CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-22 13:38:34 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 13 +1s)

“Whenever people stop paying attention to me, I pretend to leave the Solar System.”

Not everybody can claim that he leads an interstellar mission.

2013-05-21 14:18:28 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

+Robert Pearlman from +collectSPACE went to Kansas to see the F-1 engine conservation in progress. Check out his image gallery. It's pretty awesome! 

http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-052113a.html

2013-05-20 17:33:26 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 5 +1s)

Most propponents of giant space projects think that the rational approach will give them the funding required to achieve their dreams: a lot of figures try to support some economic theory supposed to show the interest of the space conquest. But when we read history, we see that the reasons for the successes in space are highly irrational. Just take the latest example: the viral video of Space Odditee, which provokes far more sensation than any NASA powerpoints on technological spin-offs.

2013-05-20 13:41:14 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

For $20 billion in cash I could build you a working fusion reactor.

Steve Cowley, director of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, tells PM that the main barrier is getting government funding

What the hell? What does think interview mean? He is one of the brightest scientists in fusion and he is claiming that we don't have enough money to achieve fusion although ITER swallows huge amount of euros and dollars?
I would find this attitude even arrogant: it basically means that there areno more problems with the physics of confined fusion; all we need is money to solve technical problems! I think that I am not just good enough to understand that all problems are solved.

2013-05-20 13:39:57 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

For $20 billion in cash I could build you a working fusion reactor.

Steve Cowley, director of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, tells PM that the main barrier is getting government funding

What the hell? What does think interview mean? He is one of the brightest scientists in fusion and he is claiming that we don't have enough money to achieve fusion although ITER swallows huge amount of euros and dollars?
I would find this attitude even arrogant: it basically means that there areno more problems with the physics of confined fusion; all we need is money to solve technical problems! I think that I am not just good enough to understand that all problems are solved.

2013-05-20 11:01:32 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

The details on the shutdown of the tokamak Alcator C-Mod are surfacing. It won't be very nice and the US scientist will pay a high price for ITER.

2013-05-15 21:11:38 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 33 +1s)

Next to the mountains, another source of inspiration: the botanic garden. Welcome in Meran!

2013-05-15 05:37:22 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 35 +1s)

One of the best office locations!

2013-05-15 05:23:41 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

Lacking of inspiration? Leave your office, take your car and in three hours you are there, in front of the legendary castle of the dwarf king Laurin.

2013-05-12 21:58:59 (4 comments, 5 reshares, 29 +1s)

With deference to the genius of David Bowie, here's Space Oddity, recorded on Station. A last glimpse of the World. Space Oddity

2013-05-11 11:05:14 (13 comments, 9 reshares, 19 +1s)

I had completely skiped this blog entry from the excellent DO THE MATH

I Like the conclusion

No one can truly say whether we will achieve fusion in a way that is commercially practical. If teams of PhDs have spent over 60 years wailing on the problem while spending tens of billions of dollars, I think it’s safe to use our fusion quest as the definition of hard. It’s a much larger challenge than sending men to the Moon. We have no historical precedent for an arduous technological problem on this scale that ultimately succeeded to become a ho-hum commercial reality. But for that matter, I don’t think we have any precedent for something on this scale that has failed. In short, we’re out of our depths and can’t be cocky about predictions in either direction.

2013-05-11 10:52:12 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 12 +1s)

There are a lot of book to explain the role of sex in politics; but almost nothing about its role in science. There would be a LOT of things to say ;)

2013-05-11 10:45:39 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 9 +1s)

The dream of many sci fi authors. But well, it is just the beginning!

2013-05-11 10:43:59 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

for +Winchell Chung . I think you have already seen the article, but in case: the plasma launcher!

2013-05-11 10:42:41 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

I have just read this blog entry about the necessity (or not) for mathematicians to explain their results. It is very interesting and apply for physics as well. It is tempting, especially when you find a vey interesting and new idea to work alone on it and to develop it as far as you can and to surprise everybody with a complete, finalized coherent result. The risk you get is that you will be disappointed; you rarely surprise people with completerly new results. You need to prepare people, to explain, to go steps by steps to explain each of your theory or of your experiments to your colleagues. Scientists don't make an effort to try and understand a completely new thing, question of time, question of priority.
So, enjoy the reading it is worth it.

2013-05-11 10:38:31 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

It is saturday; it is raining and you have nothing to do in the next 5 minutes? Get passionated for interstellar travel with this short film recommanded by IO9!

2013-05-09 18:18:23 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

Bavaria, spring is coming!

2013-05-07 14:12:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

Life of a particle inside a tokamak

The movement seems to be random but it is not. It is the combination of a gyration aroung the magnetic lines and of the drifts induced by the toroidal shape of the plasma.

A bit more here: https://plus.google.com/110978315648533764743/posts/7z5rbUHMsgQ
and here: https://plus.google.com/110978315648533764743/posts/H73VUx1mDdm

2013-05-07 13:58:29 (2 comments, 7 reshares, 21 +1s)

Life of a particle inside a tokamak

The movement seems to be random but it is not. It is the combination of a gyration aroung the magnetic lines and of the drifts induced by the toroidal shape of the plasma.

A bit more here: https://plus.google.com/110978315648533764743/posts/7z5rbUHMsgQ
and here: https://plus.google.com/110978315648533764743/posts/H73VUx1mDdm

2013-04-11 10:51:58 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

This guy has something against fusion. Not only fusion propulsion but also fusion power plants. Why, it is not clear. Basically, his claim is that since fusion is too difficult we should stop working on it. Well, it is then kind of argument that leaves me cold especially when you wrap it into phrases like "future porn". But it is funny to read it, imagining that his girlfriend has perhaps left him for a fusion scientist. (No, it is not me)

2013-04-07 11:24:35 (14 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

Sculpting is funny; I wouldn't have thought. And not so far away from drawing skills.

2013-04-06 13:07:20 (38 comments, 1 reshares, 16 +1s)

2013-04-06 13:05:07 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Note to self: Must share more, must share more, must ...

We find that, contrary to what is often suggested, scientists active in wider dissemination are also more active academically. However, their dissemination activities have almost no impact (positive or negative) on their careers.

via Carlos Salgado (CERN) and
https://twitter.com/astroparticle

2013-04-06 07:21:25 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

It seems that an experiment is being prepared. Actually, there are several projects at the same time, hence my reduced rate of posting here.
This experiment here will be the test of a new ICRF antenna for the tokamak ASDEX Upgrade.

2013-03-25 20:48:08 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

MIT PSFC professor Dennis Whyte's TED talk, "Bringing a Star to Earth for Energy".

2013-03-23 16:15:59 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

A question to my followers about energy projections. Does somebody know where this picturecomes from. The reference is World Energy Council. But I don't find the exact source data.

2013-03-23 15:06:19 (43 comments, 9 reshares, 27 +1s)

inside a Tokamak Fusion Reactor

2013-03-21 09:53:00 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

Sandia Simulations

It appears, at least in numerical simulations, that using a powerful laser as the heat input source rather than X-rays may allow MIF to get substantially more energy out than was put in.

“People didn’t think there was a high-gain option for magnetized inertial fusion (MIF) but these numerical simulations show there is,” said Sandia researcher Steve Slutz, the paper’s lead author. “Now we have to see if nature will let us do it. In principle, we don’t know why we can’t.”

Paper: http://prl.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v108/i2/e025003

2013-03-16 19:06:57 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

https://twitter.com/Rocketeer_UK/status/312904881189044224

F9 from Vandenberg to fly around to a soft landing -- in the Pacific.

Flight weight Grasshopper v2 with deployable legs.

2013-03-16 18:49:15 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

Having a bit fun with some exotic propulsion systems.

2013-03-16 18:29:28 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

The mobile version G+ is really faster than the app but communities are not integrated into it. Is it on purpose?

2013-03-12 20:03:58 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Hey +Google+, when will the next version of the G+ app be released? This one has the velocity of a jet fighter crashed on the ground.

2013-03-09 19:24:23 (0 comments, 4 reshares, 12 +1s)

A short hisory of tokamaks. Skip the introduction and watch the historical machines!

2013-03-09 17:49:03 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

A short history of tokamaks. Skip the introduction and have a look at the historical machines. 

2013-03-09 12:09:51 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Have somebody read this book? It is a bout the US fusion program.

Another oppportunity to read about it is here: http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/Articles_2010/Winter_2009/Who_Killed_Fusion.pdf

2013-03-09 12:07:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

This is a construction site.(Credits ITER)

2013-03-01 21:17:44 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

An overview of the structure of Icarus Interstellar. It is growing fast, very fast, perhaps too fast. How much timedo they spend in management and PR and in real research?

2013-03-01 19:49:13 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Pretty excited about this.

2013-03-01 19:34:06 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

For those interested, there is now a community dedicated to the 100 years starship project. It is not an official community but I know that +Mike Mongo is deeply involved in all starship stuff.

2013-02-18 20:31:24 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 10 +1s)

Links related to fusion energy

I am trying to compile a list of links of interest for the topic of nuclear fusion. This post will be linked on the left side in the About section of the Fusion community. It is a work in progress, I will regularly update the post. So, saty tuned.  If you have any further suggestions, please add them in comment and I will edit the post consequently.

basic concepts
Tutorial on magnetic confinement http://www-fusion-magnetique.cea.fr/gb/index.html
PPPL FAQ http://www.faqs.org/faqs/fusion-faq/glossary/

tokamaks
Complete list of tokamaks http://www.tokamak.info/
Map of tokamaks https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=203850651638019155771.0004ae26398ac4d2c0ff9&msa=0
ITER  http://www.iter.org/
Alcator C-Mod http://www.psfc.mit.edu/cmod/ ASDEX-Upgrade https://www.aug.ipp.mpg.de/wwwaug/CASTO... more »

2013-02-18 21:19:54 (10 comments, 7 reshares, 3 +1s)

Links related to fusion energy

I am trying to compile a list of links of interest for the topic of nuclear fusion. This post will be linked on the left side in the About section of the Fusion community. It is a work in progress, I will regularly update the post. So, stay tuned.  If you have any further suggestions, please add them in comment and I will edit the post consequently.

basic concepts
Tutorial on magnetic confinement http://www-fusion-magnetique.cea.fr/gb/index.html
PPPL FAQ http://www.faqs.org/faqs/fusion-faq/glossary/

tokamaks
Complete list of tokamaks http://www.tokamak.info/
Map of tokamaks https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=203850651638019155771.0004ae26398ac4d2c0ff9&msa=0
ITER  http://www.iter.org/
Alcator C-Mod http://www.psfc.mit.edu/cmod/ ASDEX-Upgrade https://www.aug.ipp.mpg.de/wwwaug/CASTO... more »

2013-02-17 20:38:32 (0 comments, 7 reshares, 11 +1s)

Funny DIY article about spectrometers. I

2013-02-17 20:28:32 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

That's interesting: I have mainly posted in the Fusion Energy community (https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/107223885409886240145)  since it was the main topic of my posts (It happens that I am sometimes a kind of logical guy). As a result, there is a serious stagnation of the audience.

So, I will takke courageous measures. I will add a picture of a kitty for each scheme of a plasma. And it will be posted in the mainstream. 

2013-02-17 20:21:00 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

So we had in the previous posts the vision of fusion energy from Europe, Korea, Chnia. The opinion from the US was missing. Now the experts have gathered and thought and thought and this is their vision.

2013-02-15 12:52:58 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

An image of the vapour trail (centre of the image) left by the #RussianMeteor  in Earth's atmosphere from the #SEVIRI instrument aboard Meteosat Second Generation.

This image uses data from the High Resolution Visible (HRV) channel of SEVIRI that can produce images with both high spatial and temporal resolution. The data were received and processed by the Earth Observation Group at the University of Copenhagen.

2013-02-14 22:27:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Physics Circle
View profiles in circle: http://goo.gl/lUwbm 
Links to shared Science circles: http://goo.gl/nO7rB

If you have a science related degree, you are a science journalist, you are a K-12 science teacher, or you curate a science page, then add your profile/page to the database (http://goo.gl/yEg7M). Active profiles and pages will be included in the next shared circle.

#scienceeveryday #science #publiccircles #sharedcircles 

2013-02-14 21:11:17 (1 comments, 12 reshares, 21 +1s)

The geometry of music revealed!  The red lines connect notes that are a major third apart.  The green lines connect notes that are a minor third apart. The blue lines connect notes that are a perfect fifth apart.

Each triangle is a chord with three notes, called a triad.  These are the most basic chords in Western music.   There are two kinds:

A major triad sounds happy.  The major triads are the triangles whose edges go red-green-blue as you go around clockwise.

A minor triad sounds sad.  The minor triads are the triangles whose edges go green-red-blue as you go around clockwise.

This pattern is called a tone net, and this one was created by David W. Bulger.  There's a lot more to say about it, and you can read more in this Wikipedia article:
http:... more »

2013-02-14 18:28:24 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Special for +James Pearn!

A good presentation of the pros and cons but +Ed Yong doesn't seem to draw a clear conclusion on the chances of success!

2013-02-14 11:48:21 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

I don't know why, I have the urge to talk about the vendobiont, this organism which could have been the ancestor of a completely alternate form of life on Earth.
When Nature carries out experiments.

2013-02-14 11:46:08 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

My fellow editor Baba Yaga explains how to deal with employees when you are young, rich, intelligent and without experience.
It can happen to all of us.