Flight 370 mystery: How can a jetliner drop off the radar?

Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777
Credit: Shutterstock/Live Science

Disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is very puzzling, with no hard evidence at the time of writing. The nearest thing to good news in this matter, is NextGen, a satellite-based aircraft navigation system under development by the FAA. Better tracking, with more accurate navigation in the air & it will get you to the gate faster.

http://www.livescience.com/44012-malaysian-airlines-mystery-radar-tracking.html / mystery missing commercial airliner vanish Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 took off Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur Friday afternoon March 7 U.S. Eastern time Beijing air traffic controllers lost contact plane flying over the Gulf of Thailand just disappeared from the radar Boeing 777 jet carrying 227 passengers 12 crew members Sid McGuirk associate professor air traffic management Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Florida aircraft altitude Air traffic controllers track commercial jets using two types of radar Primary" radar plane's position analyzing signals bounce back aircraft secondary enhanced interrogate requests information from each plane transponder radar facilities range 200 miles 320 kilometers passenger jets transoceanic flights radar map flight crews high-frequency HF radio satellite-based voice communication text-data networks ATCair traffic control exact time position flight level crossing Emily McGee Flight Safety Foundation nonprofit organization Alexandria Va ATC voice text progress reports defined geographic locations time intervals airlines file flight plans airplane crew check in checkpoint alarm raised technologically advanced aircraft commercial jets fly low altitudes radar relies on line-of-sight contact mountains landforms block signals radar stations curvature of the Earth low-flying track continuously transponder disabled terrorists target lands stolen vanished jet black box tracked by radar /

Is the United States an enemy of the Internet?

Reporters Without Borders thinks so. Every year, they publish a list called "Enemies of the Internet". In the latest list, the US joins such champions of freedom as China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Cuba & Iran.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/web/u-s-branded-enemy-internet/#!z8mna / free press uncensored Internet USA United States countries United Kingdom Russia India 2014 list assessment Reporters Without Borders NSA revelations leaked Edward Snowden country of the First Amendment undermined confidence standards of security surveillance practices decryption activities direct threat investigative journalists sensitive sources confidentiality under pressure secrecy lack of transparency Project Bullrun operation decrypt communications security software firms damaging journalism Web anonymity guaranteed James Risen Barrett Brown Jacob Appelbaum developers Tor journalists U.S. government online surveillance operations Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg President surveillance practices United Kingdom Electronic Great Wall China digital tyranny authorities Uzbekistan full report freedom of expression online /

Amazing monumental public art from Vancouver – Kickstarter (video)

Credit: Moshi/The Gadgeteer

Kickstarter makes amazing things happen by connecting people with an idea to people who want to support it financially. Total recently passed $US1 billion pledged by 5.7 million people. Projects have included plays, books & hardware. I was a backer of the Pebble smart watch. Very happy with it.

To quote Neil Gaiman, it has "... a sort of weird & lovely magic ..."

Speaking of which, have a look at this:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/burrardarts/janet-echelman-in-vancouver?ref=NewsMar0614&utm_campaign=Mar+06&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

More about the Kickstarter billion dollar milestone:

https://www.kickstarter.com/1billion / make monumental public art project happen valuable artwork world renowned world-renowned artist Chris BAF arts non-profit awesome public City of Vancouver excited co-presenter project initiativemonumental public art experience fellow urban dwellers Vancouver Sculpture public art installations world-renowned artist Janet Echelman's biggest public sculpture yet massive aerial sculpture stretched suspended roof Fairmont Waterfront Hotel Vancouver Convention Centre celebrated 30th Anniversary TED Conference Vancouver B.C. public art installations awe inspire urban sculptures talent passionate her work borrowing funds support installation costs project photographic postcard prints t-shirts signed limited edition fine art screen prints beautifully crafted etched wood pieces pledges support cover costs world-renowned artist t-shirts design artist /

Life expectancy: Country vs. City

You may have read in these pages, in July 2013, about lower life expectancy in country areas of the United States.

Something similar happens in Australia too:

http://theconversation.com/unravelling-why-geography-is-australias-biggest-silent-killer-23238?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+13+March+2014&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+13+March+2014+CID_3ee2d53f04d8b9b06fcc1d2f5e13ef2f&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Unravelling%20why%20geography%20is%20Australias%20biggest%20silent%20killer / Lesley Barclay
Professor of Rural Health University of Sydney big city dangerous place worry they might get murdered being killed on purpose more likely in town according to new research researcher study rare compared die dying in an accident more likely die unexpectedly countryside United States of America US USA U.S. U.S.A. cars guns firearms fire arms drugs causing majority injury deaths US Dr Sage Myers University of Pennsylvania risk of homicide higher big cities risk unintentional injury death 40 percent higher most rural areas most urban overall rate unintentional injury dwarfs risk homicide rate unintentional injury more than 15 times homicide among the entire population results massive study directed most common causes of injury death motor vehicle crashes leading to 27.61 deaths per 100,000 people in most rural areas and 10.58 per 100,000 in most urban areas risk firearm related firearm-related death difference across rural urban rural-urban spectrum entire population whole age subgroups studied firearm-related deaths found significantly higher rural areas children people 45 years and older people 20 to 44 risk firearm-related death significantly lower rural areas mean streets not so mean risk being run over wrapping your motor around tree telegraph pole mean compared open road country possibility probability likely get shot countryside too accident suicide opposed person most likely to shoot an American is himself more most likely die in a car crash fall accidental poisoning intentionally kill himself awful dangers posed computer equipment fearful engine of death the hot tub Annals of Emergency Medicine National Health Performance Authority life expectancy at birth avoidable deaths death population avoidable deaths death metro areas area regional hubs rural places years of completed education lower incomes income disability smoke drink alcohol risky degrees degree access Internet mobile phones /

VW researching new battery chemistry that could quadruple range

http://chargedevs.com/newswire/vw-researching-new-battery-chemistry-that-could-quadruple-range/ / LiIon lithium ion battery cell charge recharge range Volkswagen bench test testing new battery chemistry store 80 kWh energy similar volume eGolf 26.5 kWh battery pack VW board member Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser Geneva Auto Salon Auto Show test tested lithium-ion batteries cell supplier Sanyo capacities develop developing developer under development technology power package lithium-air EV electric vehicle second car maximum performance fuel cell /

Formula 1 – major revisions for 2014 (video)

Red Bull 2014 F1 car — notice the lower nose
Credit: Red Bull

This weekend, the first Formula One race for 2014 will be held in Melbourne Australia. Major revisions to the cars for 2014:

● 1.6 litre 90 degree V6
● turbocharged
● restricted to 15,000 rpm
● tightened regs for crankshaft design, including 3 pin crank — purpose, aparently, is to restrict R&D in this area, & ultimately, cost
● 8 speed semi automatic gearbox — restricted to one set of ratios plus one change through the season without penalty
● individual engines must last for at least 4,000 km (2,485 miles) — 2013 engines had to last for just 2,000 km (1,242 miles)
● lower nose & other body changes to increase safety & reduce downforce
● an additional Energy Recovery System (ERS), turns waste heat energy in the exhaust into electricity, which is available to power the vehicle
● KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) is retained & will be renamed ERS-K

http://www.redbull.com/en/motorsports/f1/stories/1331638258301/new-f1-rules

http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2014/3/15534.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Formula_One_season#Regulation_changes / capture captures waste heat exhaust turbocharger electrical device Heat Motor Generator Unit waste heat stored electrical charge Kinetic Motor Generator Unit drive train drivers electronic braking devices brake bias gear ratios circuiteight gear ratios first race of the season Grand Prix grid penalty /

How wind helps Antarctic sea ice grow, even as the Arctic melts

Credit: Mark Brandon/Flickr/The Conversation

Both the atmosphere & the oceans are heat engines. I.e. heat from the Sun provides energy to drive winds in the atmosphere & currents in the ocean. By these means, heat is redistributed around the globe. E.g., the climate of Western & Northern Europe is warmer than it would otherwise be, due to the North Atlantic drift, one of the branches of the Gulf Stream.

In the Antarctic, winds, intensified by global warming, are driving an expansion in sea ice:

http://theconversation.com/how-wind-helps-antarctic-sea-ice-grow-even-as-the-arctic-melts-24209?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+13+March+2014&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+13+March+2014+CID_3ee2d53f04d8b9b06fcc1d2f5e13ef2f&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=How%20wind%20helps%20Antarctic%20sea%20ice%20grow%20even%20as%20the%20Arctic%20melts / global warming climate change greenhouse effect green house CO2 carbon dioxide gas strong winds climate change hole in the ozone layer steady increase in Antarctic sea ice Arctic shrink ice coverage released Hobart yesterday Position Analysis report Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre co-operative confusion polar differences driver drive driving frozen seawater surface ocean cools cool cooling freeze freezing Southern Ocean sea ice cover surround surrounding surrounds Antarctic continent Dr Jan Lieser marine glaciologist Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems centre researchers physical driver wind warmer atmosphere increases convection greater wind speeds Southern Ocean stronger westerlies sea ice is growing more ice coverage ice factory Professor Ian Simmonds climate scientist University of Melbourne School of Earth Sciences new resource El Nino Australian rainfall Dr Sharon Stammerjohn University of Colorado impact marine life seasonal change summer minimum winter maximum ecosystem rate of change /