Right now, this is only Bay Area of San Francisco, but with a little effort I can easily see it coming to the rest of the country.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Good Eggs
Right now, this is only Bay Area of San Francisco, but with a little effort I can easily see it coming to the rest of the country.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Smelling Disease
This from Scientific American. I looks like soon you will be able to go into your doctor's office, breathe into a machine and a diagnosis will pop out. A team at Stony Brook University, The State University of New York, have developed an "e-nose" that uses semiconductors to sniff out ills.
According to lead scientist Perena Gouma, "the sensor is highly sensitive to gaseous disease-signalling markers in the breath—it can detect specific molecules in parts per billion. The sensor chip is covered with spaghettilike metal oxide fibers that have diameters ranging from one to 100 nanometers (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter). The nanofibers' crystalline structure and the atomic configuration on their surfaces determine which compound can be detected."
But as the article notes, it may be a while before this technology shows up at your HMO, so don't hold your breath.
According to lead scientist Perena Gouma, "the sensor is highly sensitive to gaseous disease-signalling markers in the breath—it can detect specific molecules in parts per billion. The sensor chip is covered with spaghettilike metal oxide fibers that have diameters ranging from one to 100 nanometers (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter). The nanofibers' crystalline structure and the atomic configuration on their surfaces determine which compound can be detected."
But as the article notes, it may be a while before this technology shows up at your HMO, so don't hold your breath.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Asimov's Psycohistory Becomes Real
I feel today's entry is especially important since the nation is dealing with the aftermath of a second mass shooting within three weeks.
Over a half century ago, Issac Asimov wrote the Foundation Trilogy in which Hari Seldon, a psycohistorian, is able to accurately predict future events for thousands of years.
Now, this comes from the weekly journal, Nature. It appears that a group of scientists has developed a mathematical model that predicts cycles of violence. The person heading up this research, Peter Turchin, calls it cliodynamics after Clio, the ancient Greek muse of history. From the article...
"To Peter Turchin, who studies population dynamics at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, the appearance of three peaks of political instability at roughly 50-year intervals is not a coincidence. For the past 15 years, Turchin has been taking the mathematical techniques that once allowed him to track predator–prey cycles in forest ecosystems, and applying them to human history. He has analysed historical records on economic activity, demographic trends and outbursts of violence in the United States, and has come to the conclusion that a new wave of internal strife is already on its way1. The peak should occur in about 2020, he says, and will probably be at least as high as the one in around 1970. “I hope it won't be as bad as 1870,” he adds."
When friends ask me what I think the future will bring, I often begin, "In fifteen years, after the next civil war is over..."
I am sad to say that now my prediction has some scientific grounds.
Over a half century ago, Issac Asimov wrote the Foundation Trilogy in which Hari Seldon, a psycohistorian, is able to accurately predict future events for thousands of years.
Now, this comes from the weekly journal, Nature. It appears that a group of scientists has developed a mathematical model that predicts cycles of violence. The person heading up this research, Peter Turchin, calls it cliodynamics after Clio, the ancient Greek muse of history. From the article...
"To Peter Turchin, who studies population dynamics at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, the appearance of three peaks of political instability at roughly 50-year intervals is not a coincidence. For the past 15 years, Turchin has been taking the mathematical techniques that once allowed him to track predator–prey cycles in forest ecosystems, and applying them to human history. He has analysed historical records on economic activity, demographic trends and outbursts of violence in the United States, and has come to the conclusion that a new wave of internal strife is already on its way1. The peak should occur in about 2020, he says, and will probably be at least as high as the one in around 1970. “I hope it won't be as bad as 1870,” he adds."
When friends ask me what I think the future will bring, I often begin, "In fifteen years, after the next civil war is over..."
I am sad to say that now my prediction has some scientific grounds.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
The House That Sweaters Built
Kat O'Sullivan sells sweaters and not just any old sweaters. She sells recycled sweaters. This endeavor has sustained her and in the process has financed a quite amazing house in upstate New York. Trying to describe this home would be futile, so many room, so much color, so much beauty. So here's a link to some amazing photos of it.
Oh and if you want a one of a kind sweater, here's a link to her Etsy store. If you like the house, you'll love the sweaters.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
12 Universities Offer Free Online Education
I meant to run this a couple of weeks ago and there have been so many interesting pieces that have crossed my desk that it got neglected. This is from the Wall Street Journal (my favorite newspaper).
12 of our top universities are offering free courses online. They include the California Institute of Technology; Duke University; the Georgia Institute of Technology; Johns Hopkins University; Rice University; the University of California, San Francisco; the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; the University of Washington; and the University of Virginia.
There have been many schools that have offered courses online but not free. Perhaps this is the thing needed to democratize education and offereconomically disadvantaged student the opportunity to suceed.
12 of our top universities are offering free courses online. They include the California Institute of Technology; Duke University; the Georgia Institute of Technology; Johns Hopkins University; Rice University; the University of California, San Francisco; the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; the University of Washington; and the University of Virginia.
There have been many schools that have offered courses online but not free. Perhaps this is the thing needed to democratize education and offereconomically disadvantaged student the opportunity to suceed.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Beautiful Remote Summer Cabin
Here's a photo-essay of the construction of a beautiful summer cabin up in northern New Hampshire built by a couple of guys for a client on her 40 acre plot in the White Mountains. The builders had to haul the cut lumber over two streams, up and down slippery terrain and up a cliff to the site, because the electricity needed to cut the wood for the cabin was a 10 minute walk away. Here's a link to see the finished product.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
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