The giant Magellan telescope

The largest telescope ever is being created in Chile, and its deadline is slated for 2020, roughly the time man should be on Mars. At 80 feet in diameter, it will be extremely powerful, and have one of the best locations on Earth, for a nice one-two punch of science. The GMT (Giant Magellan Telescope) will be located on a remote mountain top in the Andes, allowing for a minimal of light pollution. Deploying a special system of segmented mirrors, the GMT will be ten times more powerful than the Hubble telescope.

One of the reasons listed for the construction is just as exciting as the project itself: to help find life. Scientists seem very confident of finding life, and spending a very large amount of money on the telescope (700 million USD) shows utmost certainty and confidence in what they believe they will find. If they don't find that, than it will end up as one of the best tools we have to view space, and learn more about what is truly all around this.


Personally, I am very excited about this project. Taking a giant pair of binoculars, I am able to see all the craters on the moon, and stars in the sky that are blank to the naked eye. Now imagining this, and what it will see (think Hubble deep field and beyond) is a truly amazing and shocking thought. Hubble has an advantage, in that it has had years to go deep into space, but after a bit of usage the GMT will reveal what the Hubble cannot, and will not.

What are your thoughts? At 700 million dollars, not everyone is sure to agree, or maybe they would've liked to have seen something else funded.


Official site: http://www.gmto.org/index.html

The Elusive 'True' Color of The Moon

When we look up at the sky at night, when visible, we see the dull or light gray color of the Moon, darkened with rays and craters about its surface almost like deep oceans and trenches, and at night, we see a yellow tint washed over the surface. We all picture the moon in this way; rocky, bleak, gray/yellow, and rather blandly colored. We don't often ask why this is so; it's all rock anyway, right? So that's why it looks like that? Well, not really. Although it is true that the moon is dusty and rocky, we can't really say we've seen its 'true colors' often. An article found on "www.universetoday.com" titled 'Color of the Moon" describes why we see this as we do, because of light levels, and dispersion of appearance of colors from our atmosphere and telescopes. The truest colors of the Moon, the article explains, are the pictures taken from space of it. The article explains that the moon looks gray because of the various types of minerals on its surface, such as Plagioclase Feldspar, Pyroxene, Calcium, etc.: these make up the most commonly seen light grays and dark grays, and the surface is mainly composed of volcanic material. But there's more to be seen, such as the green Olivines, and hidden colors deep in the "dark" Lunar Marias that look like ocean. Pictured below is a 'true' color photo of the Moon, tweaked with photoshop programs to help bring out the real shades of color. Although it's almost a hobby to point and scream "FAKE!" when we hear the word 'photoshop', this is NOT a fake or made up photograph; photoshop is often used as a beneficial tool to help scientists see hidden details in space photos, this was simply made more vivid and evident through its use.

Incredible, isn't it? This is what you and I would see if we were able to perceive the waves of the light, unaltered by our atmosphere. As you can see, it is not a dull gray and bland surface by any means, but a colorful and vibrant landscape! Forgive my childish comparison, but to me it looks a lot like melted together skittles...and in a more relevant comparison, a lot like the beautiful "Peacock Ore" otherwise called "Bornite".
A video on YouTube describes one technique in which Jose Escamilla used photos of earths surface in black and white in contrast to those of the moon. Carefully and meticulously learning which dark shades make what color, he was able to decode the actual colors of the Moon. A video describing this in more detail can be found here of his documentary " Moon rising" here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUnzaTNFlJg Please find time to watch this, it is very interesting to learn the methods of colorization, as well as some thought provoking documentary on what may really lie ON the moon regarding other life and what has been obscured. There is simply too much about this topic to fully explain this to the reader, and so I encourage you to research this topic if you find the time to, and maybe have a new found appreciation of the Moon when you look up at it next.

Graphene- The worlds strongest material

Graphene is a super strong substance, and even in thin sheets can resist heavy weight and damage. Graphene is a form of carbon, which is very light and strong, and has the potential for many uses. So far, these are predicted uses:

1. Cool electronics down, which increases life and efficiency of systems.
2. Usage in solar panels and batteries.
3. Lightweight, flexible display screens.
4. Store energy.
5. Aid in desalinization. 
6. It can charge an electric car battery in less than a few hours, potentially cutting fossil fuel needs.

With so many uses, and such unique properties like thermal conduction, electrical conduction, and its extreme strength for size, these are probably just the beginnings of the uses for this "wonder material".

There is a bump on the road, however: Graphene has very sharp edges. This could make it dangerous to humans, as it easily pierces cells, and could  interrupt them. This idea is comparable to asbestos in the lungs, cutting and doing damage, and causing sickness. Scientists will have to find a way to  smooth the edges of the substance, or risk having it be labelled as toxic.

On a personal note, I would love to see this researched more. I imagine it being used in thin computer displays, maybe some sort of spacesuit armor, or even material for military and aerospace use on planes and spaceships. 

Time will tell how Graphene develops, but one thing is certain: If the kinks can be worked out, this material may change the world.

Sources

Sciencedaily.com

io9.com

Firma- Another update

Just got off the phone with the Vancouver, Canada, based company. They were very friendly and helpful, being small and family owned so far. They are extending more into the United States, and are releasing  new  items soon, such as a long-sleeved tee shirt. I am going to try this out sometime, using it for workout and regular wear. Being some of the most hi-tech garments available, the expectations are high. I feel these will be met, and the representative on the phone had many good things to say about testimonials people have given.

On a note, also- they are not meant to be worn 24/7, every day, as it does move electrolytes and such, so choosing to wear it at day, or at night, is best.

FIRMA Energywear update

The previous article posted on the FIRMA company provided a link to the site itself, which helpfully describes all of the technology and benefits associated with wearing the clothing. Upon some further digging, I have only seen pure positive regard to the effectiveness of the clothing in providing the benefits the site boasts. Indeed, FIRMA lives up to its claims, and its creator, Yvonne Hogenes, wrote a brief description herself of the benefits, confirming that yes, such technology has been a popular topic for advanced clothing manufactures interested in providing top performance, that is, the nano-crystal infused fibers of the weave. In a way, the clothing bonds and becomes a part of you, sharing and regulating your energy and heat levels, truly defining technological advancement infused with mankind. As for me, I find it interesting in regards to the capabilities of the clothing as beneficial for space program crews. One of the most prevalent side-effects of space travel, or any endured stay in low gravity environments, the human body loses muscle mass, the skin sags, and health overall depletes. Could FIRMA reduce if not negate these negative effects? Possibly, and why not? While maintaining full body tissue support, delivering energy to the weakened muscles, and maintaining body warmth and circulation ( circulation being challenged when there is no gravity), I would hypothesize that even if it was not a true fix, FIRMA would be the best option for space crews on long, off-earth ventures.

FIRMA Energywear- Blake Smith

The link provided leads you to an amazing technology actively on sale and production known as, well, look at the title. In short, there are incredible health benefits of wearing this highly advanced clothing, all of which you can find provided within the sites section about them. In order to avoid plagiarism, I will not post those articles here, and rather than take the long time to restate them in my own words, I encourage you to please explore the link provided: http://www.firmaenergywear.com/

Spray-On Clothing Redefines Fashion, Art, and Practicality- Blake Smith

    Early last year (2012), chemists resurfaced a technology that had already been toyed with years ago; spray-on clothing and fabrics. As funny as it may sound, such a development is now at the cusp of commercial accessibility, presented by the "Fabrican" company. The chemist creator, Dr. Manel Torres, said that he was inspired to create a quicker and easier to wear clothing when he witnessed people being sprayed with silly string at a friends wedding. Not unlike silly string, the concoction is shaken and sprayed over the body, and quickly binds and weaves itself into a form fitting, and comfortable skin like layer. What's more amazing, is that this spray-on fabric doesn't stick, it simply applies, and can be torn, or taken off like you would any normal shirt. But this on the spot clothing can go even further, in that it can be machine washed and hold together for more use; not just a one time shot, so to say. But there are other applications that simply futuristic apparel; medical applications are already in the works, as a form of instant-on gauze, bandages, and casts to support broken bones. This is reminiscent of the ever handy medical device in the popular sci-fi game series of "Mass Effect" wich features the use of  " Medigel" as a form of instantly applied wound sealant. With some work, the fabric can also be turned into fireproof spray, damage repair, emergency blankets, fragrances,and so much more that it really stretches the imagination. What is great for nature, is that the spray is totally naturally made, with no harsh chemicals or unnatural substances. Some have proposed the the clothing be bonded with the scientifically advanced "Aerogel" , to customize the clothing...truly, wearable tech. Made of carbon nanofibers, and conductive as well, this clothing can easily become integrated with technology that can benefit the wearer.

 Information and article sourced: ( Mashable.com, Spray On Clothing Opens Door For Next-Level Tech, by Adam Popescue, June 12, 2013).

NASA is building a massive rocket.

NASA is building a new rocket that will take humans to Mars and deep space asteroids. This is exciting news! We are moving on from rovers to having humans in the stars.

Thoughts?

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2013/13-080.html#.UeA3K5Yvkvs

The power of water

This was about two weeks ago, so I don't have all the details.  Scientists in California have made the worlds most powerful laser. Instead of using this massive laser (Which burns through metal) to, well, burn things, they boiled water with it. Whats so important about that? The particles in the water got super  excited, and with nano technology scientists think they can harness the energy of excited water to power our lives. If all the kinks get worked out, a huge city like L.A could be powered for a day...with one cup of water. Imagine what this can do not only for cheap, clean energy, but for fuel. What if this was managed into  generators? Water in this manner  couldn't  propel a ship, but may be compact enough to fuel electronics on a long journey.

Welcome to a point further in time.

This blog is about a mixture of science, and imagination. We can predict what the future will hold, the technologies,  discoveries, and what we may meet. A fun part about thinking ahead- it  hasn't  happened yet, and this lets the mind wander. Whether the posts be on tech, ideas, life in the universe, or even Sci-Fi series, such as Mass Effect, let this place be where the mind can soar to new limits.