Wednesday, 16 May 2018

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Monday, 14 May 2018

What will happen when our sun dies?

Source:

University of Manchester

Summary:

Scientists agree the sun will die in approximately five billion years, but they weren't sure what would happen next -- until now. A team of international astronomers predicts it will turn into a massive ring of luminous, interstellar gas and dust, known as a planetary nebula.

Scientists agree the sun will die in approximately five billion years, but they weren't sure what would happen next -- until now.

A team of international astronomers, including Professor Albert Zijlstra from the School of Physics & Astronomy, predicts it will turn into a massive ring of luminous, interstellar gas and dust, known as a planetary nebula.

A planetary nebula marks the end of 90% of all stars active lives and traces the star's transition from a red giant to a degenerate white dwarf. But, for years, scientists weren't sure if the sun in our galaxy would follow the same fate: it was thought to have too low mass to create a visible planetary nebula.

To find out the team developed a new stellar, data-model that predicts the lifecycle of stars. The model was used to predict the brightness (or luminosity) of the ejected envelope, for stars of different masses and ages. The research is being published in Nature Astronomy.

Prof Zijlstra explains: "When a star dies it ejects a mass of gas and dust -- known as its envelope -- into space. The envelope can be as much as half the star's mass. This reveals the star's core, which by this point in the star's life is running out of fuel, eventually turning off and before finally dying.

"It is only then the hot core makes the ejected envelope shine brightly for around 10,000 years -- a brief period in astronomy. This is what makes the planetary nebula visible. Some are so bright that they can be seen from extremely large distances measuring tens of millions of light years, where the star itself would have been much too faint to see."

The model also solves another problem that has been perplexing astronomers for a quarter of a century.

Approximately 25 years ago astronomers discovered that if you look at planetary nebulae in another galaxy, the brightest ones always have the same brightness. It was found that it was possible to see how far away a galaxy was just from the appearance of its brightest planetary nebulae. In theory it worked in any of type galaxy.

But whilst the data suggested this was correct, the scientific models claimed otherwise. Prof Zijlstra adds: "Old, low mass stars should make much fainter planetary nebulae than young, more massive stars. This has become a source of conflict for the past for 25 years.

"The data said you could get bright planetary nebulae from low mass stars like the sun, the models said that was not possible, anything less than about twice the mass of the sun would give a planetary nebula too faint to see."

The new models show that after the ejection of the envelope, the stars heat up three times faster than found in older models. This makes it much easier for a low mass star, such as the sun, to form a bright planetary nebula. The team found that in the new models, the sun is almost exactly the lowest mass star that still produces a visible, though faint, planetary nebula. Stars even a few per cent smaller do not.

Professor Zijlstra added: "We found that stars with mass less than 1.1 times the mass of the sun produce fainter nebula, and stars more massive than 3 solar masses brighter nebulae, but for the rest the predicted brightness is very close to what had been observed. Problem solved, after 25 years!

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Manchester. Note: Content may be edited for style and length

Saturday, 12 May 2018

500-year-old Leaning Tower of Pisa mystery unveiled by engineers





Source:: University of Bristol
Summary:: Why has the Leaning Tower of Pisa survived the strong earthquakes that have hit the region since the middle ages? This is a long-standing question that experts in earthquake engineering and soil-structure interaction have now solved..; Why has the Leaning Tower of Pisa survived the strong earthquakes that have hit the region since the middle ages? This is a long-standing question a research group of 16 engineers has investigated, including a leading expert in earthquake engineering and soil-structure interaction from the University of Bristol.; Professor George Mylonakis, from Bristol's Department of Civil Engineering, was invited to join a 16-member research team, led by Professor Camillo Nuti at Roma Tre University, to explore this Leaning Tower of Pisa mystery that has puzzled engineers for many years.
Despite leaning precariously at a five-degree angle, leading to an offset at the top of over five metres, the 58-metre tall Tower has managed to survive, undamaged, at least four strong earthquakes that have hit the region since 1280.

Given the vulnerability of the structure, which barely manages to stand vertically, it was expected to sustain serious damage or even collapse because of moderate seismic activity. Surprisingly this hasn't happened and until now this has mystified engineers for a long time. After studying available seismological, geotechnical and structural information, the research team concluded that the survival of the Tower can be attributed to a phenomenon known as dynamic soil-structure interaction (DSSI).

The considerable height and stiffness of the Tower combined with the softness of the foundation soil, causes the vibrational characteristics of the structure to be modified substantially, in such a way that the Tower does not resonate with earthquake ground motion. This has been the key to its survival. The unique combination of these characteristics gives the Tower of Pisa the world record in DSSI effects.

Professor Mylonakis, Chair in Geotechnics and Soil-Structure Interaction, and Head of Earthquake and Geotechnical Engineering Research Group in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Bristol, said: "Ironically, the very same soil that caused the leaning instability and brought the Tower to the verge of collapse, can be credited for helping it survive these seismic events."

Results from the study have been presented to international workshops and will be formally announced at the 16th European Conference in Earthquake Engineering taking place in Thessaloniki, Greece next month [18 to 21 June 2018].

Thursday, 10 May 2018

Harvesting clean hydrogen fuel through artificial photosynthesis

A new, stable artificial photosynthesis device doubles the efficiency of harnessing sunlight to break apart both fresh and salt water, generating hydrogen that can then be used in fuel cells.

The device could also be reconfigured to turn carbon dioxide back into fuel.

Hydrogen is the cleanest-burning fuel, with water as its only emission. But hydrogen production is not always environmentally friendly. Conventional methods require natural gas or electrical power. The method advanced by the new device, called direct solar water splitting, only uses water and light from the sun.

"If we can directly store solar energy as a chemical fuel, like what nature does with photosynthesis, we could solve a fundamental challenge of renewable energy," said Zetian Mi, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan who led the research while at McGill University in Montreal.

Faqrul Alam Chowdhury, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering at McGill, said the problem with solar cells is that they cannot store electricity without batteries, which have a high overall cost and limited life

.
The device is made from the same widely used materials as solar cells and other electronics, including silicon and gallium nitride (often found in LEDs). With an industry-ready design that operates with just sunlight and seawater, the device paves the way for large-scale production of clean hydrogen fuel.

Previous direct solar water splitters have achieved a little more than 1 percent stable solar-to-hydrogen efficiency in fresh or saltwater. Other approaches suffer from the use of costly, inefficient or unstable materials, such as titanium dioxide, that also might involve adding highly acidic solutions to reach higher efficiencies.

Mi and his team, however, achieved more than 3 percent solar-to-hydrogen efficiency. To reach this stable efficiency, the team built a nano-sized cityscape of gallium nitride towers that generated an electric field. The gallium nitride turns light, or photons, into mobile electrons and positively charged vacancies called holes. These free charges split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
"When this specially engineered wafer is hit by photons, the electric field helps separate photogenerated electrons and holes to drive the production of hydrogen and oxygen molecules efficiently," Chowdhury said.

At present, the silicon backing of the chip does not contribute to its function, but it could be doing more. The next step may be to use the silicon to help capture light and funnel charge carriers to the gallium nitride towers.

"Although the 3 percent efficiency might seem low, when put in the context of the 40 years of research on this process, it's actually a big breakthrough," Mi said. "Natural photosynthesis, depending how you calculate it, has an efficiency of about 0.6 percent."
He adds that 5 percent efficiency is the threshold for commercialization, but his team is aiming for 20 or 30 percent efficiency.

Mi conducts similar research to strip carbon dioxide of its oxygen to turn the resulting carbon into hydrocarbons, such as methanol and syngas. This research path could potentially remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, like plants do.

"That's the truly exciting part," Mi said.
The device is documented in the study, "A photochemical diode artificial photosynthesis system for unassisted high efficiency overall pure water splitting," published in Nature Communications. Along with Mi and Chowdhury, co-authors include Michel Trudeau of the Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage, Hydro-Québec, and Hong Guo of McGill University.

The work was supported by the Fuel Cell Technologies Office of the U.S. Department of Energy and Emissions Reduction Alberta.

Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Michigan. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Wednesday, 9 May 2018

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Monday, 7 May 2018

13 Building Remodel Projects That Prove Any Space Can Be Transformed

Building a beautiful, trendy, and spacious home is a dream that almost all of us have. Most often though, the availability of limited space and budget constraints do not allow enough flexibility to have everything we love in our homes.

We can cope with this problem with imaginative ideas and a little hard work. With some simple DIY remodeling ideas, you can literally transform any space into a brilliantly designed environment.

You do not have to always spend a ton of money on remodeling projects. We have curated a list of DIY remodeling projects which will inspire you to take control and transform your residential space well within your budget.

Here are some of the most creative building remodeling projects that prove any space can be transformed!

1. A Gift from the Chef!

Gifts are always special; and when it comes from the celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay, it becomes precious. The first project in our list features the remodeling of Christina Wilson’s house, the Season 10 winner of “Hell’s Kitchen”.

The video illustrates how Mathew Ferrarini from Ferrarini Kitchens changes the whole dynamics of the house. The remodeling project aims at giving an executive chef look to the house.

He also made clear that going for a masculine look will not suit the homeowner’s personality. Hence light colors were used throughout the house.

They took out the out-of-date staircase and knocked down unnecessary obstructions. The results were quite breathtaking, opening up ample amount of space and making the ambiance light and airy.

In addition, an ordinary looking brick wall was stripped down of its plastering to bring an industrious feel. Hanging the herb garden also complimented the house very well.

The exposed beams add another layer of charm to this house. The whole white and airy feel of the remodeled house just speaks of the charisma that Christina has!

2. Kitchen Remodel 101

The kitchen is a part of the house that is affected by wear more than any other part of the house. The prime reason being that it is a place that sees more action, and the occasional splashes of water and oil don’t help at all.

In this remodeling video, a husband and wife duo completely changes their kitchen at a cost of just 500$. The remodeling project for duo begins with removing the obstructive cupboards and the countertops.

Using a $160 countertop paint, they manage to transform an ordinary countertop into a faux granite with a glossy finish. With the right choice of color to paint the cabinetry, the entire kitchen space just became more bright and airy.

The transition to LED overhead lamps further brightened the room even more.

3. Kitchen Remodel Ideas from the Pro

Most of the time, we focus on the aesthetics created in the videos and not the underlying vision. That’s a big problem because when you try to recreate the frames, things may not work very well for you.

So, next time, try to take in ideas and tips from the designers rather than sketching the result they got. Here in this video, interior designer Rebecca Robeson walks you through the intricacies of remodeling a kitchen and by the end of this video, you will have a new light on kitchen remodeling ideas.

Rebecca explains how you can make remodeling much easier by designing different sections separately. She believes that backsplashes set the color tone of your kitchen, so they are a great choice to start with.

Countertops and cabinets must be crafted coherently for better looks and convenience. Different aspects of kitchen remodeling like flooring, cabinet, accessories, etc. must share design and material elements to bring forth the essence of your design principles.

The video will take you through all the projects she has done over the years to cover pretty much everything. If you are planning to do a kitchen remodel, don’t miss to watch this video!

4. Dining Room Remodeling

The dining room holds a special place in the house, as it is a space where the family comes together. It’s nothing less than a true bonding scenario filled with chuckles, laughter and heart-to-heart talk.

If you are planning to remodel your dining room, take cues from LaVigne Living. You can see the video where an ordinary looking room with dull colors gets transformed into a vibrant and picturesque space at a very affordable price.

The best part is that the narrator tells you the purpose, cost, and origin of the pieces used.

The styling follows a silver and gold theme. The table décor projects bring in the gold shades while the candle holders are a really good attempt at bringing the silver tone to the whole setup.

The rug, wall designs and curtain shades all follow a light tone. This amplifies the light that enters the room and makes the whole room seem serene and peaceful.

The minimal design coupled with a beautiful chandelier projects the dining table as the essential part of the space, which it clearly is.

If you wish to remodel on the same line, this video is a great start.

5. The Del Mar House

Another video from Rebecca Robeson as she masterfully remodels the Del Mar House. In this video, a 15-year-old Del Mar House which looks good against decades-old standards but shabby from a modern viewpoint is revamped by Rebecca.

Rebecca has carefully presented all the different areas and the changes she made to them. Even if you are not going for a large scale renovation, you can still learn a lot from this video.

This project didn’t just require internal remodeling, some of the walls and base floors needed some structural changes too.

Rebecca used gold and silver themes for some rooms and a mild off-white tone on others. The new electric fireplace and the wall paintings make everything pop.

The idea of combining the outside and inside space using slide doors extends the overall space of the house.

The before and after changes are simply put – Stunning.

6. Remodeling Compact Spaces

Since the latest trend in housing is going for a minimalistic look, it is not hard to see why many homeowners are starting to make use of unused space and adding a lot of muted colors.

The easiest way to have tons of indoor space is to utilize the spaces that you don’t use, for secondary purposes. Office space in your living area is an example of such remodeling.

If you live in a small space and are thinking on how to utilize the best of it, watch this video where Hans Meyer from Zoku, uses a moving staircase and a sleeping loft to completely transform the living.

The right use of colors and light open up space so that it feels bigger. This project is all about utilizing spaces and converting them into storage and utility spaces.

Hans Meyer also talks about what you can do to your house to make it truly personal.

7. Space Saver Remodeling Ideas

While we are the subject of utilizing small spaces, why not see the remodeling projects of homes done with modern space-saving touches. These modifications are extremely helpful if you live in a small condo.

You can see how the folding beds fall flush with the wall to create an open space. The rotating shelf and bed storage is also a nice touch that will give you a lot of storage in less space.

Space-saving furniture can further help you in maximizing the use of available space. Watch the video to see if you can pick up ideas for your home remodeling projects!

8. Bring Life into Living Rooms

The living room is the centerpiece of your home. Making it perfect must be on top of the list for every homeowner.

In this video, a husband and wife duo give a brilliant makeover to a house that they had bought. The dull interiors at the time they bought the house, along with the dark colors, never really justified the spirit of the house.

The color scheme chosen by the duo suited it perfectly. They turned the fireplace frame and the mirror frames into white, which just melds with the rest of the design characteristics of the home.

Towards the end of the video, we can see how the rugs in each room actually lift the overall presence of the furniture and décor.

9. Simple and Classy Remodeling

Next, on our list of the building remodel ideas is a project from Jaimee Livingston who takes the helm of the lead designer. Her vision is to completely remodel a farmhouse into a marvel for eyes to behold.

Here we are looking at a full-on-full remodeling project as the wall plaster, tiles and even the electrical outlets are being replaced. The beige on white color is a proven favorite, and the team successfully manages to combine both colors to create a really good feel.

The glass slide doors give a unique feel to the home. The furniture used is simplistic, and this actually resonates with the outlook of the homeowners.

This remodeling project shows the intricacies of how a remodeling project is done and warns where things can go wrong.

10. Mila Remodeling Present to Her Parents

Everybody is familiar with Mila Kunis and her amazing acting skills. But her vision to remodel the house of her parents is equally stunning.

The remodeling project involves around changing the whole interior look of the house. Mila made it clear that the current setup lacked cohesion.

The new setup involved opening up space and removing all the clutter, the use of lights and the open space just suits the space perfectly. The bronze look uplifted the whole place to something of a wonder.

With the new furniture, the white and gold tone throughout the space augments the overall look of the interiors and expands the space.

Sticking to a particular color scheme is one of the best ways to bring a sense of continuity to space, and this project is a perfect example of that.

11. Bedroom Remodel

A bedroom is a place of utmost comfort. This is why your bedroom should be uncluttered and should give you a sense of peace and tranquility.

In this video, the designer works in a very limited space to completely revamp the entire area. The use of reading lights and the right choice of furniture makes the bedroom look gorgeous.

The use of a mirror further provides a visual of a room with plenty of open space. The same room gets transformed into a spacious and comfortable bedroom.

12. More with Less: Another Bedroom Remodel

Here is another bedroom remodeling project that will help you get ideas for your own. In this project, the homeowners used personal objects to express themselves. The entire overhaul is customized and easy to pull off.

Personal paintings and artworks are a great way to personalize your bedroom, and the project cleverly makes use of these decorative items. The minimalistic décor used by the homeowners add to the overall ambiance of the room.

The white on white touches are astounding, and it brings in a lot of light with it. If you are on your own with a tight budget, you get to try this approach.

The results are always better than your expectation.

13. Determined Dad: Closet Remodel

Nothing can beat a determined dad who wants to bring in his children more closet space; this is what a dad did with his closet remodeling project. Since his two children were sharing the same closet space, it was high time for an upgrade.

The designer dad simply doubled the storage space by introducing another closet rod and a shelf in the lower part of the closet, which was previously unused. This hack can also be applied to other parts of the home to utilize spare areas.

source : intresting engineering

Thursday, 3 May 2018

Japanese Engineers Invent Real Life Transformer

Japanese robotics engineers have developed a real life transformer that can switch between a working car and a giant humanoid robot.

The team have been working on the project since 2014 and are now proudly showing off their prototype at Japanese exhibitions. They also have plans to bring the transformer to the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2018 in Florida this November.

J-deite RIDE's distinct look comes from mechanical designer Kunio Okawara who is famous for his work with the Gundam series. It can carry two humans and its developers say that they eventually have plans to commercialize the machine and make it available in theme parks.

Robot favors appearance over speed

But don’t worry, if you get behind the wheel, you won’t be experiencing any supersonic suit changes. While based heavily on transformers, the inventors of J-deite RIDE couldn't match the instantaneous transformation speeds we are used to in the films.

Currently, J-deite RIDE takes a minute to transform from car to robot and the same back again. It is also a little slow to move around.

In car mode, J-deite RIDE can hit a reasonable top speed of 60km/h. When transformed to its robot form it has two methods of moving, first rolling along on its car wheels, and in this way, the J-deite RIDE can reach about 30km/h, but when the robot goes into walking mode, things really slow down.

When mimicking humans the J-deite RIDE can only manage about 100 meters per hour. In addition to J-deite, the team has developed smaller transforming robots.

Bumblebee 20 is a bright yellow transformer that can move between car and robot in just a few seconds. It is named Bumblebee 20” because it is 1/20 of the size of the original Bumblebee robot the team produced.

Japan home to weird and wonderful robot applications.

Japan continues to cement its reputation as a place where fantasy becomes reality. In addition to these extraordinary transformer robots, Japan is also the home to Robot-sumo and Megabots.

Robot-sumo as you probably guess is when two robots attempt to push each other out of a circle or Sumo ring (called a Dohyo). The fights are fast and furious.

So fast, in fact, it doesn’t make much of a spectacular sport, unless you are happy to sit through hours of YouTube videos where fans have slowed down the most exciting fights so we can watch in slow motion.

Megabots, on the other hand, are massive clunky heavy robots designed for hand to hand combat. Late last year, Japan's Kuratas Megabot took on the U.S.A's Iron Glory and Eagle Prime bots in a slow but exhilarating battle.

At the rate that robotics is being developed, there is no doubt that these kinds of robot battles will become more and more popular and perhaps even rival other kinds of human sports in the future.