How Elon Musk taught himself rocket science

SpaceX Falcon 9
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Jim Cantrell,¹ aerospace consultant & SpaceX’s first VP of business development, talks about how Elon Musk learned enough about aerospace to start SpaceX &, “... used a billion dollars to do what NASA couldn’t do with $US27 billion,”

“He is by far the single smartest person that I have ever worked with … period.”

Business Insider interview with Jim Cantrell
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-elon-musk-learned-rocket-science-for-spacex-2014-10

Forbes interview with Jim Cantrell
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2014/07/16/how-did-elon-musk-learn-enough-about-rockets-to-run-spacex-cofounder-jim-cantrell-answers/#7f19ea1b423d

Esquire magazine interview with Elon Musk
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a16681/elon-musk-interview-1212/
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¹ Wikipedia: “Jim Cantrell”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Cantrell

/ bachelor’s degrees physics economics University of Pennsylvania run SpaceX spacecraft company Jim Cantrell aerospace consultant first vice president VP business development industry mentor company launched in 2002 taught himself rocket science by reading textbooks talking industry heavyweights Internet billionaire Robert Zubrin founder the Mars Society expert in Russian rockets spacecraft Mars Quora thread two-part learning process teach himself rocket science committed textbooks to memory affinity for applied knowledge loaned textbooks study never returned Rocket Propulsion Elements Aerothermodynamics of Gas Turbine and Rocket Propulsion Fundamentals of Astrodynamics International Reference Guide to Space Launch Systems quote passages verbatim books built network smartest people network aerospace industry spaceapalooza hired the rocket engineer Tom Mueller smartest propulsion expert deep knowledge learned from years of research absorbed books truly listens to people absorb this information motivation true pioneer rocket scientist the smartest man I ever met /

Paralysed man walks again after nasal cell transplant

Unlike other cells in the human body, nerve cells are not able to regenerate. Except, for nerves in the olfactory bulbs, which are involved in the sense of smell.

In a groundbreaking procedure, one of the patient’s olfactory bulbs were removed, cells grown in culture for two weeks & then transplanted into the patient’s spine.



http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29645760

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-22/man-with-completely-severed-spinal-cord-walks-again/5831794 / paralysed man able to walk again pioneering therapy transplanting cells nasal cavity spinal cord Darek Fidyka paralysed chest down knife attack walk using a frame treatment surgeons in Poland collaboration scientists London research published journal Cell Transplantation project charting rehabilitation walking again support of a frame helpless Prof Geoff Raisman chair neural regeneration University College London Institute of Neurology research team UK research team leader Prof Geoff Raisman paralysis treatment treatment olfactory ensheathing cells OEC sense of smell pathway cells enable nerve fibres olfactory system continually renewed two operations surgeons removed patient's olfactory bulb grew cells in culture transplanted spinal cord thin strip scar tissue about 500,000 cells 100 micro-injections injury scientists believe reconnect nerve grafts bridge bladder bowel sensation sexual function
Dr Pawel Tabakow consultant neurosurgeon Wroclaw University Hospital Polish research team regeneration of the spinal cord /

Hoverboard is here just in time for 2015

Well, almost, & only $US10,000.

Or you can get a developers' kit on Kickstarter, starting at $299. With 53 days to go, as of this writing, over $215,00 has been pledged of the $250,000 goal.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/142464853/hendo-hoverboards-worlds-first-real-hoverboard / zero gravity levitation hover technology in your hands HENDO hoverboard 1 inch off the ground prototype hover in defy gravity riding it support Kickstarter community finishing touches Hendo Hoverboard produce them create places to ride them engineering team iteration iterating design four disc-shaped hover engines magnetic field pushes generating lift levitation levitates board off the ground self-propelled stabilize drive it forward altering the projected force on the surface below non-ferromagnetic conductor metals working on new compounds technology minimize costs enabling technologies time and resources Whitebox developer kit technology crowdsourced creative minds artistic vision engineers practical professional riders industrial design current technology special types of surfaces hoverpark designing a park supporters backers collaborators hoverpark brick levitation magnets Earnshaw's Theorem stable static equilibrium Lenz’s law eddy currents conductor conductive material magnetic field  Magnetic Field Architecture MFA /

Formula E update

Nicolas Prost/Nick Heidfeld collision on the last lap of the Beijing event

Previously, on these pages, the capacity of Formula E batteries was quoted as 28 kiloWatt hours (kWh). In fact, they are 32 kWh battery capacity, with 28 kWh usable. Three drivers (Alguersuari, Legge & Abt) have been penalised 57 seconds, for exceeding the 28 kWh limit in Beijing.

Prost has been penalised 10 grid places in the next race for, "causing an avoidable collision", in the last lap of the Beijing event. See video at the top of this post & the link below.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/15/nicolas-prost-accepts-blame-formula-e-nick-heidfeld-crash

Complete video of the 1st Formula E race in Beijing, Saturday 13 September 2014.

Next Race:
Putrajaya, Malaysia
Round 2 - Saturday 22 November 2014
Practice 1 - 08:15 Malaysian local time
Practice 2 - 10:30
Qualifying - 12:00
Race - 16:00 / Formula E all electric racing series second race Putrajaya Malaysia ePrix stadium races F1 FIA electricity sport electric vehicles EV terrific acceleration pass passing possible tracks with tight corners technology range race organizers identical cars Spark-Renault SRT_01E built French company Spark Racing Technology carbon fiber aluminum chassis Dallara electric powertrain electronics McLaren Electronics Systems Williams Advanced Engineering building 200 kiloWatt battery pack batteries powertrain generate 270 horsepower five-speed paddle shift gearbox fixed gear ratios Michelin 18 inch tires wet dry conditions sound 80 decibel whine full grid 20 cars FIA Formula E strategy street courses dedicated circuits tire wear grip management battery life charge prematurely testing drivers learn knowledge teams construction constructors constructing FanBoost pit stop second fully charged car advances in battery technology battery swaps charging battery Renault Michelin DHL Qualcomm Richard Branson Virgin Racing team Leonardo DiCaprio Venturi team lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge range battery management system BMS /

How does the iPhone 6 camera compare to previous iPhone cameras?

Credit: Lisa Bettany/Camera+/Ubergizmo

Lisa Bettany, professional photographer, & one of the partners responsible for the Camera+ app for iOS, has done a comparison of the cameras in every iPhone ever made.

To get an idea, just compare the two ends of the image above.

Extraordinary progress since 2007.

More:

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2014/09/photos-compare-the-cameras-of-every-iphone-apple-has-ever-made/

http://snapsnapsnap.photos/how-does-the-iphone-6-camera-compare-to-previous-iphone-cameras/ / camera cofounder co-founder Camera+ app compare photos taken every iPhone Apple photos same subject photo types macro backlit subjects daylight lowlight photograph macro close up close-up closeup photos taken Camera+ app features default camera app accurate users expect devices Apple improvements iPhone 6 clear winner more balanced colors sharper details amazing lowlight low-light low light performance iPhones superior day light daylight portrait sunset iPhone camera technology /

Red Bull customer fails to get promised wings — sues

Red Bull, while maintaining that, "... its marketing & labelling have always been truthful and accurate ..." has decided to settle out of court. If you live in the United States, you may be entitled to a refund of $10 in cash or $15 worth of Red Bull if you've bought the stuff since 2002.

If this applies to you, go to energydrinksettlement.com before 02 March 2015.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/11/red_bull_wings_lawsuit/ / website Red Bull caffeine consumer consumers claim multi-million dollar award wings ad slogan promised crash crashed Austria-based drinks maker manufacturer settle US lawsuits out of court long-time user Benjamin Careathers sue sued New York court false advertising filed cases in California did not have wings improved athletic intellectual ability deceived users lawyers acting on behalf of seeking to redress pervasive pattern fraudulent deceptive false otherwise improper unproper advertising sales marketing practice Red Bull defendants have engaged in Red Bull defendants prey upon consumers Red Bull gives you wings mixture of ingredients significantly improve consumer’s physical mental performance best course of action settle out of court agreeing refund deal will cost Red Bull $13.5m $6.5m avoid cost distraction litigation spokesman said maintains denies wrongdoing liability change future advertising plaintiffs David Wolf Migeul Almarez California court documents /

Puppy-sized spider surprises scientist in rainforest

Credit: Live Science

A spider the size (& weight) of a puppy would surprise most of us. It is regarded as venemous, but doesn't pose a lethal threat to humans. Even so, with 5 cm (2 inch) fangs, it could inflict an injury best avoided. Plus it has another weapon: when it feels threatened, it rubs it abdomen with its hind legs, releasing a cloud of hairs which will sting & itch for weeks if they get into sensitive parts of the body, such as the eye, mouth & nose.



http://www.livescience.com/48340-goliath-birdeater-surprises-scientist.html / Piotr Naskrecki night nighttime walk rainforest Guyana rustling creeping underfoot small mammal possum rat entomologist photographer Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology brown furry mammal enormous puppy size spider South American Goliath birdeater Theraphosa blondi arachnid world world's largest spider Guinness World Records leg span foot30 centimeters body size large fist Live Science weigh 6 oz.170 grams the scientist wrote on his blog giant huntsman spider larger leg span much more delicate sounds feet have hardened tips claws clicking sound horse's hooves prickly hairs 2 inch fangs rainforest rub its hind legs against its abdomen cloud of hairs microscopic barbs eyes mucous membranes extremely painful itchy 2 inch long 5 centimeter fangs venomous deadly to humans extremely painful hairs front spider's body tiny hooks barbs Velcro eat birds killing small mammals leaf litter ground night spider species puncture drink bird eggs eat frogs insects main prey earthworms humid common spiders tropics South America lab study museum /