A fascinating first hand experience of what it’s like to be an astronaut. Anousheh Ansari posts to her website from space.
Update: She called Google.
BP and Dupont Developing New BioFuel
The next big thing in alternative fuels might be biofuel grown in farmers fields instead of taken from ancient oil reserves. Wired News writes about Biobutonal: The Next Alt Fuel.
BP and Dupont today announced that they will begin selling Biobutanol in the United Kingdom next year. The companies co-developed a fuel that can be combined with gasoline and ethanol. Biobutanol is superior to ethanol because it has a higher energy value and is less water soluble and evaporative than ethanol, so it is safe to transport via existing gasoline pipelines.
The other day I went kayaking with a masters student that works out at the research station near my house in Lethbridge. He works with a gene gun doing experiments on more efficient means to create genetically modified foods.
We were talking about the possibilities for biofuels to take over as the leading alternative fuel source, and, he added, there is a strong possibility that once it’s in use, researchers could genetically modify corn so that it yields higher and higher amounts of usable energy. Genetically engineering crops for food consumption entails a lot of government restrictions to make sure that new plants are safe to eat but given that these fuel based crops won’t be showing up on our dinner tables ever, the time it takes to produce such plants would be greatly reduced.
On the topic of genetically modified foods, he talked about how scientists have come along way in understanding how genes can be turned on and off under certain conditions. He also told me that there are certain genes that when a chemical is added to the plants can react with the plant creating interesting results. One idea was a kind of corn that when it needs watering, will activates a glow gene—the same gene we see in fireflies—so that a farmer could theoretically look out at his field at night and if it shines, he knows he needs to water.
I think it’s safe to say, nothing would turn people off genetically modified foods more than this particular modification. Still it’s a pretty neat idea.
First iPod Ad
It’s not as memorable as their 1984 ad, but it’s still interesting—First iPod Television Ad:
Teens Fight Back
Remember the Mosquito anti-teen device that was supposed to deter kids from hanging around by emitting a high pitched sound that only folks under 20 can hear? Well students have turned lemons to lemonaide with the technology. According to a news article from Metro.co.uk students have highjacked the high-frequency sound out of adult hearing range and are using it as a ringtone in a defiant challenge against authority.
From the article:
Schoolchildren have recorded the sound, which they named Teen Buzz, and spread it from phone to phone via text messages and Bluetooth technology.
Now they can receive calls and texts during lessons without teachers having the faintest idea what is going on.
Clever. Here is a clip of the Mosquito Anti-teen device sound and a clip of just the ringtone—or so I’m told because I can’t hear anything.
(via Waxy)
Update: According to BoingBoing, using a 20hz sound as a cell phone ring is not possible. I suppose we are left to assume that the students have just pulled the wool over the teachers’ (and reporters’) collective eyes making them believe that there is something happening which they cannot hear.
Update: It’s now been pointed out that since new phones can play MP3’s and apparently people under 20 can hear the sound on the mp3’s it’s likely not a bogus story.
Are Software Patents Evil?
One of the things I think I would enjoy most if I were an employee at Google would be listening to all the great speakers the company pays to come in and give lectures. Here is an tremendously interesting talk about the pros and cons of software patents and the related trappings: Are Software Patents Evil?
Because there’s so much scope for design in software, a successful application tends to be way more than the sum of its patents. What protects little companies from being copied by bigger competitors is not just their patents, but the thousand little things the big company will get wrong if they try.
PC World Busts the Biggest PC Myths
PC World published an article revealing the truth behind some common computer myths. Have you ever wondered:
- If magnets will damage your data?
- Does using a cell phone on a plane actually interferes with the navigation and communications systems of the aircraft?
- If you don’t “eject” a USB device before unplugging it from a PC, will you really screw things up?
- Do cookies track everything you do on the Internet?
- What terrible things happen if you turn off your PC without shutting down Windows?
- Does opting out of spam gets you even more spam?
- If you don’t periodically run your laptop batteries down to zero, will you lose battery life?
Find out the answer to these questions and more as PC World exposes the myths that waste your time and money.
Google and Firefox
Google adsense users can now get $1 everytime someone uses a link from their site to download the google toolbar for Firefox. Can you see what I’m saying? It’s time to upgrade to a better browser with the worlds best toolbar! See the side-bar for details.
Youtube Video About the I/O Brush
I’ve heard a little bit about a new video streaming service called YouTube. Apparently you can host your files there and link to them via your blog. Check out this popular video that I have embedded on my page from youtube.com: (you will need the flash player plugin to see the video)
I first saw the I/O brush featured on a rocketboom clip a few weeks ago. Here is some extra information about it:
“[The] I/O Brush is a new drawing tool to explore colors, textures, and movements found in everyday materials by “picking up” and drawing with them. I/O Brush looks like a regular physical paintbrush but has a small video camera with lights and touch sensors embedded inside. Outside of the drawing canvas, the brush can pick up color, texture, and movement of a brushed surface. On the canvas, artists can draw with the special “ink” they just picked up from their immediate environment.”
More information here: http://web.media.mit.edu/~kimiko/iobrush/
The $100 Laptop
In a previous post I related details of the $100 laptop.
Here is a video from Andy Carvin showing an upclose look at the $100 laptop.
MIT plans to have units ready for shipment by the end of 2006 or early 2007. Manufacturing will begin when 5 to 10 million machines have been ordered and paid for in advance.
GEN H-4 Personal Helicopter
Since it doesn’t look like the flying cars are on their way, what about personal helicopters? $31,000 will buy you the GEN H-4, a modern marvel that can go nearly 100 kph (aprox. 60 mph). See the GEN H-4 demonstration video. (2.6MB wmv)
(via Cooltools)