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Showing posts from 2021

the anti-smartwatch – how sony built a timepiece that literally changes its stripes

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Remember Sony's FES Watch? Yes, the old but excellent e-ink watch that is still making rounds on the news.  FES is where fashion meets futuristic minimalism in the most unexpected way. And in the most realistic way too. Unlike typical smartwatches that scream for attention with bright LCD screens, the FES is wrapped entirely in e-paper. From its face to its band, the e-paper transforms your wrist into a canvas of subtle, shifting patterns that can change at a whim. Originally born from Sony's experimental First Flight crowdfunding platform, this paper-thin timepiece isn't about bombarding you with notifications; it's about style that adapts.  FES has a battery that lasts for weeks and designs ranging from classic leather textures to avant-garde digital motifs. Too bad it's not freely available in the market today, and has become something of a collector's piece, that too, in Sony's home market. The FES Watch has proved that sometimes the most radical innovat...

microsubmarines could clean oil spills, researchers say

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  A special nano-coating on the microsubmarine makes it able to effectively absorb the oil particles The original post appears in BBC News Tech site from 2012  May 3. Tiny submarines that are 10 times smaller than the width of a human hair could be used to clean up oil spills, researchers have suggested. The self-propelled microsubmarines are able to gather oil droplets and take them to collection facilities. The team from the University of California San Diego's nano-engineering department said their tests showed "great promise". Similar technology is able to deliver drugs through a person's bloodstream. The research , which appeared in journal ACS Nano, suggested that the microsubmarines were capable of "a facile, rapid and highly efficient collection" of motor and olive oil droplets. The tiny motors are propelled by bubbles created from internal oxidation of hydrogen peroxide. This means they require small amounts of fuel and can move very quickly. Self-p...
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In a world saturated with misinformation, Gapminder.org cuts through the noise by transforming complex statistics into great visual stories. Founded by the late Hans Rosling with his son Ola and daughter-in-law Anna, this innovative platform turns dry data on health, wealth, and human development into dynamic bubble charts and time-series animations that make trends click instantly. Rather than overwhelming users with spreadsheets, Gapminder reveals how life expectancy has risen, poverty has declined, and inequalities persist—all through intuitive, interactive graphics that invite exploration. I remember using it for the first time in 2006, when Gapminder was suddenly more than an Excel visualization tool. I can confidentlly say that it's a mindset shift. By making evidence engaging and accessible to educators, students, and curious minds alike, it dismantles outdated stereotypes and replaces them with a nuanced, fact-based understanding of global progress.  Gapminder was quite unl...

the ultimate jargon buster - 1/7

Avoid tech confusion, either when reading this guide or when talking to friends,  with this glossary of technology terms and phrases. This  the definitive jargon buster which  should help you to understand the common terms people use when talking about  their devices and their software. 0-9 3G/4G The third and fourth generation of mobile data networking. 5G The fifth generation of mobile data networking offers increased speed when transferring data on the go; 5G is currently adopted in above half of all mobile phone networks worldwide. A... A/D Converter An in-built converter that changes the analogue signal from a digital camera sensor into digital values. Accessibility A series of tools and features in Settings designed to make Apple devices easier to use for those with disabilities. Active layer The layer currently selected in the Layers panel. Activity An Apple app that records calories expended, exercise minutes, and standing time. Adjustment layer A layer used ...

nine everyday habits that help the planet

1. What is the single most important thing humanity has to do in the coming years – and what does that mean for me? The number one goal? Limiting the use of fossil fuels such as oil, carbon and natural gas and replacing them with renewable and cleaner sources of energy, all while increasing energy efficiency. 2. Changing how industries are run or subsidised doesn’t sound like anything I can influence... can I? You can. Individuals need to exercise their rights both as citizens and as consumers. 3. Other than that, what’s the best daily action I can take? Going car-free is the number-one most effective action an individual could take. We should choose more efficient vehicles and, whenever possible, switch directly to electric vehicles 4. But isn’t renewable energy extremely expensive? Actually, renewables like wind and solar are becoming increasingly cheap across the world. 5. Could I make a difference by changing my diet? That’s a big one, too. In fact, after fossil fuels, the food ind...

मातृ वियोग

माता बिना जगत यो अब शून्य भैगो, संसारको सकल सार उठेर गैगो । हा धर्मराज ! किन नी यसरी रुवायौ ? केले अपार दुख–सागरमा बुडायौ ? । - गुण रत्नामाला, जगन्नाथ उपाध्याय गुरागाईं

eco-lingo 101 - the vocabulary of a greener future

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https://unsplash.com/photos/worms-eye-view-of-forest-during-day-time-19SC2oaVZW0 Biodiversity  This refers to 'the variability of living organisms, between and within species, and the changeability of the ecosystems to which they belong' (The Convention on Biological Diversity) Carbon footprint The carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of a person, operation or business, typically measured in tonnes. CO2e. or carbon dioxide equivalent, is the standard unit for measuring carbon footprints across indus-tries. While there are more greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, emissions are currently and typically measured in terms of CO2. Carbon neutral The balance between emitting, and the voluntary reduction and compensation (offsetting) of emissions, to achieve a neutral emission equilibrium. Circular economy A circular economy is regenerative and aims to reduce the consumption of finite virgin resources. It encourages the evolving or adaptation of mostly lifestyle products s...

how increasing carbon dioxide affects earth's climate

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The gas makes up a tiny quantity of our atmosphere but it has a big impact. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) accounts for just 0.04 per cent of Earth's atmosphere, so how can it have such a big effect on the planet's climate? Well, firstly, CO₂ traps heat (hence it being known as a greenhouse gas) and secondly, it remains in the atmosphere for centuries.  Earth receives huge quantities of energy from the Sun in the form of sunlight. As this is short-wave radiation, it passes through the atmosphere largely unhindered. Most of that energy is absorbed by the surface, but about 17 per cent is reflected back in the form of heat (long-wave, infrared radiation). Infrared radiation effectively passes  straight through oxygen and nitrogen (which comprise the vast majority of Earth's atmosphere), thanks to their relatively simple molecular structure.  But the molecular structure of CO₂ is more complex, so it absorbs the infrared and heats up, then begins to radiate its heat to molecu...

learn professional photography easily with these handy words

  A aberration A distortion in an image caused by a flaw in a mirror or lens. achromatic color A color with no saturation, such as light gray. acquire A software menu selection to scan from within the program (if it is TWAIN compliant). ADC (analog-to-digital converter) A device that measures electrical voltages and assigns digital  values to them. Airy disc A disc of light caused when a pinpoint of light is diffused to form concentric halos about the  original point. aliasing The noticeable repeated patterns, lines, or textures in any photographed or scanned subject  that conflict with the pattern of an electronic sensor’s pixel arrangement. For example, diagonal lines  represented by square pixels will produce jagged lines. analog The measurement and recording of continuously varying values in the real world, such as  sound, light, and size. The measurements correspond proportionally to other values, such as electrical  voltage. Film cameras are anal...