World War II computer Colossus that cracked Nazi code
Retired British spy catcher Tony Sale rebuilt Colossus, the world’s first recognisably programmable computer.
Colossus was instrumental in the work of code cracking operations at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire during World War II.
It deciphered messages sent by German over the Lorenz Cipher.
Doghouse Diaries: 20 Things I already know about Apple’s ultrahyped iTablet/iSlate
Funny because it’s true, in a time-travelly sort of way.
I always read these reviews of new devices, telling you to hate it because it doesn’t do X. Well, if you need X, then you aren’t the droids they are looking for, so don’t buy it. They aren’t marketing it to you!
Spray-on miracle could revolutionise manufacturing
The secret of liquid glass is that it forms an ultra-thin film between 15 and 30 molecules thick – about 500 times thinner than human hair. On this nanoscale – a few millionths of a millimetre thick – liquid glass turns into a highly flexible invisible barrier that repels water, dirt and bacteria, yet is resistant to heat, acids and UV radiation but remains “breathable”.
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The liquid glass is composed of almost pure silicon dioxide, the chemical constituent of quartz or silica, the most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust. It is quite inert and has no known harmful impact on the environment, unlike many of the domestic and industrial cleaning products its use could help to reduce.
The “easy-clean” properties of the liquid glass could lead to drastic cuts in the amount of potentially toxic cleaning agents used in factories, offices, schools, hospitals and the home, as well as cutting the costs of labour and the amount of time spent scrubbing surfaces.
The Oatmeal: How to Suck at Facebook
I joined facebook about a year ago. After the initial rush was over, I find I visit ~monthly.
The last panel is one reason why I fear twitter. I imagine feeds like
need more fiber in my diet
scratching my butt. feelin’ good.
Some things just don’t need to be shared
More virtual vacation visits. 360º Panoramic view from Mt. Everest
(License Plate of a White VW Rabbit)
OK, I am a little embarrassed to be more than fashionably late to the blogohedron party, but this is the 50th anniversary of the laser, and the APS (and some partners) have launched the laserfest website, with lots of stimulating, coherent goodness. Also, Jennifer gives us the festival of lasers
Jennifer points out that
There are several different types of lasers. Solid-state lasers use crystals whose atoms are arranged in a solid matrix, such as ruby. CO2 lasers emit energy in the far-infrared and microwave regions of the spectrum. This type produces intense heat, and is capable of melting through objects. Dr. Evil coveted such a laser when he demanded “sharks with frickin’ laser beams” on their heads to torture Austin Powers to death – only to be foiled because sharks are an endangered species. Imagine his disappointment if, in addition to having to make do with cranky mutated sea bass, they were equipped not with CO2 lasers, but with conventional diode (semiconductor) lasers. These are the type used in pocket laser pointers and CD and DVD players. They are not even remotely lethal.
But beware. Semiconductors aren’t all wimpy — you can get fairly high power diode lasers, and amplifiers that will put out a respectable amount of power. Generally these amplifiers are tapered so the the output beam is larger than the input, so you don’t blow the device up, and the output facet is antireflection coated so that the gain is single-pass (it won’t lase very well on its own). A Watt (or several) of laser power may not be lethal, but it can burn you nicely if it’s focused down, and I have empirical data to back that up. It can also do retinal damage, and that can ruin your whole day.
Remember, kids: Do Not Look Into Laser with Remaining Eye
And by that I don’t mean Manny Ramirez.
How Does an Outfielder Know Where to Run for a Fly Ball?
To test three theories that might explain an outfielder’s ability to catch a fly ball, researcher Philip Fink, PhD, from Massey University in New Zealand and Patrick Foo, PhD, from the University of North Carolina at Ashville programmed Brown University’s virtual reality lab, the VENLab, to produce realistic balls and simulate catches. The team then lobbed virtual fly balls to a dozen experienced ball players.
Fast Animals in Slow Motion
National Trust on Google Street View
It has engaged Google to take pictures from all around sites including Corfe Castle in Dorset and Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, which have then be digitally stitched together to give seamless 360 degree images.
You can visit Stonehenge (as I did in 2001), and go where pedestrians are not normally allowed.
Break Up Doesn’t Keep Hydrogel Down
Using little more than water, clay and a new, designer compound, scientists have created a moldable gel that is both strong and can heal itself in seconds when split in two. The gel may advance efforts in tissue engineering and environmentally friendly chemistry.
h/t to the toasty one