Mining and Refining: Uranium and Plutonium
When I was a kid we used to go to a place we just called “The Book Barn.” It was pretty descriptive, as it was just a barn filled with …read more Continue reading Mining and Refining: Uranium and Plutonium
Category Archives: Original Art
Heating Mars On The Cheap
Mars is fairly attractive as a potential future home for humanity. It’s solid, with firm land underfoot. It’s able to hang on to a little atmosphere, which is more than …read more Continue reading Heating Mars On The Cheap
Space Mirrors: Dreams of Turning The Night Into Day Around the Clock
Recently, a company by former SpaceX employee Ben Nowack – called Reflect Orbital – announced that it is now ready to put gigantic mirrors in space to reflect sunshine at …read more Continue reading Space Mirrors: Dreams of Turning The Night Into Day Around the Clock
The Hunt For Alien Radio Signals Began Sooner Than You Think
Every 26 months, Earth and Mars come tantalizingly close by virtue of their relative orbits. The closest they’ve been in recent memory was a mere 55.7 million kilometers, a proximity …read more Continue reading The Hunt For Alien Radio Signals Began Sooner Than You Think
Stacking Solar Cells Is A Neat Trick To Maximise Efficiency
Solar power is already cheap and effective, and it’s taking on a larger role in supplying energy needs all over the world. The thing about humanity, though, is that we …read more Continue reading Stacking Solar Cells Is A Neat Trick To Maximise Efficiency
Dial-Up Is Still, Just Barely, a Thing
In an era dominated by broadband and wireless cellular networks, it might come as a surprise to many that dial-up internet services still exist in the United States. This persistence …read more Continue reading Dial-Up Is Still, Just Barely, a Thing
Avi Loeb and the Interstellar Lottery
Except for rare occasions, I don’t play the lottery. Like many of you, I consider state-run lotteries to be a tax paid only by people who can’t do math. That’s …read more Continue reading Avi Loeb and the Interstellar Lottery
NASA Found Another Super Earth With Tantalizing Possibilities
Earth is a rather special place, quite unlike the other planets in the solar system. It’s nestled at the perfect distance from the sun to allow our water to remain …read more Continue reading NASA Found Another Super Earth With Tantalizing Possibilities
Big Chemistry: Hydrofluoric Acid
For all of the semiconductor industry’s legendary reputation for cleanliness, the actual processes that go into making chips use some of the nastiest stuff imaginable. Silicon oxide is nothing but …read more Continue reading Big Chemistry: Hydrofluoric Acid
Car Driving Simulators for Students, or: When Simulators Make Sense
There are many benefits to learning to fly an airplane, drive a racing car, or operate some complex piece of machinery. Ideally, you’d do so in a perfectly safe environment, …read more Continue reading Car Driving Simulators for Students, or: When Simulators Make Sense