');//-->
QJ Network: MyQJ | QJ.NET | Apple | Mobile | Photography | Science | MMORPG | Nintendo DS | Wii | World of Warcraft | PlayStation 3 | PSP | Tabula Rasa | XBOX 360 | Gadgets | PC Gaming | DL.QJ


 Username: 
 Password:
Forgot password
New user registration

Poll
Do you think Pluto's status as a planet should have been revoked?
Earth Science
General Science
Health Science
Space
Archives
1 Jumps    Nanomachine: the next step





1

Can we call it Mr. Fusion? The tactical biorefinery

 Posted Feb 04, 2007 at 04:34AM by Victor B. Listed in: Chemistry, Engineering, Alternative Energy Tags: carbon dioxide, methane, Purdue University
It's big. - Image 1It doesn't look like it does anything, but the picture on your right actually takes trash and turns it into energy. Some scientists over at Purdue University created this "tactical biorefinery," a generator that uses refuse as a main fuel source.

According to the scientists, the whole thing was made due to a request from the US military. The tactical biorefinery, however, can serve more than military purposes, such as in providing emergency power for relief operations and hospitals.

While diesel actually starts the process of creating power, the trash is what really gets the whole contraption going:


The machine separates food material into a bioreactor that uses the yeast ferments to create ethanol.


Other materials go to a gasifier and are converted into propane gas and methane, which then fuel the diesel engine that creates electricity. 


Purdue scientists also mention that the device may actually be more environmentally friendly, as the biomass-powered generator takes less diesel to run, and because plants absorb carbon dioxide, which is supposed to be one of its byproducts.


[Via Cnet] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [0]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
0

Cure for the hiccups: takes 12 seconds

 Posted Feb 04, 2007 at 02:49AM by Rio S. Listed in: Alternative Medicine
Top Ten Funniest cures - Image 1Everyone gets it once in a while. It may be a temporary annoyance or it may last for weeks. Either way, people have devised a couple of hundred ways to get rid of the hiccups.

Hiccups (or singultus in medical terms) is the involuntary spasm of the diaphragm which happens repeatedly over the span of time. There are many known ways to get them: eating food too quickly, eating spicy food, laughing, electrolyte imbalance, and some cancer patients have it as a side effect of chemotherapy.

Whatever the cause, there are lot of home remedies to cure the hiccups like drinking from the wrong side of the glass or drinking upside down, being surprised out of your wits, holding your breath, eating a slice of lemon, eating sugar or mustard and a whole lot more. Some people get a case of persistent or intractable hiccups (severe and prolonged cases), at which point they are given sedatives, stimulants for the digestive system, and anti-spasmodic medicine.

Well, somebody over at Opiniorama had discovered his own way of curing the hiccups when all else failed. According to his instructions, one should reach up on a door frame, hold a big breath and lean forward. While doing this, lean forward far enough to feel your back arching and your abdominal muscles stretching. He reportedly has his cure down to 12 seconds.

Hmmm, what do you guys think? We all have our personal home remedies, we'd love to hear yours.


[Via Opiniorama] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [0]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
1

Diamond loses stiffness crown to new material

 Posted Feb 04, 2007 at 02:31AM by Karl B. Listed in: Engineering Tags: Germany, Matrix, UK
Stiff new material made by mixing particles of the ceramic barium titanate (black flecks) with molten tin - Image 1Diamond, get off that high chair because there's a new "Stiff King" on the block. According to NewScientistTech, a new mineral that is stiffer than diamond - previously the stiffest material known - has been created by a team from Washington State University and Wisconsin-Madison University, both in the US, and from Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany.

In order to create the new Stiff Lord, the team mixed molten tin, heated to about 300șC, with pieces of a ceramic material called barium titanium - often used as an insulator in electronic components. The particles were each about one-tenth of a millimetre in diameter and were dispersed evenly through the tin using an ultrasonic probe.

"Because they are held inside the tin matrix, strain builds up inside the barium titanate," composite materials researcher Mark Spearing of Southampton University, UK explains, "at a particular temperature that energy is released to oppose a bending force."

During testing, the samples became stiffer than diamond between temperatures of 58șC and 59șC. Some were nearly 10 times as resistant to bending.


[Via NewScientistTech] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [0]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
1

Nanomachine: the next step

 Posted Feb 03, 2007 at 06:28AM by Rio S. Listed in: Nanotechnology Tags: nanotechnology, Edinburgh, Scotland
Biological Nanomachine - Image 1Remember that short lived series, Jake 2.0? If you're not familiar with it, it's about a computer tech who accidentally gets injected with nanites or nanobots (microscopic machines) and gets superhuman-slash-bionic powers. It's all science fiction of course, but now scientists at Edinburgh, Scotland has created something straight out of sci-fi. Or at least taking the first step toward it.

Around a 150 years ago, a Scottish physicist named James Clerk Maxwell envisioned a device the size of an atom called Maxwell's Demon. He theorized that the miniscule machine would not need an energy source other than light.

Nanomachines are actually present in nature, they're the ones responsible for plant photosynthesis and transferring information between cells. It's so miniscule that each part is made from a single molecule. Not Honey, I Shrunk the Kids type of tiny, think 80,000 times tinier than the thickness of a human hair. According to David Leigh, a chemistry professor from the University of Edinburgh, nanomachines are responsible for life at a molecular level.

Scientist have devised a motor mechanism that would trap molecules or nanomachines. They say that this brings us one step closer to mimicking what the nanomachines in nature are capable of. Nanotechnology is said to have a huge impact on how we live, as it is already being used in certain industries (cosmetics, computer chip manufacturing) as well as products (sunscreen, self-cleaning windows, and stain resistant clothing).

Cool, eh? And to think they were able to make a drop of water move uphill.


[Via Yahoo News] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [0]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
3

Your brain has a stopwatch, it seems...

 Posted Feb 02, 2007 at 02:50PM by Chris L. Listed in: Mental Health Tags: UCLA
Well, what a sense of timing. Doh! - Image 1Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the brain... UCLA researchers have uncovered some details of how the brain records the passage of time, PhysOrg reports, and these details could reveal how brains truly work.

Remember that report on "How Brains Weave Memory"? (Must have been a scene of How to Make an American Quilt that didn't make the cut.)

Based on this theory of brain time, the brain might also be adding a "time stamp" to every sensory processing your cranium does. The explanation is likened to ripples in the water: drop a pebble, ripples form, and these ripples act like a "signature" of the time the pebble entered the water. The further the ripples travel, the longer the time.

Same thing with the brain. The time a brain cell is triggered is like the pebble being thrown into the lake: it sets off a ripple of reactions among neighboring brain cells and connections. The brain, it seems, is capable of interpreting these ripples as the passage of time. We don't have an internal clock as we do an internal stopwatch.

These findings bear significance, not only in the understanding of the architecture of the human brain, but also in applications where time is involved, such as speech recognition (pronounciation is a factor of time, too) and musical apprehension. By the way, it's been forty-plus minutes since I started writing this article. And I didn't even have to check the clock.


[Via PhysOrg] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [0]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
3

Shrimp bandages: effective and edible

 Posted Feb 02, 2007 at 06:37AM by Rio S. Listed in: Alternative Medicine, Medical Devices Tags: U.S. Army
Edible and effective! - Image 1 Who else would try and find ways to stop severe bleeding? The U.S. Army, of course. Soldiers are mostly sent to far off places - far from proper medical facilities. Medics can only do so much and normal bandages sometimes aren't enough.

They finally found a way for this problem. And they found it in Icelandic crustaceans. Shrimps have polysaccharides in their exoskeletons called chitosan (a derivative of chitin) which proved to be very effective for dressing wounds. It is mucoadhesive as it gets sticky when drenched in blood.

According to Dr. John McManus of the Army's Combat Casualty Care, "The chitosan dressing has achieved over 97 percent success rates for external hemorrhage control in current combat operations."

The Army purchased around 400,000 bandages from HemCon, after testing a number of alternatives such as collagen sponges, fibrin bandages and nanoporous ceramic powder. The bandages are edible, though don't expect them to taste anything like seafood. They won't cause any allergic reactions on people with food allergies.

Sam Medical Products also has a chitosan-based product in powder form that stops bleeding. These products are perfect for areas far from medical facilities and high risk zones like construction sites.


[Via Wired] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [0]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
2

UN climate panel: Global warming very likely caused by humans

 Posted Feb 02, 2007 at 05:29AM by Remi M. Listed in: Global Warming Tags: Time Magazine, global warming
Global warming - Image 1It seems that Time Magazine's Person of the Year for 2006 is also the cause of global warming. The U.N. climate panel recently mentioned that global warming has begun and it is very likely caused by man. Aside from that, the panel also said that global warming will be unstoppable for centuries.

The report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasted that there'll be more rain, powerful storms, droughts and heatwaves, and a slow rise in sea levels due to the rising temperatures. They added that "Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (human) greenhouse gas concentrations."

By very likely, the IPCC means that there is a 90% probability that human activities is the cause behind most of the warming in the past 50 years. In a 2001 report, there was just a 66% probability.

The IPCC is the most authoritative group on warming and it has 2,500 scientists from more than 130 nations. It also estimates that temperatures would go up between 1.8 and 4.0 degrees Celsius in the 21st century within a rang of 1.1 to 6.4 Celsius,

So much for being the Time Person of the Year.


[Via Reuters] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [2]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
7

Anti-obesity revolution: Konami reveals DDR health results

 Posted Feb 01, 2007 at 08:12PM by Gino D. Listed in: Self Well-being Tags: Konami, Virginia
Strike a pose, there's nothing to it... - Image 1The crisis of today's kids facing obesity is a daily issue some of us have to contend with. As you're reading this, maybe your own kid or sibling is down in the living room, with butt firmly glued to the sofa, and staring right at the TV set. We don't need Captain Obvious to tell us that kids these days (that includes kids of all ages, 1 to 92) need exercise in their lives.

With this, the exergaming project was launched. The results of the 24-week gaming-exercise project have finally been revealed by Konami. Surprise of all surprises, you do lose weight with exercise-friendly games, more specifically something like Dance Dance Revolution.

Test subjects in the project were required to play DDR for at least 30 minutes each day, five times a week. The factors that West Virginia University (the guys administering the tests) monitored weight, blood pressure, body mass index, arterial function, fitness levels and attitudes towards exercise among the kids.

Results? The found out that the DDR workout had improved their general health and reduced risks for lifestyle-related diseases. They now have evidence that, if kept consistent, playing the game improves arterial function and blood flow among the overweight children. Not that all the test subjects they had lost weight, however, what's important is that none of them gained any.

What's interesting here, though, is what some would call the "non-quantifiable" results (data that can't be measured in numbers and figures). They've observed that, after the testing period, some of the participants which have felt awkward about exercising before now actually have confidence in continuing their battle against obesity. They've exhibited a new desire to maintain their health regiment.

"No pain, no gain," or so they say. Get the dance mat out, and time to bust a groove!


[Via Gamasutra] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [0]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
2

Meth war weakens some cold meds

 Posted Feb 01, 2007 at 06:13AM by Remi M. Listed in: Diseases Tags: FDA
medications - Image 1The key to keeping the colds away is to be gay (and by gay we mean happy) says a Carnegie Mellon study. But being happy all the time is like a sign of emotional instability and everyone is bound to have bouts with the cold especially this season. But now, many people who are suffering from the common colds may find that their trusted medication is not beating out the disease the way it used to.

The reason? An active ingredient in a lot of cold meds called pseudoephedrine is no longer allowed in drugstore aisles. This is so because in large quantities, it can be used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now requiring pharmacies to keep meds with pseudoephedrine behind the counter and would only be available with photo ID and signature.

With this scenario, sniffing and sneezing consumers are left with fewer choices. Some cold medicine makers have changed their formula and have switched to phenylephrine. Cold meds with this must be taken more often and some consumers say it doesn't work. There are a few who didn't change their formula even if it puts sales at risk. Some of the meds who still has pseudoephedrine are Claritin-D and some Tylenol products.


[Via ABC News] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [0]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
6

California to ban incandescent bulbs by 2012

 Posted Jan 31, 2007 at 10:36PM by Ceasar S. Listed in: Environmental Campaigns, Global Warming Tags: global warming, California, Los Angeles, Thomas Edison, CFL

Out with the incandescent, in with CFL - Image 1


"How many legislators does it take to change a light bulb?" It may sound like one of those "How many..." jokes, but it's actually a proposed title for an act. The "How Many Legislators Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb" Act is focused on attempting to lower greenhouse gas emissions and combat global warming. But perhaps the real question should be: how many legislators will change a light bulb? One will, for sure: California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine is aiming to ban incandescent light bulbs by 2012. Probably because Uh-nold says so.

So the 125-year-old invention from ol' Thomas Edison is now considered an energy waste, only converting 5% of the power it actually consumes into light. Fluorescent light bulbs is the way to go, and the compact Fluorescent light bulbs (or CFLs) only consume 25% of the power consumed by ordinary light bulbs. They also tend to last longer, fit into any fixture and provide brighter light in some cases.

Levine is the same Democrat from Van Nuys, Los Angeles who introduced a bill last year that requires most grocery stores to have plastic bag recycling. The bill is expected to become law this July.


[Via Reuters] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!   |   Comments [2]

Bookmark / Find this article on:
      Next Page >>   Last Page 
Featured Content
Navigation
QJ.NET Blog Network RSS Feeds
MyQJ Feed / PDA
MyQJ RSS / PDA
Blog of Blogs Feed / PDA
QJ.NET RSS / PDA
Gaming Consoles Feed / PDA
Nintendo DS RSS / PDA
PlayStation 3 RSS / PDA
PSP Updates RSS / PDA
Wii RSS / PDA
Xbox 360 RSS / PDA
PC Gaming Feed / PDA
Games for Windows RSS / PDA
MMORPG RSS / PDA
Tabula Rasa RSS / PDA
World of Warcraft RSS / PDA
Science Feed / PDA
Science RSS / PDA
Technology Feed / PDA
Apple RSS / PDA
Gadgets RSS / PDA
Mobile RSS / PDA
Photography RSS / PDA
Add QJ. NET Space blog to
Add to My Yahoo! Google Reader Subscribe with Bloglines Add to your Kinja digest Subscribe in NewsGator Online Subscribe with Pluck RSS reader Add space.qj.net' to Newsburst from CNET News.com Subscribe with SearchFox RSS del.icio.us apple.qj.net Add to Technorati Favorite! Add to My AOL furl! it Stumble for Treehugger!
Help with feeds
User Favorites - February
Most Commented
(6)
(4)
(4)
(3)
(3)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
User Favorites - February
Top Jumps
California to ban incande (5)
Anti-obesity revolution: (5)
Shrimp bandages: effectiv (3)
Brazilian woman gives bir (3)
UN climate panel: Global (2)
Unreal Engine to be used (2)
Vaccine Against Cervical (1)
How brains weave memory (1)
Eye-openers, indeed: caff (1)
Your brain has a stopwatc (1)
Nanomachine: the next ste (1)
Carl Jung typology test: (1)
Meth war weakens some col (1)
Top News Submitters
# Registered User Posts
1 badam 1060
2 Jordan Black 48
3 Vecha 33
4 =Metallic-Force= 26
5 ssj3fox 22
Got news? Submit it!
Forum statistics
Visit our forum
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the TERMS & CONDITIONS and PRIVACY POLICY
Copyright © 2006, Content Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Version. 1.28