• Technology

    If You Dropped a Corn Kernel From Space, Would it Pop During Re-Entry?

    By Stuart Fox Posted on 12.30.2008 21 Comments

    There’s a little bit of water inside each kernel of popcorn, and if you can heat the kernel above 212°F, that water should boil, turn into high-pressure steam, and pop the kernel. But in orbit, things aren’t so simple. First off, the cold vacuum of space would suck all the water out of the kernel before it could pop the corn. So any ordinary kernels would drop, not pop. But let’s say we figured out a way to keep the kernel watertight. In that case, it all depends.

    1.18.2009 at 06:59pm - Comment by skypatrol250

    Actually correction to my last comment... it wasnt CPL Punushment... it was discojer... sorry

  • Technology

    If You Dropped a Corn Kernel From Space, Would it Pop During Re-Entry?

    By Stuart Fox Posted on 12.30.2008 21 Comments

    There’s a little bit of water inside each kernel of popcorn, and if you can heat the kernel above 212°F, that water should boil, turn into high-pressure steam, and pop the kernel. But in orbit, things aren’t so simple. First off, the cold vacuum of space would suck all the water out of the kernel before it could pop the corn. So any ordinary kernels would drop, not pop. But let’s say we figured out a way to keep the kernel watertight. In that case, it all depends.

    1.18.2009 at 06:56pm - Comment by skypatrol250

    Space does have temperature... for space is not completely "space" it has about 1 molecule per square meter in deep space. but can get denser near earth. just as CPL punishment said, but he is wrong about space having no temperature. for space can get VERY cold or VERY hot

  • Technology

    Methane May Point to Life on Mars

    By Jeremy Hsu Posted on 1.16.2009 7 Comments

    If you roll out of bed and see the headline "Life on Mars," is it because: a) it's a hoax, b) NASA got lucky, c) scientific genius won out, or d) it is written in a British tabloid?

    1.18.2009 at 02:23pm - Comment by skypatrol250

    I just have one question... What is deep space radiation

  • Technology

    Stealth Reborn

    By Dawn Stover Posted on 1.9.2009 13 Comments

    The B-2 stealth bomber, assisted by midair refuelings, can fly a 44-hour mission to the other side of the world, take out targets using laser-guided smart munitions, then sneak out of enemy territory undetected. Yet it runs on Intel 286 processors -- state of the art in 1982, but these days, not so much.

    1.13.2009 at 07:45am - Comment by skypatrol250

    In response to tyminator robert1374 ... tyminator... no, a triangle shape would not be better due to air resistance, if you have a flat triangle then it will have to be very tall therefore increasing drag. robert1374 about your comment on the EMP bomb, yes an unmanned craft would fall to earth where a manned plane is not tied to electronics and will not crash in the case of a EMP bomb I hope you find this useful :D

  • Gadgets

    Obama, Keep that Crackberry

    By Megan Miller Posted on 1.12.2009 9 Comments

    Amidst this week's CES buzz, there’s one political question that keeps popping up on show-goers' lips: “Why should Obama have to give up his Blackberry?” The president-elect will soon become the most tech-savvy commander-in-chief in American history, and the digital communication landscape has changed radically since Bush first entered the White House in 2000. Today, it’s almost unthinkable that any chief executive, corporate or political, should be required to use less technology than he or she did prior to taking office.

    1.12.2009 at 02:47pm - Comment by skypatrol250

    Obama should give up his blackberry. He's not my favorite president, but I don't want terrorists to get his e-mails. like Timias said we can already break the encryption code on it and if that information got in the hands of terrorists... nothing good will come out of it.

  • Technology

    Boot Camp for Gaming Addicts, Gaming Addicts for Boot Camp

    By Jeremy Hsu Posted on 1.7.2009 4 Comments

    There's playing online games, and then there's collecting 68 virtual "husbands" in a game. That's when Chinese parents intervene and send their wayward offspring to a boot camp staffed by soldiers of the People's Liberation Army.

    1.12.2009 at 02:31pm - Comment by skypatrol250

    The Chinese government most likely forced them to go to the boot camp. also the comment about running around a tauren dood... that was really funny.



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