Atomic Motor - Cold Fusion of Energy & Culture

Cold Fusion Rides On with New Believers

2011-03-28T09:40:00.011-05:00

22nd Anniversary

Photo Credit Gizmodo, courtesy of Yoshiaki Arata,et al (Osaka University)

Here's a new blog called 'Cold Fusion Now' that I'm following, and I highly recommend it if you are an Atomic Motor reader. There is also apparently a new documentary being produced by 137 Films and based on the video preview, I think you will enjoy watching it when it is released. I'm also enjoying reading the latest news on the Rossi e-cat device.

After trying very hard as a blogger myself for several years to help bring visibility to this field, its very good to see others doing the same using blogging to exercise their rights of free speech for a science topic they believe in.

Thought for the week: If Thomas Jefferson or Ben Franklin were around today, what would they do to help with science, collaboration and education?

Hope you have a great week. Think Big !

Hold Infinity in the Palm of Your Hand

2010-01-28T21:09:00.022-06:00

Touch the Future

Photo Copyright Apple, Inc.

Yesterday the world saw yet another revolutionary product quietly enter the market from Apple, Inc. If you were like me you were among the few who really got the big picture of this announcement before the rest of the world catches on. Their new iPad appears to be a cross between an iPhone, a book reader (look out Nook) and a decent sized (yet thin) internet surf board. The folks at Apple are simply amazing ! Seeing the news about the new Apple iPad energized me enough that I actually emerged from hibernation to blog once more and share an educational opinion or two.

Let me explain why I crave this new gadget. Not only is it an eye saving mobile/3G device like non other, but looking at this device inspires me to imagine what the future of education will be like as devices like this emerge onto the mainstream market, where both children and adults will become hyperconnected to various educational media streams and content providers, while being comfortable in how we view that content.

My son loves his new smart phone with a smaller screen size, but to a cold fusion loving dad like me who likes larger fonts and screen area for easy 3G web surfing, email navigating, Wi-Fi hot spots, Facebook, Twitter and the insanely profitable apps market out there, it seems like an ideal mobile device to build more mind share upon in almost unlimited ways. Is there room for improvement in this device? Sure. One area would also be the material science of touchscreen devices themselves as a possible improvement using quantum tunneling technology.

Say what?

We're all familiar with inductive/capacitive touch screen technology in today's smart phones, but have we really stopped to consider the possibilities of using quantum tunneling composites (QTC) which are also emerging onto the flexible touchscreen market thanks to millions of mobile devices that could use pressure sensitive polymer touchscreens? Imagine those nano composite possibilities for a moment.

As was cleverly stated yesterday at the iPad unveiling: "Hold the web in the palm of your hand." This reminded me of an insightful quote by William Blake in his Auguries of Innocence, which speaks to me not only of the future of media, but of the potential of nano-science and quantum physics this century to provide us with new wonders in our daily lives that we can actually touch..

To see a world in a grain of sand
And heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour
- William Blake

I simply can't wait to buy this awesomely rad device !

[ Disclaimer: can you tell I'm in an excited quantum mechanical state?]

Atomic Links
Pressure Sensitive Touch Screens in Near Future - Tom's Hardware
Next Industrial Revolution: Atoms are the New Bits - Wired
Flexible Sheets Capture Energy From Movement - MIT Technology Review
Quantum Simulation of Electrons Using an Ion - Basque Research
A or B Film Review: Downstream - World Run on Cold Fusion?

Simple Things That Matter

2009-08-16T14:04:00.038-05:00

Gaining Back Lost Time with Healthy Weight Loss

Photo : courtesy of Health.com (IStockPhoto)

[Updated] Sometimes solutions to very difficult problems stare you in the face, but the signal compared to noise is too small to see. The good Lord often answers prayers and provides miracles with simple things to help sometimes. Case and point - dealing with the nuclear waste issue that a cold fusion loving dad often thinks about. Things like cleaning up the planet and helping mother earth with second atomic age child rearing. Afterall, cleaning up from the good life of the Woodstock generation (ed note: see reader comments below) can be quite messy (there's reality for you).

I was excited recently when I read this report from some Italian researchers who have managed to demonstrate that radioactive Thorium's (Th 228) half-life could be accelerated by a factor of 10,000 !! (one possible explanation) by simply cavitating a thorium solution in water. Sounds like an impossibly simple solution and a possible miracle, huh? Well, according to their results published in a Physics Letters A paper they appear to have done just that.

Ok, so what are the possible applications for this technology approach you might ask? Doing a quick cursory search on the internet there was a recent IEEE article that appears to show a possible application of the above research by pumping ground water from contaminated acquifers where the water at the tap was 'pure' - a data point to consider for more research Perhaps even geothermal and water recycling efforts could benefit. Large pumping applications (multiple pumps) are not uncommon in such uses, and in fact the city of New Orleans has yet to build their large pumping stations as Hurricane season is already upon us ( a plug for all their hard efforts to protect their citizens). Another direct application would obviously be a cleaner nuclear industry someday. Looking for such synergies is part of increasing the signal to noise ratio to help apply new ideas.

If the Italian reports are confirmed (I'm hopeful) and their experimental data presented in a more formal paper, this area of study certainly would need a closer look and more research emphasis. This blogger will certainly vote his taxpayer dollars to help such breakthroughs.

Humor: If you feel squeemish about things like this, I have an old friend named NORM (don't want to just pick on the ladies) who has a wasteline like mine that keeps growing every year if not managed. He's worked in many industries - poor fellow. And, even though he tries to eat more veggies, watch his medical, fat, oil, coal and cholesterol levels - he still needs to be more green. He says he's just human, but sometimes I really do wonder ;)

[ Note : the above article was derived entirely from public information resources ]

Helium - Advice from a Chemistry Guru

2009-07-30T20:42:00.021-05:00

Finding Your Voice

Have you ever felt you just couldn't raise your voice loud enough and that no one was listening? Yah, me too. As believer in fusion energy, believe me - I've been there. I've even felt at times that I've lost my voice. Then one day, I saw a gentleman sitting in a rocking chair talking to a young child holding a Balloon - giving her advice that could ring down through the ages. In that moment I suddenly realized the tremendous wisdom in his words.

It's been a somber week. What made this friday extra special for a shy nerd like me, was a pool party invite and a surprise coffee mug I just got in the mail today. I snapped a digital photo of it above. I really have to thank the American Chemical Society (ACS ) outreach team for such a thoughtful gift to all ACS members :-) Maybe it's just my wild chemistry imagination again, but words can't describe what it felt like when I read the back side of the cup, particularly since Helium (element symbol: He) was first discovered by Sir William Ramsay, in 1895 !

Liquid Metal Assisted Fusion

2009-06-23T23:43:00.011-05:00

Who Says You Can't Be a Quantum Mechanic ?

General Fusion's Latest Reactor Concept

Popular Science has a new article about General Fusion's pneumatically assisted plasma fusion reactor concept. Their device design reduces input energy needs by relying on a mechanical piston based compression concept using a liquid metal, which also helps to shield the core. Some of their earlier designs and lab photos can be found here.

I can already see some excited college students adding a few mechanical engineering courses next semester :-)

Atomic Links
NEMS Probe Resonates With Quantum Researchers - R&D Magazine
Can Pressure Waves Speed Up Nuclear Decay ? - MIT TR

[Disclaimer: At least one macroscopic quantum mechanical tool was used to write this post ]

20 years of Hope: 60 Minutes Episode Tries to Illuminate

2009-05-03T16:45:00.033-05:00

Educational Materials, One Step at a Time

From "CBS 60 Minutes Video - Aired April 19th, 2009"

[Update] I thought I would post a blog about the 60 minutes video piece that aired on April 19th regarding cold fusion. It was refreshing to see an interview by major US television show attempt to gently educate the public on some of the recent history of this field and shine a light of hope, instead of curse the darkness as some might prefer to do for whatever reason. As a blogger these past five years expressing my freedom of speech about a few links I see on the web, and magazine stories I read from across several industries (like multi-discipline engineers do these days), I try to help as I can. How many of you have done google searches on subjects that might impact this field like I have? I have both personally agreed, or disagreed with articles as I have stated in my disclaimer and about SAFETY First (Sometimes a Few Experimenters TEll You - First).

I'm essentially a peon ( and perhaps a bit of a boron ) in this field. I'm not a skilled writer, but I try. I have no self interests or investments riding on this field and anything I do have( including many hours) given away long ago to help pay it forward. I do try to help the best I can in my free time, because what we do with science and technology impacts not only this generation, but the next (and the next). If we fail to even try to manage science and completely close our eyes, or worse - fail to follow a societal code of ethics ( The IEEE code of ethics is one I admire, whether you are an IEEE member or not), what does that imply for our collective future in the strange internet connected world we all live in? Please forgive me, but if you see a spoof every now and then, I do try to label them as such ..(spoof) !!

We must all try our best to "manage what we measure." Comments, criticisms or otherwise, I think 60 minutes exhibited a good effort in that regard with their reporting on this subject. To those of you I admire, my best to your efforts and experiments. :-)

The JukeBox
Rejecting Nobel Class Articles & Resisting Nobel Class Discoveries - Universidad de Alcalá
Green House of the Future - WSJ (Energy)
The Resurrection of Cold Fusion - EDN

Freedom to Blog - Free Speech

2009-04-04T07:20:00.021-05:00

Johnathan Chan

Update: There comes a time in ones life when you realize how the cards are stacked against you and some will try anything to stop you from exercising your rights. I mean, getting older certainly isn't fun, so you weigh the risks vs rewards going forward. Adding to that, when you see that some people refuse to play fair and you start to realize that you can't take on the entire US government, then it's time to use free speech for what it was intended for by our founding fathers.

What has this got to do with cold fusion science you may ask? That's what I asked myself recently when I stumbled upon something interesting in relation to a job situation I'm going through (and possible unemployment when my security clearance expires). Hopefully not. Perhaps I'll have some information soon that might explain in more detail and you can ask yourself the same questions like I did.

At least that's the way I decide when and what I should blog about. When deep down you think it helps the greater good ....Blog ! Hope you'll tune in. It just might be really interesting.

Making Science Interesting

2008-12-23T14:17:00.010-06:00

Keeps the Lab Running

Illustration Copyright (c) New Scientist - Dec 2008

If you have a few moments during your 12 days of Christmas, you might like a new article by Michael Brooks, author of the book "13 Things that Don't Make Sense" in the December 2008 issue of the New Scientist (article is free to read). He essentially makes the case that has been echoed continually in this blog: scientists and technologists must find new ways to make science interesting to the general public who ultimately pays the bills to fund science in its various forms. As Brooks states :

Most lay people find it hard to accept that their taxes are used for research in which no one but the scientists involved can judge or even appreciate progress and merit. Of course, many or perhaps most scientists would find it unthinkable to let the public choose the research agenda. But that suggests people are not qualified to judge how their money should be spent."

I tend to differ with Brooks' on his last comment. Letting the public increasingly decide the larger course of science funding, when 90% of the voting public doesn't even realize what science is anymore when they don't bother to stay educated on various subjects. Without such education, I"m afraid people will tend to vote for "science by virtual reality" instead of "science by reality." "Eye candy" as the saying goes, is hard to beat when compared to the discipline and patience of many years in a well funded lab that real science often takes to see science issues through to completion. Though it has its merits in many technology areas and serves as a means to educate, "science by virtual reality" can be deceptively easy trap to fall into if not careful to make sure that nature also agrees.

I've often wondered why it is that major media outlets can't mix more science content into their broadcasts and media publications to counter this trend. Even a few seconds worth. Afterall, is it too much to use a science buzzword when describing an antic of a hollywood movie star or to slip in a famous pertinent science quotation into a made for cable movie or TV show for adults or children to think about? I do see positive trends, but is it too politically incorrect to drop a short criticism of a special effect when the physics behind it seems totally implausible? I think if many writers, producers and critics made that effort, many movies and TV shows the public are drawn to for special effects might also paradoxically educate voters on science and funding issues along with it. Who knows? Maybe unanticipated debates might even be started where none existed before.

I'll also toss out this criticism to payed science journals, who all too often keep great articles on breakthroughs "off-line" and non accessible to a broader reading audience. Is it too much to ask to re-evaluate how you go about providing the right mix of 'on-line' and 'payed" content if a science story has significance that the general public should care much more about? I'de much prefer to see 20% of a story abstracted on-line rather than only 5% in some instances. That 20% might help better educate media professionals and writers who can't afford a full subscription price, while helping to educate public opinion on important issues.

Overall, I'm glad to see Brooks raising awareness on this subject of better science visibility.

The JukeBox
All Eyes Are on IEEE: - IEEE (The Institute)
Toshiba to Build New Battery Factory - SF Gate
Beatles Violinist Cries For Help - Bloomberg

Polywell Fusion, EMC2 and Membership in AAAS

2008-12-16T23:23:00.024-06:00

Sparking Curiosity is What it Really Takes

Polywell Photo from EMC2 web site

For those with curiosity in science, there's an interesting follow-up over on MSNBC to a story done back in June on the late Dr. Robert Bussard's Polywell fusion approach, which seems quite promising.

After reading this article, I think that Dr. Bussard would have probably agreed with the following statement. "If you can't say anything nice Dr. Nebel, don't say anything at all." Well-put? Suggestion: Isn't it about time that cold fusion (nuclear condensed matter) scientists who have worked long hard hours and made many sacrifices for family and our nation and who have brought forward many interesting results over the last twenty years, finally deserve some mutual respect from DoE and the open science community that values free thinking and creative ideas?

As the article states:

Nebel is well aware of the naysayers. In fact, that's one reason why he's being so circumspect about the results of the WB-7 experiment. When I mentioned that he'd probably like to avoid the kind of controversy and embarrassment that came in the wake of 1989's notorious cold-fusion claims, Nebel laughed and added, "That's well-put."

Here's something to think about from James Orwell. "Whoever controls the past controls the future. The stories we tell about the past influence how we go about deciding the future"

The MSNBC article has an interesting link to a 2007 Google Lecture Series video by newly designated DoE Secretary Steven Chu. In this video he gives a lecture on climate change and makes some positive statements on alternative fusion approaches like the Bussard design. Sure, I was interested in hearing all of this science. Great stuff. But these days it's not science that matters in many instances, but how to gain interest and respect from the general public to new ideas that excite their imaginations. Because of this, what I found most interesting in this video of all things was Chu's introductory remarks about being swapped with Larry Page in a speaking appearance at an AAAS meeting and that some people might be "surprised". I found that very enlightening.

Good thinking Mr. Page. That might be one way to get a lot more networking and software engineers (who probably think they rule the world) interested in the physical sciences once again !!! A big issue I see going forward with any fusion approach. Skilled alternative energy engineers will have to come from somewhere...right?

[Disclaimer: Without quoting exact statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to some extent I feel we've now created a top heavy society where software engineers perhaps out number physical scientists 10 to 1 compared to past decades. In the past, there was no career called "software developer" until the PC took off and educational institutions across the US compensated and turned out many more software trained individuals. Now that PCs and software are increasingly made overseas and are becoming commodities, perhaps it's time to rethink educational skills and create incentives that invest in skills and jobs needed to build the energy industries of the future ]

Atomic Links
Amazing Breakthrough: Superconductivity with the Flip of a Switch - Nature
Fusion We Can Believe In? - MSNBC
Low-Tech Way to Make Graphene in the Lab (Video) - MIT Technology Review
Poll Results: What are Main Barriers to Innovative Ideas - Zpryme News
Rusi Taleyarkhan (Bubble Fusion) Video Interview - NET
ICCF-14 Paper :Self-Polarization of Fusion Diodes (pdf) - LENR.org

New DoE Chief is a Condensed Matter Laureate

2008-12-11T08:04:00.010-06:00

Steven Chu - a Condensed Matter / Bio-Physicist

I was happy to see that President elect Obama has recently selected as his new DoE chief, a condensed matter experimental physicist with lab experience. Dr. Steven Chu was honored with a Nobel in the cooling of trapped atoms in 1997, something by all accounts if you keep abreast of current trends has helped many breakthroughs in the last few years in several areas of physics.

The world of DoE certainly needs a science head that knows the experimental condensed matter world with it's broad impact on the future. His biology background is also a definite strength in my opinion given the huge role DoE plays in the genomics area along with many nanotechnology initiatives.

The Atomic Motor certainly wishes him all the best and will miss the hard work the current DoE Secretary Bodman has done for our nation in very tough and challenging times.

The Future: Have You Googled it Yet ??

2008-11-20T21:33:00.023-06:00

A Century of Changes

My grandfather, who lived to be a ripe old of age of ninety six never saw the internet or the PC come of age. If he were alive today, he would have celebrated his 120th birthday on November 1st. I can't help but wonder what his vision of the future was like when he was a child and what inspired children of his generation who didn't have video games or television to distract them from keeping up with science earthquakes beneath their feet.

Just the other day I ran across an ad campaign from two fierce competitors in the computer industry that I greatly admire, and in fact a lot of what we call the internet was made possible by bold ideas from these two great competitive companies. Even in competition, I can see that they still have that American spirit of adventure and creativity going on.

Here's AMD's new ad campaign called: "The Future is Fusion"

Here's Intel's ad campaign on the Atom Processor (8MB file)

Clever indeed, but nonetheless interesting to ponder. Do they see something that maybe the average couch potato doesn't see yet ?

During his lifetime, my grandfather saw the invention of the telephone, electric power to the home, automobile, airplane, radio, television, atomic power, spacecraft landing on the moon and the beginning of the computer age in the long century that he lived. New ideas became defined, redefined and reshaped and eventually changed many lives. Whew ..what a century that was !! In the past hundred years, new ideas came from places we couldn't even imagine and changed the technology landscape and everyday lives of millions of people worldwide.

Really now, has all this creativity suddenly gone away overnight? Or, is it just taking a generational break? Maybe a new synthesis is slowly emerging that many just don't see yet.

We now live in an internet enabled society, one that my grandfather only dreamed of that morphs and connects us in new ways with every passing year. The world of "unconnectedness" of the past is gone forever." As one bright person once said, "the future is already here, we just haven't noticed it yet." Or maybe the modern way of saying that statement should be "we just haven't Googled it yet".

Bit by bit, even though at this moment many seem to feel despair, in the long run America with it's mix of cultures from far and wide is still is the THE BEST incubator for new ideas anywhere on earth.

No doubt about it.

Atomic Links
'Enlightened' Atoms Stage Nano-Riot - Science Daily
Cold Fusion: And the Heat Goes On - Daily News Tribune
Einstein's E=MC2 Proven Thanks to Quarks - Discovery Channel
Isotopic Quantum Scattering and Unconventional Superconductivity - Nature
A Clearer Picture of Cancer - MIT Technology Review

The Oil Pump
Failure of Carmakers in US Will Not be Allowed - Times Online

The Atomizer
Mars Glaciers are Spotted - LA Times

The JukeBox
Does Extreme Stress Signal an Economic Snapback? - Barrons
Mobile Phone Chargers Are Energy Vampires - Network World
The Arts: Cold Fusion From Canada - The Villager

X-Prize for Energy $25K Video Contest

2008-09-24T20:33:00.017-05:00

Green Ideas Being Accepted

(Feedburner email link click here)

Want a few dollars for college expenses or your favorite hobby? Have a knack for making a good video?

The X-Prize Foundation is now accepting YouTube video entries for your wildest energy related ideas. As Niels Bohr once famously said, "Your idea is crazy, but it is not crazy enough."

On September 10th the X-Prize Foundation announced a $25,000 What's Your Crazy Green Idea? contest. The X-Prize is an organization of creative geniuses that awarded the $10 Million Ansari X-Prize for SpaceShipOne - a prize named in honor of pioneer Anousheh Ansari who later catapulted into space from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome in 2006.

Who knows? You may ultimately save mankind from a fate worse than tangling with a carbon age Maxwell's Demon.

Atomic Links
Nanotechnology Could Provide Energy Breakthroughs - Nanowerk
Help a Hybrid: A Metal Hydride Mobile Air Conditioning System (PDF)
Photons Caught in the Act - Science News
Ultrasmooth Mirror Could Herald Birth of New Microscope - Nature

The ToolBox
Bill Nye the Science Guy - Video

The JukeBox
Toyota Picks a Green Power Train Choice - LA Times
Physicist is New MacArthur Fellow : Quantum Computing - IEEE Spectrum

Atomic Comics: Science Idol Cartoon Finalists

2008-09-20T15:02:00.024-05:00

Science in the New Century: A Paradox

The above cartoon by Paul Malden was a finalist in the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) 2008 Science Idol Cartoon Contest . For many other hilarious finalist entries and the 2008 Grand Champion Click Here.

Atomic Links
Holly's Cloud Chamber : See Thousands of Cosmic Rays Hit Your Body (Video)
Star Power: Why Fusion Proves Elusive - Wired
12 Yr Old Boy Invents Solar Energy Panel Enhancer - Asian Week

The ToolBox
Adaptable Design: A No Electricity Hot Tub - Make Blog
Robo Games Ready to Invade Austin - Wired
Working with Argentium Sterling Silver (PDF)

The Oil Pump
BP Statistical Review of World Energy (PDF)

The JukeBox
Catch Up TV - U2 Blog
O'Reilly: Stop Throwing Sheep, Do Something Worthy - CNET News
Impossible? Extreme Unicyclist to Ride Down Himalaya's - Gizmodo

Despite Ike's Wrath, a Texas Flag Waves

2008-09-14T01:29:00.011-05:00

Never Underestimate People and Creativity

Robert Shumake brings a sign of hope to Galveston seawall

[Update] You would think that in areas the size of Houston or Galveston with millions of residents, that city officials would have ways of taking water and rapidly making it potable to help those in the future who might find themselves (God forbid) in the same predicament as residents of the Texas coast. In fact, the Houston mayor cautioned residents when water pressure dropped after Hurricane Ike passed through town Saturday. Some residents of Texas and Louisana now have no water(or electricity).

Could the standing water outside their homes and yards be put to use?. After reading my blog post, a reader sent me an email informing me that mobile canteen vans have been used for years by the Salvation Army and they do include fresh drinking water. But still, even these canteen vans have their limitations on the number of people they can serve and their inability to access some damaged areas.

New water purifying devices do exist and with the help of more nanotechnology R&D awareness and agencies like FEMA adopting new technology initiatives at the Federal level, perhaps the costs of these types of devices would drop significantly as they are more widely adopted by metropolitan areas for such emergency uses. Perhaps there will be a day when such a device might even float, or be self powered and low cost. It could be affordable to most Americans as an emergency device for such flood conditions, until utilities are restored.

Who knows? If adopted on an even wider scale, and with a reasonable power source like Solar (as sunny skies reappear after a storm), perhaps costs could drop significantly enough that these devices could then almost be given away to the poor villages of the world when ravaged by major hurricanes to help rebuild their lives after such disasters. Technological ideas often only evolve when each person lends a hand to make them integrated into their lives in new ways. A favorite Nobel Laureate chemist that many admired was famous for saying in his lectures: "Science is People ! - Dr. Alan MacDiarmid"

Atomic Links
Physics for Future Presidents: The Podcasts - Times.UK
$20B Large Hadron Collider Best and Worse Case Scenario - Wired
New Experimental Evidence for Deuteron Clustering - LENR.org
Seeing Inside Pyramids with Cosmic Rays - Achaeology

The JukeBox
National Academy of Sciences: Global Warming Largest in 1300 Years - Seatle Times
Pipe Lamp Exudes Hardware Class - Make Blog

Spotless Solar Month is a First Since 1913

2008-09-02T20:51:00.026-05:00

Sun Shows No Spots For One Month

Spotless Solar Image Courtesy of SOHO Obeservatory"

An old friend of mine pointed out an interesting story on Michael Asher's blog over at DailyTech. Solar sunspot activity data has been kept now for almost 400 years, and other than one month in 1913, the sun has never had a month like this past August where "not a single visible sunspot" was seen (see above photo). Highly unusual.

The following chart shows the historical data collected over the past two centuries.

This story continues here...

Does Beta and Alpha Decay Rate of Nuclides Vary With Earth Sun Distance? Maybe So !

Speaking of periodic fluctuations and things solar related (cold fusion scientists here's another miracle to ponder) an interesting paper popped up on the arXiv.org pre-print paper server (see pdf) last week by Jere H. Jenkins, et al of Indiana's Purdue University and Wabash College of an analysis of US Brookhaven National Lab and a German National Lab data ...and get this ..the beta and alpha decay rates of some nuclides may not only vary with solar activity, but also with the distance from earth to sun during earth's annual orbit about the sun. Figure 1 of their paper is quite amazing for the implied correlation of 6 x10^ -18 that this could have been from purely random data sets.

Shocking if confirmed, simply because these decay rates are typically treated as constants of nature. Given the importance of the possible implications if true (cold fusion scientists are not the only ones excited I imagine), theorists might also have a field day combing through other data sets and past conclusions. since this applies to both beta and alpha particles. Others will surely try to replicate this effort, particularly if the half lives of other nuclides show similar trends as their data and conclusions appear to imply.

Why is this type of work important a non-scientist may ask? This is getting into speculative territory, but better understanding of the theoretical basis for natural radioactive decay and improving upon those theories may allow us to someday amplify or even accelerate this process for the good. Imagine nuclear waste that could be "accelerated" to becoming harmless much quicker someday. Impossible? Afterall, humankind watched the flapping of bird wings for many centuries and wondered why and how until two smart brothers came along and showed us all how to apply their careful aerodynamics studies into teaching us all how to fly...

Who ever said modern atomic physics is boring is surely fast asleep. Brookhaven and Indiana scientists rock !

Atomic Links
Bubble Fusion Discoverer Says His Science is Vindicated - Nature (India)
Quick Charge Hybrid Does Equivalent of 225 MPG - Telegraph(UK)
World's Most Powerful Magnet - IEEE Spectrum
Cold Fusion 8 Software Now Free for Educational Purposes -TechTools Blog

Alarming Science
Latest Extinction Rate is the Greatest Ever - Wired

The Oil Pump
Energy's Most Dangerous Game - Forbes
Oil: To Drill or Not to Drill - Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
The Oil Bubble Bursts - Live Mint

Massively Parallel Quantum Tunneling

2008-08-18T21:26:00.012-05:00

Computer Uses Ultra-Low Power Design

From "Email Viewers Click here for Google TechTalk Video Lecture"

As an electrical engineer, I also like to follow developments in computers and quantum computing. Here's a new computing approach posted on the Development-Cycle web site. The above video is a new Google TechTalk video lecture (see above) of an interesting shared memory computing approach by the famed Dr. Karmarkar. His design approach reduces energy requirements in large scale Peta-flop computing systems, while seemingly exploiting a massive multi-threading capability via an electromagnetic cavity machine design with field emission devices. This ultra-low power design also has the added advantage of using quantum mechanics where it is needed the most, while keeping the rest of the computer design fairly standard in about a square meter of silicon CMOS.

It's ideas like this that excite me about the future of the applied quantum computing, where when you least expect it - new approaches seem to come out of nowhere that will surely help to change the future of computing.

Atomic Links
Amateur Scientists Get a Reaction from Fusion - Wall Street Journal

American Chemical Society(ACS) Publishes LENR Sourcebook - NET
Book Review: The Most Baffling Mysteries of Our Time - Discover

The Oil Pump
Busting Myths About Cheap Unlimited Oil - Salon.com
The End of Aviation - New Republic
Cold Fusion and Big Oil - NowPublic

Atomic JukeBox
Little Cup of Helium, Big Science(pdf) - Physics Today
Nanomaterial Turns Radiation Directly into Electricity - New Scientist

Bill Gates Surprises Energy Debate (Spoof )

2008-08-10T13:30:00.007-05:00

'Raises Awareness' on Science, Research & Education

[Image (c) Microsoft, 2008] Guitar hero Gates tries raising a water bottle for non-believers

[Wash DC] The Fourteenth International Conference on Cold Fusion (ICCF-14) which gets underway this week had surprising last minute guests drop in Sunday morning for a kickoff debate, involving a member of the media in the DC area, Llewellyn King debating the newly retired Bill Gates.

Did I read that correctly? Bill Gates as a science debate panelist?

Gates opened the debate by saying : "Well, first, I want to clarify: I’m not a fake Steve Jobs, nor a real electrochemist". After briefly discussing cold fusion's past public perceptions and some promising areas for future research, King and Gates then had a lengthy discussions with other panelists about the current energy situation, solar and wind energy, fossil fuel dependence and America's growing shortage of skilled scientists and engineers. "In fields such as chemistry, physics, engineering and specialized software skills, government and industry will need well trained people for future job growth," he said.

"America has such broad capabilities to bring scientists together. I think software and the web can help do that in new ways."

"One thing I'd also like to see more in the future are technology conferences that mix things up, where scientists in one field meet and debate engineers and specialists in another. We don't see enough of that sort of interesting interaction that stimulates new ideas with the public. It would help tremendously to see each others' points of view in a number of technology areas, capture the public's imagination and stimulate cross disciplinary ideas and help investors like myself weigh decisions," Gates said.

Foreign visa concerns were also prominent during the almost two hour debate because of a controversy in the weeks before the conference with some visiting condensed matter scientists. King mentioned that five foreign researchers who would be presenting papers could not get visas to attend this years' cold fusion conference, which caused some last minute scheduling snafus.

"When I ran a run a multi-billion dollar corporation I couldn't get H1-B visa's for many visiting software developers, so do you seriously think that several foreign scientists visiting this conference could cut through all that red tape in time to attend?," said Gates. "It would be like me me trying to levitate this bottle of water with my hand," as he gestured to King.

Gates also impressed upon members of the media to give more attention to improving the teaching of math and science. "This knowledge is essential to many of tomorrow's jobs", he said. "This is a hot issue and the media should help embrace it. The Britney route to inspiring tomorrows youth should sprinkle in a bit of science and math with all that partying we hear about. My fatherly advice is do some studying and set a good example," he said. "The Britney Industrial Complex needs innovation too."

A recent federal government study found almost forty percent of high school seniors failed to perform at the basic level on a national math test. Science skills issues were even more of a concern. "Half of 12th-graders didn't show basic science skills," Gates said.

The panelists fielded many audience questions afterwards.

From this blogger perspective it was a William F Buckley, Jr. style of debate on science and technology issues of the day. Perhaps the following quote from the Breakthrough Institute said it best recently :

'We need to invent totally new energy systems that we haven't even thought of yet.'
- Michael Shellenberger

The ICCF-14 cold fusion conference runs through friday August 15th, where members of the media, the public and science community are invited to attend.

Atomic Links
How Quantum Physics Could Power the Future - FoxNews
Physicist's Quantum-Uncollapse Hypothesis Verified - PHYSORG.com
Naval Researchers Organize Cold Fusion Confab - Wired Blog
First Solar: Quest for the $1 Watt - IEEE Spectrum
Teacher Shortage Could Provide Problems in the Future - AP
AMD Fusion Details Leaked - Tech Web Daily
Nickel-Based Super Alloy Resists Hydrogen Embrittlement - NASA Tech Briefs

The Oil Pump
Has the Oil Bubble Finally Burst? - Houston Chronicle
Pickens Profile You Haven't Read - Newsweek
Analysis: Fresh Energy Problems for New President - Washington Post

The JukeBox
Jukebox Hero Plays Your Mood- Design News
Magnetic Nanomaterials - EngineeringTV
DoE Statistics - US Electric Grid
Researchers Mash Google Earth with Electrical Grid - Network World
Big Oil Industry Turning to Nanotech - Small Times

[Disclaimer: Rumors the Gates Foundation is interested in nanotechnology, cold fusion and other energy alternatives may in fact be correct. Gates is known to admire scientists who tackle very difficult science problems. The above debate was purely a figment of my imagination. Or was it? ]

The Day The Pump Stood Still : June 19, 2008

2008-06-17T22:09:00.017-05:00

Public Service Announcement

As a Texan and believer in the potential of alternative energy sources like cold fusion, solar and wind power (hard to believe there's a lone blogger like me in Texas huh?), I'm sure I'm not alone worldwide when I say I cringe at the thought of another day filling my gas tank.

Thursday's 3rd annual campaign to "Dump the Pump" sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) seemed like a natural way to tell big oil speculators to %$#$^#@ $I&*^% *%#@ @!%@ %$#@ !!!!!! (interpret as you wish)

I'm also trying to be polite, but please don't also forget to vote your conscience this November (and your wallet).

Atomic Links
QC Breakthrough? A Room Temperature Qbit from Diamond - Science

The JukeBox
The Last Car You Would Ever Buy - Literally - MIT Technology Review (Blog)
Gas Prices Hit Stratosphere in England - Mail On-line
How Speculators Are Causing the Cost of Living to Skyrocket - Spiegel On-line

Patent Office Slashes Process to Six Months

2008-05-28T22:51:00.018-05:00

Press Release Takes 33 Years to Issue(Spoof)

Have a new idea for an energy related patent ? Dusty cold fusion patent never issued? Looks like the U.S. Patent Office wants to help. This news item from 1975 was spotted on Mother Earth News by a Motor reader. They must have fixed a bottleneck and this press release was finally issued.

IF YOU'RE AN INVENTOR TINKERING WITH ENERGY-RELATED IDEAS, you'll be glad to know that the U.S. Government Patent Office will give your application "top priority" status. Isaac Fleischmann, Director of Information for the Office, says that-while the normal processing time for patent reviews is 21 months-the waiting period for "inventions in all aspects of the energy field" has been slashed to 6 months. If you'd like more information, write the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Office of Information Services, Washington, D.C. 20231.

Public Service Advertisement: Subscribe to the Alchemist at ChemWeb.com

Could This Device be a Real Mr. Fusion?

2008-05-22T21:56:00.044-05:00

Japanese Use Nanotechnology to Enhance Cold Fusion

Arata Solid State Fusion Device in Japanese Laboratory

(click illustrations above to enlarge)

[Updated] As a nuclear engineer with a strong interest in nanotechnology for many years, there aren't many cold fusion devices that I've seen and read about over the years that excite me as much as the potential of Dr. Yoshiaki Arata's solid state fusion reactor which uses Palladium nanoparticles to help initiate his cold fusion reaction process, which creates He4, the gas found in children's balloons from Deuterium gas (a readily available hydrogen isotope). What is also released in the process is heat energy from fusion. No small accomplishment as any physicist would tell you, because this process should be impossible according to the known laws of nuclear physics and chemistry.

What is also significant besides excess heat generated [ awaiting confirmation according to latest news update], is that if his process could somehow be scaled up in large volumes, perhaps ...just perhaps it may be a way to replace Helium supplies someday, which according to the latest reports is becoming a scarce non-renewable resource, often times released to the atmosphere as natural gas is collected along with fossil fuels. The US strategic Helium reserves are also known to be a finite supply, and despite this are now being sold off to meet supply needs of the scientific and commercial sectors.

If any cold fusion fans have read Dr. Arata's earlier important papers on this device, first published in 2006 in a very reputable Italian journal found here, then you would probably agree that an announcement like this is significant from the standpoint that it shows for the first time his actual prototype laboratory device and that he is now demonstrating it in public as also reported here in an interview by New Energy Times.

The Atomic Motor would like to send out an atomic guitar hero award to Dr. Arata and other fellow scientists who diligently keep trying and making significant progress against all odds in keeping the clean energy cold fusion spirit alive.

This latest story was first reported here at the LENR.org community web site:

Prof. Y. Arata Plans Demonstration at Osaka University

May 14, 2008

Osaka National University Prof. emeritus Yoshiaki Arata has announced a lecture and demonstration of his latest cold fusion reactor, on May 22, 2008, starting at 1:30 p.m. (subject to change). A photo of the reactor is shown below. The lecture will be on the 1st floor of Arata Hall on the university campus, and the demonstration will be later, on the 3rd floor. (Note that Arata Hall is named after Prof. Arata, who is one Japan's leading scientists, with honors including a building named after him at the university, and an award from the Japanese Emperor in 2006.)

Contact. A. Kobayashi, Tel 06-6879-8694

Atomic Links
[New] Update on Arata Demo- Physics World Blog
Italian Newspaper Features Arata Reactor - ILSOLE24ORE.COM ( Translate Italian URL Here )
Inconvenient Truths: Rethink What it Means to Be Green - Wired
Teen Finds Way to Decompose Trash Bags in Three Months - Tree Hugger
Stopping the Exodus of Women in Science - Harvard Business Review
Silicon Nanowire Solar Cell - Make: Blog
Italy Opts for New Nuclear Power Program - Red Orbit
Burning Our Way Towards Fusion - Popular Science

[As Albert Einstein once said "To me it is enough to wonder at the secrets" ]

Advertisement : [ Be a Space Pioneer and help shape US Space policy. Join the National Space Society, and receive Ad Astra Magazine ]

Atomic Comics - 'Proof' We Need Cold Fusion

2008-04-13T01:22:00.027-05:00

Earth day is coming soon. What better way to help mother Earth than to pledge new ways to clean up the environment, give the American taxpayers and consumers a break (to fix their aching backs) and allocate funds to reduce our middle east oil dependence and finally bring our troops home ...right?

For an interesting perspective on this, I'm living here in Texas, a state that once had oil fields that many claimed were dry simply because the cost of recovery from these old fields was not economical at the old oil prices of $10/barrel. So, you'de think that with the higher oil revenues that towns out in west Texas and eastern New Mexico would now show new signs of life (and wealth) again with this great price boom in oil. Right?

Well, on my last visit to New Mexico a couple months back as I drove through west Texas, all the small oil towns had their nearby fields filled with rigs pumping oil again it seemed, now that electricity costs could be paid to turn on old wells and even drill new wells in lower producing fields. Many that had been left for dry or left idle for years were now pumping again. With the price of oil way up, you'de think these towns would be coming back to life. Even with billions in tax breaks to this industry. Right?

Stark contrasts still existed. Most small towns still looked like they did years ago ago. I could hardly see any signs that higher oil prices have helped them at all so far in this boom cycle. So ask yourself this. Who are the higher oil prices really helping these last few years? Speculators on wall street? Wealthy foreign sheiks who invest, but we're afraid to offend? I really do wonder because it appears to me that the American taxpayers, US soldiers, small Texas towns, bankrupt airlines (who can't afford higher aviation fuel costs), and alternative energy industries who could sure use those oil tax breaks are getting the short end of the deal on this oil boom.

Atomic Links
Pushing the Envelope : Q&A With Wayne Pfeiffer - Dr. Dobb's Portal
Water is the Next Oil - MIT Technology Review
Oil Prices Not Tied to Supply & Demand - Washington Post
There is No Gas Shortage - Business Week

The FuseBox
Architects of a Low-Energy Future - Nature
Radon: A Radioactive Gas, But Do You Want It In Your Home? - Rio Rancho Observer

Atomaders - Space Invaders For Cold Fusion Kids

2008-04-01T00:02:00.007-05:00

Atomaders is Simply Fun

Here's a nice fun game for that next generation of cold fusion scientists sprouting at your house. Atomaders by KraiSoft Entertainment is reminiscent of Space Invaders arcade game that I loved years ago. Available as a free trial download from USA Today Games, I think your kids (or even the big ones at home) will love it like mine did today. It kept them up a little late tonight for school tomorrow, but it was worth the hydrogen bonding time with the kids when Dad came up for oxygen from a crazy H2O filled day.

Atomic Links
An iPod Battery That Plays 24 Hours of Video (Finally!) - Boys And Their Toys
World's Smallest Optical Controlled NOT Gate - Science
Bench Testing US Modular's 'Cold Fusion' DDR2-800 RAM - The Tech Lounge
EPA Moves to Put Data Centers on Energy Diet - Computer World
Energy Camp Data Point (Not Cold Fusion But it Sure is Cool )- TechWebTV

Atomic Comics - Strong Winds From the East

2008-03-29T18:22:00.027-05:00

Atomic Links
MIT Tests Unique Fusion Approach- PYSORG.COM
Water on Fire Makes Scientists Burn - ACS C&EN
World's Smallest Diamond Ring is For Quantum Computing - AIP
Water Under Pressure - Nature

Fusion Links
Awkward Peek into My Personal Life - Happy Are We Blog
Fusion Fest 2008 - Fox 28

[Good luck Sparky.. may you have many more safe and educational adventures! ]

Clean Purified Water - Just Add Power

2008-03-22T12:07:00.055-05:00

New Invention Purifies Any Contaminated Water Source

(click image to see video)

Dean Kamen just unveiled his latest invention on the Colbert Report as reported on Gizmodo. This modern day Edison's rumored device was shown for the first time. When available at lower cost someday it will enable any water source to provide clean fresh drinking water for millions of people in areas where fresh water is hard to find. If anyone is familiar with this issue, clean water is also a primary concern for many worldwide who look for new ways to desalinate and purify water to grow crops in arid areas near the sea. His device may help solve that issue, but on a smaller scale. In the near term, there may be uses for any number of communities who might need something similar, but on a slightly larger scale perhaps.

Can I have a cheap cold fusion reactor with that? Talk about a guitar hero !

Atomic Links
Cheap, Efficient Thermoelectrics - MIT Technology Review
A Place and A Time for Everything - Courant

21st Century Electric Guitar

2008-03-21T17:53:00.030-05:00

In Memory of Arthur

Photo (c) copyright 2008, Nuts & Volts Magazine

It appears several magazines realized Arthur C Clarke was in ill health this spring including this recent January IEEE interview. Another nice article dedicated to Arthur (a true friend to cold fusion) can also be found in the March issue of Nuts & Volts Magazine(free spark plug) about an intriguing guitar that uses LEDs to display chord patterns while learning to play. Seeing this article brought back a fond memory.

It reminded me of a true incident years ago in college when a guitar playing lab partner named K.C. and I built a lab project for a nuclear engineering class using simple op amps, discrete components, a simple Z80 microprocessor and assembly language. We'd play guitar at his house on the weekends(his girlfriend tolerated it all) and we somehow dreamed up this idea to try and detect acoustic harmonics on each guitar string and display simple guitar chords (C,F,G,D,E, etc). It turned out to be more complicated than we first thought because of all kinds of side harmonics and noise. Our display was going to be a series of LEDs strapped to the guitar neck. Doc Hilberry and our lab professor sure got a kick out of this team project as I recall, because we were next going to instrument our school's training reactor (we didn't tell him about that part until he found out) with the A/D input stage we built. For extra credit, it looked like it would be great for measuring certain signals from the reactor control console in our lab to provide a digital output display. In those days the control console had analog needle type gauges. Simple huh? Somewhere along the way he took us aside, tightened up his bolo tie, and the words "you can't do that to a working reactor" and "NRC" came up. Unbridled optimism had met government regulation.

Today's powerful microprocessors, low power LEDs and software now fortunately make such guitar playing technology possible. This sweet guitar by Optek Music Systems comes with software for a laptop which is great for mobility.

From this cold fusion energy blogger who likes guitar to you Sir Arthur. May you also guide us all in 'staying between the lines' of NRC (and EPA) guidelines, while we play chord progressions toward the future.

The JukeBox

Arthur C Clarke (1917-2008) - Will be Sadly Missed

2008-03-18T22:32:00.010-05:00

From Satellites to Cold Fusion, He Was a Visionary

I'm saddened to report the passing of Sir Arthur C. Clarke in Sri Lanka. He''ll be sadly
missed. The world needs visionaries and he was surely one of the greatest.

The JukeBox
Sir Arthur C. Clarke(1917-2008) - Scientific American

Get Fit and Stay Fit, Can Media Help?

2008-03-16T12:45:00.028-05:00

Quit Smoking From a New Viewpoint

See article on recent UK No Smoking Campaign

One thing I always try to gently educate on is SAFETY. Part of this includes smoking around experimental equipment of all types. Let's face it it also helps reduce air pollution. In fact, getting fit and staying fit is perhaps the best move towards a healthy future for us all that I can see. Now in the past I've tried to educate on precisely this subject, but from the perspective of ape men, discovering fire with the penchant for all things risky in the world experimenting with flint. Amazing how times can change over many thousands of years, yet in some ways still remain the same.

For instance, I'm sure when the automobile was in infancy, and the first gas pump was invented by Sylvanus Bowser, smoking cigarrettes nearby might have been an afterthought and safety and environmental regulations developed along with it. Traffic lights came next, along with a whole host of other safety features as the automobile developed to much of what we have today and hardly even think about. Today, science presents us a different perspective of the world, and it's still human nature to explore, but safety must go hand in hand.

Historical analogies seem appropriate to me, and lately I can't help but feel mankind is going through historical changes in his view of the world of science and how to deal with the future rapidly approaching using one of man's latest inventions - the internet. Old Einstein and some of his buddies sure have been busy in the last fifty years, which is why the internet was created. I see the internet as a vast safety belt, perhaps given to mankind at the right moment - so how would we like to best use this safety belt to educate, inspire, explore and create?

The JukeBox
Chemistry Stamps Depict Key Discoveries, Famous Chemists - C&EN
The Lady and The Li-ion - IEEE Spectrum
Weird Science & Design Collide - NY Times
Better Graphene Transistors - MIT TR

[ Footnote: I need to refresh my iPod batteries and take a spring break(how I wish) ]

[Atomic Motor is a creative commons blog: disclaimer ]

Pie Day & Einstein's Birthday

2008-03-14T07:03:00.008-05:00

Photo from VROG on Flickr

Today is Pi Day and Einstein's birthday. Interesting coincidence for the scientist who heralded the dawn of atomic energy and something mankind will have to safely manage for the foreseeable future. As if you haven't noticed by the theme of my blogging past time by now, I'm an ardent believer in clean forms of atomic energy safely managed (even forms of fusion energy). If Einstein were alive today I wonder what he would think of what's become of his namesake E=MC2?

As an educational exercise I wonder how many places the symbol for Pi can be found in mathematics and E=MC2 for that matter?

Plant an Energy Tree For The Future

2008-03-10T21:33:00.016-05:00

Logo Copyright (c) APPA

You know it amazes me. How the world has changed since the 1989 cold fusion announcement and yet how it's also stayed the same regarding man's addictive energy dependence on fossil fuels and all that that brings. There are many hopeful signs that I'm seeing, but I'm also a realist. Obviously, a small blogger like me can't make it all happen by himself - it happens incrementally with many people helping towards common goals.

As I think about great technical accomplishments man has done in the past century (telephone, automobile, aircraft, radio, television, semiconductors, atomic energy, space travel, computers, the internet) I still can't help but feel that all those prior achievements by mankind will lead to even greater things when they all converge on one of man's next great goals - energy independence. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel historical changes going on in physics, chemistry, computers and society in general?

Several coincidental things have happened to me this past month as we approach the 19th anniversary of this important branch of the fusion energy field. I happened to sit next to a stranger the other day who reminded me of something I needed to hear. A kind thought and photo passed along by a friend was also eerily coincidental. I also happened upon the above logo and it's public service goal (a free spark plug for APPA) felt right for this blog post since this is a true goal that many see for where alternative energy (and fusion energy) is headed. A kind email two years ago now manifest by just a kind thought from yet another acquaintance who I've since learned plays guitar - besides having a knack for advice on designing new Van deGraff generators (if you know who you are, I'm again coincidentally humbled by your kind thoughts). I also recently heard a brilliant motivational speaker, who probably needs to be speaking in a larger public forum or at least on DVD (I always give credit where it is due).

Thinking of the above coincidences and where fusion energy and other alternatives would like to be, I wanted to pass along a nice quote that made my eyes tear up when I first heard it.

"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago - the second best time is today"
- Ancient Chinese Saying

[When I started blogging in June 2004 to raise my small voice, and as Walter Cronkite would say, we sure were knee deep in energy addiction to fossil fuels as is now evident by the price we're paying. A kind friend passed along a reminder that we Americans should wear something blue (pants, shirts, etc) on fridays to remember our fallen heros. Lord knows the sacrifices our heros make everyday in defending our freedoms and fighting for fossil fuel independence. Clean Fusion energy is possible, along with other alternatives. I trully believe.]

Atomic Links
Tuning in to Nanotube Radio - MIT Technology Review
Update on a Possible New Fusion Energy Source - NET
Man Behind Bose Audio Systems in Inventors Hall of Fame - AIL Blog

The JukeBox
Clean Energy Guru Takes on Wall Street - IEEE Spectrum

Sun Shines a Bit Brighter on the Small

2008-03-04T20:49:00.024-06:00

Photo(cc) atomicmotor , (SxSW 2008 Logo owned by South by South West, Inc )

Hope everyone had a chance to vote today for those of you in a state that has a chance to decide who our next presidential contenders will be. I was a a little under the weather today riding my ATV to the polling place, while we had snow and the roads were a bit icy, but it was fun to participate nonetheless. Snow tires could have come in handy for a cold fusion guy like me in some parts of the state.

I also wanted to put in a quick 'spark plug' for a one of my favorite entertainment venues. The SxSW 2008 . You just never know what you might like, and who you might bump into before, during or after partaking in the music, film and on-line festivities. Of course at the price of gas these days - please drive in a safe & energy conserving manner. Even if it is the huge state of Texas (instead of tiny Whoville) - every little bit helps if we keep our ears open.

Atomic Links
NM Attracts Solar Manufacturing Plant - Wired
Intel Announces 'Atom' Low Power Processors - AMEInfo

The Science Roundtable
Best Tests For Candidates - Nature
Science Debate2008 (video)

The JukeBox
'The Farnsworth Invention' Completes Run On Broadway - Ft. Wayne Observed

[Footnote: I'm definitely voting for the most science minded president. I hope their team of advisors realize that given the sizeable total wasted energy footprint (~ 56%) built into all of our current energy delivery mechanisms here in the US, that perhaps another good way to help jump start new energy sources is by helping to reduce wasted energy from things we already do as energy consumers. Oops, I forgot to turn my computer monitor off last night and several other things]

Which Parallel Universe Are You In ?

2008-02-24T11:11:00.036-06:00

It Depends on The Observer and Your Alternative Viewpoints

(cc) Low Res Image used with licensed permission. Original photo (c) Getty Images

Is the universe inflationary? or deflationary? I'm not exactly sure, but I do know this much. Of all the parallel universes out there that I exist in right now at this moment (with you and me in it), I perhaps can choose to look at it one way or the other. Once a decision is made(or has been made in the past by others), perhaps what I do after that determines my fate in the universe I see ahead. We all reach bifurcation points in life (the veritable branch in the road) in decision making and what comes after that. In this quantum century, I suppose more and more people will finally come around to seeing this quantum point of view in a number of ways.

From the explosion in community chat rooms & social networks to emails and the hyper media and entertainment industries, the way I see it - each of us are making micro decisions based on impressions made upon you and me the consumer of that content. The observer (you and me) thus helps make decisions that can influence the collective decisions of others. Who knows - maybe I'm crazy, but I do often times see things in this very simple way. You and me collectively shaping the world that we'de like to have.

Back to the subject of bubbles (like bursting credit bubbles), all industries are cyclical. Even the energy industry. Have any doubts? Then just look at the past and how cyclical it all is, from corn, ethanol and oil to coal, uranium and all their dependent industries. So given the brilliant fossil fuels decisions of the past made by mankind, what kind of universe would you prefer to jump into for the clean world we all so desperately want to live in the future, but is filled with paradoxes? Do we want clean solar covering buildings, carports and rooftops across the US with new battery technologies? Dabbling in smaller scale fusion energy projects that show promise, instead of the behemoth 40 year projects? Or, do we continue with the status quo of indecision? We 'can' have a world based on alternative approaches that helps make us less dependent on those old greased gears of the past. It won't be easy given a century of dependence on fossil fuels (any addict will tell you what withdrawl symptoms can feel like), but the choice is ultimately ours to make.

Welcome to the quantum century, were education often comes paradoxically in the science of physics and chemistry and all the complexity that it implies, but often times needs to be translated to simpler terms, even by a simple blogger like me who also dreams about rock and roll and bluegrass road tours.

True democracy - at the speed of the internet. Which universe do you want to live in?

Atomic Links
Strong, Light and Stretchy Materials - MIT TR
National Science Digital Library : Shaping Education - Computer
Will Science Journals Finally Peek Through Galileos' Telecope? - NET
Strange Fluids May Shed Light on Universe - New Scientist

[Footnotes: Science and technology viewpoints are very important these days, I'm going to be covering science related news articles about presidential candidates viewpoints over the next several blogs]

A Fusion Powered World

2008-02-09T21:49:00.003-06:00

It's Not Just Powered by Gillette

Composite graphic (cc) www.atomicmotor.com

A good friend mentioned to me last weekend that he thought that the world was now powered by Gillette. Something he had heard on his favorite radio show. It was his way of poking fun of all things fusion I suppose. So I thought I'de do a quick marketing survey to see what I could come up with on the web. Are folks making any environmental statements - one logo at a time perhaps? The above is what I came up with from all the sites I found (there were too many to cram into the space above!).

Maybe it's just my imagination, but does anyone else notice any collective trends going on besides me?

This brings to mind a favorite quote by Arundhati Roy, "Once you see it, you can't unsee it". I think this statement pretty much sums it up since day one on this wild cold fusion ride.

Atomic Links
DOE's Dissappointing Budget - Harder to Stick to the Basics - Science
The Sound of Music - IEEE Spectrum
Growing Up Green - Forbes
From a City's Arteries into Ours - New Scientist
Preventing Concussions - MIT Technology Review

[Footnote: I'm completely amazed at consumer buying habits, and how some scientists still claim nobody notices cold fusion. Don't forget to recycle...]

The Real Power Within Us All

2008-02-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

Let's Not Forget: The Real Heros

An old trucker friend who had eye surgery yesterday passed the above photo along to me.

When folks brag about driving a gas guzzling SUV, or that their oil profits have hit all time highs again, take a look at the above photo and then look inside your own soul. The power you seek in your own life may ultimately be found in the memories and lives of those brave few who have given their all so that we can enjoy the freedoms we hold dear.

On this super bowl sunday when life gets caught up in this sports frenzy, please remember our real heros, simple men and women from all walks of life dedicated to helping others in God's name.

Atomic Comics: Einstein and His Chauffeur's Speech

2008-01-28T20:59:00.000-06:00

The Funny Side of Einstein

Photo: Einstein on the Lecture Circuit

A chiropractor friend (who also worked on Yao Ming's VAX-D back decompression) passed this one along to me ....

When Albert Einstein was making the rounds of the speaker's circuit, he usually found himself eagerly longing to get back to his laboratory work. One night as they were driving to yet another rubber chicken dinner, Einstein mentioned to his chauffeur (a man who somewhat resembled Einstein in looks and manner) that he was tired of speechmaking.

"I have an idea boss," his chauffeur said. "I've heard you give this speech so many times. I'll bet I could give it for you. Einstein laughed loudly and said, "Why not? Let's do it!" When they arrived at the dinner, Einstein donned the chauffeur's cap and jacket and restfully sat in the back of the room. The chauffeur then gave a beautiful rendition of Einstein's speech and even answered a few questions expertly.

Then a supremely pompous professor asked an extremely esoteric question about anti-matter formation, digressing here and there to let everyone in the audience know that he was nobody's fool. Without missing a beat, the chauffeur fixed the professor with a steely stare and said, "Sir, the answer to your question is so simple that I'll let my chauffeur, who is sitting in the back of the room answer that one for me."

Atomic Links
When Britney Spears Comes to My Lab - Nature
Silicon Nanowires Turn Heat to Electricity - IEEE Spectrum

Cat Power - Wakeup Call

2008-01-27T09:13:00.007-06:00

Kitty Alarm Clock

Nice kitty, nice kitty. I'm glad your only a cartoon. What a wakeup call to a 2008. Gee whiz, watching the news on the science frontlines in Nature and listening to economic trends, this new year is off to a great start huh? (I certainly hope the rest of the year is better). See how finely balanced our world today really is? It's not like I didn't predict a wild rollercoaster ride in my first blog post of the new year. If I'm a prognosticator, it's by sheer luck.

Was my small blog post a small butterfly effect of sorts? Indeed, I hope it's just a coincidence. This brings up an interesting thought I"ve been worrying about lately. Can any small perturbation (even from a blog post or even internet chat room?) really be measured? See the point? Let's think about this for the moment and how the internet is changing our lives and sneaking up on us all since the last century. In ways we can't even believe, measure, nor imagine at the moment. The more I read and understand today's mass media and the internet, the more I'm now cautious. This gets back to why I blog with a positive mindset: Is there a way to put these possible effects to good use for mankind? I'de hate to think about the alternatives via our mass media and internet of ignorance !!!!.

The old adage of the butterfly effect is what any decent chaos expert tell you about initial conditions and what non-linear systems theory explains about sensitivity to initial conditions. In the opinion of this blogger (hint: I'm not an expert in chaos theory), our quantum world is in fact run by chaos and chaotic attractors of many varieties across many industries and markets, increasingly connected to the internet. So to me, the power of one individual (that's you, me..anyone - the butterfly again) now magnified via the power of the fractal internet/web can leave your head spinning if you really think about what it all means.

Here's an excerpt from an economic abstract about cold fusion, published a while back via the internet. I hope those interested in such alternative economic theories consider reading the references below, bearing in mind some of the ideas and explanations he presents on cold fusion related to plasmoids are perhaps his own theory. I feel he does illustrate quite simply though, a few good economic points via a broad historical overview on scientific trends.

"The theory itself is based on some assumptions that seem to fit the historical evidence[1]. One assumption is that scientific revolutions in physics have happened at about 80 year intervals, and these scientific revolutions lead to industrial revolutions. Another assumption is that technological acceleration periods marked by productivity growth acceleration happen during which automation, high debt and other factors lead to depressionary circumstances. A third assumption is that the times of industrial revolutions are also depressionary times of low productivity growthand stiffer foreign competition, the closing of older paradigm industries and the transfer of labor and capital to emerging industries.

Overall, it is proposed that these assumptions explain the historically observed three major waves of productivity growth in the technologically leading economies since 1800 and the series of economic depressions or depressionary periods that have happened at about 40 to 50 year intervals since 1800 and the alternation between high productivity growth and low productivity growth economic depressions or recessions. These ideas were explained in manuscript articles written in 1989, 1990[1], and 1991. Two articles about these ideas have recently been published in 2 physics conference proceedings and these can be seen online:

E. Lewis, "Cold Fusion May Be Part of a Scientific Revolution,"
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ICCF10, Boston, 2003.

E. Lewis, "Cold Fusion in the Context of a Scientific Revolution in
Physics: History and Economic Ramifications," PROCEEDINGS OF THE ICCF11, Marseilles, France, 2004.

I certainly hope Lewis' theory is wrong and that the internet (which didn't exist in past circumstances) will continue to help with productivity growth. For those interested in more alternative views on economics - beyond my full understanding, also read Ed Hamilton's web site (A plug for his hard work). Something to think about, while keeping SAFETY belts fastened in 2008.

Butterflies are everywhere - even in my stomach at the moment !

Atomic Links
The Great Coal Hole - The Energy Bulletin

[Disclaimer: I'm definitely no economist, but even I have to chime in from time to time ]

Atomic Pendulum

2008-01-07T17:26:00.000-06:00

A Chaotic Pendulum

I retracted a couple posts I made because they made me feel a bit uncomfortable(SAFETY first as I've said in this blog before). I think the following easily constructed pendulum is a better way to explain my feelings at the beginning of this new year and the fact I shouldn't comment on every news item even if it seems atomic oriented. A pendulum already in motion is perhaps best left unperturbed.

New Year's Resolution - Rule 1: Obey Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle

2008-01-01T15:17:00.001-06:00

Eat a Low Corn Diet !

(click to enlarge)

By Johnathan Chan

Have you ever had one of those months when you did a lot of reading, woke up one morning and realized just what planet you really beamed down to? Recently, while shopping at a grocery store and listening to music walking the aisles, I suddenly realized what the theme music to the twilight zone was all about and that sign post up ahead. So you can probably now imagine what I feel like giving advice on the use of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Now I'm definitely not an economist - just a conservative investor, but could it be that the more accurately the ethanol and oil industries go for making predictable profits to make all their investors happy, that the more long term uncertainty there will be in the food and energy prices they are creating in their wake? But then again, maybe I'm just one of those army of worriers again.

In this regard, I'm glad the goals I seek at the moment are clean fusion energy, but I can imagine that someday the present day energy industry woes (both good and bad ) will be good lessons to learn from on what not to do when trying to commercialize and package a new industry for the tracks up ahead. Believe it or not, lately I've really been trying to watch my vitamin and mineral content along with keeping a well balanced diet that includes lots saturated fatty oils. Paradox? As my son said to me .."dad isn't that high cholesterol diet bad for you at your age?" My response: who ..me worry? Welcome to the quantum century.

Yep, with all the news lately about the ethanol industry and the cost of corn based food being at polar opposites - it seemed like a natural for a good new year's resolution - to eat less corn based food in 2008, even if it means changing that box of fusion cereal from corn meal into a box of Wheaties. But, as Heisenberg would probably wisely say, trying to tweak this system will yet again undoubtedly cause some ripples in space time. Grab your seat belt folks, make sure you aren't afraid of any rollercoasters and hang on for a wild 2008 ride. If what I've been reading lately is correct, we may indeed miss the good old days of 2007. Oh..and by the way, did you buy a 2008 rollercoaster ticket too? or was it handed to you too in an old prize giveaway?

Atomic Links
The Price of Biofuels - MIT Technology Review
Berkeley Researchers Develop World's Smallest Radio - Engadget

Atomic JukeBox
Radiohead Streams "In Rainbows" to Open New Year - Wired

The Fusebox
How Noble are the Motives Behind the Awarding of the Nobel Prize? - The Scotsman

[Disclaimer: corn based cereal was consumed in the making of the above blog post ]

Two Hundred Twelve Degrees

2007-11-16T18:13:00.000-06:00

My son passed this video along to me, I thought it might be inspirational.

[Disclaimer: Interpret 212 degrees as you wish for your dreams to come true.
Speaking of inspirational, I took my 10 year old son to see a scary Movie. I asked him to compare it to a good movie. I then asked him, "which makes you feel better the next day with more hope for mankind?" ..Thoughts (conveyed via technology) do matter..]

A Miracle or Another False Hope?

2007-11-05T23:08:00.000-06:00

Australian Inventor Makes Bold Cold Fusion Claim

Photo Copyright(c) 2007, Hopecell.com

I saw an interesting statistic the other day. Of the 4,055 billion killowatt-hours of electricity consumed in the U.S. in 2005, over 50% of it was used by electric motors. Yep..electric motors are everywhere when you think about it. Just think of that huge number. If anything should come along to help put even a small dent in that power consumption figure, it would be indeed have a huge impact on technology we use everyday.

Now comes along yet another bold cold fusion claim from an Australian inventor that almost sounded familiar in some technical respects to videos floating around youtube, but I wasn't quite sure of the specifics so I'm passing it along. Details appear to be quite vague because of patent concerns apparently. In any case, if it's an early prototype of a working device - you can be sure that sooner or later we'll here more details...stay tuned folks.

Atomic Links
Neutrons Cross The Line - Nature
Vote for Your Favorite TV Ecospot - Current
Tiny Radioactive Spheres Effectively Treat Liver Cancer - EurekAlert!
Champion Robot Car Declared - MIT TR

The JukeBox
If Detroit Wants to Prosper, it Should CAFE-inate Itself - Star-Telegram

Can Cold Fusion & Religion Utimately Coexist?

2007-11-04T00:40:00.000-05:00

Safety Education

Copyright(c) 2007 - StampAndShout - Bumper Sticker

A sharp reader passed this graphic along to me after seeing it on a passing car. I consider it a 'bumper sticker' milestone of sorts in public thinking and education (something to think about). I think it applies quite well to the field of atomic energy (of various forms) safely in the hands of millions of people (and their religion of choice). A topic a nuclear engineer like myself ponders about in educating tomorrow's youth.

Filed under "something safe to think about with science in the middle"..

Atomic Links
Education and R&D Can Save The World - Electronic Design
Russia Pours Billions in Oil Profits Into Nanotech Race - Wired
CO2: Don't Count on The Trees - New Scientist
The Charge of the Ultra-Capacitors - IEEE Spectrum

The Nano JukeBox
The Twinkie Guide To Nanotechnology - Nanotech Project (Video)
Russia Pins Its Hopes on 'Nano' - Nature
Kanzius Treatment Gets World Attention - Erie Times News

[ Disclaimer: A friend recently expressed "awe" ..I agree (with a smile) ]

Atomic Comics: Earth's Super Fund Friend

2007-10-24T23:40:00.000-05:00

Atomic Links

Tracking the California Fires - MIT Technology Review
Nuclear Fusion the Holy Grail of Lunar Explorers - Digital Journal

The JukeBox
Raising Sand Combines Earthy "Rock and Bluegrass" - MSNBC

[Maybe that will be a Cleantech "Band Aid" with some more R&D?]

NukeFree.org Challenges New Energy Bill

2007-10-18T22:32:00.000-05:00

Where Will I Plug in My Future Electric Hybrid?

NukeFree.org Web Site Video

Here's one for the believers and non-believers in nuclear power out there to think about. As a nuclear engineer who studied with some of the creators of the nuclear industry, I've tried to refrain from this issue here in my blog, but I decided I can't hold back any longer when some of my favorite musicians chime in on such an important issue without more thought about what they are really weighing in the balance.

Since this blog is about things atomic, hopefully I won't stray too far from the SAFETY issue I like to preach and so I thought I'de help by comparing and contrasting some important issues related to this subject, without just a standard knee jerk "anti-nuke" reaction that we've all seen during the last couple of decades. Believe it or not even an a old nuclear engineer like myself can be "anti-nuke", but I'm anti-nuke only in the sense that I won't tolerate "same old same ole" when it comes to looking at the "old nuclear industry" of the past without considering what new science can often bring to the big equation.

As many are aware, the green movement itself was started long ago by none other than James Lovelock - the originator of the Gaia Hypothesis. He's now pro-nuclear and is a member of Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy. EFN considers that "environmental opposition to nuclear energy is the greatest misunderstanding and mistake of the century." Reason? When you compare the typical CO2 emission of an oil or coal burner along side nuclear power ..nuclear wins hands down considering all variables involved. The environmental issues of reactor operations (the most highly regulated industry on the planet) pale in comparison to a worldwide issue of man's effect on sustainability (clearcutting forests to obtain wood, fossil fuel consumption, mining issues to extract coal, wars over fossil fuels - how many lives have been affected now..have we all lost count?) and climate change, perhaps the biggest issue of the day as some would have us believe. The last I looked at the science involved, all nuclear reactors aren't all linked together in massive chain reaction, nor do they create a fireball like an atomic bomb that can wipe out a city as some might have you believe. Nope, they just quietly operate and provide clean electricity to millions of people worldwide. They are here to stay in one form or another. Paradox isn't it? Environmentalists in favor of nuclear power. Are these guys nutts? Score one for Lovelock and EFN for appropriately weighing risks as some might argue with a fresh view of the real issues facing mankind.

However - in fairness, this only considers part of the nuclear waste cycle, because in a decade or more of operations at a typical nuclear power station, some of the nuclear fuel would need to be reprocessed and this implies a hazardous waste issue to contend with, not to mention some mining of the ore needed for new fuel messing with the environment in areas where uranium and thorium are mined. I think that the Nukefree folks would agree with this assessment on the waste issue here ..right? OK. Score one for NukeFree.org. Science needs to take a deeper look at the waste transport issue and storage issue ..these are really social issues - not scientific ones necessarily if you read the science of vitrification and long term storage of waste. However, we can probably anticipate within the next several thousand years to solve this issue, while in the near term, the earth's environmental issues become more apparent as Lovelock might argue.

Looked at in isolation - on any issue, whether it is climate change or the nuclear industry - it is very easy to get pulled into a "group mindset" an fail to see the bigger picture involved and how devisiveness can also affect decision making: spreading indecision on issues, stalling legislation and even confusing public support. The bigger picture I'm mentioning here also has to do with investment issues - raising funding for research that helps new materials science and that furthers new discoveries in any area of energy research and those that can help solve tough issues that address man's footprint on the environment. Issues that environmentalists far and wide scream about. So another fact is that when billions are raised and spent in "any" industry - often times investments go into side industries and new R&D hoping to improve those industries. Last I looked - all of those early investments in steel, coal and oil also helped to create the automotive and aircraft industries and vice versa.

Decisions that look like support for nuclear power, can even affect future markets and research in bringing clean plug-in electric hybrids to market, particularly if support for those cleaner hybrid technologies are coming from the power industry giants who have recently announced support - along with investors (you and me) in our mutual funds. Even issues like investment in R&D to assist clean burning coal( an alternative to nukes right?), better ways to extract oil from the tar sands found in vast areas of the Canadian wilderness being dug up by the fossil fuel truck load, renewable energy and even research into new areas of energy alternatives like cold fusion can be inadvertently effected by public perception and devisiveness. Want proof? just look at what happened to cold fusion in it's early days. I guess what I'm saying is that a big finely balanced economic equation is often involved that needs to be thought of and looked at with broad viewpoint of the interconnectedness of industries and side industries wishing to help solve the most pressing environmental issues.

Often times issues such as risk have no clear boundaries, but shades of gray. Looking at the nuclear waste issue in isolation must also be done carefully because not only is safe transport of higher level reactor waste an issue, but also low level medical waste, mining waste (we do still need copper, iron and coal don't we?) and oil industry waste that all produce large amounts of NORM that must also be dealt with. So even here, stopping R&D on one issue and even safe transport to a storage location like Yucca mountain (the easy focal point) can thus effect other side industries and efforts that at first glance are not blantantly obvious. Does the anti-nuke community think of these side industries that are striving to remain clean and that mankind depends on daily? Can we for instance, turn off the spigot of low level medical waste transport without effecting cancer patient treatments? or without the oil rig community properly disposing contaminated rig equipment? These items are also radioactive! Seriously, when you really think about this issue there is interconnectedness here. These are reasons why I'm a conscientious "anti-nuke" scientist, because other things must be brought into consideration when weighing risks.

As a nuclear engineer with this humble blog as my podium, I'm very supportive of causes for a cleaner nuclear industry and I applaud the efforts of the NukeFree.org community to raise public awareness, but may I suggest that this community also look more closely and help educate at how they would go about bringing other environmental dreams into a world that often times - if you look deeper at the issues of the day - are much more complex than what appears on the surface. For instance, is there really enough land area in the US to provide wind power to 300 million people? Some NIMBY states don't even want this clean form of energy! As another example, issues like ethanol from corn often ignore the large water requirements (pumped from aquifers that are being strained by mankind) to feed a huge corn crop to support even a small percentage of the fuel we would need as a nation to replace all our dependence on foreign oil. ..all the while taking away corn from the food chain and driving up prices from competition. Inadvertent cause and effect. Who would have thought that new energy ideas in the name of environmentalism can end up being so devisive?

As the above examples illustrate, environmental issues are quite complex. The legislative and investment communities that want to help the energy industry - continually adjusts to market demands and signals, legislation, scientific R&D needs, the regulatory community, public opinion and yes musicians whom we all listen to and love. Often times what appears to be the best approach to navigate channels to get to the desired destination we all want - a cleaner world for our children's future - is not obvious from the surface and needs more scientific consideration than just a publicity campaign that comes from past ways of thinking based on fear of the unknown without educating and looking more closely at risks in the proper context.

Like politicians, musicians and celebrities that the general public follows for advice on complex issues will increasingly need to be educated and aware of complex science issues. There are musician scientists. Perhaps they can help with a publicity campaign that educates appropriately, rationally considers risks based on science(both big and small) and serves not only to further the science understanding involved, but the long term public interests and investment communities as well.

I hope these thoughts help. Musicians can help change the world for the better.

Atomic Links

What Does it Mean to be Tech Savvy? - Information Week

From Cold Fusion to Condensed Matter Nuclear Science - Prism Webcast News

Britney Spears Solves Cold Fusion Formula - The Spoof!

[Disclaimer: Maybe a smart celebrity friend of Ugly Betty could also help Britney]

Didn't Win a Feynman Prize? Don't Fret

2007-10-12T06:11:00.000-05:00

What Would Feynman Do?

Photo - Richard P. Feynman

You'de think folks would calm down a bit if they lost to someone else for helping the "tiny" science world to realization. In fact, maybe some might even get angry and express an emotion or two. That's normal. But as a scientist what would Richard Feynman say if he were alive today? Would he break out his famous bongo drums and just play music? I remember one quote of his: "Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." I happen to think that in regard to his own namesake Feynman prize, he'd just smile with a wide grin and say something like.."ahhh ..there's always next year", and then he'd repeat something he said at one of his famous lectures.

"The wonderful thing about science is that it's alive."

Atomic Links
The Real Stars (let's not forget our brave soldiers) - YouTube
Al Gore and IPCC Panel Win the Nobel Prize - Treehugger
Scientists Invent Continuous Power Laptop Battery - Computerworld

The JukeBox
Blood Pump Designs - Engineering TV

Nobel Family Endorses "Michael Nobel Energy Award"

2007-10-07T00:31:00.000-05:00

Cites Support for Alternative Energy

Dr. Michael Nobel

It seems like a clarification is in order to a previous New York Times article regarding the new "Michael Nobel Energy Award". Philip Nobel himself and fellow family members of the Nobel Charitable Trust Foundation (NCTF) provided the following via a personal comment on this blog. Their posted comment seems fitting, given the fact that this year's Nobel prizes in medicine, science, literature, economics and peace will be announced next week.

Philip Nobel said...: Dr.Michael Nobel never did introduce himself as chairman of the Nobel Family Society which the organizers of Nanotech had stated in their previous press-release. He clearly stated that he was the actual chairman of the Nobel Charitable Trust Foundation (which he in fact is) and proposed to make the announcement of these new awards in that name…Dr.Nobel also had pointed out in several mails to the organizers the incorrect information in their initial press-release and asked that corrections were to be made but that was totally ignored by them.

As for the $25.000, although a payment may be uncommon in such cases as this…this particular amount was intended for the Nobel Charitable Trust Foundation and not for a personal use like media have suggested on different occasions. The fact that he wishes to use his own, personal name for such a cause as this should not in any way be held against him as the NCTF is created and operated in and for a charitable and educational purpose and cause. To furthermore increase the distance between the “Nobel-Prizes” we’ve chosen to call these awards the “Michael Nobel Energy Award”, a name which couldn’t nor shouldn’t in no way be confused or misinterpreted with the prizes that are being ditribuated on the 10th of December!!!

Finally, as for the claim made by the Nobel Foundation in sweden that Dr.Nobel did not have the family’s support…the Nobel Charitable Trust Foundation is created by three members of the board of directors of the Nobel Family Society and one of the founders also is the actual head of the Nobel family which all gives Dr.Michael Nobel a very strong support.

We, the four founders of the Nobel Charitable Trust Foundation feel that alternative energy (as we’re all aware that our natural resources will not last forever) and our enviroment is of highest priority in our every-day life and most certainly for the generations to come!!!
Philip Nobel, Gustaf Nobel, Michael Nobel, Peter Nobel.
Atomic Links
Cold Meeting at a Junction - Nature
The Best: Unlikely Movie Scientists. Denise Richards? Jessica Alba?! - Wired Rebecca Walsh: Persistence pays off with Nobel - Salt Lake Tribune
Physics Nobel for Giant Magnetoresistance Research - Physics Today
Sadly ..Dr. Robert W. Bussard (1928-2007) - Classical Values

This Week in History (October 11, 1868)
Thomas Edison filed for his first invention, an electric voting machine.

Nobel's Nephew in a Nano Conundrum

2007-09-26T22:06:00.000-05:00

Nano Confusion as Conference Goes Unrewarded

"

Here's an interesting article that almost slipped by my radar from the New York Times regarding Alfred Nobel's grand nephew and a broken promise to folks who organized a recent nanotechnology conference. Apparently, even the prestige of a name like Nobel doesn't guarantee that a smooth science conference will take place without a hickup or two. To me it almost sounds like a story right out of the history of cold fusion and one that critics of LENR would use to splash about as a bad example of ethics in science. Just goes to show that nobody in science is immune from SNAFUs - even in their best intentions.

So why did Michael Nobel's alternative energy nano prize vaporize? Even more importantly - why pray tell did the writer of this New York Times story fail so miserably at penmanship and grammar in college?

Science journalism never fails to amaze me..!

Atomic Links
Is There a Third Route to Produce Nuclear Energy? - Hindu Times
Americans Getting Dumber About Nanotechnology - IEEE Spectrum Online
The New Me Generation - Boston Globe

[Disclaimer : As a blogger I must confess that I only took a few writing classes in college. So does that mean I can now work for the Times as a blogger for Bits? I just had to ask, since I am looking at starting a new career very soon]

Atomic Outpost: Ecowatts Device Uses Liquid Catalyst

2007-09-20T06:45:00.000-05:00

Home Heating Industry Device May Be a Commercial First

Photo(c) - The Mail, Ecowatts researcher Paul Calver holds his new 'atomic powered' heating device

Here's a clean energy story that lit up my eyes, simply because most cold fusion researchers know that potassium carbonate has in several past experimental benchtop devices - and even some patented ones, exhibited overunity properties, i.e more heat liberated than electrical energy supplied to the device. Measuring OU (over unity) in a pass through heating device like this can be accomplished quite simply using using power measuring equipment. It's easy to meter the total average input power (whether AC or DC) down to milliwatts over an extended period of time. If the average output power (as heat) is up to 200% greater over an extended period of time - as is claimed by Ecowatts, then it would be an intriguing 'commercial first' targeting the huge home heating industry.

Why is this important? For one - if you could basically halve your electric bill for those using electric water heaters, it could add up to significant cost savings for consumers. But, will the device which uses chromium as a liquid catalyst, and other cathode materials hold up under long term use and further experimental tests? Keep your fingers crossed ..

Atomic Links
Scientists charged! The neutron's not so neutral after all - EETimes Online
King Coal Constrained - Nature
Just Imagine - CNN

Resource Links
2006 Federal Technology Funding Guide - Larta Institute ( free pdf )

[Disclaimer: It's interesting to me that the reported new discovery of the neutron's charge layers has not garnered more media attention. I personally think it speaks 'volumes' as to the state of science education in today's media ]

Cold Fusion Scientists : EPA Wants YOU

2007-09-06T20:55:00.000-05:00

Deadline for Comments to EPA - Sept 10

I saw the following announcement via Small Times magazine about the EPA requesting comments on nanotechnology and thought I'de kindly pass this along to cold fusion scientists out there trying to make a clean energy difference. Now's your chance to be heard (or ignored) in future nanotechnology decision making. Remember...like voting, green regulations are only as good as the participants who contribute or hope to contribute to the process someday(even in their wildest dreams).

[Disclaimer: I don't work for the EPA, I'm only stepping in to help as a blogging advocate since no one else crazy enough would ever stick their neck out to ask for comments. I have feeling some old professors would get a kick out of that statement. (The prior false statement is either true or false ..you decide). Psst ..and you don't have to write a novel to participate ! )

Atomic Reviews: 11th Hour Frightens, but Provides Hope

2007-09-02T23:23:00.000-05:00

Man's Footprint Prominently Displayed

I went to see this new documentary out of curiosity this past weekend hoping to see a comment or two about energy solutions and possibly even cold fusion being mentioned as one energy alternative (when fully developed and commercialized that is). Instead I felt a mixture of emotions ranging from despair, shock, despair, shock and some hope. If anyone has read Jared Diamond's Pulitzer prize winning book "Collapse", seeing this movie and all the excellent video footage and interviews of numerous scientists, scholars, philosophers and health experts makes Diamond's work look like it was written for first graders.

I have to admit I didn't enjoy seeing this movie spell out in two hours what Diamond says in 300 pages - I'de also think twice about taking a younger child to see it - it might make them feel a bit hopeless unless you do some heavy duty educating on what the next century may look like (..ugh) unless they help change it someday. Mankind is featured prominently in his raw resource stripping and consumer driven bad habits. Basically this movie presents scene after scene of mankind raping the earth and oceans clean from various scientific viewpoints and comment after comment about mankind going extinct (in no uncertain terms) if he now turns the industrialized perfection that he has mastered the last 100 years towards westernizing the remaining 4 billion people in the underdeveloped areas of the world and teaching them to do essentially the same. But wait! ..there is hope. We need to re-invent the industrial revolution with nature in mind.

As the movie explains, if man can change his capitalistic, consumer driven, environmentally thoughtless ways in time and learn to manage his environment as a biological system does, he may save himself from drowning in his own sludge and choking in his own smog and all the climate and ecosystem collapse that could create more deserts worldwide where forrests and wilderness once existed. What's left if he fails to act? .. maybe only enough to support a half billion humans if dire predictions unfold.

I didn't mind the underlying message of the movie and its concern for species extinction and environmental concerns, which is glaringly obvious if you are an avid reader of Nature or Science, but I felt the movie lacked educating with more visionary solutions. Instead it took it a bit "over the top" in some fightful ways. Perhaps some might feel this is justified given the possible consequences ahead. Although the interviews were the best part of the film, I feel it also missed some important ways to educate on changing man's bad cultural habits in measured steps. The producers could have also interviewed more scientists engaged in new areas of research creating new technologies as a way to start this education process. Interviewing more corporate leaders who are trying to make a change and realize the issues going on in the environment would also have been a breath of fresh air after about the 1 1/2 hour mark. In this regard, it was a bit one sided. Perhaps that's why the theater was half empty where I viewed this otherwise excellent documentary. I have a feeling the source material and interviews will nonetheless be quoted again and again (good or bad) as the years unfold.

Atomic Links
Green Light for Fusion Project - Times Online
Genie in a Bottle - Cocktail Party Physics Blog
Home-Front Ecology - Sierra

[Disclaimer: I'm not Roger Ebert, I've only been trained to act like him from seeing many documentaries over the years]

Atomic Gadgets: Water Proof Your iPod Nano?

2007-08-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

Where's the D2O Water Safe Version When You Need It ?

Photo: H2O Audio

I went out and bought what I thought was waterproof case for my Nano iPod only to find out it isn't as water proof as I thought..ouch. I guess I should have seen their web site disclaimer first. It's still a great product and the good news is my iPod survived unscathed. I went looking around, but I couldn't find a D2O version with a built in battery life extender that was 'waterproof' for guys like me. I'm sure the contents would even be more energetic (and safety minded) when I really think about it..

Atomic Links
The Race to Mine the Moon's Helium - Tree Hugger
Desktop Orb Could Reform Energy Hogs - Wired
Cold Fusion in the Kitchen - Wall Street Journal
Sci-Foo Lives On, Second Life Sessions - Nascent (a Nature Blog)

The Archives
Nuclear Reactions May Produce Phones' Power - Chicago Tribune

[Disclaimer: I actually have many tunes now on my iPod. Humorously, I have a feeling I'm going to need more nano RAM !!!]

MIT Conference Highlighted in Wired

2007-08-22T22:42:00.000-05:00

Cold Fusion Gets a Warm Review

Photo Copyright(c) Mark Anderson - Wired Magazine

Here's a nice overview of last saturday's MIT Cold Fusion Colloquium featured in Wired Magazine's Science column. It's nice to see a reporter in the media taking an unbiased look once again at this important field. A toast to a nice way to learn some new science and grab a pizza afterwards.

Atomic Links
German's Break the Speed of Light - G4 (The Feed)
US To Build More NanoTechnology Engineers - Nanodot
Harvesting Power from the Ocean - MIT TR

The JukeBox

The Green Grid gets Going - Computerworld

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

2007-08-18T12:23:00.000-05:00

Fox Atomic Adds a Ray of Sunshine

I finally noticed the folks over at FoxAtomic (who started up after this blog site did back in June 2004) have added a bit of sunshine to their site. Marie Digby has a great voice too ! Who says a small unknown blog like this one can't educate and quietly get noticed in a bigger media ocean. It's good to see that Fox has room for a bit of encouragement and inspiration ..instead of selling just sex, violence with rock and roll.

What's that old saying? "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Thanks FoxAtomic ! Take the inspirational ideas you find here and run with them. I wish you success :)

Atomic Links
US Condensed-Matter Community Grapples With Availability of Crystalline Samples - Physics Today

Atomic Comics: What's Your Excuse?

2007-08-15T21:58:00.001-05:00

Maybe a Small Gasoline Tax for Alternatives Couldn't Hurt

Copyright (c) John Darkow via Cagle Comics

Let's face it. Do we seriously think oil companies will fund and find alternatives to oil while the clock ticks and they are busy feeding a growing energy hungry world population addicted to fossil fuels? I've been waiting since 1980. How about it new ARPA-E? Let's fund cold fusion and other alternatives.

Atomic Links
Don't Forget ..MIT Colloquium on LANR - Saturday Aug 18 at MIT
Helium Shortage Hampers Research and Industry - Physics Today
A Spectroscopic Investigation of the Shape Dependency of Gold Nanoparticles Grown on Roughened Surfaces - Ultramicroscopy (Oct 2007)
Single Exciton Optical Gain in Semiconductor Nanocrystals - Nature
Paper Battery is Rechargeable - EETimes

The JukeBox
Sensoring Science Won't Make US Any Safer - Washington Post
Transplanting a Genome - MIT TR

[Disclaimer: I'm definitely no biologist, but humorously I feel that a bio-break is taking on a whole new meaning for me]

MIT Science Colloquium "On Lattice Assisted Nuclear Reactions(LANR)"

2007-07-28T13:02:00.000-05:00

The Science and Technology of Deuterated Metals

Grain Growth Image Copyright (c) 2001 from Journal of Minerals, Metals & Materials(JOM)

I thought that I'de pass the following tentative schedule announcement along for those interested in this material science related field.. -----------------

Date: Saturday, August 18, 2007
Title: Colloquium on the Physics, Electrical Engineering, and Material Science of Lattice-Assisted Nuclear Reactions [cold fusion, LENR]
Place: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Tentative Lecture Schedule: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
[please note the expanded hours]

Experimental Studies of Lattice-assisted Nuclear Reactions
Excess Heat Measurements in Deuterated Palladium
Dr. Mitchell Swartz
Review of experimental presentations at ICCF13 (Sochi, Russia)
Dr. Scott Chubb
Gamma emissions from CR39 Films near Codeposited Deuterated Pd
Dr. Larry Forsley
Optimal Operating Point and Tardive Thermal Power in Deuterated Pd
Dr. Mitchell Swartz
Loading Studies of Pressure Loaded Hydrided Metals
Rick Cantwell
Phenomena associated with Ultrahigh Loading Rates of Wires
Dr. Brian Ahern

Theoretical Analyses of Lattice-assisted Nuclear Reactions
Phonon Theory Involving Deuterated Metals
Prof. Peter Hagelstein
Thoughts on Creation of Useful Models of CMNS Systems
Dr. Michael Melich
Symmetry and Finite Size in the QED of Lattice-Assisted (d)-d Fusion
Dr. Scott Chubb
Solid State Fusion in Deuterated Metals
Dr. Talbot Chubb

Business/IP Issues of Lattice-assisted Nuclear Reactions
The Blockage of Patent Applications
Prof Robert Rines

Other Lectures to be Announced
Tentative Group Discussions [Current R&D issues, Intellectual Property]:
Current Issues/problems in CR39, and other types of recording devices.
Business Developments.

Acoustic Energy in H2O

2007-07-23T22:03:00.001-05:00

Would the 'D2O Fusion' Product be Even Better ?

Visual Sound's H2O Liquid Chorus and Echo

I saw a great Kelly Willis concert this past weekend and afterwards I bumped into a salesman friend from a local guitar store that recommended a clean energetic analog sound to add to my modest collection of guitar equipment. Now, if I was thinking of acoustic fusion and the myriad of guitars and equipment brands I see these days, don't you think that if the folks over at Visual Sound like H2O, that maybe a D2O version might be even warmer? Would those deuterons add that much extra analog noise if the band cranks up the volume ? In any case, it's definitely top of the line, with a warm 'analog sound' that any band with clean energy would love :)

Atomic Links
The Technological Future of AMD: Interview - Hardware Upgrade
EPA Nanotechnology Risk Grants Announced - NanoWerk
Russia Pins Hopes on Nano - Nature
Plugin Hybrids Get Green Grades - MIT TR
Record Refinery Failures Push Gasoline Prices Skyward - Wired

The JukeBox
A Healthy Dose of RFID - eWeek

[Disclaimer: I'm definitely not a rock star guitarist (just a humble blogger), but after twenty years of playing I still have fun helping my kids learn a few chords when I get the chance. It's amazing how fast they learn sometimes. Yikes, I'de better practice my chord progressions ! ]

Atomic Comics - Pick Your Favorite

2007-07-21T13:12:00.002-05:00

Two Days Left to Vote for Cartoon Finalists !

From "UCS - Vote for Your Science Idol Contest"

The Union of Concerned Scientists is sponsoring another "Science Idol Cartoon Contest" and has a group of selected finalists to vote on here. They have some great cartoonists in this batch of finalists in my humble opinion.

[ Disclaimer: any slight resemblance to the cold fusion controversy is most likely coincidental! ]

Gastroatomic Fusion

2007-07-15T13:27:00.001-05:00

West End's 'Taste of Dallas' 2007 Festival

Atomic Sushi Cafe - Dallas, TX"

I spent this past saturday afternoon at the Taste of Dallas 2007 festival, which runs until Sunday evening. For those who like to sample culinary delights from all over the world, it's a great place to cool your heels, relax and enjoy the many bands in attendance. I even found some gastroatomic specialities like Atomic Sushi and other hot and spicy Mexican food dishes..yum. For those who missed this years' event, the Dallas West End district has lots of great restaurants year round.

Make Atomic Art Not War

2007-07-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

Turning Old Parts into Atomic Art

Photo: Tony Price

Having lived in New Mexico for a number of years and having a dad who was a sculptor who worked in various media, I have a tremendous admiration for scuplture and particularly metal scuplture where my house growing up as a kid had all sorts of strange pieces my dad dreamed up with old stove parts and other pieces of metal he welded together. Naturally if it's atomic art it's a also a favorite. One artist I've always admired is Tony Price who boldly took old parts from the nuclear weapons labs scrap metal yards and made works of art to admire. Now there's an idea for reducing nuclear proliferation in a new nuclear age that I'm sure even old cold war guys like Henry Kissinger would like. Make art, not war. For our children's sake.

[Disclaimer: I'm a trained nuclear engineer who studied and worked in nuclear power, not weapons. Sorry, but years later I still seem to equate the weapons industry as the 'dark side'. Folks who played heavy metal rock music at 3:00am from the apartment next door.

Atomic Links
8th International H-D Loaded Metals Workshop, Sicily Italy (October 13-18, 2007) - New Energy Times
Good Vibrations - MIT TR
Austria's Science Institute Gathers Steam - Nature
Nanotech Stocks- Newton's Third Law Edition - Nanobot

Atomic Workbench
SF Exploratorium Live Events - Exploratorium

Atomic Archives: Can I Have Fries With That ??

2007-07-07T18:35:00.000-05:00

Making a Green PC 'Whisper Quiet'

Cooking Oils Help to Keep PCs "COOL" to the Touch

Here's another COOL trend to watch. Using electrically non-conductive oils as a way to cool down a PC. When you look at all the converging science and technologies emerging these days it all points in some interesting new directions to me. In fact, I'll just bet that the wizards over at Atomic MPC and Tom's hardware don't even realize what a great idea this may eventually turn out to be someday (I'll leave that comment to your creative imagination).

Most personal computers these days, because of their propensity to dissipate large amounts of waste heat from the CPU and associated motherboard and power supply electronics have several cooling fans making an awful lot of noise. Now some people may seem to think it's strange to completely submerge a perfectly good working computer system in vegetable or mineral oil, but with today's quest for ever faster systems by the gaming community elite who like to over-clock their systems to the max, a large heat sink like cooking oil (and other oils) does the trick nicely as the videos below explain.

I can only imagine all the farmers who thought ethanol was their only possible green market. Last I checked PC sales statistics, tens of millions of computers are sold world-wide each year. Farmers helping geeks? Any drawbacks? Some might argue such a system would be too heavy perhaps. Well, OK - but if it's a home system that doesn't move around much, and is just for shear glitz and geek appeal, I'm sure many computer hobbyists wouldn't mind and might even consider their systems works of art. Eventually - maybe with some creative re-engineering completely submerging a system motherboard won't even be necessary, which would further reduce weight as power, system and design efficiencies increased.

I'm sure some truly creative Techno-NERD designers out there with skilled hands will come up with all sorts of colors, lighting systems, pumping systems and yes - even new power systems someday.

Can I have hydrogenated fries with that big mac? :)

Atomic Links
Madonna Invests in Non-Eco Companies (Does She Know Something We Don't??) - The Daily Mail
Live Earth Concerts Have Many Familiar Musicians - Forbes
Free Energy Company Cancels Demo - TechDirt
Live Earth Concert: was its message heard? - Christian Science Monitor

Atomic Toolbox
One Million Dollars for a Wearable Power Supply - Network World - Layer-8
New Betavoltaic Battery Patent Draws Attention - USPTO Web site
Nanoparticles Unlock the Future of Superalloy Metals - Science Daily

The JukeBox
Pem Farnsworth about Her Husband - Inventor of TV - ITVT News Blog
Cold Fusion is a Promising Green Energy Source - Albany Times Union

[Disclaimer: I'm not a cook, nor chef, nor am I good at preparing dinner, so I eat out a lot lately when it's my turn to cook meals. An astute reader pointed out to me after seeing this post that vegetable oil will eventually need to be replaced if it begins to decompose]

Atomic Outpost: Science as Art

2007-06-24T11:43:00.000-05:00

Living in a Material World

Photo Credit: "Water on NanoStructured Gold Surface. (P.N. Bartlett, University of South Hampton)"

I stumbled upon an interesting art contest back in May, sponsored by the Materials Research Society. Anyone who visits this blog or knows me probably realizes by now that the subject of Science as Art is near and dear to me, since my father was a sculptor and wafer process engineer with Motorola for many years, so it seems appropriate to blog on this subject as well. One of my favorites subjects is fractal art.

It is amazing how many people find the subject of "Science as Art" appealing all across the web and in many countries. Once again, science can receive inspiration, not only in words, but in art as well.

I'll be taking a vacation from blogging for a few weeks to catch up on some reading, writing and some favorite hobbies. Have a great summer !

Atomic Outpost: Taking the Pulse of Cavitating Bubbles

2007-05-30T23:13:00.000-05:00

Lab-on-a-Chip Technologies

Photo Copyright(c) "University of Twente"

One thing that Bubble Fusion studies have in common with nanotechnology besides the obvious nature of nano and micro bubble nucleation is the possibility of using "lab-on-a-chip" technologies to advance the experimental analysis of the field of study. Even a recent paper by the US Navy's SPAWAR team presented at the 2007 American Chemical Society(ACS) meeting in Chicago demonstrated how simple CR-39 dental film plastic wafers or "chips" can be used to detect tracks of charged particles in studies of such low energy nuclear reactions (LENR) with a fair measure of repeatability to those skilled in the art. What amazes me is that it took eighteen long years to hook up a simple sliver of dental film to the surface of a cathode to detect charged particles ! (OK..I'm being a little unfair ..it actually happened quite earlier).

Now along comes an interesting new paper from the MESA+ research team at the University of Twente in the Netherlands to be published in the June 2007 issue of Physical Review illustrating novel ways to nucleate bubbles using different techniques (including lasers) in microchannels illustrating possible new directions in studying cavitation in a variety of fluids. Seems like we're moving more and more towards a lab on a chip approach in this field too. How amazing huh?

To this blogger (who isn't even a chemist), new discoveries in the field of mechanochemistry, which includes cavitation induced stress in fluids - opens a new vista in ways to stimulate chemical bonds across a 3D potential energy surface. It is an exciting area of research with tremendous potential in a number of areas that I'm sure the LENR experimental community will latch on to eventually for improved experimental detection of charged particles as the LENR mystery unfolds. I have a funny feeling we've only scratched the surface of a this two sided coin in how it may eventually even help theorists.

Atomic Links
Eating Radiation. A New Form of Energy? - MIT Technology Review
Controlled Cavitation in Microfluidics - University of Twente
Prize Winning Piece of Computer Puzzle Holds Promise - Pitt Post Gazette
Intel's New-Generation 45nm Chips to be Lead-Free - X-Bit Labs
Pentagon Agency Looks to Fund Cold Fusion, Isomers, Antimatter - Wired

The JukeBox
My Main Squeeze: Fractal Compression - Wired (1993)
Bubble Fusion Takes Next Hurdle - Telepolis (2005)

Even Small Turbines Can Have a Bad Day

2007-05-16T19:46:00.001-05:00

Cavitation Induced Mysteries

Photo Credit Micro-turbine Research Lab, Tohoku University, Japan

With all the latest news in bubble fusion, I was reminded about the process of cavitation in liquids once again and the early days of LENR experimentation in light water, were the reports by some researchers on a cavitation induced 'heating unit' were first reported. See Infinite Energy magazine [Vol1, No.2, 1995, pages 33- 37] by the late Chris Tinsley. This device drew early attention in cavitation, though it wasn't the first of such cavitation reports, as R. Stringham and others were already experimenting in the LENR field. Dr. Yuri S. Potapov of Maldova who invented the Yusmar thermogenerator made no bones about his claims of a small amount of excess heat and in fact, was already selling units to the public to heat apartments. Units were reportedly selling quite good back in 1995.

As the story goes, distinguished chemist Dr. Peter Gluck, from Romania traveled to see a factory in the independent republic of Maldova where units were being produced and came back with some interesting photos and reports of devices being manufactured and sold to the public. In fact, some of the units were even later tested in a credible [ US ] lab, where results were inconclusive I understand. Some early researchers from the same region studying sonoluminescent cavitation also came up with [ theories ] attempting to explain this over unity effect that some claimed to see. Some units being manufactured in Belarus claimed a coefficient of performance (COP) of 10, which even today would be quite an alarming energy gain. Regardless of the accuracy of these early reports or tests there is some interesting history here to possibly think about from a historical perspective.

What's interesting to me looking back is that there were two fields of research on parallel threads, possibly unknown to each other studying sonoluminescence effects - at the same time. One thread studying cavitation induced LENR (aka, cold fusion), and the other thread by various members of the [ Acoustical Society of America ], of which I believe Rusi Taleyarkhan belonged to - studying sonoluminescent bubble collapse in high viscosity liquids. In fact, several other researchers had been blazing the [ same trail ] as Taleyarkhan, and had not yet succeeded in demonstrating the bubble collapse "nuclear ash" as Taleyarkhan, et al first claimed in Science magazine in 2002 with their comparative analysis of experimental runs using standard acetone to deuterated acetone. To me this paper is still a very good look at [ typical methods ] used in atomic sonoluminescence science, despite the recent news and claims of fraud, which are currently in dispute.

My heart goes out to Rusi and his colleagues as they go through this difficult time. I hope this matter is cleared up, as many more study the new branch of chemical science involved in this type of research. In fact, even micro-turbines like the above photo can be damaged by forms of cavitation and have a bad day, but don't let the sun stop shining on discovery.

Atomic Links
Millionaires' Pet Projects - Nature
New Nanocomposite Process Improves Capacitors - Nanotechnology Now

The JukeBox
The Sun Sets on Cold Fusion? Distinguished University Professor Claims it Doesn't Exist - The Crisis Papers Blog

[Disclaimer: The above is only a brief historical perspective that some others might want to elaborate on ]

History at The Speed of Sound

2007-05-14T20:41:00.000-05:00

Weighing Science & The Public

Photo Credit : "Nature Magazine"

[Update 2] What is it these days with the way the popular media prefers to blatantly under educate on science issues? Sure, we are all thankfully aware now about global warming and climate change issues and the thoughts and opinions surrounding both sides of this heated controversy. But why does the popular media, who have the greatest potential to influence public policy often stop at just the Discovery Channel, PBS, NPR, or a Live Earth concert when it comes to educating the public on science?

Why can't scientists also be on stage at Live Earth? Hey, even an unknown blogger like me can figure out a few chords if the song is familiar. Out of my league to give advice? Perhaps - but I'll still try and make a small difference via a few comments from this blog - rather than be silent.

Could it be the way the media portrays scientists and attempts to do "the credible journalism stretch" as I call it? Does this stretch occur at the "speed of light" if not careful by some in the media? Hmm ..Has anyone ever sought out Rusi Taleyarkhan for instance, and asked about his reasons for entering science and studying nuclear engineering? His goals and aspirations for other compressed hydrogen containing liquids? Hopes and dreams? Concerns? Must all stories about Bubble Fusion be about either sunshine or a full lunar eclipse? Does Rusi feel like a Ping Pong Ball? Does the media think the public needs to feed on polarities of about a six month time span to grab attention? If so, the public memory is a poor one indeed. I suppose the robots of scientific automation will just stand still waiting for the public to realize how the world is changing right under their feet.

Each year many stories and reports go unnoticed that serve as "potential lessons" in science & technology education. A recent announcement that the first complete human genome sequence of James Watson (co-discoverer of DNA) will be made public this summer should have made the wider news, but no - not even a whisper occurred. Even bloggers can help in this process.

Walter Cronkite, now 90 - would probably take many new media journalists to task for missing stories that would have been earth shaking in his day and age and serve as a lesson in the ethics of journalism. Can anyone seriously believe that science and the tremendous changes we are witnessing in physics, nanotechnology, biology, chemistry, and medicine are boring subjects and that traditional ways of doing journalism and finding the story within the story (within a story) is boring and a thing of the past? How can we help spell out the need for journalists to educate, but to do it gently and not too blatantly by doing the pole vault?

The media (in general) reminds me sometimes of an classy restaurant next to a Marie Calendar's in a town I heard about once as a boy. By learning how to mix the appropriate ingredients, the chef of this particular restaurant would proudly bring a flaming dish to the table of the dining guest hoping to prove he was the best chef not only in taste, but in presentation to the guests (i.e the viewing public). The chef was hoping to grab quick attention. Soon everyone in the restaurant, dazzled by the spectacle wanted that same hot dish. The chef, worried they would go elsewhere - kept trying to serve.

But soon the chef, being smart - did a quick calculation and realized the amount of clean burning fuel he'd need along with the trained staff to meet just a month's demand (heck ..even a week's demand) and started to realize the safety issue in the kitchen just handling the materials. It took educating the cooking staff and some experimentation to make them fully aware of the risks before he could put the food item back on the menu (fearing demanding guests once again). The restaurant guests had tasted and they liked what they tasted. Similar recipes started to appear in other restaurants.

I heard that over time, the restaurant eventually did quite well and became a successful franchise specializing in "lean cuisine", though the patrons always seemed to gravitate to the hotter dishes. In time, many people became members of the International Chile Society the world over because of that small restaurant and its rare dishes.

Moral of the story? Before you think about adding spice, think about the digestive tract. Better keep the Zantac nearby just in case it's more popular that anticipated.

Atomic Links
The Life of Laser Inventor Theodore H. Maiman - Laser Focus World
Purdue Will Reinvestigate 'Bubble Fusion' Claims - NYTimes

Spark Plugs
Sequencing in a Flash - MIT TR
Strange Bacteria are Found Thriving - SpaceRef.com

[Disclaimer: Don't take me too seriously, I only blog at the speed of sound, though I see that some in the media like the speed of light]

Batteries? ..What Batteries?

2007-05-06T20:02:00.000-05:00

A 1955 Patent - Gee ..That Was a Long Time Ago

From "USPTO.gov"

I'm always amazing at how the hands of time can pass and you turn around only to see an old idea as fresh and as new as ever. Take for instance the above patent by Paul Rappaport circa 1955 who helped cut a path through some thick wilderness, like some cold fusion scientists recently reported when they were successful in replicating cold fusion results showing charged particle emission. Such a simple experiment.

Now let's think about the above patent for a moment. Do you think that just maybe mankind has made progress somewhere off in a lab somewhere in "betavoltaic" research, aka self "powered semiconductors" over the last 52 years? Just think of the untold billions of dollars spent on all sorts of things during all this time and all the inventions that have come to pass since then. Look all around you, because a lot of what you see and use today wasn't even around back in 1955. What we train college freshmen for in 2010 will most likely be outdated by the time they are college seniors. Techological pace is accelerating - we all can feel it I'm sure.

Betavoltaic devices are one technology to keep a sharp eye on, like in the above patent. They are essentially atomic batteries in various forms that generate a very small current over an extended period of time, even years. What makes these devices so particularly appealing to me is that as the power hungry needs of semiconductor devices (in general) diminish with new technological advances leading the way (even nanotechnologies), perhaps the field of betavoltaics, or a new form of it - will be bigger than most realize. Far fetched? Maybe not.

The term 'betavoltaics' is derived from "beta" particle emitters and are essentially 'electrons' emitted by nuclei and can be quite easily shielded. Their counterpart, "alpha" particles are essentially helium nuclei stripped of electrons. Basic semiconductor betavoltaic physics 101 teaches that the trick to harnessing this "free energy" provided by the nucleus is to prevent damage to the semiconductor material which takes advantage of the negative or positive charge of these emitters. These devices tend to degrade as betas (or alphas) create holes and even dislocate atoms. Recently, there have even been new methods, like using a 'liquid-like' semiconductor material, that essentially repairs itself when damaged as reported in this IEEE article. There are even recent patent filings in betavoltaics.

Where is all this leading? Definitely an interesting and exciting future that would probably surprise even Mr. Rappaport and nuclear engineers like myself who grew up in the old school of the 1980's. Some old friends would probably smile at the potential possibilities that lay ahead. One thing is for certain..the creativity of many millions of people is boundless ! What good things do we all want to create?

Atomic Links
Apple Going Green The New Echo-Tech Reality - ITWire
Cold Fusion Gets a Boost From the US Navy - Slashdot

Spark Plugs
Cold Fusion - Hot News Again - TGD Diary

[ Disclaimer: YouTube sure is great for providing some great video content. Hmm... maybe they could offer a $10/month plan for starters.?. I'll toss in the first dollars as a subscriber. Afterall, we do have to support our favorite artists who work for a living like everyone else. Being in a machine isn't easy ..]