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| Monday, January 30, 2006 02:56 PM |
| Dubious Facts |
 by Fëanor |
- Intel has made a microchip using brand new tiny manufacturing methods, and it's pretty impressive:
The fingernail-sized memory chip is etched with 1 billion transistors that are only 45 nanometers wide -- about 1,000 times smaller than a red blood cell. Hopefully this means we'll soon see computers on the market that are so small, we'll hardly be able to use them! (Via Digg)
- Supposedly a Russian professor with a chair in quantum and optical electronics has patented a method of making things invisible. I don't know how true this story is, though. Maybe it's just poor translation but the final paragraph of the article makes this sound like a joke:
Only static objects can be made invisible for the time present, as during motion a radiation frequency changes. But soon it will be possible to create a cap of darkness and a magic cloak of Harry Potter, the scientist believes. (Via Digg)
- The news that the dull, pointless, and stupid film Mr. & Mrs. Smith might become a TV show fills me with the kind of horror and disgust that makes me want to cry, "Why?! WHY?!!?!!" But that would be silly, because we all know the answer (that being the usual one: money). Still, I think I think I'll do it anyway.
Why?! WHY?!!?!!
There. I feel better now.
- This week, on February 3rd, NASA's scheduled to launch an old space suit into space, where it will orbit and transmit greetings in various languages, as well as some basic data about its position, and a few "special" words and pictures that have been included for students to try to decipher. Listening to SuitSat is as easy as tuning your radio to 145.990 MHz FM. Sadly, SuitSat's batteries are only expected to last 2 to 4 days. Still, turning an old space suit into a useful satellite is a pretty cool idea, and apparently we can thank the Russians for it. (Via Digg)
- Speaking of the Russians and their ideas about space, turns out they're planning to establish a permanent base on the moon where they will begin mining an isotope called Helium-3, which is rare on Earth, but plentiful up there. Helium-3 is a pretty ideal fuel, especially for nuclear fusion, as it's powerful and non-polluting. I'm a little worried, however, that the article says Helium-3 generates "almost no" radioactive by-product. But it does generate some? Isn't that bad?
Anyway, could it get any more science fictiony up in this piece? Humans are going to the moon to live there and mine it for an isotope that's useful for nuclear fusion!! Crazy!
Btw, whatever happened to Bush's wacky plans to build a permanent base on the moon, and then head for Mars from there? I remember when we used to beat the Russians in the space race... (Via Digg)
- A paleontologist for the Utah Geological Survey was sawing open a plaster mold around a fossil in a big block of sandstone when a scorpion wriggled out of a crack in the block. The paleontologist was heard to say, "Holy fuck!" (Okay, I'm guessing there. But really, how could he not?)
Turns out the little bugger had been trapped in there by the molding process and had gone into a sleeping period called diapause, during which it can survive for months without food or water. In respect for the creature's will to survive, the paleontologist had it set free in a field to the west of Salt Lake City.
I respect the guy's decision, but my reaction would probably have been to run screaming like a little girl to go get something large and heavy to crush it with. (Via Digg)
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