On My 25th 2017, in a report published in the journal Science, researchers from NASA announced their findings taken from data and photos from their Juno spacecraft. Juno has been orbiting Jupiter since July of 2016. The craft which is in a polar orbit has discovered that Jupiter is a very complex world. New data and photos have revealed that Jupiter's poles are a swirling sea of storms, while the planet has a stronger magnetic field then once believed.
Juno's Junocam and its instruments show that there are massive cyclones and vortexes spinning at Jupiter's north and south poles. Some of these storms measure 800 miles in diameter. The images show that these storms are densely packed together so that they are touching each other. At present, the researchers have no idea how the storms are formed or why the north pole looks different from the south pole.
The instruments aboard Juno have discovered a super deep band of ammonia that surrounds Jupiter's equator. The region has its own climate and researchers can't yet tell just how deep the ammonia band extends. Juno has also discovered Jupiter's magnetic field is not evenly distributed, being stronger in some areas and weaker than others. The researchers believe that this may suggest dynamo action at the planet's surface. Jupiter's magnetic field measures at 7.766 gauss which is 10 times greater that of the Earth's
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Paper Thin Microphones And Speakers
On May 16th 2017, in a paper published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers announced that they have created a new paper thin material that is capable of generating energy from human motion. The material is also capable of acting as a loudspeaker or microphone. The new device is the brainchild and audio breakthrough of nanotechnology scientists working at Michigan State University.
The new material is called a FENG or ferroelectret nanogenerator. It is made of a silicone wafer with several layers of silver, polyimide, and polypropylene electret. Each layer has ions added that hold charged particles. Mechanical energy or human motion is converted into electrical energy when the material is compressed. The FENG material is bidirectional with the ability to turn electrical energy into mechanical energy.
Because the FENG material is so sensitive to vibrations, the researchers believe that their device could one day be used in voice recognition applications. By embedding their material into another object or material, the FENG material can be patched to an audio device, subsequently turning that object or material into a loudspeaker. The researchers say that their breakthrough may also one day make voice activated newspapers, noise cancelling sheets, and voice protected wearables possible.
The new material is called a FENG or ferroelectret nanogenerator. It is made of a silicone wafer with several layers of silver, polyimide, and polypropylene electret. Each layer has ions added that hold charged particles. Mechanical energy or human motion is converted into electrical energy when the material is compressed. The FENG material is bidirectional with the ability to turn electrical energy into mechanical energy.
Because the FENG material is so sensitive to vibrations, the researchers believe that their device could one day be used in voice recognition applications. By embedding their material into another object or material, the FENG material can be patched to an audio device, subsequently turning that object or material into a loudspeaker. The researchers say that their breakthrough may also one day make voice activated newspapers, noise cancelling sheets, and voice protected wearables possible.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
The MP3 Format Is Done
On May 11th 2017, the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits announced that it was ending its licensing program for the MP3 audio codec. In the wake of their decision, more modern codecs such as AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) and MPEG-H will become the de facto standards for music downloads and mobile video streaming. Fraunhofer also figured prominently in the development of the ACC file type which is used today by iTunes, YouTube, Nokia, and others.
Fraunhofer began developing the MP3 technology in the late 1980's, but by 1995 licensing of the codec was minimal. At that point the company began giving away the software that consumers needed to turn CDs into MP3s. After that, the MP3 format became widely popular. In 2001 Apple released the iPod which lead to even more success of the MP3, as it allowed consumers to buy music downloads and not only store them but also play them right from the device.
It's already being said that the MP3 is not dead, as many believe that just as the CD ROM didn't cause the floppy disc to completely disappear, the MP3 will no doubt take it's time fading from the spotlight. In the meantime newer more advance codecs such as FLAC and OGG Vorbis, as well as high resolution 24bit 192kHz files will undoubtedly have no trouble filling in the void left by the MP3's departure.
Fraunhofer began developing the MP3 technology in the late 1980's, but by 1995 licensing of the codec was minimal. At that point the company began giving away the software that consumers needed to turn CDs into MP3s. After that, the MP3 format became widely popular. In 2001 Apple released the iPod which lead to even more success of the MP3, as it allowed consumers to buy music downloads and not only store them but also play them right from the device.
It's already being said that the MP3 is not dead, as many believe that just as the CD ROM didn't cause the floppy disc to completely disappear, the MP3 will no doubt take it's time fading from the spotlight. In the meantime newer more advance codecs such as FLAC and OGG Vorbis, as well as high resolution 24bit 192kHz files will undoubtedly have no trouble filling in the void left by the MP3's departure.
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Early Man May Have Had An Ancient Cousin
On May 9th 2017, the scientists who discovered the species Homo Naledi announced in the journal eLife two new findings. They say that they have determined a younger age for their original find, and that they have found a second cave full of skeletal remains. The Naledi remains were first discovered in 2013 in a cave near Johannesburg, South Africa, by a team of researchers led by paleoanthropologist Lee Berger of University of Witwatersrand.
Dr. Berger and his team believe the bones from the earlier find in what's been called the Rising Star Cave, are from between 236,000 and 335,00 years ago. If this is true, then Naledi roamed Africa at the same time as Homo Sapiens. This means that while modern humans were evolving from large brained ancestors, a smaller brained version had managed to survive from a much earlier period, that may extend back some 2 million years.
The fossils' age range overlaps the early Middle Stone Age. Dr. Berger and his team speculate that it's possible that the stone-tool record from South Africa may not be just from modern humans. The team also discovered skeletal remains in a second chamber at the cave site that they are calling the Lesedi Chamber. As many as 130 specimens were recovered that are believed to represent two adults and one child. One of the male skeletons is preserved in a state comparable to the Lucy skeleton.
Dr. Berger and his team believe the bones from the earlier find in what's been called the Rising Star Cave, are from between 236,000 and 335,00 years ago. If this is true, then Naledi roamed Africa at the same time as Homo Sapiens. This means that while modern humans were evolving from large brained ancestors, a smaller brained version had managed to survive from a much earlier period, that may extend back some 2 million years.
The fossils' age range overlaps the early Middle Stone Age. Dr. Berger and his team speculate that it's possible that the stone-tool record from South Africa may not be just from modern humans. The team also discovered skeletal remains in a second chamber at the cave site that they are calling the Lesedi Chamber. As many as 130 specimens were recovered that are believed to represent two adults and one child. One of the male skeletons is preserved in a state comparable to the Lucy skeleton.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Humans May Have Lived In North America 130,000 Years Ago
On April 26th 2017, archaeologists announced that they had found evidence that humans may have lived in North America 130,000 years ago. A study posted in the journal Nature stated that the recovery of mastodon bones discovered in southern California showed signs that humans may have attacked the animal near the time of its demise. The study has sparked a debate about humans living on the continent 115,400 years before humans were believed to be in North America.
The fossils were first discovered near a freeway construction site in San Diego in 1992. The location of the mastodon's remains has been named the Cerutii Mastodon Site, after Richard Cerutii, the paleontologist who made the discovery. The animal bones, tusks, and molars were found buried along with stone tools which included hammers and anvils believed to have been used in either extraction of bone marrow, or raw materials for making such tools.
Thomas Demere, Steven Holen, and a team of researchers from the San Diego Natural History Museum, examined the mastodon remains using a technique called, "uranium-thorium dating. This process allowed them to arrive at a date of 130,000 years. Further study of the bones and teeth revealed that some of the remains had a pattern of breakage called "spiral fracturing." The team says that this occurs when the bones are fresh.
They also say that some of the bones show signs of being smashed with very hard objects. Other researchers, such as John McNabb of the University of South Hampton, say that, "Until we actually find a skeleton at this site, or at a site of a comparable age in the Americas, it's all an open speculation and we just don't know."
The fossils were first discovered near a freeway construction site in San Diego in 1992. The location of the mastodon's remains has been named the Cerutii Mastodon Site, after Richard Cerutii, the paleontologist who made the discovery. The animal bones, tusks, and molars were found buried along with stone tools which included hammers and anvils believed to have been used in either extraction of bone marrow, or raw materials for making such tools.
Thomas Demere, Steven Holen, and a team of researchers from the San Diego Natural History Museum, examined the mastodon remains using a technique called, "uranium-thorium dating. This process allowed them to arrive at a date of 130,000 years. Further study of the bones and teeth revealed that some of the remains had a pattern of breakage called "spiral fracturing." The team says that this occurs when the bones are fresh.
They also say that some of the bones show signs of being smashed with very hard objects. Other researchers, such as John McNabb of the University of South Hampton, say that, "Until we actually find a skeleton at this site, or at a site of a comparable age in the Americas, it's all an open speculation and we just don't know."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)