I ran across
this under the google search box, and thought it was something that needed to be shared, if anyone hadn't heard about this yet. I think it has some interesting potential, as opening up the floor for public suggestions for experiments to be done in space has never been attempted before, in all the history of space travel.
Seriously though, some of the comments kinda scare/depress me. For example:
Quote:TheAmanda4life wrote:
what if they could bring a star back from space and use it as light to save electricity? the only ting im concerned about is when the stars life runs out and the star explodes. but it would be awesome to have a star as a? nightlight!!!
-----
Stand between the Silver Crystal and the Golden Sea.
"Youngsters these days just have no appreciation for the magnificence of the legendary cucumber." --Krityan Elder, Tales of Vesperia.
The effects of microgravity on the processes involved in the brewing of a rather nice lager. Including a tasting session back on the surface. I'm not even joking.... how does microgravity affect beer? How do you measure specific gravity, when there is no gravity?
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
Jorlem Wrote:Seriously though, some of the comments kinda scare/depress me. For example:Quote:TheAmanda4life wrote:
what if they could bring a star back from space and use it as light to save electricity? the only ting im concerned about is when the stars life runs out and the star explodes. but it would be awesome to have a star as a? nightlight!!!
To paraphrase a well-known aphorism, on the Internet no one knows you're a six-year-old... until you open your mouth.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
I must admit, my first reaction would be to snark. But then I think almost immediately "No. Don't do that! That might actually be a child asking what seems like a good question!"
The thing is - as uninformed as Amanda4life's question is - you can use it to TEACH her and others about what stars really are and the relationships of size and gravity etc. So many people have no clue that you may as well grit your teeth against the impulse to intellectually sneer and just tell them the truth without condescending to them.
For example: "Well, Amanda, stars don't work like that. They're a lot grander and bigger than you think and you can't just grab one like a small rock. We can't move the sun around to suit us, can we? Well it's the same thing. The sun is a star, but close up. The stars are suns, but very far away. All of them are bigger and more massive than the Earth.
But... supposing one did happen to wander close by the solar system, how would that change things? Well... "
Can you tell I've re-watched Cosmos recently? Heh.
Seriously - get the kids hooked on this stuff as early as possible. If you can find a good link (and I know a few) Cosmos is a good start for almost introducing ANYONE, young or old, in how astronomy, physics, and the scientific method work.
James Burke's Connections series is also good. Though the Follow-up series Connections2 and Connections3 aren't as linear in following a specific timeline of technological progression.
Hmmm.... I'm really curious to see what fire in micro-g looks like. (Probably scary-beautiful as all hell.)
from the videos I've seen (small candle scale), it's spherical.
Granted they were doing small scale tests with purposefully low turbulence.
In micro-g hot air doesn't rise (it just expands in place), so there is no natural convection effect to bring in new O2. You have to depend on air turbulence (or outside current generation) to bring in fresh oxygen.
[a few google searches later... ] well I can't find the video, but I found a good image:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/sc ... st12may_1/
ETA -
ok, more of a combustion than a burn, but it shows the effect:
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy
I'd like to test some industrial processes, like silicon chip deposition, or the Bessemer process for turning iron into steel.
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make
anything explode.