The Mystery of the Bottom: Strange Creatures Found in Salt Water

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Have you ever pondered what lays beneath the surface of the water? The most amazing creatures are hidden in the deep blue! 

Should you wish to explore some of them, the following article will provide you with an overview.

1. Bioluminescent Octopus

When you watch the movie Avatar, you will be surprised by the pinkish creatures which look like fancy light bulbs illuminating in the dark. In the movie they are known as Pandoran flora. However, these creatures are not from fiction. They are quite real and the movie gets the idea from actual creatures living in the oceans. These creatures have developed the ability to create their own light and this technique is known as bioluminescence.

Like the creatures in the Avatar movie, this bioluminescent octopus glows with its own lights proving that Pandoran flora are real. This glowing ability exists to attract its prey. There are only a few bioluminescent octopus found half a mile deep in the Gulf of Maine.

There are ample strange deep sea creatures, which are the subject of scientific research and documentaries, such as the one below.

2. Goblin Shark

We live in an atmosphere having temperatures below 40 °C though summers are exceptional. However, underneath the deep sea, there are hydrothermal vents that are more than 100 °C temperature. These hydrothermal vents are fissures in the planet's surface and are commonly found near volcanic areas. Surprisingly enough, there are organisms living there. There are crabs, lobsters, different types of worms and some other creatures living near the hydrothermal vents. Sometimes the liquid coming from these hydrothermal vents reaches temperatures between 100 °C to 400 °C. 

Biology underneath the sea has always been an untold mystery. Part of the mystery is about to be revealed. Do you remember the scary looking fish in fresh waters in South American rivers? Maybe you are confused. But, if I say the word ‘Piranha,’ you would be like ‘oh… yes!’ Thus, there are many other strange creatures in the sea which look at least as scary as piranha.

Goblin sharks dwell in the deep sea and has scary looking sharp teeth. Though it looks scary, it does not cause any harm to humans because it feeds on bottom-feeding fish. It is known as a living fossil since the goblin shark is the only representative of its family. 

3. Humpback Anglerfish 

Humpback anglerfish is another scary looking fish with sharp teeth.

It is a deep water fish found in tropical and temperate oceans. 

4. Fangtooth

Fangtooth fish also looks scary because of its teeth.

The fangtooths are found in tropical and cold-temperate water and they do no harm to humans.

5. Christmas Tree Worm

Apart from all the scary looking strange creatures in sea, there are also fancy and beautiful strangers found in the ocean. The Christmas Tree Worm is one such beautiful creature found at Great Barrier Reef’s Lizard Island.

These worms use spiral branches as their breathing and feeding apparatus. Amazingly enough, the worm lives in a tube kind of thing and it withdraws like a tree when it is under attack or feels threatened.

6. Marrus Orthocanna 

Another weird creature is the Marrus Orthocanna which looks like a swimming rocket. This creature is microscopic and it is made up of multiple repeated units. It has multiple stomachs and tentacles.

These strange creatures are also known as physonect siphonophore and look like jellyfish. They are found in the North Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Arctic Ocean, North West Pacific Ocean, and so on.

7. Sea Pig

Sea pig is another strange creature found in the ocean. These creatures live at the bottom of deep oceans and are commonly found in the abyssal plain in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean. Typically they live at depths over 1000 meters.

They mostly find their food by digging deep-sea mud. Deep sea trawling holds a threat for sea pigs.

8. Harp Sponge

Harp sponge is also a fancy looking stranger found in sea water. This is a carnivorous deep sea sponge discovered deep down in the California coast.

Sponges eat bacteria and filter other microscopic organisms from the surrounding water.

9. Vampire Squids

Vampire squids are also found in temperate and tropical oceans.

These creatures are very small and they have retractile filaments that helps them to be given their name.

10. Red Lipped Batfish

One reason of existence for these strange sea creatures is evolution. Evolution allows diversity of creatures as they evolve with continued strength and progress. Darwin, whose name is linked with the theory of evolution, is also connected to the Galapagos Islands. Darwin wrote the book “The Origin of Species” after he visited Galapagos. One strange sea creature from the Galapagos Islands is the red lipped batfish, also known as Galapagos batfish.

Interestingly enough, the red lipped batfish actually has red lips. They are not good swimmers, so they walk on the ocean floor. These creatures feed on small fish, shrimps, and mollusks. They are found in depths of 3 to 76 meters in the oceans of the Galapagos Islands.

11. Blue Glaucus 

Blue glaucus is another gorgeous creature found in the deep sea. They are sea slugs and they are found in temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world.

Usually beautiful and colorful organisms indicate that they have stored toxins inside them, for instance blue glaucus have toxins inside them which they store to use for their own protection. 

Conclusion

In summary, there are many different types of strange creatures under the blue blanket. Some are pretty, making their own light and illuminate. Beautiful creatures like the aforementioned in this article can attract predators easily as they are so visible. On the other hand, some sea creatures look scary but do not harm humans. Some others look so weird you think they are the result of science fiction films. We have only listed a few from the strange sea creatures found at the bottom of the sea. It is profoundly evident that there are numerous more out there worth exploring! 

YOUR NEXT READ: 10 Gadgets to Help You Catch More Fish

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*by andreascy*

Is There Life on Exoplanets?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description: 

Most of the planetary scientists believe that there can be at least one exoplanet in our Milky Way galaxy, which has life. They have also figured out that 20% of the sun-like stars that exist on the Milky Way are circled by planets, which has the same dimensions as Earth. These planets are located in habitable zones around the stars as well. Therefore, life on exoplanets has become a popular topic among planetary scientists in the modern world. 

The habitable zone of a planet can simply be defined as the area where the temperature is not too cold or too hot. These conditions help water to exist in those planets in the form of liquid. It is vastly known that life cannot survive without water in its liquid form. Therefore, while it has been figured out that there are about 2,000 exoplanets circling beyond our own sun, the possibility to have some sort of life in these planets depends on a variety of factors. The obliquity of the planet holds a prominent place among them. Obliquity can simply be defined as the angle of axis of a planet relative to its orbital axis around the parent starts.

The planet Earth has a low obliquity when compared to other planets. It rotates around an almost perpendicular axis of its own while rotating around the sun. Planetary scientists have figured out that the obliquity can vary from one planet to another. They believe that the planets with an extreme tilt have a very low chance of having life in it. 

Recently some research scientists as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology figured out that water exists on planets that have a very high obliquity as well. Therefore, we can keep some hope that life can exist in the planets with a high obliquity. They also figured out a shallow ocean with a depth of about 50m in a specific planet, which has a comfortable temperature. According to their calculations, the average temperature of that planet was about 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit per year. 

However, a planet with a high obliquity usually has an extreme and inhospitable climate. The North Pole would receive sunlight for a period of 6 months continuously and it would have to go through an unending night for the other six months. As a result, they believed that such a planet has a very little chance of having life. That’s mainly because the planet would freeze and boil throughout the year, which is really tough for life to exist. Nevertheless, this can differ under some conditions. For example, the oceans can store heat during the summer period and give it out during winter. This can create a somewhat mild climate in the planet. Therefore, we cannot neglect with extremely oblique planets by saying that they are not in a position to inhibit life. 

It has been assumed that the Milky Way has about 200 billion stars. In addition, it has been calculated that there are about 11 billion planets with “habitable” living conditions. All these consist of hydrogen gas and they are seething hot. The planetary systems have been established circling such stars. In fact, sticky and fine dust particles melt together to create rocky cores, which eventually turns into major planets. 

The very first exoplanet was discovered by research scientists 20 years ago. It was circling a sun like star and was named as 51 Pegasi b. Since then, they have discovered a large number of exoplanets, where most of them were smaller than their very first discovery. They even discovered an exoplanet, which is 150 smaller than 51 Pegasi b. 

Many different methods are being used by research scientists in order to discover new exoplanets in the Milky Way. The Doppler Shift method can be considered as the most popular one. This is an effective method, which can be used to discover giant planets that exist closer to fiery stellar planets. This is a sensitive method and is associated with a higher chance of discovering earth-like planets. 

Throughout the past two decades, scientists have figured out many other methods to discover exoplanets apart from the Doppler Shift method. The major drawback with the Doppler Shift method is that it cannot be used to discover smaller planets that have a wider orbit around the stars. However, the recently discovered methods are in a position to help the scientists with discovering such planets. At the end of 2015, they have been able to discover more than 1,900 exoplanets that belong to over 1,200 planetary systems. 

The Kepler Space Telescope of NASA helps a lot for the scientists to discover new exoplanets. It was launched back in 2009 and has discovered few thousand candidate planets up to now. Most of these candidate planets were confirmed as exoplanets by scientists. Several statistical methods such as the verification by multiplicity were used by the scientists to figure out whether they are in a position to inhibit life or not. The Kepler Space Telescope follows a unique methodology when discovering exoplanets. It differs a lot from the Doppler Shift method. This method searches for extremely small dips in stellar brightness when a specific orbiting planet passes ahead of the glaring face of parent star. 

In the meantime, the scientists at MIT spent their efforts in order to create a model of a highly oblique aqua-planet. This planet had the same dimensions of earth and it was positioned at a distance similar to the earth’s separation from sun. This 3D model simulated circulations among sea ice, atmosphere and ocean. The effects of winds and heat were also taken into consideration. They also created a motionless planet for comparison and discovered the possibility of having life in such a planet. They had the ability to control the obliquity of this planet and they discovered that the ocean absorbs heat during the summer period. 

Given the scientific evidence and ongoing research therefore it appears that it is not science fiction to believe in life in other planets. While there is still a long way to go before we start packing, we can keep our fingers crossed for the prospect of habituating an exoplanet in the near future.

KEEP READING: Dreaming About the Future of Space Tourism

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*by andreascy*

The Future Is Now: Self-Healing Phones Hit the Market

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Self-Healing phones? I can't resist. Impressive and Awesome! 😮

According to SquareTrade, 25.6 percent of iPhone owners reported failure within the first two years with 18.1 percent caused from accidental damage. Another 7.5 percent of failures were caused from hardware malfunction. 

But, what if that dismal number could be slashed by new cell phones that could heal themselves? It may sound like science fiction, but self-healing phones are already making their way to the marketplace.

Biomimicry Technology

How can a phone heal itself without any human intervention? Well, engineers at the University of Pittsburgh are experimenting with biomimicry, or materials modeled after the human body. Think about when we get a cut. We get a scab, and it heals with little effort. Now, self-healing polymers can mimic that function and repair themselves.

Cell phones repair themselves by restoring their initial molecular structure. While a phone currently can’t repair itself after being run over by a truck, flattened and destroyed, it is possible for it to heal broken circuits and scratches. This could mean less consumer consumption and waste as cell phones become more impervious to damage.

Self-Healing Circuits

Scientists at the University of Illinois are developing a system of capsules inserted along the phone's circuits and filled with liquid metal. If the circuit is broken, the liquid is released to restore its connection and return the electrical flow. This could mean that cell phone users would never even know their phone broke before its fixed and working again. It also could avoid going in for diagnostic testing because the self-healing circuits would figure it out on their own.

Self-Healing Scratches

While we wait for self-healing circuits to hit the market, there is a phone ready for public use. The LG G Flex comes with a curved, OLED display that can actually bend for a limited period of time. This helps keep the screen and phone bend instead of cracking upon impact.

The phone also has a self-healing coat of paint that can withstand wear and tear and heal itself after piercings by sharp objects like keys or a blade. This also makes it easier to grip while it heals itself from scratches.

Functionality

So, we know the LG G Flex can bend and heal itself to a certain extent. But how is its overall user functionality? The phone's large, 6-inch HD curved screen gives it a distinctively cinematic experience. Its contoured shape aligns with your face and keeps the gap minimized between your mouth and the microphone to boost the voice quality. And, people love its long battery life.

Although the reception has been mostly favorable, the one complaint is that the 13-megapixel camera does not live up to expectations. Like many camera phones, it does not do well in low-light situations, and it is difficult to change the brightness.

Other Self-Healing Products

Are you wondering if self-healing polymers and new innovations in self-healing materials are wasted on clumsy cell phone users? Well, self-healing products are already in the public and private marketplace. An article in Forbes explains that now, tanks have the ability to let a bullet through its exterior and snap its damaged frame back into shape in less than a second. NASCAR also uses racetrack barriers that can withstand impact from a racing car, absorb it and return back to its original shape. And, cars are already employing self-healing paints and coats that enable healing in the sunlight. So, it's about time phones caught up with the future.

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*by andreascy*

Do the Benefits of Oil Rig Jobs Outweigh the Risks?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Do the benefits of working on an oil rig outweigh the risks? That depends on the person. Those who enjoy a physically challenging job, travel, adventure, team work and a large paycheck would likely enjoy working on an oil rig. 

However, those who do not wish to be away from home for long periods of time, don't want to endure extreme working conditions or live in the middle of the ocean would be miserable.

Benefits

The benefits of working in the oil industry are appealing. Jobs are plentiful since the demand for energy is increasing. One does not need a degree to begin, and there is plenty of room for advancement. Oil companies prefer to promote from within to save money on training costs. The pay for an entry level worker can be over $1,000 a week, with skilled and professional workers making two or three times as much. Food, board and travel expenses are paid for by the company. Many companies offer excellent benefits, including medical, dental and life insurance, 401(k) programs and profit sharing. Living conditions are reputed to be excellent, even comparing to 4- and 5-star hotels. Opportunities for rest and leisure are provided, and may include satellite TV and phones, updated selections of DVDs, video games, an Internet connection, gyms, saunas and more.

Oil rig employees work long, often 12-hour days but in rotating shifts. For example, in two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off increments or fourteen days on and twenty one days off, meaning employees work only half the year or less. Workers are needed in countries all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Russia, Norway, Venezuela, China and Scotland. Employees eat, sleep and work with a diversity of people.

A variety of skilled laborers are needed, including welders, scaffolders, medics, radio operators, painters, electricians, maintenance supervisors, crane operators, caterers and mechanics. There are even different kinds of rigs to work on, such as semi-submersible, platform, jack up, drill ships, flotels, and floating production and storage units. 

Oil companies do their best to insure safety and provide safety boots, glasses, hard hats and coveralls. A medical staff is on board at all times. Bonuses and higher pay may be available for working in the harshest conditions.

Risks

Disasters are infrequent on oil rigs, but when they do occur they can be devastating. In the event of a disaster, the Coast Guard will respond but may take time to reach the rig. Survivors must wait in life boats or rafts for rescue. There's no denying the risk of death and serious injury while working on an oil rig. Employees are constantly working around heavy machinery and combustible materials, and gas leaks are common. Conditions can be harsh, ranging from sweltering heat to below freezing. The work is stressful and physically demanding. The sea is unpredictable, and workers may even have to weather hurricanes on the rig. Fatigue can be a problem, and the machinery is complex, it's easy to make a fatal mistake. Workers must be alert and work as a team at all times. Rules are strict; employees must follow orders to ensure safety. The oil rig is isolated, and workers may feel lonely and worry about the emotional stress put on their families. It is an environment not unlike the military.

Working on an oil rig can be an exciting and financially rewarding experience. However, it's a high-risk setting that requires strength and fortitude. If you have some years of experience working on oil refineries, we'd be glad to use your knowledge and educate people about your industry.

*by andreascy*

What You Should Know About Oil and Gas This Summer

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Oil and gas prices are known to rise significantly in the summer, and this summer appears to be no exception. Have you ever wondered why oil and gas prices continue to rise, despite increased levels of production and a booming oil industry?

This article argues that governmental policies have restricted the development of US-based oil production, keeping prices high for the average American. The good news is that prices are expected to drop in the near future due to lowered demand and increased supply. 

Rising Prices and Policies

Former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama have created policies that force major car manufacturers to design more efficient cars that provide a higher miles-per-gallon, which may help lower demand and gas prices in the long term. However, the government has also blocked American energy companies from obtaining the land access they need to produce oil and gas on US soil. This causes America to be subject to prices set by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), even though the US has enough oil shale to last two centuries or more.

Oil and Gas This Summer

The demand for oil and gas is likely to soon fall. This is because the temperature this summer is expected to be cooler, and fewer utilities are being switched from coal to gas. In spite of this fall in demand, natural gas prices will rise this summer compared to 2012. 

Gas production will also be far higher this summer, according to Natural Gas Supply Association. New processing plants and pipelines are being constructed to carry natural gas from previously inaccessible regions, like the Marcellus Shale. Governor Rick Perry in Texas and the State of North Dakota are leading the effort to expand pipelines in the US. 

A Plunge in Oil and Gas Prices in the Future?

According to the International Energy Agency, we are about to witness a period of exceptionally low gas prices. The period will last for five years, and estimates for the plunge vary. The relief will be the result of a higher spare capacity and an increased number of oil fields. The current spare capacity is 3,000,000 barrels a day across the planet, and it is expected to increase to about 7,000,000 barrels a day by next year. It will continue to grow in the future. The current demand for fuel is equally balanced by supply, but in the next few years, supply will likely outpace demand.

According to Citigroup, we may witness oil prices of $80 a barrel through 2017, when the price could drop to less than $50. 

Certainly, governmental policies bolstering US-based gas production infrastructure would likely have prevented the oil crisis we have suffered since the early 21st century. With an increase in production, however, coupled by a projected fall in demand, this crisis may soon be righted, relieving the pressure on many American families who rely on oil and gas every day.

SEE ALSO: Do the Benefits of Oil Rig Jobs Outweigh the Risks?

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*by andreascy*

How A Breathalyzer Works

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Breathalyzers were scientifically developed in order to help law enforcement personnel to establish if an individual was driving while impaired due to alcohol. 

The technical non-invasive devices can ascertain, if a driver is drunk so the driven can be removed from the road. Breathalyzers test the concentration of blood alcohol in the driver’s blood.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

Years ago the blood alcohol concentration level use to be 0.10. Now most states have a blood alcohol level of 0.08. This limit is also being lowered in some states to 0.05. The American Medical Association has stated that drivers with a level of 0.05 are impaired and should not be driving. A breathalyzer test showing that a driver has a level of 0.15, would prove that per 100 ml of blood, the driver shows 0.15 grams of alcohol present.

Fruit juice or milk is digested but the body does not digest alcohol. It is possible to determine the lever of alcohol by using a person’s breath because it is absorbed by the body. Alcohol goes immediately through the bloodstream and circulates until it is evaporated in the lungs. The molecules of alcohol do not mix with other liquids in the body. Alcohol is volatile in the blood because it is absorbed into the membranes of the mouth, stomach, intestines and throat. Blood passes through the lungs, which allows the alcohol to pass over the lungs air sacs and releases alcohol through the person’s breath. The breath that is being expelled holds the same amount of alcohol that is in the bloodstream. The breathalyzer can then accurately measure the evaporated alcohol through the breath. This is how the blood alcohol concentration is measured accurately for intoxication.

How the Evaporated Alcohol is Measured

Just like a diabetic kit with strips, levels of alcohol will produce chemical reaction on a piece of paper that will make the paper change color. When using a breathalyzer, the breath will travel through a solution. The solution will change color and the police officers will compare that color to the chart for intoxication levels.

The breathalyzer itself has a couple of different devices. There is a straw, which the offender will blow into so the person’s breath comes up from the lungs. The two cylinders with vials contain water, silver nitrate, sulfuric acid and potassium dichromate. A deep breath needs to pull air deep from the lungs.

Once the alcohol is removed from the air, it is absorbed by the liquid solution. The degree of change in color depends on the amount of evaporated alcohol that is in the breath taken from the offender. Only one vial has a chemical reaction. The other vial stays the same. An electrical current is produced which will make a needle on a gage to move. The officer operating the breathalyzer will watch the needle and wait for it to stop moving and then turn a knob to replace the needle to the point where it started. The more the knob has to be turned the higher amount of alcohol is in the solution. This will give the officer the reading level of intoxication.

RELATED: Science Nation - This Breathalyzer Reveals Signs of Disease

Got something to say? Keep the conversation going.

*by andreascy*

Best Green Energy Resources

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

If you are anything like me and you like staying up to date with the current flow of energy news then I am here to help! I have always had an invested interest in energy and especially the renewables vertical.

So I thought I would add a list of my favourite places to grab this news or even have it delivered straight to my inbox should I need it!

1. If This Then That

Something I came across not such a long time ago was If This Then That. This service is brilliant; what it does it creates “recipes” for you online and lets you create connections between several services such as Facebook, Twitter and blog sources in a simple statement format (hence If This Then That). 

So for example, I can grab my favourite blogs RSS feed and have all the latest posts sent straight to my inbox for me to read when I want. There are lots of different cross channel “recipes” you can use but my favourite (bearing in mind I love everything green) is the Belkin energy saving one. 

You can keep an eye on your energy usage as the Belkin socket outlet will send an email to your inbox each time the timer switch comes on! You have to check this out!

2. The Guardian

Under the Environment section in The Guardian you will find everything you need to keep you up to date with all the facets of green living. In here you will find blogs where you can voice opinion and share your thoughts; there is also Newsletters, Apps and even a Food section. 

The reason I like this site is because it covers everything that I would want to read about and it does do in depth - perfect for anyone who cares about these topics.

3. The Green Living Forum

This is a blog run by some friends of mine and I like it because it takes information that is readily available to you and me but they make manipulate it and make it more digestible. This blog heavily focuses around Green energy and more specifically renewables such as wind, sea and solar power that take some of the burden of fossil fuels like coal and gas.

This is one that I use through the tool I mentioned before If This Then That where I pull its RSS feed straight into my Gmail account.

RECOMMENDED: Tips On Making Your Office Greener

These are just a few of the places I like to visit and use to keep up to date with everything that is going in this space. What are some of the places you like going to keep up to date? Leave a comment and please connect with us on Twitter! 

*by andreascy*

National Science Foundation (NSF) Studies Granular Materials

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Granular materials - like sand, rice, or powdered pharmaceuticals - are everywhere, yet their behavior is poorly understood. 

In some ways behaving like liquids, in other ways behaving like solids, such materials have unique properties and pose unique questions to answer. 

From clogged coal hoppers to powdered-snow avalanches, scientists and engineers are gaining new perspective on the fundamental nature of grains. In the video below, see some of the latest research into the behavior of granular materials.

Learn more on :
http://www.nsf.gov
http://web.physics.ucsb.edu/~complex/research/granular.html
http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~reu/99reu/final_reports/paper_knappman.pdf

*by andreascy*

TED : Liquid Battery - The Battery of the Future

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

A liquid battery that runs on dirt could be the answer to sustainable energy. Dr. Donald Sadoway of MIT has developed an innovative new battery technology, which could change the future of renewable energy. 

Professor Donald Sadoway is building liquid metal batteries to try to separate power supply from power demand. The goal is to help the electrical power grid do a better job of storing energy, including renewable energy. 

Sadoway dreamed up the idea of combining magnesium and antimony, a process he diagrammed at TED with chalk on a blackboard. Among other benefits, like cheap materials and long lifespans, liquid metal batteries are built to run hot, so they can handle temperature increases.

Sadoway’s research team - which is now also a company funded by Bill Gates - has created a pizza-shaped 16-inch cell battery with a capacity of 1 kilowatt hour, and it expects to manufacture a version four times as big in two years, Sadoway said.

*by andreascy*

UGGA : Ultra Portable Greenhouse Gas Analyser Fits In Small Case

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Portable gas analysers are nothing new, but Los Gatos Research reckons its latest instrument is the world’s first Greenhouse Gas Analyser to qualify for the label "ultra portable". 

Able to detect the three major greenhouse gases - CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), CH4 (Methane), and H2O (Water Vapour) to a claimed accuracy of parts per billion, the appropriately-named Ultra-portable Greenhouse Gas Analyser, or UGGA, is built into a rugged case small enough to be taken as aircraft carry-on luggage.

Los Gatos says that UGGA can simultaneously measure concentrations of CO2, CH4, and H2O, without suffering cross-sensitivity with other gases. The device consumes less than 70 watts, which the company says is less than a standard light bulb (but, as tungsten bulbs over 60W have already be come unavailable Europe, this isn’t necessarily a universal truth). 

The instrument works on the company’s proprietary Off-axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (OA-Icos) technology, a cavity-enhanced laser absorption technique which it says is more precise and more rugged than competing technologies. Being a laser-based technique, the instrument automatically corrects CO2 and CH4 for water vapour dilution and spectroscopic effects. Both are reported as dry mole fractions, enabling accurate measurements without the need for sample drying. 

The choice of technology and the ruggedised case makes UGGA suitable for portable operation, and the package fits within US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines. Applications include compliance monitoring of industrial emissions and landfills, leak detection, air quality studies, soil flux studies, and other field operations where greenhouse gas emissions are to be monitored. 

*by andreascy*

M.I.T. Camera Captures Speed of Light : A Trillion-Frames-Per-Second

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Think of it as the ultimate slow - motion movie camera. Researchers at M.I.T have developed an imaging system so fast it can trace the motion of pulses of light as they travel through liquids and solids. To put it into perspective, writes John Markoff in The New York Times, “If a bullet were tracked in the same fashion moving through the same fluid, the resulting movie would last three years.”

 

The research was directed by Ramesh Raskar of the Camera Culture group at the M.I.T. Media Lab. In an abstract, the research team writes :

"We have built an imaging solution that allows us to visualize the propagation of light. The effective exposure time of each frame is two trillionths of a second and the resultant visualization depicts the movement of light at roughly half a trillion frames per second. Direct recording of reflected or scattered light at such a frame rate with sufficient brightness is nearly impossible. We use an indirect ‘stroboscopic’ method that records millions of repeated measurements by careful scanning in time and viewpoints. Then we rearrange the data to create a ‘movie’ of a nanosecond long event."

 Watch the video below by Melanie Gonick of the M.I.T. News Office.

You can learn more by visiting the project website. 

*by andreascy*

Convert Air to Fuel with solar (Tested in UK)

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

An British Cryogenics company, Highview Power Storage, is now jumping on the air fuel bandwagon with a demonstration system that can cool air to liquid and store it in high pressure tanks. This is reminiscent of the mdi-air car which has yet to make it to mass market after many years of intense resistance from the automotive industry and associated Euro zone govt departments especially the French.

The British method is not for transportation though. Instead they see a benefit in using bio-mass from waste recycling facilities to provide the energy required to liquefy air and harnessing their cryogenics knowledge to super cool the liquid nitrogen result as an alternative to Li-Ion batteries. When the air is decompressed it expands creating force to be used to power an electric turbine. They claim to be able to get 70% of the energy back from the conversion process with the addition of a little extra heat to increase the rate of expansion of the liquid air. 

Next up they are planning to build a 3.5 MW system to provide power for the local community. It may not be the most efficient way of storing energy but if it is combined with solar and wind it could provide a very stable energy supply for many years. That is going to appeal to any long term project where stable energy is a requirement so they most likely have a decent market segment. If all else fails they can just export the energy to the grid for tax credits or sell directly to a major supplier and become part of the bassload grid supply chain.

Learn more about the company on : 

http://www.highview-power.com/wordpress/?page_id=1320

Read more about this Demostration on:

http://cleantechnica.com/2011/03/02/liquid-air-tested-to-store-renewable-energy-in-uk

*by andreascy*

New Super Cool H2O Discovery

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Besides vapor, ice and liquid, a fourth form of water may exist. Unlike the fictional ice-nine, which melted at 45.5 Celsius degrees, this new form of H2O likes it cold : about 47.7 C degrees below zero. Liquid water usually freezes into ice at 0 °C, but under the right conditions, like the high pressure at the bottom of the ocean, water stays liquid below 0 °C.

Water's fourth form, or phase, may be a liquid with some of the properties of both ice and regular liquid water. But laboratory equipment isn't sensitive enough to observe the rapid transformation from regular liquid water to the fourth form.

Researchers Pradeep Kumar and H. Eugene Stanley used a computer simulation to model the elusive liquid. They found that at about -47.7 °C, the local structure of water seems to become extremely ordered, like ice, while undergoing sharp but continuous structural changes and remaining liquid. Oddly, at this temperature the water also became more conductive of heat, the opposite of what happens with regular liquid water and ice, as anyone living in an igloo will tell you.

The strange behavior of water at low temperatures is what led Stanley and Kumar to believe that their results support the idea that water has a fourth phase. Eventhough an article written by Martin Chalpin says that : 

"There are sixteen or so crystalline phases.....and three amorphous (non-crystalline) phases."

This means calling this phase the fourth phase of water, is wrong.

They are different crystal structures, but they do fit the Gibbs definition of phases. they are phases just as much as the ice, liquid water, and water vapor which exist at 'ordinary' temperatures and pressures. They obey the Gibbs phase rule, phase diagrams which include these solid phases may be found in physical chemistry texts, e.g. the classic 'Physical Chemistry' by Walter J. Moore. 

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*by andreascy*