Archive for the 'Science' Category

Power a LED using pennies!

Published on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 in Science and Technology. Closed

This is so crazy, that i never thought it could work.

In order to turn pennies into batteries, another electrode and an electrolyte are needed. In this case, dimes (zinc) are used as the positive electrodes and salt water is used an electrolyte. Copper wire, galvanized nails, and lemon juice are also popular and cheaper solutions. Such a battery produces a differential of about 0.5 volts.

It works on the same sort of idea as getting electricity from a lemon. The electricity is coming from the salt water (or lemon juice, depending on what you’re using) and the penny acts only as an electrode. Think of it like a wire connecting up two batteries. Never the less it is still cool to see a project like this, I didn’t think that it could produce enough current, I guess I was wrong. There are lots of pictures in the article.
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Watch thermite burn through a car

Published on Sunday, January 22, 2006 in Noteworthy and Science. Closed

This is a really cool Google Video that was taken from the Braniac: Science Abuse series that airs in the UK (a really great show by the way). It has 3 different clips, taken from 3 different episodes that show thermite burning through a car hood and making the car blow up.
An interesting thing to note is that they use nearly exactly the same phrases in all clips. They are quite repetitive from the looks of these clips, though out of all the episodes I’ve seen they haven’t repeated any explosions or experiments.

Levitating wirelessly powered lightbulb

Published on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 in Random Stuff, Science, Shorts and Technology. Closed

Lightbulb uses a special bulb, inside which magnets and circuitry are hidden. Using a magnetic hall effect sensor, an electromagnet, and a [modified] PD feedback system, it floats a lightbulb stably in the air, while power is transmitted wirelessly from the base of the sculpture into the bulb. LEDs in the bulb rectify this AC power and convert it to light. The power transfer functions very similarly to how radio station tuning works and requires a well tuned matched pair of resonant windings, but allows power transmission over through the air.

Taiwan breeds green glowing pigs

Published on Thursday, January 12, 2006 in Science and Shorts. 2 Comments

Scientists in Taiwan say they have bred three pigs that glow in the dark. The pigs are transgenic, created by adding genetic material from jellyfish into a normal pig embryo. [digg]
In daylight the researchers say the pigs’ eyes, teeth and trotters look green. Their skin has a greenish tinge. In the dark, shine a blue light on them and they glow torch-light bright.
The scientists will use the transgenic pigs to study human disease. Because the pig’s genetic material is green, it is easy to spot.

Cool Foam Experiment

Published on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 in Random Stuff and Science. Closed

This is a really cool Google Video I found on digg showing a simple experiment where some liquid is poured into a glass tube with some other liquid inside. This then foams up lots to make a huge foam ‘marshmallow’. Check out the comments on the digg article, as there are some posts there which sort of explain how this works, etc.

BBC’s list of 100 things we didn’t know this time last year

Published on Friday, December 30, 2005 in Random Stuff and Science. Closed

The BBC has released an interesting list of things that we learnt (as humans) over the year that we didn’t know. These are my personal favourites:

3. While it’s an offence to drop litter on the pavement, it’s not an offence to throw it over someone’s garden wall. [details]

6. WD-40 dissolves cocaine – it has been used by a pub landlord to prevent drug-taking in his pub’s toilets.

11. One in 10 Europeans is allegedly conceived in an Ikea bed. [details]

23. In America it’s possible to subpoena a dog. [details]

It really has a lot of funny, unusual and interesting facts. Definitely a worthwhile read.

Sleeping is good – How to get the perfect nap

Published on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 in Science and Shorts. 2 Comments

When billionaire adventurer Steve Fossett broke the record for around-the-world solo jet flight last March, he slept just 60 minutes in 67 hours of flight time — 60 minutes broken into two- and three-minute naps. “I slept when I needed it and awoke refreshed,” he says. Fossett, who holds world records in ballooning, sailing, and flying, adds that none of his feats could have been done without these micro-variety “power naps.”
So what makes a power nap effective? Think of it as an investment with the greatest return in the least amount of time, a kind of super-efficient sleep that fits nicely in a high-pressure schedule: say, between business meetings or in the minutes before a game.

Why Ice Cream Gives You Brainfreeze

Published on Friday, December 23, 2005 in Random Stuff, Science and Shorts. Closed

I scream, you scream, we all scream for . . . ow! That cone of vanilla fudge swirl has done it again: The sweet treat has quickly given you a bad headache. But don’t blame the ice cream. [digg]

LG SteamWasher cleans clothes without water

Published on Thursday, December 22, 2005 in Science, Shorts and Technology. Closed

Do if you want to cut down on those trips to the cleaners, you may want to check out LG’s SteamWasher, a washing machine that also includes a water-free steam cycle that the company says can “remove wrinkles and odors from clothing without the use of water or detergent.” Of course, you’ll pay something of a premium for all those wrinkle-free suits: the SteamWasher goes for about $1,500. So, either way, you’re being taken to the cleaners. [Engadget]

New X-ray scanner speeds up scanning

Published on Wednesday, December 21, 2005 in Science and Shorts. Closed

A hi-tech scanner has been developed which takes images in less time than it takes the human heart to beat. The Somatom Definition machine contains two X-ray scanners so full body images can be taken twice as fast. Manufacturer Siemens said the scanner, which will be available in the UK next autumn, is ideal for diagnosing heart problems because of its speed.