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Game Theory Analysis: Leaving the toilet seat down is inefficient

Chris — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:09:09 +0000

Finally, someone scientifically proves that requiring the males in the household to lower the toilet seat does not minimize “the total cost of toilet seat operations per household.” I have been arguing this point with my wife since the day we moved in together. Now, I have game theory analysis on my side. Unfortunately, because the correctness of leaving the toilet seat up goes against currently entrenched social norms, I don’t see the male gender convincing society that their actions are inefficient anytime soon.

Article: THE SOCIAL NORM OF LEAVING THE TOILET SEAT DOWN: A GAME THEORETIC ANALYSIS

Garbage Eater: Trash In, Energy Out

Chris — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 21:10:15 +0000

The March 1007 issue of Popular Science has an excellent article on a technology called plasma gasification. Systems using plasma gasification can break down any material, except nuclear waste, by using energized plasma to rip apart the molecular bonds of the trash. The only byproduct of the system is an obsidian-like glass and a synthetic gas that can be converted into an energy source such as natural gas or ethanol.

The article features the Plasma Converter system from Startech Environmental Corporation and its inventor, Joseph Longo. His plasma gasification machine not only can devour 2,000 tons of garbage a day (about the amount of trash generated by 800,000 people) but actually generates a third more energy than it uses, powering itself from its own “syngas” byproduct and selling the rest of the energy left over.

I think one of these machines would be a great solution to the LA sludge problem that Bakersfield is always fighting over. Let LA convert their sludge to energy instead. A bunch of these machines could solve every city’s trash problem plus help reduce our reliance on foreign oil.

Read the full article here on Popular Science’s website.

SpaceShipOne Wins The X-Prize

Chris — Mon, 04 Oct 2004 16:59:00 +0000

This morning SpaceShipOne soared over the Mojave desert and into history as the first privately funded craft to make two flights into space within two weeks. This amazing feat won Scaled Composites, the creator of SpaceShipOne, $10 million and the convented X-Prize. A deal has already been inked with Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, to commercialize SpaceShipOne’s technology and offer commercial suborbital space flights to the general public. The resulting company is to be called Virgin Galactic and is planned to offer flights for $200,000 starting in 2007. So, start saving your pennies because in a couple of years you can become an astronaut if you have the money.

NASA Fails Again

Chris — Thu, 09 Sep 2004 20:40:00 +0000

Yet another failure for a struggling NASA, whose scientists watched their 3 year, $264 million mission plunge from outer-space into the Utah desert. Yesterday, the Genesis project’s capsule was suppose to fall from space, deploy parachutes, and be snagged on giant hooks attached to stunt helicopters. But something malfunctioned on the craft, causing all primary and backup chutes not to deploy. With nothing to slow it down, the 420 pound craft plunged into the desert sand at more than 190 mph.

The Genesis project spent the last 3 years in space collecting samples of solar wind from the sun. The samples were expected to weigh less than 20 micrograms, equivalent of a couple grains of sand. NASA scientists are still hopeful that they can salvage some samples from the capsule, but with a crack in both the outer shell and inner sample canister, it looks unlikely. The wafers that held the micrograms of solar particles most likely shattered on impact and were exposed to dust particles from the Earth.

I am a big fan of space exploration and science in general, but something obviously needs to change inside NASA to make it more successful. Perhaps more privatization of the projects to private industry? Maybe NASA should just give out grants and become a clearing house from other scientist’s work? What do you think?

Articles about the failed mission and the recovery process are available here:
http://www.wired.com/news/space/0,2697,64880,00.html
http://www.wired.com/news/space/0,2697,64894,00.html

The Transit Of Venus

Chris — Sat, 08 May 2004 19:55:00 +0000

For those of you lucky enough not to be on the west coast of America, take a look up at the sun (with proper eye shields) on June 8, 2004. If you do, you will witness the transit of Venus, which is when Venus passes between the sun and Earth in such a way that it is silhouetted against the sun. This event is similar to a solar eclipse except Venus only blocks out 3 percent of the sun. What makes this event worth seeing is how rare it is. The last transit took place on December 6, 1882. So, if you happen to be someplace where you can see it, make sure to witness this astrological event or you will have to wait until 2012 to see the next one and 2117 to see the one after that. For more information and a colorful history of the transit of Venus see this month’s article in Scientific American. Anyone want to fly me to Europe to witness the whole transit?