On December 24th 2015, researchers at the University of Colorado-Boulder, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkley, announced that they had made a breakthrough in optical computing. They've created a new micro processing chip that uses light instead of electricity to transfer data, allowing it to do so at rapid speed, while using small amounts of energy.
The micro processing chips of today's supercomputers, desktops, laptops, and tablets use electricity to communicate and transfer information. As processors become smaller, getting down to the scale of an electron has proven to be a limitation. This is due to the unpredictable nature of the quantum world. To overcome this problem, the researchers discovered that light can be sent across longer distances using the same amount of power.
Milos Popovic, an assistant professor in CU-Boulder's Department of Energy Engineering, says that an advantage of using light is that it can be sent over the same optical fiber as that which is used in the internet backbone. He say's that the infrared light that they use is less than a micron, which allows for dense packing of communication ports on chips, giving them a bandwidth of up to 300 gigabits per second per square millimeter.
The chips can also integrate with traditional electronic components and into the current manufacturing process. The researchers believe that the chip will one day give rise to faster computers for business and personal use.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
SpaceX Launches And Then Lands Falcon 9
On December 21st 2015, SpaceX announced that it had successfully landed it's Falcon 9 rocket booster at Cape Canaveral. The launch and landing of the Falcon 9 marks SpaceX's return to space flight after the explosion of a Falcon 9 rocket, bound for the International Space Station in June of 2015, left the program grounded. The Falcon 9 has now become the first piece of an orbital vehicle to make a soft landing after returning from space.
The launch of the Falcon 9 took place a 8:29 pm. Once in orbit, the spacecraft deployed 11 Orbcomm OG-2 communications satellites. 10 minutes after the launch, using rocket propulsion, the booster stage was bought back some 90 miles to a near flawless landing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Center in Florida. In the past, booster rockets were left to tumble back to Earth where they suffered the intense heat and damage of re-entry.
SpaceX is looking to the Falcon 9's successful landing to be the first step in the further development of reusable rocket boosters. Reusing rockets will help SpaceX eliminate 16 million dollars in cost. Recycling engines and the Falcon 9's aluminum lithium alloy booster stage will allow SpaceX to undercut its US and European rivals. Currently, SpaceX's standard launch price is 61.2 million.
The launch of the Falcon 9 took place a 8:29 pm. Once in orbit, the spacecraft deployed 11 Orbcomm OG-2 communications satellites. 10 minutes after the launch, using rocket propulsion, the booster stage was bought back some 90 miles to a near flawless landing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Center in Florida. In the past, booster rockets were left to tumble back to Earth where they suffered the intense heat and damage of re-entry.
SpaceX is looking to the Falcon 9's successful landing to be the first step in the further development of reusable rocket boosters. Reusing rockets will help SpaceX eliminate 16 million dollars in cost. Recycling engines and the Falcon 9's aluminum lithium alloy booster stage will allow SpaceX to undercut its US and European rivals. Currently, SpaceX's standard launch price is 61.2 million.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
NASA And Google Announce Breakthrough In Quantum Computing
On December 8th 2015, NASA and Google announced that they had made a breakthrough in quantum computing. The new computer is called the D-Wave 2X and is currently being housed at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field near Mountain View California. An experiment using the D-Wave 2X found that the new computer can solve a problem 100 million times faster than a conventional computer.
Quantum computing relies on the use of particles called quantum bits or qubits. these qubits can exist in more than two physical states at the same time. Problems solved by a quantum computer are done so as the result of quantum annealing, This is the process of feeding AI (artificial intelligence) or optimization problems into the D-Wave 2X. The superposition of the qubits allows the the D-Wave 2X to examine as many as 1,000 variables at once.
The D-Wave 2x stands about 10 feet high and is about the size of a garden shed. While its awesome computing speed represents a major advancement in super computing, there are a few drawbacks. Quantum computers use particles that are subject to problems with predictions and quantum properties such as entanglement. The D-Wave 2X has to be super cooled to a temperature that's 150 time colder than deep space, which means that a stockpile of liquid helium would also be necessary.
Quantum computing relies on the use of particles called quantum bits or qubits. these qubits can exist in more than two physical states at the same time. Problems solved by a quantum computer are done so as the result of quantum annealing, This is the process of feeding AI (artificial intelligence) or optimization problems into the D-Wave 2X. The superposition of the qubits allows the the D-Wave 2X to examine as many as 1,000 variables at once.
The D-Wave 2x stands about 10 feet high and is about the size of a garden shed. While its awesome computing speed represents a major advancement in super computing, there are a few drawbacks. Quantum computers use particles that are subject to problems with predictions and quantum properties such as entanglement. The D-Wave 2X has to be super cooled to a temperature that's 150 time colder than deep space, which means that a stockpile of liquid helium would also be necessary.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Stonehenge Bluestones Source Identified
On December 7th 2015, a team of British archaeologists announced that they had solved the mystery of the Stonehenge Bluestones. The team, working out of the University of Central London, said that they had found evidence of quarrying for Neolithic stones at two site in Wales. The new excavations pinpoint the location in the Preseli Hills in what is today's Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It is believed that the stones were transported 140 miles to their present location.
Scientists estimate that Stonehenge dates back to about 4,500 year ago, and believe that the Bluestones were quarried some 500 years before building began. Of an estimated 80 Bluestones, 43 have survived to form the inner horseshoe at the Stonehenge site. The archaeologists have determined when and how the stones were quarried, by examining and dating artifacts that were found there.
Mike Parker Pearson, director of the project, and a professor at the University of Central London says, "While we knew the locations where the rocks originated, the really exciting thing was to find the actual quarries." So far the archaeologists have discovered stone tools, dirt ramps and platforms, burnt charcoal and chestnuts, and an ancient sunken road believed to have been an exit route. Carbon dating has place the age of the burnt charcoal and chestnuts at between 5,400 and 5,200 years ago.
Previous researchers have suggested that the Bluestones were taken southward from the Preseli Hills to Milford Haven, and floated on boats or rafts. Professor Parker Pearson believes that the stones may have been taken either by sea around St David's Head or over land through the valleys, using teams of people or oxen. Professor Parker Pearson and his team also believe that Stonehenge was erected around 2,900 BC.
Scientists estimate that Stonehenge dates back to about 4,500 year ago, and believe that the Bluestones were quarried some 500 years before building began. Of an estimated 80 Bluestones, 43 have survived to form the inner horseshoe at the Stonehenge site. The archaeologists have determined when and how the stones were quarried, by examining and dating artifacts that were found there.
Mike Parker Pearson, director of the project, and a professor at the University of Central London says, "While we knew the locations where the rocks originated, the really exciting thing was to find the actual quarries." So far the archaeologists have discovered stone tools, dirt ramps and platforms, burnt charcoal and chestnuts, and an ancient sunken road believed to have been an exit route. Carbon dating has place the age of the burnt charcoal and chestnuts at between 5,400 and 5,200 years ago.
Previous researchers have suggested that the Bluestones were taken southward from the Preseli Hills to Milford Haven, and floated on boats or rafts. Professor Parker Pearson believes that the stones may have been taken either by sea around St David's Head or over land through the valleys, using teams of people or oxen. Professor Parker Pearson and his team also believe that Stonehenge was erected around 2,900 BC.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Estonian Startup Announces Breakthrough In Li-Fi
On November 25th 2015, Estonian startup Velmenni announced that they had made a breakthrough in wireless technology. The new technology is called Li-Fi, as it uses visible light to transmit and receive digital data at speeds 100 times faster than Wi-Fi. Velmenni used a light bulb to transmit data at a speed of 1 gigabit per second in a real world test.
Li-Fi refers to visible light communications (VLC) technology. It can deliver high speed bidirectional networked communications that is similar to Wi-Fi. The term Li-Fi was first used by German physicist Herald Hass in 2011. Hass later went on to create the company, PureLiFi, which claims to be the leader in Li-Fi technology.
Hass' vision is to see the world replace current wireless routers with LED light bulbs. He says that Li-Fi devices will be able to transmit not just one data stream, but thousands. Some other advantages of Li-Fi are efficiency, availability, and security. The same bulb that you use as a light source can also be used to transmit data. Every light bulb being used everywhere is a potential transmission point. And, since light can't penetrate walls, personal networks can only be accessed by people in the same room.
At this time, however, there are some down sides to the technology. Li-Fi doesn't work outside due to being overpowered by light from the sun. Because Li-Fi doesn't travel through walls, you have to have an open floor plan or use Li-Fi to compliment your existing Wi-Fi setup. Also, a Li-fi connection can be blocked by placing a solid object in front of the transmission source. But, even with those limitations, the increased speed is more than enough to make Li-Fi a desirable emerging technology
Li-Fi refers to visible light communications (VLC) technology. It can deliver high speed bidirectional networked communications that is similar to Wi-Fi. The term Li-Fi was first used by German physicist Herald Hass in 2011. Hass later went on to create the company, PureLiFi, which claims to be the leader in Li-Fi technology.
Hass' vision is to see the world replace current wireless routers with LED light bulbs. He says that Li-Fi devices will be able to transmit not just one data stream, but thousands. Some other advantages of Li-Fi are efficiency, availability, and security. The same bulb that you use as a light source can also be used to transmit data. Every light bulb being used everywhere is a potential transmission point. And, since light can't penetrate walls, personal networks can only be accessed by people in the same room.
At this time, however, there are some down sides to the technology. Li-Fi doesn't work outside due to being overpowered by light from the sun. Because Li-Fi doesn't travel through walls, you have to have an open floor plan or use Li-Fi to compliment your existing Wi-Fi setup. Also, a Li-fi connection can be blocked by placing a solid object in front of the transmission source. But, even with those limitations, the increased speed is more than enough to make Li-Fi a desirable emerging technology
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