularly unlikely source Shell Oil Company largest petroleum producers producer world company predicts predict prediction latest report petroleum powered petrol gasoline gasolene petroleum-powered cars car gone 2070 concept Shell Shell's New Lens Scenarios report reports Autoblog Green forward looking forward-looking predictions company decide operate coming years scenario building 2013 policy develop development developing developed New Lens Scenarios scenario Mountains Oceans mountain ocean predicts predict prediction future based on two possible paths global economy coming decades decade affected technological developments global population changing pressures scenarios global population expected top 9 billion 2050 future very different depending each scenario lens incumbent governmental economic power persists natural gas dominant fuel 2030 demand liquid fuels derived from oils falls petroleum product products transport transportation driving much less 1,200 miles per year average mile miles mileage today shorter average journeys city-centric population better use two-wheeled transport public transport economic growth sluggish environment 2-degree 2 degree degrees Centigrade rise global temperatures temperature Oceans Shell predict predicts world greater understanding compromise world more prosperous dwindling food energy water become the new priorities natural gas solar grows grow growth world world's largest energy source global warming climate change technological developments, forcing society make significant adaptions oil phased out 2070 scenario Shell's overall estimate 2070 passenger road market nearly oil-free electricity oil free hydrogen dominant fuel fueling road transportation PDF file possible future outcomes social pressures energy global economy country countries German Germany German eCarTec Switzerland Swiss green pressure group electric cars dominate 2050 promote promoting electric charging wider use EV electric vehicles vehicle EVs vision visions United Kingdom GB Great Britain UK governmental government proposal proposals hybrid plug-in plugin plug in zero-emission zero emission illegal 2040 predict future global firm company companies firms perol gasoline /

Universal add on lenses fit any smartphone or tablet

Credit: Allputer/The Gadgeteer

Don't expect too much from these lenses. Between the prices ($6.95 – $10.95) & the potential difficulties with aligning the axis of the built in & add on lenses, results are likely to leave something to be desired. A case on your phone or tablet will create its own difficulties.

At the price though, you don't have much to lose. I've ordered the telephoto. :)

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/10/30/perk-up-your-pix-with-a-universal-clip-side-lenses/

Retailer's website

http://allputer.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=74_238&zenid=9dc370954ce2e9f0781aed90b6e134ec / photograph photography focus camera lens lenses clip on lenses iPhone macro wide angle capability capabilities capable built in camera clip on Clip-Slide lenses Allputer.com universal clips universal fit any smartphone phablet tablet aluminum multi coated multi-coated optical glass clip design slide edge device orient Clip-Slide lens device’s built in camera lens Allputer CPL glare reflection non metallic non-metallic surfaces surface polarize polarized polarizer filter polarizing 2X Zoom 2X Telephoto lens fisheye super wide angle lens Macro shot distance wide angle capability /

Phonebloks — it just might happen (video)

Credit: Hack A Day

You may remember a previous post about Phonebloks, the modular smartphone platform. At the time it seemed like a good idea, not really likely to become a commercial product. Now Motorola is adding a bit of real development & marketing muscle.

http://hackaday.com/2013/10/30/ask-hackaday-does-project-ara-solve-the-phonebloks-problems/ / tips line blowing Motorola’s Project Ara smart phone modularity modular components plug into base endoskeleton skeleton news coverage strewn across Web Project Ara similar vaporware Phonebloks concept Ask Hackaday article conspiracy theory circulating Motorola released concept viral marketing scheme generate hype official product line Hacker News Israeli startup, Modu similar modular mobile cell phone Google bought patents Project Ara is revised Modu partner partners partnered Phonebloks’ creator Dave Hakkens vaporware unavoidable hardware limitations hardware Android platform software vibrant third party third-party developer ecosystem lower barriers entry increase pace innovation substantially compress development timelines time times open source open-source hardware advances 3D printing evolving open hardware ecosystem next era phone development hack hacking hacker small startup company relationship PC peripherals peripheral slot slots attach attaching additional components website partnership /

MIT attempts to make its own dark matter

Credit: MIT/DVICE

http://www.dvice.com/2013-10-28/mit-attempts-make-its-own-dark-matter / dark matter scientist scientists exist exists gravity gravitation universal gravitational evidence invisible science dark matter certain features observe observation observed discovery discover MIT’s DarkLight lab project theoretical theory dark matter account accounts huge portion total mass Universe scientists studying discover discovering discrepancies mass masses mass massive galaxy galaxies mass account unaccounted mass dark matter proof researcher researcher research large photon team developed develop developing particle accelerator project machine beam electron electrons energy high power detector detect decays decay decaying exotic particles particle Higgs boson /