Posts Tagged ‘space’

space posts
Wringing out a washcloth in space is the coolest thing you

Wringing out a washcloth in space is the coolest thing you'll see all day

Some would call it a slow news day. We call it an epic day for space, for Canada, and for science. Canadian Space Agency’s Chris Hadfield has made a name for himself as being a combination of Bill Nye the Science Guy and Buck Rogers with his series of videos demonstrating things that so few people will ever be able to experience themselves. Living on the International Space Station can be lonely, but for Commander Hadfield, it’s just a way to make his dreams come true in spectacular fashion. In his most recent video, he’s demonstrates something so mundane on earth but so spectacular in space that it might…

Tardigrades survive just about anything and scientists still don

Tardigrades survive just about anything and scientists still don't know why

They can survive temperatures near absolute zero or as high as 300 degrees. The crushing pressure at the bottom of the ocean doesn’t faze them, nor does the vacuum of space. Radiation 1000x the level strong enough to kill an elephant doesn’t slow the tardigrade down. They are so durable that scientists are either not able to make conclusions about them or they’re coming up with the wrong ideas. The tardigrade, known also as a water bear (because they look and move like an 8-legged bear) or a moss piglet (because they love moss and look sort of like piglets), is a polyextremophile. Its ability to survive…

Dreaming of being an astronaut just got easier

Dreaming of being an astronaut just got easier

The childhood bed has been the place where many dreams of traveling through space have manifested. Since before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, children have wondered what it would be like to blast off beyond the clouds to play in the stars, laying awake at night picturing themselves in a space suit with nothing but the stars in their background. There have been many attempts to integrate space into bedding, but none have been more realistic or accurate as the ones produced by Snurk. They Dutch company used the specs from the European Space Agency to make a duvet and pillow cover that will have any…

NASA set to launch 13k square foot solar sail as early as next year

NASA set to launch 13k square foot solar sail as early as next year

The term “solar sailing” was first coined by Arthur C. Clarke in the 1964 book “Sunjammer” but the roots of the concept can be traced back centuries. “Let us create vessels and sails adjusted to the heavenly ether, and there will be plenty of people unafraid of the empty wastes.” ~ Johannes Kepler, 17th century astronomer It’s the type of vision that spawns realities unimaginable to most, but it’s a vision that has come true in recent years and that will receive its biggest test as early as 2014, according to NASA. The sail utilizes the “currents” of the Sun’s energy to propel it through space much the…

In space, nuts in a can might freak you out

In space, nuts in a can might freak you out

“Mixed Nuts in Space.” No, it’s not a sci-fi comedy starring Simon Pegg or a strange space porno. It could possibly be a portion of a horror flick based upon the creepy movements of the nuts in a can suspended in zero gravity. As you’ll see, they seem… alive. Nuts will never be the same again.  …

How a Canadian astronaut cuts his nails on the International Space Station

How a Canadian astronaut cuts his nails on the International Space Station

Things that we take for granted can be challenging in zero gravity. Take cutting your finger nails, for instance. It’s something that few people think about as a challenge. In space, they can be floating projectiles that end up in astronauts’ eyes, inhaled, or otherwise embedded where they do not belong. The answer – suction. If you can stand watching someone else trim their nails, here’s a video from the quirky Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield as he demonstrates the complications of this mundane task in space. …

NASA jumps the gun, tells us why the world didn

NASA jumps the gun, tells us why the world didn't end ahead of it not actually ending

When you’re talking about why the world didn’t end yesterday, the normal way to do so is to make sure that “yesterday” actually already happened. NASA sets aside conventional thought with their latest video that tells why the world didn’t end yesterday. It’s available on YouTube now, but don’t watch it until December 22nd or it won’t really make any sense. There’s another, more sinister theory. By declaring so boldly that the world isn’t going to end yesterday, are they simply trying to confuse us into believing that when yesterday actually comes, that tomorrow is really right around the corner?…

Rogue planet discovered 100 light years away

Rogue planet discovered 100 light years away

There are certain scientific discoveries that help. Others simply intrigue. Every now and then something comes up that makes you wonder why we never knew it before. Such is the case with the recent discovery of a possible “rogue planet” a mere 100 light years away. A rogue planet is one that has no star. It’s orbit or trajectory are determined by other galactic forces as compared to the known planets in our solar system as well as other space objects that are primarily influenced by a single star. What makes this so strange as well as concerning is the thought, as pointed out in the video below, that there…

Ultimate geekness exemplified by Don Pettit and his yo-yo in space

Ultimate geekness exemplified by Don Pettit and his yo-yo in space

There is a lot more physics involved with yo-yos than most people know. Take one into space and operate it with the skill and precision of NASA astronaut Don Pettit and you get 6 epic minutes space chat, yo-yo tutorials, and advice on picking up girls with yo-yo tricks. …

How Plantronics uses ear molds to create headsets (Video)

How Plantronics uses ear molds to create headsets (Video)

Long before Curiosity landed on mars, people were discovering the moon. Plantronics is the company that back in 1969, provided the ability for “One small step for mankind” to be transmitted from the moon. They are the electronics company that produces audio communication equipment that has enhanced our Technology in space and here on Earth too. Being that they were also the chosen sole supplier in the 1960’s of headsets for air traffic controllers improving the way we have been communicating for decades. …

Ambitious Mars One project would have people live there for their entire lives

Ambitious Mars One project would have people live there for their entire lives

  Forget about Newt’s plan to settle the moon. The folks over at Mars One want to put a human settlement on Mars by 2023. The plan according to co-founder Bas Lansdorp is to get four people to the planet using a 4-step process. 2016 – A communication satellite and supplies will be sent first. 2018 – A large planetary rover capable will land and search the planet for an appropriate area to colonize. 2020 – Living units, life support units, another rover, and more supplies will be sent. The rovers will build the various components and make it habitable. 2022 – September, the crew of 4 will depart for…

Space Shuttle Discover travels to its final resting place in style

Space Shuttle Discover travels to its final resting place in style

It isn’t often that aircraft fly over the National Mall in Washington DC at low altitudes. Any aircraft that attempts to do so without permission would be blown out of the sky before making. NASA and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum received fly by permission to carry some very special cargo: the Space Shuttle Discovery. The sub-1500 ft altitude pass took the iconic vehicle over crowds watching from Washington DC while mounted on top of a modified 747 as it heads towards it permanent home at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. …

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