Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Friday Fragments (11/25/11)
Thanksgiving is upon us and I for am thankful for a few days of rest and relaxation. Here are some interesting links for you to check out on this Black Friday..
-First, I want a pair of these blinds in my office and in our lab, considering neither of them have windows.
-If you know someone in your family that is either a science nerd (like myself) or a sci-fi geek check out io9.com's gift guide. I particular like the books section (hint hint)!
-In France, doctors have successfully bone marrow to create new blood and give a transfusion to another person. It's a matter of time before blood drives will be obsolete and we can just grow blood for people.
-Chances are that you are reading this from a computer (or phone) that has a dual-core processor. Maybe even a quad-core and six-core machine if you are an avid computer builder. But now AMD has outdone itself with it's new beast of a processor with 16-cores! I can't wait to play 16 simultaneous games of Peggle!
-Scientists have put out a new APB for a giant gas planet missing from our solar system. New calculations suggest that we may have lost a gas giant to the universe early in the development of our solar system. So anyone with information leading to the safe return of this giant planet please contact NASA for a job so that you may utilize your talents appropriately.
-I've mention spray on skin but this is truly innovative. Take a healthy sample, give it 20 minutes and presto...new skin to spray on to the patient!
-Lastly, I want a pair of these contacts. They come with a built in LED "interface." Sure it's just one light that blinks right now but soon it will be the internet controlled by your brain!
-First, I want a pair of these blinds in my office and in our lab, considering neither of them have windows.
 |
| I suggest something like this for your friends that remind you of characters from "The Big Bang Theory" show. |
-In France, doctors have successfully bone marrow to create new blood and give a transfusion to another person. It's a matter of time before blood drives will be obsolete and we can just grow blood for people.
-Chances are that you are reading this from a computer (or phone) that has a dual-core processor. Maybe even a quad-core and six-core machine if you are an avid computer builder. But now AMD has outdone itself with it's new beast of a processor with 16-cores! I can't wait to play 16 simultaneous games of Peggle!
-Scientists have put out a new APB for a giant gas planet missing from our solar system. New calculations suggest that we may have lost a gas giant to the universe early in the development of our solar system. So anyone with information leading to the safe return of this giant planet please contact NASA for a job so that you may utilize your talents appropriately.
-I've mention spray on skin but this is truly innovative. Take a healthy sample, give it 20 minutes and presto...new skin to spray on to the patient!
-Lastly, I want a pair of these contacts. They come with a built in LED "interface." Sure it's just one light that blinks right now but soon it will be the internet controlled by your brain!
Friday Fragments (10/7/11)
Friday again and today the "Fragments" are going into BEAST MODE! For some reason when I opened up my folder of saved bookmarks for the fragments I found about 3 times the normal amount of links. So without further blabbering here are enough links to keep you occupied all afternoon!
-As you know by now, Steve Jobs passed away this week. And even though I have never own anything Apple, I believe that he single handily pushed a technology revolution that is still happening today. And I found this video that explains how Apple predicted the iPhone 4S technology 24 years ago in 1987! It's pretty close to the real thing, down to the prediction of what year it will happen. Thank you Mr. Jobs for everything you brought us, your legacy will live on for years to come.
-I said this last week, but Windows 7.5 (or Mango) is out for Windows phones and it's pretty good. Already getting rave reviews, I hope that my turn to update will come shortly (it's some sort of phased update, wtf). However, Microsoft also announced that they will no longer be making Zune players. The Zune software, which I think is one of the best music players available, will still be available for PC and WP7.
-Some bad news in the contraceptive front this week, a widely used contraceptive in Africa may actually lead to an increased risk of HIV contraction. Not Good! So to lighten the mood, check out these awesome condom brands!
-Accuweather.com released their winter weather outlook. And I'm official disgruntled! (The Midwest is in f
or a long, cold winter)
-I found this list of the most beautiful colleges campus. It seemed fitting since the leaves are starting to turn around campus. Even if both Notre Dame and IU made the list.
-An interesting look at drug rationing in the US. And Nanorockets...I think so! These look awesome, plain and simple!
-In Nobel Prize news, the first ever posthumously award Nobel Prize was given out this week. Also, chemist who was essentially forced out of his job and research because of his findings on quasi-crystals receives justification in the form of a Nobel Prize.
-This link is only a quick look at the news in molecular science, but the atomic mirror is what caught my eye. We may only be a few years away from quantum computers!
-The Japan earthquake earlier this year was so massive that it actually changed Earth's gravity! Only by 2 billionths of a gal, but still.
-In the world of physics I found two very interesting articles. One about neutrinos and the consequences of going faster than the speed of light. The second on naked singularity. Sounds sexy, so you'll have to click the link to find out (hint: you might be sorely disappointed). Both have some relevancy to the currents state of physics research today. Also, if you understand either one of the articles at all you should pat yourself on the back because I'm still a little confused and I read them a few days ago.
-In biology, scientists have used bacteria to encode messages. I reported on E. coli being a memory storage device but this is pretty cool too.
-Lastly...this is one of the coolest time lapse videos ever. I particularly like how you can see part of the Milky Way galaxy in some of the night shots. Enjoy!
Friday Fragments (9/30/11)
Well this week has been quite the crap-shoot of productivity. At the times when I needed to be productive and get stuff done, I wasn't able to focus between the upcoming football, ridiculously ever-changing weather, and random activities around the lab. And other times when I had time to just sit back and relax I decided to to go big instead of go home (my ass still hurts from plyometrics on Tuesday but whatever). So, I have about an half hour to burn before my last requirement for the week on campus, my major professor's is giving a seminar to another department...and there's free refreshments!
Anyway, I wasn't prepared for a Fragments this week because I have just been lazy and forgotten to save interesting articles. Plus, I have spent a good amount of my usual time spent of science and news articles looking at the Purdue vs Notre Dame preview and fantasy football stats. See Hammerandrails.com or BoiledSports.com for good Purdue sports blogs!
Side Note: Quick shout out to my brother, Adam, is 0-3 in our fantasy league but is by far the best manager I ever had in a fantasy league. The dude writes extensive weekly reviews about the match-ups, previews upcoming games, and has created a ton of weekly "trophies" for me to waste time looking at during the week. It feels some much more legit when I win! Thanks dude! (I should also note that he isn't completely terrible at fantasy football, but he drafted Arian Foster [bust #1] and Peyton Manning before the surgery [bust #2]).
I digress, so I do have a few interesting links for you to finish your week up with...
-Being in the field of pharmaceuticals I get asked the same question a lot; "Why do drugs cost so much?" I could (and will someday soon) explain the situation and my view on how the system works and how I believe it should work. But until then here is a very well written article to explain some of the dynamics of the pharmaceutical industry. I disagree with the idea thrown out at the end that the industry will enter an "Ice Age" soon but otherwise it is a very good article. (About 5-10 minute read)
-If you have ever seen those annoying QR codes and wondered what reasonable application they can have, look no further. Wikipedia is going to start incorporating them into, well, anything and everything! The Indianapolis Children's Museum is already using them. I personally think this is a great idea!
-AlphaDog robot project...the video speaks for itself (hint: it's creepily awesome).
-I believe I may have noted about new injection techniques earlier but here is quick article about the advancement of needles and the future of injections. This is standard IPPH stuff.
-Lastly, if you remember back in the spring there was talk of "alien life" found on earth. Well, if you are really hurting to waste some time, this review over at PopSci.com is a great look at the debacle that is/was the "new life" form and the subsequent fallout for the scientists involved.
Alright that's all I got right now. Oh and don't forget to Boiler Up this weekend against the Crying Irish of Notre Dame!
Anyway, I wasn't prepared for a Fragments this week because I have just been lazy and forgotten to save interesting articles. Plus, I have spent a good amount of my usual time spent of science and news articles looking at the Purdue vs Notre Dame preview and fantasy football stats. See Hammerandrails.com or BoiledSports.com for good Purdue sports blogs!
Side Note: Quick shout out to my brother, Adam, is 0-3 in our fantasy league but is by far the best manager I ever had in a fantasy league. The dude writes extensive weekly reviews about the match-ups, previews upcoming games, and has created a ton of weekly "trophies" for me to waste time looking at during the week. It feels some much more legit when I win! Thanks dude! (I should also note that he isn't completely terrible at fantasy football, but he drafted Arian Foster [bust #1] and Peyton Manning before the surgery [bust #2]).
I digress, so I do have a few interesting links for you to finish your week up with...
-Being in the field of pharmaceuticals I get asked the same question a lot; "Why do drugs cost so much?" I could (and will someday soon) explain the situation and my view on how the system works and how I believe it should work. But until then here is a very well written article to explain some of the dynamics of the pharmaceutical industry. I disagree with the idea thrown out at the end that the industry will enter an "Ice Age" soon but otherwise it is a very good article. (About 5-10 minute read)
-If you have ever seen those annoying QR codes and wondered what reasonable application they can have, look no further. Wikipedia is going to start incorporating them into, well, anything and everything! The Indianapolis Children's Museum is already using them. I personally think this is a great idea!
-AlphaDog robot project...the video speaks for itself (hint: it's creepily awesome).
-I believe I may have noted about new injection techniques earlier but here is quick article about the advancement of needles and the future of injections. This is standard IPPH stuff.
-Lastly, if you remember back in the spring there was talk of "alien life" found on earth. Well, if you are really hurting to waste some time, this review over at PopSci.com is a great look at the debacle that is/was the "new life" form and the subsequent fallout for the scientists involved.
Alright that's all I got right now. Oh and don't forget to Boiler Up this weekend against the Crying Irish of Notre Dame!
Friday Fragments (9/16/11)
So, I apologize for the lack of commitment lately on here. I have excuse but I will refrain from using them as I know you probably don't care about my excuses. I don't have too many fragments but I had an hour to kill before my first big presentation in my lab group (on Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation which will be the topic of an upcoming Under the Hood).
-I believe I have said this before but I would so be willing to be one of the first people to colonize Mars. Well, NASA gave us a look at the rocket that might get us there!
-For all you "green" enthusiasts out there...the most environmentally friendly way to be disposed of when you die is evidently to be liquefied.
-In another AIDS research project, scientists have made kittens glow in the dark. They used the glowing genes to indicate which cells had the target gene transfected into them. Overview here....scientific article here.
-For some reason I find this terrifying but evidently you can make a flying, computer hacking drone that is untraceable.
-Recently, the US government has been debating things to cut in the budget. One of those things is "public science." Essentially it is governmentally funded research. This is excellent article explaining the situation and I recommend it to anyone who likes science or politics (warning: it is pro-science, SHOCKER).
-Lastly, the Florida Marlins are going to be renamed the Miami Marlins and Nike has released the Air Mag shoe. Back to the Future seems like a real possibility now!
UPDATE (per request)
-Miss Universe crowned their winner recently....Miss Angola (you're welcome Lindsey)!
-I believe I have said this before but I would so be willing to be one of the first people to colonize Mars. Well, NASA gave us a look at the rocket that might get us there!
-For all you "green" enthusiasts out there...the most environmentally friendly way to be disposed of when you die is evidently to be liquefied.
-In another AIDS research project, scientists have made kittens glow in the dark. They used the glowing genes to indicate which cells had the target gene transfected into them. Overview here....scientific article here.
-For some reason I find this terrifying but evidently you can make a flying, computer hacking drone that is untraceable.
-Recently, the US government has been debating things to cut in the budget. One of those things is "public science." Essentially it is governmentally funded research. This is excellent article explaining the situation and I recommend it to anyone who likes science or politics (warning: it is pro-science, SHOCKER).
-Lastly, the Florida Marlins are going to be renamed the Miami Marlins and Nike has released the Air Mag shoe. Back to the Future seems like a real possibility now!
UPDATE (per request)
-Miss Universe crowned their winner recently....Miss Angola (you're welcome Lindsey)!
Friday Fragments (8/12/11)
Friday is here again and I have been busy enough that there hasn't been a Fragments for a few weeks. That doesn't mean that I don't have links. If anything this edition may be the largest yet!
Before we get into the fragments, Monday will begin the "new" Behind the Bench series featuring other young people in science. First up will be a few people in pharmacy and will expand from there. So Jeremy Daniel you're up for Monday.
-Artificial organs are nothing new but that field changes everyday it seems. Two new advances in artificial lungs are quite intriguing. First, scientists have create the first artificial lung that breathes regular air instead of pure oxygen. Now people on artificial lungs aren't chained to oxygen tanks. In related news, read this article about "made-to-order" lungs. Similarly, scientists are making artificial spinal discs out of biological materials, which would be a better alternative than fusing the discs or metal/plastic discs that degrade and are subject to attack by the host's immune system.
-A few weeks ago I caught a article about the Large Hardon Collider and how close it is to finding the elusive Higgs Boson particle. That would be a major step forward for physics and chemistry (for those of you unfamiliar with the Higgs Boson here's the wiki article to catch you up).
-Work with Microsoft Excel? Check out these cheat sheets. Ctrl Shortcuts, Function Shortcuts, and Misc. Shortcuts. Also, here is your 2011 Excel World Champion. Yep there is a competition for Excel, Word, and Powerpoint now!
-NC State scientists are experimenting with new memory devices that work like a memristor. They would have the consistency of jell-o and even be implanted into the body! Creepy.
-In medicine news...another new drug has proven it can prevent HIV infection to a certain extent. More exciting than that is the prospect of a new therapy that can be used against a broad spectrum of viruses. Much like antibiotics can kill multiple bacteria, this new therapy attacks a process all viruses have in common. This lack of specificity also may prevent a virus from mutating to avoid destruction. Lastly, if you ever wondered what I studied as an undergrad student in Industrial Pharmacy, this article describes what's in Viagra. Learning the what, how, and why of these ingredients is a lot of what I studied.
-The Web at 20...take a trip drop memory lane (I'm thinking of you America Online)!
-If you are like any other normal human being, you probably love girl scout cookies. Well, one box of girl scout cookies could be worth $15 million dollars in graphene. Don't believe me, check it out!
I think that's enough for now...enjoy your Friday and weekend!
Before we get into the fragments, Monday will begin the "new" Behind the Bench series featuring other young people in science. First up will be a few people in pharmacy and will expand from there. So Jeremy Daniel you're up for Monday.
-Artificial organs are nothing new but that field changes everyday it seems. Two new advances in artificial lungs are quite intriguing. First, scientists have create the first artificial lung that breathes regular air instead of pure oxygen. Now people on artificial lungs aren't chained to oxygen tanks. In related news, read this article about "made-to-order" lungs. Similarly, scientists are making artificial spinal discs out of biological materials, which would be a better alternative than fusing the discs or metal/plastic discs that degrade and are subject to attack by the host's immune system.
-A few weeks ago I caught a article about the Large Hardon Collider and how close it is to finding the elusive Higgs Boson particle. That would be a major step forward for physics and chemistry (for those of you unfamiliar with the Higgs Boson here's the wiki article to catch you up).
-Work with Microsoft Excel? Check out these cheat sheets. Ctrl Shortcuts, Function Shortcuts, and Misc. Shortcuts. Also, here is your 2011 Excel World Champion. Yep there is a competition for Excel, Word, and Powerpoint now!
-NC State scientists are experimenting with new memory devices that work like a memristor. They would have the consistency of jell-o and even be implanted into the body! Creepy.
-In medicine news...another new drug has proven it can prevent HIV infection to a certain extent. More exciting than that is the prospect of a new therapy that can be used against a broad spectrum of viruses. Much like antibiotics can kill multiple bacteria, this new therapy attacks a process all viruses have in common. This lack of specificity also may prevent a virus from mutating to avoid destruction. Lastly, if you ever wondered what I studied as an undergrad student in Industrial Pharmacy, this article describes what's in Viagra. Learning the what, how, and why of these ingredients is a lot of what I studied.
-The Web at 20...take a trip drop memory lane (I'm thinking of you America Online)!
-If you are like any other normal human being, you probably love girl scout cookies. Well, one box of girl scout cookies could be worth $15 million dollars in graphene. Don't believe me, check it out!
I think that's enough for now...enjoy your Friday and weekend!
Chalmers on The Singularity
The Singularity: A Philosophical AnalysisBy David J. ChalmersWhat happens when machines become more intelligent than humans? One view is that this event will be followed by an explosion to ever-greater levels of intelligence, as each generation of machines creates more intelligent machines in turn. This intelligence explosion is now often known as the “singularity”.The basic argument here was
Infecting Minds
From MicrobeWorld.Org:Infecting Minds with Science in the Age of New MediaOn May 25th, 2010 science writer Carl Zimmer gave a keynote address at the American Society for Microbiology's General Meeting in San Diego, California. The presentation entitled “Newspapers, Blogs, and Other Vectors: Infecting Minds with Science in the Age of New Media” was given at the President’s Forum, “Telling the
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