Investing Is For Everyone, Here's What You Need To Know

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

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Social security isn’t going to run out, but its numbers fluctuate and there’s no telling how much it will pay for retirement. It only brings in about 75 percent of what it’s intended to pay out each year, which could leave you with less than you’re hoping for. 

That’s why you need a well-rounded and diversified investment portfolio regardless if your income is low or high. The following lists the various types of investment opportunities available to you, and the importance of using an investment management company to help you ensure long-term success.

Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds

Stocks and Bonds are not similar. Stocks allow you to buy your way into company ownership. Bonds allow you to lend your money out and receive interest and the eventual repayment of capital. Mutual funds combine both stocks and bonds and they’re managed by third-parties. It’s important to choose an investment management company that understands risk. For example, Shailesh Dash, named one of Forbes’ “Top Indian Leaders” in 2015, uses “Fundamental Analysis to Identify Value.”

Analysis is everything, and it’s going to ensure that outcomes are fully researched. This ensures a successful long-term return with fewer risks. Not all management companies are created equal, and not all are so homed in on risk and reward. Even if you’re only investing in your 401k, it’s important to research your management company to ensure they’re doing all they can to protect and grow your money. 

Real Estate 

Home ownership is important, but mortgage debt can hold you back in life. The secret to successful real estate investing is to not live outside your means, and don’t mortgage yourself to death. If you’re considering purchasing your first home, you may want to own a duplex. Live in one side and rent out the other; or, continue to rent and rent out both properties.

Here are a few more ways to invest in real estate that is growing to be a profitable market:

• Senior and disability-friendly apartments/homes.

• Off-campus homes for students.

• Off-base military housing.

• Low-income and halfway houses.

On his LinkedIn page, Shailesh Dash recommends that you utilize a qualified management company to evaluate and optimize your real estate portfolio. This is a good advice, because it minimizes risk and maximizes reward. You’ll receive a “Full Spectrum of Debt Management… including Acquisition Finance, Debt Restructuring, Strategic Debt Financing, and Coordination of Bank Syndicates.” As well as your assets will be evaluated, your transactions structured, and more.

Alternative Investments

Alternative investments are any investments that don’t fall into the traditional category of stocks, bonds, and cash. Real estate is considered an alternative investment, but it deserved its own space on this page, because it’s one of the best ways for lower income individuals to build wealth. Other examples of alternative investments include wine, art, precious metals, hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital. 

If you're interested in reliable investments for retirement, certain collections are always a great choice. For example, silver and gold are two things you can always buy low and sell high. The secret is to know when to buy and when to sell. Don’t just buy silver now because you have some extra money; instead, place that money into a savings account and wait for silver to go down. Luckily, there are lots of places online that monitor the prices of silver and gold and can help you make a good decision of when and where to buy.

As far as investing, it’s never too late to start. But, the earlier you start the better. No matter where you are in life (in college, in debt post college, or middle-aged), investing in your future can only help you. Talk to a money manager now, and you can start putting away what you need to have a carefree retirement. 

Looking forward to your comments.

*by andreascy*

Why Silver Should Be Part of Your Portfolio

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

You have heard the debate over silver. One side says buy silver as a hedge against inflation and a protection of your assets in the event of a financial crash. The other side says that silver has no real value because it is just a metal that sits around collecting dust – i.e., you cannot use it to buy a loaf of bread. So which side is right? Is it smart to buy silver or not?

Every successful investor knows that the foundation of success is diversification. In other words, you do not put all your investment eggs in one basket. If you do, you are risking losing everything. Diversification reduces risk by putting your money in multiple vehicles that are likely to react differently to market forces.

The question of whether to add silver to your portfolio or not is based partly on the idea of diversification. But not just diversification as a means of protection. Diversification can also be a means of growth as well. That growth potential is why you should buy silver.

Find a Good Ratio

Before explaining how diversification can produce growth, talking about finding a good ratio is appropriate. The ratio of silver to the rest of your investments is a question a lot of inexperienced metal buyers struggle with. The general rule is to base silver on the amount of money you have in bonds and annuities. The ratio is 10 to 1. Every dollar in silver should be offset by $10 in bonds and annuities.

What if you do not have bonds or annuities? What if you only have stock holdings? The 10 to 1 ratio still works, but you will have to find something that makes you comfortable. The thing to understand is that your silver holdings should be a significantly smaller allocation that provides security over quick returns.

Moving on to growth, do not be fooled by the current illusion that investment in silver is short-term only. That thinking is based on the annual cycle gold and silver tend to follow. That cycle dictates that silver peaks in April, falls between May and June, stabilizes in July, and begins to pick up again in December. The cycle has little to do with long-term silver holdings.

Using Silver to Fund Growth

Silver and other precious metals are commonly promoted as a hedge against inflation. That is absolutely true. But that brings us back to the argument that you cannot use silver to buy a loaf of bread. To have any real value, you have to buy silver at a lower price and then sell at a higher price so that you have cash to purchase what you need. Therein lies the secret of using silver to produce growth.

Right now, we are seeing a concerted effort by central banks to devalue currency. Why? Because they are trying to spur positive inflation. Remember that inflation can be both good and bad. It is bad when income does not keep pace; it is good when it encourages economic activity by giving businesses more cash to work with.

There are three reasons central banks devalue currency as a way of producing good inflation. The first is to boost the value of exports. When a nation's currency falls, the cost of its exports to foreign markets also falls, making them more attractive to consumers. This increases demand, which then spurs growth at home.

The second reason is to reduce trade deficits. Increased exports occur alongside decreased imports when currency is devalued. Trade deficits begin to shrink in line with the balance of payments as a result. Once again, this encourages economic growth in the country where currency is being devalued.

Finally, currency is devalued in order to reduce the amount of interest nations pay on the money they borrow. This has less of an effect on stimulating the economy, but it does help some.

The point of all this is to say that if you buy silver at the same time currency is being devalued you are essentially getting in at the low point. The value of silver will only climb as currency goes lower and good inflation takes hold. Bear in mind that this is no short-term strategy. It takes several quarters of persistent currency devaluation to realize growth potential from precious metals like silver.

Selling Your Silver

Assuming you buy silver now to take advantage of currency devaluation, when and how do you sell it? That depends on how long you want to hold on to your investment. One way to look at it is to play silver and gold together. Their growth rates tend to rise and fall inversely.

You could buy silver now and then let it ride to the end of the year. Silver should peak somewhere between December and April of next year, at which point you could sell just enough to cover your profits while leaving the original amount in your portfolio. Take that profit and purchase gold instead. Ride the gold until the difference between the metals peaks, then take the profits from gold and put them back into silver as the difference corrects.

The Best Places to Buy Silver Online

 • Money Metals Exchange - https://www.moneymetals.com/buy/silver

 • JM Bullion - https://www.jmbullion.com/silver

This Year Might Be Different

The point of all the information provided here is to suggest that 2017 might be different compared to what silver has shown us the last couple of years. There are a number of strong signs that indicate silver is not going to sharply decline as it normally does. There is a reason companies like J.P. Morgan are aggressively increasing their silver holdings.

Silver could be on the verge of a big run-up thanks to global currency devaluation, improving European and American economies, and all the optimism displayed since the election of President Trump. There is no guarantee that silver will boom in 2017, but it is not likely to bust either.

Silver should be part of your portfolio because it affords growth opportunities. If you don't have any, there is no better time to buy silver than right now.

SIMILAR ARTICLE TO READ: Bitcoin Phenomenon: A Bright Future or a Growing Bubble?

For anyone who wants to connect with me, I'm on Twitter. Would love to hear from you!

*by andreascy*

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

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

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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.

If you liked our post, then be a friend and tell a friend. 😊

*by andreascy*

5 Of The Worlds Biggest Metal Structures

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

The largest buildings in the world are not necessarily the tallest. Many of those with the largest square footage exploit the benefits of steel construction. Structural steel, according to the American Institute for Steel Construction, is not only the most cost-effective framing system, but the quickest to erect and one of the most easily recycled. Five of the world's largest buildings are prime examples of the possibilities of steel. 

Venetian Macao 

The world's sixth largest building is its most extensive casino, the 10.5 million square foot Venetian Macao built on reclaimed land in Macao. Designed as a "mega-resort," the facility is operated by the Sands, the famous Las Vegas resort. 

It's ornate murals and cornices, its arena, its pool and spa complex and even its network of canals with their gondoliers beneath a painted sky are all attached to a structural steel frame.

Dubai Terminal 3 

The second largest building on earth is now one of the international terminals of Dubai International Airport. Terminal 3's 18,440,000 square feet of floor space originally served only domestic travelers, but now handles international flights as well. 

Over 40 million passengers use the terminal every year. Completed in 2008, the building required 33,000 metric tons of structural steel. As if it were not big enough on its own, Terminal 3 is directly connected to Terminal 2 through a common transit area. 

Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer 

FloraHolland's auction facility in Aalsmeer in the Netherlands is the largest trading floor in the world at 10.6 million square feet and the fourth largest building overall. 

Originally erected in 1972, the building was expanded to its current size in 1979. Its steel roof members are plainly visible from the auction floor. 

Chrysler Headquarters 

The headquarters and main R&D facility for Chrysler LLC is a 5.3 million square foot tower in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. 

The building's curtain walls hang from a steel frame, incorporating atriums and concourses that culminate in an octagonal skylight. The facade is designed to allude to the shape of an automobile, something not possible without steel frame construction. 

Abraj al Bait 

The most extensive building in the world is Abraj al Bait in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It includes a luxury hotel, a four level shopping mall, six residential towers for permanent residents, a conference center and two separate heliports and an intramodal transit station, as well as the world's largest clock tower.

While its exterior incorporates Islamic architectural motifs, particularly mosaics, the building's internal structure is a steel frame. 

Almost all the world's largest building's use structural steel framing. The one exception, the 6.6 million square foot reinforced-concrete Pentagon, was built during a time of steel scarcity. The contrast between its low, glowering facade and light, airy curtain wall structures is in itself an argument in favor of steel frame construction. The American Iron and Steel Institute maintains that steel offers economic and environmental advantages in addition to its "aesthetically beautiful" appearance. This makes it the medium of choice for contemporary architectural expression.

SEE ALSO: The Advantages of using Steel as a Construction Material

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Water Softener System - How Does It Work?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

One of the major nutrients that the human body needs on a regular basis is water. And not only is water one of the elements of nature but, as Leonardo da Vinci puts it, “Water is the driving force in nature.”

Every individual, whether it is in his office or in his home, needs access to safe and clean drinking water and yet water could have many problems such as: 

•  Various viruses and bacteria 

•  Hidden impurities 

•  Chemicals that have been added for purification 

•  Soluble and insoluble particulate matter 

•  Different tastes because of something known as hard water 

This is where the importance of water softener can be felt. So what is a water softener and how does it work? What is the process behind it? 

What is a Water Softener? 

A water softener is a device that helps to remove various kinds of components in the water, especially when it is hard water. By going through water softening process, such hard water gets converted into soft water that is good at many levels including: 

•  prolonging the life of pipes and tubes used in plumbing 

•  making water more safe because the metallic content has been removed and 

•  improving the lathering ability of soaps and detergents 

Why use Water Softening Process? 

Water is termed as hard water if it has minerals, metals and even particulate matter contained within it. Each country or region has a certain definition of what can constitute hard water. One of the universal measures that is used to denote hard water is something known as grains per gallon. If a sample of water has anywhere above 3.5 GPG or grains per gallon then it is denoted as hard water. The degree of hardness increases with a higher GPG count. 

Depending on your location, you will then need to go in for a water softener in order to enjoy healthier and softer water. 

How does a Water Softener Work? 

There may be several methods of water softening. But one of the most prevalent ones is something known as cation exchange. What this means is that when hard water is put through a water softener, then the device exchanges cations of calcium and magnesium which are commonly found in hot water; with cations from dissolved sodium chloride salt. 

The exchange process is conducted by either resin or plastic beads or something known as zeolites. The sodium ions are coated on this medium of exchange and when the hard water passes through this exchange it also triggers off a chemical reaction. As a result of this chemical reaction, the magnesium and calcium ions remain on the medium of exchange and the sodium ions take their place in the water. The resultant water that comes out of the water softener is soft. 

Most water softeners also use something known as flush back or recharge which allows the sodium solution to remain all charged up and ready for the next process of water softening. Other variations of water softeners include those that deliver descaling capabilities as well. So depending on how hard the water is in your location, you could go in for an appropriate water softener like WaterBoss.

(DISCLOSURE: This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!) 

*by andreascy*

Top 21 Weatherproof Products and Aluma-Tough Tags

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

From a Notebook that sustains water jets to anodized aluminum tags that last 20 years in sea salt, these cutting-edge products stand up to just about anything. 

Stay connected, organized and dry with the top 21 weatherproof products of 2013. Ranging from quirky to practical, these products were carefully selected as shining examples of how technology makes everyday products better, and people’s lives easier.

Links to all the items are available here.
If you liked this infographic then discover even more and feel free to share them with your friends and other social circles. Send your suggestions or contact us if you want to feature your infographics on our Blog. 

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The Newest Eco-Friendly Apartment Building Trends

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

The importance of conserving the Earth's limited resources finally seems like it's gotten through to mainstream culture in recent years. People are beginning to understand how crucial it is to find more efficient energy alternatives.

As of late, the use of environmentally friendly construction materials is on the rise. Many of these "green-living" ideas are implemented in today's modern apartments. When looking for a new apartment, here are some of the most popular ones to look for:

1. Strategic Orientation of a Home to Maximize Sunlight

Building an apartment in a location that receives a lot of sunlight is an ingenious way to save money on heating and lighting. Many engineers and architects are figuring out ways to design buildings that can take advantage of sunlight as much as possible. The orientation of the building makes a huge impact on how natural light is able to come through the windows, so strategic positioning is definitely an eco-friendly way to light up and heat up a place.

2. Exclusive Use of LED Lights

LED lights are a great choice for any apartment, house, business, or any situation where lighting is needed. Why? LED lights are not only brighter than the typical incandescent light bulbs, they are far more energy efficient too. Most LED lights give off a pleasant, white glow and only use about 20% of the energy that standard bulbs use. Renters can easily cut their electric bills in half after replacing all incandescent bulbs with LEDs.

3. Roofs Made from Copper

Metal roofs, especially copper roofs, are becoming a stylish choice in the world of apartments. First, they are quite inexpensive to purchase and install, and they also require very little maintenance. Secondly, they look great when paired with the right architecture. Copper roofs have a very long life span, with up to a century of use. Finally, they can be recycled with ease. What's not to like?

4. Rainwater Collection Units

If people have survived on rainwater for countless years, why can't we make use of it today? Rainwater collection units are set up in strategic locations around the apartment to collect the runoff. This water can then be used for watering the lawn and garden and general cleaning use.

5. Counter Tops Made from Easily Accessible Wood Sources

Granite counter tops have been popular for many years, but it seems that cheap, wood counters are spreading like wildfire through many apartment complexes. What's the appeal of wooden counter tops? Aesthetically, they obviously look good. More importantly, wooden counter tops that come from rapid growing trees like bamboo do much less harm to our forests and environment. When slow-growing trees are used for wood, the environment takes a much bigger hit because animal homes are lost and oxygen production is halted for a much longer amount of time.

6. Water-Saving Toilets

Using the restroom is something that all civilized people must do, flushing the toilet is an unavoidable consequence. Compared to standard toilets, those designed to conserve water can cut water consumption by 20%. These efficient systems can significantly decrease your water bill and put more money in your pocket.

7. Electric Stove Tops

Induction stovetops are much more eco-friendly than gas versions because far less energy is lost when turned on. Heat transfer through physical contact is a better alternative to turning on a flame that burns your money away with every use.

YOU MIGHT LIKE: Tips On Making Your Office Greener

As always you can send your questions to us by email.

*by andreascy*

All the World's Gold

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

With more and more people becoming interested in gold as an object worthy of their investment, we are seeing an increase in businesses that buy gold from ordinary consumers who are seeking to cash in on jewelry and other family heirlooms. This gold is melted down for investors to purchase in the form of gold bars. Some of the gold is reformed into new pieces of beautiful jewelry.

The shiny metal has also attracted a new generation of gold prospectors. Ordinary citizens who haven’t spent much time in the wilderness or beginning to ask themselves what it would be like to pan for their own gold. They are purchasing equipment and trying to recapture the excitement of the gold rush era, when all you needed to do was work hard, be patient, and have a little luck.

To pan for gold, a prospector holds a pan underwater in a promising stream and shakes it around from right to left. By swirling the water around, the heavier gold sinks to the bottom of the pan, while the rest of the debris flows away.

From: NumberSleuth

*by andreascy*

The Advantages of using Steel as a Construction Material

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Steel may not be an immediate answer when being asked about the best construction materials, but it certainly should be up there. Other than its strength there are so many advantages of steel that most wouldn't know of, take a look.

The main problem faced by any construction company is whether the materials are strong enough and durable enough to build the structure that they desire. When buildings are built using a metal frame using materials such as steel, this is not an issue, due to its strength and the strain it can be put under.

There are so many advantages of using steel as a construction material; to start with, it's extremely popular for its sturdy and unwavering properties. Steel has an immense resistance barrier and is completely protected against rust, corrosion, variations of weather and climate and other environmental dangers such as pollution; this makes steel the metal that's most suited to an exterior surface of a building.

Building using a steel structure also gives the building internal strength, meaning it will remain stable and standing for longer. Another reason that steel is such a good material for building is that it is immune to infestations of termites and other pests, so the internal structure of the building is always solid.

Building using steel is said to be the cheapest and most effective way of making a fire proof home. Steel is resistant to a number of forces including most extreme weather such as fire and wind and also against chemicals, whether they are toxic or not, they are extremely unlikely to get through steel. Steel is also great for the environment as almost all steel that is in circulation today is recycled and if it's not recycled it will be eventualy. As steel is recycled it doesn't lose any of its great properties, it's still just as strong and durable, it remains just as resistant to extremes as when it is brand new.

Steel can take an awful lot of strain; in fact it has the highest strength to weight ratio than anything else that's used in the construction industry. Steel is a relatively light metal used for building and is therefore used a lot for pre-engineered buildings. Steel is also great for buildings as it gives immaculately straight walls and square corners. 

All of these points show quite a few of the benefits of using steel in construction and overall that steel makes the safest buildings, it obeys all building rules and regulations whilst also being the strongest metal for building and having the capabilities to protect its inhabitants from all sorts of weather extremes, such as hail storms, strong winds and even - in some parts of the world - hurricanes and tornados.

SEE ALSO: 5 Of The Worlds Biggest Metal Structures

*by andreascy*

The Future of Navy : Titanium Ships

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Participants at a workshop exploring the use of titanium structure for ships found that it is not only possible to construct a ship hull from titanium, it could be cost effective. 

An Office of Naval Research (ONR)-funded project will produce a full-size ship hull section made entirely with marine grade titanium using a welding innovation that could help bring titanium into future Navy ship construction, officials announced April 3. 

The contractor team building this section recently completed the industry's longest friction-stir titanium alloy welds and aims to complete the ship hull section this summer. Friction-stir welds more than 17 feet long joined the titanium alloy plates for the section's deck. 

"This fast, effective friction-stir weld technique is now an affordable manufacturing process that takes advantage of titanium's properties," said Kelly Cooper, the program officer managing the project for ONR's Sea Warfare and Weapons Department. 

Titanium metal and its alloys are desirable materials for ship hulls and other structures because of their high strength, light weight and corrosion-resistance. 

If constructed in titanium, Navy ships would have lighter weight for the same size-allowing for a bigger payload-and virtually no corrosion. But because titanium costs up to nine times more than steel and is technically difficult and expensive to manufacture into marine vessel hulls, it has been avoided by the shipbuilding industry. But perhaps not for much longer.

More on :

http://www.marinelink.com/news/business-titanium-case343678.aspx

http://www.navy.mil/swf/index.asp

https://www.facebook.com/USNavy

http://www.navy.mil/local/onr

Read also :

Why are marine engineers turning to titanium for corrosion resistant?

*by andreascy*

Asteroid Mining Mission Revealed by Planetary Resources, Inc.

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Planetary Resources, Inc. announced today it's plan to mine Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) for raw materials, ranging from water to precious metals. 

Through the development of cost-effective exploration technologies, the company poised to initiate prospecting missions targeting resource-rich asteroids that are easily accessible. 

Resource extraction from asteroids will deliver multiple benefits to humanity and grow to be valued at tens of billions of dollars annually.

The effort will tap into the high concentration of precious metals found on asteroids and provide a sustainable supply to the ever-growing population on Earth.

A single 500-meter platinum-rich asteroid contains the equivalent of all the Platinum Group Metals mined in history.

“Many of the scarce metals and minerals on Earth are in near-infinite quantities in space. As access to these materials increases, not only will the cost of everything from microelectronics to energy storage be reduced, but new applications for these abundant elements will result in important and novel applications,” said Peter H. Diamandis, M.D., Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, Planetary Resources, Inc.

Additionally, water-rich NEAs will serve as “stepping stones” for deep space exploration, providing space-sourced fuel and water to orbiting depots. Accessing water resources in space will revolutionize exploration and make space travel dramatically more economical.

“Water is perhaps the most valuable resource in space. Accessing a water-rich asteroid will greatly enable the large-scale exploration of the solar system. In addition to supporting life, water will also be separated into oxygen and hydrogen for breathable air and rocket propellant,” said Eric Anderson, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, Planetary Resources, Inc.

Of the approximately 9,000 known NEAs, there are more than 1,500 that are energetically as easy to reach as the Moon. The capability to characterize NEAs is on the critical path

for Planetary Resources. To that end, the company has developed the first line in its family of deep-space prospecting spacecraft, the Arkyd-100 Series. The spacecraft will be used in low-Earth orbit and ultimately help prioritizethe first several NEA targets for the company’s follow-on Arkyd-300 Series NEA swarm expeditions.

Chris Lewicki, President and Chief Engineer, said “Our mission is not only to expand the world’s resource base, but we want to increase people’s access to, and understanding of, our planet and solar system by developing capable and cost-efficient systems.”

“The promise of Planetary Resources is to apply commercial innovation to space exploration. They are developing cost-effective, production-line spacecraft that will visit near-Earth asteroids in rapid succession, increasing our scientific knowledge of these bodies and enabling the economic development of the resources they contain,” said Tom Jones, Ph.D., veteran NASA astronaut, planetary scientist and Planetary Resources, Inc. advisor.

Planetary Resources is financed by industry-launching visionaries, including Google CEO Larry Page and Ross Perot, Jr., Chairman of Hillwood and The Perot Group, who are committed to expanding the world’s resource base so that humanity can continue to grow and prosper :

Eric E. Schmidt, Ph.D., Executive Chairman of Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Planetary Resources, Inc. investor: “The pursuit of resources drove the discovery of America and opened the West. The same drivers still hold true for opening the space frontier. Expanding the resource base for humanity is important for our future.”

K. Ram Shriram, Founder of Sherpalo, Google Board of Directors founding member and Planetary Resources, Inc. investor: “I see the same potential in Planetary Resources as I did in the early days of Google.”

Charles Simonyi, Ph.D., Chairman of Intentional Software Corporation and Planetary Resources, Inc. investor: "The commercialization of space began with communications satellites and is developing for human spaceflight. The next logical step is to begin the innovative development of resources from space. I'm proud to be part of this effort." 

The company’s advisors include film maker and explorer James Cameron; General T. Michael Moseley (Ret.); Sara Seager, Ph.D.; Mark Sykes, Ph.D.; and David Vaskevitch.

Founded in 2009 by Eric Anderson and Peter H. Diamandis, M.D., Planetary Resources, Inc. is establishing a new paradigm for resource utilization that will bring the solar system within humanity’s economic sphere of influence by enabling low-cost robotic exploration and eventual commercial development of asteroids. 

Full webcast :

Meet the team :

 For more information, please visit :

www.PlanetaryResources.com

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to be among the first to learn news about Planetary Resources.

For More Information :

Stacey Tearne

Planetary Resources

stearne@planetaryresources.com

Natalie Mounier/Meghan Baker

Kirvin Doak Communications

nmounier@kirvindoak.com

mbaker@kirvindoak.com

*by andreascy*

OSA : Researchers discover a new path for light through metal

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Helping bridge the gap between photonics and electronics, researchers from Purdue University have coaxed a thin film of titanium nitride into transporting plasmons, tiny electron excitations coupled to light that can direct and manipulate optical signals on the nanoscale. 

Titanium nitride's addition to the short list of surface-plasmon-supporting materials, formerly composed only of metals, could point the way to a new class of optoelectronic devices with unprecedented speed and efficiency. "We have found that titanium nitride is a promising candidate for an entirely new class of technologies based on plasmonics and metamaterials," said Alexandra Boltasseva, a researcher at Purdue and an author on a paper published March 27 in the Optical Society's (OSA) open-access journal Optical Materials Express. "This is particularly compelling because surface plasmons resolve a basic mismatch between wavelength-scale optical devices and the much smaller components of integrated electronic circuits."

Value of Plasmons :

Metals carry electricity with ease, but normally do nothing to transmit light waves. Surface plasmons, unusual light-coupled oscillations that form on the surface of metallic materials, are the exception to that rule. When excited on the surface of metals by light waves of specific frequencies, plasmons are able to retain that same frequency, but with wavelengths that are orders-of-magnitude smaller, cramming visible and near-infrared light into the realm of the nanoscale.

In the world of electronics and optics, that 100-fold contraction is a boon. Circuits that direct the paths of electrons operate on a much smaller scale than optical light waves, so engineers must either rely on small but relatively sluggish electrons for information processing or bulk up to accommodate the zippy photons. Plasmons represent the best of both worlds and are already at the heart of a number of optoelectronic devices. They have not had widespread use, however, due to the dearth of materials that readily generate them and the fact that metals, in most cases, cannot be integrated with semiconductor devices.

Plasmonic Materials :

Until now, the best candidates for plasmonic materials were gold and silver. These noble metals, however, are not compatible with standard silicon manufacturing technologies, limiting their use in commercial products. Silver is the metal with the best optical and surface plasmon properties, but it forms grainy, or semi-continuous, thin films. Silver also easily degrades in air, which causes loss of optical signal, making it a less-attractive material in plasmon technologies.

In an effort to overcome these drawbacks, Boltasseva and her team chose to study titanium nitride - a ceramic material that is commonly used as a barrier metal in microelectronics and to coat metal surfaces such as medical implants or machine tooling parts- because they could manipulate its properties in the manufacturing process. It also could be easily integrated into silicon products, and grown crystal-by-crystal, forming highly uniform, ultrathin films - properties that metals do not share.

To test its plasmonic capabilities, the researchers deposited a very thin, very even film of titanium nitride on a sapphire surface. They were able to confirm that titanium nitride supported the propagation of surface plasmons almost as efficiently as gold. Silver, under perfect conditions, was still more efficient for plasmonic applications, but its acknowledged signal loss limited its practical applications.

To further improve the performance of titanium nitride, the researchers are now looking into a manufacturing method known as molecular beam epitaxy, which would enable them to grow the films and layered structures known as superlattices crystal-by-crystal.

Technologies and Potential Applications :

In addition to plasmonics, the researchers also speculate that titanium nitride may have applications in metamaterials, which are engineered materials that can be tailored for almost any application because of their extraordinary response to electromagnetic, acoustic, and thermal waves. Recently proposed applications of metamaterials include invisibility cloaks, optical black holes, nanoscale optics, data storage, and quantum information processing.

The search for alternatives to noble metals with improved optical properties, easier fabrication and integration capabilities could ultimately lead to real-life applications for plasmonics and metamaterials.

"Plasmonics is an important technology for nanoscale optical circuits, sensing, and data storage because it can focus light down to nanoscale," notes Boltasseva. "Titanium nitride is a promising candidate in the near-infrared and visible wavelength ranges. Unlike gold and silver, titanium nitride is compatible with standard semiconductor manufacturing technology and provides many advantages in its nanofabrication and integration."

According to the researchers, titanium nitride-based devices could provide nearly the same performance for some plasmonic applications. While noble metals like silver would still be the best choice for specific applications like negative index metamaterials, titanium nitride could outperform noble metals in other metamaterial and transformation optics devices, such as those based on hyperbolic metamaterials.

Source: Optical Society of America

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