This is very cool. I've been saying informally for several years that I viewed micro-generation as the wave of the future. I figured that businesses would be the first to adopt technologies that go into buildings to make them essentially self-sufficient for power generation. Well, that ideal is now much closer to reality. Meet the Bloom Box:
Well, it's almost that time of year to think about waxing the board and riding the mountains. You'll be pleased to hear, then, that it appears that it is snowing on Mars. Now there's a freeride no human has tried yet! :)
This week's MythBusters episode was awesome! They tackled the amazingly controversial topic of whether or not an airplane can take off while on a conveyor belt. And, I have to say, the results at first surprised me, until it all finally clicked. When it did click, I went "Oh! Oh! Oh! DUH!!!!!" Before I explain...
*** SPOILER ALERT *** SPOILER ALERT ***
Just a grab bag of links across the spectrum of things I've been reading today. Enjoy!
* Best Buy recalls infected picture frames: Some Insignia-branded digital picture frames seemed to have been shipped with a computer virus. Oops!
* LEGO Brick's 50th Anniversary: It's the 50th anniversary of the LEGO brick. Check out this site with a cool graphical timeline. :)
* Disabled Spy Satellite Threatens Earth: Duck and cover! A US spy satellite seems to have lost its propulsion system and is projected to come crashing back to Terra Firma some time in the next couple weeks. It's rumored to contain sensitive data, and to be toxic. I wonder if the "toxic waste" warnings are designed to keep people away from the sensitive data? :)
* Code Red: An Economist Explains How to Revive the Healthcare System Without Destroying It: Tyler Cowen recommends this book if you're curious about the economics of health care and how to solve the problems.
* Happy Data Privacy Day!: Per SANS, the IAPP has declared today Data Privacy Day. Protect your data, identity, and shred stuff. More importantly, fight the rollback of civil liberties.
* New 4100 Lumen Flashlight Can Set Things On Fire: Looking for a portable way to fry everything in sight? Check out this new flashlight, capable of 4100 lumens. It can burn paper, melt plastic, or fry an egg. Fun stuff! :)
Here's one for the weird science files. According to Slate, you can survive in space for a limited time without a space suit. Just make sure you don't hold your breath when you try it, and make sure your exposure is less than 15 seconds. Nonetheless, you might instead want to wear a suit if you think your exposure will be longer than that.
To that end, MIT aeronautics and astronautics and engineering systems diva professor Dava Newman is leading the development of a new skin-tight suit that will greatly reduce the bulk of suits, increasing the agility possible while on a space walk. These suits remind me of those worn in the space walk scene of the movie Star Trek: First Contact.
