Nature Manifests Itself In Patterns. The Interweaving Of Math With These Patterns Produces Euphoria

Elevated Bus That Drives Above Traffic Jams

Hackaday Useful Tools Links

So I am an avid reader of Hackaday for a long time now and they have been putting out a lot of great introductions to tools and processes to get makers up to speed on the resources that are available.  This is just a splattering of links that I have found lately that you guys might be interested in.

DC Motors

Lessons in Small Scale Manufacturing

Grinding Gears: Figuring out gear ratios

Tools of the trade: Injection Molding

Are todays engineers worse?

How to nail a technical presentation

Tools of the trade: Vacuum Forming

The Art and Science of Bending Sheetmetal

A how-to of designing, fab, and assembly with structural framing systems (t slot)

Machine learning foundations

A machine shop in a box

How to: Cold resin casting

Join the GUI generation: Qtcreator

Do you guys have any other great resources that you’d like to share and/or are you enjoying this type of content?

Solar System: Things to Know This Week

10 Tools for the Armchair Astronaut, or  How to Explore the Solar System from Home

At this very moment, spacecraft are surveying the solar system, from Mars, to Saturn, to Pluto and beyond. Now you can ride along to see the latest discoveries from deep space. For this week’s edition of 10 Things, we’ve assembled a toolkit of 10 essential resources for the desktop astronaut.  

1. It’s Like Facebook, but for Planets

Or is it more of a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Solar System? Whatever one calls it, our planets page offers quick rundowns, as well as in-depth guides, for all the major bodies in the solar system. Explore from the sun all the way to the Oort Cloud.

+ Peruse the planets + See how objects in the solar system stack up against each other

2. Keep Your Eyes on This One

If you still haven’t tried Eyes on the Solar System, you’re missing out. This free, downloadable simulation app lets you tour the planets and track the past, current and future positions of spacecraft–all in 3D. Eyes on the Solar System uses real NASA data to help you take a virtual flight across both space and time.

+ Prepare for departure

3. Dateline: Deep Space

With so much exploration underway, discoveries and new insights into the solar system come at a pace that borders on bewildering. NASA is rewriting the textbooks, literally, on a regular basis. Relax, though: there are several easy ways to stay up to date with what’s happening in space.

+ See the latest headlines + Stay connected on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram + Find more top NASA social media accounts

4. Space? There’s an App for That

NASA offers phone and tablet apps for star gazing, pictures, news, 3D tours, satellite tracking, live NASA TV and many other kinds of info.

+ Start downloading + See other cool apps

5. A (Very) Long Distance Call

We’re in constant communication with spacecraft all over the solar system. The Deep Space Network is a global network of giant antenna dishes that makes it possible. With this online app, you can learn how it works – and even see which spacecraft are phoning home right now.

+ Deep Space Network (DSN) Now

6. Collect ‘Em All

Spacecraft 3D is an augmented reality (AR) application that lets you learn about and interact with a variety of spacecraft that are used to explore our solar system, study Earth and observe the universe. Print out the AR target and your camera will do the rest, making the spacecraft appear in 3D right in front of you. Learn more about these robotic explorers as they pop up on your desk, in your hand, or on your dog’s head.

+ Download Spacecraft 3D + See more cool 3-D resources from NASA

7. Ever Wanted to Drive a Mars Rover?

This site will give you a 3D look at the Mars Curiosity rover, along with some of the terrain it has explored. It will even let you take the controls.

+ Experience Curiosity

8. More E-Ticket Attractions

But wait, there’s more. NASA offers a variety of other fascinating (and free) online experiences, all based on actual data from real missions. Here are a few to explore:

+ Mars Trek + Vesta Trek + Moon Trek

9. The Universe Is Our Classroom

Studying the solar system makes for a compelling route into learning and teaching science, engineering and math. We have some great places to start.

+ Find resources for teachers + Build your own solar system with your classroom

10. Bring It on Home

After you’ve toured the far reaches of the solar system, you can always come home again. When you have spent time studying the harsh conditions on our neighboring planets, the charms of a unique paradise come into sharp focus, the place we call Earth.

+ Watch a real-time video feed from Earth orbit + See a daily global view of our planet from a million miles away + Hold the earth in your hands with the Earth Now mobile app

Discover more lists of 10 things to know about our solar system HERE.

Follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

Møbius donut.

It’s International Asteroid Day!

There are more than 700,000 known asteroids, but how much do you know about these rocky remnants left over from the birth of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago? 

Today, June 30 is International Asteroid Day. Here are some things to know about our fascinating space rubble.

1. A Place in Space 

Asteroids—named by British astronomer William Herschel from the Greek expression meaning “star-like"—are rocky, airless worlds that are too small to be called planets. But what they might lack in size they certainly make up for in number: An estimated 1.1 to 1.9 million asteroids larger than 1 kilometer are in the Main Belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. And there are millions more that are smaller in size. Asteroids range in size from Vesta—the largest at about 329 miles (529 kilometers) wide—to bodies that are just a few feet across.

2. What Lies Beneath 

Asteroids are generally categorized into three types: carbon-rich, silicate, or metallic, or some combination of the three. Why the different types? It all comes down to how far from the sun they formed. Some experienced high temperatures and partly melted, with iron sinking to the center and volcanic lava forced to the surface. The asteroid Vesta is one example we know of today.

3. Small Overall 

If all of the asteroids were combined into a ball, they would still be much smaller than the Earth’s moon.

4. Except for a Big One

In 1801, Giuseppe Piazzi discovered the first and then-largest asteroid, Ceres, orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. Ceres is so large that it encompasses about one-fourth of the estimated total mass of all the asteroids in the asteroid belt. In 2006, its classification changed from asteroid to  as a dwarf planet.

5. Mission to a Metal World 

NASA’s Psyche mission will launch in 2022 to explore an all-metal asteroid—what could be the core of an early planet—for the very first time. And in October 2021, the Lucy mission will be the first to visit Jupiter’s swarms of Trojan asteroids.

6. Near-Earth Asteroids

The term ‘near’ in near-Earth asteroid is actually a misnomer; most of these bodies do not come close to Earth at all. By definition, a near-Earth asteroid is an asteroid that comes within 28 million miles (44 million km) of Earth’s orbit. As of June 19, 2017, there are 16,209 known near-Earth asteroids, with 1,803 classified as potentially hazardous asteroids (those that could someday pose a threat to Earth).

7. Comin’ in Hot 

About once a year, a car-sized asteroid hits Earth’s atmosphere, creates an impressive fireball, and burns up before reaching the surface.

8. But We’re Keeping an Eye Out

Ground-based observatories and facilities such as Pan-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey, and ATLAS are constantly on the hunt to detect near-Earth asteroids. NASA also has a small infrared observatory in orbit about the Earth: NEOWISE. In addition to detecting asteroids and comets, NEOWISE also characterizes these small bodies.

9. Buddy System

Roughly one-sixth of the asteroid population have a small companion moon (some even have two moons). The first discovery of an asteroid-moon system was of asteroid Ida and its moon Dactyl in 1993.

10. Earthly Visitors 

Several NASA space missions have flown to and observed asteroids. The NEAR Shoemaker mission landed on asteroid Eros in 2001 and NASA’s Dawn mission was the first mission to orbit an asteroid in 2011. In 2005, the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa landed on asteroid Itokawa. Currently, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx is en route to a near-Earth asteroid called Bennu; it will bring a small sample back to Earth for study.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

There's an app for that

A “master list” of apps that are essential to student life.

Flashcards

Quizlet - Flashcard app that has pre downloaded flashcards and you can make your own flashcards. Available on multiple platforms

Duolingo - Language flashcard app

Flashcards+ - Another flashcard app

Math

Luna Calculator - calculator app ($2.99 on iOS)

Wolfram Alpha - online math solver

Symbollab - online math solver

Productivity & Planning

Forest - Grows a tree for every thirty minutes you are off your phone. If you touch your phone, the tree dies. ($0.99 on iOS)

FocusNow - Free version of Forest for iOS. Instead of trees, it grows fruits and vegetables. 

30/30 - Great time management app

Any.Do - Great app for creating to-do lists, organize tasks, syncs with other devices. You can also change the priorities on certain tasks. 

Studious - Great app on Android that reminds you when homework is due, when exams are and even silences your phone during class. 

StayFocused - A chrome extension that you can customize to limit the time on websites to stay productive

Self Control - Allows you to block your own access to distracting websites for a certain amount of time. Useful for people who get distracted on the computer (Also known as Cold Turkey for Windows).

My Study Life - Student planner app

myHomework Student Planner - another Student planner app

To-do List - extensive to do list, like an online bullet journal

Learning

Itunes U - For any apple device users, a app that gives you access to free educational courses 

TED - The whole catalog of TED talks at your fingertip. 

Wikipedia - Free encyclopedia that can be used for general references

Khan Academy - study videos (absolutely amazing app/website)

Music 

Coffitivity - coffee shop soundtrack

8tracks - great playlists, especially study playlists

Wake Up Calls

Alarmy - good alarm that will force you out of bed

Sleep Cycle - measures your sleep cycle

Math Alarm - alarm clock that forces you to do math to turn the alarm off, get’s your brain going 

Class Lectures and Note Taking

Dragon Dictation - takes notes for lectures (useful for classes where professors talk faster than you can type)

XMind - mind mapping tool

Notability - another app for recording lectures. ($2.99 on iOS)

These are just a few study apps that can be useful for studying. I will add more (or make a new list) later as I learn about them; feel free to message me to add some to this list. 

10 Secret Trig Functions Your Math Teachers Never Taught You

On Monday, the Onion reported that the “Nation’s math teachers introduce 27 new trig functions”. It’s a funny read. The gamsin, negtan, and cosvnx from the Onion article are fictional, but the piece has a kernel of truth: there are 10 secret trig functions you’ve never heard of, and they have delightful names like ‘haversine’ and ‘exsecant’.

Composites: Papercrete

Composites are materials composed of other materials in combination, often with a matrix that binds together fibers of some kind. Papercrete gets its name from its components, paper and concrete, though it is technically composed of cement, not concrete. In papercrete, a composite of paper and cement, the cement makes up the binding matrix that holds the paper fibers together.

Paper is composed of a natural polymer, cellulose, the structure of which can be seen in the bottom image above and fibers of which can be seen in the top left and middle right images. The fibers get coated with cement, often Portland cement, and lend strength to the new material that could not be found in the cement alone. (Paper is not only made of cellulose, but it is a key component which makes papercrete possible. Aside from paper and cement, papercrete is also made with water and some form of sand or earth - other materials can be used as well, just like in concrete).

The material resulting from this mixture, papercrete, has excellent sound absorption, is flame and fungus retardant as well as bug and rodent repellent, and is relatively light. More flexible then rock or regular concrete, papercrete is useful in earthquake prone areas. Though not the best load-bearing material, papercrete is a great insulator. Like any composite however, the exact formula used to produce the material can alter the properties significantly. Adding sand or glass strengthens papercrete and makes it more flame retardant, but also increases its weight. 

One of the beneficial things about papercrete is that almost any paper can be used to create it - cardboard, magazine paper, junk mail, newspaper, and other forms. Some work better than others but almost all can be used. Using waste papers such as these prevents them from entering landfills and allows paper to be recycled in a different way. 

Downsides of papercrete include its lower strength and durability, as well as the fact that - as of now - there is no code or standardization to its manufacture or use, limiting the projects it can be used in. A fair amount of papercrete is made by individuals working on ‘do it yourself’ projects.

Sources: ( 1 - images 1, 2, 4, and 5 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 )

Image sources: (Middle left)

The dihydrogen monoxide hoax involves calling water by the unfamiliar chemical name “dihydrogen monoxide” (DHMO), and listing some of water’s effects in an alarming manner, such as the fact that it accelerates corrosion and can cause severe burns. The hoax often calls for dihydrogen monoxide to be regulated, labeled as hazardous, or banned. It illustrates how the lack of scientific literacy and an exaggerated analysis can lead to misplaced fears.

The hoax gained renewed popularity in the late 1990s when a 14-year-old student collected anti-DHMO petitions for a science project about gullibility. The story has since been used in science education to encourage critical thinking and avoid the appeal to nature.

Forty-three students favored banning DHMO, six were undecided, and only one correctly recognized that ‘dihydrogen monoxide’ is actually plain old water.

Here’s the information he gave the students:

Dihydrogen monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and kills uncounted thousands of people every year. Most of these deaths are caused by accidental inhalation of DHMO, but the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide do not end there. Prolonged exposure to its solid form causes severe tissue damage. Symptoms of DHMO ingestion can include excessive sweating and urination, and possibly a bloated feeling, nausea, vomiting and body electrolyte imbalance. For those who have become dependent, DHMO withdrawal means certain death.

Dihydrogen monoxide:

is also known as hydroxl acid, and is the major component of acid rain.

contributes to the “greenhouse effect.”

may cause severe burns.

contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.

accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.

may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.

has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.

Contamination is reaching epidemic proportions!

Quantities of dihydrogen monoxide have been found in almost every stream, lake, and reservoir in America today. But the pollution is global, and the contaminant has even been found in Antarctic ice. DHMO has caused millions of dollars of property damage in the midwest, and recently California.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:

as an industrial solvent and coolant.

in nuclear power plants.

in the production of styrofoam.

as a fire retardant.

in many forms of cruel animal research.

in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.

as an additive in certain “junk-foods” and other food products.

Companies dump waste DHMO into rivers and the ocean, and nothing can be done to stop them because this practice is still legal. The impact on wildlife is extreme, and we cannot afford to ignore it any longer!

The American government has refused to ban the production, distribution, or use of this damaging chemical due to its “importance to the economic health of this nation.” In fact, the navy and other military organizations are conducting experiments with DHMO, and designing multi-billion dollar devices to control and utilize it during warfare situations. Hundreds of military research facilities receive tons of it through a highly sophisticated underground distribution network. Many store large quantities for later use.

Source: [x]

Click HERE for more facts