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Science

New Reactor Uses Sunlight to Turn Water and Carbon Dioxide Into Fuel

By Clay Dillow Posted on 11.23.2009 22 Comments
Talk about a Eureka moment. Scientists at Sandia National Labs, seeking a means to create cheap and abundant hydrogen to power a hydrogen economy, realized they could use the same technology to "reverse-combust" CO₂ back into fuel. Researchers still have to improve the efficiency of the system, but they recently demonstrated a working prototype of their "Sunshine to Petrol" machine that converts waste CO₂ to carbon monoxide, and then syngas, consuming nothing but solar energy.

11.24.2009 at 09:15pm - Comment by riff_raff

This device is very clever, but will never likely produce fuel on an economically sustainable basis. That's the basic problem with most green power technologies. The laws of physics and chemistry must cooperate with the laws of economics. Weren't any of you readers suspicious when the inventors say they have a working prototype, but it won't be ready for commercial use for at least a decade? The transportation fuels market is worth trillions annually. If this device had even a remote chance of being cost effective, there would be billions of dollars available tomorrow for its development.
Technology

The Army’s New Black Hawk

By Seth Fletcher Posted on 3.24.2009 39 Comments
The Black Hawk helicopter has served the U.S. Army well. But it’s been around since 1979. Time for a revamp, with advanced electronics, more-powerful engines, and various other tweaks. The UH-60M Upgrade, as it’s officially known, made its first flight last summer, and the Connecticut aircraft-manufacturer Sikorsky will start delivering them to the Army next year and ramp up to full production by 2013.

3.20.2009 at 09:09pm - Comment by riff_raff

The Army's real 21st century chopper is JHL: www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/jhl.htm It puts the UH-60M to shame in speed, payload, range and altitude.
Science

Debunking Celebrity Science

By Posted on 12.30.2008 2 Comments
Also in today's links: aging turtles, pinpointing pollen, and more.

12.30.2008 at 03:24pm - Comment by riff_raff

Celebutards and junk science, hmmmm...... ......Although it's already been thoroughly debunked by objective, rational scientists, the biggest and most damaging celebrity/junk scientist hoax has to be Al Gore and anthropogenic global warming.
Science

This Machine Might* Save the World

By Posted on 1.5.2009 38 Comments
The source of endless energy for all humankind resides just off Government Street in Burnaby, British Columbia, up the little spit of blacktop on Bonneville Place and across the parking lot from Shade-O-Matic blind manufacturers and wholesalers. The future is there, in that mostly empty office with the vomit-green walls -- and inside the brain of Michel Laberge, 47, bearded and French-Canadian.

12.24.2008 at 10:26pm - Comment by riff_raff

Wait until the big government, nanny-state NIMBY's in the Peoples' Republic of Canada find out that a private enterprise is doing something that may be slightly risky, but could have a significant pay-off. They'll stop it in a heartbeat. The socialists would never tolerate a successful free-market enterprise. Especially one that would take away their perennial election issue boogeyman of global warming.
Cars

A Lighter Frame for a Stronger Bike

By Posted on 12.4.2008 17 Comments
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Technology Under Review Now. Every week, the editors and writers of Popular Science will take their T.U.R.N. breaking down the tech behind the newest gadgets, autos, computers, cameras and more. Dying to see something specific in action? Drop us a suggestion in the comments section. And be sure to tune in to popsci.com/TURN each week. Buell did not break the mold when it made the 1125CR racing bike. Instead, it washed the mold away—to create a sturdier body.

12.6.2008 at 12:57am - Comment by riff_raff

Cast aluminum alloys will never have the strength or fatigue properties to match the allowables that can be achieved with wrought or extruded aluminum, regardless of any "high-tech" foundry processes employed. As for material stiffness (modulus of elasticity), cast or wrought are both similar. The benefit of casting is that the frame section properties and thicknesses can be exactly tailored to meet the design loads. So the frame weight can theoretically be kept low. The drawback of casting is that cast material alloy composition must be compromised, usually with regards to strength, in order to make it castable. So more material must be used to get a strong enough part. The approach used by most sport bike manufacturers, employing extruded high-strength alloy perimeter spars welded to cast fittings, is actually a very good design compromise.
Technology

Intelligent Design: Unidentified Aircraft Detected

By Sam Syed Posted on 10.15.2008 8 Comments
Intelligent Design. The science behind the art. The art behind the science. Come back each Wednesday for upcoming stories that will include product reviews you won't find in PopSci, movies, TV, books and the arts in general, and insider secrets. In this installment, a sneak peek at how you'll be commuting in 2012.

10.18.2008 at 07:24pm - Comment by riff_raff

There are three significant issues with the vehicle shown: First, even though it is a small vehicle, it will still require a significant amount of installed power to achieve vertical flight with those small diameter rotors. Second, the rotor blade control system (swashplate?) will likely be quite complex with 5 blades per hub. Third, the drive system for any size tandem tilt rotor is quite complicated, due to the additional systems required for safety. Since auto-rotation is not possible with those small diameter, highly loaded rotors, two engines are required. And each engine will likely require its own speed reduction gearbox. Plus a series of drive shafts is typically necessary to synchronize the rotors from one side to the other. Once you add up the cost of putting all of these additional systems in a tilt rotor aircraft, you'll likely find that the cost is not justified by the speed/range benefits versus a conventional helicopter of equivalent payload. That's the problem Bell/Agusta ran into with their BA609.
The Environment

The Cost of Gases

By Molika Ashford Posted on 9.30.2008 6 Comments
Plans for cap-and-trade, carbon taxes, and other financial tools to curb global warming may float in and out of the national forum. But on a more local level, a price has already been placed on greenhouse gas emissions; it's $3.07 per ton.

10.10.2008 at 10:03pm - Comment by riff_raff

I live in California. In 1990, the geniuses in the state legislature mandated that by 2003, 10% of all vehicle sold here must be zero emission vehicles (ZEV's): http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/solutions/advanced_vehicles_and_fuels/californias-zero-emission-3.html They then all held news conferences congratulating themselves for saving the earth. Eighteen years later, there is still not one DOT certified ZEV available for purchase by the general public, let alone 10% of the market. Moral of the story: All the laws in the world can't make a stupid idea any more viable.
The Environment

Thinking Beyond the Windmill

By Lisa Katayama Posted on 10.10.2008 8 Comments
Lily Pads as Power Outlets
Solar panels don’t have to be eyesores. The city of Glasgow is considering the installation of giant, glowing solar "lily pads" on the River Clyde. Designed by Scottish firm ZM Architecture, the circular floats are made of steel and recycled rubber and range in diameter from 15 to 45 feet. Motorized disks covered with solar panels track the sun and angle themselves for maximum exposure. Once panels soak up enough rays, the energy is converted to AC/DC power and transferred to the city’s grid, where it will help offset Glasgow’s electrical bills.

10.10.2008 at 09:46pm - Comment by riff_raff

As an engineer I applaud anyone who shows some original thinking. But while all of these ideas may have some technical merit, they make absolutely no sense from an economic standpoint. The only way they will be successful in the marketplace is through government subsidies extorted from unwilling ratepayers/taxpayers. Show me someone with a "green power" concept that is economically competitive with, say natural gas (let alone coal), and I'll show you someone who will soon be a multi-billionaire, without any "help" from the government. Eventually, free-market forces will (and should!) determine when and where alternative energy displaces conventional energy sources. Until then, no amount of government subsidies or legislation will overturn the immutable laws of physics and economics.