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Green Gadgets To Help Save Water, Energy And Money

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 07:08:00 +0000

Use These Green Gadgets To Help Save Water, Energy And Money In Your Home

By Katherine Boehrer

Posted: 10/02/2014 3:42 pm EDT Updated: 10/02/2014 4:59 pm EDT

Saving energy and water can be difficult, but now there are plenty of gadgets on the market that aim to make the process easier for you. From smart light bulbs to thermostats that learn your habits to motion-sensing power strips, being green has become part of the home automation craze sweeping the nation.
Here are some of the cool options available, including budget options that will help conserve without breaking the bank.

Lightbulbs

There’s a lot of room for improvement over the traditional light bulb, but by far the best energy-saving innovations are in LED light bulbs. Not only do LED bulbs use up to 80 percent less energy compared to traditional incandescents, they last up to 25 times longer, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Although the energy savings of LEDs are on the same scale as compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), they are now being made with added “smart” features to help you save even more energy by using less light. One smart light, the recently introduced Stack Alba smart bulb, changes brightness or turns off based on the time of day, how bright the room is and whether or not someone is home. Its developers say it will learn users' habits and respond accordingly. The Philips Hue is a similar LED bulb that lets you use an app to control your lights. You can even send a text message to tell your lights to turn off!
If you don’t want to deal with smart bulbs, you can purchase motion detectors or smart light switches that work with both regular CFLs and LED lights. Belkin WeMo offers both of these options and allows you to use an app to control your lights. You can set rules for your lighting, like setting times for lights to turn on and off, or you can use Siri on your iPhone to tell them to turn off.
The bottom line: Smart lighting, if used correctly, can help you cut down your energy consumption while saving money on your electricity bill.
Budget option: You can forget the smart bulbs, but switch your lights over to LEDs as your current bulbs burn out. LEDs are now priced under $10 each, such as this bulb from Cree, which lasts decades and is covered by a 10-year warranty.

Air Conditioners and Heating

Air conditioning accounts for only 6 percent of household energy use nationwide, while space heating accounts for around 40 percent. But this can vary a lot depending on where you live. For example, in Arizona, 25 percent of energy is used for air conditioning and only 15 percent for heating, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
If you have central heating and cooling, the Nest Learning Thermostat is a favorite, earning a #1 bestseller tag on Amazon and glowing reviews on CNET. The thermostat learns your habits over time, allows you to make changes with your smartphone or computer and displays your energy use on a dashboard. The Environmental Defense Fund called Nest “promising” and said the technology is good at reducing peak energy demand and saving money without being disruptive.
If you don’t have central air, the Quirky+GE Aros Smart AC may be right for you. This window air conditioning unit will allow you to connect with an app to schedule your cooling as if you had a thermostat. If you don’t want to buy a whole new AC unit, Tado° offers devices that turn your “dumb” air conditioner or heating system into a smart one. Both Tado° and Aros allow you to use your phone to tell control the system when you're away from the house.
The bottom line: Smart air conditioning or heating can be expensive to install. But if you don’t have a programmable thermostat at all, you’re missing out on lots of potential savings.
Budget option: You can get a basic model with most of the features you need for $20-25, and save around $180 a year by programming correctly.

Smart Power Strips

There are lots of devices in your home that use energy constantly, even if you only use them for a few hours or minutes a day. For example, TVs, DVD players, gaming consoles, laptops and many other devices that stay plugged into the wall will draw power even when they’re not in use. To cut down on energy lost to these “energy vampires,” smart power strips shut off energy to these devices when they’re not in use.
There are a variety of simple options, from timers and motion sensors to remote controls. There are also power strips that shut off when a key device is turned off, so that if you turn off your TV, the strip also cuts power to your cable box, gaming console and DVD player. Some also disconnect the power when all the devices plugged in are turned off, preventing devices from sucking power while they are in standby mode. Check out this infographic by the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab for more info.
You can also get really fancy and use your smartphone to control outlets. The Belkin WeMo Insight outlet, for example, lets you turn off devices with your phone, track energy use, set alerts and more.
Bottom line: These power strips can definitely help you cut electricity loss and don't have to cost a fortune. They key, depending on the technology you choose, is setting them up and remembering to use them.
Budget option: The easiest way to deal with vampire energy is to just unplug all of your devices when you're not using or charging them (including cell phone chargers). You can also use a regular power strip with a switch to cut power to many devices at once, saving the number of plugs you’ll have to pull. They can cost less than $10 each and help you save up to 10 percent on your electricity bill.

Shower Savers

We’ve talked about saving energy, now its time to consider your water use. Only 16 percent of household water is used in the shower, but it is something we have a lot of control over on a daily basis. A lot of tech innovations have focused on how to use less water and take less time in the shower. For example, this shower head changes color when you’ve been in too long. User testing has found that it decreases time spent in the shower by 12 percent.
There are also devices that help you save water, like the Oxiget aerating showerhead, which reduces water consumption by 50 percent without compromising water pressure. The Evolve shower head or adapter stops running water as soon as it gets hot, which saves the water we often lose while waiting for the shower to heat up.
Bottom line: All three of these will save water in one way or another. Now, if only we could use all three of these at once!
Budget option: You can install a water-flow restrictor in your shower, if you don’t have one already. This slows the amount of water coming through your showerhead. You can also switch to an inexpensive WaterSense labeled showerhead, which can cost less than $10, and add WaterSense aerators to your faucets to save water and energy.

Green Apps

Beyond fancy equipment, knowledge is power when it comes to greening your home. While not technically gadgets, these apps will help give you the know-how to make environmentally-friendly decisions.
You can use an electricity-tracking app to help monitor your energy usage, drawing the information from either your energy bill or from direct data sent from your utility company. Apps like WattBuddy, Kill-Ur-Watts, Leafully and others do just this, though some only work with certain utility companies. Check your local utility's website to see if they have an app or the ability to work with one. By tracking your consumption, you can find out which habits help you save.
You can make greener purchasing decisions by using an app like GoodGuide or Ethical Barcode. These apps collect data about companies to help you sort through which products are actually green and which ones are just pretending. They also record other data on company ethics, safety and health.
You can find local recycling centers (including ones that take refuse like batteries, hazardous materials and lawn waste) using the iRecycle app. And educate yourself on all sorts of water saving activities using a variety of water conservation apps, like Water Use Calculator or H2O Tracker.

Bottom line: Apps can help you learn to make green decisions and develop water and energy-saving habits.
Budget option: These apps are all free, so no excuses.
It’s important to remember that a green home isn't just achieved by using cool gadgets. While technology can definitely help, good energy and water habits are also a must. Check out the Department of Energy’s Energy Saver website and the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program for great information on reducing your consumption.

10 Green Technologies That Could Help Revolutionize Our Changing Planet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 06:47:00 +0000

10 Green Technologies That Could Help Revolutionize Our Changing Planet

By Nick Visser

Posted: 05/07/2015 7:40 am EDT Updated: 05/07/2015 1:59 pm EDT

In an era of drought, climate change and food shortages, environmental pioneers have joined forces to help tackle some of the world's most pressing issues through technological advancement.
Here are 10 burgeoning technologies that have the potential to help revolutionize our planet of consumerism. Some are currently in development and others are trying to gain a greater foothold in society, but all are promising solutions to some very real threats the world is facing.

Vertical Farming The future of modern agriculture could very well be found indoors. Vertical farms grow plants hydroponically (without soil) in large, multistory buildings under artificial light. Crops can be stacked on top of each other and grown far more quickly than with traditional farming methods.

Some advocates argue this new technology could become the norm as soon as 2050, while crop land grows scarce and a booming population demands more food. In the short term, vertical farms can be up to 100 times more productive than fields, and all produce is grown organically because of the nature of the contained environment.

Green Burial
Sure, you can be as green as you like while you're alive, but what about your environmental impact after you're dead? A new market for sustainable burials has blossomed to help counter the carbon-intensive and chemical-filled methods currently employed.
You can now be buried in everything from a "mushroom death suit" to a biodegradable casket, sans embalming. Another, more creative approach takes your ashes and puts them into "reef balls" that can help restore damaged coral ecosystems. The (under)world is your oyster.

Better Lighting
Lighting has come a long way in the past few years. The U.S. government banned many energy-guzzling incandescent light bulbs at the beginning of 2014 in favor of compact fluorescents and LEDs.
But it's the application of these new lighting technologies that's so exciting. LEDs have been named as a potential weapon against the mega-deadly plight of malaria in developing regions of Africa. And next-generation LED technology has helped vertical farming, mentioned above, take root.

Widespread Composting
Americans are awful about throwing things away. The average person in the U.S. produces about 4.4 pounds of trash a day and recycles just a third of that. But the Environmental Protection Agency estimates at least 75 percent of all trash could be diverted to recycling and compost facilities if people were a little less liberal with what they toss in garbage bins.
Several cities have instituted far-reaching composting and recycling programs to help cut back on waste and keep food scraps out of landfills. Early this year, in an effort to increase composting, Seattle made it illegal to throw food and food waste into the trash.

Batteries
Batteries are due for an upgrade.
Elon Musk's Tesla has said it plans to build a massive factory sometime in 2017 that would supply lithium-ion batteries for electric cars -- up to 500,000 a year. The company also announced a new line of rechargeable batteries that would store solar energy and power homes and businesses. They have been called the "iPad of stationary storage."

Renewable Energy At Home
Speaking of renewables, the falling cost of solar power has made it far more affordable for the everyday homeowner to install solar panels on their roofs. The cost of solar has fallen from around $150 per watt in 1970 to less than 60 cents a watt today.
But the U.S. is still lagging behind other countries. Americans have installed solar arrays on about 600,000 homes and businesses so far. But places like Germany have far more prolific coverage. The country reach a point one day last year when it produced nearly 75 percent of its entire energy demand from renewables.

Offshore Wind Power
One of the last great hurdles for renewable energy is offshore wind -- turbines located just off the coast that can generate near-constant green power.
Cape Wind was hailed as the first offshore wind array off the U.S. coast. But the multibillion-dollar project has faced a series of funding hurdles and the future of the farm is in doubt. Other countries have been more successful, with advances including a wind farm in Scotland that drew the ire of Donald Trump and floating turbines off the coast of Fukushima, near the site of Japan's 2011 nuclear disaster.

Reusable Rockets
SpaceX, another Musk company, has been trying to revamp the space exploration game and fuel our "Star Trek" fantasies with reusable rockets.
Rockets are notoriously expensive, and Musk has long advocated for reusable shuttles, which he says could reduce the cost of space travel by a factor of 100. SpaceX has had some trouble with its first three test flights, but it's only a matter of time until Musk sticks the landing.

Drought-Tolerant Crops
With the drought in California still raging, many farmers are worried about the future of their water-guzzling fields. Despite widespread water cutbacks for homeowners, agriculture hasn't been affected by the drought-fighting mandates of Gov. Jerry Brown (D).
Moving crops to less-parched areas of the country isn't always feasible, but farmers can instead plant drought-tolerant crops, such as genetically modified, resilient seeds that can surive with less water.

(Cheaper) Green Vehicles
Yes, many of us can admire a Tesla Model S from across the street, but the $70,000 starting price is still exorbitant. Tesla began selling used electric vehicles in May, but other companies are itching to join the fray.
Tesla said it is allowing others to access its patents to help boost innovation surrounding green automobiles, and BMW has started to pump out electric vehicles that start at almost $30,000 less than the Model S.

The Hobbit, Auckland, New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 06:35:00 +0000

The Hobbit, Auckland, New Zealand

Posted: 12/16/2013 6:08 pm EST Updated: 02/15/2014 5:59 am EST

Two hundred sixty-six days, 500 people, 115 truck drivers, 263 beards, and more than 140,000 cups of coffee.
These are a few of the astounding statistics behind the logistics of filming the latest in The Hobbit trilogy. Though the majority of the movies were filmed in a Wellington studio, nine weeks were spent in the New Zealand countryside filming in surroundings that excite the imagination. From the soaring peaks of the Southern Alps to the rolling green hills of Matamata, the scenery of New Zealand is so phenomenally mesmerizing that it's almost too perfect to be real.
In fact, while filming the movies, many of the cast expressed concerns that viewers would think the landscape was fake. How, they argued, could moviegoers believe that such stunning scenery is real? Where in the world do thundering waterfalls, turquoise lakes, volcanic pinnacles, and alpine glaciers all occupy a terrain with hardly any people?
Luckily for travelers to New Zealand, this fantasy-world of rings and hobbits was shot in a very real place, and thanks to the convenience of movie-themed tours, it's easy to visit the same outposts where dwarves and trolls once voyaged.
To take a walk in the footsteps of The Hobbit, here is a guide to many of the locations where scenes from the movies were filmed.

North Island

Matamata
Seeing as most visitors fly into Auckland -- and that the epic journey all began in The Shire -- it only makes sense that Matamata should be the first stop on a Hobbit-themed holiday. This rolling pastureland three hours south of Auckland offers the famous setting for Hobbiton, and after the filming of Lord of the Rings, the Hobbiton movie set was completely dismantled and the area returned to pasture. For the filming of The Hobbit, however, Hobbiton was constructed from permanent materials, and the captivating hamlet of life-sized hobbit holes is now a permanent North Island attraction. In addition to visiting Bag End -- home of Bilbo Baggins -- you can enjoy a meal in the Green Dragon Inn made famous in the Lord of the Rings.
While Matamata is only a short drive from Hamilton, many travelers choose to visit as part of a guided tour. There are multiple tours which depart from Auckland, others which also visit Waitomo Caves, and an exclusive option to arrive early to tour around Hobbiton prior to the opening.

Photo credit: Donnie Ray Jones via Flickr.

Set in a remote section of the Waikato region, PioPio and the Mangaotaki Rocks were the famous site of Trollshaw Forest. At an area known as Denize Bluffs, huge shafts of rock plunge upwards from the forest and make the perfect setting for a secretive hideaway.
Located 40 minutes south of Waitomo Caves and not far from the town of Te Kuiti, the setting itself is on private land and can only be accessed as part of a private tour.

Turoa

Photo credit: Heike Quosdorf via Flickr

For local Kiwi skiers and snowboarders, the Turoa ski area is a popular part of the largest skifield in New Zealand. For those on the trail of The Hobbit, however, the area around Turoa is better known as the entrance to The Lonely Mountain. Also known as Hidden Bay, this grassy tussock and rocky slope has the feel of an alpine outpost, and it's also the area from The Lord of the Rings where Gollum chased fish through the river. Not far away -- on the opposite side of the mountain -- is the volcanic section of Tongariro Park which was home to Mordor and the famous Mt. Doom.
Given the somewhat remote location and the distance from major cities (four to five hours from both Auckland and Wellington), the best way to visit the area around Turoa is by providing your own transportation. While here, be sure to do some hiking in Tongariro National Park, and the Tongariro Crossing is often considered as the best one-day hike in New Zealand.

Wellington

In addition to being the nation's capital, Wellington is the home of Stone Street Studios where much of the movies were filmed. It's also the home of the Weta Cave, which is the legendary studio of special effects where much of the magic was born. Only 20 minutes from downtown Wellington, the Weta Cave is a must-stop destination for anyone who is a fan of the films. Inside this iconic compound of creative imagination, you can come face-to-face with replicas of the characters and learn about how they were brought to life on screen.
Though access to the Cave is open to the public, you can also visit as part of a tour which spends the day traveling to filming sights around Wellington. For Lord of the Rings fans, spend the morning touring the Gardens of Isengard and the walk along the banks of the Great River Anduin. After passing the site of famous Helm's Deep, attend the workshop at the Weta Cave for a full day of immersion in Middle Earth magic.

South Island

Pelorus River
Photo credit: Jeff Hitchcock via Flickr.

An hour west of the famous Marlborough vineyards -- though not quite as far as the sunny coast of Nelson -- Pelorus River is the only site in New Zealand where a collection of dwarves have rafted a river in wine barrels. The Pelorus River was used as an escape plan as a way to free the dwarves from Elvish imprisonment, and today is best visited as part of a guided kayak tour. For those who want to spend more time in the area, there is also a campground not far from the Pelorus Bridge where you can sit by the riverbank and re-enact the scene.

Queenstown

Known to most travelers as the adventure capital of New Zealand, areas around Queenstown were also the setting for some of the film's most dramatic vistas. On the outskirts of town, The Remarkables mountain range which is so popular with skiing also served as the setting for the mysterious Misty Mountains. An hour to the west of Queenstown, not far from the town of Glenorchy, Earnslaw Burn is the name of the glacier where Bilbo and company visit when leaving Rivendell.
Today, visitors can walk in the footsteps of The Hobbit by lacing up their hiking boots and walking the Earnslaw Burn Track. Along this walk through the Southern Alps, glacial waterfalls cascade their way down mountains with such dramatic splendor that they seem to spill from the sky.

Twizel, Lake Pukaki, and Mount Cook

Situated high in the Canterbury interior, these expansive plains were the dramatic setting for many battles and panoramic vistas. Mt. Cook and the neighboring Southern Alps feature prominently in the backdrop of many aerial shots, and the turquoise-infused Lake Pukaki was the setting for Laketown -- the city which is featured in The Desolation of Smaug.
Small group Hobbit tours visit filming locations around Twizel, which itself is located over three hours from Christchurch. For those who are staying in the city of Christchurch, you can also take a Lord of the Rings tour to Mt. Sunday which was used as the setting for the city of Edoras.

Strath Taieri

Photo credit: Phillip Capper via Flickr.

Located an hour outside the city of Dunedin, Strath Taieri and the Rock and Pillar Range are the remote outposts used for many of the chase scenes. The Hobbit cast members were forced to use helicopters to access many of the locations, although physically-fit hikers can access the craggy ridgeline by a series of walking tracks which weave through the hills.
Fiordland

Finally, the filming of The Hobbit could never be complete without a series of scenes featuring footage from Fiordland. Of all the footage which was gathered from Fiordland, the iconic landmark which is immediately recognizable is 1,900 ft. Sutherland Falls. Located along the trail for the Milford Track, this awe-inspiring waterfall forms the dramatic backdrop for when the hobbits are soaring on the backs of eagles.
Even though the sets -- with the exception of Hobbiton -- have been completely dismantled since completion of the films, movie fans are guaranteed to be touched by the magic of walking in the beauty of the footsteps of The Hobbit. After all, New Zealand is a real place, and while it might now be crawling in dwarves and orcs, standing in the surroundings leaves little to the imagination.

- Kyle Ellison for Viator

The Real-Life Giant Transformer - A Robot into a Two Seater CAR

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:48:00 +0000

The real-life giant Transformer that morphs from a robot into a two seater CAR: Japanese humanoid transforms in seconds

Japanese inventors have unveiled their humanoid Transformer robot
Called 'J-deite half' it can change from a robot into a car
Eventual plan is to build one 16.4ft (five metres) tall by 2020
The robot is only a prototype and will not be available for public release

By Mark Prigg

Published: 22:51 GMT, 15 June 2015 | Updated: 23:04 GMT, 15 June 2015

Ever wanted to own a Transformer? Thanks to a Japanese company, that dream is not far away.

Called 'J-deite half', it will be a 3.5-meter-tall robot that can transform into a two-wheel-drive vehicle running at speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour, or 37 mph.

Its creators, Brave Robotics and Asratec Corp, say it will hit the streets in 2017 - and have already built a working quarter scale version.

The 3.5-meter-tall robot that can transform into a two-wheel-drive vehicle running at speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour, or 37 mph.

HOW IT WORKS

The 3.5-meter-tall robot can transform into a two-wheel-drive vehicle running at speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour, or 37 mph .

Weighing 700 kilograms (1,540 pounds), the machine could transform in less than 10 seconds into a two-passenger vehicle that could be controlled from the cockpit or remotely.

Brave Robotics Inc. and Asratec Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Corp., said they have begun work on a 3.5-meter-tall robot that can transform into a two-wheel-drive vehicle running at speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour, or 37 mph.

They aim to have a working model by 2017.

The robot in its humanoid form to walk at 30 kph with wheels and at 10 kph on foot.

Weighing 700 kilograms (1,540 pounds), the machine could transform in less than 10 seconds into a two-passenger vehicle that could be controlled from the cockpit or remotely.

A quarter-sized prototype was unveiled in October 2014.

'Brave Robotics and Asratec started joint development of a huge transforming robot 'J-deite RIDE'' the firm's said.

'J-deite RIDE' is the high-end model of the 'J-deite Quarter' which was announced last year, and it also adopts Asratec's robot control system 'V-Sido OS.'

'We aim to complete development in 2017 and development process will be continuously announced on this website.'

The prototype robot was created by a collaboration involving Brave Robotics, Asratec and Takara Tommy.

Scheduled to be completed by 2020, the current robot is 4.3ft (1.3 metres) tall - but it will eventually be 16.4ft (five metres) high.

Real-life Transformer: Japanese robot goes from car to humanoid

The first prototype, which weighs 77lbs (35kg), was unveiled at the annual Digital Content Expo in Tokyo on 23 October last year.

It can walk on two legs at a speed of 0.62mph (1km/h), but when it changes to 'car mode' however, it can reach speeds of 6.2mph (10 km/h).

The prototype, which weighs 77lbs (35kg), was unveiled at the annual Digital Content Expo in Tokyo on 23 October last year.

When the prototype changes to 'car mode' it can reach speeds of 6.2mph (10 km/h).

In the video it is seen moving its head, lifting its arms and of course changing into car mode - all in a matter of seconds.

However, when in robot mode it seems to prefer an awkward waddle, rather than walking in full stride like a real Transformer.

It is powered by something called 'V-Sido OS', software designed by creator Wataru Yoshizaki to allow anyone to control humanoid robots.

The team doesn't have plans to release the robot to the public, instead only building it as a prototype.

The robot has even been give the 'face' of a Tansformer

Humanoid to car in a flash: WATCH the speedy transformation

The prototype robot was created by a collaboration involving Brave Robotics, Asratec and Takara Tommy. Scheduled to be completed by 2020, the current robot is 4.3ft (1.3 metres) tall - but it will eventually be 16.4ft (five metres). It operates in both car mode (left) and robot mode (right)

Where Are All the Aliens?

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:44:00 +0000

Where are all the aliens? Video explores the Fermi paradox that questions why we haven't made contact with other civilisations despite the size of the universe

Italian physicist Enrico Fermi posed a troubling question in 1950
He asked, if life was abundant, why has no one made contact with us?
No-one has been able to solve this so-called Fermi Paradox to date
But a new video has taken a look at what the solutions might be

By Jonathan O'Callaghan

Published: 14:27 GMT, 5 June 2015 | Updated: 08:04 GMT, 8 June 2015

There are billions of galaxies in the observable universe, each with up to a trillion stars, meaning there are likely trillions and trillions of habitable planets in the cosmos.

But, if such worlds are so abundant, and life on Earth has been able to thrive, then why have we not found any aliens yet?

Known as the Fermi paradox, this is a question that continues to plague scientists - and in a video, experts have tried to tackle what's going on.

Italian physicist Enrico Fermi posed a troubling question in 1950. He asked, if life was so abundant, why has no one made contact with us? No-one has been able to solve the Fermi Paradox to date. In a new video (still image shown), experts took at look at what the answer might be

Humanity has rapidly advanced in the last 100 years, but this is considered 'a blink of an eye' in history of the 13.82-billion-year-old universe.

So it’s not inconceivable to think we might start visiting other stars in the future.

But it seems unlikely that we would be the first civilisation to reach this stage, so surely we should have heard from someone by now?

This has led people to suggest that true interstellar travel may be impossible or, more dauntingly, perhaps no civilisation can last long enough to make contact.

WHAT IS THE FERMI PARADOX?

The Fermi Paradox questions why have we not found aliens, despite the existence of hundreds of billions of exosolar systems in our galactic neighborhood in which life might evolve.

Italian physicist Enrico Fermi devised it in 1950.

He believed it was too extraordinary that not a single extraterrestrial signal or engineering project has yet been detected.

He claimed there must be some kind of barrier that prevents the rise of intelligent, self-aware, technologically advanced, space-colonising civilisations.

This barrier is sometimes referred to as a 'Great Filter'.

The absence could be caused because either intelligent life is extremely rare or intelligent life has a tendency to go extinct.

In a video created by YouTube channel Kurz Gesagt, they take a look at some of the factors that might have prevented us from making contact so far.

The first - and perhaps biggest - obstacle is space travel itself, which is extremely difficult, based on our current knowledge.

To colonise another planet with our current technologies, ‘a journey of maybe thousands of years needs to be survived by a population big enough to start from a scratch,' the narrator in the video explained.

Even if we could travel close to the speed of light, something inconceivable to us right now, it would take 100,000 years to cross the Milky Way.

So perhaps visiting another planet is out of the question.

It may also be a chance of cosmic circumstance that we have not yet made contact.

‘The universe is very old,’ the narrator in the video explained.

‘On Earth there's been life for at least 3.6 billion years. Intelligent human life for about 250,000 years.’

‘But only for about a century have we had the technology to communicate over great distances.

‘There might have been grand alien empires that stretched across thousands of systems and existed for millions of years, and we might just have missed them.’

Humanity has advanced in the last one hundred years, a blink of an eye in the 14.6 billion-year-old universe, so it’s not inconceivable to think that we might start visiting other stars in the future (artist's impression shown). But it seems unlikely that we would be the first civilisation to reach this stage, so where is everyone?

Another problem could be that, even if there are other alien civilisations alive right now, it might just be that our methods of communication are too primitive at the moment.

‘Imagine sitting in a house with a morse code transmitter, you'd keep sending messages but nobody would answer, and you would feel pretty lonely,' said the narrator.

‘Maybe we're still undetectable for intelligent species.’

Another interesting concept is the idea of a Matrioshka Brain.

This would essentially be a virtual reality within which a species that had no desire to progress further could live in paradise for eternity - not unlike The Matrix, although slightly less dystopian.

We have been searching in earnest for planets outside the solar system for decades using telescopes like Kepler (illustrated) but, so far, no sign of life has been found. In addition, we have been sending our own signals out for more than a century but, again, no one seems to have taken notice

One theory for an advanced alien race is that they might harness the power of an entire star, known as a Dyson Sphere (illustrated). However, if such a structure existed, it is theorised that we would be able to detect its infrared signature - but a recent study found no such evidence

HOW COULD ALIENS HARNESS THE POWER OF ENTIRE STARS?

A proposed method for harnessing the power of an entire star is known as a Dyson sphere.

First proposed by theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson in 1960, this would be a swarm of satellites that surrounds a star.

They could be an enclosed shell, or spacecraft spread out to gather its energy - known as a Dyson swarm.

If such structures do exist, they would emit huge amounts of noticeable infrared radiation back on Earth.

But as of yet, such a structure has not been detected.

Source: All About Space magazine

A giant structure containing the collective consciousness of the species inside this virtual reality would harness the power of a star.

‘If built around a red dwarf [star], this computer could be powered for up to ten trillion years,’ said the narrator.

‘Who would want to conquer the galaxy or make contact with other life forms if this were an option?’

It has been theorised that such a structure - sometimes called a Dyson Sphere - would be noticeable if it did exist, owing to the huge amounts of infrared radiation it would give off.

But a study by Penn State University in Pennsylvania to find one of these structures in 100,000 galaxies proved unsuccessful, although further attempts are likely to be made.

‘All these solutions to the Fermi Paradox have one problem,’ said the narrator.

‘We don't know where the borders of technology are. We could be close to the limit or nowhere near it.

‘And super technology awaits us, granting us immortality, transporting us to other galaxies, elevating us to the level of gods.

‘One thing we do have to acknowledge is that we really don't know anything.’

We have now found planets beyond the solar system that could possibly support life, such as Kepler-186f (illustrated), but the chances of visiting one of these planets at the moment with our current forms of propulsion is out of the question - and perhaps true interstellar travel is simply not possible

The video concludes by saying that, although we might be ‘embryos’ on a galactic time scale, the only way to find out our true place in the universe, and discover if we are alone, is to continue our search, the advancement of our species and, ultimately, the colonisation of other worlds.

It could even be that we are, in fact, the most advanced race in the universe.

If that is the case, then many experts have argued that we must do all we can to survive and preserve perhaps the most important discovery we’ve made so far: life itself, namely, us.

BMW 7 Reries - Remote Driving

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:41:00 +0000

Is this the most hi-tech car EVER? BMW's 7 series boasts a cinema, massage seats and James Bond-style remote driving - and it lets you control the dash using gestures

BMW 7 Series is designed to marry luxury with technology
Top-of-the-range models include massaging, reclining seats, a tablet, TV screens, automatic air-con and other comforts
Drivers can use gestures and a touch screen to control functions
New model will go on sale this autumn and cost from $81,000 (£52,000)

By Sarah Griffiths

Published: 16:19 GMT, 11 June 2015 | Updated: 20:24 GMT, 11 June 201

In a bid to rival the luxurious, high-end cars from the likes of Rolls Royce and Bentley, BMW has unveiled its next 7 series.

The car boasts a back-seat cinema, massaging seats and gesture controls so drivers can adjust the radio, for example, with a wave of their hand.

And the top-of-the-range car will also allow drivers to park the new model using a remote control, much like James Bond controlled an old BMW model in the 1997 film, Tomorrow Never Dies.

Cinema, massage seats: Inside possibly the most hi-tech car ever

Clever: But the German automaker’s new 7 Series boasts a back-seat cinema, massaging seats and gesture controls (pictrured) so driverscan adjust the radio, for example, with the wave of their hand

Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG said: ‘This balance of cutting-edge technology, connectivity and comfort is our vision of modern luxury.'

The car has a sleek carbon fibre body that makes it 190 lbs (89kg) lighter than its predecessor, hiding a more efficient V-8 engine generating 445 horsepower.

An ‘adaptive mode’ will match driving style to the route driven, so the ride will be focused on comfort on a rough country road, for example, but sporty on a smooth motorway.

LIght: The car has a sleek carbon fibre body (pictured) that makes it 190 lbs lighter than its predecessor, hiding a more efficient V-8 engine generating 445 horsepower

Comfortable: Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG said: ‘This balance of cutting-edge technology, connectivity and comfort is our vision of modern luxury. Here, a businessman relaxes in the leather interior, with TVs, a reclining massage seat and in-built tablet

The 7 Series is the first production car to allow owners to manoeuvre in or out of forward-parking spaces or garages without anyone at the wheel by using a remote control - much like James Bond (played by Pierce Brosnan (pictured) controlled his BMW 759i in the 1997 film Tomorrow Never Dies, although less violently

REMOTE CONTROL PARKING

The 7 Series is the first production car to allow owners to manoeuvre in or out of forward-parking spaces or garages without anyone at the wheel.

It allows drivers to access tight parking spaces with ease and a lack of personal skill at the touch of a button on a smart key ring.

While the car is carrying out the semi-automated manoeuvre, the driver simply has to watch out for obstacles.

But it is the interior that’s super luxurious.

Top-of-the range models can include an ‘Executive Lounge’ which BMW said ‘redefines personal well-being in a luxury car.’

In practice, this means the back seats are spacious and packed with gadgets for discerning business people.

There is automatic air conditioning, electronically adjustable seats with a massage function and TVs embedded into the front seats.

A footrest can make lounging in the back more comfortable, or more active executives can choose a ‘Vitality Programme’ massage, which gives them ‘active physical exercise,’ according to the firm.

And when they have finished working up a sweat, the rear seats can be reclined to a near-horizontal position for a power nap.

Spacious: Top of the range models can include an ‘Executive Lounge’ (pictured) which BMW says ‘redefines personal well-being in a luxury car.’ In practice this means that the back seats are spacious and packed with gadgets for discerning businessmen

Sleek: Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, said: ‘In BMW’s eyes, modern luxury is rooted in the most advanced technologies and extremely fine attention to detail.' This is the front of the car

Smart: A table in between the rear seats plays host to a removable seven-inch tablet, known as the ‘Touch Command System’ (pictured) that lets passengers control the radio or use it to play games or surf the net

A table in between the rear seats plays host to a removable seven-inch tablet, known as the ‘Touch Command System’ that lets passengers control the radio or use it as a controller to play games and surf the net on the TVs.

Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, said: ‘In BMW’s eyes, modern luxury is rooted in the most advanced technologies and extremely fine attention to detail.

‘This generation of the BMW 7 Series is the most luxurious, most comfortable and – all round – the best car we have ever built in this class.’

Drivers of the new model will be also able to control some of the car’s features using gestures for the first time.

Gestures are detected by sensors and can be used to control the car’s music system, including turning the volume up and down with the wave of a hand, as well as accepting or rejecting phone calls.

There is also the option of pairing a specific gesture with an individual choice of function, BMW said.

Drivers of the new will be able to control some of the car’s features using gestures for the first time.The car's main control panel has a touch screen (pictured) so it can be used like a tablet

Alert: The car has a head-up display to show traffic warnings and phone calls (illustrated) as well as a steering and land control assistant, cameras to help them park and even a Remote Control Parking system, which means they can park their car remotely

GESTURE CONTROLS IN 7 SERIES

Drivers of the new will be able to control some of the car’s features using gestures for the first time.

Gestures are detected by sensors and can be used to control the car’s music system, including turning the volume up and down with the wave of a hand, as well as accepting or rejecting phone calls.

There is also the option of pairing a specific gesture with an individual choice of function, BMW said.

Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO of BMW North America, told CNBC : 'Just a simple gesture, moving your hand or just pointing two fingers towards the dash, will mean a certain order to the car.’

Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO of BMW North America, told CNBC: 'Just a simple gesture, moving your hand or just pointing two fingers towards the dash, will mean a certain order to the car.’

‘It is elegant, it's dynamic, it's futuristic, [it] has a lot of innovations.’

A new smartphone holder allows wireless inductive charging for mobiles for the first time in a car, meaning no more annoying wires and connectors.

Life will also get easier for 7 Series drivers because the car has a heads-up display to show traffic warnings and phone calls as well as a steering and land control assistant, cameras to help them park and even a Remote Control Parking system, which means they can park their car remotely.

The 7 Series is the first production car to allow owners to manoeuvre in or out of forward-parking spaces or garages without anyone at the wheel.

It allows drivers to access tight parking spaces with ease and a lack of personal skill at the touch of a button on a smart key ring.

While the car is carrying out the semi-automated manoeuvre, the driver simply has to watch out for obstacles.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, all this technology and luxury comes at a cost.

Prices start at $81,300 (£52,461) and the car will launch this autumn. However, this is for the 'basic' model and the price of the optional extras has not been revealed.

MailOnline has contacted BMW for more information.

The remote control function on the new model is similar to the one featured in the Bond film, Tomorrow Never dies (clip above)

The 7 Series is the first production car to allow owners to manoeuvre in or out of forward-parking spaces or garages without anyone at the wheel by using a remote control (pictured)

Hoverbikes for the Battlefield

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:38:00 +0000

US soldiers could soon travel like stormtroopers: Military bosses developing Star Wars 'hoverbikes' for the battlefield

Hoverbike will become a Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle
Could carry troops and equipment into battle
Being developed with UK firm Malloy Aeronautics

By Mark Prigg

Published: 20:25 GMT, 15 June 2015 | Updated: 21:07 GMT, 15 June 2015

Star Wars could soon be headed to the battlefield - thanks to a New Zealand inventor.

Malloy Aeronautics has revealed a deal with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop its radical flying machine for the military.

They say the Hoverbike is being developed to operate as a new class of Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle (TRV).

Malloy Aeronautics has revealed a deal with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop its radical flying machine for the US military.

A mockup of the full sized hoverbike, which is similar in size to a small car.

HOW IT WORKS

The 'hoverbike' is similar to a quadcopter, using four standard helicopter style rotors, overlapped with each other.

The full sized design uses a motorcycle engine and controls.

The firm made the announcement at the Paris Air Show.

Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford joined with SURVICE Engineering Co., a Belcamp, Md.-based defense firm, and U.K.-based Malloy Aeronautics, an aeronautical engineering firm, to announce that the two companies have teamed up on the development of Hoverbike technology for the U.S. Department of Defense.

SURVICE and Malloy are working on the Hoverbike as part of an ongoing research and development contract with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory.

As part of this strategic alliance, Malloy Aeronautics has also announced that they have established a U.S. office in Belcamp adjacent to Aberdeen Proving Ground to complete work on the Hoverbike.

'I am pleased to join with SURVICE Engineering and Malloy Aeronautics to announce their partnership on the Hoverbike, which represents a new frontier in aviation,' said Lt. Governor Rutherford.

'We are also very excited to welcome Malloy and look forward to working with them to grow their operations in Maryland.'

'Establishing an office in Maryland was a clear business decision,' said Chris Malloy, managing director of Malloy Aeronautics.

'The proximity to the Army Research Laboratory and U.S. defense decision makers, access to the world-class facilities through the laboratory's Open Campus initiative, and the co-location with our strategic business partner, SURVICE Engineering, were all factors in favor of Maryland as the best choice for Malloy Aeronautics.'

The world's first flying motorcycle! Hoverbike gets test flight

The hoverbike is here! The 1/3 scale version of the bike being piloted by a 3d printed robo-pilot

The firm says it producing a 1/3 sized version of its design to help fund the full sized prototype.

'This drone was originally built as a proof of concept for our latest full-sized Hoverbike prototype,' said Chris Malloy, the drone's inventor.

'After testing the 1/3rd Hoverbike, we realized that it had lots of features that made it a fantastic drone, not only this - selling this scale Hoverbike to the public would allow us to raise funds to continue the development of the manned version.

'The objective of this campaign is to kick-start sales of our beautiful 1/3rd scale Hoverbike drone and accessories via your pledges, and to help create a long term income stream that we can use to continue development of the manned Hoverbike,' it says.

The full sized design uses a motorcycle engine and controls.

However, the smaller version uses electric motors, and can be controlled using a standard RC helicopter controller.

The hoverbike in action - complete with its 3D printed humanoid robot driver.

The drone is made up of four blade, which give it its stability.

The firm says its full sized version could be used to commute on.

The futuristic prototype has the potential to travel up to 92 miles or for about 45 minutes on one tank of fuel and is expected to come with a hefty price tag of more than £45,000.

So far the bike, which weighs 270kgs, has only been tested while tethered to the ground to prevent it flying too high. But plans to test it's capabilities without any restrictions are set to go-ahead soon.

The firm will also make a 3D printable pilot, who can have a Go Pro camera fitted in his 'head' to record flights

'We combined the simplicity of a motorbike and the freedom of a helicopter to create the world's first flying motorcycle,' it said.

'When compared with a helicopter, the Hoverbike is cheaper, more rugged and easier to use - and represents a whole new way to fly.

'The Hoverbike flies like a quadcopter, and can be flown unmanned or manned, while being a safe - low level aerial workhorse with low on-going maintenance.'

The firm says it is almost ready to begin flight testing of the full sized version.

Big screen: Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) battle a Stormtrooper on their speeder bike in Star Wars Return of the Jedi

'We are in the final construction stages of the latest manned prototype of Hoverbike, and in a few months we will start flight testing.

'After the successful completion of test flights we will build a final engineering prototype for submission to aviation certification authorities.

Bloodhound SSC

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:33:00 +0000

Bloodhound SSC to make test debut later this year - but its 1,000mph land speed record bid is postponed until at least 2016

Project suffered schedule setback because of rocket system problems
Won't be tested in South Africa until next year when weather improves
But car will be ready for 'slow-speed' testing in Cornwall in a few months
Pilot Andy Green hopes to break the land speed record by pushing the Bloodhound Super-Sonic Car to 1,000 mph (1,610km/h) next year

By Sarah Griffiths

Published: 15:10 GMT, 15 June 2015 | Updated: 17:54 GMT, 15 June 2015

The Bloodhound Super-Sonic Car is set to make its 'slow-speed' test debut in Cornwall in a few months.

The car, which is eventually designed to travel at 1,000 mph (1,610km/h) will be put through its paces at a much slower 200mph (322km/h).

The attempt to break the world land speed record in the South African desert has been pushed back until next year, due to a problem with the car's rocket system, meaning it won't be able to be tested on tracks before seasonal rain arrives.

The Bloodhound Super-Sonic Car won't attempt to break the world land speed record in the South African desert (illustrated) until next year because of a problem with parts of its rocket system

Bloodhound SSC's pilot, Wing Commander Andy Green, will now attempt to drive the car at 800 mph (1,287 km/h) in South Africa in April or May next year.

If he reaches this speed, the car will break the current land speed record which stands at 763 mph (1,227km/h).

But the aim remains to run the car at 1,000 mph (1,610km/h) later in 2016 on the dried-out lake bed of Hakskeen Pan in South Africa.

Bloodhound SSC's chief engineer, Mark Chapman, told the BBC: 'The most pragmatic thing is to deploy out to the desert in April or May next year, at the start of the dry season, and that gives us the best opportunity to build up those speeds.

Bloodhound SSC (pictured) is designed to move at 1,000 mph (1,610km/h), will be complete and ready for 'slow-speed' testing in the UK in just a few months

The bid to get the car to South Africa where it will start its record-breaking attempt, has been held up slightly by parts of its rocket system being damaged under pressure, meaning more robust parts need to be made. A damaged rear bearing (left) and broken impeller (right) is shown

Bloodhound will have to withstand extreme forces, including the risk of bird strike, during its record attempt. A diagram of its specially engineered components is shown

WHAT'S THE HOLD-UP?

Engineers discovered in testing that a pump system that carries pressurised fuel, worked much better than expected.

While this was good news in some ways, they found that a component called the impeller, which drives fuel into the motor, was so efficient it had put too much pressure on the shaft and bearings that support it.

The solution was simple - to create a tougher shaft and bearings, but has led to a 10 week slip in the programme.

'By the time we had identified the problem, done the redesign and remanufacturing, we had slipped out of our original rocket test window,' Richard Knight told MailOnline.

Further delays have been caused because the firing range used to test the rocket system is closed over summer and then it's rainy season in South Africa.

Consequently the team's decided to push its record-breaking bid back to early 2016 when mechanical problems should be fixed and the weather ideal for the Land Speed Record attempt.

'But, importantly, it also gives us time to complete our rocket development programme.'

The shaft and bearings in the vehicle's rocket system have been chewed up under pressure, meaning that more robust versions must be made, resulting a 10 week delay.

The rocket system will work in tandem with the car's Eurofighter jet engine, enabling it to travel at supersonic speeds.

Once the new components are made, the team will have to wait to test the equipment at Norwegian rocket manufacturer Nammo's firing range, because it will be closed for summer.

This means that testing cannot begin until 17 November in Cornwall, instead of August.

The supersonic car will undergo a 200mph (322 km/h) trial at Newquay Aerohub.

It's currently being assembled in Bristol and will be fitted with airbrakes and winglets after its Newquay trial in preparations for the South Africa summer trails, which will take place when the weather is 'optimal'.

Wing Commander Green said that the team had been advised not to attempt tests runs in South Africa in December and January because it's 45°C (113°F) during the day and rainy.

Bloodhound SSC's pilot, Andy Green (pictured), is now set to be driven at 800 mph (1,287 km/h) in April or May next year. If he reaches this speed, the car will break the current land speed record which stands at 763 mph (1,227km/h)

Bloodhound will attempt to beat the World Land Speed Record set by the Thrust Supersonic Car in 1997. This graphic shows how man has gradually gotten faster on land since his first land speed record attempt

The aim of the project remains to run the car at 1,000 mph (1,610km/h) later in 2016 on the dried-out lake bed of Hakskeen Pan in South Africa (marked on this map)

HOW TO STOP THE WORLD'S FASTEST CAR

The team behind the Bloodhound SSC revealed last year how they intend to slow it from 1,000mph (1,600km/h) to zero.

After the car reaches its top speed, air brakes and parachutes will slow it to 160mph (260km/h).

Breaking to this speed will be done at a constant 3G deceleration - equivalent to going from 60mph (95km/h) in a normal car to zero in just one second - for 20 seconds.

At this speed the car’s wheels will be still spinning 10,000 times per minute.

Attempts to use carbon rotors from a jet fighter in the form of car-like disc brakes shattered at speeds of just half this, so the team needed a new approach.

Instead, they switched to steel rotors.

In tests, these could withstand temperatures of up to 850°C (1,560°F), and will be used again.

The next step will be to test these brakes out at the full 10,000rpm that will be experienced.

'It makes much more sense to take slightly longer to prepare the desert car and get it running at high speed in spring 2016 at the start of the weather window,' he said.

Bloodhound spokesman Richard Knight, told MailOnline that with the project going so well and so much time and money invested, 'there is no point rushing out to the Kalahari only to find the track too wet or cross winds too strong.'

'We're disappointed in the delay but it is the pragmatic thing to do.'

He said that people understand how difficult the project is and that experimental engineering is involved, so delays are almost inevitable.

Wing Commander Green added that in the springtime, it doesn't matter if there are further small delays because the weather gets steadily better in South Africa.

With the added airbrakes and winglets, the car is expected to cover a mile in just 3.6 seconds.

Mr Knight said: 'Hopefully we will be able to get the car up to 800mph once we get to South Africa.

'This is going to be a gradual process. We cannot rush to try to get up to 1,000mph. The saying is: 'You don't hurry to go fast'.

Bloodhound has three power plants - a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet from a Eurofighter Typhoon, a cluster of Nammo hybrid rockets and a Jaguar V8 engine that drives the rocket oxidiser pump.

Between them they generate 135,000 thrust horsepower, equivalent to 180 Formula 1 cars.

Bloodhound has three power plants - a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet from a Eurofighter Typhoon, a cluster of Nammo hybrid rockets and a Jaguar V8 engine that drives the rocket oxidiser pump among its many parts (shown)

Rocket that will power a car to 1,000mph tested for first time

WHAT IS THE BLOODHOUND SSC?

The SSC stands for ‘SuperSonic Car’.

The vehicle has four wheels and is powered by both the newly-fitted jet engine and a rocket.

It is set to travel at 1,000mph (1,600km/h).

The slender body, 44 feet (14 metres) long, keeps the entire vehicle aerodynamic.

The pencil-shaped car (concept pictured) will be 44ft (13.4m) long and weigh 7.5 tonnes when completed

It weighs just over seven tonnes and the engines will produce more than 135,000 horsepower.

That’s more than six times the power of all the cars on a Formula 1 starting grid put together.

In the coming years the vehicle will begin test runs at lower speeds before attempting to set a new land speed record.

The current land speed record stands at 763.035mph (1,227.985km/h), set by former RAF pilot Andy Green - who will also drive the Bloodhound - back in 1997 in the ThrustSSC.

The Remote Control Range Rover

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:30:00 +0000

The remote control Range Rover: New 4x4 is fitted with Bond-style gadget for squeezing into tight parking spots

Jaguar Land Rover has developed a remote control for driving its vehicles
Driver can use smartphone to control steering, brakes, throttle and gears
It allows drivers to get out of vehicle to look for obstacles as they steer
Motorists could also get out before parking the vehicle in tight spaces

By Ray Massey Transport Editor

Published: 19:02 GMT, 15 June 2015 | Updated: 00:43 GMT, 16 June 2015

If negotiating deep craters in a very bumpy road or inching around exceptionally tight corners or parking spaces looks too challenging from the restricted view of the driver's seat, Land Rover has come up with the perfect solution.

Just get out of the vehicle, assess the best angle of attack from the eye-level of the road, and 'steer' the empty car around the obstacle remotely yourself using your smart-phone .

The driver simply turns a virtual steering wheel image on the smart-phone's touchscreen - using similar finger-tip controls on the screen to apply the brakes and throttle - and the car follows every command like a full-sized remote control toy car.

Land Rover's Remote Control system allows the driver to stand outside of the vehicle and control the steering, acceleration, brake and gears on a smartphone. it means the driver can check for rocks or obstacles that might damage the vehicle, or simply use it to squeeze their 4x4 into a tight parking spot in town

But as this technology is fitted to a Range Rover Sport, it is just as good off-road for negotiating steep rock-faces, boulders and muddy ruts as it is squeezing in or out of tight parking spaces or a potholed highways.

The new remote-control Range Rover is among the latest prototype technology Jaguar Land Rover is showcasing today at the firm's test-track and engineering centre at Gaydon in Warwickshire, ahead of hitting showrooms in around five years' time.

THE POTHOLE-BUSTING CAR

A car that can spot dangerous potholes in the road and help the driver avoid them is being developed and tested by Jaguar Land Rover.

Engineers believe it could help save lives while reducing the estimated £20million compensation claims for damage and injury faced by councils in England last year.

The Jaguar Land Rover 'pothole alert' system can even transmit information gleaned by scanners in the car so that other vehicles on the same road are aware of the hazardous crater well before they reach it.

And engineers are working on plans to share the data – including a photograph and precise location of an offending pothole – with local councils who could quickly send around teams to fill it in.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) believes its pioneering 'Pothole Alert' research could help save motorists billions of pounds in punctures, vehicle damage and road accidents and insurance claims every year.

Using radar, cameras, ultrasonic sound and light range sensors, as well as a clever 'app', it also echoes the remote phone-controlled car which has appeared in a James Bond movie.

The remote control system allows the driver to control the vehicle's steering, brakes and throttle from outside the using their smartphone and a wi-fi link – controlling gears, speed, and direction – over challenging terrain or into tricky parking slots.

A Jaguar Land Rover spokesman said: 'Our remote control Range Rover Sport research vehicle's smartphone app includes control of steering, accelerator and brakes as well as changing from high and low range gears.

'This allows the driver to walk alongside the car, at a maximum speed of 4mph, to manoeuvre their car out of challenging situations safely, or even to negotiate difficult off-road terrain.'

Engineers say the driver could use the smartphone to reverse the car out of a parking space if someone has parked too close for them to open the door.

But for more extreme conditions, it also allows the driver to become their own off-road 'spotter' to guide the car over off-road obstacles from outside the vehicle.

The JLR spokesman said: 'By walking alongside the car, the driver could continually check ramp, approach and departure angles and allow precise positioning of the vehicle when rock crawling.

'It could also be an invaluable aid when the vehicle is fording a stream or traversing sections made slippery by mud or snow.'

New Range Rover fitted with Bond-style parking gadget

The smart phone remote control is likely to be particularly useful for parking vehicles in tight spots as the driver can get out of their car first before parking, so they do not need to squeeze themselves out of the door

The steering can be controlled using an app on the smart phone (above) that connects wirelessly to the car

Drivers can use the remote control to help them check their vehicle is not likely to hit any rocks or obstacles. In the image above the driver can see under the Range Rover as it travels off road on uneven ground

For security, the remote control function only operates if the user is within 10 metres of the car and if the smart key can be detected: 'The system will stop the vehicle if the driver moves out of range or gets too close'.

Jaguar Land Rover bosses say the technology is another step towards self-driving cars: 'Future possibilities for this technology could include more autonomous functionality where the driver gives a simple command from the handset to traverse an obstacle or exit a parking space, and the car does the rest.'

A variation on the same technology allows the car to perform its own 'three-point or 'multi-in' turn through 180 degrees to turn the car in the road and point the car in the opposite direction.

The system first scans the environment around the car and tells the driver whether it is safe to perform the turning manoeuvre.

The steering can be controlled from outside the vehicle without anyone in the driver's seat but passengers can remain inside, as shown in the test involving a Range Rover Sport above

The system has a range of just 10 metres from the vehicle to prevent people driving their car remotely without them inside. The system is designed to also stop if the driver gets too close and endangers themselves

If confirmed clear, the driver then confirms the manoeuvre and the car moves forward until its path is blocked. It then selects reverse and uses the steering, throttle and brakes to do the same again.

It repeats this as many times as required until it is facing in the opposite direction.

A Jaguar spokesman said: 'The system uses sensors to assess available space and to avoid pedestrians, vehicles and other objects.

'It takes over gear selection, steering, braking and acceleration to make as many forward and backwards movements as necessary to achieve the manoeuvre.

'This autonomous vehicle could extricate itself from the most difficult situations, such as a dead-end roads or congested car parks, as well as performing many drivers' least favourite manoeuvre – the three-point turn in a busy street or car park.'

Dr Wolfgang Epple, director of research and technology, Jaguar Land Rover, said: 'Getting a car out of a tricky parking manoeuvre can be a stressful experience for any driver.

Sensors around the vehicle also allow it to perform a three point turn by itself (as shown above) and help prevent the driver from hitting anything while using the smart phone gadget

The smartphone app, shown above, allows the driver to control the steering, gears, throttle and break using the touch screen of their phone. It connects wirelessly to the vehicle, which uses self-driving technology

The remote control has a maximum speed of 4mph to prevent drivers from being reckless or dangerous

'A remote control car, or a vehicle that can autonomously turn in the road, demonstrates how we could use these new technologies to reduce the tedious parts of driving and improve road safety.'

He added: 'Research into technologies like these won't only help us deliver an autonomous car.

'They will help make real driving safer and more enjoyable. The same sensors and systems that will help an autonomous car make the right decisions, will assist the driver and enhance the experience to help prevent accidents.

'Autonomous car technologies will not take away the fun of driving.'

Jaguar Land Rover says its aim for the future is to offer choice of a car that will be able to drive itself if the driver chooses, but to include systems that can be adjusted 'for a more engaging and involved drive'. It has nicked-named the system 'solo car'.

Dr Epple. Stressed: 'Because our customers drive in all terrains and in all weathers, any future autonomous Jaguar or Land Rover must be as capable on rough tracks and unpaved roads as it would be on city streets.

In the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, 007, played by Pierce Brosnan, above, drives a BMW 7 series using a remote control on a mobile phone. His gadget, however, went much faster than the Range Rover

'We know our customers drive in heavy rain, and snow, and bright desert sunshine every day.

'We are working on an array of new sensors that would enable a car to operate in any environment, without any outside intervention or input from lane markings or roadside infrastructure like traffic lights.

'Our research engineers have a nickname for a car with this level of capability: the 'Solo Car'.'

BMW's new flagship 7-series was unveiled this week with a remote self-parking system allow owners to manoeuvre in or out of forward-parking spaces or garages without anyone in the car or at the wheel.

But the new Range Rover technology goes further by allowing complete remote control when turning corners, negotiating mounds or obstacles.

In this respect it more closely resembles how James Bond memorably controlled a previous generation 7-series from his mobile phone in the 1997 movie 'Tomorrow Never Dies.

Antarctic UFO Spotted

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:26:00 +0000

'Antarctic UFO' Spotted: ET-hunter claims to have spotted alien spaceship in the snow - or is it just a crevasse?

Valentin Degterev from Russia claims to have found a UFO
He located it using Google Earth and says it is 'from the distant cosmos'
The elliptical object is 65ft (20 metres) wide and 230ft (70 metres) long
However the British Antarctic Survey told MailOnline it was a crevasse

By Jonathan O'Callaghan

Published: 16:05 GMT, 15 June 2015 | Updated: 23:09 GMT, 15 June 2015

A UFO enthusiast claims to have found the wreckage of an alien spaceship in Antarctica.

Using Google Earth, he zoomed in on a dark area and says that the shape is a clear sign that it is a crashed UFO.

However, an expert has told MailOnline that it is just a shadow caused by a crevasse, while the blue tinge is bare ice.

Valentin Degterev from Russia claims to have found a UFO. He located it using Google Earth and says it is 'from the distant cosmos'. The elliptical object (shown) is 65ft (20 metres) wide and 230ft (70 metres) long. However it appears to be most likely just a shadow or a fissure

The image was revealed by self-proclaimed ‘researcher of the unknown’ Valentin Degterev from the city of Nizhny Tagil in central Russia.

The satellite image was taken back in 15 February 2012, but Mr Degterev has now published it online and it has quickly gone viral on Russian social media website VK.

‘I think there is very large disc-shaped flying machine among the frozen ice,’ he claimed.

Anyone can view the object by inputting the coordinates 80°34'08.4"S 30°05'19.3"W into Google Maps.

‘I found the unique object using the online service of Google Earth in Antarctica,’ said Mr Degterev.

‘In amongst the endless ice desert, it is the most genuine UFO in its most classic shape.’

Tellingly, the object of interest is among many other cliffs and shadows, and doesn't particularly look like anything out of this world.

The shape was found in Antarctica, shown in this image. The satellite image was actually taken back in 15 February 2012, but has Mr Degterev has only now published it online, and it has quickly gone viral on his VK page - a popular Russian social media website

Mr Degterev, however, is adamant the hole - which measures about 65ft (20 metres) wide and 230ft (70 metres) long - cannot be explained by anything from this planet.

‘I do not presume to know exactly what it is,’ he said.

But Andrew Fleming from the British Antarctic Survey, told MailOnline that the object was quite clearly simply a crevasse in the ground.

'A crevasse is a lot of ice formed by differential movement of the ice,' he said.

'They can be tens of metres deep. It's one large slot, nothing unusual, but they are spectacular. It's certainly not a UFO, though.'

He warned that crevasses can be quite dangerous and joked: 'I'd much rather come across a UFO than deal with these things!'

He added that the dark area was likely to be a shadow, while the slight blue tinge was bare ice - which is ice without snow cover.

Mr Degterev is adamant the hole - which measures about 65ft (20 metres) wide and 230ft (70 metres) long - cannot be explained by anything from this planet. ‘In amongst the endless ice desert, it is the most genuine UFO in its most classic shape,' he said

Andrew Fleming from the British Antarctic Survey, however, told MailOnline that the object (in the middle of the image) was quite clearly a crevasse in the ground. 'A crevasse is a lot of ice formed by differential movement of the ice,' he said. The dark area is caused by a shadow, and the light blue tinge is ice without snow on top

But Mr Degterev doesn't agree. He said: ‘It is definitely not a polar station, nor a plane (as there aren't any airplanes or helicopters this big in the world).

‘There also aren't any ships lost in Antarctica.

‘It seems this is a man-made object from the distant cosmos.’

On his Live Journal page, Mr Degterev went further and said the object had a metal body and was definitely not made of rock or stone.

Nigel Watson, author of the UFO Investigations Manual, said: ‘It’s hard to tell if this a “classic” saucer sticking out of the ice, or whether it is a break in the ice.

‘Antarctica has a long tradition of being the resting place of crashed saucers or a base for their operations.’

MAPPING 90 YEARS OF UFO SIGHTINGS

Last week a data visualisation expert created a map of the US showing almost 90 years of official UFO sightings (above), including information such as the time of day they are typically noticed in different months.

The data also reveals that UFO sightings of fireballs are the most common, while egg-shaped craft are the rarest over time.

John Nelson combined census data with statistics compiled between 1925 and 2014 by the National UFO Reporting Centre to make his maps.

‘Of course, as is the case for any observation data, there is a strong tendency towards echoing a population map’ he wrote on his blog.

‘This is certainly the case with this sighting data, as well. In order to visualise the actual sighting phenomenon, I needed to normalise by the underlying population.’

To do this, he created a map showing sightings by population density, as well as maps based on more complex calculations to build the most accurate maps he could.

Hyperloop Pods, the Future of Transport

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:22:00 +0000

What do YOU think the future of transport will look like? SpaceX reveals contest to design Hyperloop pods

Contest will allow engineering teams to test half-scale models of pods
The competition will be held in Hawthorne, Los Angeles in June 2016
Hyperloop could take people from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes
Proposed route travels California's high-speed rail network via Las Vegas

By Ellie Zolfagharifard

Published: 19:21 GMT, 15 June 2015 | Updated: 20:47 GMT, 15 June 2015

Billionaire Elon Musk wants to jump-start his Hyperloop high-speed transit system.

Musk's company, SpaceX, today announced that it plans to build a 1 mile (1.6km) test track next to its headquarters in the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne.

And to help get its plans going, SpaceX said it will hold a competition there next year to test designs for passenger-carrying Hyperloop pods.

The Hyperloop is a proposed method of travel that would transport people at 745mph (1,200km/h) between distant locations. It was unveiled by Elon Musk in 2013

It's the first time Musk's company has been directly involved in the Hyperloop project, although several private firms are pursuing research.

Suggested by Musk two years ago, the Hyperloop is a proposed method of travel that would transport people at 745mph (1,200km/h) between distant locations.

The concept pulls together several proven technologies: Capsules would float on a thin cushion of air and draw on magnetic attraction and solar power to zoom through a nearly airless tube.

Musk claims it could take passengers the 380 miles (610km) from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes - half the time it takes a plane.

This conceptual design rendering provided shows a Hyperloop passenger transport capsule within a tube, the core of a high-speed system that billionaire Elon Musk suggested two years ago, that would zoom passenger capsules through elevated tubes at the speed of sound.

Instead of windows, passengers could be treated to virtual reality experiences to help ease claustrophobia, according to the new designs by Suprastudio

Musk's company, SpaceX, plans to build a 1 mile (1.6km) test track next to its headquarters in the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne. And to help get its plans going, SpaceX said it will hold a competition there next year to test designs for passenger-carrying Hyperloop pods. Pictured is one possible design

WHAT IS THE HYPERLOOP?

The Hyperloop is a proposed method of travel that would transport people at 745mph (1,200km/h) between distant locations.

It was unveiled by Elon Musk in 2013, who said it could take passengers the 380 miles (610km) from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes - half the time it takes a plane.

It is essentially a long tube that has had the air removed to create a vacuum.

The tube is suspended off the ground to protect against weather and earthquakes.

Passengers would sit in either individual or group pods, which would then be accelerated with magnets.

Capsules carrying six to eight people would depart every 30 seconds, with tickets costing around $20 (£13) each way.

The cost of building a line from LA to San Francisco has been estimated at $16 billion (£10 billion) - although critics say it would be nearer $100 billion (£65 billion).

California is currently in the process of considering building a high-speed rail system at a cost of about $68 billion (£44 billion).

The competition aims to attract independent and university engineering teams who will design and test half-scale models of the pods.

The submission deadline is September 15 and the competition is roughly scheduled for next June.

'While we are not developing a commercial Hyperloop ourselves, we are interested in helping to accelerate development of a functional Hyperloop prototype,' SpaceX said.

There was no immediate word on the nature of the prize, but it added that full rules and other details will be released in August.

Next January, entrants will meet for a design weekend at Texas A&M University.

The designs will be presented before an evaluation panel composed mainly of engineers from SpaceX and Musk's luxury electric-car company, Tesla Motors, and university professors.

SpaceX said it also probably will build its own pod for demonstration purposes but its team won't be eligible to win the competition.

The company also will have the final say on who actually gets to use the test track. There's no word yet on the cost of that track.

Musk has suggested that building an actual Hyperloop system would cost $6 billion, although others suggest the figure will be much higher.

He has previously described it as is a 'cross between a Concorde, a railgun and air hockey table',

The $16bn Hyperloop system (illustrated) could transport people from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes. It was unveiled by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2013

This conceptual design rendering provided by SpaceX shows a Hyperloop passenger transport capsule, at a station ready to take on passengers

The Hyperloop is essentially a long tube that has had the air removed to create a vacuum. The tube is suspended off the ground to protect against weather and earthquakes. The capsules could either carry a single person at a time, or lots as shown in this illustration

Last week one group, Suprastudio, revealed its vision of a Hyperloop system – and it suggested the technology could even replace subways in major cities.

Its detailed whitepaper provides ideas for routes, station design, capsule design and a strategy for roll out.

In the whitepaper, the students compare travel times before and after the introduction of transportation infrastructure like the Transcontinental Railroad and the Panama Canal.

To determine which cities will benefit from the Hyperloop, 50 metropolitan areas were ranked by factors such as like population, jobs, existing public transit and freight needs.

One proposed journey travels the route of the proposed California high-speed rail network via Las Vegas to cash in on tourism trade.

Suprastudio suggests a main Los Angeles station somewhere Downtown, but with hubs in Santa Monica and Long Beach, creating a loop around the region.

The designers also placed some though into the 'capsules' travellers will ride in.

For instance, the group suggest providing virtual reality for the passengers to lessens claustrophobia problems.

Pictured is integration with subway-like Urban Loops found in cities. Suprastudio suggests a main Los Angeles station somewhere Downtown, but with hubs in Santa Monica and Long Beach, creating a loop around the region, such as the one pictured

Digital demonstration of Billionaire Elon Musk's 'Hyperloop'

In the whitepaper, the students compare travel times before and after the introduction of transportation infrastructure like the Transcontinental Railroad and the Panama Canal.

To determine which cities will benefit from the Hyperloop, 50 metropolitan areas were ranked by factors such as like population, jobs, existing public transit and freight needs.

One proposed journey travels the route of the proposed California high-speed rail network via Las Vegas to cash in on tourism trade.

Suprastudio suggests a main Los Angeles station somewhere Downtown, but with hubs in Santa Monica and Long Beach, creating a loop around the region.

The designers also placed some though into the 'capsules' travellers will ride in.

For instance, the group suggest providing virtual reality for the passengers to lessens claustrophobia problems.

They also detail a new boarding strategy includes seats that slide in when the capsule is ready to leave to ease congestion.

In the white paper, the students compared travel times for major transportation infrastructure. This graphic shows Hyperloops credentials compared with planes, rail, road and shipping

One proposed journey travels the route of the proposed California high-speed rail network via Las Vegas to cash in on tourism trade

How to remember complex passwords

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:09:00 +0000

How to remember complex passwords: Scientists create 10-day repetition test to teach people long, random sequences

Test aimed to see if people could quickly recall a 56-bit random password
Based on spaced repetition using increasing intervals of time to revise
After 10 days, test subjects could type their password with 94% accuracy
After three days, 88% of people still remembered the string or passphrase

By Ellie Zolfagharifard

Published: 22:44 GMT, 15 June 2015 | Updated: 23:06 GMT, 15 June 2015

We are usually terrible at choosing passwords.

One in 20 times, most of us still opt for the word 'password' out of fear we'll forget anything more complicated.

But remembering long, random combinations of phrases and numbers may not be as difficult as you might think, with a little mind training.

One in 20 times, most of us still opt for the word 'password' out of fear we'll forget anything more complicated. Remembering long, random combinations of phrases and numbers may not be as difficult as you might think - with a little mind training

Microsoft Research's Stuart Schechter and Princeton University's Joseph Bonneau wanted to see how easy it would be for people to memorise very strong 56-bit random passwords.

They used a simple technique known as 'spaced repetition', which uses increasing intervals of time to revise previously learned material.

The researchers recruited participants from Amazon's Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform to take a fake series of attention tests.

But without the users knowing, they were in reality, studying how users logged in to the tests.

The program would prompt a user to type in a series of words or letters each time the login screen appeared.

Over 10 days, the string of letters and words grew longer, until, the user had to type in 12 random letters or six random words to start the test. Incredibly, the test subjects managed to type their password or passphrase without prompting after an average of 36 tries, with a success rate of 94 per cent

How to choose a strong and safe password (related)

And each time the screen showed up, it took an increasingly long time to sequence of characters.

This caused the users to begin entering in the string from memory.

Over 10 days, the string of letters and words grew longer, until, the user had to type in 12 random letters or six random words to start the test.

Incredibly, the test subjects managed to type their password or passphrase without prompting after an average of 36 tries, with a success rate of 94 per cent.

HOW TO CHOOSE A PASSWORD

Avoid favourite sports. ‘Baseball’ and ‘football’ were both in the top 10 worst password list.

Birthdays and years of birth are easy to guess with the help of personal information.

Common names such as Michael and Jennifer are insecure, with many making SplashData’s Top 50 list, too.

Experts suggest using eight mixed types of characters, with seemingly random combinations if possible.

They say that passphrases – short words with spaces or other characters separating them – are easy to recall and are relatively secure if seemingly random words are used.

Experts also advise having different passwords for different sites, instead of relying on one, which if hacked, could prove particularly serious.

After three days, 88 per cent still remembered the string or passphrase.

“There’s a big dimension of human memory that hasn’t been explored with passwords,” Joseph Bonneau, one of the two researchers who created the study, said at the time.

“Human memory will surprise you.

But remembering long, complex passwords may not be enough to prevent hackers from stealing your information.

A study earlier this year found passwords such as ‘mnbvcxz’, ‘qaz2wsx’ and ‘adgjmptw’ can be cracked in seconds - and adding numbers to your codes does little to boost its strength.

The analysis was made by hosting firm WP Engine using 10 million passwords recently released by security consultant Mark Burnett.

In 2013, a team of hackers managed to crack more than 14,800 supposedly random passwords - from a list of 16,449 - as part of a hacking experiment for a technology website.

The success rate for each hacker ranged from 62% to 90%, and the hacker who cracked 90 per cent of hashed passwords did so in less than an hour using a computer cluster.

The hackers also managed to crack 16-character passwords including 'qeadzcwrsfxv1331'.

Mars NEVER had oceans

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:06:00 +0000

'Mars NEVER had oceans': New theory says the red planet used to be cold and icy, not warm and wet

A team of scientists in Massachusetts studied Mars 3 to 4 billion years ago
Previous evidence had suggested that it used to have seas and oceans
But this new theory says it was more likely just covered in ice
This would apparently explain the appearance of certain valleys

By Jonathan O'Callaghan

Published: 10:57 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 12:39 GMT, 16 June 2015

In the hunt for past or present life on Mars, scientists have been building evidence that proves the planet was once covered in liquid water - a key condition for life as we know it.

But a new study suggests that the red planet never had seas or oceans - it was instead too cold and was just covered in ice.

The disappointing theory, if true, says that most of the features on the red planet can be explained by ice - meaning the chances of life ever having existed there are slim.

A team of scientists in Massachusetts studied Mars 3 to 4 billion years ago. Previous evidence had suggested that it used to have seas and oceans (left). But this new theory says it was more likely just covered in ice (right). This would apparently explain the appearance of valleys in certain locations

The research was led by Dr Robin Wordsworth of the Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

With his team, they modelled two scenarios for Mars three to four billion years ago - one where it was warm and wet at 10°C (50°F), and the other cold and icy at -48°C (-54°F).

Based on the history of the sun and the tilt of Mars’ axis during this period, the team found that the cold scenario was more likely to occur.

It also could more easily explain certain ‘water erosion’ features on Mars, such as valleys and cliffs.

‘I'm still trying to keep an open mind about this,’ said Dr Wordsworth.

‘There is lots of work to be done. But our results show that the cold/icy scenario matches the surface distribution of erosion features more closely.

‘This strongly suggests that early Mars was generally cold, and water was supplied to the highland regions as snow, not as rain.’

Mars only gets 43 per cent of the solar energy that Earth does, while the sun was 25 per cent dimmer than it is today three to four billion years ago.

Dr Wordsworth said this makes it very likely Mars was cold and icy.

In addition, an extreme tilt of the Martian axis would have pointed the planet’s poles towards the sun and moved ice towards the equator.

This could have formed the water drainage and erosion features seen today.

Some regions on the equator near the giant canyon Valles Marineris (shown) were thought to have little rainfall, but are strewn with valleys that must have been formed by water. The new theory says rapidly melting ice - possibly by a meteorite impact or volcanic eruption - would have created short-lived water for this to happen

Evidence from missions such as the Curiosity rover (pictured) has previously shown fairly conclusively that Mars used to have water on its surface. However, the key questions now are how long this water remained on the surface, and whether the planet was hot or cold

The theory is in stark contrast to the warm and wet theory, which suggests that clouds, dust and carbon dioxide kept the planet warm enough to have water for millions of years.

In May this year, for example, Nasa scientists said that Mars had more water than the Arctic Ocean 3.7 billion years ago, mostly in its northern hemisphere.

They said it would have kept this water for 1.5 billion years before ultimately losing almost all its water when its atmosphere disappeared, for reasons unknown.

Dr Wordsworth, though, says that a warm and wet Mars does not explain the network of valleys at the Martian equator.

THE WET PLANET? MOUNTING EVIDENCE FOR WATER ON MARS

Evidence of water on Mars dates back to the Mariner 9 mission, which arrived in 1971. It revealed clues of water erosion in river beds and canyons as well as weather fronts and fogs.

Viking orbiters that followed caused a revolution in our ideas about water on Mars by showing how floods broke through dams and carved deep valleys.

Mars is too cold and barren now for liquid water to exist on its surface.

But in June 2013, the Curiosity rover found powerful evidence that water good enough to drink once flowed on Mars.

In September of the same year, the first scoop of soil analysed by Curiosity revealed that fine materials on the surface of the planet contain two per cent water by weight.

Earlier this year, scientists provided the best estimates for water on Mars, claiming it once had more than the Arctic Ocean - and the planet kept these oceans for more than 1.5 billion years.

The findings suggest there was ample time and water for life on Mars to thrive, but over the last 3.7 billion years the red planet has lost 87 per cent of its water - leaving it barren and dry.

In May this year, Nasa scientists said that Mars had more water than the Arctic Ocean 3.7 billion years ago, mostly in its northern hemisphere. Dr Wordsworth, though, says that a warm and wet Mars does not explain the network of valleys at the Martian equator

Is this what Mars once looked like? Previous evidence has suggested that the planet would have kept its water for 1.5 billion years before ultimately losing almost all its water when its atmosphere disappeared 2.2 billion years ago, for reasons unknown

How Mars once had more water than the Arctic Ocean

Regions where lots of rain is predicted to have failed - such as the Arabia area around the Hellas basin - have few water drainage features.

But others, such as Margaritifer Sinus that is predicted to have had ten to twenty times less water, has many supposedly water-carved valleys.

Dr Wordsworth said the cold and icy scenario, while not perfect, can explain these features.

In this scenario, the climate would have been cool most of the time, but short-lived events such as meteor impacts and volcanic eruptions would have melted it and formed water, carving the valleys.

Under this scenario, water could have existed for brief periods, but a key question in resolving whether Mars was warm or cold is how long water was on the surface.

Water on Mars! Growing vegetation could be possible

How Mars lost its water is a key question that remains. It is thought to have been due to the atmosphere leaving the planet - a process that also remains a mystery. Understanding what happened to Mars may also indicate what will happen to Earth in the future

‘We know from rover- and orbiter-based data that there were lakes on ancient Mars,’ said Bethany Ehlmann, a planetary scientist at California Institute of Technology and Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who was not involved in the new study.

‘Key questions are: how long did they persist? Were they episodic or persistent? And does the feeder valley network demand rain or is snow and ice melt sufficient?’

The research was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets.

Feeling a little lazy as the temperature heats up?

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:58:00 +0000

Superslackers: Feeling a little lazy as the temperature heats up? Don't worry... these people are putting even less effort into everyday life than you

As summer arrives, everyone starts to put off chores in favour of relaxing
But some humans embrace inertia much more than others
FEMAIL rounds up some of the best instances of humans behaving lazily

By Caroline Mcguire

Published: 09:47 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 12:53 GMT, 16 June 201

It's that time of year again... when the temperature rises and everyone starts to feel a little sluggish.

Whether it's ambling on your way to work or lingering over a glass of wine in the garden instead of getting on with the laundry, there's always something that can be put off in favour of basking in the warmth of a summer's day.

But don't worry you're not alone.

This man would much rather spend ten minutes fishing up his dropped shirt with a vacuum cleaner... and risk losing the appliance in the process, than walk downstairs and pick the item up

As with most instances when it comes to human behaviour, whether it's drunkenness, loudness, or in this case, laziness - there is someone out there who is taking it one step further than you.

The following examples have taken inertia to levels that would make a sloth look productive.

But when many of us would have bitten the bullet and moved a limb or two to get something done, these men and women have come up with some ingenious ways to make sure they can stay as immobile as possible.

For instance, we've all been there - the moment when you're lying in bed at night and don't have the energy to get up and hit the light switch. But pet owner has discovered that by using a laser, their cat can be directed in the direction of the switch while they stay under the duvet.

In another instance, a man swerves having to push his wheelie bin down his drive by dragging it along in his car.

Read on to see some of the best instances of humans behaving lazily...

This young man didn't want to waste time building the chair he bought when its box is just as effective

Whose job is it to take out the rubbish? The car's apparently

Why move a limb to turn off the light when your cat can do it for you

This clever use of pliers to replace the arm of a razor is both cheap and energy-saving. Genuis

Writing out letters numerous times is a lengthy process, so this child should get top marks for ingenuity with their time-saving H's

Sick of doing the dishes? This nifty use of cling film will make sure your plates satay clean forever

They say it's the thought that counts when it comes to gifts... which probably doesn't say much for what is in these unwrapped packages

They might be lazy, but no one could accuse this person of being untidy

And they say that technology is making the youth of today more stupid...

Well, they do call it a La-Z-Boy

This woman was so chuffed with her time-saving nail painting technique that she took pictures and uploaded them to the internet. Imagine how many toes she could have painted in that time

Straight from Your Bed to the Pool

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:46:00 +0000

Secret carports, stairs with built-in slides, and a water chute that takes you straight from your bed to the pool: Lavish design whims of property billionaires revealed

Images show novel ways some home owners are improving their pads
Ideas include an indoor climbing wall, waterfall shower and putting green
Clever design can make functional features more fun

By Jo Tweedy

Published: 12:21 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 14:53 GMT, 16 June 201

If money was no option, how would you improve your home?

How does a helter skelter-style staircase with a built-in slide for the kids sound? Or maybe an outdoor home cinema where you can watch the latest films from the comfort of your inflatable pool chair?

These are just some of the extravagant home improvements being made by property owners who have big ideas and big bank accounts.

Forget riding down the stairs in a duvet, these staircases have clearly been designed with youngsters in mind. The spiral version (left) brings an element of helter skelter to proceedings while the design on the right lets you get downstairs a lot quicker

No space on the drive for your ever-growing car collection? No problem! Just have an underground carport installed beneath your driveway

Live life like a millionaire with hidden car garage

Teeing-off...without leaving the house: A putting green, complete with slopes to challenge home golfers is a very modern way to add value to your home

A series of images shows that the sky's the limit when it comes to adding novel - and almost always expensive - ways to make their 'cribs' stand out from neighbouring abodes.

It's not clear whether some of the photos really exist or are simply the stuff of idle daydreams, mocked up by those who yearn to own a home with heaps of wow factor.

Among the more adventurous high-spec additions is a substantial climbing wall built next to a staircase. And if you fancy going straight from the bedroom to the swimming pool, one particularly natty design shows a waterslide that can do just that.

Built into the room's wardrobe, the flume is linked directly to the pool room below, ensuring that guests can drop straight into the water for a cooling dip when they wake up in the morning.

Climbing the walls...literally: This property brings the pursuit of rock-climbing into the home, ensuring inhabitants can don crampons and enjoy some high-octane fun before dinner

From the closet to the pool in just a few seconds: A water flute, built into wardrobe space, is one way of getting your fitness regime started in the morning...

Sleek: The flume flings riders straight from the bedroom into this refreshing pool built below

Is it a spa? No, it's your shower...a waterfall-inspired indoor pool is just the ticket if you have cash to burn

Curvy beauty: This luxurious pool, complete with a garden house and rock facades could be a hotel

Dress for dinner in your bathing suit: This BBQ is built into the pool's design, making it easy to swim up to the bar and order a burger (from your mum, one assumes)

Other extravagant water-based ideas include a spa-style waterfall shower and a pool that comes with its own inflatable chairs overlooks a large cinema screen.

Elsewhere, a jungle-style outdoor shower features. The private wood-clad cubicle delivers a refreshing blast in the middle of a rainforest setting.

For those who are high on funds but low on space and don't fancy moving, there's also some natty space-saving ideas including a hidden carport that's built under the driveway so you can effectively house two or more vehicles in the same space.

Other ingenious designs to create extra space from nowhere include a modern take on the hidden bookcase and a floor that can be lifted up to reveal extra drawers built underneath it.

If impressing your friends coming over for dinner is the main aim, there's also an indoor putting green with challenging slopes and even a rustic-style home cinema with oversized cushions and a roaring log fire.

Kids will also love the wooden spiral staircase that turns getting from floor to floor into a helter skelter ride. An alternative design sees a direct slide right next to the stairs, meaning you can whizz from upper to lower in seconds, with minimum effort.

One for the daredevils: This floor hammock design removes the ceiling and lets you hang loose from a great height

A new take on the pool party: This swimming pool has a home cinema screen built into a wall nearby, meaning guests can hang out on a balmy evening and take in a film

Hidden treasures for those looking to space-save: This wooden floor (left) has plenty of storage tucked away belying its ordinary appearance (right)

Anyone for a slumber party? A pretty, rustic-style home cinema invites guests to relax on large cushions and enjoy a film and a roaring fire

Fancy a jungle-style shower without setting foot in the rainforest? This wooded trail leads to an enclosure made of trees...where you can wash as if you're in the Amazon

World's Thinnest Light Bulb is Just ONE ATOM Thick

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:37:00 +0000

World's thinnest light bulb is just ONE ATOM thick: Technology could lead to super-thin flexible TV screens

Researchers at Columbia University created the 'bulb' by attaching a small strip of 'atomically thin' graphene, acting as a filament to metal electrodes
Graphene - a form of carbon - has been heralded as having a range of uses
Technology could lead to super-thin computer and TV screens

By Colin Fernandez

Published: 18:16 GMT, 15 June 2015 | Updated: 20:26 GMT, 15 June 2015

Scientists have created the world's thinnest light bulb using the wonder material graphene, in a layer just one atom thick.

Graphene – a form of carbon – has been heralded as having a vast range of uses.

The ability for the super-thin material to produce light is seen as a key step to create super-thin computer and TV screens.

Scientists have created the world's thinnest light bulb using the wonder material graphene in a layer just one atom thick (illustrated).

The 'bulb' was created by attaching a small strip of 'atomically thin' graphene, acting as a filament, to metal electrodes.

When they passed a current through it, the graphene lit up.

James Hone, professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University said: 'We've created what is essentially the world's thinnest light bulb.'

Process of bright visible light emission in graphene

The 'bulb' was created by attaching a small strip of 'atomically thin' graphene, acting as a filament, to metal electrodes. When the team passed a current through it, the graphene lit up (pictured at different magnifications left (which can be seen with the naked eye) left and right

WHAT IS GRAPHENE?

Graphene is a single atomic layer of carbon atoms bound in a hexagonal network.

It not only promises to revolutionise semiconductor, sensor, and display technology, but could also lead to breakthroughs in fundamental quantum physics research.

It is often depicted as an atomic-scale chicken wire made of carbon atoms and their bonds.

Scientists believe it could one day be used to make transparent conducting materials, biomedical sensors and even extremely light, yet strong, aircraft of the future.

Similar to another important nanomaterial - carbon nanotubes - graphene is incredibly strong - around 200 times stronger than structural steel.

He added that the light 'will pave the way towards the realisation of atomically thin, flexible and transparent displays'.

The filament, despite being tiny, is visible to the naked eye when it is on.

The graphene reaches very high temperatures of 2,500°C but does not melt the electrodes because the 'hot spot' is restricted to the centre of the filament.

Yun Daniel Park, of Seoul National University said that carbon was one of the earliest filaments used when light bulbs were invented.

'Edison originally used carbon as a filament for his light bulb and here we are going back to the same element, but using it in its pure form – graphene – and at its ultimate size limit – one atom thick.'

Graphene, discovered in the UK, is composed of carbon atoms linked in a hexagonal lattice.

Its incredible properties include being 200 times stronger than steel by weight, conducting electricity and being nearly transparent.

The discovery of graphene in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, two Russian-born scientists at the University of Manchester, earned the pair the Nobel Prize for Physics and knighthoods.

In 2014, a National Graphene Institute was set up in Manchester, with more than £60 million ($94 million) of funding to find uses for the substance.

The discovery of graphene (a molecular model is shown) in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, two Russian-born scientists at the University of Manchester, earned the pair the Nobel Prize for Physics and knighthoods.

GRAPHENE 'POM POMS' COULD MAKE BETTER BATTERIES

Graphene is the most conductive material in the world, but because it is thin and flat it doesn't have the surface area needed to be used in batteries.

To increase the size and shape of this so-called super-material, scientists in South Korea have used graphene's sheet-like structure to create 'pom-poms'.

The 3D structures were made by dropping graphene oxide into hot solvent - a process that has been likened to deep-frying food.

To increase the surface area of graphene, in order to make it transfer more charge and make it more suitable for use in batteries, scientists at the Yonsei University in Seoul created graphene 'pom-poms' (pictured). These 3D spheres were formed by dropping graphene oxide into hot solvent

Deep-fried pom-poms of graphene could ultimately make batteries in phones and tablets smaller, efficient, and more capable of storing and transferring charge.

Sang-Hoon Park and his colleagues at Yonsei University, in Seoul put flakes of graphene oxide into an ultrasonic nozzle, which used sound waves to create microdroplets.

These microdroplets were when sprayed into a mixture of organic solvent and ascorbic acid, at temperatures of 160°C (320°F).

In the solvent and acid, the graphene oxide was turned into graphene, the water in the droplets evaporated, and the resulting spheres resembled pom-poms.

As they formed, nanosheets in the graphene spilled out from the centre, creating 'waves' of particles.

This created so-called nanochannels, which increased the area in which charge could be transferred.

Early tests with the graphene pom-poms showed that they performed better as electrodes compared to typical sheets of graphene.

Mount Everest Shifts 1.2 Inches South-West

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:34:00 +0000

Mount Everest shifts 1.2 inches south-west after shock of Nepal earthquake

The 7.8-magnitude quake devastated the country on April 25, killing 8,700
Reversed the gradual north easterly course of the world's tallest mountain
Mount Everest moved 1.2 inches (three centimetres) to the southwest
Expert compared the movement to that of a rubber ball when it's poked

By Sarah Griffiths

Published: 10:00 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 13:23 GMT, 16 June 2015

The world's tallest peak, Mount Everest, has shifted 1.2 inches (three centimetres) south-west as a direct result of the Nepal Earthquake.

The 7.8-magnitude quake devastated the country in April, killing more than 8,700 people and destroying important monuments.

The disaster has also reversed the gradual north-easterly course of the mountain, according to China’s National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation.

The world's tallest peak, Mount Everest (seen here from basecamp) moved 1.2 inches (three centimetres) to the southwest because of the Nepal earthquake

Over the past decade, Everest has moved 16 inches (40cm) to the north-east at a speed of 1.6 inches (4cm) per year, Chinese state media reported.

The mountain also rose 1.2 inches (3cm) over the same time period.

Professor James Jackson, a geologist at Cambridge University, told MailOnline that rocks are bendy and during the earthquake process, the Earth behaves a little like a rubber ball.

The 7.8-magnitude quake devastated the country in April, killing more than 8,700 people in the country and destroying important monuments. On April 25, an avalanche struck base camp (shown on the map)

MIGHTY MOUNT EVEREST

Mount Everest’s peak is 29,029 feet (8,848 metres) above sea level, which is around the cruising altitude of a jet airliner.

The world's highest peak is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas.

Data suggests the world’s highest mountain gets higher by three to five millimetres a year, so that every time a team reaches the summit they are setting a new altitude record.

Mount Everest attracts highly experienced mountaineers who tackle one of its two climbing routes - one approaching the summit from the southeast in Nepal, and the other from the north in Tibet.

The routes aren't technically particularly difficult, but pose dangers including altitude sickness, weather and wind as well as avalanches.

By March 2012, Everest had been climbed 5,656 times with 223 deaths.

Although shorter mountains can be longer or steeper climbs, it's so high the jet stream can hit it so climbers face winds exceeding 200 mph when the weather shifts.

The mountain's height was first decided in 1856, when Andrew Waugh announced Everest (then known as Peak XV) as 29,002 feet (8,840 metres) high, after several years of calculations based on observations made by the Great Trigonometric Survey.

Now the height is set and recognised by Nepal and China.

He compared the epicentre of the earthquake, which struck on April 25, to a ball being poked with a finger, while the rest of the ball spreads outwards a little.

The epicentre of the earthquake was near Kathmandu with Everest around 100 miles (161 km) to the east.

While the earthquake itself was less forceful on the mountain, it still triggered deadly avalanches killing 18 people and leaving its climbing base camp in ruins, causing the authorities in both China and Nepal to cancel all climbs for this year.

The mountain straddles the border between the two countries.

Professor Jackson said that before the earthquake, India was gradually moving into Nepal, so that the country was effectively being compressed and the mountain slightly squeezed.

When the earthquake struck, Kathmandu rebounded by around seven feet (two metres) and the mountain rather less, to readdress the balance.

‘This happens all the time,’ he said, citing the Japan earthquake in 2011 as an example.

‘Japan compressed like a ball – east and west – but after the earthquake this reversed and the country extended 10 feet (three metres).'

Geologists call the effect elastic rebound because energy is stored up before an earthquake and release afterwards.

Two earthquakes shook the region – one on April 25 and another May 12 – which in combination triggered landslides and destroyed half a million homes, leaving thousands without shelter just weeks ahead of monsoon rains.

While the second quake was still strong, with a magnitude of 7.3, it didn’t move the mountain, according to reports.

Terrifying moment avalanche hits Everest base camp

The epicentre of the earthquake was at Kathmandu with Everest around 100 miles to the east. While the earthquake itself was less forceful on the mountain, it still triggered deadly avalanches. Here, a cloud of snow and debris triggered by an earthquake roars towards Everest base camp

The quake promoted the authorities in both China and Nepal to cancel all climbs for this year. Here, an injured person is loaded onto a rescue helicopter at Everest base camp on April 26, a day after an avalanche devastated the camp

Days after the disaster, Professor Jackson estimated the vertical and horizontal motion caused by the quake would be less than four inches (10cm), National Geographic reported.

He said that the 1.2 inch movement south west is what he would expect from a quake of this magnitude.

On April 29, scientists said preliminary data collected by the European Sentinel-1A radar satellite suggested that Everest had shrunk in height by an inch (2.5cm), while ground closer to Kathmandu may have risen by as much as three feet (one metre).

On April 29, scientists said preliminary data collected by the European Sentinel-1A radar satellite suggested that Everest had shrunk in height by an inch (2.5cm). The peak of the mountain, which is 29,022 feeet tall is pictured from a plane (stock image)

Crawling Along High Voltage Line As HALF A MILLION Volts

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:31:00 +0000

Electric performance: Maintenance engineer is filmed crawling along high voltage line as HALF A MILLION volts pass around his body but says his job is 'as safe as crossing the road'

Maintenance man is covered in stainless steel thread as he makes his way along the wires on his hands and knees
He has to wear the special suit so the voltage flows around him
He arrives for work by travelling on the outside of a helicopter

By Jake Polden

Published: 10:21 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 14:12 GMT, 16 June 201

If you think your job is stressful, spare a thought for the American man who is scared of electricity and heights but still crawls along power lines - to keep energy flowing smoothly to business and households.

Captured on video, the maintenance man demonstrates his day-to-day job and explains what seems like the impressive science behind a special suit he wears.

The garment is designed to protect him from the high-voltage power line.

Man rides OUTSIDE of helicopter to maintain power line

The maintenance man arrives at the high-voltage power lines from the outside of a helicopter

Seventy-five per cent of his hot suit is made up of Nomex, which makes it fire retardant

The short clip, which was filmed in America, is taken from an IMAX documentary entitled Straight Up: Helicopters in Action.

In the video, the man travels on the outside of a helicopter to arrive at his workplace. He then explains the theory of English scientist Michael Faraday – that if you enclose a man in a metal cage and energize that cage at whatever voltage, the man would still live because the voltage would flow around him.

He notes that 75 per cent of his hot suit is made up of Nomex, which makes it fire retardant, and 25 per cent is stainless steel thread.

The thread causes the suit to act as a sort of Faraday cage around him and allows for half a million volts to pass over his body.

Unlike birds, who can perch on one wire without being electrocuted, the man is in danger because he is touching two wires at the same time. These wires and his body form a circuit through which electricity can flow.

25 per cent of the suit is made of stainless steel thread, which acts as a 'Faraday cage' around his body

The maintenance man explains that as long as the helicopter is isolated from the ground he has the ability to bring himself to the same voltage potential as the lines.

After this he can be seen walking around the lines on his hands and knees as he goes about his job.

The video concludes with him noting that he believes his work to be 'as safe as crossing the street' before stating that he is scared of both heights and electricity.

The man noted that he is weary of both heights and electricity, which obviously keeps him concentrating.

New App Learns Your Favourite Styles

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:16:00 +0000

The Tinder of shopping? New app learns your favourite styles, colours and prints... then sends fashion recommendations straight to your phone or smartwatch

New fashion app The WantList allows you to shop across brands
Net-a-Porter, ASOS, TopShop and House of Fraser fashion all available
Remembers your fashion choices to help suggest similar products
Launched five days ago and has already had 50,000 swipes
Works across devices - browse on phone or watch then buy on your laptop

By Naomi Greenaway

Published: 14:21 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 14:26 GMT, 16 June 2015

If you thought it was just your best friend who knew your style down to a 'T', you'll be glad to know the she can now be replaced as your fashion adviser with your phone or watch.

New fashion app, The WantList, scans the clothes you like from a wide variety of retailers and remembers your taste according to the cut, length, colour and even the design of the print.

Designed with the Apple Watch in mind, the design is very simple: If you like an item, you swipe right to keep it in your 'Want List', or if not, swipe left to send it back into cyberspace.

Designed with the Apple Watch in mind, The WantList is the latest shopping app to hit the market. If you like an item, swipe right to keep it in your 'Want List', or if not, swipe left to send it back into cyber space

Much like the Net Set, a new Net-a-Porter offering launched by founder Natalie Massenet, WantList hooks into our social media obsession and allows users to follow other fashionable folk and snoop into their likes and dislikes too.

But whereas items on the Net Set come with a hefty price tag, the clever WantList technology sorts through millions of pieces from different online retailers to find the items likely to tickle shoppers' fancies whatever their budget, and also gives users the chance to look for cheaper or more upmarket alternatives by selecting 'luxe' or 'less'.

The retailers vary from high-end sites such as Net-a-Porter, Sak’s, MatchesFashion and Browns, though to House of Fraser and high street brands like ASOS and TopShop.

The app is the latest technology to jump on the trend for 'snack shopping' - dipping into shopping apps at any given opportunity - and since launching five days ago it has already received 50,000 swipes.

The app scans the clothes you like from a wide variety of retailers and remembers your taste according to the cut, length, colour and even the design of the print

Shannon Edwards, CEO of Styloko, which created the app, says: 'The reality of our modern lives is that we are now on mobile for more than half of our days.

'So a mobile experience needs to reflect our on-the-go lifestyle and The WantList does this with a simple interface, intuitive format, and the ability to save products to consider later.'

The shopping interface is certainly shrinking but research shows that more women still prefer shopping on their desktop, so Styloko have created a log on that works across devices.

This means any searches and saves made on an iPhone will appear on the laptop too, ready for a shopper to pick sizes at the checkout too.

Although we're becoming a nation of snack shoppers - dipping into our shopping apps at any given opportunity - women still prefer to purchase on their desktop

The Best Hotels For Under £100 A Night

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:07:00 +0000

From a rustic 10th-century haunt in the Cotswolds to luxury by the beaches of Phuket: The best hotels for under £100 a night

For those looking for a summer getaway that won't break the bank, try these hotel options for under £100 per night
In the UK, deals can be found at York's Lawrence Luxury Aparthotel and Brighton's Kemp Townhouse
Further afield, cost-savvy travellers can book a romantic weekend away at Venice's Ca Centopietre from just £87

By Katie Amey

Published: 11:00 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 12:04 GMT, 16 June 201

Planning a holiday getaway sure doesn't come cheap.

Factoring in the cost of a hotel, travel expenses, food and other essentials, that quick weekend away can really add up.

Thankfully, a hotel recommendation service has rounded up some of the best hotels - both at home in the UK and further afield - where a night's stay costs under £100.

A summer mini-break that still leaves you a bit of cash in your pocket? Consider us sold.

For a high-end home away from home style stay, check out the Lawrence Luxury Aparthotel located in the heart of historic York

Lawrence Luxury Aparthotel - York

If you're looking for a high-end home away from home style accommodation, these quality serviced apartments offer a great base from which to explore the city, according to Top10.

It's also easy to find, since it's conveniently located just a short walk from the train station.

And for those keen to get in on the action, York Racecourse is also within easy reach.

Rooms are available from £88.

Kemp Townhouse - Brighton

For those who prefer a seaside holiday, Kemp Townhouse is Brighton's only five-star guesthouse - just steps from the beach

Fancy a weekend by the sea?

Look no further than this bright modern townhouse, which is the only five-star guesthouse in Brighton.

And best of all, the property, with all of its elegant, stylish touches, is just steps from the beach, pier and bustling shopping district, The Lanes.

Rooms are available from £86.

Church St. Hotel - London

In the capital, this Camberwell hotel, offers Mexican-inspired rooms from £90 per night - and guests even receive homemade hot sauce

A boutique property in London, with well-appointed rooms available for under £100 per night, is often considered an elusive unicorn among hotels in the capital.

But this quirky, artisan accommodation in Camberwell is located just 30 minutes from London's main attractions and boasts a heavy Mexican influence, as well as a touch of colonial flair, is indeed a reality.

As a further nod to the property's Mexican inspiration, guests are also gifted a bottle of their special hot sauce upon arrival.

Rooms are available from £90.

The Porch House - Cotswolds

The Porch House is one of England's oldest inns, yet has been updated with plenty of high-end touches and amenities

Celebrity favourite The Cotswolds are a weekend home for many A-listers - and it's easy to see why.

Not only is the picturesque countryside quiet and quaint, but it's absolutely stunning.

With just 13 rooms, The Porch House in Stow on the Wold is one of England's oldest inns, yet has plenty of high-end modern amenities. (Including Nespresso machines in each room.)

Rooms are available from £94.

Murrayfield Hotel - Edinburgh

Anyone planning to visit Edinburgh for the Festival this summer, should check in to Murrayfield Hotel, located right next to the stadium

Planning to hit the Edinburgh Festival this summer? Right next to Murrayfield Stadium, this hotel is only a short bus ride into the centre – scoring major location points.

Spacious and tastefully-decorated rooms will also be sure to win you over.

Rooms are available from £89.

Jolyons @ No. 10 - Cardiff

This property in the Welsh capital is within easy reach of the city centre and boasts opulent furniture and Japanese-style plunge baths

Flashes of animal print? Opulent walnut furniture? Japanese-style plunge baths?

Jolyons at No 10 will tick all of these boxes and more.

The boutique hotel, within easy reach of the city centre and the bay, will guarantee that you fall in love with the Welsh capital.

Rooms are available from £99.

Heywood House - Liverpool

Named the European City of Culture, a stay in Liverpool doesn't have to cost a fortune thanks to the stylish Heywood House

After being named European City of Culture, Liverpool is seeing a real surge in visitors - yet, this hotel still offers a stylish stay on a budget.

From Heywood House, you can explore all the city has to offer with a stay in the extremely comfortable offering, where no two rooms are alike.

Rooms are available from £55.

Eurostars BCN Design - Barcelona, Spain

This five-star hotel is ideally located along one of the city's most popular streets, Las Ramblas, moments away from Barcelona's attractions

A five-star hotel on one of the city's most popular streets, Las Ramblas, is moments away from so many of Barcelona’s incredible attractions.

What’s more, all the rooms in the hotel are unique, with no design the same.

In fact, you may even find your bath in the middle of the bedroom.

Rooms are available from £93.

Ca Centopietre - Venice, Italy

For the ultimate romantic holiday, head to the Ca Centopietre in Venice for a truly authentic Italian hotel experience

There's no better city for a romantic weekend away than Venice.

After getting lost wandering around the beautiful winding alleyways, return to the Ca Centopietre for a true Venetian-style stay.

It's set back enough to avoid the crowds, but close enough to explore all that Venice has to offer. Plus, you'll be left with money to spend on a (pizza) dinner for two.

Rooms are available from £87.

The Westin Siray Bay Resort - Phuket, Thailand

Even long-haul escape deals can be found, such as a stay at the luxurious Westin Siray Bay Resort in Phuket, Thailand

And for those looking for a long-haul escape, there are discounts to be found, as well.

A stay at the luxurious, secluded Westin Siray Bay Resort in Phuket is the perfect place to relax amongst the sun and sand.

All you'll need to worry about is what books you should bring.

Rooms are available from £70.

Air pollution kills 3.2 million people across the world every year

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:56:00 +0000

Air pollution kills 3.2 million people across the world every year - that's more than Aids and malaria COMBINED

Air pollution results on around 3.2 million early deaths each year
From conditions including heart attack, stroke and lung cancer
That's more than early deaths from HIV-Aids and malaria combined
Meeting air quality guidelines could prevent 2.1 million early deaths a year

By Lizzie Parry

Published: 13:04 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 14:28 GMT, 16 June 2015

Air pollution kills more people every year than Aids and malaria combined, warns new research.

Scientists say meeting global air quality guidelines could prevent 2.1 million deaths per year.

They developed a global model of how changes in outdoor air pollution could reduce health problems, including heart attack, stroke and lung cancer.

And their findings reveal outdoor particulate air pollution results in 3.2 million premature deaths each year - more than the combined impact of HIV-Aids and malaria.

By meeting the World Health Organisation's (WHO) particulate air quality guidelines, the team of environmental engineering and public health researchers estimate 2.1 million early deaths could be prevented.

A new study has estimated that outdoor particulate air pollution (pictured, Shanghai shrouded in smog) results in around 3.2 million premature deaths from heart attack, stroke, lung cancer and other illnesses, each year

The new study is the first detailed analysis of how improvements in particulate air pollution worldwide would yield improvement in health, and where those improvements would occur.

The researchers looked at outdoor air pollution from particulate matter (PM) smaller than 2.5 microns which can enter deep into the lungs.

Breathing PM is associated with increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular disease; respiratory illnesses such as emphysema; and cancer.

PM pollution comes from fires, coal power plants, cars and lorries, plus agricultural and industrial emissions.

In low-income countries, PM also comes from burning coal, wood, crop waste and animal dung for cooking and heating, and from open burning rubbish.

Lead author Doctor Joshua Apte, of the University of Texas, said: 'We wanted to determine how much cleaner different parts of the world would need to be in order to substantially reduce death from particulate matter.

'We believe our model could help in designing strategies to protect public health.'

He said, worldwide, most people live in areas with PM concentrations far above WHO's air quality guideline of 10 micrograms per cubic metre, with some parts of India and China experiencing levels that exceed 100.

Confirming the researchers' expectations, the study demonstrated major potential to reduce mortality from PM in the world's most polluted regions.

But one of the study's unexpected findings was that cleaning air in less polluted parts of the world, including Western Europe, can have as much health benefit as similar measures taken in the most polluted areas.

The total in early deaths from air pollution is greater than the combined impact of HIV-Aids, pictured, and malaria, the scientists from the universities of Texas and Minnesota revealed

Co-authored Doctor Julian Marshall, of the University of Minnesota, said: 'We were surprised to find the importance of cleaning air not just in the dirtiest parts of the world - which we expected to find - but also in cleaner environments like the US, Canada and Europe.'

The study determined that meeting WHO's air quality guidelines could prevent up to 1.4 million premature deaths per year in polluted areas such as China, India and Russia.

And meeting WHO guidelines in clean regions could reduce premature deaths from outdoor pollution by more than half a million per year.

Dr Marshall said another important finding was that because of ageing populations, health risks in many countries will increase even if pollution levels are constant.

Older people are more susceptible to air pollution and more at risk than younger people for health problems such as heart attacks and strokes.

The study was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Growing Up Near Parks and Woodland Boosts a Child's Memory and Thinking Skills

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:50:00 +0000

Growing up near parks and woodland 'boosts a child's memory and thinking skills', study reveals

Children living near parks or woodland were found to be a year ahead in their mental development than those who had no green space nearby
Same effect found in children living near 'blue spaces' - lakes or the sea
Has positive effect on childrens' memory and thinking skills, study found

By Colin Fernandez, Science Correspondent

Published: 12:31 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 13:26 GMT, 16 June 2015

Growing up with green spaces around helps children's mental development, scientists have found.

Children who live near parks, gardens or woodland or go to schools surrounded by greenery were found to be a year ahead in their mental development over children without green spaces near their home.

The researchers based in Barcelona found the same effect was true for children aged 7-10 living nearby 'blue spaces' – lakes, reservoirs or the sea.

Previous research has found that being close to foliage and vegetation is linked with better mental health in adults – but the research in primary school children was 'inadequate.'

Researchers in Barcelona discovered children who grew up near parks, gardens and woodland were around a year head in their mental development than those who had no green spaces near their homes

The researchers tested 2,500 schoolchildren for attentiveness and two measures of memory, excluding children with special educational needs.

They then used satellite data to compute how much green or blue space was near their homes.

Taking into consideration social class, they found that the children growing up amid leaves, trees and flowers were 12 months more advanced in their mental development.

The authors estimated that between 20-65 per cent of the effect of improved thinking skills was explained by less atmospheric pollution in green areas.

The link between exposure to greenery or water was not explained by the wealth or status of the child's family, the authors said.

Our findings suggest a beneficial impact of green space exposure on cognitive development, with part of this effect resulting from buffering against such urban environmental pollutants

One of the authors, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, said: 'Our study showed a beneficial association between exposure to green space and cognitive development among schoolchildren that was partly mediated by reduction in exposure to air pollution.'

He added: 'We found little or no evidence of a role of socioeconomic status for the relationship of green space and cognitive development.'

Led by Dr Payam Dadvand, from the Centre for Research and Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, the researchers wrote: 'Approximately one half of the world population lives in cities, and it is projected that by 2030, three of every five persons will live in urban areas worldwide.

'Urban areas are characterised by a network of non-natural built-up infrastructures with increased pollutant levels and less green environments.

'Children's exposure to these pollutants such as air pollution and noise has been associated with detrimental impacts on their cognitive development.

'Our findings suggest a beneficial impact of green space exposure on cognitive development, with part of this effect resulting from buffering against such urban environmental pollutants.'

Green spaces also help reduce air pollution which is known to impede children's mental development

Green spaces also help reduce air pollution which is known to impede children's mental development.

In addition, access to parks and forests can incite 'risk taking, discovery, creativity, mastery and control' strengthen the sense of self and inspire emotional states including 'a sense of wonder', the authors say.

Other possibilities include exposing children to a wider variety of microbes – germs- in green areas, and providing more opportunities to exercise. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Dr Ross Cameron, a lecturer in ecology at the University of Sheffield, said other factors not included in the study such as parents' mental health – need to be accounted for, as mental health problems are more common in urban areas.

Are you causing your DOG to suffer psychological burnout?

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:47:00 +0000

Are you causing your DOG to suffer psychological burnout? Vets say more pets are suffering 'chronic fatigue' and living on anti-depressants because of owners' busy lifestyles

A new report says dogs are becoming increasingly depressed and anxious
Vets say owners' busy lifestyles make pets suffer 'psychological burnout'
Some dogs are now having to undergo therapy and take anti-depressants

By Jennifer Newton

Published: 10:46 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 11:22 GMT, 16 June 201

Dogs are suffering from psychological burnout with some need anti-depressants because they cannot keep up with their owners' busy lifestyles, a new report has revealed.

Vets in Switzerland say that pets are under increasing amounts of emotional pressure which has led to them suffering from anxiety attacks and depression.

The study also says that some dogs are also suffering from chronic fatigue due to the 24/7 lifestyles of their owners.

A new report has revealed that dogs are suffering from psychological burnout because they are unable to keep up with owners' busy lifestyles (file picture)

Behavioural psychologist and vet Linda Hornisberger says that cases of depressed dogs are on the rise.

She said: 'Today, dogs are increasingly living with chronic fatigue.

'They are completely overwhelemed and need to take anti-depressants.'

The report also cited the example of Border Collie, Silver - who emigrated to Switzerland from Britain with his owner Gabi Thurnherr.

Ms Thurnherr, 44, said that Silver became so anxious he would attack his own shadow by rushing up to it and barking and growling.

His anxiety then had to be brought under control with therapy and anti-depressants.

Maya Bram, a vet at the Zurich Animal Hospital, where Silver was treated, said: 'Thanks to the drug he responded well to the therapy and found peace.

Behavioural psychologist and vet Linda Hornisberger says that cases of depressed dogs are on the rise (file picture)

'Many pets and their owners don't know any peace they are so busy.

'Peace is a foreign concept for many pets and dogs need a lot of rest.

'But with today's busy lifestyles they often miss out.'

In 2010, a dog version of the anti-depressant drug Prozac was launched and was approved for sale in Britain.

The one-a-day tablet, which tastes of beef, is said to help cure 'canine compulsive disorder' and 'separation anxiety' brought on by owners' long absences during the day.

Symptoms include poor behaviour, whimpering or tail-chasing.

The drug, called Reconcile, is also designed to curb the compulsive pacing, chewing and dribbling which its makers claim is a result of depression brought on by their owners' long absences.

An Avocado a Day Can Fight Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:44:00 +0000

How an avocado a day can fight CANCER: Fat from the fruit 'targets leukaemia cells and stops them growing'

Fat from avocados could combat acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
Fat targets leukaemia stem cells and stops them growing abnormally
Researchers say it could prolong life of leukaemia sufferers
AML is a deadly form of cancer that proves fatal within 5 years for 90 per cent of people over the age of 65

By Madlen Davies

Published: 10:03 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 11:15 GMT, 16 June 201

Canadian scientists, hope to develop a new cancer-fighting drug using fat derived from avocados

They are delicious in guacamole or cut up in salads, and we've long been told they're a healthy form of fat.

But now, scientists believe avocados could help in the fight against cancer.

A new study has revealed fat from the creamy fruit can combat acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a rare but deadly form of the disease.

Fat molecules from avocado tackles leukaemia stem cells, which are the root of the disease, as they grow into abnormal blood cells, Canadian researchers said.

Worldwide, there are few drugs that tackle leukaemia stem cells.

In light of the findings, the researchers hope to create an avocado-derived drug they say could one day significantly increase life expectancy and quality of life for AML patients.

AML is a devastating disease and proves fatal within five years for 90 per cent of people over the age of 65.

In healthy people, stem cells in the bone marrow divide and grow to form fully developed mature red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells.

In patients with AML, this process goes awry.

Rather than forming into healthy red blood cells, many abnormal leukaemia cells are made.

These are immature cells that aren't able to develop into normal functioning blood cells.

The researchers discovered the fat molecule from avocados, called avocatin B, is able to stop this process, targeting stem cells so healthy blood cells are able to grow.

Professor Paul Spagnuolo, from the University of Waterloo, said: 'The stem cell is really the cell that drives the disease.

'The stem cell is largely responsible for the disease developing and it's the reason why so many patients with leukaemia relapse.

'We've performed many rounds of testing to determine how this new drug works at a molecular level and confirmed that it targets stem cells selectively, leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Professor Paul Spagnuolo from the University of Waterloo has discovered a lipid in avocados that combats acute myeloid leukemia by targeting the root of the disease - leukemia stem cells

'Not only does avocatin B eliminate the source of AML, but its targeted, selective effects make it less toxic to the body, too.'

Professor Spagnuolo has teamed up with the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM), in Toronto, and filed a patent application for the use of avocatin B to treat AML.

The drug is still years away from becoming approved for use in cancer clinics, but Professor Spagnuolo is already performing experiments to prepare the drug for a Phase I clinical trial.

This is the first round of trials where people diagnosed with AML could have access to the drug.

The research was published in the journal Cancer Research.

WHAT IS ACUTE MYELOID LEUKAEMIA?

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. Acute leukaemia means the condition progresses rapidly and aggressively, requiring immediate treatment.

Acute Myeloid Leukeamia (AML) is a form of the cancer in which the myeloid cells are affected.

Myeloid cells perform a number of different functions, such as fighting bacterial infections, defending the body against parasites and preventing the spread of tissue damage.

The fat molecule from avocados tackles leukaemia stem cells, stopping them from growing abnormally. Pictured is a blood smear of AML under the microscope

AML occurs when specialised cells called stem cells, which are found in the bone marrow (a spongy material inside the bones), produce excessive numbers of immature white blood cells. These immature cells are known as blast cells.

Blast cells don't have the infection-fighting properties of healthy white blood cells, and their excessive production can lead to a decrease in the number of red blood cells (which carry oxygen in the blood) and platelets (cells that help the blood to clot).

Adorable Moment - Police Dogs Form a Perfect Line While Waiting for their Food

noreply@blogger.com (Sheranga Perera) — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:35:00 +0000

Dinner is ready! Adorable moment police dogs form a perfect line while waiting for their food

Photograph shows six dogs queuing up for dinner with plates in mouths
It is believed to have been taken at a police dog academy in China
Pooches sit with ears pricked in orderly line headed by a black labrador
One trainer said police dogs should be courageous and have a big appetite

By Emily Chan

Published: 09:13 GMT, 16 June 2015 | Updated: 12:33 GMT, 16 June 2015

It's a picture sure to melt even the coldest of hearts, and certain to earn the pooches an extra spoonful or two for their efforts.

The photograph taken at a police dog academy shows six dogs queuing up to get their dinner, while holding onto their plates with their teeth.

A black Labrador heads up the line of five German shepherds as they sit patiently with their ears pricked, waiting for their turn to go up to the trainer and receive their food.

No skipping the queue: The six police dogs wait patiently in an orderly line to receive their food. The picture is believed to have been taken in a police dog academy in China

It's not clear where this particular photograph was taken, but previous images from a dog training centre run by the Zhejiang Armed Police Force showed that queuing for dinner is a tradition for the canines there.

'A good police dog needs to meet these four requirements: good looking, big appetite, courageous and possessive,' said a Hangzhou-based police dog trainer.

Another set of photographs emerged last week showing how Chinese policemen train their pooch friends.

Pictured are officers from around the country convening in Harbin in north eastern China to join a four-month course on dog training, which began last week.

Attention! A Chinese policeman trains his dog as part of a four-month course, which began last week

Good boy (and girls): One trainer takes a break with his dog, as another takes care of the puppies

Flying high: The pooches are trained to an impeccable standard at police dog academies across China

Police dogs show off their obedience at competition in China