The Science Thread

[SirRumpole]

Researchers discover fastest-growing black hole that consumes mass of 'the Sun and all the planets' combined — every day​

Fastest-growing black hole that consumes mass of 'the Sun and all the planets combined' every day found

Australian National University researchers discover a black hole whose mass is roughly 17 billion times that of our Sun, and exists within the brightest currently known thing being continually powered in the universe.

www.abc.net.au

 

[SirRumpole]

Trial of river oxygenation at Menindee to avert fish kills in Darling River.

Darling River oxygenation trial hopes to avoid future mass fish deaths like Menindee

Tens of millions of native fish have perished along the Darling River over the past five years following a series of mass kills. In an attempt to mitigate future deaths the NSW government are trialling technology that pumps pure oxygen into the water.

www.abc.net.au

 

[SirRumpole]

Why making a blue LED was so hard, it took one man's struggle against a insular company management.

 

[wayneL]

Researchers discover fastest-growing black hole that consumes mass of 'the Sun and all the planets' combined — every day​

Fastest-growing black hole that consumes mass of 'the Sun and all the planets combined' every day found

Australian National University researchers discover a black hole whose mass is roughly 17 billion times that of our Sun, and exists within the brightest currently known thing being continually powered in the universe.

www.abc.net.au

It's got nuthin' on the ATO

 

[mullokintyre]

From Futirism

For nearly 20 years, scientists have debated the viability of an EmDrive, a hypothetical type of engine that could propel a spacecraft without the need for any fuel.

If that sounds too good to be true, that's because it probably is — a working EmDrive would literally break one of the foundational laws of physics — but that hasn't stopped scientists from top research organizations including NASA and DARPA from pursuing the tech, because the payoff would be so extraordinary.

Now, a team of German physicists is conducting a new EmDrive experiment — and this one could end the debate surrounding the controversial concept once and for all.

THRUST BUST​

In 2001, British scientist Roger Shawyer proposed the idea of generating thrust by pumping microwaves into a conical chamber. They'd then bounce off the cone's walls, exerting enough force to power spacecraft."

The problem is that this would essentially be creating force out of nothing, which isn't possible according to the law of conservation of momentum.

Still, a handful of researchers claim they've managed to generate some thrust in their EmDrive experiments — though the amount is so low that it's thus far been hard to say whether the device was in fact generating the thrust or whether it was caused by some outside influence, such as the Earth's magnetism or seismic vibrations.

SENSITIVITY TRAINING​

To clear up the controversy, the team from Technische Universität Dresden has built a super-sensitive instrument for measuring thrust that they believe to be immune to the outside interference plaguing other studies.

They plan to publish the latest results of their EmDrive experiments in the journal Acta Astronautica in August, according to a new Wired profile of their work, and lead research Martin Tajmar told the publication he thinks we might be just a few months away from finally putting the EmDrive debate to bed.

Mick

 

[SirRumpole]

How is your maths ?

Every student in a SAT test in the US (the equivalent of our HSC) got this question wrong.

 

[mullokintyre]

I got it wrong, I calculated 3.
Mick

 

[SirRumpole]

I got it wrong, I calculated 3.
Mick

As did I.

 

[wayneL]

How is your maths ?

Every student in a SAT test in the US (the equivalent of our HSC) got this question wrong.

Jeez, I got it wrong too.

This reminds me of the double slit experiment.

Pure Sorcery

 

[Knobby22]

How is your maths ?

Every student in a SAT test in the US (the equivalent of our HSC) got this question wrong.

I got 9. No idea!

 

[wayneL]

How is your maths ?

Every student in a SAT test in the US (the equivalent of our HSC) got this question wrong.

I get it, but I don't get it. I get that the centrepoint of the outside is the length of the radius, adding the extra revolution.

Yet, like everyone it seems, I thought surely the circumferences of the two circles (or multiples thereof) should match?

A brainbender for sure... I'm going to win money on this down at the pub

 

[SirRumpole]

I'm going to win money on this down at the pub

I want divs.

 

[SirRumpole]

For you space/computer nerds (there must be someone else besides me), the story behind the computer error that almost stopped Apollo 11 landing on the moon.

 

[mullokintyre]

For you space/computer nerds (there must be someone else besides me), the story behind the computer error that almost stopped Apollo 11 landing on the moon.

The computer did exactly as it was told.
Good computer. pat pat.
mick

 

[mullokintyre]

Sustainable use of outer space?
Are we using up all the outer space?
If we don't get net zero outer space use, how many years have we got before the tipping point?
So many questions!.
Mick

 

[SirRumpole]

The computer did exactly as it was told.
Good computer. pat pat.
mick

The computer was quite a piece of work. I saw another video that described it in more detail, I'll try and dig it up. If it detected an error it had the ability to reboot itself and carry on from where it left off, reloading the program and data. All on 32k of wire wound program and memory. Amazing.

 

[sptrawler]

If it detected an error it had the ability to reboot itself and carry on from where it left off,

Sounds like my missus when she is losing an argument, reboots on a completely different tangent, absolutely bloody amazing.

 

[dyna]

Tea Drinker Alert !
Stop boiling the bejesus outta the water , from now on.
Tune in to Dr . Karl's Triple Jay podcast ( today 29 th Feb ) for the whyfor.
Begins around 15 minutes in.

 

[Knobby22]

Pretty stupid. Trying to save money by not doing pre ignition checks.

The Nova-C class lander's landing navigation system relied on lasers to estimate speed, direction, and position. Unfortunately, these lasers posed a hazard to the eyes of prelaunch technicians, so the system couldn't be programmed to activate automatically. Instead, a physical switch had to be thrown before launch.

But, it wasn't.

The Odysseus lunar mission ends following human error on Earth

The IM-1 Moon landing mission will come to a premature end on Tuesday morning. Intuitive Machines has announced that the Odysseus lander will no longer be able to charge its batteries by February 27 as sunlight stops falling on its solar panels.

newatlas.com

 

[SirRumpole]

Interesting video for revheads, the development of the Porsche 919 EVO, faster than an F1 car.