Neat tool: Wolfram Alpha Integral Calculator

http://integrals.wolfram.com/index.jsp

Really slick.

I'll have to play with this some, though I am sure many already know about it, I just discovered it today.

Interesting tidbit about Radio Telescope & Solar Flares

http://www.gizmag.com/mwa-radio-telescope-solar-flares/25300/

Might wonder why I am blogging this here, since this is directly related to gaming.

Reason is that it is connected to Cyber Security, though loosely, power grid and communications are very vulnerable to Solar Flares and Solar Storms.

This project will help with some threats, but it can't really do anything to protect power grid from massive Solar Flare.

IMHO the overall security of the Power Grid, Communications, and Internet should consider all hazards or threats.

While striving for integrated solutions.

See these links for more on massive Solar Flares and damage they can do:

• NASA "A Super Solar Flare" http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2008/06may_carringtonflare/
• Solar Storm of 1859 (AKA Carrington Flare) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859

Interesting Article "Internship at CERN"

http://www.quantumdiaries.org/2012/11/28/internship-at-cern-as-seen-from-both-sides/

They mention other Internship and job opportunities at CERN.

Cool, pretty, Sad

http://findlaydonnan.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/glowing-firefly-squid-beached-along-the-japanese-coast/

Via Schneier's Blog http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2012/09/friday_squid_bl_344.html

If your not familiar with Bruce Schneier's blog you should check it out, he is a gosu Security & Crypto person, your probably familiar with Truecrypt that he, and others, have worked on.

Random Wikipedia of the Day (RWotD): Steam Car, not just a Cyberpunk theme

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_car

I am labeling this a Random Wikipedia of the Day (RWotD), though it isn't really random for me, I have been interested in Steam powered Cars for a long time.

I also know Bruce Bethke who you could argue created Cyberpunk.  If your into Cyber punk you should read his comments on it http://brucebethke.com/articles/re_cp.html

Though I don't think we ever talked about Cyberpunk, we talked more about Technical Writing, since we both have done that, and his experiences working with Hollywood for a book tie in with a movie.

Since this is a RWotD post might as well add Bruce's Wikipedia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Bethke 

Course if Bruce reads this he will probably be going who the heck is Cliff, if he remembers me, we only talked at couple of parties thrown by mutual friend, he knows me by my real name or my other nick name ^_^

Now back to steam powered cars.

Steam, aka External Combustion Engine ECE for short, cause the combustion/burning occurs on the "outside" of the actual engine (Pistons or Turbine) vs Internal Combustion Engines, ICE for short, like the more familiar Gas/Petrol & Diesel engines, where the combustion/burning occurs inside the pistons provides some real benefits.

Steam engines allows for pretty easy multifuel use, you can use Propane, Petrol, Diesel, Hydrogen, etc. and can switch between those fuels easily.

Because the fuel is just used to heat the water, you can also use many different types of fuels, a Steam Engine's Boiler is somewhat like a hot water heater or Teapot, only higher temperature.

The tea pot or Boiler doesn't care if you use a Gas,  Electricity, Propane, Charcoal, or Alcohol.


Fact is you can even use the heat from radioactive decay for steam generation, that is actually how Nuclear Power Plants work to make electricity.

Downsides to Steam power is that you can't just turn them on and go, as general rule, just like a teapot you need to wait a little while for the water to heat up enough to produce steam before you can move.

But a Steam Electric Hybrid would solve that problem easily!

The Battery would provide power to move right away, while the Boiler builds up Steam.

Since it would be trivially easy to make a dual fuel Steam engine (just put in two separate burners & fuel tanks), this type of car would also allow for a painless transition AWAY from Oil based fuels.

One burner & fuel tank could be made to use Diesel or Gasoline,  while the second burner & dank could use a cleaner and/or more renewable fuel like Wood Pellets or Bio Mass Pellets for now, perhaps Hydrogen later.

That would allow you to use Green Fuel as much as possible, while still being able to refuel with normal Gas/Petro/Diesel if needed!

While your at it, why not add TEG (Thermal Electrical Generation) http://tegpower.com/ which is something like a high output thermocouple, to the exhaust or boiler for a bit more efficiency and electricity?

If you think TEG looks neat, you can buy a BioLite CampStove or HomeStove and start charging your iPod, iPhone, or Android device with fire.

Nerd News: Curiosity Lands on Mars

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/mars/curiosity_news3.html

Nerd News: Higgs Boson

The Higgs Boson discovery, announced July 4, 2012 is big news in science, but if your not a Physicist you are probably wondering what the big deal is, this youtube from MinutePhysics does a good job of explaining it IMO.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

https://twitter.com/#!/neiltyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a smart, sharp dressed, uber Nerd, what more reason do you need to follow him on Twitter? 

Not to mention he took out a planet without even having a Deathstar.

^_^

Gamers Solving Problems for Scientists

From the Journal Nature.  The Game can be found here at http://fold.it/portal/ now you can tell people you game for Science as well as Charity

Something Important in SC2's growth: Starcraft 2 Science: Skillcraft's Study

An Academic thread, by Mark Blair (CRUSHDOG5), on Teamliquid, about a study that SC2 players of all levels can participate in, link for the study is here.


Related link from Mark Blair.