Video

11.10.09

LaserMotive is First Ever Prize Winner in Space Elevator Games

The team's robot stands to win $900,000 from NASA for climbing a ribbon nearly a kilometer long
By Stuart Fox Posted 11.05.2009 at 11:59 am 2 Comments

Meet Your 2009 Space Elevator Challenge Champions : David Bashford of LaserMotive prepares the climber for their award-winning run.  courtesy of NASA
First proposed in 1895, and popularized by the Arthur C. Clarke book The Fountains of Paradise, space elevators have a rich history in the culture of space travel. Unfortunately, the history of their engineering success is far less impressive. But if the results from this week's Space Elevator Games are any indication, that might be about to change.

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Gray Matter

Gray Matter: The Hidden Uses of Everyday Explosives

When you stop and look, you may be surprised to find yourself surrounded by all kinds of explosives--some that detonate easier than dynamite
By Theodore Gray Posted 11.04.2009 at 11:13 am 3 Comments

The explosive C4, a favorite for everything from demolition to terrorism to action movies, is in fact one of the safest explosives. How can an explosive be safe? If it’s hard to set off by accident. C4 is so stable that you can light it with a match (it burns but does not explode) or shoot it (it splatters but does not explode). To go bang, it requires a detonator that produces both heat and shock.

At the other end of the spectrum are mixtures that ignite simply from being scratched or knocked. There are obvious challenges in mixing, storing, and handling these substances so that they explode only when intended, yet they’re surprisingly common.

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Ford Introduces Seatbelt/Air Bag Hybrid To Save Little Johnny And Grampa

By Stuart Fox Posted 11.05.2009 at 5:30 pm 13 Comments

Airbags have become a crucial part of the safety features in any modern car. Unfortunately, they only protect people in the front seats. To solve this problem, Ford has created a combination seat belt/airbag for passengers in the back of the vehicle.

The inflatable seat belts blow up upon impact of a certain force, quickly expanding and providing added restraint and protection for people riding in the back seat of cars. And since the passenger in the back seat is more likely to be a child or elderly person, that extra protection really goes a long way.

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November 2009: Astronaut 3.0

Inside NASA's astronaut bootcamp and the grueling new training regimen for deep space. Plus, ten young geniuses shaking up science today, one writer's quest to analyze every man-made chemical in her body and more.

Check out the issue's full contents online here

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