cheeseguy - Slashdot User

Japan Plans $21B Space Power Plant 550

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday September 01, 2009 @02:03PM from the but-can-it-pop-popcorn dept.

Mike writes "Japan has announced plans to send a $21 billion solar power generator into space that will be capable of producing one gigawatt of energy, or enough to power 294,000 homes. The project recently received support from Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and IHI Corp, who are now teaming up in the race to develop new technology within four years that can beam electricity back to Earth without the use of cables. Japan hopes to test a small solar satellite decked out with solar panels by the year 2015."

Augmented Reality In a Contact Lens 196

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday September 01, 2009 @12:49PM from the lookit-them-wires-in-there dept.

Toe, The writes "Bionanotechnology researcher Babak A Parviz writes about his research toward producing a computer interface in a contact lens. At the moment, they have only embedded a single LED, but they foresee a much more complex interface such as detailed in Vernor Vinge's Rainbows End. Such lenses potentially could also read human bio-information from the eye, providing medical information on the order of what is now taken from blood tests, but on a continuous basis. An example would be monitoring glucose levels for diabetics. The author states that, 'All the basic technologies needed to build functional contact lenses are in place,' and details what refinements and advances will be necessary to bring this technology to reality."

Tetris Improves Your Brain 145

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday September 01, 2009 @09:52AM from the sing-the-music-honey dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Playing Tetris increases the density of the cortex and improves the efficiency of some parts of the brain, according to researchers investigating video games and other complex spatial tasks." Unfortunately, storing a half million copies of the song negates any practical functional gains beyond loading your trunk very efficiently.

Comment Re:Easy to fund!!! (Score 1) 508

by cheeseguy on Thursday February 03, 2005 @05:39PM (#11566696) Attached to: Repair Costs for Hubble Are Vexing to Scientists

Or another answer could be two words, "reality show", I think Mark Burnett would be up for the challenge of making space travel entertaining for the general public again.

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