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NASA Breaking News

A RSS news feed containing the latest NASA news articles and press releases.

Colbert Advocates NASA Space Station Research: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - Stephen Colbert, host of the nightly 'The Colbert Report,' said in a new NASA public service announcement released today that he's always been a huge fan of space.
NASA Glenn To Host Tweetup Celebrating 50th Anniversary Of First American To Orbit Earth: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - NASA's Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland will host a special event on March 2 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's first orbital flight by an American.
NASA Receives Second Highest Number Of Astronaut Applications: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - More than 6,300 individuals applied to become a NASA astronaut between Nov. 15, 2011 and Jan. 27, the second highest number of applications ever received by the agency.
NASA Spacecraft Reveals New Observations of Interstellar Matter: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST - NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) has captured the best and most complete glimpse yet of what lies beyond the solar system.
Legendary Astronaut Shannon Lucid Retires From NASA: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST - Shannon Lucid, a member of NASA's first astronaut class to include women, has retired after more than three decades of service to the agency.
NASA Seeks Proposals For Edison Small Satellite Demonstrations: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - NASA is seeking proposals for flight demonstrations of small satellite technologies with the goal of increasing the technical capabilities and range of uses for this emerging category of spacecraft.
NASA to Host Media Telecon on Space Station Status: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - NASA will host a media telecon at 2 p.m. CST today to discuss the status of the International Space Station and the progress toward an updated launch schedule, including international partner and commercial space vehicles.
NASA Administrator Leads Action Session of President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will lead a discussion with business leaders and higher education professionals at a Listening and Action Session of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. PST on Friday, Feb. 3, in Seattle.
NASA Spacecraft Returns First Video from Far Side Of The Moon: Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - A camera aboard one of NASA's twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) lunar spacecraft has returned its first unique view of the far side of the moon.
East Coast Students to Speak Live With Space Station Commander: Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - Students participating in a U.S. Coast Guard Academy mentoring program will speak with Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank aboard the International Space Station at 11:15 EST on Thursday, Feb. 2.

The Clean Tech Show Concept Technology News and Teleological Developments

NASA Image of the Day (Large)

Panorama of the East Coast: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - This Jan. 29 panorama of much of the East Coast, photographed by one of the Expedition 30 crew members aboard the International Space Station, provides a look generally northeastward: Philadelphia-New York City-Boston corridor (bottom-center); western Lake Ontario shoreline with Toronto (left edge); Montreal (near center). An optical illusion in the photo makes the atmospheric limb and light activity from Aurora Borealis appear "intertwined." Image Credit: NASA

Chandra X-ray Observatory Images

The latest images from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Remnant of Explosion With a Powerful Kick: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST - Vital clues about the devastating ends to the lives of massive stars can be found by studying the aftermath of their explosions.
El Gordo Galaxy Cluster: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST - El Gordo is located over seven billion light years from Earth and gives off the most X-rays of any known cluster at this distance or beyond.
Celestial Bauble Intrigues Astronomers: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST - With the holidays in full swing, a new image from an assembly of telescopes has revealed an unusual cosmic ornament.

Reuters: Science News

Reuters.com is your source for breaking news, business, financial and investing news, including personal finance and stocks. Reuters is the leading global provider of news, financial information and technology solutions to the world's media, financial institutions, businesses and individuals.

Malaria kills twice as many as thought: study: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:58:39 +0000 - LONDON (Reuters) - Malaria kills more than 1.2 million people worldwide a year, nearly twice as many as previously thought, according to new research published on Friday that questions years of assumptions about the mosquito-borne disease.
NASA confident in Russia despite space accidents: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:11:17 +0000 - CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Despite a spate of Russian space accidents last year, NASA remains confident in its partner's ability to fly crew and cargo to the International Space Station, the program manager said on Thursday.
Russia blames Mars probe failure on space radiation: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:09:57 +0000 - MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia blamed radiation on Tuesday for a computer glitch that doomed its Mars moon mission, but space industry experts cast doubt on the findings of an investigation into the crash of what was to be Moscow's first deep space mission in two decades.
Siblings' brain scans may hold key to addictions: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:10:00 +0000 - LONDON (Reuters) - Drug addicts and their non-addicted siblings share certain features in the brain, suggesting a susceptibility to addiction is inherited but is also a flaw that can be overcome, scientists said on Thursday.
OHB confirms won Galileo satellite contract from EU: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:04:01 +0000 - FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's OHB AG confirmed it won a 250 million euro ($330 million) contract to build eight satellites for the European Union's Galileo navigation system.
No big Fukushima health impact seen: U.N. body chairman: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:15:04 +0000 - VIENNA (Reuters) - The health impact of last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan appears relatively small thanks partly to prompt evacuations, the chairman of a U.N. scientific body investigating the effects of radiation said on Tuesday.
U.S. panel defends call to censor bird flu studies: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:00:30 +0000 - CHICAGO (Reuters) - A potentially deadlier form of the bird flu virus poses one of the gravest known threats to humans and justifies an unprecedented call to censor the research that produced it, a top U.S. biosecurity official said on Tuesday.
Snowy owls soar south from Arctic in rare mass migration: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:53:41 +0000 - SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - Bird enthusiasts are reporting rising numbers of snowy owls from the Arctic winging into the lower 48 states this winter in a mass southern migration that a leading owl researcher called "unbelievable."
Arctic ice melt lifts hopes for Russian maritime trade: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:07:46 +0000 - SEVERODVINSK, Russia (Reuters) - When severe snowstorms prevented life-sustaining fuel supplies from reaching the frozen Alaskan town of Nome, U.S. officials turned to a Russian company for help.
Russia to delay space mission due to technical problems: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:38:10 +0000 - MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia plans to delay the next mission carrying U.S. and Russian astronauts to the International Space Station by several weeks due to problems with the spaceship's descent vehicle, Interfax news agency quoted an industry source as saying Friday.

Select a Tag for more information.

Science News Headlines - Yahoo! News UK

The latest Science news headlines from Yahoo! News UK. Find videos, pictures and in-depth Science coverage from the UK and around the world.

China bans airlines from paying EU carbon charges: 2012-02-06T02:15:38Z - China said Monday it has banned its airlines from complying with an EU scheme to impose charges on carbon emissions opposed by more than two dozen countries including India, Russia and the United States.
Bid to find UK's latest inventions: 2012-02-06T01:09:05Z - The Government has launched a competition to find the newest, most innovative products being developed in Britain today.
Environment agency becomes crunch issue in Rio talks: 2012-02-05T04:53:11Z - The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is emerging as a hot issue in preparations for June's Rio conference, styled as a once-in-a-generation chance to restore a sick planet to good health.
China water project to 'begin operating in 2013': 2012-02-05T03:37:05Z - A massive project to divert water from China's south to its drought-prone north -- which has seen hundreds of thousands of people relocated -- will become partly operational next year, state media reported.
US and Spain discuss cleanup of nuclear radiation: 2012-02-04T21:20:39Z - The United States is offering technical assistance to Spain to clean up land contaminated by radiation from undetonated nuclear bombs that accidentally fell on the area in 1966, the US State Department announced Saturday.
Deforestation threatens Brazil's wetland sanctuary: 2012-02-03T22:42:37Z - The Pantanal, a stunning biodiversity sanctuary in central-western Brazil, is threatened by intensive farming and deforestation, a leading environmental group warned as the world marked World Wetlands Day on Thursday.
Iran launches observation satellite: media: 2012-02-03T19:01:12Z - Iran on Friday launched an observation satellite into orbit above Earth, its third since 2009, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Greenpeace chief warns of 'perfect storm' of crises: 2012-02-03T18:57:21Z - The head of environmental pressure group Greenpeace warned Friday the world faced a "perfect storm" of crises and was heading for what he termed a crisis of "epic proportions."
Scientists snare 'superprawn' off New Zealand: 2012-02-03T18:41:05Z - Scientists have captured a "supergiant" crustacean in waters seven kilometres (4.5 miles) deep off New Zealand, measuring 10 times the normal size of related species.
New date set for launch of Europe's Vega rocket: 2012-02-03T14:49:47Z - The European Space Agency (ESA) said on Friday that the first launch of a long-awaited light rocket, Vega, which had been pencilled for February 9, would take place on February 13.
Filmmaker sounds alarm over ocean of plastic: 2012-02-03T14:12:19Z - On Midway atoll in the North Pacific, dozens of young albatross lie dead on the sand, their stomachs filled with cigarette lighters, toy soldiers and other small plastic objects their parents have mistaken for food.
Nasa confident in Russian rockets: 2012-02-03T02:15:37Z - Nasa says it is still confident with the quality of Russian manned rockets, despite an embarrassing series of glitches and failures in the Russian space programme.
SpaceX flight to ISS could be late March: NASA: 2012-02-02T21:06:59Z - The first test flight of a commercial spacecraft to the International Space Station could happen in late March, NASA said on Thursday.
Hurricane allows evolution test: 2012-02-02T19:09:38Z - A devastating hurricane has made it possible to test a rarely observed evolutionary effect in a natural setting for the first time.
Indian PM says lack of collective will on climate change: 2012-02-02T19:07:00Z - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Thursday that "a lack of collective will" was hampering efforts to forge a common global front against the threat of climate change.
EU signs orders for eight new Galileo space satellites: 2012-02-02T18:08:53Z - The EU on Thursday signed contracts with German and French engineering firms to build and launch another eight satellites for its Galileo geopositioning system.
Fourth potentially habitable planet is discovered: 2012-02-02T18:04:29Z - International astronomers said on Thursday they have found the fourth potentially habitable planet outside our solar system with temperatures that could support water and life about 22 light-years from Earth.
Next manned ISS mission to launch May 15: Russia: 2012-02-02T16:44:24Z - Russia said Thursday that its delayed next manned mission to the International Space Station (ISS) would blast off May 15, 45 days later than its scheduled date, after a problem was found in testing.
Mozambicans get 25 years in S.Africa for rhino poaching: 2012-02-02T14:07:47Z - Three young Mozambican poachers will spend 25 years behind bars after they were found with two fresh rhino horns in South Africa's Kruger Park, the national parks agency said Wednesday.
India's air the worst, says annual study: 2012-02-02T12:42:54Z - India has the worst air quality in the world, poorer even than its neighbour China, according to an annual survey based at Yale and Columbia universities in the United States.
Rare Sumatran rhino pregnancy offers hope to species: 2012-02-02T11:57:08Z - A Sumatran rhino which is 10-months pregnant is receiving special medical care after suffering two miscarriages, a conservationist said Thursday, fuelling hope for the critically-endangered species.
Giant deep-sea crustacean found: 2012-02-02T10:56:04Z - An expedition to one of the deepest parts of the ocean has discovered a "supergiant" species.
Clouds gather over Spain's renewables sector as aid cut: 2012-02-02T09:53:44Z - Spain's push to become a world leader in renewable energy risks collapsing after the government slammed the brakes on generous subsidies as part of an austerity drive.
Eight executives detained in China pollution case: 2012-02-02T05:55:56Z - China has detained another company official, bringing the total to eight, over a massive river pollution case in the country's south, the government and state media said Thursday.
Deadly MRSA strains 'on increase': 2012-02-02T00:04:03Z - Potentially deadly strains of MRSA that are easily passed between people outside of hospitals are increasing in the UK, experts say.
Girl Scout cookie campaigners up for UN forest laurel: 2012-02-01T23:45:39Z - Two teenagers from Michigan campaigning to get Southeast Asian palm oil out of Girl Scout cookies are in the running for a new United Nations conservation award, their sponsor said Wednesday.
US nuclear reactor turned off after radiation leak: 2012-02-01T23:37:36Z - A reactor at the San Onofre nuclear power plant near San Diego has been shut down after a radiation leak which was not big enough to cause public harm, the US atomic safety agency said Wednesday.
Finland's UPM to make biodiesel from wood pulp: 2012-02-01T20:18:35Z - Finnish papermaker UPM said Wednesday it plans to build the world's first industrial-scale plant to refine a byproduct of wood pulp into biodiesel.
Russia will replace Soyuz for next ISS mission: source: 2012-02-01T20:09:27Z - Russia will replace the Soyuz spacecraft set to take the next crew to the International Space Station after a fault was found in testing, a space industry source said Wednesday.
Design, not just threads, toughens spider web: study: 2012-02-01T19:01:40Z - Scientists said Wednesday they had unraveled the mystery of how spider webs can withstand multiple tears and even hurricane-force winds without collapsing.
'Atlantis' volcano gives tips for mega-eruptions: 2012-02-01T18:15:00Z - Around 1630 BC, a super-volcano blew apart the Aegean island of Santorini, an event so violent that some theorists say it nurtured the legend of Atlantis.
Australia -- land of the koala, kangaroo... and elephant: 2012-02-01T18:13:34Z - Elephants and maybe rhinoceroses could be introduced to Australia to chomp on an invasive African grass that also causes wildfires, according to an idea reported in a scientific journal on Wednesday.
MoD sets 'new ideas' science budget: 2012-02-01T14:31:37Z - The Ministry of Defence will maintain a specific budget for science and technology development for the first time, the Government has said.
Endangered turtle baby boom in Philippines: 2012-02-01T11:50:46Z - Globally endangered green turtles are enjoying a baby boom on remote Philippine islands as a three-decade protection programme starts to pay off, environment group Conservation International said Wednesday.
BP must pay some of Halliburton's Gulf spill costs: 2012-02-01T00:47:41Z - British oil giant BP must cover some of the eventual claims against subcontractor Halliburton arising from the devastating 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a US judge ruled Tuesday.
Social skills 'down to brain size': 2012-02-01T00:02:19Z - Making friends and being popular may boil down to the size of your forebrain, a study has suggested.
Leave isolated Amazon natives alone, Peru says: 2012-01-31T22:26:10Z - Peruvian officials on Tuesday urged outsiders to stay away from isolated Amazon basin rainforest natives after pictures of "uncontacted" tribe members were published online.
Oldest known croc had a shield-like head: study: 2012-01-31T22:21:39Z - The oldest known species of crocodile had an armor-plated head and a body half the length of a subway car, according to research released Tuesday by US scientists who identified the now-extinct creature.
'Telepathy' breakthrough hailed: 2012-02-01T12:05:06+00:00 - A first step has been taken towards hearing imagined speech using a form of electronic telepathy, it has been claimed.
Shieldcroc used jaws to ambush fish: 2012-01-31T22:06:05Z - A dinosaur-age ancestor of modern crocodiles from Morocco had a huge armoured head designed as a "fish trap", scientists have revealed.

MAKE

DIY projects, how-tos, and inspiration from the workshops and minds of geeks, makers, and hackers @ Make: magazine

MAKE Flickr Pool Weekly Roundup: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:30:35 +0000 - This week in the MAKE Flickr pool we saw… whole lotta steel from Hufnagel Cycles. ferrofluid close up from Matt Abinante. chuck key from jmillerid. army men bowl 01 from Whamodyne. LaserGlasses from Pete Prodoehl. Just resurrected Mousey the Junkbot! from nitdoggx. Switch from TomMadeO.
How-To: Homemade Astronaut Ice Cream: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:00:43 +0000 - Inspired by Chris Gammell’s post about “trickle down techonomy,” Ben Krasnow posted this how-to video on making your own Astronaut Ice Cream. He used a vacuum pump, dry ice, and various hoses and fittings to freeze dry ice cream that can be easily enjoyed any time you’re out in space or even on terra firma. [...]
Make Whirly Brushbots from Toothbrushes: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:30:55 +0000 - Using little more than a vibrating motor and the snipped-off head of a toothbrush, you can make these colorful and fun brushbots. Check out the Make: Project to learn how to do this quick and fun project. You can buy the kit in the Maker Shed, and learn how to put it together on Make: Projects!
Bringing Xiphactinus Back to Life: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:00:55 +0000 - While developing the second phase of their Cretaceous Sea Exhibition, The Hastings Museum in Hastings, NE commissioned a life-size model of a Xiphactinus from Gary Staab, a paleo artist based in Kearney, MO. The Xiphactinus was a large predator fish that lived in the Western Interior Sea during the late Cretaceous Period and skeletal remains [...]
NEWS FROM THE FUTURE – United States Postal Service Scares You: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000 - I wrote a big ole' article about how the post office could embrace new technologies and get back in the game, unfortunately this video/ad was the most sent in link :(
Turning A One-Piece Wooden Lamp Shade From a Tree Section: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:01:30 +0000 - Kiwi master craftsman Sören Berger is a woodturner, teacher, and inventor with 35 years at the lathe. It shows. In this amazing and slightly terrifying video, you’ll see him turn a giant tree trunk section that starts with the bark still on it, inside and out, until it’s perfectly smooth and translucent-thin. Inspiring and wonderful. [...]
Kitchen Backsplash Counts out 159 Digits of Pi: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:03 +0000 - Marie and Michael Porter of Minneapolis, MN, used colored marble tiles to create a gloriously nerdy Pi backsplash. [via Think Geek]
Seriously Overengineered Mousetrap: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:03:40 +0000 - Jake Easton’s Better Mousetrap is electrically and pneumatically powered, weighs almost six pounds, features a key lock switch and a manual safety, and strikes with 102 pounds of force. I think they foleyed that crunching noise in the video, however. Sounds like a bag of Fritos, to me.
In the Maker Shed: Tiny Cylon Kit: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:49 +0000 - The Tiny Cylon Kit, available in the Maker Shed, is a fun and easy to solder multi-mode LED Larson scanner kit.
Tony Cragg’s Dice Sculptures: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:38 +0000 - Sculptor Tony Cragg created this dice-covered sculptures for Paris’s FIAC art show, which took place in October. Love to see this style with d20s! [via Colossal; photo courtesy of Daniel Milliner]

Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories

Making the World a Better Place, One Evil Mad Scientist at a Time

Five minute project: Heart-Shaped Hack Box

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:00:39 -0800 -

A hack-box to go, filled with interconnects, LEDs, and love. Because, what better way to say I love you, than with the gift of electronics?

Step 1: Obtain a box of chocolates.

Step 2: Dispose of the contents of the box.

Begin by checking the ingredients. If you see the words "corn syrup" or "hydrogenated" anywhere, the contents just might make great gifts for your co-workers or boss (if disliked)*. If those words are not present, the contents are likely excellent edibles, and would make suitable gifts for your significant other or boss (if liked).

*Aside: Extensive but anecdotal evidence suggests that co-workers in most contexts tend to genuinely appreciate the presentation of even mediocre chocolates to a degree that is nearly indistinguishable from their appreciation of exceptional chocolates. There is little (if any) shame in exploiting this equivalence, if it still means that you're giving them chocolate.

Step 3: Trace the shape of the empty box-- the bottom half of the heart-shaped clamshell --onto a piece of paper.

Step 4: Build a latticework to go inside the box. Heavy cardstock works well; we used 0.020" chipboard, like the kind that many cereal boxes are made from. The lattice needs to be about the same thickness as the box bottom (7/8" in our case) and the pieces need to be wide enough to cover the entire traced shape.

Step 5: Cut the lattice work to size, so that it fits within the traced shape.

Step 6 (optional): Cut out the traced heart shape to make a liner for the bottom of the box.

Step 7: Put it all together. Optionally, add tape at selected location to secure the lattice work in place and/or to provide a tight seal around the bottom edges of compartments that will store tiny parts.

Ready to load and use, or wrap up as a gift for your sweetie.

Basics: Power dissipation and electronic components

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:08:29 -0800 -

An ever-present challenge in electronic circuit design is selecting suitable components that not only perform their intended task but also will survive under foreseeable operating conditions. A big part of that process is making sure that your components will stay within their safe operating limits in terms of current, voltage, and power. Of those three, the "power" portion is often the most difficult (for both newcomers and experts) because the safe operating area can depend so strongly on the particulars of the situation.

In what follows, we'll introduce some of the basic concepts of power dissipation in electronic components, with an eye towards understanding how to select components for simple circuits with power limitations in mind.

— STARTING SIMPLE —

Let's begin with one of the simplest circuits imaginable: A battery hooked up to a single resistor:

Here, we have a single 9 V battery, and a single 100 Ω (100 Ohm) resistor, hooked up with wires to form a complete circuit.

Easy enough, right? But now a question: If you want to actually build this circuit, how "big" of a 100 Ω resistor do you need to use to make sure that it doesn't overheat? That is to say, can we just use a "regular" ¼ W resistor, like the one shown below, or do we need to go bigger?

To find out, we need to be able to calculate the amount of power that the resistor will dissipate. Here's the general rule for calculating power dissipation:

Power Rule: P = I × V

If a current I flows through through a given element in your circuit, losing voltage V in the process, then the power dissipated by that circuit element is the product of that current and voltage: P = I × V.

Aside:
How can current times voltage end up giving us a "power" measurement?

To understand this, we need to remember what current and voltage physically represent.

Electric current is the rate of flow of electric charge through the circuit, normally expressed in amperes, where 1 ampere = 1 coulomb per second. (The coulomb is the SI unit of electric charge.)

Voltage, or more formally, electric potential, is the potential energy per unit of electric charge --across the circuit element in question. In most cases, you can think of this as the the amount of energy that is "used up" in the element, per unit of charge that passes through. Electric potential is normally measured in volts, where 1 volt = 1 joule per coulomb. (The joule is the SI unit of energy.)

So, if we take a current times a voltage, that gives us the amount of energy that is "used up" in the element, per unit of charge, times the number of those units of charge passing through the element per second:

  1 ampere × 1 volt =
  1 ( coulomb / second ) × 1 ( joule / coulomb ) =
  1 joule / second

The resulting quantity is in units of one joule per second: a rate of flow of energy, better known as power. The SI unit of power is the watt, where 1 watt = 1 joule per second.

Finally then, we have

1 ampere × 1 volt = 1 watt

Back to our circuit! To use the power rule (P = I × V), we need to know both the current through the resistor, and the voltage across the resistor.

First, we use Ohm's law ( V = I × R ), to find the current through the resistor.
• The voltage across the resistor is V = 9 V.
• The resistance of the resistor is R = 100 Ω.

Therefore, the current through the resistor is:

I = V / R = 9 V / 100 Ω = 90 mA

Then, we can use the power rule ( P = I × V ), to find the power dissipated by the resistor.
• The current through the resistor is I = 90 mA.
• The voltage across the resistor is V = 9 V.

Therefore, the power dissipated in the resistor is:

P = I × V = 90 mA × 9 V = 0.81 W

So can you go ahead and use that 1/4 W resistor?

No, because it would likely fail from overheating. The 100 Ω resistor in this circuit needs to be rated for at least 0.81 W. Generally, one picks the next larger available size, 1 W in this case.

A 1 W resistor typically comes in a much larger physical package, like the one shown here:

(A 1 W, 51 Ω resistor, for size comparison.)

Because a 1 W resistor is much larger physically, it should be able to handle dissipating a higher amount of power, with its higher surface area and wider leads. (It may still get very hot to the touch, but it should not get hot enough that it fails.)

Here's an alternate arrangement that works with four 25 Ω resistors in series (which still adds up to 100 Ω). In this case, the current through each resistor is still 90 mA. But, as there is only one quarter as much voltage across each resistor, there is only one quarter as much power dissipated in each resistor. For this arrangement, one only needs the four resistors to be rated for 1/4 W.

— ON BEYOND RESISTORS —

For our next example, let's consider the following situation: Suppose that you have a circuit that takes input from a 9 V power supply, and has an onboard linear regulator to step the voltage down to 5 V, where everything actually runs. Your load, on the 5 V end, could be as high as 1 A.

What does the power look like in this situation?

The regulator essentially acts like a big variable resistor, that adjusts its resistance as needed to maintain a consistent 5 V output. When the output load is a full 1 A, the output power delivered by the regulator is 5 V × 1 A = 5 W, and the power input to the circuit by the 9 V power supply is 9 W. The voltage dropped across the regulator is 4 V, and at 1 A, that means that 4 W is dissipated by the linear regulator-- also the difference between the power input and the power output.

In each part of this circuit, the power relationship is given by P = I × V. Two parts-- the regulator and the load -- are places where power is dissipated, while across the power supply, P = I × V describes the power input to the system-- the voltage increases as the current travels across the power supply.

Additionally, it is worth noting that we have not said what kind of load is pulling that 1 A. Just because power is being consumed does not necessarily mean that it is being converted into a steady flow of heat energy-- it may be powering a motor, or powering a set of battery chargers.

Aside:
While this is a very common setup for electronics, it's worth pointing out that this is also an incredibly inefficient arrangement: 4/9 of the input power is simply burned off as heat, even when operated at lower currents.

— WHEN THERE ISN'T A SIMPLE "POWER" SPECIFICATION —

Next, a slightly more challenging part: making sure that your regulator can handle the power. While resistors are clearly labeled with their power capacity, linear regulators are not always. In our regulator example above, let's further suppose that we're using a L7805ABV regulator from ST (datasheet here).

(Photo: A typical TO-220 case, the type typically used for medium-power linear regulators)

The L7805ABV is a 5 V linear regulator in a TO-220 package (similar to the one shown above), that is rated for 1.5 A output current and up to 35 V input voltage.

Naively, you might guess that you can hook this right up to 35 V input, and expect to get 1.5 A of output, meaning that the regulator would be radiating 30 V * 1.5 A = 45 W of power. But this is a tiny plastic package-- it actually can't handle that much power. If you look in the datasheet under the "Absolute maximum ratings" section, to try and find how much power it can handle, all that it says is "Internally limited"-- which is anything but clear on its own.

It does turn out that there is an actual power rating, but it's usually somewhat "hidden" within the datasheet. You can figure it out by looking at a couple of related specifications:

• T_OP, Operating junction temperature range: -40 to 125 °C

• R_thJA, Thermal resistance junction-ambient: 50 °C/W

• R_thJC, Thermal resistance junction-case: 5 °C/W

The Operating junction temperature range, T_OP, specifies how hot the "junction"-- the active part of the regulator integrated circuit --can be allowed to get before it goes into thermal shutdown. (The thermal shutdown is the internal limit that makes the regulator power "Internally limited".) For us, that's a maximum of 125 °C.

The thermal resistance junction-ambient R_thJA (Often written as Θ_JA), tells us how hot the junction gets when (1) the regulator is dissipating a given amount of power and (2) the regulator is sitting in open air, at a given ambient temperature. Suppose that we need to design our regulator to only work under modest commercial conditions, that will not exceed 60 °C. If we need to keep the junction temperature under 125 °C, then the maximum temperature rise that we can allow is 65°C. If we have R_thJA of 50 °C/W, then the maximum power dissipation that we can allow is 65/50 = 1.3 W, if we are to prevent the regulator from going into thermal shutdown. That's well below the 4 W that we would expect with a 1 A load current. In fact, we can only tolerate 1.3 W / 4 V = 325 mA of average output current without sending the regulator into thermal shutdown.

This, however, is for the case of the TO-220 radiating to ambient air-- almost a worst-case situation. If we can add a heat sink or otherwise cool the regulator, we can do much better.

The opposite end of the spectrum is given by the other thermal specification: the thermal resistance junction-case, R_thJC. This specifies how much temperature difference you can expect between the junction and the outside of the TO-220 package: only 5 °C/W. This is the relevant number if you can quickly remove heat from the package, for example if you have a very good heat sink hooked up to the outside of the TO-220 package. With a big heat sink and perfect coupling to that heat sink, at 4 W, the junction temperature would rise only 20 °C above the temperature of your heat sink. This represents the absolute minimum heating that you can expect under ideal conditions.

Depending on the engineering requirements, you can start from this point to build a full power budget, to account for the thermal conductivity of every element of your system, from the regulator itself, to the thermal interface pad between it and the heat sink, to the thermal coupling of the heat sink to the ambient air. You can then verify the couplings and relative temperatures of each component with a spot-reading non-contact infrared thermometer. But often, it's a better choice to re-evaluate the situation and see if there's a better way to go about this.

For the present situation, one might consider moving to a surface mount regulator that offers better power handling capability (by using the circuit board as a heat sink) or it may be worth looking into adding a power resistor (or zener diode) before the regulator to drop most of the voltage outside the regulator package, easing the load on it. Or better yet, seeing if there's a way to build your circuit without the lossy linear regulator stage.

— AFTERWORD —

We have covered the basics of understanding power dissipation in a few simple, dc circuits.

The principles that we have gone over are quite general, and can be used to help understand power consumption in most types of passive elements and even most types of integrated circuits. There are real limitations, however, and one could spend a lifetime learning the nuances of power consumption, particularly at lower currents or high frequencies where small losses that we have neglected become important.

In ac circuits, many things behave very differently, but the power rule still holds in most circumstances: P(t) = I(t) × V(t) for time-varying current and voltage. And, not all regulators are all that lossy: Switching power supplies can convert (for example) 9 V dc to 5 V dc with 90% or higher efficiency-- meaning that with good design, it may only take about 0.6 A at 9 V to produce 5 V at 1 A. But that's a story for another time.

Alpha Clock Five Turn Signal

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:57:01 -0800 -

From the forums:

Guy Albertelli wrote in with an unexpected use of his Alpha Clock Five kit: a turn signal machine for the back of his Xtracycle-- complete with a "SORRY" button and a random-scrolling-message mode (that isn't shown in the video). There's even a clock mode with an improvised "second hand."

One might argue that the scrolling messages could be a little simpler, but that's really missing the point: this is an awfully clever application for a bright and self-contained alphanumeric LED display.

Guy's video is embedded above. (YouTube link).

A Mermaid's Purse, for Breakfast

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:55:43 -0800 -

A mermaid's purse is the iconic protective egg case of certain oviparous (egg laying) sharks and skates.

Here's another version, made of crepes, perfect for protecting your eggs at breakfast time.

First up, prep the crepe batter. You may also want to have fillings on hand-- such as extra eggs --and toppings; we recommend serving mermaid's purses with lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Soft breakfast crepe batter

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla, bourbon, or grand marnier
1 tbsp butter, melted

Lightly beat eggs. Add other ingredients and mix until completely smooth. If possible, allow batter to sit for several hours to overnight before using. Serves 2-3.

Tools and equipment: A seasoned crepe pan is ideal, but a seasoned skillet or flat grill (seasoned or nonstick) will also work well. Traditional tools like the crepe spreader and wooden spatula are fine if you have them; you can also use a wide spoon to spread out your batter. You'll also want a measuring cup with a pouring spout. Or for the gadget-inclined, a purpose-built batter dispenser. Finally, you'll need either a circular cookie cutter or a cutting board and knife.

Simplest version:

Heat your grill or pan, and pour out a few tablespoons of batter into the center. Spread out into a thin layer, using a circular motion. Watch for the top surface of the batter to dry, and then cook for another minute or so, depending on how dark you like your crepes. Use a spatula to fold the outer 1/3 of your crepe into the center from each side.

Use a circular (or otherwise rounded) cookie cutter to cut the distinctive shape of the mermaid's purse, with a round cutout at each end. If you don't have a suitable cookie cutter, transfer to a cutting board and cut the ends with a sharp knife. Reserve the cut-out sections, and begin the next crepe.

For each subsequent crepe, place the cut-out sections from the previous crepe in the center of the crepe before folding over the outer two sides into the center. This gives an extra layer of thickness in the center, for a better shape.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Alternate version: The egg case.

Immediately after spreading out your crepe, crack an egg over the center, and cook until the yolk begins to reach your desired consistency.

As before, fold over the sides of the crepe and cut out with the cookie cutter. You may wish to cook a bit longer in this state, depending on how solid you like your eggs.

Capitalism Works For Me! True/False

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:38:41 -0800 -

Capitalism Works For Me! True/False is a beautiful interactive art piece by Steve Lambert designed to spark conversation around a difficult subject. It was made after a successful kickstarter campaign and is now touring the country.

From the project description:

Start a conversation about capitalism and friends edge away slowly, and strangers even faster. This is what art is for. This is what art does well. It creates a space where new ideas and perspectives can be explored. A space unlike any other.

Our very own 12" seven segment displays were used for showing the vote tallies as viewers interact with the piece.

After being first displayed in Cleveland, it is currently on its way to Boston for the 2012 deCordova Biennial which opens January 22. You can check up on its progress and destinations through kickstarter updates or Steve's site.

Basics: Introduction to Zener Diodes

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:59:57 -0800 -

Zener diodes are a special type of semiconductor diode-- devices that allow current to flow in one direction only --that also allow current to flow in the opposite direction, but only when exposed to enough voltage. And while that sounds a bit esoteric, they're actually among the handiest components ever to cross an engineer's bench, providing great solutions to a number of common needs in circuit design.

In what follows, we'll show you how (and when) to use a Zener, for applications including simple reference voltages, clamping signals to specific voltage ranges, and easing the load on a voltage regulator.

Background: Semiconductor diodes, real and ideal

To understand how Zener diodes are different from other diodes, let's first review the properties of regular diodes. And, while there are many different types of diodes-- see here for a long list --we're going to focus on so-called "normal" semiconductor diodes, most commonly constructed with a p-n silicon junction.

Diodes usually come in glass or plastic cylindrical packages, marked with a stripe on one side to indicate polarity. In a perfectly ideal diode, current flows in one direction only, from the anode (positive side) to the cathode (negative side) which is marked with the stripe. The schematic symbol is a triangle pointing towards a bar, where the current flows in the same direction, towards the barred (striped) end. Surface mount versions of diodes tend to follow the same labeling convention, where the cathode end is marked with a broad stripe.

If we hook up a diode in a simple circuit with a variable voltage source and a current-limiting resistor, we can measure the current I through the diode when a given voltage V is applied across it. For an ideal diode, no current at all passes when the voltage is less than zero: the diode completely prevents reverse current flow. For small positive voltage ("forward bias," or sometimes "foward voltage"), a tiny amount of current may flow, and a very large amount of current will flow above a given threshold. The amount of current that flows is actually exponential with increasing voltage.

The threshold where an appreciable amount of current flows is typically around 0.7 V for simple semiconductor diodes, but may be as low as 0.15 V for Schottky diodes, or as high as 4 V for certain types of LEDs.

Of course, no diode is truly ideal. In real diodes, when the voltage is reversed, a very small amount of current (leakage) may flow. And, more significantly, each diode is rated for a certain maximum amount of reverse voltage. If you apply voltage more negative than that limit, the diode will undergo "reverse breakdown" and begin to conduct a significant amount of current, but backwards from the normal direction of diode current flow. For a regular diode, we would say that the diode has failed if it begins to conduct current in that direction.

Aside: The actual physics of what happens at breakdown is quite interesting; two separate effects, the Zener effect and Avalanche breakdown both contribute to this behavior.

Zener diodes

Zener diodes are semiconductor diodes which have been manufactured to have their reverse breakdown occur at a specific, well-defined voltage (its "Zener voltage"), and that are designed such that they can be operated be operated continuously in that breakdown mode. Commonly available Zener diodes are available with breakdown voltages ("Zener voltages") anywhere from 1.8 to 200 V.

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The schematic symbol for a Zener diode is shown above-- it is very similar to that of a regular diode, but with bent edges on the bar. The Zener still conducts electricity in the forward direction like any other diode, but also conducts in the reverse direction, if the voltage applied is reversed and larger than the Zener breakdown voltage.

A typical application might be as above: A 10 V Zener diode (type 1N4740) is placed in series with a resistor and a fixed 12 V power supply. The resistor value is chosen such that several mA flow through it and through the Zener, keeping it in its breakdown region. In the circuit above, there is 10 V across the Zener diode, and 2 V across the resistor. With 2 V across a 400 ohm resistor, the current through that resistor (and the diode, in series) is 5 mA.

Zener voltage references

The fixed voltage property of Zener diodes makes them extremely handy as quick voltage references. The basic circuit looks like this:

There are a couple of requirements to consider. First, the input voltage has to be higher than the Zener voltage. Second, the resistor value must be chosen such that there is always current flowing through the Zener.

Some caveats: This is not necessarily a good power supply for all purposes-- the resistor limits how much current can be drawn. It is also not necessarily a precision voltage reference; the voltage will depend on the amount of current drawn. (That is to say, for the voltage to be steady, the load driven by that reference voltage must be consistent.) The voltage also depends upon the temperature. Zeners in the range 5-6 V have the best temperature stability, and there are high-precision Zener diodes (like the LM399) that include their own temperature-stabilized oven to further keep the diode temperature as steady as possible.

Taking this idea a bit further, you can actually build a full multi-rail power supply using nothing more exotic than a set of Zener diodes to generate all the voltages that are needed, provided that the current requirements are modest on the different supply voltages. The circuit above is part of a working laboratory instrument.

Voltage clamps: Limiting signals with Zener diodes

A varying analog signal can be constrained to a fairly narrow range of voltages with a single Zener diode. If you have a voltage that swings between + 7 V and - 7 V, you could use a single 4 V Zener, connected to ground, to ensure that the signal does not exceed 4 V or go below -0.7 V (where the diode conducts forward to ground).

If you wanted to constrain the signal to never go negative-- e.g., for input to an analog-to-digital converter that accepts signals in the 0 - 5 V range, you could connect the anode of the Zener diode to a power rail at 1 V, instead of ground. Then, the output signal range would be constrained to the range of 0.3 V - 5 V.

Another neat trick is to use two Zener diodes, oppositely oriented, in series. This can provide a symmetric limit on the excursion of a signal from ground, for example. This is also a common configuration for using Zener diodes as transient supressors.

Voltage translation: Easing the load on a regulator

Here's something that doesn't work. We have a TL750L05, which is a type of 5 V output linear regulator, which can source up to 150 mA output, and its load will be variable. We need to drive it from a 36 V source. Unfortunately, the maximum input voltage of the TL750L05 is 26 V.

Let's try adding a resistor in series to drop some of that voltage:

Our output load can be as high as 125 mA and as low as 10 mA. So, what value resistor will work for us?

Suppose that we assume 125 mA load. Then to take up (say) 20 V on the resistor, 20 V / .125 A = 160 Ohms. If we use 160 ohms, that will drop only 160 Ohm * 0.01 A = 1.6 V at 10 mA load, and 36 V - 1.6 V is still larger than 26 V. In order to be safe for the 10 mA load, we should pick a resistor that gives us at least an 11 V drop, for 25 V input to the regulator. So, 11 V / .01 A = 1100 Ohms would be safe for the 10 mA load. But if the load increases to 125 mA, the drop across 1100 Ohms would be V = 0.125 A * 1100 Ohms = 137 V, which means that the input to the regulator would be below 5 V, and it would cease to operate.

Clearly, there is no resistor value that you can pick that actually will work for both the low and high current cases.

Let's try again, this time with our friend, the Zener diode.

Finally, let's try using one fat 20 V Zener diode (type 1N5357BRLG), to drop some of the load. Then, the output on the anode of the Zener is just 16 V, well within the safe input range of the regulator. The 1N5357BRLG is rated for 5 W maximum. At 20 V and .125 A, the power dissipated by the Zener would be 2.5 W, so it will get warm, but we are well in the safe operating conditions of the Zener, and now the circuit will work.

Profile in the SF Chronicle

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:55:23 -0800 - photo by Lacey Atkins/The Chronicle

The San Francisco Chronicle ran a profile of us yesterday.

"In recent times, they have helped create an accepted definition of open source hardware, participated in the annual Open Source Hardware Summit in New York, and are in the exploratory stages of building a foundation to support open source hardware."

You can read the rest of the (front page!) article here.

CNC halftones with ASCII art

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:10:26 -0800 -

Recently we have seen some fantastic DIY examples of CNC image carving with traditional halftones and alternative versions with regions generated with reaction-diffusion equations. More impressively, all of this is now possible with freely available, homegrown software released by the people behind those projects (Here and here.)

Seeing these examples reminded us of another "classic" method of making halftones: ASCII art. In what follows, we walk through the process of using making CNC halftones for engraving or carving from both vintage and automatically generated ASCII art.

Seldom seen nowadays, ASCII art is a computer graphics technique where grayscale photos or artwork are represented by keyboard characters on a regularly spaced grid. And while it does show up occasionally in the history of computer graphics, it is perhaps more important as a cultural artifact of the BBS era of computer networking.

While making ASCII art was once a painstaking process of hand creation-- a true art --much of what is called "ASCII art" these days is automatically generated.

Let's suppose that we start with a high-resolution source image:

That picture is then divided up into a grid, and the average brightness of each grid cell is computed. Depending on the brightness of each grid cell, it is overlaid with an ASCII character, where the character is chosen depending on its brightness (with '.' at one extreme and 'Q' at the other). To do this, we used a custom sketch written in Processing, which takes an image as the source and saves a PDF file as the output. (If you're interested, the sketch is available for download here, a 1.7 MB .zip archive)

After processing, we're left with an automatically-generated "ascii art" halftone version of that picture. (It is worth pointing out that the halftone here is only of moderate quality-- the particular ASCII map used is rather far from linear with brightness, which causes some saturation of the tones. This could very easily be improved with a new brightness map model that actually calculates the brightness of the different ASCII characters.)

Zooming in on that artwork fine enough to see the actual characters, it looks like this:

The above image was generated directly from the PDF output by the Processing sketch. To produce this in real life, we took a sheet of "engravable" acrylic-- white acrylic with a very thin layer of black acrylic on top --and laser engraved it. Here is the result:

Up close, this has a remarkable resemblance to the artwork above. The main difference seems to be that is that this is a photograph:

While this "automatically generated" ASCII art is pretty neat, there's also something to be said for true "old school" ASCII art, laid out by hand, one character at a time.

Browsing through some rather impressive archives of ASCII art, we came across this gem by Raymond E Brunner

                ._,.
           "..-..pf.
          -L   ..#'
        .+_L  ."]#
        ,'j' .+.j`                 -'.__..,.,p.
       _~ #..<..0.                 .J-.``..._f.
      .7..#_.. _f.                .....-..,`4'
      ;` ,#j.  T'      ..         ..J....,'.j`
     .` .."^.,-0.,,,,yMMMMM,.    ,-.J...+`.j@
    .'.`...' .yMMMMM0M@^=`""g.. .'..J..".'.jH
    j' .'1`  q'^)@@#"^".`"='BNg_...,]_)'...0-
   .T ...I. j"    .'..+,_.'3#MMM0MggCBf....F.
   j/.+'.{..+       `^~'-^~~""""'"""?'"``'1`
   .... .y.}                  `.._-:`_...jf
   g-.  .Lg'                 ..,..'-....,'.
  .'.   .Y^                  .....',].._f
  ......-f.                 .-,,.,.-:--&`
                            .`...'..`_J`
                            .~......'#'
  Ray Brunner               '..,,.,_]`     Sienar Fleet Systems' TIE/In
                            .L..`..``.     Space Superiority Starfighter (2)

For this, with a smaller number of lines, we scaled it up enough that we could mechanically engrave the individual letters, using a CNC router with a V-carving bit. For the smallest feature size to be about 1/16" (or a little larger) the whole design ended up being about 30 inches across.

We began with a sheet of 1/4" plywood, and coated the top surface with a black polyurethane finish, to give the "black screen" effect. Carving through this reveals the white (or nearly so) wood underneath.

Up close, the carved characters in the plywood reveal the inner layers and bands. These aren't a major concern, as you don't tend to notice them from a distance. Also, zoomed in this close onto the characters, you really can't tell what the image looks like at all.

And, here is what it looks like for scale-- notice the cat in foreground. This is really much, much larger than the laser engraved artwork.

Finally, you might have noticed that the original ASCII artwork had a credit and caption embedded within it. We reunited this information with the artwork when we hung it on the wall, on the separate gallery tag.

Improved Cucumber Martinis

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:40:17 -0800 -

One of the finest cocktails that we have ever come across is the cucumber martini, a cocktail which-- correctly executed --can be a bracingly refreshing blast of intense cucumber flavor, highlighting what is perhaps an under-appreciated member of the melon family.

Unfortunately, cucumber martinis often fail to live up to their potential, ending up as watery infusions that might be mistaken for scented mineral water. And that's an injustice.

To set the record straight, here is how to make your own thoroughly-awesome cucumber martini. To go one step further, we present three distinct variations: the Sweet Vodka Cucumber Martini, the gin-based Savory Cucumber Martini, and the non-alcoholic Cucumber Fizzy.

EQUIPMENT

As these are martinis, you'll need a cocktail shaker, martini glasses, and ice. You'll also need a food processor (or a good chef's knife and skill with it) and a length of cheesecloth for straining the cucumbers.

(Need cheesecloth? We've found this one to be satisfactory with a reasonably dense weave, making it stronger than many others.)

PREPARING INGREDIENTS

Cucumber juice

Rather than using an infused alcohol, this set of recipes uses juice from the non-watery part of the cucumber itself. That leads to a more intense, natural flavor, and also permits a virgin fork of our cocktail.

For 1-2 cocktails, begin with 2-3 small cucumbers, preferably persian or japanese. Peel them if the skins are waxed.

Slice the cucumbers in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.

Chop the cucumbers very finely-- a food processor is nice for this bit. Cut the halves into sticks and feed them through the slicer before switching to the chopping blade. The bits should be slightly smaller than those in pickle relish, but do not go so far as to puree them.

Gather the finely chopped cucumber into a double layer of cheesecloth and squeeze the juice out into a bowl or measuring cup. Twist the top of the cheesecloth to tighten even further.

When it seems mostly dry, untwist a bit and fluff the pulp in the cheesecloth around and then squeeze some more to get as much juice out as possible. The remaining cucumber pulp should be dry to the touch, when you are done. (Save the pulp for the bonus recipe below.)

2-3 small cucumbers typically yield about 4 oz of intense cucumber juice, using this process.

Bonus recipe: Quick Tzatziki--Because, you've already done the hard part!

Reconstitute the leftover cucumber pulp with lemon juice. Mix with a twice-as-large volume of strained ("Greek") yogurt. Crush in one small clove of garlic per 2 cucumbers used. Add more garlic, mint, dill, and black pepper to taste. Garnish with olive oil.

Simple Syrup

For the sweet cocktails, we use simple syrup rather than sugar directly. To prepare, mix 1/4 cup sugar into 1/4 cup hot water, stir until dissolved, and allow to cool. (Hot water from the tap is normally hot enough to dissolve sugar in these proportions.)

THE RECIPES

Sweet Vodka Cucumber Martini

1 oz cucumber juice
prepared according to directions above
1 oz simple syrup
prepared according to directions above
2 oz high-quality vodka
We recommend Luksusova or Monopolowa
1/2 tsp lemon juice (or to taste)

Combine ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker, strain, and serve in a martini glass, optionally rimmed with sugar. Suggested garnish: ultra-thin cucumber slices.

Savory Cucumber Martini

2 oz cucumber juice
prepared according to directions above
2 oz high-quality gin
We recommend Hendrick's

Combine ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker, strain, and serve in a martini glass. Suggested garnish: a skewer of olive-sized cucumber chunks.

This is a simple recipe, but a delicate balance; take care to measure. With a factor of two in proportions either way, either the cucumber does not shine through, or the flavors in the gin do not. Similarly, we found the slightest bit of lemon or sugar to throw off the balance.

Cucumber Fizzy (non-alcoholic)

1 oz cucumber juice
prepared according to directions above
1 oz simple syrup
prepared according to directions above
2 oz club soda
1/2 tsp lemon juice (or to taste)

Combine ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker, strain, and serve in a sugar-rimmed martini glass. Suggested garnish: thin cucumber slices.

Chocolate Dipped Candied Lemon Peel

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:02:39 -0800 -

Here's some easy to make festive holiday candy that doesn't taste anything like candy-canes, fruitcake, gingerbread or eggnog.

The first step is to peel the lemons. If you peel off thick strips from one pole to the other, they end up being a convenient length for dipping. This is a scaleable recipe: use as many lemons as you like. You can also use oranges, but you'll end up with chocolate covered orange peel instead of chocolate covered lemon peel.

Next, split the strips into nice narrow pieces with a paring knife.

Cover the strips of peel with water in a pot and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute or two and then drain. This blanching step helps to remove the bitterness.

Barely cover the strips of peel in fresh water again, and add sugar in equal proportion to the water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30-40 minutes, or until the peel becomes tender and translucent.

Drain the peel* and spread the pieces out on parchment paper on a cookie sheet to dry out in the oven on low, or if you have one, you can use a dehydrator.

(*Note: if you like lemon syrup, reserve the liquid when you drain the peel. Serve on pancakes and desserts or use in cocktails.)

When to stop drying them is up to you: if you like a more firm and chewy texture, dry for longer.

Melt some chocolate in a double boiler. Using a double boiler helps to keep the chocolate from overheating and breaking the temper. Using chocolate with consistent quality will help give a good texture and finish. Ghirardelli makes a 60% bittersweet chip that is readily available. The chocolate we used this time is Trader Joe's 72% Belgian.

Dip the strips of candied peel in the chocolate. Place them on waxed, freezer, or parchment paper and chill to harden before serving or taking to your holiday dessert exchange.

Yahoo! News: Science News

Science News

New map pinpoints Lyme disease risk areas (AP): Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:22:46 GMT -
AP - Researchers who spent three years dragging sheets of fabric through the woods to snag ticks have created a detailed map they claim could improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.
Unlike Patriots, NFL slow to embrace 'Moneyball' (AP): Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:20:50 GMT -
AP - It's advice that sounds like heresy on the gridiron: Go for it on fourth down. Try more onside kicks. Running backs don't matter much.
NASA says Russian space woes no worry (AP): Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:36:29 GMT - AP - NASA says it still has confidence in the quality of Russia's manned rockets, despite an embarrassing series of glitches and failures in the Russian space program.
Sandia Labs engineers create 'self-guided' bullet (AP): Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:41:02 GMT -
AP - Figuring out how to pack a processor and other electronics into a machine gun bullet has been a challenge for engineers at Sandia National Laboratories, so weapons experts say the miniature guidance system the lab has developed is a breakthrough.
First 'Vampire' Bat Fly Fossil Discovered (LiveScience.com): Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:55:00 GMT - LiveScience.com - A one-of-a-kind fossil shows that so-called bat flies — tiny vampire insects that survive on the blood of bats — have been parasitizing the winged mammals and spreading bat malaria for at least 20 million years, scientists report in a pair of studies Friday (Feb. 3).
Sierra Club Received Millions from Natural Gas Industry (ContributorNetwork): Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:26:29 GMT - ContributorNetwork - According to a blog post from Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune, the environmentalist organization accepted millions of donated dollars from the natural gas industry to fight against coal-fired plants nationwide. Here are the details.
Clinton urges Bulgaria to be energy independent (AP): Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:48:45 GMT -
AP - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Bulgaria, urging the country to break its energy dependence on Russia by diversifying its oil and gas supplies.
Over 6,300 Respond to NASA's Request for Astronaut Applicants (ContributorNetwork): Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:46:52 GMT - ContributorNetwork - NASA's space shuttle program is over. NASA does not have its own means of taking astronauts into space. Commercial spacecraft under development won't be ready for another four to five years. The Orion spacecraft is even more uncertain.
Same Genes Key to Early & Late-Onset Alzheimer's: Study (HealthDay): Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:46:55 GMT - HealthDay - THURSDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- People who develop Alzheimer's disease late in life may have the same gene mutations linked to the inherited, early onset form of the condition, according to a new study.
AP Enterprise: Monkey owners flee La. crackdown (AP): Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:44:49 GMT -
AP - Even in their Texas hideout, Jim and Donita Clark are terrified that wildlife agents from their home state of Louisiana will descend on their motorhome and seize the four Capuchin monkeys they've reared for 10 years.
Fire at Moscow nuclear institute, Russia says no risk (Reuters): Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:15:31 GMT - Reuters - There was no risk of a radiation leak after a fire broke out at a Moscow nuclear research center housing a non-operational 60-year-old atomic reactor Sunday, said officials, but Greenpeace Russia expressed serious concern about the incident.
The nation's weather (AP): Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:56:18 GMT - AP - Wet weather will ease Sunday across the Midwest as a winter storm treks eastward. The system will also advance southeastward from the mid-Mississippi River Valley, moving over the Tennessee Valley and into the Appalachians.
Jupiter-Bound NASA Probe Adjusts Course Toward Giant Planet (SPACE.com): Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:45:00 GMT - SPACE.com - A NASA probe on a five-year mission to Jupiter fired up its rocket thrusters this week to better aim itself at the largest planet in our solar system.
Sex & Parenting Genes Discovered in Mice (LiveScience.com): Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:25:00 GMT - LiveScience.com - Men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but how did they get there? Our gender differences might be a function of how our brains react to hormones, a new study on mice suggests.
Kiev blames Moscow for Europe gas cutbacks (AP): Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:52:20 GMT -
AP - Ukraine's government is blaming Russia for natural gas shortages in some European countries as a severe cold spell grips the region.
Storm blankets Nebraska after dumping on Colorado (AP): Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:20:11 GMT -
AP - A powerful winter storm that covered parts of Colorado with up to 6 feet of snow crept east across the Plains Saturday, knocking out electricity to thousands in Nebraska as the blanket of heavy, wet precipitation downed power lines and made travel treacherous.

New Scientist - Online News

Clint Eastwood helps reveal secrets of brain evolution

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:00:00 GMT - Brain scans of humans and monkeys while they watched a cowboy movie show that areas that are functionally similar aren't always in the same place

Bendy battery gives smart fabrics a charge

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT - A flexible battery that can be woven unobtrusively into fabrics could one day provide electricity for your gadgets

Silver packs a punch as chemotherapy drug

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:00:00 GMT - Compounds of silver are as effective against breast and colon cancer cells as a leading chemotherapy drug and may result in fewer side effects

Asteroid orbits modelled in a single atom

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT - The model of atoms as mini solar systems was supplanted by quantum fuzziness – now atoms have been forced to act more like the classical systems

Astrophile: Pinball planets get wild, deadly ride

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:00 GMT - Planets orbiting one star in a stellar pair could get bounced from star to star repeatedly – until they fall into the great beyond

Anonymous eavesdrops on FBI conference call

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:35:32 GMT - The hacktivist group managed to a listen in on a call between the FBI and law enforcement officials from several different European countries

Today on New Scientist: 3 February 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:11:04 GMT - All today's stories on newscientist.com, including: high time to welcome the friendly drones and malaria may kill far more people than we thought

Tiny volcanic moon controls Jupiter's auroras

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:32:00 GMT - Stuff spewed out of Io's hyperactive volcanoes make the rings of auroral light on Jupiter's poles grow and shrink

Friday Illusion: Rotating rings create phantom spiral

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:34:28 GMT - See how circles made up of tilted squares can warp your perception

How's your willpower? Take our survey and find out

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:33:00 GMT - Do you have the willpower to resist our survey? Take it and the results will be analysed by Roy F. Baumeister to check your self-control

Double-sided touchscreen changes when you fold it

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:46:21 GMT - A projection-based touchpad demonstrates the wide range of uses for a foldable touchscreen that can act like an iPad, or a book

Brain-eavesdropping tech can't steal your thoughts

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:34:00 GMT - Mind-reading technology notwithstanding, there is no prospect of anyone looking inside your skull without your consent

High time to welcome the friendly drones

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:30:00 GMT - Attempts to fly drones in civilian airspace are a classic example of an irresistible force (innovation) meeting an immovable object (the law)

Designs for eradicating medical mistakes

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:45:01 GMT - An exhibition at London's Hunterian Museum demonstrates how good design can combat human errors in the hospital.

Rapid nerve repair helps lame rats walk within days

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:13:00 GMT - A new procedure holds promise for swift recovery of people paralysed by nerve injuries

Civilian drones to fill the skies after law shake-up

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:58:00 GMT - Law changes mean uncrewed aerial vehicles aren't just for the military any more – civilian uses are taking off, too

Malaria may kill far more people than we thought

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:01:00 GMT - Models suggest that malaria kills eight times as many adults in Africa as the World Health Organization estimates

Spacecraft probes gas cloud swaddling the solar system

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:27:24 GMT - A cloud of interstellar matter envelops the solar system – new observations reveal just how alien it is

Slow graphene down, speed computers up

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:00:00 GMT - Graphene is hailed for its astonishing conductivity but a way to kill this easy flow of electrons brings superfast computers closer

First brain movie captures a mouse thinking

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:00:00 GMT - Watch the first high-resolution images of mouse brain cells sending and receiving signals

Visualization Challenge winners show spectacular science

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:00:00 GMT - The oniony layers of an eyeball and the crevices of a new material are among the winners of the 2011 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge

Triple-star system may host habitable world

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:30:16 GMT - A potentially rocky planet has been found smack dab in the middle of its star's habitable zone – its host star orbits a pair of more distant suns

Today on New Scientist: 2 February 2012

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:00 GMT - All today's stories on newscientist.com, including: Facebook goes public, exploring technology's dark side and launch escape rocket roars into life

India's panel price crash could spark solar revolution

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:20:00 GMT - Solar power has long had a reputation for being expensive, but the falling costs of making panels could change that

Fomalhaut's giant exoplanet may be small lava world

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:34:00 GMT - The planet Fomalhaut b looks the size of Jupiter, but there's no sign of its heat – the truth may be more exotic

New Scientist - Physics & Math

Asteroid orbits modelled in a single atom

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:00:00 GMT - The model of atoms as mini solar systems was supplanted by quantum fuzziness – now atoms have been forced to act more like the classical systems

Slow graphene down, speed computers up

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:00:00 GMT - Graphene is hailed for its astonishing conductivity but a way to kill this easy flow of electrons brings superfast computers closer

Earth in for bumpy ride as solar storms hit

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:00:00 GMT - Technology makes our planet more vulnerable to solar outbursts than ever before. What are the risks to Earthlings as the sun gears up for peak activity?

Lazy photon among the missing in exotic LHC roll call

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:12:00 GMT - String balls, leptoquarks and lazy photons have yet to put in an appearance at the LHC, the world's largest particle smasher

First quantum jiggles detected in solid object

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:00:00 GMT - A quantum-mechanical twang has been detected in a bar of silicon – previously such movement had been measured only in particles

Fight over changing constants reaches stalemate

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:46:00 GMT - What was supposed to be a superweapon in the battle to find out whether nature's fundamental constants vary has turned out to be a damp squib

Impossible chemistry: Quantum escape tunnel

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:06:00 GMT - Space is too cold for most chemical reactions – but they happen all the same. Could atoms and electrons be going underground?

Impossible chemistry: Crystal paradox

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:41:00 GMT - When Dan Shechtman said he had found "quasicrystalline" atomic symmetry, a Nobel laureate ridiculed him. Good thing he stuck to his guns

Neural network gets an idea of number without counting

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT - An artificial brain has taught itself to estimate the number of objects in an image without actually counting them, much as humans can

Death-defying time crystal could outlast the universe

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:00:00 GMT - We don't have to take the heat death of the universe lying down – a time crystal, symmetrical in time rather than space, would have the power to survive

ESP evidence airs science's dirty laundry

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:47:00 GMT - A barrage of experiments seems to show that we can predict the future – but they may tell us more about the scientific method, says Bob Holmes

Superstuff: When quantum goes big

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:52:00 GMT - In the coldest labs in the universe, bucketfuls of liquid flow uphill and solids pass through one another. Michael Brooks enters the quantum looking-glass

The Genesis problem

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:16:00 GMT - If there was a start to the universe, that means we have to explain how something just appeared from nothing

Naked black-hole hearts live in the fifth dimension

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:34:00 GMT - Contrary to a bet Stephen Hawking once made, the singularity at the heart of a black hole could exist "naked" – at least in a five-dimensional universe

Smallest magnetic memory uses just 12 atoms

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:35:00 GMT - Today's hard drives store data using bits made up of about a million magnetic atoms – that could be set to change

Why physicists can't avoid a creation event

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:00:00 GMT - The big bang may not have been the beginning of everything – but new calculations suggest we still need a cosmic starter gun

Largest dark matter map holds clues to dark energy

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:46:00 GMT - We may not know what dark matter is but it's still helping to nail the properties of the equally mysterious dark energy

Mundane dark matter may lurk in starry clusters

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT - Exotic explanations for mysterious dark matter may no longer be needed inside balls of stars known as globular clusters

Thinnest silicon-chip wires refuse to go quantum

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:24:00 GMT - The finding is good news for conventional computer chips – but might be a problem for quantum computers

Higgs result means elegant universe is back in vogue

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:56:00 GMT - Recent hints of the Higgs boson help explain why we have not seen evidence of supersymmetry yet – and point to fresh ways to focus the search

Scrunch time: The peculiar physics of crumpled paper

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:14:00 GMT - When you crumple up your gift-wrapping paper this year, you'll create a shape so complex that it has defeated the most sophisticated computers

Stephen Hawking at 70: Exclusive interview

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:00:00 GMT - In an exclusive interview with New Scientist to mark his 70th birthday this month, physicist Stephen Hawking looks back on his life and work

Faster-than-light neutrinos dealt another blow

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:06:00 GMT - Unless there is exotic new physics, it seems the speedy neutrinos can only exist if they flout the fundamental tenet of energy conservation

Nobel prizewinning quasicrystal fell from space

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:46:00 GMT - The only known naturally occurring sample of quasicrystal seems to come from a meteorite, changing our understanding of how these curious structures can form

The dust library

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:00:00 GMT - Specks of dust are as unique as snowflakes – but no one had ever paid much attention to what individual particles are made of. Until now. Kate Douglas reports

MoreInspiration: 20 most recent innovations in gadgets

StayLocked bicycle: Bicycle turns disabled when lock is broken
Magnetic Interchangeable Lens System: Sunglasses with magnetics in the lenses can be changed
DotPot: Three in one baby potty, step
Graffiti Umbrella: Umbrella with a brush tip lets you draw
Smart String Tape Measure: A string for taking measurements
Excenterball: Roller ball that keeps a straight line
Magnetic pots: Pots with magnets stick to modular magnetic back plates
Split Hanger: Hangar can be folded to make hanging easier
Constructive Eating: Digger-inspired utensils and plate
Self-Inflating Bicycle Tires: Inner tube clips into the tire to enable air to pass from the tire to the tube
Heated Bike Grips: Bike grips that heat to 6 different temperatures
DIY Guitar Pick Punch: Puncher to create guitar picks from plastic cards
Cardstick Decal: Sticker turns your credit card into a ruler
A Tent With a Garage For Your Motorbike: Tent with an area for your motorbike
Pack Away Kettle: Collapsible teapot
Botl filter: Personal water filter
Detergent-Dousing Douches: Shower system dispenses soap in its stream
Key knife: Knife hidden in a key
Logitech Tablet Speaker: IPad clip-on speaker
Ashtray coffee mug: Drink coffee, turn it over and use as an ashtray

Energy Planet

Blog for the Renewable Energy Directory

Central Florida Homebuilder Goes Solar: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:33:45 +0000 - Sebring Builders, a privately owned Builder/Developer is hoping to become a “trendsetter”. In 2006, Sebring Builders started planning to build Stone Ridge, a private, gated community in the small central Florida town of Sebring. With single family homes starting just under $200,000, they thought this development had everything to offer, great location, clubhouse with [...]
Natural Gas: The answer to our Energy problems?: Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:11:41 +0000 - At the mention of the term natural gas, most of us come to think of it as a gas that, as the name might suggest occurs naturally. Right to an extent, but quite vague in the true sense of it, actually natural gas is a mixture of about eight gases, mainly methane, ethane, butane, [...]
Ecotality Life - Review: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:10:05 +0000 - ECOtality has announced a clever new contest aimed at promoting their fresh new blog. It’s been awhile since we’ve published a review anyways, so this is a welcome challenge. Ecotality Life is a beautiful website. I love the how the images add meaningful impact and color to the articles, which are further emphasized by [...]
Green FeedBurner Networks!: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:42:08 +0000 - FeedBurner is a popular online service that gives website owners the ability to enhance and promote their blog and news feeds. Recently the company began introducing their long-anticipated networking service, which gives users the ability to create and manage feed networks based on a topic or theme. These feeds can then be combined and [...]
High Gas Prices are Good!: Sat, 08 Sep 2007 23:54:55 +0000 - I hope the price of gasoline and oil doubles in the next year. Actually, I hope it increases 1000%. Why? Because super-inflated gas prices may be the only thing that wakes North America up to the need for change. Public awareness about global warming and climate change has been numbed by increasing media saturation of [...]
Leonardo DiCaprio - The 11th Hour: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:24:44 +0000 - Leonardo DiCaprio is best known as a gifted Hollywood actor, but he is also a major spokesperson for the growing environmental movement. For some time now he has also been busy inspiring people to take action to prevent global catastrophe in the face of global warming and climate change. His latest effort is the [...]
EV1 Commercial: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 09:17:54 +0000 - This car commercial features a GM EV1 and a hummer. The purpose of this video was to document the car’s existence, as GM has claims they do not have any footage of the car. Those cars were so cool… I’m deeply appalled that they aren’t being produced anymore. Regardless, it was nice to see the [...]
AboutMyPlanet - Review: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 06:50:52 +0000 - A beautiful, well-designed and frequently updated website community focusing on sustainable living tips and green energy technologies. The daily green tips section includes valuable eco-fashion designs and how-to resources for green outdoor enthusiasts. The forums provide a convenient place for visitors to discuss everything from pollution and climate change to solutions like volunteering and [...]
I Conserve Challenge Cards: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:30:57 +0000 - Rate your conservation efforts with “I Conserve!” challenge cards - the Conservation Council of Ontario distributes cards through The Beer Store’s 441 retail stores across Ontario. By 2009, the Conservation Council of Ontario wants everyone in Ontario to say “I conserve.” The goal is not to become perfect overnight, just better. To make it [...]
Energy Bill Promotes Clean Energy: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:07:28 +0000 - SmartPower Urges President Bush to Sign Energy Bill SmartPower, in a clarion call to the President today strongly urged President Bush to put aside partisan politics and to sign the recently passed Energy Bill. Both the House and the Senate have passed slightly differing versions of this comprehensive energy bill. A compromise bill is expected [...]
Search for Alternative Energy!: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:07:14 +0000 - As part of our ongoing commitment to bring you the best renewable energy resources, we’ve now launched the AEoogle search engine. Our newest tool combines the power of GoogleTM’s algorithm with the comprehensive resources you’ll find in the renewable energy directory. This fruitful combination provides a more accurate and relevant search result when you [...]
Vertical Farming Concept: Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:53:59 +0000 - Scientists at Columbia University are proposing a revolutionary new agricultural technology that would bring food supplies closer to the end-user. After studying modern greenhouse techniques they have come up with a new concept to build 30-storey skyscrapers to grow food and raise small livestock, effectively eliminating the shipping and pollution expenses associated with urban living. [...]
Neo-Aerodynamic Device: Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:38:04 +0000 - Phi Tran submitted this link to me by email. According to Phi, Neo-Aerodynamic introduces a new, history making technology to extract kinetic energy from a flowing fluid, providing “unheard-of” amounts of electricity as the final result; this “rate has not been seen before”. During the development of this technology we have gone from one surprising [...]
Global Warming Lawsuit against Canada: Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:15:49 +0000 - This was emailed to me for immediate release. Friends of the Earth Canada has launched a landmark lawsuit today against the Government of Canada for abandoning its international commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Filed in Federal Court in Ottawa by Canada’s foremost environmental law organization, Sierra Legal, the lawsuit alleges that the federal government [...]
The Ethanol Myth: Sun, 13 May 2007 18:20:10 +0000 - This video raises some serious questions about the perceived advantages of ethanol and the current political hype surrounding its production. Politicians throughout the United States are promoting increased production and subsidies for the so-called ‘green fuel’, but as this video clearly points out, there may actually be zero environmental or economic benefits. Simply put, [...]
X1 Electric Race Car: Wed, 09 May 2007 07:46:47 +0000 - In this video a Wrightspeed X1 electric car out-performs both a Ferrari and Porche! What is stunning about this race is just how well the electric car performs. It shoots off the starting line and very quickly races ahead of the other two cars in both races. I’m very impressed! It’s just too bad that [...]
Solar Power Tower: Sun, 06 May 2007 16:55:17 +0000 - This solar power tower in Spain acts as a powerful electricity generator and graceful work of landscape art. The 40-story high concrete tower is bathed in powerful rays of bright sunlight and it can be seen for miles. This effect is created by 600 large and intensely powerful mirrors which are used to concentrate the [...]
Innovative Wind Power Technologies: Wed, 02 May 2007 00:24:52 +0000 - These last few stories blew my mind (thanks to the EcoGeek I have hope). It’s great to see wind energy technologies evolving, and the concepts sure are attractive. Here we have a beautiful new loopwing tip-less blade design, a collaborative design by students of Archinect that can harness the wind energy of highways, and the [...]
Solar Energy from Carbon Dioxide?: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 22:57:49 +0000 - According to Dave White of Mobile Magazine there may be a way to convert carbon dioxide emissions into electricity using Solar Power! This amazing new potential technology is being developed by a group of scientists at the University of California in San Diego. Apparently they already have a working prototype of the technology, which would [...]
Segway Centaur Concept: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 23:45:49 +0000 - Being the bicycle enthusiast that I am I can’t help but notice this cool new toy from Segway. It’s great how it can maneuver in tight spaces and stay on two wheels at high speed. The possibilities for this technology seem very promising (as long as it isn’t used for military purposes). I bet [...]
Build It Solar - Review: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:25:33 +0000 - Retired Airplane Product Development Engineer Gary Reysa has compiled the most comprehensive do-it-yourself solar website online. His non-commercial website, Build It Solar, contains plans, photos and links to over 500 DIY solar and renewable energy projects. “While trying to find good solar heating ideas for my house, I noted that there is not much [...]
Amazing Wind Powered Vehicle by Theo Jansen: Mon, 09 Apr 2007 22:22:33 +0000 - Artist and Engineer Theo Jansen has been designing and creating these wonderful wind powered vehicles for over 10 years. He uses lightweight plastic yellow tubing to construct the vehicle’s skeleton. I realize these projects do not produce energy, but they are so beautiful that I just had to share them. Also featured in wind power.
Other Power - Review: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 21:16:45 +0000 - The folks at otherpower.com are extremely busy building new wind energy projects, as is evident by the massive amount of information available on their website. Even the most novice do-it-yourselfer could find enough information there to construct a fully functioning wind energy system for their house. There are do-it-yourself instructions, forums, and they even host [...]
Energy Forums - Update: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 00:44:14 +0000 - Yet another update: We decided to move the energy forums in order to better integrate them with our main site structure. The old forums are still online but are closed for new registrations and posts. Please feel free to register an account and help us get these conversations going!
Alternative Energy - Site Update: Fri, 06 Apr 2007 23:44:25 +0000 - For over a year I’ve been trying to figure out a way to display the latest alternative energy news headlines in a timely fashion. It has been very difficult. We’ve gone from manual daily updates to daily feed updates via a sub blog. This past month I’ve been setting up and testing a new system [...]
EcoPhotos.com - Review: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 01:54:48 +0000 - EcoPhotos.com is a stock photo agency specialized in nature, environmental protection, and sustainability related topics. Images illustrate what needs to be protected, threats to people and to the environment, and a wide range of more sustainable alternatives.
Biodiesel Man: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 01:16:12 +0000 - A user submitted video from the Discovery Channel. A very detailed and informative introduction to processing biodiesel as a fuel source. The host tours a biodiesel processing plant and gets an explanation of how the process works, as well as how to convert a regular diesel engine to run off of biofuels. Also featured in [...]
Meet the Greens - Review: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:00:48 +0000 - What an exciting and fun website! Designed with kids in mind, Meet the Greens uses flash media to present information about climate change and environmental issues. There are games and videos for kids (and adults) to play and watch. I found myself spending quite a bit of time on this site, it is quality educational [...]
Sustainable Energy in Europe: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 05:30:10 +0000 - This excellent eye-opening video compares the energy crisis in North America with the sustainable energy models that have been developed in Europe over the past 50 years.
Solar Tower Pilot Plant: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 03:45:56 +0000 - This video gives a detailed overview of an amazing Spanish tower that generates power by collecting heat at its base and forcing the air up through a small chimney. Electricity is produced using a power generator located at the top of the chimney. Also featured in solar power.

PubMed comprises more than 21 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites :-

PubMed New and Noteworthy

Brief announcements highlighting recent enhancements and changes to the PubMed, Journals, and MeSH databases.

Advanced search tutorial: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST - An advanced search tutorial is now available on YouTube.
MeSH updated: Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST - MEDLINE indexed citations and the MeSH database have been updated with 2012 MeSH vocabulary.
Advanced search updated: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST - The advanced search page has been modified to provide users with a less cluttered, more intuitive way to build searches.
Clinical Alert: Commonly used three-drug regimen for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis found harmful: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST - NIH stops one treatment arm of trial; other two treatments to continue.
Clinical Advisory: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST - Clinical Advisory: Secondary Prevention of Small Subcortical Strokes Trial: NINDS Stops Treatment with Combination Antiplatelet Therapy (Clopidogrel plus Aspirin) Due to Higher Risk of Major Hemorrhage and Death
PubMed Mobile redirect: Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST - Mobile users are now automatically redirected to the PubMed mobile site.
My NCBI Enhancements: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST - Enhancements were made to the My NCBI My Bibliography feature. In addition, click the My NCBI homepage "Customize this page" link to add the new BLAST History tool.
Search Terms in Bold in Results: Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST - PubMed search terms are now automatically displayed in bold in the search results.
My NCBI Redesigned: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST - My NCBI has been redesigned with an improved user interface. A video overview is available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks46w3mNAQE
Clinical Alert: Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Issues New Clinical Alert on Angioplasty Combined with Stenting Plus Aggressive Medical Therapy vs. Aggressive Medical Therapy Alone for Intracranial Arterial Stenosis: NINDS Stops Trial Enrollment Due to a Higher Risk of Stoke and Death in the Stented Group
CSV File Selection: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST - The Send to File option now includes a CSV selection to generate an abbreviated summary citation in a comma separated file.
PubMed Mobile Beta: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST - PubMed Mobile Beta http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/ provides a simplified mobile friendly Web interface to access PubMed.
MeSH Database Redesigned: Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST - The MeSH database was redesigned to provide the same streamlined interface now available in PubMed.

You have a choice between searching for 'And Words' or 'Or words' Or Words are recommended e.g.:

'internet future' with 'Or words' will return only headlines containing either 'internet' or 'future'

And words return less or no results more often.
'internet future' with 'And words' will return headlines containing both 'internet' and 'future'

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MoreInspiration: 20 most recent innovations in gadgets

Energy Planet

PubMed New and Noteworthy

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