Science

Zoomable Coma Cluster

Zoomable Coma Cluster

The Hubble site has just released an incredible zoomable image of the Coma Cluster. (Wow! You can also download images to make a mural!) The entire cluster encompasses a spherical shape more than 20 million light-years in diameter, more than 300 million light-years from Earth in the northern constellation Coma Berenices. Hubble’s mega-view takes in […]

Long Now – Mechanicrawl

Long Now – Mechanicrawl

On July 12th, the Long Now Foundation is presenting the Mechanicrawl event. Mechanicrawl is a progressive tour through the mechanical wonders of San Francisco’s North Shore! You’ll be able to map your own route to see the SS Jeremiah O’Brien with it’s giant steam engine running, the most complex mechanical computer ever built, The Torpedo […]

Tim Hunkin explains it all

Tim Hunkin explains it all

Tim Hunkin is known for his automata – the Disgusting Spectacle at Maker Faire 2007 was inspired by one of his pieces. He’s also a talented explainer. You can find entertaining explanations for a huge range of topics at his site, Rudiments of Wisdom. Related: Tim Hunkin’s giant automaton clock for the London Zoo The […]

Chia Pet meets the solar cell

Chia Pet meets the solar cell

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have come up with a way of making solar photovoltaic cells more efficient by making them fuzzy with nanowires. Boosting solar cell efficiency The idea is [to] use nanowires to more efficiently conduct electrons from the collection surface of the solar cell to an electrode. Contemporary thin-film […]