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Concept bracelet phone leaves electricity behind

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For fashionable folk who enjoy the simple life but still need to be in contact with the rest of the world, comes the Leaf wearable bracelet phone concept. Great if you’ve run out of pockets or don’t want to carry a handbag, the Leaf is a wearable bracelet phone that incorporates solar cells for power on its front panel. Inspired by photosynthesis, the Leaf is pretty basic - good for making calls and texting only. However, designers Seungkyun Woo and Junyi Heo say it’s main objective is to “remind people that they can contribute to energy efficiency.”

Looking a little like the Nokia Morph of last year, the docking cradle for the Leaf also has solar cells on the back. But hey, if it’s too dark for charging – like at night – you can use electricity to recharge the Leaf.

Nokia to join the netbook fray with the Booklet 3G

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They’re known as netbooks, ultraportables, subnotebooks, mini-laptops or even kneetop computers in some circles. Now consumers have yet another moniker to contend with as Nokia announces its upcoming Nokia Booklet 3G. Featuring a glass 10.1-inch HD display and Intel Atom processor, the Booklet 3G is a Windows-based unit that promises the performance of a full-function PC alongside a rated 12-hour battery life.

Coming from the market-leader in mobile phones, the Booklet 3G has, naturally, been designed with mobile connectivity in mind. As its name suggests, it is 3G/HSPA ready for high-speed mobile broadband access with a hot-swappable SIM card, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and integrated assisted-GPS (complete with a copy of Ovi Maps). Other features include an HDMI port for HD video out, front facing camera for video calling, SD card reader and seamless sync with Nokia smartphones through the use of Nokia’s Ovi Suite.

The Booket 3G is also easy on the eye with echoes of Apple’s Macbook line thanks to its aluminum body, which measures just more than 2cm (0.78 inches) thick and weighs 1.25kg (2.75lb), and an island keyboard.

Nokia says more detailed specs, availability and pricing details will be announced via Nokia World on September 2, so stay tuned.

Ferrari advances driver-car interface

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In the run-up to the official unveiling of the Ferrari 458 Italia at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Ferrari has released new imagery of the 458 Italia’s interior and of the steering wheel and instrument binnacle which represent a significant step forward in the concept of the ergonomic interface between driver and car.

In fact the main commands are now grouped on the steering wheel, the secondary commands are set in two satellite pods either side of the dash and there are now comprehensive instrument displays on the panel ahead of the driver. These solutions represent an important safety aspect, enabling the driver to concentrate fully on driving. Similarly this layout ensures maximum control of the car in high performance driving, an uncompromising approach that derives directly from Ferrari’s F1 experience.

Working closely with the Ferrari Styling Centre, the engineers have thus reinterpreted the positioning of the major commands to provide a truly driver-oriented cockpit. All steering-column mounted stalks have been eliminated, with the indicators, full beam, flash and windscreen wiper functions now being activated by buttons on the steering wheel boss. The button to select the shock absorber setting is now positioned next to the ‘Engine start’ button where it falls readily to hand. Behind the wheel are a number of secondary functions, such as the stereo, while the gearbox paddles are now longer making shifts even easier from any steering angle.

The right-hand satellite pod on the dash incorporates controls for the infotainment, the Bluetooth connection, sat-nav, digital speedo and rear parking camera. Clustered on the left-hand satellite pod instead are the optional cruise control, buttons for choosing the video setting of the left-hand dash TFT screen and the on-board computer interface. The latter controls the trip computer, the Vehicle Dynamic Assistance and the display of the car’s set-up.

The Vehicle Dynamic Assistance monitors the operating parameters of the most important areas of the car - engine/gearbox, tyres and brakes. The VDA is enabled in the following manettino settings – Race, CT off and CST off – and provides visual confirmation of the status of each component based on an algorithm from parameters reading lateral and longitudinal acceleration, revs and speed. This enables the driver to assess the ideal operating conditions for the car. There are three status settings: WARM-UP (operating temperature too low), GO (ideal operating conditions) and OVER (one or more components are no longer at their optimum level and need cooling).

Tunable electromagnetic 'invisible gateway' brings science closer to fiction

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Harnessing the unique properties of metamaterials, researchers in China have recently published a work detailing the implementation of a thin air, broadband and remotely controllable 'invisible gateway' that is able to shield all types of electromagnetic waves while letting through all other physical objects.

In the paper published by the group from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the Fudan University in Shanghai, this newly-developed technology is compared to one of the 'hidden portals' often mentioned in fiction that is now coming much closer to reality.

In its study, the group made use of negative refractive index metamaterials, exotic materials that can refract light and other electromagnetic waves in unique ways that are currently a very active field of research in solid state physics and electrical engineering.

The group employed metamaterials in conjunction with ferrite materials and transformation optics to produce a complex scattering effect that bends light and other electromagnetic waves away from the gateway, preventing them from walking through. However, because of the shape of the device (pictured above), other objects easily can go through the portal undisturbed, as nothing but thin air separates the two sides of the gateway.

Unlike previous attempts at building such a gateway, the team's approach seems to have solved the problem of the narrow operational bandwidth that is typical of metamaterials, which means that only a very narrow range of frequencies would be effectively blocked out on command.

This configuration, in fact, can be manipulated to have optimum permittivity and permeability, and is able to insulate the electromagnetic field that encounters it with an appropriate magnetic reaction. What is more, the configuration's response to magnetic fields can even be tuned and switched on and off remotely.

Does this mean that the long sought-after invisibility cloak will soon see the light of day? Not yet, according to Dr Huanyang Chen, who was part of the research group: "In the frequency range in which the metamaterial possesses a negative refraction index, people standing outside the gateway would see something like a mirror. Whether it can block all visible light depends on whether one can make a metamaterial that has a negative refractive index from 300 to 800 nanometers [the visible spectrum]," he explained.

As of today, such a composite hasn't been created. However, the team's findings have revealed yet another possible path to a Harry Potter-style invisibility cloak.

Paper: A simple route to a tunable electromagnetic gateway, Huanyang Chen, Che Ting Chan, Shiyang Liu, Zhifang Lin

The world's best sports car show

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Imagine a sports car show held not in an exhibition center, but at the safest racetrack in the world, so the cars can be appreciated in their natural surroundings, without speed limits. The first “International GT & Supercar Show” will be held at Circuit Paul Ricard in the South of France on September 26 and 27. Exhibitors include Ferrari, Gumpert, Koenigsegg, Ad Tramontana, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, F&M, Morgan, Audi Wiesmann, Spyker, Mosler, Pagani, Porsche, Saleen, TVR, Yes, Venturi, Alfa Romeo Zagato, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Castagna Milano, Maserati, Lotus, Lightning and Tesla.

Auto shows have been with us for a century, and they’re one of the most publicly anticipated events on the technology calendar each year because they directly relate to the average person. You can see all the latest cars in one place at one time, and personal transport is seen as a right in most developed countries. A static display however, is not the ideal environment in which to view or evaluate a machine designed to move, and it becomes less ideal for every extra kmh in top speed that an exhibiting car can do. Accordingly, the upcoming GT Supercar Show’s choice of venue threatens to break the mold for supercar shows – it’s being held at the Le Castellet circuit in the South of France, on a plateau overlooking the Mediterranean.

Le Castellet is the circuit built by Paul Ricard , the man who made billions of francs from the aniseed alcoholic liqueurs, Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis. Ricard’s ability to make money was only rivaled by his eccentricity, and as a motorsport fan, when he retired in 1968, he set out to build not just one of the iconic race circuits in the world, but also the safest circuit in the world. The circuit began hosting the French Formula One Grand Prix in 1971 and remained part of the F1 rotation until 1990. It is known for many things, but the legendary "Mistral Straight" is perhaps the best known feature of the Le Castellet circuit - when it was first built, the gunbarrell 1800 metre straight saw some of the highest speeds achieved on any racetrack due to its length and the afternoon sea-breeze which blows directly behind cars (and bikes) at a significant rate.

Just recently reopened after a major (monumental) upgrade, it is now known as the Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track (Paul Ricard HTTT) and was officially recognised as the first model circuit by the FIA Institute for Motor Sport Safety. Now that all the technical upgrades and refinements are in place, it is arguably the safest racetrack in the world. Rebuilding the grandstands in recent times, it is to hold a round of the FIA GT Championship in October and is again in the reckoning for taking the F1 French Grand Prix. Prior to the incredibly comprehensive upgrade, it hosted 14 Formula One French Grands Prix, 22 Bols d’Or events, and 12 World Motorcycle Championship MotoGP events so it’s likely to quickly return to the forefront of motorsports.

With its innovative facilities, it’s the perfect place to try out a GT or Supercar, and it’s so much more relevant as the venue for a supercar show. We expect the first “International GT & Supercar Show” will indeed create a trend which will be mimicked around the world.

The manufacturers of said GT and Supercars obviously agree with the concept of the show. The following makes will be exhibiting their wares and offering suitably qualified prospective customers a drive at the GT Supercar show: Ferrari, Gumpert, Koenigsegg, Ad Tramontana, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, F&M, Morgan, Audi Wiesmann, Spyker, Mosler, Pagani, Porsche, Saleen, TVR, Yes, Venturi, Alfa Romeo Zagato, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Castagna Milano, Maserati, Lotus, Lightning and Tesla.

The circuit even has its own airstrip for those who need to travel some distance.

NASA confirms building blocks of life found on comets

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Fresh evidence has been revealed to support the theory that life on Earth began in space. NASA's Stardust probe, a specially-designed-comet ‘chaser’, successfully collected particles shed from Comet Wild 2 back in 2004, and NASA scientists have since confirmed for the first time that amino acids can indeed be found on these extraterrestrial bodies.


Amino acids, the building blocks of life, form the basis of proteins and are created when carbon compounds and water are energized by particles such as protons. Samples of Glycine were confirmed by NASA labs after extensive testing. Dr Jamie Elsila, lead author of a paper on the research, said: “Glycine is an amino acid used by living organisms to make proteins, and this is the first time an amino acid has been found in a comet. Our discovery supports the theory that some of life's ingredients formed in space and were delivered to Earth long ago by meteorite and comet impacts."

Stardust gathered samples from the comet’s trail by passing through gas and dust and using a special grid filled with aerogel to collect the debris. This was parachuted back to Earth in January 2006 and scientists have been analyzing it since. "We actually analyzed aluminum foil from the sides of tiny chambers that hold the aerogel in the collection grid," said Elsila. "As gas molecules passed through the aerogel, some stuck to the foil. We spent two years testing and developing our equipment to make it accurate and sensitive enough to analyze such incredibly tiny samples."

Before this announcement could be made, extensive testing took place to confirm that the Glycine did in fact originate in space and to rule out possible contamination from sources on our planet. This research used isotopic analysis of the foil and successfully confirmed that the comet-based Glycine contained more of the heavier Carbon 13 atoms than Glycine from Earth, which led Elsila to announce: “We discovered that the Stardust-returned Glycine has an extraterrestrial carbon isotope signature, indicating that it originated on the comet".

The next stage would be to gather more information from the main nucleus of a comet, which is likely to contain more complex mixtures of amino acids at higher levels. This is predictably quite tricky to do, though NASA is optimistic that Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft, the first designed to orbit and land on a comet, will successfully achieve its goal when it reaches Comet 67P in 2014, after a ten-year journey.

Peugeot's frugal RCZ Sports Car

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These are the first images of
Peugeot's RCZ sports car due to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September. First unveiled as a concept two years ago, the production model's unique shape houses some remarkable
technology. F'rinstance, an active rear spoiler, a Twin-Scroll turbocharger, direct petrol
injection, variable valve lift and variable valve timing, Hill Assist to facilitate maneuvers on
steep gradients, an intelligent traction control system (ASR),
electronic brake force distribution
(EBFD) and emergency brake assist (EBA). There's also a concept RCZ Hybrid4 which uses a 120 kW 2.0-liter HDi FAP diesel engine at the front and a 27 kW electric motor at the rear to deliver 70 mpg.

Three engines will initially find a place under the aluminum bonnet of the RCZ – all complying with the Euro 5 emissions standard.

A new 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine has been developed for the RCZ, producing maximum power of 147 kW at 5800 rpm and maximum torque of 255 Nm at 1700 rpm (or 275 with overboost).

The RCZ benefits from dynamic acceleration – 80 to 120 kph in 6.5 seconds in fifth gear, and 0 to 100 kph in 7.6 seconds – while fuel consumption does not exceed 7.1 liters/100 km in the combined cycle (less than 165 g/km of CO2).

This 4-cylinder engine combines all of the most recent technology to create a world first: a Twin-Scroll turbocharger for performance and instant response at very low engine speeds, direct petrol injection, and variable valve lift coupled with variable valve timing on the intake and exhaust camshafts (VTi technology), for reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

The RCZ will also be available with Peugeot’s HDi FAP technology via a 2.0-liter engine developing maximum power of 120 kW at 3750 rpm and generous maximum torque of 340 Nm at 2000 rpm.

To obtain this level of performance it has a new generation ECCS (Extreme Conventional Combustion System) combustion chamber, a variable-geometry low-inertia turbocharger, a high-pressure pump allowing a pressure of 2000 bar in the common rail and solenoid injectors with eight apertures.


This engine offers wide scope for driving enjoyment, despite limiting fuel consumption to just 5.4 liters/100 km in the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 139 g/km.

A second petrol engine is available in the form of a 1.6-liter turbocharged direct-injection unit that achieves 240 Nm from 1400 rpm and 115 kW at 5800 rpm.

It offers fuel consumption of 6.9 liters/100 km and 159 g/km of CO2 with a manual gearbox. The RCZ benefits fundamentally from a highly efficient suspension set-up developed from the existing 308 range (McPherson type front suspension and rear torsion beam).

In addition, the car’s ride height and center of gravity have been lowered by 20 mm and 40 mm respectively, while the RCZ is wider (+ 30 mm) with wider front and rear tracks (+ 54 mm and + 72 mm).

The suspension and dampers have been adapted accordingly and, with the addition of wider tires on 18 or 19-inch wheels, the end result is road-holding of the very highest order.

On models featuring the 147 kW engine, the front axle incorporates a special lower anti-roll bar to make the car even more responsive and agile.

Braking, meanwhile, is powerful and durable and is assured by ventilated discs with a diameter of 302 mm and a thickness of 26 mm. The 147 kW model receives discs of 340x30mm.

All models are equipped with rear brake discs with a diameter of 290x12 mm.

To facilitate maneuvers on steep gradients, all versions of the RCZ come with Hill Assist. This function is coupled as standard with ESP which, except on versions with an automatic gearbox, includes an intelligent traction control system (ASR), dynamic stability control (DSC), electronic brake force distribution (EBFD) and emergency brake assist (EBA).

The DSC, ASR and EBA functions can be disconnected simultaneously (ESP Off) so that experienced and demanding drivers can fully exploit the car’s capabilities.

An active rear spoiler also contributes to the already impressive aerodynamic efficiency of the RCZ’s slippery shape – it can be deployed in two positions according to the speed of the car, to ensure an ideal balance between road holding and fuel consumption.

Deeply contoured bucket seats, a sports-themed dash and a jewel-look analog clock make for an inviting cabin. The RCZ also offers versatility, with the boot offering a capacity of 384 litres with additional storage spaces under the floor – this can be increased by folding the rear seat backs down, giving a maximum boot volume of 760 liters. There are also two occasional seats, fully sculpted and perfectly usable, especially since the design of the roof with its double bubble offers extra headroom to these occasional rear passengers.

The RCZ will be assembled at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria – a production center that specializes in exclusive vehicles.

The RCZ concept Hybrid4

Peugeot will also take the opportunity to unveil the RCZ concept Hybrid4 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, based on the power train seen in the 3008 HYbrid4 which will go on sale in Europe in mid-2011: a 2.0-liter HDi FAP diesel engine of 120 kW at the front and an electric motor of 27 kW maximum at the rear.

Remarkably, if this sports coupe was available today, the RCZ HYbrid4 concept car would be one of the most fuel efficient car available. It offers a level of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions previously unheard of in the world of sports cars: 3.7 liters/100 km and 95 g/km of CO2, proof that sportiness can also be environmentally responsible.

Power and torque figures suit the sporty pretensions of the RCZ Hybrid4, with a combined potential power of 147 kW and maximum torque of 300 Nm at the front and 200 Nm at the rear.

Peugeot’s 6-speed electronically controlled manual gearbox, already used throughout the Peugeot range, is combined with the internal combustion engine due to its automatic operation mode and ability to optimize fuel consumption.

The chassis is even more effective as it benefits from the multi-link rear suspension which makes up the rear module of the Hybrid4 technology.

The 2.0-liter HDi FAP engine under the aggressive front bonnet powers the front wheels and the electric motor in the rear powers the rear wheels to create a four-wheel drive system.

PSA Group’s Hybrid4 vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine (diesel) and an electric motor, which can operate independently or together.

The internal combustion engine operates mostly on main roads and motorway journeys.

The electric motor takes over from the internal combustion engine during its less efficient phases, in particular when moving off or when driving at low speed or again on deceleration (energy recovery).

Quantifying the benefits of biofuels

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In the world’s race to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and solve the fossil-fuel shortage, the use of biofuels based on renewable sources is considered to be an environmentally friendly solution to the fuel shortage and global warming. However, there are two sides to the debate, and research from the University of Washington strengthens the argument that some food-based biofuel stocks could be causing more harm than good.

A University of Washington, research team studied how much energy was required to produce corn-based ethanol. The paper describing their findings was based on a year-long study and was published in the June issue of the journal Conservation Biology. The team researched the impact on soil fertility and effects on food supply when fuels based on crops such as corn and soybeans are mixed with fossil fuels. They discovered that the large amounts of energy required to grow corn and then convert it to produce ethanol had a net energy gain that was modest and that corn-based ethanol was the worst offender amongst the alternative energy fuels. Using another crop such as switchgrass, or using algae would use significantly less energy to produce fuel but the technology to achieve this is not fully developed.

"It's foolish to say we should be developing a particular biofuel when that could mean that we’re just replacing one problem with another," said lead author Martha Groom of the UW Bothell.

The paper's policy suggestions are "not definitive at all," Groom said, "but rather each category calls out a question and is a starting point in trying to find the proper answers."

These concerns are becoming more acute with the rapid rise of both food and fuel prices, she said. The issue is especially touchy for farmers who might for the first time be realizing significant profits on their crops, but it also is a serious concern for motorists.

"I've heard about people getting their gas tanks siphoned, and I hadn't heard of that since the '70s," she said. The aim of the study was to evaluate options for biofuel development and to find the most ecologically promising alternatives. The researchers developed twelve recommendations which will help to ensure that biofuels produced in the future will be sustainable and carry a smaller ecological footprint.
    Policy Recommendations
  • Calculate a biofuel's ecological footprint
  • Promote only biofuels that can be produced sustainably
  • Select highly efficient species for biofuels
  • Work to minimize land needed for biofuels
  • Encourage reclamation of degraded areas
  • Prohibit clearing areas for more cultivation
  • Promote use of energy crops that require less fertilizer, pesticide and energy
  • Promote native and perennial species
  • Prohibit use of invasive species
  • Promote crop rotation on cultivated lands
  • Encourage soil conservation
  • Promote only biofuels that are at least net carbon neutral
In related biofuel news, a team of researchers from Iowa State University and the University of Hawai’i discovered that they can save energy, recycle more water and improve the livestock feed that’s a co-product of fuel production by growing a fungus in ethanol production leftovers.

Ethanol production produces a product called thin stillage of which only 50% can be recycled, with the rest normally having to be evaporated which is a costly exercise. The researchers added a fungus, Rhizopus microsporus, to the thin stillage and found it would feed and grow. The fungus removed about 80 percent of the organic material and all of the solids in the thin stillage, which meant the remaining water and enzymes in the thin stillage could be recycled back into production. The fungus can then be dried and used as livestock feed.

This new research has the potential to save ethanol producers millions of dollars every year.

Did salt lakes kill the dinosaurs? And will they kill us?

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A new report by an international team of scientists has suggested that the largest mass extinction in the history of the earth may not have been caused by volcanic eruptions, methane hydrate or the impact of an asteroid as previously surmised. It may actually have been triggered by giant salt lakes, whose emissions of halogenated gases changed the atmospheric composition to such an extent that vegetation was irretrievably damaged. While this is a lot less dramatic than a volcanic eruption or an asteroid, the effect would be no less devastating and may have implications for us today with forecasts predicting an increase in the surface areas of deserts and salt lakes due to climate change that researchers expect will also lead to an increase in the effects of these halogenated gases.

The team of researchers from Russia, Austria, South Africa and Germany discovered that microbial processes in present-day salt lakes in the south of Russia and South Africa naturally produce and emit highly volatile halocarbons such as chloroform, trichloroethene, and tetrachloroethene. They transcribed these findings to the Zechstein Sea, which about 250 million years ago in the Permian Age, was situated about where present day Central Europe is. With a total surface area of around 600,000 km2 the Zechstein Sea was almost as large as France is today. The hyper saline flat sea at that time was exposed to a predominantly dry continental desert climate and intensive solar radiation - like today’s salt seas – allowing the team to conclude that the climatic, geo-chemical and microbial conditions in the area of the Zechstein Sea were comparable with those of the present day salt seas that they investigated.

Based on comparable calculations from halogenated gas emissions in the atmosphere from present-day salt seas in the south of Russia, the scientists calculated that from the Zechstein Sea alone an annual VHC emissions rate of at least 1.3 million tonnes of trichloroethene, 1.3 million tonnes of tetrachloroethene, 1.1 million tonnes of chloroform as well as 0.050 million tonnes of methyl chloroform can be assumed. By comparison, the annual global industrial emissions of trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene amount to only about 20 percent of that respectively, and only about 5 percent of the chloroform from the emissions calculated for the Zechstein Sea by the scientists. Incidentally, the industrial production of methyl chloroform, which depletes the ozone layer, has been banned since 1987 by regulation of the Montreal Protocol.

The team then used steppe plant species to prove that halogenated gases contribute to speeding up desertification as the combination of stress induced by dryness and the simultaneous chemical stressor `halogenated hydrocarbons´ disproportionately damages and destabilizes the plants and speeds up the process of erosion. Based on both of these findings the researchers were able to form their new hypothesis that at the end of the Permian Age the emissions of halogenated gases from the Zechstein Sea and other salt seas were responsible in a complex chain of events for the world’s largest mass extinction in the history of the earth, in which about 90 percent of the animal and plant species of that time became extinct.

What is really worrying though is that, aside from all its other wonderful effects, climate change could also see an increase in the effects of these halogenated gases. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), predicts increasing temperatures and aridity will speed up desertification, increasing with it the number and surface area of salt seas, salt lagoons and salt marshlands, which will then lead to an increase in naturally formed halogenated gases. The phytotoxic effects of these substances become intensified in conjunction with other atmospheric pollutants and at the same time increase dryness and exponentially drive the eco-toxicological consequences of climate change.

While the new theory is just that, a theory, it could be like a jigsaw piece that contributes to solving the puzzle of the largest mass extinction in the history of the earth. Whether the halogenated gases from the giant salt lakes alone were responsible for it or whether it was a combination of various factors with volcanic eruptions, the impact of asteroids, or methane hydrate each playing a part remains unanswered, but the team is adamant that the effects of salt seas were previously underestimated. The team also hopes to show that the recent salt lakes and salt deserts of south-east Europe, Middle Asia, Australia, Africa and America can not only influence the regional but also the global climate. Their findings on the effects of these halogenated gases are therefore important for revising climate models, which form the basis for climate forecasts. And hey, you never know, these revised climate models might provide good news. Right? There’s a chance. Oh, who am I kidding - we’re screwed.

Spielberg Might Produce Halo Movie

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After Peter Jackson left the project due to studio disputes, rumors have it that that Steven Spielberg is currently in active negotiations to oversee the Halo movie production.

According to film site IESB, "nameless studio executives" said that Spielberg was "blown away" by the screenplay written by Stuart Beattie, which is mostly based on Eric Nylunds first Halo novel, "Halo: The Fall of Reach." The novel is a prequel to the first Halo game, and it tells the story of how Master Chief became The Master Chief.

Spielberg didn't comment on the rumor, but Microsoft issued an official response stating that " We [Microsoft] are glad there's still a lot of enthusiasm in the entertainment industry surrounding the idea of a Halo movie. That said, the Halo feature film remains on hold as we focus on projects like Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach."

‘Beauty’ of sunspots revealed by supercomputers

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An international team of scientists led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has created the first-ever comprehensive computer model of sunspots. The resulting images capture the necessary scientific detail but highlight a remarkable, usually unseen beauty.

So far, scientists have determined that sunspots are linked with massive ejections of charged plasma that can cause extremely powerful geomagnetic storms that can disrupt communications and navigational systems.

Sunspots, first studied by Galileo, can also affect weather and influence subtle changes in climate patterns on Earth. Variations in solar output is also attributed to sunspots.

The high-resolution simulations of sunspot pairs will hopefully lead researchers to learn more about the vast mysterious dark patches on the sun's surface.

Scientists leading the research at NCAR and the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany, have published their findings.

"This is the first time we have a model of an entire sunspot," says lead author Matthias Rempel, a scientist at NCAR's High Altitude Observatory. "If you want to understand all the drivers of Earth's atmospheric system, you have to understand how sunspots emerge and evolve. Our simulations will advance research into the inner workings of the sun as well as connections between solar output and Earth's atmosphere."

"Understanding complexities in the solar magnetic field is key to 'space weather' forecasting," says Richard Behnke of NSF's Division of Atmospheric Sciences. "If we can model sunspots, we may be able to predict them and be better prepared for the potential serious consequences here on Earth of these violent storms on the sun." The sunspot research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Outward flows from the center of sunspots were first discovered 100 years. Since then scientists have worked toward explaining their complex structures, whose number peaks and wanes during the 11-year solar cycle.

Before the latest generation of supercomputers, modeling in this detail has been impossible. Now scientists are able to capture the convective flow and movement of energy in the sunspots, which is not directly detectable by instruments.

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation, NCAR's sponsor. The research team improved a computer model, developed at MPS, that built upon numerical codes for magnetized fluids that had been created at the University of Chicago.

How it works

Scientists working on this project have developed new simulations that capture pairs of sunspots with opposite polarity. They reveal the dark central region, or umbra, with brighter umbral dots, as well as webs of elongated narrow filaments with flows of mass streaming away from the spots in the outer penumbral regions.

The authors conclude that there is a unified physical explanation for the structure of sunspots in umbra and penumbra that is the consequence of convection in a magnetic field with varying properties.

The model

The research team designed a virtual, three-dimensional domain that simulates an area on the sun measuring about 31,000 miles by 62,000 miles and about 3,700 miles in depth (which equals an expanse as long as eight times Earth's diameter and as deep as Earth's radius).

The scientists then used a series of equations involving fundamental physical laws of energy transfer, fluid dynamics, magnetic induction and feedback, and other phenomena to simulate sunspot dynamics at 1.8 billion points within the virtual expanse, each spaced about 10 to 20 miles apart. For weeks, they solved the equations on NCAR's new Bluefire supercomputer, an IBM machine that can perform 76 trillion calculations per second.

The accuracy of the modeling was verified by a large network of ground- and space-based instruments.

The new model is far more detailed and realistic than previous simulations that failed to capture the complexities of the outer penumbral region. The researchers noted, however, that even their new model does not accurately capture the lengths of the filaments in parts of the penumbra. This can only be completed when even more computing power is available.

"Advances in supercomputing power are enabling us to close in on some of the most fundamental processes of the sun," says Michael Knoelker, director of NCAR's High Altitude Observatory and a co-author of the paper. "With this breakthrough simulation, an overall comprehensive physical picture is emerging for everything that observers have associated with the appearance, formation, dynamics, and the decay of sunspots on the sun's surface."

Nature can still surprise us: more than 350 new species found in Himalayas

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You’d think there’d be nothing new in the world to discover, but Mother Nature still has a few surprises up her sleeve. According to a new report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), scientists have discovered 353 new species in the eastern Himalayas over the past decade. They include a ‘flying frog’ that glides using long webbed feet, fossil evidence of a 100 million-year-old gecko, and the world’s shortest deer which, when fully grown, stands just 20 inches tall.

The eastern Himalayas is one of the biologically richest areas on earth, a biodiversity ‘hotspot’ at the intersection of two continental plates. Encompassing remote mountain regions across Bhutan and Nepal, and stretching as far as Tibet and Myanmar, the region has been largely untouched by development.

Consequently, between 1998 and 2008, scientists were able to observe and record a staggering 10,000 plant species, 300 mammal species, 977 bird species, 176 reptiles, 105 amphibians and 269 types of freshwater fish. New discoveries included 244 plants, 16 amphibians, 16 reptiles, 14 fish, two birds, two mammals and at least 60 new invertebrates.

Some of the most interesting finds include a bright green, red-footed tree frog Rhacophorus suffry, that uses its long, webbed feet to glide when falling. The oldest fossil gecko known to science, the 100 million-year-old Crestaceogekko burmae, was discovered in an amber mine in the Hukawng Valley in 2008.

And, perhaps most intriguing of all was the miniature muntjac which, at first, scientists assumed was simply the juvenile of another, larger animal. Eventually the 'leaf deer' was confirmed as a new species – and the world’s oldest and smallest deer – in its own right. Discovered in 1999, the miniature muntjac grows no taller than 20 inches and weighs just 25 pounds.

All in all, the WWF report The Eastern Himalayas – Where Worlds Collide makes fascinating reading, if for no other reason than the area is now starting to disappear to logging and agriculture. We may have only just discovered these new species but, already, they’re under threat.

Bacterial computers move towards feasibility

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The Hamiltonian Path Problem is to start at node 1, end at node 5,and visit each node exactly once. (For those without a bacterial computer the answer is 1→4→7→2→3→6→5).

E. coli, bacteria to solve a classic mathematical puzzle known as the burnt pancake problem. At the time the researchers indicated their intention to adapt 'bacterial computers' for other, related math problems, and it appears they’ve been true to their word by solving another classic mathematical problem, the Hamiltonian Path Problem.

The Hamiltonian Path Problem asks whether there is a route in a network from a beginning node to an ending node, visiting each node exactly once. The researchers modified the genetic circuitry of the bacteria to enable them to find a Hamiltonian path in a three-node graph. The bacteria that successfully solved the problem reported their success by fluorescing both red and green, resulting in yellow colonies.

The research team, consisting of faculty and undergraduate students from the biology and mathematics departments at Missouri Western State University in Missouri and Davidson College in North Carolina, USA, say their findings demonstrate that computing in living cells is feasible and illustrates the viability of extending the approach to other computationally challenging math problems.

Who knows? Maybe it won’t be too long before kids are using bacteria to help them with their homework.

First living computer used for flipping pancakes

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US researchers have genetically engineered the bacterium E. coli to coax its DNA into computing a classic mathematical puzzle. Molecules of DNA have the natural ability to store and process information, in fact DNA represents the highest storage density of anything on Earth - French cytogeneticist Jerome LeJeune showed that the amount of information in one strand of human DNA is the same as that in 1,000 books of small print, each around 500 pages thick. Scientists have been performing computations with bare DNA molecules in lab dishes since the mid-1990s, but the new research, reported online in the Journal of Biological Engineering, is the first to do DNA computation in living cells.

A research team, which included members from the biology and the mathematics departments of Davidson College, North Carolina and Missouri Western State University, Missouri, were able to create bacterial computers by adding genes to Escherichia coli, (E. coli), bacteria. The potential computational power of programmed bacteria is immense - “Imagine having the parallel processing power of a million computers all in the space of a drop of water, it’s possible to do that because cells are so tiny and DNA is so tiny.” says Karmella Haynes, a biologist at Davidson College. At the moment however, the DNA-computation system that Haynes and her colleagues designed can only solve problems by flipping and sorting data. So while the system might not be running your laptop anytime soon, it is well suited to a classic mathematical problem known as the burnt pancake problem.

The original pancake problem described a waiter navigating a busy restaurant with a stack of various sized pancakes. Wanting to avoid dropping the pancakes, the waiter needs to sort the pancakes in order by size. Having only one free hand, the only available operation is to lift a top portion of the stack, invert it, and replace it. Finding the maximum number of flips needed is the Pancake Problem. In the burnt pancake variation one side of the pancakes is burnt, and the pancakes must be sorted with the burnt side down. It’s the sort of brain teaser that mathematicians love to crack, but it’s also a metaphor for an important problem in computer science - sorting large amounts of data into the right order by repeatedly flipping chunks of data. Knowing the minimum number of flips necessary will tell programmers when their software has been fully optimized to sort the data as quickly as possible.

In this experiment, Haynes and her colleagues used fragments of DNA as the pancakes. They inserted an enzyme, called Hin recombinase, into E. coli enable it to flip the DNA ‘pancakes’ that are marked by genetic flags. The researchers designed these segments so that when the DNA fragments had been flipped into the correct order the DNA spells out the code for a gene that gives the bacterium resistance to an antibiotic. That way, applying the antibiotic to the colony of engineered bacteria killed all of the bacteria that had not yet solved the puzzle. Only those that had “stacked their pancakes” would survive. The time required to reach the mathematical solution in the bugs reflects the minimum number of flips needed to solve the burnt pancake problem.

The engineered bacteria computed the equivalent of two stacked pancakes as a proof of concept, but Haynes says the researchers are now scaling it up to work for more pancakes and working on adapting the technique to work for other, related math problems.

New 'flow router' may save the Internet from collapsing under the weight of all your v-blog posts

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The prospects of a Future Inevitable Internet Collapse™ has some of our readers seriously freaked out. You know the type -- they live in places like Idaho and Montana, in fortified mountaintop retreats, where they hoard digital media like it was canned food in December 1999. And concerns over bandwidth aren't limited to a lunatic fringe -- no less august a publication than IEEE Spectrum has recently posted an article by Lawrence G. Roberts (who pretty much helped invent the modern router) in which he discusses the state of the Internet. According to Roberts, our current routers are still designed to handle much smaller amounts of data than they are currently pushing. Streaming data only works at all, he says, due to extreme over-provisioning -- "Network operators," he says, are throwing "bandwidth at a problem that really requires a computing solution."

One possible solution is something called "flow management." Instead of routing each packet individually, a flow router attaches an ID to each packet in a specific stream ("flow"). After the first packet is routed, each subsequent packet with the same ID is sent along the same route -- cutting down on time and on the amount of lost packets. Roberts' company, Anagran, has one such device on the market now -- the FR-1000, which he says consumes one fifth the power of a comparable (traditional) router, one tenth the space, and should reduce operating costs in GB/s by a factor of ten. And this, dear readers, may be the key to the survival of the Internet -- that is, until the robots get us.

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The world’s largest and most expensive ship

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Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas luxury c...Image via Wikipedia

Oasis Class ShipImage via Wikipedia

It’s destined to be the world’s largest cruise ship – when launched next year, Royal Caribbean’s US$1.24 billion Project Genesis will be 1,180 feet long, and carry 5400 passengers (6,400 at a pinch). It’s the most expensive ship in history, and it’s longer, wider and taller than the largest ocean liner ever built, (Cunard’s QM II), 43 per cent larger in size than the world’s largest cruise ship, (Freedom of the Seas) and remarkably, bigger than any military ship ever built, aircraft carriers included. In a world where choice of amenities count, Project Genesis has yet anothert trump card – in the the center of the ship is a lush, tropical park which opens to the sky.

We like the idea of living in the same space and changing the scenery outside, be it permanently (residential cruise ships or air vehicles) or part-time (cruise ships). Cruise ships are a relatively new phenomenon, born from reinventing many of the passenger liners made redundant by affordable air travel. Beginning with refitted ocean liners, cruise ships quickly evolved into purpose-built five star hotels, and then being the biggest meant having the most on-board amenities.

With its intention of taking the best of the land to sea the aptly-named Central Park spans the length of a football field. The aim is to make the park a public gathering place like a town’s central park, with pathways, seasonal flower gardens and a canopy of trees. Aiming to give the ship a number of distinct districts, the Central park neighborhood is one of seven neighborhoods to be unveiled on Project Genesis. Each neighborhood will provide vacationers with the opportunity to seek out relevant experiences based on their personal style, preference or mood.

Central Park’s central piazza will be the ship’s “town square” which will evolve from a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere during the day to a gathering space for alfresco dining and entertainment in the evening, where guests will enjoy concerts and street performances. The neighborhood is lined with balcony staterooms rising six decks high with views of the Park below and the sky above.

Surrounding this social space will be an array of restaurants, with choices ranging from fine dining to casual chic. Guests will have the option of an elegant dinner at the new 150 Central Park or a picnic lunch from the more casual Central Park Café, where they can sit outdoors and people-watch. Other dining choices will include: Giovanni’s Table, an Italian restaurant; Vintages wine bar; and Royal Caribbean’s signature Chops Grille steakhouse. Several bars will be scattered throughout the Park, including the Canopy Bar, located at one of two impressive glass-domed canopies, and the unique Rising Tide bar - the first moving bar at sea.

Truly an engineering feat, Rising Tide will span three decks and allow cruisers to enjoy a cocktail as they slowly ascend into Central Park and then descend back into the public spaces below.

“Our brand identity is founded in innovation and on delivering the best cruise vacation through ‘WOW’ experiences,” stated Adam Goldstein, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Central Park is a true evolution of cruise ship design and allows us to provide our guests with not only a more varied selection of balcony accommodations, but also a stunning public venue that will be a central element of the ship, both during the day and at night.”

World’s first commercial fuel cell Unmanned Aerial System

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The world’s first long endurance, commercial hydrogen fuel cell powered Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) will be showcased at AUVSI in Washington on August 11. Developed by BlueBird Aero Systems, “Boomerang” is a electric powered 9kg UAS which can fly for over nine hours using a high performance hydrogen-electric power system from Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies. Named AEROPAK, the self-contained 2kg fuel cell power system from Horizon can deliver 900Wh, at the same time as significantly increasing flight endurance, minimizing acoustic signature and reducing overall size of the UAS.

Unmanned aircraft are used in a variety of military, homeland security and civilian applications. The unique ability to perform long endurance missions with a mini UAS, as presented by BlueBird’s Boomerang, is a great benefit especially for border patrol, infrastructure surveillance, critical assets and environmental monitoring missions.

BlueBird Aero Systems concluded a three-year effort to integrate the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology into a specially designed UAS, developing support systems like hybrid capabilities for system power redundancy, fuel-cell cooling mechanism and more. The fuel cell-powered UAS is already licensed for flights in Israel and is graded as a "matured" system.

Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies of Singapore have been known to deliver the world’s highest energy density performance for PEM fuel cell technology, and orders of magnitude beyond than what is possible today with the best lithium batteries. The company has made significant technological progress in the recent months and believes it currently offers the world’s lightest and most compact electrical energy storage system, which fits very well with the needs of small electric UAS.

Hydrogen-electric powered UAS will bring important new capabilities - reduced acoustic signature, smaller size, as well as increased effectiveness in increasingly important persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Where battery performance limits the effective use of these promising systems, Horizon’s next-generation fuel cell power systems will improve versatility and open new mission possibilities for small aircraft such as BlueBird’s Boomerang UAS. In addition to increasing flight endurance, Horizon’s new fuel cell system also makes it possible to increase the capability of smaller and lower cost aircraft by integrating more power draining electronic devices, such as electro-optical sensors, infrared cameras and laser designators.

Over the next 10 years, industry analysts expect the acquisition market for UAS to exceed USD$44 billion in the U.S. alone. According to Ron Stearns of G2 Solutions in Seattle, WA, “the use of pervasive UASs is increasing because the persistent ISR capabilities they bring are unmatched. Horizon’s fuel cells have the potential to improve the Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) configuration for tactical UAS propulsion, leading to increased UAS endurance or expanded sensor and/or communications-relay capabilities.”

Hitachi ships first 2TB 7200rpm desktop HDD

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PC hard disk drive capacity (in GB). The verti...Image via Wikipedia

Like death and taxes, larger hard drives are inevitable, and the latest biggest, a two terabyte (2TB), 7200 RPM hard disk drive comes from the usual suspect, Hitachi, which also shipped the first 1TB drive back in 2007. The new, colossal, 2TB Deskstar 7K2000 blends high performance and high capacity with low power and other eco-friendly features designed to enable Energy-Star rated computers and other high performance desktop systems.

Leveraging a solid track record for reliability, the new Deskstar 7K2000 is now in its fourth-generation using the company’s unique five-platter design with relaxed bit density and proven perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology. Couple this with an ultra-quiet operation, a 32MB cache and a 3Gb/s SATA interface, and the new Deskstar 7K2000 is the ideal desktop drive for power users, gamers or anyone looking for a big, fast hard drive.

In addition to the new 2TB Deskstar 7K2000, Hitachi GST is also refreshing its high-volume desktop hard drive family. The new 7200 RPM Deskstar 7K1000.C family will deliver up to 500GB per platter, and will come in capacities of 160GB to 1TB, hitting the capacity and performance sweet spots for mainstream desktop applications.

Like previous generations, both the 7K2000 and 7K1000.C Hitachi Deskstar drives feature industry-standard 512-byte sector formatting, a patented ramp load/unload design to increase shock protection, and Thermal Fly-height Control (TFC) to maintain a consistent fly-height during the read/write process for added data reliability. Volume production and worldwide availability of the new Deskstar 7K1000.C will begin in Q3.

Leveraging the company’s eighth-generation power management technology, including power-saving innovations like the Hitachi Voltage Efficiency Regulator (HiVERT™), the Deskstar 7K2000 and 7K1000.C deliver outstanding power management and thermal emissions to help manufacturers meet energy compliance targets for their computer systems and storage-based solutions. For example, the new Deskstar 7K2000 offers 10 percent idle power savings over previous generations, and on a watt-per-GB basis, idle power has improved more than 120 percent. The new Deskstar 7K1000.C is expected to deliver best-in-class power efficiency at 4.4 watts or less idle power, which is the best in the industry when compared to current generation, competing desktop drives.

In addition to being RoHS compliant and low in power, all new Deskstar drives are now Halogen free across the entire family, earning both the Deskstar 7K2000 and 7K1000.C the Hitachi EcoTrac™ classification.


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