Technology Info Crunch

IN BRIEF Prior administrations have limited the scope of some scientific research on moral or ethical grounds. Deciding to block research is about more than simply asking if a development could be used for good or for evil. Scientific research can change our lives for the better, but it also presents risks – either through deliberate misuse or accident. Think about studying deadly pathogens; that’s how we can learn how to successfully ward them off, but it can be a safety issue too, as when CDC  workers were exposed to anthrax  in 2014 after an incomplete laboratory procedure left spores of the bacterium alive. CLICK TO VIEW COMPLETE INFOGRAPHIC For the last decade, scholars, scientists, and government officials have worked to figure out regulations that would maximize the benefits of the life sciences while avoiding unnecessary risks. “Dual-use research” that has the capacity to be used to help or harm humanity is a big part of that debate. As a reflection of how pressing this que

IN BRIEF Fusion energy represents a new era in energy generation. Fusion reactors create miniature suns from which we can draw enough energy to power 150,000 homes. Both government agencies and private enterprise are working tirelessly to make this a reality. For centuries, humans have dreamed of harnessing the power of the sun to energize our lives here on Earth. But we want to go beyond collecting solar energy, and one day generate our own from a mini-sun. If we’re able to solve an extremely complex set of scientific and engineering problems, fusion energy promises a green, safe, unlimited source of energy. From just one kilogram of deuterium extracted from water per day could come enough electricity to power hundreds of thousands of homes. CLICK TO VIEW COMPLETE INFOGRAPHIC   Since the 1950s, scientific and engineering research has generated enormous progress toward forcing hydrogen atoms to fuse together in a self-sustaining reaction – as well as a small but demonstrable amoun

Samsung has launched the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, surprise! In all seriousness, after months of ( truly unparalleled ) leaks Samsung’s 2017 flagship smartphones are here and a lot has changed. Mostly for the better, but there is also some stagnation and a few areas of possible regression. So what has Samsung got right with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus and which model should you buy, if any? Let’s take a look... Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus shown proportionally Design & Display - Bigger Without Being Bigger? Without doubt the headline change to Samsung’s new flagships are their displays. Both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus get huge new 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch displays respectively, but the best thing about this is impact these massive panels have had on their size: Galaxy S8 - 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm ( 5.86 x 2.68 x 0.31-inch), 155g (5.36oz)Galaxy S8 Plus - 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm (6.00 x 3.09 x 0.31-inch), 173g (oz) Versus Galaxy S7: 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 m

 Futurism M.A IN BRIEF Our DNA has "dark matter" of its own: the non-coding DNA that covers about 99 percent of our genetic code.New techniques utilizing CRISPR created "molecular scissors" that can snip out pieces of non-coding DNA, and may be able to target disease-causing genes. EDITING THE BODY’S BLUEPRINT CRISPR-Cas9 is the most advanced  and efficient gene editing tool we have. It’s uses, however, have been largely limited to silencing protein-coding genes in the DNA. This leaves out what’s called the DNA “dark matter” — the non-coding DNA that covers about 99 percent of our genetic code. A study published in the journal  PLOS Computational Biology  may soon change this. The new technique, developed by a team of researchers led by Carlos Pulido, is a software pipeline called CRISPETa. It’s based on a breakthrough tool (which uses CRISPR-Cas9) called DECKO. The tool was recently developed by the Johson lab, and was specifically designed for deleting those

IN BRIEF A team of researchers believe they could bring back the woolly mammoth from extinction within the next two years.The project has two main goals: securing an alternative future for the endangered Asian elephant and helping to combat global warming. BACK FROM THE DEAD  CRISPR/Cas9 has allowed for some pretty significant developments. Researchers have used the technique to cure  sickle cell disease ,  fight famine , and even  cut out cancer . Now, the gene editing tool could even bring species  back from extinction  – and scientists say it could happen for the woolly mammoth within the  next two years . CLICK TO VIEW FULL INFOGRAPHIC Prof George Church and his team at Harvard University have been studying the DNA from frozen mammoths found preserved in the Arctic. Specifically, they’ve been looking for genes that separated them from elephants. Since elephant species are currently on the brink of extinction, the team is attempting to splice mammoth DNA into the genome of an

First Time in China: GE’s 9FA Advanced Gas Path Technology to Boost Efficiency at Shanghai Caojing’s Power Station March 28, 2017 GE’s  Advanced Gas Path  Technology  Will Help  Increase Output by Approximately 25 Megawatts,  Boost Efficiency and  Reduce Emissions at the Plant Station Serves as Model for Utilities in China Seeking to Make Their Plants More Efficient and Reliable SHANGHAI—March 28, 2017—GE’s Power Services (NYSE: GE) signed a milestone agreement to provide Advanced Gas Path (AGP) upgrades for two GE 9FA gas turbines at the Caojing combined-cycle power station in China, marking the company’s first 9FA AGP upgrade in the country. The deal will help increase the output and efficiency of the 790-megawatt (MW) plant—the largest industrial cogeneration facility in Shanghai. In addition, GE signed a 25-year services agreement with  Shanghai Caojing Co-Generation Co., Ltd ., the owner of the Caojing power station, extending a previous collaboration between the two companies.

By Sascha Segan February 26, 2017 02:25pm EST The Samsung Galaxy S8 will be announced at an event in New York, but there will also be a live stream. BARCELONA—The Samsung Galaxy S8 will be announced in an event at 11 a.m. on March 29th in New York City, with an online live stream as well, the company said during its event at Mobile World Congress today. A corresponding invite doesn't give much else away, except that it shows a long, narrow phone that may be at least the 2:1 aspect ratio that was just introduced in the LG G6 . Samsung hints that there's been a change to the aspect ratio in the text of the invitation: "The forthcoming addition to the Galaxy lineup represents the start of a new era, by reshaping the device that has over the years become an indispensable tool in our everyday lives." We've been tracking the Galaxy S8 rumors for a while now, and

By K. Thor Jensen March 25, 2017 If you're looking to switch things up on your PC, these alternative browsers could have you saying farewell to Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Edge in no time. The big boys—Chrome, Firefox, and IE/Edge—aren't the only browsers out there. If you dig deep, you'll find a whole world of unusual web-surfing tools that are designed to fill different needs. From intense privacy to media streaming, torrent tracking to text-only displays, there's a browser for just about everything. Come with us on a download tour through the world of niche web browsers. Who knows? Maybe you'll find a new favorite to use. The big boys—Chrome, Firefox, and IE/Edge—aren't the only browsers out there. If you dig deep, you'll find a whole world of unusual web-surfing tools that are designed to fill different needs. From intense privacy to media stream

By Evan Dashevsky March 21, 2017  A little over a half-century ago , cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human being to reach outer space. This amazing feat sparked the space race, during which humanity was convinced space exploration would transform everything. This adorable age of optimism was perhaps best illustrated by Stanley Kubrick's 1968 sci-fi classic 2001: a Space Odyssey , which appeared to be a completely plausible vision of the not-so-distant future. This naïve hopefulness was completely understandable. The nation had just watched the automobile transition from a primitive sputter boxes into sleek metal-encased muscle cars over the course of a few decades. So surely, space technology (with all those computers and whatnot) would evolve even quicker. Fast forward to the real 2001, and it became painfully obvious that that whole space thing wasn't going to pan out quite how Kubrick had predicted. As of writing, only about 500 humans have eve

Third Party Contents  FuturismMS IN BRIEF China has spent $168 million on cloud seeding technology to hopefully manipulate the weather and combat drought and extreme weather due to climate changeCloud seeding technology has existed for a long time, however because of early false claims and deep-rooted skepticism, there isn't sufficient research to back up the tech CLOUD SEEDING The China Meteorological Administration wants to increase rainfall and snow across 960,000 square kilometers of the country. A more effective way of making this happen that doesn’t involve a ritualistic rain dance? Spending $168 million on cloud seeding technology that they hope will allow them to manipulate the weather. Here’s how it works. The money will be invested into four new aircrafts, upgrading eight existing planes, and launching 900 rocket systems that will allow them to sprinkle substances above the clouds that could induce the rainmaking process. These substances range from sil

March 16, 2017 Robots come in many shapes, sizes and iterations. And though most of us envision the gleaming cyborgs or giant armored machines gleaned from decades of science fiction, at GE, robots are helping one of its Distributed Power manufacturing facilities become safer, more cost effective and efficient. Making its debut in Jenbach, Austria, a different kind of robot is now working alongside its human brethren. A giant robot named Goliath is helping GE staff manufacture some of the most efficient, cleanest, high tech gas engines in the world, faster and safer than ever before. With a power range of 100 kW to 10 MW, they can run on a variety of fuels, including natural gas, biogas, coal seam gases and associated petroleum gases. The Jenbacher* gas engines produced with Goliath are used in dozens of applications, like hospitals, power plants, greenhouses, residencies and even other factories to produce power, heat and cooling. They are particularly popular for renewable and wa

Written By Deepesh Nanda Any international traveller to Sri Lanka is enthralled by its natural beauty and hospitable people. Preserving its pristine environment is, and should remain, a priority for its government and citizens. At the same time, providing world class infrastructure and ensuring that it is in line with growing needs requires a fine balancing act. Recently, Sri Lanka suffered a series of island-wide power outages, setting off a cascade of automatic shutdowns across the country’s power generation and transmission infrastructure. Facilities like the 900 MW Puttalam plant in Norochcholai – the largest power plant in the country – went offline for over three days. As millions of people in the country were left without power, the blackout clearly illuminated the challenge that the Sri Lankan power sector is facing. Also, as the country faces its worst drought in 40 years, its hydro power capacity has been severely constrained. These circumstances further complicate the pro

Being in space for extended lengths of time can place a great deal of physical stress on an astronaut’s body. The weightlessness associated with lack of gravity can cause health issues such as skeletal deterioration, back pain, and fluid collection in the upper body. Readapting to the conditions on Earth places even further stress and pressure on the lower body. To counteract these risks and improve overall health, scientists have invented a ‘space suction device’ that allows astronauts to exercise at their normal body weight. Ultimately, such technologies are necessary if humanity is ever going to make it through extended space missions, like the ones that would be necessary to reach alien planets surrounding other stars. The technology is called the Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) device, and its purpose is to create an ‘artificial form of gravity.’ The device itself creates a seal around the person’s waist, giving the sensation of weight on the lower body. A diagr

Third Party Content  Written  By Yvette Kanouff  - February 26, 2017 Global leaders in wireless are here in Barcelona for  Mobile  World Congress, the gathering place for top-of-mind topics like architecting and building cloud-based service and IoT offerings – all while positioning for the inevitable shift to  5G . Cisco is here, showing off new technologies and solution capabilities, 5G offerings, demonstrations, and (my favorite part!) new customers. It’s all about building a transformative architecture and strategy that makes it easy to simplify, automate and virtualize today’s dynamic workflows. And, even though full 5G standardization is probably a few years out, it makes sense to start getting ready now. It’s a to-do list that contains things like building a unified enablement platform that ties together access, transport, core, and services, with end-to-end open automation, management, orchestration, and security. If that sounds like a mouthful, it is — and it’s just some

By a survey in 2013 more than 400 engineers conducted by ASME found that 75 percent had little or no familiarity with hydrokinetic power. This webinar provides an understanding of hydrokinetic power — hear from two technical experts and take a deep dive into demo projects underway in New York Harbor and the Gulf Stream. Learn about the energy behind each technology, the environmental constraints, and the challenges associated with licensing. ASME Energy Forum  is a new, year-long multi-media series that explores the technical aspects and workings of a broad range of energy sources and related technologies. From solar power and hydro to fuel cell vehicles and wind power, you'll get leading technical expert perspectives on how these energy sources and technologies work, the technical issues and challenges, and the economic implications for businesses. © The copyright of this program is owned by ASME.

IN BRIEF Universal Basic Income not only can prepare society for increasing automation but also spur innovation and growth. Establishing a equal base level of security will ensure that when automation takes over, people out of a job will not be left behind. Consider for a moment that from this day forward, on the first day of every month, around $1,000 is deposited into your bank account —  because you are a citizen . This income is independent of every other source of income and guarantees you a monthly starting salary above  the poverty line  for the rest of your life. What do you do? Possibly of more importance, what  don’t  you do? How does this firm foundation of economic security and  positive freedom  affect your present and future decisions, from the work you choose to the relationships you maintain, to the risks you take? The idea is called  unconditional or universal basic income, or UBI . It’s like social security for all, and it’s taking root within minds aro