Daily Archives: March 25, 2017

Everyone is waiting for Teslas Model 3, and it seems that some amazing progress is being made at the company. This morning, Elon Musk tweeted out a video showing the first drive of a release candidate version of Model 3.

But dont gettooexcited. As we previously reported, Tesla is gunning to release the vehicle this year, but it should be noted that the company has a long history of product delays, which means there could be a chance that the release will be pushed back. Nevertheless, Musk has gone on record as saying that the Model 3 requires a simpler manufacturing process, which should make it easier to ensure quality control for its production.

You can see it in action in the video below:

This tweet prompted a slew of questions from Musks followers, which resulted in some important clarifications from the Tesla CEO. Musk asserted that the more affordable $35,000 Model 3 isnt the next version of a Tesla. People refer to it like iPhone 2 vs 3; however, Musk says, this is not true.

The Model 3, according to Musk, is actually just a smaller, more affordable version of the $70k Model S, with less range, power, and fewer features. This sounds like a bit of a letdown, but it really isnt. Notably, the affordability is key to the whole project, as it means making renewable energy available to the massesnot just the wealthy elite.

The more advanced Model S, says Musk, will always be the fastest Tesla until next gen Roadster, which is a few years away.

Musk also said that the Model 3 will have the option for dual engines, but customers will have to wait about 6-9 months. With this timeline, Tesla can minimize configuration complexity to keep the production ramp on schedule.

While Tesla had some major setbacks last year, the company has since improved their Autopilot software system, hitting a 40 percent reduction in crashes. But Musk wants to push these advancements even further. As Tesla works on achieving Level 4 automationtruly autonomous carsthe company will continually improve on the Autopilot system, and Musk has set a goal of a staggering 90 percent reduction in crashes by the time the software fully matures.

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Elon Musk Just Unveiled The First Release Candidate Version of The Model 3 - Futurism

Whether or not you know what blockchain is, you have probably heard of the seemingly mysterious cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Bitcoin and its underlying blockchain network are quietly making headlines around the globe. The recent success of Bitcoin and thesecurity of blockchainmay have some consumers considering an investment in the new denomination, but others are still wary. Newly released data further legitimizing the currency could be just the thing to push the undecided into the realm ofBitcoin proponents, however.

In 2008, Bitcoin was introduced by an anonymous group of programmers under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto, and then itwas released to the public as an open-source software in 2009. Unlike other online payment services like PayPaland Venmo, Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer network that takes place privately between two users there is no intermediary involved. The virtual currency is completely decentralized from any external influence, and all transactions are accounted for through a blockchain ledger.

While Bitcoin is thoroughly anonymous, all transactions on the blockchain ledger are available publicly. Using the time and date of a particular transaction, individuals could potentiallymatch someones online address to their identity. However,all transactions made through Bitcoin are encrypted with military-grade cryptography, ensuring that the deals are secure.

Sending and receiving bitcoins is already as easy as sending an email, and its poised to get even easierthanksto BitPay.

Bitpay is a payment processing service that allows users to spend bitcoins within a largernetwork of merchants. With Bitcoins unexpected rate of growth leading to longer delays in transactions and higher fees, Bitpay developers were pushed to accommodate the sudden popularity of Bitcoin.

This friction is making us get more creative in how we do user experience design for delayed payment states on the BitPay platform, co-founderStephen Pairexplained at theDistributed: Markets 2017conference.Our designers and engineers are constantly attuned to how we can make using Bitcoin intuitive, he added.

The frequent updates appear to be paying off as the company recently released a series of charts revealing a positive trend in Bitcoin usage. The data shows a significant increase in the number of Bitcoin payments being processed daily and in the value of the payments being processed.

Experts attribute this to the wealth effect. Essentially, people who bought Bitcoin when it was significantly cheaper want to spend it now that the value is high. The trend also affects what people are buying with bitcoins.Bitpay merchantCheapAir, a site that sells plane tickets, hotel reservations, and car rentals, has noticed a higher upper limit in the spending of their Bitcoin customers.

With bitcoin we tend to generate more sales in premium cabins like business class or first class, CheapAir founder Jeff Klee told Quartz. Certainly the average spend for the bitcoin customer is higher than a non-bitcoin customer.

This increased movement of bitcoins from consumers to companies highlights an important moment in the history of the cryptocurrency. While people initially saw bitcoinsas something they could hoard, theyre now seeing them as something to spend.Bitcoin [is being used] as a store of value, as a currency hedge, and as a payment method for economies without widespread credit card or banking access, James Walpole, BitPays marketing manager, told Quartz.

If these trends continue, the increased acceptance of the cryptocurrency as an alternative payment method might be enough to push it all the way into the mainstream.

See the article here:
All the Evidence You Need That Bitcoin Is Turning Into a Real Currency - Futurism

Synlight is the largest collection of film projector spotlights ever assembled in one room, and scientists in Germany are turningthem all on at once in the pursuit ofefficient and renewable energy.

Thisexperiment involving the worlds largest artificial sun is taking place in Jlich, a town located 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Cologne, and it was designed by scientists from theGerman Aerospace Center (DLR). The device features149 industrial-grade film projector spotlights, and each one boasts roughly 4,000 times the wattage of the average light bulb.

When this artificial sun is turned on, it generates light thats 10,000 times as intense as natural sunlight on Earth. Swiveling the lamps and concentrating them on one spot can produce temperatures of around 3,500 degrees Celsius (6,332 degrees Fahrenheit), which is three times as hot as the heat generated by a blast furnace.

Every day, a huge amount of energy hits the Earth in the form of light from our Sun. While we do already have waysto harness the Suns energy, such as through solar panels, much of it still remains untapped. Scientists hope their experiments with Synlight will illuminate ways to tap into that wasted energy.

The experiment is not without its risks and costs, however. If you went in the room when it was switched on, youd burn directly, Bernard Hoffschmidtfrom the DLR told The Guardian. To avoid that, the experiment will take place inside a protective radiation chamber. This artificial sun consumes a vast amount of energy when powered up, as well a four-hour operation eats up as much electricity as a four-person household would use in a year so it is expensive.

This will all be worthwhile, however, if the Synlight experiment leads to more efficient and cleaner energy for the future.The first goal is to determine the optimal setup needed to use sunlight to power a reaction that produces hydrogen fuel a potential clean fuel source for cars and airplanes. Wed need billions of tonnes of hydrogen if we wanted to drive [airplanes] and cars on CO2-free fuel, Hoffschmidt explained. Climate change is speeding up so we need to speed up innovation.

In the future, the facility may be used to test the durability of space travel parts when blasted by solar radiation, so not only could Synlight help us deal with our energy crisis here on Earth, it could help us explore worlds far beyond our own, too.

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The World's Largest Artificial Sun Is Powering up in Germany - Futurism

Maybe the only way isnt up after all: newly released concept drawings by a Greek architect for a skyscraper in Manhattan bend more than just minds.

Accordingto architect Ioannis Oikonomou, New Yorks zoning laws are prompting developers to explore new ways to maximize a buildings height. To that end, his studio is exploring substituting height with length.

Apart from being a novel addition to Manhattans impressive skyline, the structure dubbed The Beg Bend could essentially become a viable architectural solution that addresses the height limitations of buildings in the city. It could even be an answer to the citys expensive housing givingthe building the prestige of a high-rise while maximizing the limited space.

In renderings, the building is shown to be a 4,000-foot-long, glass-lined tower. It will also come equipped with an elevator that can travel in curves, horizontally, and in continuous loops.

On the Oiio Studio website, the architects said

If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York we would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan. The longest building in the world.

Also, interestingly, ifyou were to stretch The Big Bend out vertically, it would be double the height of the tallest buildings today.

More:
New U-Shaped Skyscraper in NYC Could Become World's Longest ... - Futurism

This Is Not It

Today, President Trump signed legislationS.442, giving NASA more than $19.5 billion in funding as well as an ultimatum get to Mars by 2033. Notably,NASA isnt going to be dealing with the same cuts as other science and medical agencies (they areset to lose enormous portions of their budget).

This prompted Recode co-founder Kara Swisher to enthusiastically tweet at Musk, Somewhere is smiling. Musk, however, seemed anything but happy at the claim, responding: I am not. This bill changes almost nothing about what NASA is doing. Existing programs stay in place and there is no added funding for Mars.

He continued, Perhaps there will be some future bill that makes a difference for Mars, but this is not it.

Other experts tend to agree with this assesmentthat this budget is not a great leap forward, but maintaining the status quo. I think its really more of a vote for stability, notesScott Pace, who is the director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University.

On the surface, this bill may seem promising. Trump has expressed support for a crewed exploration of Mars, and in his inauguration speech he said hes ready to unlock the mysteries of space. The 146-page legislation document calls forseveral missionsin addition to the following:

However, in addition to not securing added funds for Mars, the Trump administration recently cameunder fire about the ways in which new budgets cut NASAs Earth Science funds. According to

According to Business Insider, if enacted, that budget would cut several major space agency initiatives, including the Office of Education, and seeks to terminate the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE), Orbital Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3), Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), and CLARREO Pathfindermissions. Notably, all of these missions are directly related to Earth and its environment.

To this end, Muskwho is a strong advocate for the environment and renewable energyhas been taking some heat regarding his involvement with Trumps science advisory board. In a 2015 speech at the Sorbonne University, he urged students to talk to your politicians, ask them to enact a carbon tax and to fight the propaganda from the carbon industry.

And this was not his only call to action. At the end of the day, Musk is as much a proponent for the environment as he is for Mars. In a 2013 interview for USA Todays Innovators and Icons series, Musk stated that the current climate struggle is literally life or death: Were running the most dangerous experiment in history right now, which is to see how much carbon dioxide the atmosphere can handle before there is an environmental catastrophe.

It now seems that, despite Musks involvement with the Trump administration, even he cannot influence the White House in the ways hed likeand hes not happy.

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Elon Musk Is Not Smiling Over Trump's New NASA Budget - Futurism

Vast areas of beautiful Alaskan land are reserved as arefuge for the stateswide variety of wildlife. Over 77 million acres is set aside for animals of all shapes, sizes, and dietary practices. Since the summer of 2016, the predators who roam these protected lands were afforded additional protection from regulations passed by the Obama administration. This protection, enacted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, implemented heavy regulations on hunting practices that could be used on the land. However, that has all ended

On Tuesday, the Senate approved a repeal of that ruling. And, once this bill is signed into law, aggressivehunting practices like shooting animals from airplanes, killing animals and theiroffspring in their dens (even while hibernating or asleep), and using traps that can leave animals in pain for long stretches of time before the trap setters come back to check them will all be legal. Former U.S. Fish and Wildlife director Dan Ashe previously called such practices wholly at odds with Americas long tradition of ethical, sportsmanlike, fair-chase hunting.

Proponents of the repeal say that its a states rights issue. However, an Alaskan senator, Lisa Murkowski, said that the rule is bad for Alaska, bad for hunters, bad for our native peoples, bad for America.

Wildlife advocates, such as Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, oppose the rule change in the strongest terms. Killing wolves and bears in this cruel, unsportsmanlike fashion is outrageous, especially in national wildlife refuges that belong to all Americans. Repealing these protections also undermines the critical role predators play in healthy ecosystems.

Hartl went on to say that Senate Republicans have shown just how mean-spirited and petty they are with todays vote.

Jeff Flocken, the regional director for the North American branch of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, focused on the level of cruelty of the proposed methods. This lethal legislation will permit the use of barbaric devices like leg-hold traps, which can leave animals struggling and suffering for days, and neck snares that slowly strangle entangled wildlife.

The bill has previously passed in the House of Representatives and now only needs to be signed by Trump in order to become law.

Link:
The Senate Just Repealed a Ban on Aggressive Hunting on Wildlife Refuges - Futurism

A Common Face

Attendees of the 2017 Cambridge Science Festival met an old neighbor: one who died about 700 years ago. Called Context 958 by researchers, he is a facial reconstruction of a 13th-century man. Along with hundreds of others, he was buried underneath the Old Divinity School building of St. Johns College in a medieval hospital graveyard, and the reconstruction is affording researchers insight into the lives of ordinary poor people in medieval England.

The graveyard, one of the largest of its kind in Britain, was discovered and excavated between 2010 and 2012. The bodies in it were former patients of the Hospital of St John the Evangelist, a charitable hospital that served the poor in Cambridge. Their burials mostly date from the 13th to 15th centuries.

Context 958 was probably an inmate of the Hospital of St. John, a charitable institution which provided food and a place to live for a dozen or so indigent townspeople some of whom were probably ill, some of whom were aged or poor and couldnt live alone, explained John Robb, professor atthe Division of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge in a Cambridge press release.

Robb, his Cambridge team, and Chris Rynn from the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of DundeeYou Are Looking at the Face of a Man Who Died 700 Years Ago reconstructed the mans face and analyzed his teeth and bones in order to assemble the remnants of his biography. Like a telescope into the distant past, these analyses allowed researchers to picture history in a new way and make discoveries about a time long ago.

Robb is the principal investigator for the After the plague: health and history in medieval Cambridge project, which aims to analyze the St. Johns burials. The researchers are looking not just for statistical results, but for biographical insights as well. This is an entirely new look at the medieval period, since most of what we knew until recently concerned only the rich.

Most historical records are about well-off people and especially their financial and legal transactions the less money and property you had, the less likely anybody was to ever write down anything about you, Robb said in the press release. So skeletons like this are really our chance to learn about how the ordinary poor lived.

Thanks to modern techniques, Robb and his team know that Context 958 was over the age of 40 at the time of his death, and that he had the strong build of a laborer. The team guesses that he may have had a specialized trade within the working class based on his diet, which was relatively rich in animal proteins.

Signs of adversity are also written on Context 958s body. Evidence of a healed blunt-force trauma on the back of his skull and two instances during his youth when his tooth enamel stopped growing suggest he was a stranger to neither violence nor illness and famine.

The After the Plague project is also about humanizing people in the past, getting beyond the scientific facts to see them as individuals with life stories and experiences, Robb said in the press release. This helps us communicate our work to the public, but it also helps us imagine them ourselves as leading complex lives like we do today. Thats why putting all the data together into biographies and giving them faces is so important.

See the rest here:
You Are Looking at the Face of a Man Who Died 700 Years Ago - Futurism

A British school student recently contacted NASA to point out that there was an error in data recorded on the International Space Station (ISS), earning him thanks from the US space agency.

Miles Soloman, a 17-year-old student from Tapton School in Sheffield, was working on the TimPix project, which lets school students in the UK access data recorded by radiation detectors during British astronaut Tim Peakes six-month stay on the ISS.

Amongst other projects, Peake participated in a research program that aims to understand the impact of space radiation on humans. Radiation on the ISS is monitored with USB-shaped Timepix detectors, which are plugged into computers and regularly send data back to Earth.

Soloman and his fellow students were given these Timepix measurements in a giant pile of Excel spreadsheets, allowing them to practice data analysis on real-world scientific information.

When they sorted the data by energy levels, Soloman noticed something odd.

I went straight to the bottom of the list, and went to the lowest bits of energy there were, he told BBC Radio 4s World at One current affairs program.

I noticed that where we should have no energy, where there was no radiation, it was actually showing -1. The first thing I thought was Well you cant have negative energy, and then we realised that this was an error.

Soloman and his physics teacher James ONeill jumped into action and emailed NASA straight away.

As Soloman explained to BBC Radio, researchers at NASA responded that they were aware of the error, but thought it had only been happening once or twice a year. They were wrong.

What we actually found was that they were happening multiple times a day, says Soloman.

They thought they had corrected for this, said physicist Lawrence Pinsky from the University of Houston, who is involved with the TimPix project, and is a collaborator of the radiation monitoring project on ISS.

The problem is that some of the algorithms which converted the raw data were slightly off, and therefore when they did the conversion, they wound up with a negative number.

Prompted by BBCs World at One host Martha Kearney on whether such a revelation by a schoolboy was embarrassing, Pinsky answered that he didnt think so.

It was appreciated more so than being embarrassing,he said. The idea that students get involved at a real level means that theres an opportunity for them to find things like this.

The TimPix project is one of many initiatives organized by IRIS (the Institute for Research in Schools), a UK-based charitable trust that gives students and teachers opportunities to do actual scientific research at school.

IRIS has partnered with organizations such as CERN, NASA, Wellcome Trust, and the UK Royal Horticultural Society to bring real science projects into the classroom and get kids excited about pursuing careers in science.

Were also tapping into the potential of young minds and what they can do, said Solomans teacher ONeill. As far as Im concerned, the greatest research group we can form is our students around the country.

Apart from analysing radiation exposure on ISS, students have also been doing genetic research into cardiovascular disease, analysing the atmosphere of Mars, and taking part in the MoEDAL experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, looking for signs of a magnetic monopole.

Theres even a project in the works that will let kids build a replica of the Large Hadron Collider in Minecraft, working in collaboration with the particle physics team from the University of Oxford.

At least for Miles Soloman, IRIS has definitely given him inspiration to pursue more science, although he hastens to explain that he wasnt trying to outsmart NASA researchers when he pointed out the data error.

Im not trying to prove NASA wrong, Im not trying to say Im better, because obviously Im not theyre NASA, he said. I want to work with them and learn from them.

Read more:
A Teenager Just Delighted NASA By Pointing Out a Significant Error in Their Data - Futurism