Scientists Tap Volcano Power

Scientists have discovered how to tap the geothermal energy of the Earth.  With 17,000 islands ranging from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of active volcanoes represent close to 40 percent of the world's geothermal energy potential.


One geothermal plant already exists in Kamojang, Java.  Built in 1982 can convert volcanic heat into electricity at much lower costs and with less pollution than coal plants.


A significant ($12 Billion) amount is required to further the technology, but tapping geothermal energy is a viable option to fossil fuels.




Indonesia aims to tap volcano power

Image Photographer:	Clearly Ambiguous

Physicists Investigate Possibility of an 'Unhiggs'

This figure represents a five-dimensional diagram relevant to how the Unhiggs affects certain parameters in particle physics models. Physicists are calculating the properties of the Unhiggs so that it will be recognized at the LHC, if it exists. Image credit: Falkowski and Pérez-Victoria.


The Unhiggs is the possibility that the Higgs-Boson doesn't exist.  It is the alternate theory which is really a "supermass" of a collection of particles that are in superposition.  So, measuring the mass of something involves defining the space in which that thing encompasses.  If measuring the mass of an orange, you wouldn't measure anything outside of the orange.  


However, in the quantum world, that orange can change to a watermelon, apple, peach or pumpkin during the time of the measurement.  Therefore, the measurement you get is a combination of all those fruit affecting the measurement for the instant that they were there.  This is similar to the Unhiggs theory which says that mass is formed as a combination of these superposition events.  


Physicists Investigate Possibility of an 'Unhiggs'

New Milestone in Optic Technology Allows Better Data Transmissions

Scientists in Germany have discovered a technique to  produce a pulse of light so short that it contains just a single oscillation of a light wave. Using optical-fibre-optic cables, Alfred Leitenstorfer's group at the University of Konstanz in Germany has found a way to boost data transmission significantly.  By reducing the amount of light needed to represent a 1 or 0, binary transmissions can be sent with higher efficiency.  This is a fascinating article that discusses a milestone in optical technology that will help in applications like advanced imaging, sensing and signal processing. 

Single light wave flashes out from fibre laser - physics-math - 21 December 2009 - New Scientist


(Image: Kim Steele/Getty)

New Hypothesis says Moon may have formed in a nuclear explosion

According to a new hypothesis, the moon's composition may have been caused by a nuclear explosion.  The hypothesis states that the centrifugal forces during the Earth's creation could have had concentrated heavy elements such as thorium and uranium at the Earth core-mantle boundary. If the concentrations of these radioactive elements were high enough, this could have led to a nuclear chain reaction that ejected the material that later formed the Earth and the Moon as separate entities.

The Moon may have formed in a nuclear explosion


Photo by NASA

Seven Questions Unanswered by Modern Physics

These are the seven questions that are unanswered by modern physics.  The discussion was part of "Quantum to Cosmos", a 10-day physics extravaganza, which took place in Canada.


Seven questions that keep physicists up at night - space - 23 October 2009 - New Scientist


Photo Credit: http://www.odec.ca/projects/2007/joch7c2/Controversy.html

Nuclear Fusion Test Expected in 2010

Two technologies have come together in order for an extraordinary test expected to take place at the end of 2010.  The test will take place in Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, located in Northern California.  Testing is slightly delayed by the installation of concrete walls to fortify the laboratory and the addition of new instruments to collect data from the experiment.

The first of two technological advancements is called a hohlraum, which is a metal cylinder containing a fusion fuel pellet.  The pellet is designed to compress it's core to the density required to produce nuclear fusion by using two isotopes of hydrogen known as deuterium and tritium. Under the intense pressure from the second advancement, the isotopes merge and emit energy that is significantly higher than the energy put into the system.

The second advancement is the most powerful laser ever created and heats the hohlraum to 3.3 million °C.  At such a high temperature, the core begins to emit x-rays that cause the core to burst.

Giant laser reaches key milestone for fusion - physics-math - 28 January 2010 - New Scientist

(Illustration: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Department of Energy)

Proof of Dark Matter?

Monumental Scientific Discovery: It appears that proof for dark matter is building momentum. It occurs to me that many don't know the significance of such a discovery.  Amongst other things, evidence of dark matter implies that the universe will end in a big chill where it essentially decays after vast oceans of time.  In this scenario, stars run out of fuel, black holes emit all their energy as radiation and even protons begin to deteriorate, until all heat and energy fades away.  

A List of 50 Things We Didn't Know Last Year

Fantastic synopsis of the year in knowledge 2009.  Some examples:


9. Babies pick up their parents' accents from the womb, and infants are born crying in their native dialect. Researchers found that French newborns cry in a rising French accent, and German babies cry with a characteristic falling inflection.


29. The human body emits a glow that is 1,000 times less than what our eyes can detect.


34. Nearly all animals emit the same stench when they die, and have done so for more than 400 million years.


38. A chemical component in broccoli can protect the lining of arteries from blockage that leads to angina, heart attack and stroke.


50. Watermelon is more efficient at rehydrating our bodies than drinking water. It contains 92 percent water and essential rehydration salts.

AT&T - 50 Things we know now that we didn't know this time last year

Eyes To The Moon: The Beginning Of The Race For Control

Every major nation is looking at the moon to be first to establish colonization, mineral rights and the technology to stabilize such an endeavor.  The plans are based on the anticipation of new technologies that may not be available for years to come.

Moon hole might be suitable for colony - CNN.com

Planet-Hunting Telescope Unearths Hot Mysteries - ABC News

Planet-Hunting Telescope Unearths Hot Mysteries - ABC News