New gasolene mileage rules will reshape what Americans drive

Credit: Green Car Reports

A confluence of global warming & dwindling recoverable petroleum resources has led the automotive industry in the United States to agree to meet a corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) figure of 54.5 mpg (US) by 2025.

Toyota's Prius exceeds this requirement now.  The challenge is contained in the "C" for corporate in "CAFE".  That's a corporate average fuel economy figure.  I.e. it takes into account all vehicles in a corporation's model range.  For Toyota, that includes not only the Prius, but it's largest pickup & everything else in between.

John Voelcker takes a look at how this will change cars in the USA.  Look for something very similar in your country too:

Part I: Part I: Aerodynamics & Weight
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1084852_new-gas-mileage-rules-will-reshape-what-americans-drive-aerodynamics-and-weight

Part II: Engines & Transmissions
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1079103_new-gas-mileage-rules-will-reshape-what-americans-drive-engines-and-transmissions

Part III: Hybrids, Electrics, Cost
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1084851_new-gas-mileage-rules-will-reshape-what-americans-drive-hybrids-electrics-cost / auto transmission aerodynamic aerodynamics wind tunnel slippery shape wind resistance air drag fuel consumption battery lead acid lithium ion charge recharge hybrid electric CVT single speed multi speed transmission automatic engine internal combustion atmospheric supercharged supercharger turbo turbocharged turbocharger naturally aspirated efficiency charge recharge plug in plug-in range mpg litres per 100 km kilometer kilometre miles per gallon imperial UK EPA rating window sticker differences fuel efficiency calculated slippery shapes cars diets lose excess weight mass wing mirrors spats corners wheel arches reduce airflow turbulence drag swirls eddies  swirl eddy eddie smooth out airflow over car active grille shutter smooth undertray wind tunnel mild petrol fuel energy /

MRI reveals kids with autism may find human voices irritating

MRI studies appear to show that the parts of the brain which deal with human voice are connected to reward centres differently in the autistic.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57589951-76/mri-reveals-kids-with-autism-may-find-human-voices-irritating/ / centre center observed children many kids autism hard time communicating socializing research scientist study using MRI scans clues clue weaker connection brain language reward centers human voice pleasure Proceedings National Academy of Sciences researchers underconnectivity functional MRI track tracks blood flow look for brain activity connectivity high-functioning autism normal IQ trouble hearing emotion speech voices voice same age exhibited weaker connections between brain responds human voice region associated pleasure reward weaker link voice processors amygdala emotion ability perceive emotion elegant approach neuroimaging Andrew Adesman Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York replicate findings further studies expand research weaker brain connections neurological deficiency /

iOS 7 Review: The search for innovation amid renovation (video)

Credit: Boy Genius Report

iOS 7 is a major rethink of the interface. Not all users are impressed.

http://bgr.com/2013/06/18/ios-7-review-features-innovation/

Hidden features (video)

http://bgr.com/2013/06/18/ios-7-secret-settings-video/ / cell mobile smartphone smart phone  iPhone iPod iPad Apple Apple unveiled vision future computing Internet erupted feud users fawning redesigned software  Jony Ive company panned Apple fans interface features were instantly overshadowed controversial new design brilliant push forward tragedy knee-jerk reactions future devices created longtime users blindsided bold new look Design Apple’s hardware gorgeous unparalleled software beautiful rivals catch new product development notebooks sleek tablets striking stunning matched surpassed rivals longtime Apple fans look and feel interfaces /

Charles Saatchi "admits Nigella Lawson assault"

Notice distortion of the throat, & the fist (bottom centre).
Credit: The Mirror, UK

“To emphasise my point” — what was the point?  That a man doesn't assault a woman?

And is it possible to have an, "intense debate about the children", & a, "playful tiff", at the same time?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/charles-saatchi-admits-nigella-lawson-assault-1.1433060 / assault strangle choke throat celebrity cook Nigella Lawson Charles Saatchi Art collector Charles Saatchi admit admitted assaulting his wife Nigella Lawson argument outside London restaurant accepted a caution assault police station yesterday afternoon statement last night Metropolitan Police refused name him Officers Community Safety Unit Westminster aware Sunday People article published Sunday 16th June carried out investigation  afternoon Monday 17th June 70-year-old man voluntarily attended central London police station accepted caution for assault photographs published Sunday People  show Mr. Mr Saatchi grabbing wife around throat images which yesterday said were the result playful tiff former advertising executive  holding broadcaster cook neck to emphasise my point discussed family London’s Evening Standard admitted pictures which his wife appears grimace grimacing holds her outside Scott’s in Mayfair, looked horrific sitting outside a restaurant having an intense debate about the children held Nigella’s neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasise my point was no grip it was a playful tiff horrific drastic violent tears psychopath /

Ford: Regenerative braking has saved 100 million gallons of gasolene

Credit: Ford/ Green Car Reports

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1084850_ford-regenerative-braking-has-saved-100-million-gallons-of-gas

One of the most interesting aspects of the above article is the high %age of kinetic energy recovery Ford is claiming.


Credit: Holden/ Cars Guide

General Motors has made broadly similar claims for the Volt:

http://myholdenvolt.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/how-much-petrol-gasoline-are-volt_22.html

http://myholdenvolt.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/chevy-volt-owners-exceed-100-million.html / hybrid serial parallel battery LiIon lithium ion charge recharge EV electric vehicle car automobile plug in plug-in  regen regenerative dynamic brakes braking brake kinetic energy heat friction convert conversion General Motors Chev Chevy Chevrolet Holden /

Fertility cues make women more attractive — maybe it's the voice, or the hip-to-waist ratio, or symmetry, or ...

Studies of tips earned by lap dancers indicate men are more attracted to women who are ovulating, i.e. most fertile.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/07/03/3537847.htm#.Ub-XNP1hiSM

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/magazine/09lapdance.html?_r=0 / ovulate ovulation ovulating majority men  pretty subtle subset sensitive gentlemen gentlemen's clubs dimly lit serve alcohol play music loudly male clients 20 and 60 years age evening $20 bills club's ATM relax relaxing drinkies drink drinks wear very little perfume shaved all over many have breast implants heavy physical demands lap dancing aerobic resistance weight training fit lean 18 lap dancers Albuquerque New Mexico volunteered paid only $30 volunteering. Two 2 month two-month course study performed 296 shifts five hours long 5,300 lap dances Seven taking oral contraceptive pill 11 normal menstrual cycles average age 27 years lapdancing six years dance dancing dancer paid salary club only income tips earn their money they appear  more sexually attractive than the other rival dancers working the same shift and by doing the emotional labour counterfeiting intimacy with male club patrons perform a few stage dances every 90 minutes advertise themselves small tips one to five dollars usually only from the men seated closest to the stage 10 per cent of their earnings advertise advertised advertising presence attractiveness availability lap dancer walking around asking the men  wanted lap dance real money three minute three-minute lap dances normal menstrual cycles ovulated earned more money the pill results showed clear difference within or across the menstrual cycle lap dancer was menstruating per shift not fertile infertile either she earned more fertile part of the menstrual cycle ovulating she earned the greatest sum of money separate study women woman woman's voice her fertility Dr. Dr Pipitone colleagues recorded 51 women reading numbers one and 10 four during menstrual cycle peak fertility time at ovulation record recordings rated 34 men 32 women attractiveness attractive change in attractiveness over the month taking hormonal contraceptives the pill definite peak attractiveness women at their most fertile ovulation female larynx voice box influenced by female sex hormones studies claim around ovulation women show definite increase verbal fluency creativity  facial attractiveness soft tissue body symmetry waist-to-hip ratio shrinks slimmer more attractive waist combined child-bearing hips stimulate a man's deep instincts father children Ovulating women are also supposed to smell more attractive evidence human mate guarding mate-guarding behaviour harem lionesses most fertile ring her more often random times technically described higher proprietariness attentiveness and vigilance /

Stephen Hawking: Humans must escape Earth or perish

Credit: NASA

Escape Earth?  What does that even mean?

Take a look at the image of the Moon's surface.  Notice the craters.  They are the scars of impacts from fast moving objects in a range of sizes.  Every planet in the Solar System has been impacted in a similar way.

So where are the craters on Earth?  Most of them have been obliterated by erosion.  A few survive, the best preserved is Meteor Crater in Arizona.


Credit: Al S/ Yelp

Not quite so obvious is the meteor crater in the Gulf of Mexico.  Evidence points to debris thrown high into the atmosphere by the impact being responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs.

A similar impact today would be a disaster for humanity.

http://www.dvice.com/2013-4-15/stephen-hawking-humans-must-escape-earth-or-perish / acclaimed British scientist Stephen Hawking urgent call continuation space exploration programs programme program beyond Earth live next millennium species extinct space humanity Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles proponent space exploration planet Earth continue to support human life population finite resources planet Earth growing exponentially,  technical ability change environment genetic code  selfish aggressive instincts survival advantage avoid disaster next hundred years, let alone the next thousand or million Hawking our only chance of long-term survival spread out into space space exploration global financial crisis major spending cuts NASA NASA’s budget planetary science cut $300 million exploration prediction Kepler mission discovering scores potentially habitable planets new technology fusion powered fusion-powered rockets rocket journey planets stars /