DIY science is the perfect way to use your creative skills and learn something new. With the right supplies, some determination, and a curious mind, you can create amazing experiments that open up a whole world of possibilities. At home-made laboratories or tech workshops, makers from all backgrounds can explore new ideas by finding ways to study their environment in novel ways – allowing them to make breathtaking discoveries!
Rick writes “Here are some examples of Stirling engines – An online shop for many model engines. But often existing products are the inspiration for our own production efforts. Worth a look for anyone interested in Stirling or steam engines.” Link. In MAKE 04 we have an interview with Dean Kamen who’s also cooking up a Stirling engine.
How to make the sunrise in your bedroom every morning. Many artists have used the Camera Obscura over the years, now make your own. – an optical experiment easy to do, but which, in spite of its simplicity, is able to give you a continuous marvel. What you have to do is simply mount a lens on the bedroom window. In this way, when you wake up in the morning, you will admire the outside scene projected on a wall of your bedroom. Link.
“…construction of a very simple low-cost compound microscope. As shown in Figure 1, the microscope we describe is one that just about anyone can build and will produce a magnification of about 75 times. Microscopes may be thought of as very intricate and mysterious instruments but in reality, they are not as complicated as one may think. Building this simple instrument is not only a fun project, it will help you understand how microscopes work.” Thanks Rick! Link.
Great photos from Nikon’s “Small World – Gallery” – The Nikon International Small World Competition first began in 1974 as a means to recognize and applaud the efforts of those involved with photography through the light microscope. Since then, Small World has become a leading showcase for photomicrographers from the widest array of scientific disciplines… [via] Link.
About 5 years ago I wrote a few Macromedia Flash apps to be used in cars along with a “Flash and Telematics” article – besides my hacked up car the project didn’t get any far. But! The new Jaguars will now use Macromedia for their user interfaces! “…audio, navigation, climate control, telephone and vehicle settings can all be adjusted making it a critical design component in the driving experience, now fully enhanced with screen graphics reminiscent of a quality website.” No word, if you can put in your own . SWF files. [via] Link.
The same technology found in Bluetooth headset or wireless LAN could be used to build a cheap, powerful transmitter for communicating with deep space probes. It could even illuminate planets and asteroids for radar astronomy. The proposal is to build an array of millions of small antennas printed on circuit boards, just like the antennas in consumer electronics such as wireless headsets and GPS receivers. [via] Link.
“A Russian booster rocket successfully carried a satellite designed by students into a low Earth orbit yesterday for the European Space Agency under a programme intended to help to inspire and train future aerospace workers.” [