Curiosity Rover Finds Building Blocks Of Life On Mars

On December 16th 2014, NASA announced that its Curiosity Rover had discovered organic molecules in an ancient rock on the surface of Mars. The molecules which consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are the building blocks of life on Earth. NASA further stated that this is not necessarily an indication of life previously existing on Mars, as the same molecules can be created from chemical processes that do not involve life.

NASA also announced that Curiosity had detected a momentary increase in methane in the Martian atmosphere. Methane is a common gas found on Earth and is produced in good quantities by people and animals. The presence of methane could be an indication of possible life on Mars, in the past or present. However, NASA feels that it is too soon to consider the temporary spike in methane as proof that micro organisms, which also produce methane, are a possible cause.

In another report, NASA revealed that Curiosity had also discovered water molecules in a Martian rock sample. The rock, called Cumberland was drilled into and analyzed by Curiosity's SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars) equipment. It is believed that the water molecules were bound into the rock some three billion years ago and were freed when heated by the SAM analysis.

Though all of the recent findings made by the Curiosity Rover may not mean that life exists, or ever existed on Mars, they are none the less, fascinating at best.

The Coming Of Quantum Dot TV

On December 16th 2014, LG announced the release of its new Quantum Dot televisions. The QD equipped TVs will also be 4K or Ultra High Definition as well. LG says that the new Quantum Dot technology will improve color reproduction.

Quantum Dot technology is a new back lighting scheme for LCD TVs. Quantum Dots are essentially nano crystal semiconductors that are only about 50 atoms in size. LCD TVs use LEDs for back lighting. These LEDs use a yellow phosphor to create white light. This reduces the intensity of hues in the red wavelengths. A cleaner source of white light was sought after, and that's where Quantum Dots come in.  Quantum Dots are basically phosphorescent crystals that glow when you shine light on them.

TV manufacturers are using a sheet of film saturated with Quantum Dots, They've replaced the yellow phosphor coated LEDs with a blue LED.  The Quantum Dots can be engineered to glow in a specific color, allowing for very precise shades of red and green to be obtained. The light from the blue LED is combined with the glowing red and green Quantum Dots to produce a white light with fewer transient peaks. The result is brighter, more accurate colors.

Those who are interested in finding out more about the new Quantum Dot TVs can do so at the CES ( Consumer Electronics Show), on January 6th 2015, in Las Vegas.

Orion Marks New Era In Space Exploration

On December 5 2014, NASA successfully launched its Orion spacecraft  into space. The launch marked NASA's return to space exploration. The spacecraft lifted off aboard a Delta IV Heavy Rocket to a height of 3,600 miles above the Earth, for an unmanned test flight that lasted 4.5 hours.

The Orion space craft which was built by Lockheed Martin, is a return to the capsule design that was used in the Apollo missions. The Orion is 16.5 feet in diameter which is 1.5 times larger then the Apollo capsules, and is designed to seat up to six crew members. Like the Apollo spacecrafts, the Orion will also be joined to a service module which was built by the European Space Agency. The service module will contain foldout solar panels for electricity, oxygen for life support, and rocket engines for propelling the spacecraft.

At the end of its flight, Orion returned to Earth at a speed of 20,000 miles per hour as its heat shield brought it successfully through the atmosphere. Its huge main parachutes brought it to a safe splash down in the Pacific Ocean. Orion is not scheduled to fly again until a scheduled launch in 2017, when it will make an unmanned flight to and around the moon. At that time it is expected to use the Space Launch Systems rocket to lift it into space.

Orion's primary mission goal is a manned flight to Mars. However, no manned flights are scheduled until 2021.

Machine Turns Water Into Fuel

On November 18th 2014, A German company, Sunfire GmbH, announced that it had created a machine that can turn water and carbon dioxide into synthetic fossil fuels. The machine uses Power-to-Liquids technology to reassemble hydrogen and carbon molecules into synthetic petrol, diesel, and kerosene.

Sunfire GmbH used a technique that was based on the Fischer-Tropsch process that was developed in 1925. They also used solid oxide electrolyser cells to turn water into steam. The oxygen was then removed from the steam leaving only the hydrogen. Then carbon dioxide that was either harvested from the atmosphere, precipitated at biogas facilities, or retrieved by using waste gas processing, was converted into carbon monoxide.

The hydrogen and carbon monoxide was then synthesized into high purity fuels using Power-to-Liquids technology. The remaining excess heat was then used to create more steam, there by perpetuating the process. Sunfire GmbH says that this ensures an efficiency rate of 70%.

The machine, at this point is only for demonstration and feasibility purposes. It has a capacity for recycling Co2 at a rate of about 3.2 tons per ton of fuel created and the ability to create one barrel of fuel per day.  

Lunar Mission One

On November 19th 2014, it was announced that a Kickstarter campaign had begun for Lunar Mission One. Lunar Mission One is the brain child of a UK based team called Lunar Missions LTD. the project plans to bury a time capsule containing digital memory boxes at the moon's south pole.

Lunar Mission One will be in two parts, a public and a private archive. An unmanned robotic lander will be sent to the moon to drill the rock at it's southern pole region. Scientist will have a chance to explore a previously unexplored area of rock that could date back to the beginning of the solar system, some 4.5 billion years ago. The time capsule will be laid after several months of drilling.

The Kickstarter campaign raised $313,000 in its first 24 hours and has managed to garner $500,000 as of November 26th, 2014. The goal is to raise $950,000 by December 18th, 2014. Minimum pledges are set at $1.50, but for $94 or more anyone can reserve a space in the public archive. The expected launch of Lunar Mission One is 2024.

Google's YouTube Music Key Becomes Reality

On November 17th 2014 the long rumored music streaming service from Google became a reality, as Google announced the release of its YouTube Music Key. The streaming service is being offered both as an ad supported version and an ad free subscription version.

The ad sponsored version, YouTube Music, will now offer not only your favorite songs but will allow users to stream full albums. After finalizing deals with the major labels, YouTube Music now has access to an extensive catalog of music that reaches across a wide array of genres. If there is a video for a particular song, the clip will play as usual. If the song doesn't have a video, then the listener will watch an "Art Track," which is simply a clip of the album art for that particular song.

The ad free subscription version, YouTube Music Key, is being offered right now for a promotional price of $7.99 per month. The regular price will be $9.99 per month. Subscribers will also get access to YouTube's extensive catalog of songs, but will get the added benefit of being able to store there favorite tracks on their smart phones, for offline playback. But wait, there's more. YouTube Music Key subscribers will also get a membership to Google Play Music, its music only subscription service.

YouTube Music Key is currently in beta. You can ask for an invitation, and if you're lucky enough to get one, you will be able to try YouTube Music Key free for six months.

Lytro's Light Field Tech

On November 6th 2014, Lytro announced that it would open up its light field technology for development by other companies. Many companies have been quick to jump on board including NASA and the Department of Defense. The new Lytro Development Kit or LDK is expected to license for $20,000 annually.

Lytro's light field technology is used in cameras and allows the user to manipulate the focus of a photograph after the shot has been taken. It does this by using a light field sensor that senses the direction from which the light is traveling relative to the shot, rather than capturing the light from a single plane. Using the additional software, a user can pivot the shot around for a 3D effect or alter the focus.

Lytro released its first light field camera in 2011. Since then it has become a huge hit within the photographic and scientific communities. The camera uses a megaray sensor rather than megapixels for its source of resolution. The technology has great potential for 3D gaming. NASA, however hopes to incorporate the technology into its planetary rovers and other space missions. The Department of Defense is eying the technology's use in it's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate.