A.C. Flory's Blog, page 112

#science – the best discoveries are often accidental

The modern world is built from materials our cavewoman ancestors could never have imagined – just think silicon and plastics. But now, thanks to 3D printing, and research into graphene, MIT scientists have discovered a powerful new geometry that will change our world yet again. You see, the geometry that can turn 2D graphene into a usable 3D form works just as well on other materials such as steel and concrete:

To me, however, the most fascinating part of this discovery is that it came about as the by-product of research into something else. Like Marie Curie, who discovered polonium and radium while researching uranium, the MIT scientists did not realise all the other uses for the geometry until after they had created it for graphene.

3D Graphene may or may not become the next you-beaut material, but the geometry used to create it will become the next ‘great thing’. Why? Because it will reduce the cost of manufacturing common materials while simultaneously increasing their strength. Imagine a single span of concrete ‘foam’ that’s capable of bridging an entire river, or cars that can protect their occupants from even the worst of crashes. Or, my personal favourite, how about a dome capable of covering an entire city?

Domes have been a favourite device of science fiction writers for a very long time. We’ve imagined them on distant planets, protecting human colonists from all sorts of dangers. Planet X has a toxic atmosphere? No problem. Just pop up a dome and away you go. Planet Y is an ocean world? Still no problem as domes can be built on the sea bed.

But why travel to distant star systems when domes could be used right here on Earth, to protect us from runaway pollution and climate change?

Unfortunately, the technology to actually build such huge, unsupported domes simply has not existed…until now [maybe].All that’s needed for this next ‘great leap forward’ is the development of manufacturing grade 3D printers capable of producing such materials in quantity.

Given how quickly 3D printers have gone from cutting-edge curiosities to mass produced, ‘domestic’ products, I don’t think we’ll have long to wait.

So excited!

Meeks

Filed under: technology Tagged: 3D-graphene, 3d-printer, domes, future, light-weight-steel, Marie-Curie, MIT, molecular-geometry, Research

A phone I could get excited about

After years of rumors and false starts, both Samsung and LG are preparing to unveil portable devices with folding screens later this year, according to a report in the Korea Herald (via XDA). Samsung is likely to produce 100,000 of the smartphone-cum-tablets in the third quarter, the Herald claims, while LG may manufacture the same…

via Samsung and LG both reportedly launching foldable phones in second half of 2017 — VentureBeat

I currently have a Kindle Fire for ‘reading’ and an old, Samsung Galaxy SII for ‘communicating’. I have checked the internet on the phone – once or twice – but the screen is much too small for comfortable reading. As a result, I use it almost exclusively for calls, EmergencyAus alerts, and as a camera.

If Samsung can give me the convenient size of a phone with the screen realestate of a tablet, I might just jump ship from the Kindle.

Filed under: technology Tagged: 2017, communications, folding, Kindle, LG, phone, Samsung, tablet, technology

More amazing art from Soul Draft

The Architecture Of Radical Simplicity The five best hotels in Hull for the City of Culture Lift-off: the must-see dance shows of 2017 CES 2017 Day Three of 3D printing, 3D Design and 3D prints in Las Vegas Japanese Artist Spends 3+ Years Drawing Massive, Incredibly Detailed Tsunami World’s largest LEGO exhibition Top […]

via Weekly Newsletter n°11 —

I love tech aggregators, such as New Atlas, but I also love the art brought together in one place by Soul Draft. Hope you enjoy it too.

Poignant

I’ve been uploading files to sync.com all weekend, and in the process, I’ve revisited some very old files and photos. This one is of my Dad and Missy, an old man and an old dog, keeping each other company in front of the fire, even though the day was not that cold.

[image error]

I’m not quite sure why this particular photo fills me with such tenderness, but it does. It’s homey and familiar, as if years of every day scenes have been condensed into one, perfect image.

My thanks to Sallyanne Hartnell for capturing this moment and saving it for me.

cheers

Meeks

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Loli, Missy, old photos, photographer, Sallyanne-Hartnell

March Fly [or horse fly] bites – Warrandyte

I don’t normally take selfies but I thought I’d better take some photos of these bites:

[image error]

[image error]

I took these pics today but the March Fly [also known as horsefly] got me yesterday. Lucky for me, I’ve finally learned how not to have these bites turn into horrible, pus-filled welts:

Do NOT scratch.
Do take an antihistamine immediately

If you’re like me and get a mild[ish] allergic reaction to insect bites, these two rules are golden because, the more you itch, the more the inflammation or infection or whatever it is, spreads.

So not scratching contains the problems, but it doesn’t stop the itch. Unfortunately, that itch is like ten mosquito bites rolled into one, and it doesn’t just go away after an hour or two. Or at least, it doesn’t for me. Those selfies show the bites almost 24 hour after they happened. I haven’t scratched – thanks to the antihistamine – but the bites are still red and angry. And they still itch.

For me, the most effective antihistamine is Telfast 12 hour. I use it during the day because it doesn’t put me to sleep. At night I have to use an old-school, sleepy-time antihistamine called Polaramine. I also dab a topical cream called Solocite on the bites. Solosite is a hydrating, healing gel, but it also seems to reduce the itch.

And now a word about the March Fly [also known as horsefly]. This is the first time I’ve known what bit me because this is the first time I’ve actually seen what bit me. In the past, I’d get bitten – often through my clothing – without ever knowing what type of beast got me. All I knew was that it usually happened while I was weeding the lush Spring grasses. Thanks to the strange, almost monsoonal bouts of heavy rain we’ve had this Spring/Summer, this is my third bout of the itchies.

As I said though, this time I actually caught the mongrel in the act. I can’t have felt the first few nips [I have 5 bites] but I sure as hell felt the last one. It was quite sharp and when I looked down at my leg, I saw something that looked like a black house fly but quite a bit bigger, like a blowie [Bluebottle]. It also made a kind of low-pitched rumble rather than the normal irritating buzz. Also unlike the blowie, this thing left tiny droplets of blood on my legs.

After applying my version of first aid, I hopped onto Papa Google and discovered that the female March Fly [or horse fly] cuts a hole in your skin and injects saliva into the hole to stop your blood from coagulating too quickly. Then it feeds. You, on the other hand, react to some protein in the saliva and develop a terrible itch.

I suspect I have an unusually severe reaction to this pest, but on the off chance that others do too, I hope this post proves useful.

cheers from a not very happy

Meeks

 

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: allergic-reaction, anit-histamine, description, Horse-fly, insect-bites, itch, March-Fly, Polaramine, Solosite, Telfast, Warrandyte, welts

Why we need speechbots to answer the phone — VentureBeat

GUEST: Industry and media attention have focused on chatbots for digital channels. However, speech bots that answer phone calls could have a greater impact on customer service. First, because phone remains one of the most popular customer service channels, and companies should be doing all they can to meet customers where they prefer to interact.…

via Why we need speechbots to answer the phone — VentureBeat

Interesting article but misses the point from the consumer’s point of view. Most consumers are now savvy enough to find out ‘simple’ information without help – i.e. by googling etc. If they do ring up a company, it’s because they have a question which is not simple, or which cannot be answered in a general way. Forcing them to interact with a speechbot – i.e. the computer generated morons that curently answer the phone – simply fuels frustration because consumers already know the bot won’t be able to help. As for improving all the areas in which current speechbots fail….I give it another 50 years or so. That means another 50 years of lousy customer service.

Filed under: technology, Uncategorized Tagged: consumer-POV, customer-service, fail, frustration, hate, speechbots

Um…remember that greenhouse?

I am so contrary.:(  As soon as I published that post about not being able to put the flat pack greenhouse together, something went click in my brain and suddenly, I couldn’t rest until I beat it.

There are some parts left over, and I don’t think it will last for long, but here it is, getting the once over from Golli:

 

 

[image error]

Ooooooh……what is this thing?

[image error]

…smells funny…

[image error]

Could it be a new litter box?

Without resorting to four letter words again [I had a major tantrum just before dinner ] this has been the worse project I have ever attempted, and I swear I’ve learned my lesson. If I so much as  mention the word ‘flat pack’ in the future, you are all authorised to slap me until I come to my senses.

End rant and good night!

-hugs-

Meeks

 

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: 0/5, assemble, flat-pack, Golli, greenhouse, mini

Darwin, Bonaparte & the Samaritan (starting the year on a good note!)

I particularly like the graph showing the breakdown of what actually killed people from 2008 to 2012. When you see truly horrific figures like those, it really does put the bogeyman of terrorism in perspective. It also makes me wonder what motivates those who want to blame all Muslims for the acts of a very, very, vanishingly small few.

Are they truly that scared of Islam? Or is the terror card simply a convenient peg on which to hang their fear of the Other? Cory Bernardi, I’m looking at you.

Just Merveilleux

That’s the title of Michel Serre’snew book. Unfortunately I think it’s not yet available in English (but it is in French & Spanish.)

He’s one of the great minds of our times. In this book he explores, focusing on three different periods, where we’ve come from, who we are and where we’re going. He also takes the opportunity to discuss perception using some interesting numbers. Despite what politicians say (and 24 hour news), we’re living in a time of unprecedented peace and safety.

 Deaths in war by 100,000 people

And even more interesting is his view on terrorism. Here’s the global death toll of different causes of death (Richard King via Oxfam)

So if we take France as an example, which has been Europe’s number one target for terrorism in the past two years- and take the number of dead (247), and consider the population (66 million), that…

View original post 97 more words

Filed under: Uncategorized

A Perfect 10 with A.C. Flory

My third interview of all time! I feel almost famous. Come have a peek on Don Massenio’s blog.

Resolutions – yes, no, maybe?

I know my northern hemisphere friends are still busy bringing in the New Year, but here in Australia we’ve been there, done that. And no, I’m not bragging. It’s just that I’ve already let my New Year’s resolutions slide, and it’s only January 1.