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Comment Mechanism (Score 3, Insightful) 111

If I read this right - they coil the line, stretch it and then use heat to return it back to the original coiled state. This then provides lift. I am wondering how much heat is required though. If you have enough of these filaments in an artificial muscle arrangement could you, while lifting your car or running for the bus, spontaneously ignite? That to one side, though, I really love these unexpected breakthroughs.

Comment Re:Big shoes to fill this one has (Score 1) 183

I sort of agree with you. But you also have to think about who the program is aimed at. I would think you as a 42 year old can handle a much higher baud rate and have a far broader vocabulary. Cosmos inspired youngsters to think about what lies beyond our world and that will need a different approach to those you might take with interested adults. Thing is, if adults watching the new series love it then this runs the risk of kids hating it not only because it will be beyond them but also because, well, if it is something mom and pop are into then it is bound to be irrelevant.

Comment Re:Why wait? (Score 3, Interesting) 194

Exposure is an important predictor of misuse in a population. If you legalise (which decreases the costs of use) then there will be an increase in those using and therefore an increase in those suffering harm. Just like alcohol - the more bars there are in an area, the cheaper the alcohol, the more accessible the alcohol the more people drink. I am not against legalisation. But at the same time it is a policy that will probably reduce the criminal side of drug use (e.g. theft to support an addition) but also increase the number of those suffering harms because of drug use. It is hard to know what the best course of action is.

Comment Cats (Score 5, Funny) 139

They are going to have a problem with mice on the roads. What will the spray to deal with the mice? Fish. The fish will attract cats who will eat the mice. But then there will be a cat problem, so they will have to spray ... anyway, I am sure that the old woman who swallowed a fly is consulting. So all is well.

Comment Definitely viable (Score 1) 189

I'd say drone delivery is something that is definitely viable and worth persuing - getting urgent medical aid to remote or difficult to reach areas is one example. That siad, I don't personally like the idea of competitors flying probably quite heavy items over densley populated areas.

Comment Re:hemoglobin test (Score 1) 282

The good thing here is that it brings patient closer to the test - when blood travels long distances you begin to see greater variation in the end results. So it is not just about speed, if this little machine gets it right it may also improve accuracy. There is a flip side in that there probably will not be a trained clinician there to interpret and explain the results. Some people (you know who you are) might get all worked up over a slight deviation that is still within normal limits and can be easily dealt with through a modest behavioral change.

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