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Space elevators, revisited (and even possible)

April 2, 2021
MThomas

“Technical-wise, it’s kind of ready” (Prof. George Zhu of York University)
https://academictimes.com/far-from-science-fiction-space-elevators-may-be-nearing-deployment/?fbclid=IwAR0owexz5xK1IW9ye4FxiocqnrL7DgroSeRaqtgbNwpDVx4RIDVLZSuLWXc

The possibilities…the tether doesn’t actually have to touch the ground. Basically, you put up a satellite with two tethers (one for things going up, one for things going down) and then have a rocket sent up and attach to the tether.

The tether would then push the payload the rest of the way into outer space (as the article points out, space begins at 62 miles above sea level, but 98% of the weight of rockets is used to break away from the Earth’s gravity to that point).

Now, this article was published on April 1st, so I’m really hoping it’s not a prank…

(Also, wordpress looks REALLY BAD today for some reason. Wth? This “block” style is clunky AF and looks more like Netscape ca. 1996)

Apologies for the delay…

February 21, 2021
MThomas

I missed my last post of Bringer of Light. It should have dropped on Saturday, February 20, to bring the story up to Chapter 15.

To be honest, for most of the past couple of weeks I’ve been feeling like I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Things at work and home were just finally getting to me and I needed to take a serious break from life in general. Just way too much to do and not enough time to do it.

And I’m really, really super sick of this pandemic and the government’s completely irresponsible behavior (I’m in Japan, if you’re interested…the LDP is, was, and will be only concerned about their stupid Olympics, which ought to be cancelled and, quite frankly, never held again…complete and utter waste of taxpayer money).

I’ve managed to calm my nerves somewhat, but I think I’ll just rearrange the schedule a bit. Every week is just getting to be too much.

So I’ll see if I can get the next chapter up this coming weekend (Saturday February 27th) and continue the story every TWO weeks rather than every single week.

Sorry for the delay. Stay safe, everyone.

Weebles wobble — and so does Mars

February 5, 2021
MThomas

Looks like Mars doesn’t spin perfectly on its axis. In fact, it wobbles.

And no one knows why.

This makes Mars only the second planet in our solar system to exhibit what’s called the “Chandler wobble.”

The other planet?

Why, Earth, of course.

(And, no, nobody knows why. Hmm. Chandler?)

Blue Jets, Red Sprites, Trolls, and Elves in Space

January 25, 2021
MThomas

“Blue jets” rise up from clouds.

Above the lightning, “red sprites” can be seen (plasma discharges).

Known about since 1886, not photographed until 1989….and now known to occur on Jupiter.

Check out this page for some amazing photos…

“NASA captures blue jets and red sprites above thunderstorms from space” (somebody needs to help Forbes with its grammar…”from space” is a misplaced modifier…)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2021/01/25/nasa-captures-blue-jets-and-red-sprites-above-thunderstorms-from-space/?utm_medium=40digest.intl.carousel&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign&sh=5a7c63a71d98

How to get a new tooth in Japan

January 23, 2021
MThomas

Note: the screw is nowhere near this big.

This past Thursday I got a metal spike screwed into my jaw.

And it hurt.

But not as badly as I feared. To be honest, it’s all my fault. Well, all my 20-year-old-self’s fault. Too much soda and not enough brushing and flossing in college.

Damn you, Dr. Pepper!

A ‘Megasatellite’ Orbiting Ceres Would Make a Fine Home For Humans, Scientist Says

January 22, 2021
MThomas

Ha! I knew it.

Well, OK, I guessed it.

And added miners.

And space pirates.

Whatever.

https://www.sciencealert.com/could-humans-live-in-a-megasatellite-settlement-around-dwarf-planet-ceres?fbclid=IwAR08gSQ8savsJSsMt4aaTYS-DHwy7z-MhzyBR7-btnSejMig-m0anKMk6RI

Xenobots: Self-healing organic “robots”

January 6, 2021
MThomas

Xenobots could be used to clean up radioactive waste, collect microplastics in the oceans, carry medicine inside human bodies, or even travel into our arteries to scrape out plaque. The xenobots can survive in aqueous environments without additional nutrients for days or weeks — making them suitable for internal drug delivery.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/13/us/living-robot-stem-cells-intl-hnk-scli-scn/index.html?fbclid=IwAR0QfYHsd6BzLeuiQdTomcmaJua7SQbNfI-I9qyLUqDio8M60JF-gPjgGg0

Sounds great. After all, what could go wrong?

(At least it couldn’t get any worse than things already are…well, maybe…)

The Galactic Federation has spoken

December 8, 2020
MThomas

Presented without comment. #GalacticFederation #SpaceTheFinalFrontier #ReeducationAwaits #MarsRising #SpaceOrBust #Fnord

Psyche! Uh, no, sorry, that’s not really how “value” is determined…

October 30, 2020
MThomas

“Artist’s depiction” = “we don’t really know, actually, but isn’t this cool?”

Even more intriguing, the asteroid’s metal is worth an estimated $10,000 quadrillion (that’s 15 more zeroes), more than the entire economy of Earth.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/10/29/metal-asteroid-psyche-nasa-hubble-images/6069223002/

Leave it to USA Today—the paragon of journalistic integrity and unvarnished truth reporting—to grossly exaggerate “value.”

Imagine if someone dumped several hundred thousand tons of nickel and iron on the market?

It would immediately make nickel and iron worthless. Simple supply and demand. So it’s not monetary value that is important.

How do we create vehicles and domiciles for a space-faring future while avoiding the exorbitant cost of getting them into space in the first place? It’s the cost and weight of rocket fuel that’s the issue.

Solution: Build everything in space. No need to bring anything back to Earth.

Not needed now. Maybe someday.

Thank you to my new followers – drop me a line!

October 29, 2020
MThomas

Dropping a shoutout to all my followers, old and new. Thanks for reading!

I’m preparing this week’s installment of Bringer of Light (Chapter 3, Part 2), all the while scouring the web for science and tech news to share.

Anything you want to see shared (or want to share)? Comments on the story so far? Something you want to rant about? (No politics please! Waaay too much of that at home right now. I’d rather keep my head in the stars when possible…)

Bringer of Light: Chapter 3, Part 2 – dropping at 7 p.m. EDT October 31st. No Halloween theme, sorry (that’s a separate post 🎃).

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