Christmas, it seems, has come early for scientists at European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN). Over the weekend, CERN scientists successfully fired up the Large Hadron Collider, expecting their first particle collisions to occur sometime in December. The New York Times reports that the LHC's first collisions took place earlier today.
Clearly, this is cause for celebration for some, as the world has not yet ended like some have jokingly predicted. Then again, there's still time. Over the next few months, the CERN's crew's main priority is to get the Collider fully operational before serious experiments can begin. "Today’s collisions were basically a test of the collider systems’ ability to synchronize the beams," Dennis Overbye reports. In other words, the LHC is still being calibrated. Of course, being calibrated is still better than being broken, as has been the case in the past.
Still, don't expect any huge developments to come from the Large Hadron Collider any time soon. As Overbye notes in his article, in a year's time, the LHC will need to be shut down and reconfigured yet again to achieve its maximum power.
I'm sure by that time we'll see some kind of movie about the LHC going haywire and swallowing half of Eurpoe.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Leonid Meteor Shower! Tonight!
It seems like this time of year is lousy with meteor showers, and the Leonid shower is probably the most notable of the bunch. The meteor shower will reach it's peak sometime around 3:00 AM (Eastern Time) with an expected frequency of 300-400 meteors per hour.
Our planet's orbit directly intersects with that of the Tempel-Tuttle comet in such a way that the comet's debris makes for a brilliant meteor display approximately every 33 years. The last time the comet passed us by was in 1998, which I imagine was a particularly good year for skygazing. Each subsequent year sees the Earth passing through the comet's debris trail, resulting in annual meteor showers.
As always, the meteor shower will be best viewed away from bright city lights, which means I might have to drive out to the surrounding farmlands if I want to catch a glimpse this year.
Our planet's orbit directly intersects with that of the Tempel-Tuttle comet in such a way that the comet's debris makes for a brilliant meteor display approximately every 33 years. The last time the comet passed us by was in 1998, which I imagine was a particularly good year for skygazing. Each subsequent year sees the Earth passing through the comet's debris trail, resulting in annual meteor showers.
As always, the meteor shower will be best viewed away from bright city lights, which means I might have to drive out to the surrounding farmlands if I want to catch a glimpse this year.
Friday, November 6, 2009
$900,000 Awarded to Space Elevator Team
The space elevator is one step closer to reality. Since 2005, the Spaceward Foundation has worked with NASA to sponsor the Power Beaming Challenge. In this challenge, teams compete to be the first to perfect the space elevator, with the grand prize being a cool $2 million.
This week, a team known as LaserMotive successfully launched a laser-powered robotic climber, reaching a height of 900 meters in four minutes. For their efforts, the team were awarded $900,000. According to the New Scientist article, the remaining $1.1 million is being held for a climber that can top five meters per second.
The article came to my attention by way of film critic Roger Ebert's twitter feed, of all places. Perhaps he shares my fascination with the concept of the space elevator? He simply links the article and title; no personal take or anything. It's a possibility, though. The idea of an elevator to space is a pretty cinematic image (to me, at least). The sooner this becomes a reality, the sooner people like Wes Anderson can start shooting movies in space.
This week, a team known as LaserMotive successfully launched a laser-powered robotic climber, reaching a height of 900 meters in four minutes. For their efforts, the team were awarded $900,000. According to the New Scientist article, the remaining $1.1 million is being held for a climber that can top five meters per second.
The article came to my attention by way of film critic Roger Ebert's twitter feed, of all places. Perhaps he shares my fascination with the concept of the space elevator? He simply links the article and title; no personal take or anything. It's a possibility, though. The idea of an elevator to space is a pretty cinematic image (to me, at least). The sooner this becomes a reality, the sooner people like Wes Anderson can start shooting movies in space.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Zeppelin Turns 100
If you're at all a science fiction nerd like myself, then you probably take an unhealthy interest in all sorts of flying machines. Spaceships, gyrocopters, jetpacks; if it's flown in a Hollywood movie, chances are you and I have wanted to fly it.
Recently the zeppelin, perhaps history's most impractical mass transit vehicle, celebrates its 100th birthday. The dirigible was first commissioned for air service by Count Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin in October of 1909. When the German military grew reluctant to adopt Zeppelin's dirigible, the Count decided to take his flying machine public.
The USA Today article describes passengers' experience as luxurious. Adjusted for inflation, a ticket on the first zeppelin would cost about $1,860. While such a vehicle certainly appealed to the wealthy tourist, it wouldn't be until the outbreak of World War I when the zeppelin would see real use by the German military.
Fun fact: did you know that there is a mooring mast at the top of the Empire State Building intended for tethering zeppelins? This was only used once, in 1931, and was then deemed too dangerous. There are photographs documenting the event, and it was even recreated in the opening of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (seen below). The zeppelin may have been a wholly impractical flying machine, but there's still something elegant in its simplicity.
Recently the zeppelin, perhaps history's most impractical mass transit vehicle, celebrates its 100th birthday. The dirigible was first commissioned for air service by Count Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin in October of 1909. When the German military grew reluctant to adopt Zeppelin's dirigible, the Count decided to take his flying machine public.
The USA Today article describes passengers' experience as luxurious. Adjusted for inflation, a ticket on the first zeppelin would cost about $1,860. While such a vehicle certainly appealed to the wealthy tourist, it wouldn't be until the outbreak of World War I when the zeppelin would see real use by the German military.
Fun fact: did you know that there is a mooring mast at the top of the Empire State Building intended for tethering zeppelins? This was only used once, in 1931, and was then deemed too dangerous. There are photographs documenting the event, and it was even recreated in the opening of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (seen below). The zeppelin may have been a wholly impractical flying machine, but there's still something elegant in its simplicity.
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