Road trips in a Tesla Model S electric car: lessons learned

Tesla Model S at a Supercharger fast charge station
Credit: George Parrott/Green Car Reports

Most electric vehicles (EVs) have short battery range: less than 160 km (100 miles). This is more than enough for the vast majority of daily use, but not for the much less frequent road trip. For a road trip, short range is compounded by slow charge times. An exception is the Tesla Model S with an EPA certified range of up to 426 km (265 miles). Using a Tesla Supercharger, the Model S can recharge to 80% of full charge in 20 to 30 minutes.

All of the above problems are compounded by cold weather. Charging is slower & the ability of the battery to release its stored energy is compromised, reducing range.

Use of the heater further reduces range in cold weather. This can be minimized, by using seat heating (a common fitting in EVs), rather than heating the entire passenger compartment. One quarter of the power use is representative. Warm gloves required.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1089093_road-trips-in-a-tesla-model-s-electric-car-lessons-learned / battery EV electric vehicle car automobile lithium ion LiIon DC AC alternating current direct Amp Volt Watt kiloWatt kilo Watt hour kWh Supercharge Supercharger recharge level 2 Nissan dealer charge station park 85 kWh 60 kWh lessons learned road trip heater air conditioner West Coast road tripper winter heating battery pack gasoline diesel petrol publish published reports report West Coast East Coast nationwide network quick-charging quick charging quick-charge quick charge quick-charger quick charger /

Take the pain out of standing all day with these simple exercises (video)

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/12/take-the-pain-out-of-standing-all-day-with-these-simple-exercises/ / Sitting your health feet standing desk job stand a lot stand stood movements strain standing exercises problem problems sore swollen legs feet tight calves lower back pain standard recommendations wear wearing comfortable shoes compression socks shoe sock alternating sitting standing good anti-fatigue mat lacrosse ball massage feet restore vitality quick 1-5 minute massage foot feet leg ankle circles place leg chair hamstring stretch make ankle circles stimulate nerves begin relief split squats: squat long stance one leg forward drop straight down touch back knee floor should feel stretch top thigh Dr Melissa West legs up the wall move relieve tired legs feet mild backache video demonstrates knee to chest pose figure four stretch lie on the ground try other yoga poses standing half moon side-bending pose side bending tree pose balance one leg angle thigh standing forward fold desk stretches standing fit stretches exercise exercises standing desk quad stretches examples example single leg balance reach calf raises raise heel pain suffer plantar fasciitis strain ligament supports support foot arch foot pain video stretches morning walk walking work exercise exercises daily schedule good to go /

Cheaper way to make fuel from carbon dioxide

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/522246/a-faster-and-more-efficient-way-to-convert-carbon-dioxide-into-fuel/ / CO2 carbon dioxide greenhouse gas green house gas global warming climate change methane carbon monoxide CH4 catalysts catalyst silver carbon fibre matrix making burning hydrocarbons novel catalysts researchers University Illinois Chicago practical reverse converting carbon dioxide water into fuel convert conversion energy reaction economic economical CO2 liquid fuel Volcano process processes commercial commercially liquid fuels exhaust gases gas fossil fuel fossil-fuel power plants plant journal Nature Communications discovered last year that more efficiently turn carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, petrol petroleum gasoline other products slow slowly expensive research researchers demonstration demonstrated relatively inexpensive carbon fibers same efficiency technique produces carbon monoxide about 10 times faster Amin Salehi-Khojin professor mechanical engineering University of Illinois at Chicago larger amounts membrane stable development work require industrial partners artificial leaf process run on sunlight solar panel generate electricity reactor form the carbon monoxide artificial leaf photosynthesis economic economical economy /

22 awesome science & infrastructure webcams from around the world (video)

Credit: Shark Tank Webcam/Gizmodo

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/12/22-awesome-science-infrastructure-webcams-from-around-the-world/ / web cam webcam World Wide Web WWW dull boring repetitive amazing live stream construction construction collection construction snapshot new safe confinement protective metal structure Chernobyl nuclear power plant progress online science technology ocean liner container ship hi-res webcam Gatum Loch Lochs Panama Canal Building 29 cleanroom clean room NASA Goddard Flight Centre Flightcentre Center ISM structure Webb Webb's science instrument instruments 6.5 in inch mirror ESA ESA's 35m 35 meter metre Cerevos Spain antenna dish diameter remote remotely operated operate composite operating Kennedy Space Center Centre VAB Super Guppy shark tank Long Beach California 26kg Foucault pendulums pendulum Prof Professor Guido Pegna Cagliari University Physics Museum Sardinia Polar Science Center monitor large Acoustic Ice Tethered Profiler AITP ocean bouy laser lazer cloud sensor North Pole Environmental Observatory National Science Foundation blinking lights webcam axis 2100 network camera Netgear network switch MicroscopeCam Microscope Cam camera light microscope simple life forms living drop water Canada France Hawaii telescope summit dormant Mauna Kea volcano big island USA Gemini Observatory Top Thrill Dragster Cedar Point Amusement Park thrill ride roller coaster Sandusky Ohio Pitch Drop Experiment science history ninth drop bitumen School of Mathematics and Physics University of Queensland Australia Centennial Bulb longest burning 60 Watts 4 112 112th year location Fire Station 6 4550 East Avenue Ave Livermore California incandescent lamp Adolphe A Chaillet Shelby Electric Company /

How Americans were deceived about cell phone location data (video)

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/12/how-americans-were-deceived-about-cell-phone-location-data/282239/ / earliest articles sourced Edward Snowden pocket pockets NSA collect location data generate possibility proved worrisome concern public privacy experts surveillance state routinely tracked our movement movements feel dystopian enable abuse various TV Web print commentators commentator Congress concerned letter signed 26 senators declared NSA bulk collection phone records significant impact privacy records collected includes cell phone locational data effectively turning Americans American America USA United States of America cell phones tracking devices cell sight site tower mobile phone cell-site location data in bulk National Security Agency gathering 5 billion records a day whereabouts of cellphones around the world Washington Post reported vast database stores information about locations hundreds of millions of devices affected tactic NSA target Americans’ location data Information whereabouts domestic cellphones incidentally foreseeable not deliberate result mobile phone senior collection manager, speaking condition anonymity permission NSA getting vast volumes location data tap tapping cables connect mobile networks globally serve U.S. cellphones domestic foreign cellphones every year location information under this program Clapper wrote Director of the National Security Agency Senate Select Committee on Intelligence notify Congress cell site location information notify Congress collect cell location data Wyden NSA's rhetorical evasions misleadingly played department of justice DOJ /

1TB Samsung SSD for just $515 (video)

Credit: Samsung/Amazon

Big, fast, cheap, encrypted.

http://www.funkyspacemonkey.com/deal-1tb-samsung-ssd-just-515-free-shipping-video#more-42124 / video tutorial boost Mac PC performance old hardware upgrade component more RAM replace hard disk disc drive HDD solid state drive SSD upgrade SSD one 1 terabyte 1TB Samsung EVO-Series evo series SSD fast performance low pricing first SSD market storage space limited capacity TurboWrite Faster Performance technology innovative write acceleration algorithm high performance high-performance write buffer dramatically boost sequential write speeds overall improved performance RAPID Mode for Efficient Data Caching 840 EVO includes Samsung Magician software RAPID mode innovative DRAM caching enhancement boosts PC performance using idle DRAM ultra fast ultra-fast buffer improves system performance over time optimum optimise drive optimizes your tasks encryption encrypt technology to secure your data 840 EVO features self encrypting Self-Encrypting Drive SED technology encrypt your data keep personal files secure technology hardware-based eliminates performance degradation can occur software based software-based encryption design only 7 millimeters mm thick weight weigh weighing 2 ounces 840 EVO Series SSD features feature sleek lightweight design stunning brushed aluminum design durable protect your data from loss shock dust corrosion /

Your brain on poverty: why poor people seem to make bad decisions

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/11/your-brain-on-poverty-why-poor-people-seem-to-make-bad-decisions/281780/#comments / Science published study conclusion conclude concluding poverty hurt reduce reducing reduction hurts ability make decisions school finances life imposing impose imposition mental burden similar lose reduction losing 13 IQ points counter argument counter-argument claims poor people blame bad decisions rebuke policies withholding withhold money poorest families unless they behave in a certain way being poor leads bad decision making decision-making giving cash alleviate cognitive burdens of poverty science anecdote why make terrible decisions comment published Gawker Gawker's Kinja platform person poor poverty devastating illustration Science study insight insightful portions testimony make poor financial decisions matter long term sacrifice result improved circumstances holding me back life devoid of small pleasures single large purchase have large pleasures money in your pocket never have enough money poverty bleak cuts off your long-term brain long term a bit of connection survive worthwhile more basic than food compatible long term long-term powerful valuable indifferent none of it matters plan long-term long term because we’ll just get our hearts broken best not to hope just take what you can get neuroscientists Joseph W. Kable Joseph T. McGuire studied time uncertainty decision making decision-making virtues like patience self-control weren't as simple previous studies suggested ubiquitous Marshmallow study deemed impatient wait waited self-control lead more productive lives study rational self control self-control real world black and white black-and-white patience wait poverty poverty's stress interferes ability make good decisions long term long-term planning person context /