The Meaning of Life (Post-Python)

Saltwater Into Fire

Unwired from Wired

Wired Science - Wired Blogs: "Wireless Energy Could Signal the End of Power Cords
By Brandon Keim EmailJune 07, 2007 | 1:15:36 PMCategories: Energy

Bulb Last year, MIT researcher Martin Soljacic caused quite a stir with his proposal for transmitting energy wirelessly, thus dispensing with the jungle of power cords that infest our tech-savvy dwellings.

In a paper published today in Science, Soljajic and colleagues describe their lighting of a 60-watt light bulb with energy sent across a seven-foot gap, proving that such a system is indeed possible.

Soljacic began his search for wireless transmission several years ago after being awakened by the beeping of his uncharged cell phone. 'It occurred to me that it would be so great if the thing took care of its own charging,' he said.

The system, dubbed WiTricity, takes advantage of the tendency of objects that resonate at the same frequency to pick up each other's vibes. Just as the strings on an acoustic guitar vibrate in the presence of notes played on another guitar, so energy can be sent between a transmitter and a receiver with the same electromagnetic resonance.

Soljacic contrasts WiTricity with a radio station's transmitter, which 'emits energy omnidirectionally. Your receiver gets a billionth of that -- the sound information is encoded in energy -- but that isn't good for energy transmission.'
"


How about a tip of the hat to Tesla? Since Soljacic is also Croatian, one would think he'd acknowledge his compatriot's pioneering work in this field...

Solar could go mainstream as China enters market

"Solar power could go mainstream within three to four years as Chinese companies boost production of solar panels and the key ingredient for their function, according a report released yesterday.

Solar accounts for less than 1 percent of the world’s electrical capacity, mostly due to the high cost of manufacturing the panels and the scarce availability of their key component, purified polysilicon.

But according to a study by the Worldwatch Institute, the development of advanced technologies and the emergence of China as a low-cost producer could push solar into the mainstream."

MORE: http://www.earthportal.org/news/?p=155

Recently Unearthed E-Mail Reveals What Life Was Like In 1995

"KNOXVILLE, TN—A 1995 e-mail extracted from the hard drive of a recently unearthed Compaq desktop PC offers a tantalizing glimpse into the day-to-day life of a primitive Internet society, said the archaeologists responsible for its discovery."

Recently Unearthed E-Mail Reveals What Life Was Like In 1995 |

Google's April Fool Ad

How TiSP Works

The breast enlarging ringtone

In The Era of Sentient Things

A member of the Aum Shinrikyo cult in Japan (that unleashed deadly sarin gas on the Tokyo subway system nearly 10 years ago) has started selling a ringtone that he says will make your breasts grow larger just by listening to it. Via Engadget.

It’s a technique involving subliminal effects,” that’s like “positive brainwashing.”

The tune has already had more than 100,000 hits at 300 yen a pop since Tomabechi put on a web site, reports The Inquirer.

You can keep abreast of the story in The Daily Manchuri.