Science

Icarus Tech: Is New Technology Flying our Society too close to the Sun?

March 3, 2014 by David Glenn

It’s a complaint that is as old as technology itself. Ever since the first caveman discovered fire, the older generation has been seeing all of the new gizmos and gadgets embraced by their children and grandchildren and wondered what kind of negative impacts these new-fangled devices will have on society.

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When radio first became available, there were those who wondered if it were a blessing or a curse. When the printing press first made possible the efficient reproduction of written works, Johannes Trithemius (a respected polymath) feared the damage that could be done when trained scribes were no longer needed. And even the invention of writing had its naysayers, including Plato, one of the most respected minds ever to live.

Amazon Drones: Automated Convenience That’s Energy Efficient?

February 13, 2014 by David Glenn

When Amazon.com announced recently that it was planning to make deliveries by drones by 2015, it created quite a stir. How will it work? How will the drone find my apartment? Will my e-reader get left out in the rain? How much power would it take to carry large packages?

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The details on how drone automated delivery would work are somewhat sketchy right now. The proposed vehicles have a range of 10 miles and can carry weights up to 5 pounds, which includes 86% of Amazon’s packages. But the 10-mile range would no doubt limit deliveries to big cities. And even then, an MIT professor pointed out that the drones don’t have enough battery life to go 10 miles with a 5-pound package. While the idea suggests energy efficiency, the current numbers suggests otherwise. [Read more…] about Amazon Drones: Automated Convenience That’s Energy Efficient?

The Science of Star Trek

June 7, 2012 by noemi

I can be more stubborn than an mule when I want to be, and I suppose that many of you will be the same when it comes to Star Trek (or replace that with your series/book/movie of choice).

The science of Star Trek, when conceptualized, was clearly science fiction, but who is to say that that science cannot become reality? Certainly, the great minds of our time have worked hard to make huge strides in advancing science, and there ought to be some aspects in the science of Star Trek that have come true (or will come true in the near future). [Read more…] about The Science of Star Trek

The Science Behind the “Old Books Smell”

April 24, 2012 by noemi

That “old books smell” is hard to beat, isn’t it? That particular scent brings me back to my days as a student, when I would spend lots of time browsing the shelves of the library. As the case usually is with university libraries, a considerable part of their collection are old books. And yeah, that smell has become firmly embedded in my memory.

I am pretty sure that I am not alone in this. In these days when even those who like the feel and smell of (paper) books are looking to e-books, the yearning for the old books smell still has a strong following. But have you ever thought about the scientific explanation for this? [Read more…] about The Science Behind the “Old Books Smell”

Entorhinal Cortex: Remember That If You Want to Strengthen Your Memory

February 9, 2012 by noemi

Strengthen Memory — Alzheimers Stimulation

I have been called forgetful so many times that I do not remember how often it has happened. I have to admit that I do have my Dory ((Finding Nemo)) moments. I am sure you have yours, too. How many times have you forgotten where you have put your keys? I bet you have forgotten where you have parked your car as well. These things do happen to ordinary people, and there is nothing we can do about it. Or is there? [Read more…]