Jul 9 2009 Graphene: The Material Of Tomorrow, Today

Science, best known for inventing robots and dooming the earth, is now responsible for a new carbon wonder material called graphene. Nice, science, way to do good for once.

Imagine a carbon sheet that's only one atom thick but is stronger than diamond and conducts electricity 100 times faster than the silicon in computer chips.

"It is the thinnest known material in the universe, and the strongest ever measured," Andre Geim , a physicist at the University of Manchester, England , wrote in the June 19 issue of the journal Science.

Like diamond, graphene is pure carbon. It forms a six-sided mesh of atoms that, through an electron microscope, looks like a honeycomb or piece of chicken wire. Despite its strength, it's as flexible as plastic wrap and can be bent, folded or rolled up like a scroll.

Hell yes graphene scrolls! Most practical application EVER. You hear that papyrus? YOU ARE OUTTA HERE! Don't let the Dead Sea hit you on your way out.

New wonder material, one-atom thick, has scientists abuzz [yahoonews]

Thanks to FDSY, who, based on the excitement in his email, popped like 16 boners at the very thought of graphene.

Jun 21 2009 NYC Billboard Tracks Greenhouse Gases

Deutsche Bank put up a billboard in Madison Square Garden that allegedly displays almost real-time data on the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. And I, for one, can't read that number.

Kevin Parker, global head of Deutsche Bank's Asset Management division, said of the counter at its unveiling: "It will be a huge task to bring global emissions under control and my hope is that putting this data in public view will spur both governments and markets to move us more quickly to a low-carbon economy."

The counter increases at around 800 tons a second, which, if you are good at the maths, you know translates into, um, a lot per day. At least half of which is my roommate. Seriously, dude's so gassy the walls in his bedroom are turning brown.

World's first real-time carbon emissions counter adds a chilling 800 tons a second [dvice]

Jan 7 2009 Motorola's New Carbon-Neutral Cell Phone

Motorola unveiled what is believed to be the first carbon neutral (and sideways) cell phone at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show this week. The W233 Renew Phone is made predominately out of recycled plastic bottles and Motorola hopes it will help the company bust a circuit all up in the environmentally friendly market segment.

Motorola said it was the world's first carbon neutral phone. As well as using recycled materials for the plastic casing, the company also pledged to offset the carbon dioxide used in manufacturing, distribution and operation of the phone through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation.

Motorola, which has lost market share by being slow to follow trends such as touchscreens and high-speed data links, also plans to showcase three different items at CES: a relatively large touchscreen tablet phone, a rugged phone, and a rechargeable cable TV remote control with a find feature.

Holy shit -- a rechargeable TV remote with a find feature! That's new and exciting! Seriously Motorola, I can see why you've been struggling. And who can get that excited about your recycled-plastic phone anyways -- it looks like the same piece of shit i was rocking three years ago (minus the lime green). Now a cell-phone manufactured out of used condoms, THAT would be something. Aural sex anyone?

Motorola phone made from recycled bottles [msnbc]

Thanks to ITSELF, who once had phone-sex with some chick at 411 and didn't even have to pay.

Oct 27 2008 Waves Of The Future: Internet, Buckypaper

Call me crazy, but I think this whole internet thing is really gonna take off one day. And, quite possibly, Buckypaper. It may just look like a turd wafer, but it's actually a paper-thin series of (carbon nano)tubes.

Buckypaper is 10 times lighter but potentially 500 times stronger than steel when sheets of it are stacked and pressed together to form a composite. Unlike conventional composite materials, though, it conducts electricity like copper or silicon and disperses heat like steel or brass.

Buckypaper is made from tube-shaped carbon molecules 50,000 times thinner than a human hair. Due to its unique properties, it is envisioned as a wondrous new material for light, energy-efficient aircraft and automobiles, more powerful computers, improved TV screens and many other products.

Well damn, I bet ol' Buckminster is on cloud nine right now. Literally -- he died in 1983. But seriously, what good is black paper if you don't have a white pencil?

Future planes, cars may be made of 'buckypaper' [usatoday]

Thanks to The_Don, who invented Buckypaper, rock, scissors, and never loses.

Aug 28 2008 Zero Carbon Footprint: The Solar Ice Maker

It may look like a funhouse mirror and potato gun, but this sucker is actually a solar powered ice maker that requires no electricity, and can produce 14 lbs of ice per day.

It works like this: the solar icemaker uses a refrigerant liquid that evaporates when exposed to the sun. The vapor travels through pipes that come into contact an absorbent material, which cools when the sun goes down. Once the slow-cooling absorbent hits 104°F, the refrigerant turns back into a liquid and its temperature drops like a rock to below freezing because of pressure differences. Put some water next to the evaporator's exterior and, presto, ice.

Awesome. I love ice. But you know what I love even more? Refrigerant. Shit's better than Kool-Aid. Plus you don't have to worry about that big red bastard "Oh Yeah!"ing his fat ass through the side of your house.

Solar icemaker: get the sun to keep things cool for a change [dvice]

Jul 7 2008 Toyota Prius May Get Solar Panel Treatment

Toyota already plans to roll out a plug-in version of the Prius in 2010, and now there are rumors of the company installing solar panels on upcoming models. The panels, if they do become a reality, won't power the engine, but rather the air conditioning, stereo, windows, television, coffee maker, massaging seat covers, etc. As you can see from the artist's rendition of the new Prius, Toyota will likely go with one large solar array protruding from the vehicle's roof. Kidding, I just made that in Photoshop. It does look good though, doesn't it? Strap a wind turbine on there somewhere and you've got a real green-machine. Say, that gives me an idea. Picture of new Solar-Wind Prius added after the jump. But don't worry Toyota, you can just pay for the idea in, well, euros. Lots of them.

Hit the jump for a picture of a Prius Toyota hasn't even thought of yet.

Continue Reading " Toyota Prius May Get Solar Panel Treatment "

Jun 2 2008 I'm Still Hungry: World's Smallest Ramen Bowl

Scientists in Japan recently made the world's smallest ramen bowl, with a diameter of only 1/25,000 of an inch. Which, in scientific terminology, makes it invisible except to superheros that got shafted in the cool powers department (unless they can also see through walls, in which case boobs, sweet). The bowl was carved entirely out of nanotubes and was entered in a recent microphotography contest. Now as someone who just recently finished a project on nanotubes and nanotechnology, I know all about these things. Some interesting facts I uncovered during my research: They're made of carbon. They're mad small. Like super-duper small. They put my junk to shame. I hate nanotubes. Nanotubes are stupid.

Microscopic ramen bowl believed to be world's smallest [cnn]

Thanks to Hunter, who holds the competitive eating world record for nano-ramen: five quadtrillion megazillion boobillion bowls

Also thanks to Matt, who's been training hard and might take the title back this year

Jan 9 2008 Woven Carbon Fiber Bike Frame Is Light

The Delta 7 Sports Arantix Mountain Bike features an IsoTruss carbon fiber frame. What the hell is that you ask? Well it's a frame made of hand-woven carbon fiber strands that are then wrapped in Kevlar and baked. Each one has over 1,672 feet of carbon fiber and takes over 300 hours to build. The resulting pyramidal structure of the frame makes it not only rugged but light -- a measly 2.75 pounds. Which is pretty light. You can get the whole bike for around $12,000 or just the frame for $7,000, but act quick if you want one, because they're only making 200 of them in 2008 due to the time intensive production. I'd totally get one but someone would steal it. My last bike got stolen off the carport and it was a $5 bike from the thriftstore. So I went and got another $10 one and have it sitting out there for the taking. Except this one has a frame packed with dynamite and a remote activator.

Tiny Carbon Fiber Pyramids Used For Lighter & Stronger Bike Frames [ohgizmo]