Michael Giberson The KP Texas office is alive and functional, I am relieved to discover, just recently emerged from the end of semester rush and not yet enveloped in the holiday rush. So I’ll try to rediscover my internet legs, re-raise the Jolly Blogger flag, and set sail in search of curious, erroneous, surprising or … More Y’all have a happy holiday!
Michael Giberson I like to watch good movies, and particularly for someone who now lives outside a major metropolitan area, Netflix has been unbelievably useful. Netflix really has been amazing. Return one disk by mail and get another a day or two later. Incredible selection. Recently Netflix raised the price on their DVD/Blu-ray rental packages … More Netflix streaming
Michael Giberson I don’t understand the physics here – it’s some combination of quantum mechanics and carbon nanostructures – but according to this news release from the University of Arizona, it can turn waste heat into electric power. So far the interesting properties have been simulated in a computer model, but not demonstrated in a … More Waste heat into electric power?
Michael Giberson I could have used a Copenhagen cargo bike (see video at linked post) last year when I occasionally carried my son’s baritone horn up to school for him. Come to think of it, I could probably still make use of a cargo bike. Better yet, my son could make use of a cargo bike! Want more … More Cargo bikes in Copenhagen
Lynne Kiesling Steve Strogatz is a professor of applied mathematics at Cornell and a master of explaining abstract mathematical principles to non-mathematicians. He also posts occasionally on the New York Times’ Opinionator blog, and his post on Sunday was a real treat. Using the domestic conundrum of how to flip your mattress to maximize its … More Group theory, visualization, and mattress longevity
Lynne Kiesling Yes, you saw that correctly, a turbine. According to Wired: Jaguar Land Rover is working on the car with British gas turbine manufacturer Bladon Jets and electric motor manufacturer SR Drives. The Technology Strategy Board, which funds business development in the U.K., is underwriting the first serious attempt at a turbine car since … More Jaguar proposes a luxury turbine hybrid vehicle
Lynne Kiesling Check out this cool new data center plan — locate the servers under a cathedral and use the waste heat to warm the cathedral and the neighboring buildings! This is an established system called district heating, which uses a network of steam or hot water pipes to heat distributed buildings.
