Protect your phone from water (video)

Credit: Liquipel/Jailbreak Nation

http://www.jailbreaknation.com/liquidpel-coating-waterproofs-your-iphone-without-a-case

Just before you send off you phone to be waterproofed, be aware that there are limits to what Liquipel can do. This video is from someone who found out the hard way:



An Aqualife waterproof case might be a better bet:

http://www.funkyspacemonkey.com/aqualife-waterproof-iphone-case#more-25944

If you don't have an iPhone, check out the universal model:


Credit: Case Logic

http://shop.pinewayasia.com/Universal-Mobile-Phone-Waterproof-Case-CL-unvaqu-bl.htm/ gadget gadgets CES new technology Liquidpel invisible coating waterproof totally waterproofs iPhone drop worry dropping toilet water leak service post transport send away ship iPhone Liquidpel apply applied apply 2 days device in your hands shipping cost costs expense totally waterproof caution internal coating disassemble disassembled possibly void the warranty mist fog penetrate gas droplet H2O /

How to tap the sun’s energy through heat as well as light

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are not able to convert all of the photons which fall upon them into electricity. Only a limited range of frequencies can be utilized. MIT researchers are investigating a two layer solution in which an upper layer heated by incident light re-emits the energy in the infra-red range to a second layer tuned to this frequency.

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2014/how-to-tap-the-suns-energy-through-heat-as-well-as-light-0119.html / new approach harvesting harvest solar energy develop development developed MIT researchers research researching improved improve efficiency sun light sunlight heat high temperature high-temperature material infrared radiation collect collector collected conventional photovoltaic cell technique easy easier store energy later use researchers improve improves performance take advantage wavelength photon wavelengths Sun sunlight light paper published journal Nature Nanotechnology graduate student Andrej Lenert associate professor mechanical engineering Evelyn Wang physics professor Marin Soljačić principal research scientist Ivan Celanović conventional silicon-based solar cell take advantage photons photon Wang convert converting energy photon electricity photons photon’s energy level match characteristic photovoltaic PV material bandgap silicon bandgap responds many wavelengths light respond wavelength wave address limitation team inserted two layer two-layer absorber-emitter absorber emitter absorb emit device novel materials material carbon nanotubes photonic crystal between sunlight PV cell intermediate material collects collect energy broad spectrum sunlight heating up process heats up glow glows red hot emit emits light particular wavelength tune tuned match bandgap PV cell mounted nearby solar-thermal solar thermal photovoltaic improved efficiency /

An insider's story of the global attack on climate science

Climate change deniers are an alliance of contrarians, vested interests & those in denial who just don't want to face the responsibilities inherent in climate change. One more example:

http://theconversation.com/an-insiders-story-of-the-global-attack-on-climate-science-21972

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchants_of_Doubt / recent headline failed doubters trust taxpayers six-figure loss six figure loss secretly funded secretly-funded climate denial deny denier harassment harass scientists science scientist tying-up valuable government resources New Zealand familiar story scientist colleagues around the world who to believe global warming greenhouse green house gas climate change New Zealand fight climate data ongoing war against evidence-based science evidence based number crunching controversy produced seven station 6 7 seven-station New Zealand temperature series 7SS monitor historic temperature trends vary variation variations Auckland south Dunedin southern New Zealand NZ Meteorological Service revise revised homogenisation homogenisation approach temperature records more accurate adjusting adjust adjustment temperature gauges moved move new sites site 1928 Wellington’s Wellington temperature gauge relocate relocated nner suburb near sea level into the hills at Kelburn where higher cooler location recorded cool temperatures temperature city before statistical analysis work out how much Wellington’s temperature gone up or down city’s temperature records began 1862 change gauge being moved uphill examine re-examining NZ temperatures controversy controversial uncontroversial government-owned government owned research organisation National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research updated seven stations across the country Auckland Dunedin 1909 2008 warming trend 0.91 degrees Celcius heat heated New Zealand Climate Science Coalition global climate change denial group International Climate Science Coalition contact contacting explanation of the science determined conspiracy shonky claims attack science MP free market ACT New Zealand party Rodney Hide claim claimed NZ Parliament February 2010 NIWA raw data official temperature graph shows no warming NIWA shifted the bulk of the temperature record pre-1950 pre 1950 post downwards bulk of data post-1950 upwards produce sharply rising trend argument for warming result adjust adjustment adjustments data which can’t be justified checked Mr Hide’s attack continued more than 80 parliamentary questions NIWA between science minister asked NIWA re-examine temperature record methodology reviewed endorsed Australian Bureau of Meteorology warming trend of 0.91 degrees High Court Justice Geoffrey Venning delivered a 49-page ruling NZCSET challenges against NIWA NZCSET Trustee Terry Dunleavy’s lack of scientific expertise tediously lengthy particularly unsuited taxpayers foot the bill appeal withdrawn at the last minute NIWA $NZ89,000 in costs from the original case plus further costs from the appeal /

Firestorm

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

18 January 2003 a major fire hit Canberra, Australia. Four lives lost, over 490 injured, plus over 500 homes destroyed & other property damage. But this was something more than just a fire: there was severe wind damage; a police car was picked up & dumped in a storm water drain; plus the fire spread faster than was predicted by the literature.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Catalyst programme takes a look:

/ fire firestorm Canberra ACT Australian Capital Territory Canberra bushfires brushfire fire 2003 several deaths fatalities 490 injured injuries severe damage outskirts Canberra Australian capital city 18–22 January 2003 70% pastures, forests pine plantations nature parks severely damaged most renowned Mount Stromlo astronomical astronomy Observatory destroyed burn burning week around the edges ACT fire flame smoke fires entered suburbs Canberra 18 January 2003next ten hours four people died death fatality 500 homes were destroyed severely damaged significant relief reconstruction effort bush fire brigade emergency services On 8 January 2003 lightning strikes started 4 fires in close proximity to Canberra. Despite their proximity and very small initial sizes, low intensity and low rate of spread these fires were not extinguished or contained by emergency services personnel. Subsequent inquiries into the bushfires including the Roche report, the McLeod inquiry and the Coroners Report identified poor management of the initial response as a key contributor to the disaster that unfolded on 18 January 2003 13 January helicopter water bombing bomber waterbombing fires forests west Canberra crashed crash Bendora Dam one person pilot injured ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope Chief Fire Officer Peter Lucas-Smith reviewing review fires nearby Snowy Hydro SouthCare helicopter pilot Southcare chopper cautiously positioned aircraft Stanhope Lucas-Smith paramedic board dive dam rescue injured pilot helicopter pilot later received awards bravery Emergency Services Bureau ESB released final media release format content clues overlooked assessment risk Canberra faced bush fire bushfire logistical support staging areas relocated Bulls Head Orroral Valley far outside urban Canberra North Curtin District Playing Fields far inside urban Canberra major retreat fire fighters imminent danger to the city /

Sugar powered bio-battery has ten times the energy density of lithium — Your phone may soon run on enzymes

Credit: Virginia Tech

http://mobile.extremetech.com/latest/103553-sugar-powered-biobattery-has-10-times-the-energy-storage-of-lithium-your-smartphone-might-soon-run-on-enzymes / sugar sucrose glucose dextrose fructose maltose enzyme enzyme sugar sugars carbohydrate coke glycemic index load insulin electricity sugar high durability enzymatic pathway energy ATP adenosine triphosphate molecules energy density pathway LiIon lithium ion lithium-ion Virginia Tech /

Penn State Lunar X Prize team plans to crowdfund its way to the moon (video)

Google Lunar X Prize Challenge: land a spacecraft on the Moon & then move it to a new location, at least 500 metres away, by the end of 2015. And the prize? $30 million.

http://gigaom.com/2014/01/20/penn-state-lunar-x-prize-team-plans-to-crowdfund-its-way-to-the-moon/ / accomplish in college university Penn State Pennsylvania State University 80 students noble goal land landing spacecraft Moon earn earning $30 million Lunar Lion team compete competing Google Lunar X Prize challenge challenges private teams land moon move craft second location at least 500 meters away end of 2015 Lunar Lion director Michael Paul former NASA spacecraft systems engineer university asked him to look into opportunities become more involved space exploration OK’d to pursue the X Prize idea build building robot robots our eyes and ears around the solar system industry student oriented team competing 18 private national teams team unique challenges emerge money tight tighter turnover high team began by investigating investigate most realistic affordable option lander to the Moon one aspect space systems engineering frugal frugality engineering can can’t afford it design for any spacecraft mission do we really need to do this mindset came into play Lunar Lions lander would move 500 meters reached the Moon wheels hop system lander takes off lands land again less expensive doesn’t require rover totally new mode of transit built into the lander staff turnover goes team organize organise organizing organizing ensure continuity underclassmen replace graduating upperclassmen STEM careers can be exciting after Apollo director of development Steve Blake school build rocket ships rocket science crowdfunding campaign engine, test lander more infrastructure, complexity rocket science /

Amazon anticipatory shipping patent granted

"Anticipatory shipping?" The mind boggles!

http://bgr.com/2014/01/17/amazon-anticipatory-shipping-patent/ / buying history Amazon big box retailers retail retailer new system The Wall Street Journal Amazon granted patent anticipatory shipping consumer consumers consumers’ past buying habits ship products will buy nearby warehouses warehouse anticipation anticipate order orders books book Amazon company book shipped ship shipping shipment warehouse near you order company same day the Journal notes Amazon’s system past shopping history product searches search wish lists list shopping cart shopping-cart contents content return returns how long Internet user user’s cursor hovers hover over item Amazon implement system eliminate days long days-long waits that customers product products pay for standard shipping brick and mortar brick-and-mortar retailer /