"Engineering for the Ecological Age: Lessons from History"
John Ochensendorf's Morison Prize lecture exposed some new and old ways of thinking in engineering especially in a structural context. Ochensendorf speaks on different approaches in construction from a context of carbon footprint and life efficiency. He reminds us that all things made have a lifespan. The end of life for all products should be taken into consideration. One example called out is the technology that has become common household artifacts: laptops, computers, cell phones, etc. These technologies quickly become outdated and are replaced, but it is difficult to know what to do with all of the old models and how some of the material in those can be reclaimed. Engineers should have planned better for the end of life of these products and should have been prepared to reclaim the materials from these products so as to minimize waste. Ochensendorf calls for engineers to consider their materials more in the lifespan and impact of their projects. Just because materials are lighter and stronger in some ways, does not mean that the are the best choices for the structure. When one looks at carbon emissions in buildings, older more traditional/natural materials may be the way to go.
Ochensendorf also speaks on the value of first hand experience in learning how buildings are put together. Creativity, experience, and history are all important to consider in engineering. Ochensendorf says that there is a difference in European and American engineering education. Europe has the history and many of the professors of engineering also have the personal experience with engineering firms etc. American students of engineering need more first hand experience in their fields.
Site for lecture
Posted at 12:18PM Nov 17, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
Space Elevator
NASA recently held a contest to find designs for a wireless powered robot which could be used in space elevators. One design was awarded $900K for its design using lasers to power their rope scaling bot. The robot designs were tested on a cable suspended from a helicopter. The winning design is by a company called LaserMotive. This news strikes me for two reasons. The first, is space elevator research. I think it is awesome that NASA is considering technology for such a project. A space elevator would reduce the need for expensive and dangerous rocket launches. Satellites and even astronauts could simply ride up into space on the elevator. The second technology is laser power transfer. I have always pondered the concept of this form of energy transfer, but this is the first research I have heard of on this. Perhaps this could be a viable option for alternative energy transfer methods.
Original Site
Posted at 06:57PM Nov 09, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
NCSU Engineers At Work
A group of Materials Engineers at North Carolina State University have produced a material capable of storing massive amounts of electronic data. The sample, no bigger than a human fingernail, can hold 1TB of information. This staggering feat is achieved by, "a breakthrough using the process of selective doping." The material is an engineered structrue of Nickle and Magnesium Oxide.
This could be the next major breakthrough in data storage and it's happening here at State. The full article on this found below.
Posted at 01:34PM Nov 05, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
Major "Face-Palm" Moment
The article is titled, "One giant gaffe for mankind," and indeed it is. I found this article very disturbing. Apparently, NASA has lost the original images of man landing on the moon. I could not believe this when I saw it. One would think such valuable footage would be placed in the national archives at the Library of Congress. This is priceless history which is now but a memory to those who were around to see it happen. With the original hard evidence gone, The case for conspirators who claim the US did not land on the moon grows even stronger. This is a major mistake on NASA's part and they should be deeply ashamed as I am at such a blunder.
Posted at 12:50PM Nov 01, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
America's New "Green" Wave
A recent article on Gallup.com announces an all time high in public support for the legalization of marijuana. There has been a long standing debate on this issue. Many Americans feel that the marijuana drug is indeed safe for use, especially considering the precedent set by the alcohol and tobacco industries. These industries have long been an integral part of our nations economy, and tobacco in particular has been a strong contributor to the North Carolina economy. Both alcohol and tobacco are drugs. Their use is proven to be detrimental to the health of individuals and even to society. It seems hypocritical to allow these select drugs and to exclude marijuana. Some people argue that pot is in fact less dangerous than tobacco and alcohol. In some states, medicinal pot is legalized as a form of pain reliever. So why is support for the legalization at a all time high now?
One theory, the poor state of the U.S. Economy. There is already a large multimillion dollar black market for marijuana in the U.S.. Legalizing the drug would allow taxation and government regulation. This would give an added boost to economy. This topic should be strongly considered and discussed by the federal government as a way to alleviate some of the national deficit by creating a new source of federal income.
Original Site Link
Posted at 03:37PM Oct 20, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
The Old Debate
I liked this article, because of its controversial implications. Having taken an Evolution class my senior year of high-school, and having a devoutly religious mother who nearly disowned me for taking it; I fully appreciate the age old debate on the origin of species. Such claims to findings as the "Oldest 'Human' Skeleton Found,"create turmoil and religious unrest in many of societies members. This begs the question: why do people strike up such controversy? Yes, there is evidence of transitional forms for many spices. Yes, carbon dating places life-forms here millions, perhaps over a billion years ago. Yes, these bones do resemble human bones and they are carbon dated 3.2 million years old. Yes, such findings tend to make national or international headlines. But why? Because it gets people all wound up and defensive. Such headlines spark debate and editorials and blogs which increase viewers and subscribers to the original source. Profit. News agencies profit most when they bring up controversial topics. So, what does this tell us about human nature? It's okay to piss-off other people when it's for a good cause (an extra buck). Humans gain something from confrontations: at least some of us do. Something to think about.
Original Site
Posted at 07:50PM Oct 01, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
Green Greens
Thank you, "Stumble!" So I stumbled on this BBC article which announced a "New Vertical Crop System" being piloted in England. The system is not unlike the concept behind skyscrapers; using vertical expansion when horizontal expansion is limited. This system is not only a land area saver, but it also more efficiently uses water than conventional systems. This system would benefit places such as England or cities where there is a high demand for fresh produce, but a limited amount of farming space. Looking even further ahead; one might say that this system could be implemented in some form in space stations or space colonies as a way of increasing farming efficiency.
Original Site
Posted at 07:33PM Oct 01, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
Wouldn't want to live there...
Again, I have "Stumble!" to thank for this one. So it seems that scientist have discovered the closest thing to Hell in our Galaxy. A planet with a molten surface of boiling rock. The rock vapor then forms clouds in the atmosphere where they solidify and rain back down to the surface. The mental image is astounding and Hellish. I highly doubt we'll be trying to visit this planet... ever.
Link to Original Site
Posted at 07:20PM Oct 01, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
What's better than Velcro? Try Steel Velcro!
We have the German's to thank for rockets, luxury automobiles, and now steel Velcro. Not your ordinary Velcro, this stuff "can support loads of up to 35 tonnes per square metre
at temperatures as high as 1,472F (800C)." Called "Metaklett," this creation from the Institute of Metal Forming
and Casting at Technical University Munich comes in strips a mere .2mm thick. Metaklett was developed specifically for use in the automotive manufacturing industry, but the applications for this adhesive material are plenty. Construction, manufacturing, heavy duty mounting; all obvious examples of possible applications. Just like normal Velcro, Metaklett is designed to come unfastened and to be reused. This means it can be installed temporarily and repeatedly, just like Velcro. It's the versatility of Velcro, combined with the strength to hold an eighteen wheeler should you decide to tack one onto a wall...
Posted at 03:05PM Sep 09, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
A Look into Aerogels
Though a bit outdated, I found this article rather intriguing. The article discusses various methods of looking into Aerogels using x-ray diffraction. Aerogels are very useful things. They can be used as filters, collectors, insulators, and much more. Aerogels are foam structures of very low density and are very porous. Why is x-ray diffraction to look inside them at their structure necessary? Depending on how the structure is formed/shaped, the gels can be used to accomplish a variety of tasks. One possible application for Aerogel structures is 3D data storage. Using lasers and precision engineered foam structures, it may be possible to create 3D data storage "disks" to be used in computers and other such technology. This form of data storage could be highly efficient and could allow for much more storage space than conventional storage methods. These are only a few exciting possibilities allowed us by Aerogel technology. As research continues with these materials, I am sure more applications will come to light.
Posted at 09:02AM Sep 09, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
World's Smallest Guitar
As a fan of music and nanotechnology, I found this article rather impressive. It seems that the folks at Cornell University shared a similar interest, as they have constructed the world's smallest guitar, a mere 10 micrometers in length out of crystalline silicon. While this feat in itself is impressive, the implications are more so. Think of the advances in materials science engineering and especially in electronics that are possible with such precise engineering. Next, it will be nano-robots repairing capillaries or super fast micro processors that make today's chips look like something out of a Sega Dreamcast. Hats off to the guys at Cornell and how exciting it is to be living in times of such miraculous feats of engineering.
Posted at 08:43AM Sep 09, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]
If We Don't Remember, Did it Happen?
I stumbled upon an article on The Popular Science website entitled, "Is Quantum Mechanics Selectively Erasing our Memory?" I was immediately enthralled and found myself rushing to read the full article. Supposeing the laws of physics work the same way backwards as they do forwards, why then don't we see "ice cubes spontaneously forming in my water." This article suggests that events like this do indeed occur on a regular basis. The human brain, however; does not record the memories of such backwards occurrences. This is supposedly due to a quantum imbalance created by the sight of such events and the way our brains process information. When a "backwards" event occurs, the delicate balance is broken and the images are not stored in our minds. Now I found the four paragraph article on Popsci's site somewhat unconvincing and vague. So I checked out the article the editors at Popsci had adopted it from.
The Guardian Journal sites some names and studies from MIT as the source for these radical propositions. "The Second Law of Thermodynamics," explains that enthalpy of a closed system never decreases. Thus, a dropped glass shatters, but a shattered glass can not spontaneously become "un"-shattered. The problem with this law, is that it, "describes what happens with large numbers of particles." Quantum Mechanics is not necessarily bound by the same laws as "standard" physics. The article argues that symmetry tells us that events in which decreases in enthalpy occur should occur just as regularly as opposite events. The article then describes the "quantum entanglement" which results in the modification of our memories when we observe such events. This theory can supposedly be proved mathematically, though how such a theory can emerge from strings of numbers and equations escapes me.
This article no doubt challenges the traditional conventions in physics and in memory. The problem with this theory is that even if it is correct, it can never be proven with tangible, repeatable evidence. But it's still quite a concept to toy around with and blow your mind on.
Posted at 10:25PM Aug 23, 2009 by ctstackh in General | Comments[0]