Source: link
28 February 2013
Quantum computing - current status
Source: link
26 February 2013
24 February 2013
Ingenious Idea, Dragging Files Between Computer & Phone
This concept is so simple and clever that you wounder why it doesent exist already.
Source: link
Source: link
Charge Batteries from Electromagnetic Fields
Dennis Siegel, a digital media student at the University of the Arts in Bremen, Germany made an Electromagnetic Harvesters. It's a small device that wirelessly leech off electromagnetic fields to charge AA batteries in 24hrs.
Source: link
Source: link
Origami Expert Invents Shoes For Nike
As one of the founding members of Nike’s Innovation Kitchen, Friton is known for minimalistic designs.
Source: link
Source: link
21 February 2013
State of the Union Speach 2013 - Chart Enhanced Version
On February 12, 2013, President Obama gave his annual State of the Union speech, but this year it was “enhanced” with charts, data visualizations and additional information in a sidebar of the display (full video above).
Read more: link
Read more: link
20 February 2013
19 February 2013
18 February 2013
Island disputes in Asia
There is yet a need to find a code of conduct resolve these disputes.
Additional: TheEconomist2012-08, USChinaInstitute2010
17 February 2013
Online education portal - Coursera
Compelling video, but I have yet to find an useful course.
Links: www.coursera.org, www.edx.org, www.udacity.com, www.futurelearn.com
Old post: link
Links: www.coursera.org, www.edx.org, www.udacity.com, www.futurelearn.com
Old post: link
11 February 2013
10 February 2013
Scratch 2.0 - programming for kids
Scratch is programming for kids - with LEGO-like building blocks. Program your own Story, make a Game.
There are millions of projects to try, and investigate.
Links: 1min tutorial, TED-talk, Related-LittleBits
03 February 2013
Biohacking (from IT to BT)
Soon your kids will know things and start things you couldn't even imagine.
The personal biotech communities have started to sprout, everywhere. And your kids might already be there, instead of in school.
Source: link,
Temporary link:
Goats making spider silk. Forward to 17:30
Biohacking a biomachine on a café. Forward to 27:00
1million litre bacterial Biodiesel in production. Forward to 34:00
Year 2012 people do things in garages that gave the Nobel prize 2008 (6years ago). Forward to 44:00
Update:
* Enhancing root systems
31 January 2013
The Evolutionary Origins of Modularity
By simulating 25,000 generations of evolution within computers, Cornell University engineering and robotics researchers have discovered why biological networks tend to be organized as modules -- a finding that will lead to a deeper understanding of the evolution of complexity.
The team discovered that evolution produces modules not because they produce more adaptable designs, but because modular designs have fewer and shorter network connections, which are costly to build and maintain. As it turned out, it was enough to include a "cost of wiring" to make evolution favor modular architectures.
The team discovered that evolution produces modules not because they produce more adaptable designs, but because modular designs have fewer and shorter network connections, which are costly to build and maintain. As it turned out, it was enough to include a "cost of wiring" to make evolution favor modular architectures.
To test the theory, the researchers simulated the evolution of networks with and without a cost for network connections.
"Once you add a cost for network connections, modules immediately appear. Without a cost, modules never form. The effect is quite dramatic," says Clune.
The results may help explain the near-universal presence of modularity in biological networks as diverse as neural networks -- such as animal brains -- and vascular networks, gene regulatory networks, protein-protein interaction networks, metabolic networks and even human-constructed networks such as the Internet.
"Being able to evolve modularity will let us create more complex, sophisticated computational brains," says Clune.
Says Lipson: "We've had various attempts to try to crack the modularity question in lots of different ways. This one by far is the simplest and most elegant."
Source: link
27 January 2013
How Organisms Evolve New Functions (Theory and Research)
"Evolution in Four Dimensions", trace four 'dimensions' in evolution:
* Genetic
* Epigenetic (or non-DNA cellular transmission of traits)
* Behavioral
* Symbolic (transmission through language and other forms of symbolic communication).
Eva Jablonka and Marion Lamb argue that there is more to heredity than genes. These systems, they argue, can all provide variations on which natural selection can act. Evolution in Four Dimensions offers a richer, more complex view of evolution than the gene-based, one-dimensional view held by many today. The new synthesis advanced by Jablonka and Lamb makes clear that induced and acquired changes also play a role in evolution.
Source: Lecture (bloggpost)
------------
A team of researchers has documented the step-by-step process in which an organisms evolve new functions. The research decodes how E. colibacteria supplement a traditional diet of glucose with an extra course of citrate.
The 1st stage was potentiation, when the E. coli accumulated at least two mutations that set the stage for later events. The 2nd step, actualization, is when the bacteria first began eating citrate, but only just barely nibbling at it. The 3rd final stage, refinement, involved mutations that greatly improved the initially weak function. This allowed the citrate eaters to wolf down their new food source and to become dominant in the population.
Source: link1, link2
20 January 2013
19 January 2013
New World Record for Solar Cell Efficiency
Over the years the laboratory has boosted the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of flexible CIGS solar cells time and again, from 12.8% in 1999 – the group’s first world record – to 14.1% in 2005, 17.6% in 2010 and 18.7% in 2011.
What’s more, Empa’s new record efficiency for flexible solar cells now even exceeds the record value of 20.3% for CIGS solar cells on glass substrates – and equals the highest efficiencies for polycrystalline silicon wafer-based solar cells.
Thin film, lightweight and flexible high-performance solar modules are attractive for numerous applications such as solar farms, roofs and facades of buildings, automobiles and portable electronics and can be produced using continuous roll-to-roll manufacturing processes that offer further cost reductions compared to standard silicon technologies. In other words, they have the potential to enable low-cost solar electricity in the near future.
Now it is time for the next step, the scale-up of the technology to cover large areas in a cost-efficient roll-to-roll manufacturing process with an industrial partner”, says Gian-Luca Bona the Director of Empa. For this purpose, Empa is collaborating with Flisom, a start-up company involved in industrialization of flexible CIGS solar cells.
Source: link
17 January 2013
Teleportation, Quantumportation or Spinportation
Mathematical Breakthrough Sets out Rules for More Effective Teleportation
Jan. 16, 2013 — For the last ten years, theoretical physicists have shown that the intense connections generated between particles as established in the quantum law of 'entanglement' may hold the key to eventual teleportation of quantum information.
18 September 2012
07 September 2012
Human DNA browser (free)
The Genome Browser and Blat software are free for academic, nonprofit, and personal use.
Link: UCSC Genome browser on Human
Link: UCSC Genome browser on Human
20 August 2012
Volcano's and earthquakes - live updates
Web cameras with live updates from all major sites. Including visiting trips, professional pictures etc.
Link: http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/
Example: http://webcams.volcanodiscovery.com/Kilauea#VW_mCont
Example: http://webcams.volcanodiscovery.com/Kilauea#VW_mCont
16 August 2012
The likelihood of life
Interesting movie the likelihood of life.
On earth we see numerous forms of Convergent biology, how likely is it on other places in the universe.
Part 2, Part 3.
Link: Axess, Top Documentary Films
On earth we see numerous forms of Convergent biology, how likely is it on other places in the universe.
Part 2, Part 3.
Link: Axess, Top Documentary Films
11 August 2012
Harvard - Most popular course
Video interview: Using positive psychology
Full interview [9 minutes, 15 seconds]
Link: Most popular course at Harvard
Link: Report, YouTube uploads
05 August 2012
Academic Institutions - Free online
Academic Institutions
A number of US universities have made selected lectures or even entire courses available as part of initiatives to share the knowledge within their quality programs with the world:
- Harvard University Department of Physics
- MIT Open Courseware
- Open Yale Courses
- Office of Information Technology at Princeton University
- webcast.berkeley (UC Berkeley)
Link to Other universities
ConceptArt
I've wrote about Coro36ink in 2007, since some of his city pictures were just amazing (link broken now).
Here is a place (way) to find others artists with similar skills.
Here is a place (way) to find others artists with similar skills.
04 August 2012
Business Model Generation
Resources
Link: http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/book
Discussions forum: 1, 2, 3, ...
Tools: HowTo, WordFinder, Spreadsheet, Canvas.ppt, 2.doc, 3.pdf, 4.vsd, 5, 6, Visual recording, 2, ?, Camera (price), x
Other: Author, Wikipedia, Research
28 April 2012
Mapping Popular Story Plot Lines
What makes a prize-winning novel? As Julian Barnes wins the Booker Prize, Johanna Kamradt charts the themes of this year’s longlisters. (Illustration by Christian Tate)Link: Cool Infographics
10 April 2012
28 March 2012
19 March 2012
A History of Balance of Power
Interesting to note that several countries are absent from this comparison. Was the Roman empire really that small?
Reference: Link
11 March 2012
Music goosbump secret
Last year, Robert Zatorre and his team of neuroscientists at McGill University reported that emotionally intense music releases dopamine in the pleasure and reward centers of the brain, similar to the effects of food, sex and drugs. This makes us feel good and motivates us to repeat the behavior.
An appoggiatura is a type of ornamental note that clashes with the melody just enough to create a dissonant sound. "This generates tension in the listener," said Martin Guhn, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia who co-wrote a 2007 study on the subject. "When the notes return to the anticipated melody, the tension resolves, and it feels good."
Chills often descend on listeners at these moments of resolution. When several appoggiaturas occur next to each other in a melody, it generates a cycle of tension and release. This provokes an even stronger reaction, and that is when the tears start to flow.
"Someone Like You," which Adele wrote with Dan Wilson, is sprinkled with ornamental notes similar to appoggiaturas. In addition, during the chorus, Adele slightly modulates her pitch at the end of long notes right before the accompaniment goes to a new harmony, creating mini-roller coasters of tension and resolution, said Dr. Guhn.
To learn more about the formula for a tear-jerker, a few years ago Dr. Guhn and his colleague Marcel Zentner found musical excerpts—from Mendelssohn's "Trio for Piano" and Barber's "Adagio for Strings," for example—that reliably produce the chills and then measured the physiological reactions (heart rate, sweating, goose bumps) of listeners.
Chill-provoking passages, they found, shared at least four features. They began softly and then suddenly became loud. They included an abrupt entrance of a new "voice," either a new instrument or harmony. And they often involved an expansion of the frequencies played. In one passage from Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 (K. 488), for instance, the violins jump up one octave to echo the melody. Finally, all the passages contained unexpected deviations in the melody or the harmony. Music is most likely to tingle the spine, in short, when it includes surprises in volume, timbre and harmonic pattern.
"Someone Like You" is a textbook example. "The song begins with a soft, repetitive pattern," said Dr. Guhn, while Adele keeps the notes within a narrow frequency range. The lyrics are wistful but restrained: "I heard that you're settled down, that you found a girl and you're married now." This all sets up a sentimental and melancholy mood.
When the chorus enters, Adele's voice jumps up an octave, and she belts out notes with increasing volume. The harmony shifts, and the lyrics become more dramatic: "Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead."
Adele, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter performed "Rolling In The Deep" from her latest album "21" at WSJ Cafe
If "Someone Like You" produces such intense sadness in listeners, why is it so popular? Last year, Robert Zatorre and his team of neuroscientists at McGill University reported that emotionally intense music releases dopamine in the pleasure and reward centers of the brain, similar to the effects of food, sex and drugs. This makes us feel good and motivates us to repeat the behavior.
Measuring listeners' responses, Dr. Zatorre's team found that the number of goose bumps observed correlated with the amount of dopamine released, even when the music was extremely sad. The results suggest that the more emotions a song provokes—whether depressing or uplifting—the more we crave the song.
With "Someone Like You," Adele and Mr. Wilson not only crafted a perfect tear-jerker but also stumbled upon a formula for commercial success: Unleash the tears and chills with small surprises, a smoky voice and soulful lyrics, and then sit back and let the dopamine keep us coming back for more.
—Ms. Doucleff is a scientific editor at the journal Cell.
Link: Anathomy of a Tear-jerker
23 January 2012
Moral principles - Immanual Kant
Links:
Harvard: http://www.justiceharvard.org/
YouTube1: http://forum-network.org/lecture/mind-your-motive-supreme-principle-morality
YouTube2: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL06767B5721CF031B
1: http://www.axess.se/Tv/webbtv.aspx?id=2757 (Mind your motive or Moralens överläge)
2: http://axess.se/tv/player.aspx?id=2773
20 November 2011
TED: Simon Sinek & Steve Jobs - Leadership by why
I first found an intersting speach from Simon Sinek today (under Most viewed on TED).
How great leaders inspire others by telling why.
On Simon's homepage was a video about purpose. You can skip to the end, where he summarise a few things about leadership in the military. It's worth hearing.
Then, I heard the speach from Steve Jobs who inspired Simon where he says follow your heart.
How great leaders inspire others by telling why.
On Simon's homepage was a video about purpose. You can skip to the end, where he summarise a few things about leadership in the military. It's worth hearing.
Then, I heard the speach from Steve Jobs who inspired Simon where he says follow your heart.
Steve mentioned a book 'Whole Earth Catalogue' that I wish I knew about when I was young.
I would had been a perfect, if I only had known english as today.
I like the end: Stay hungry. Stay foolish.
25 October 2011
11 September 2011
A day made of glass
Watch "A Day Made of Glass" and take a look at Corning's vision for the future with specialty glass at the heart of it.
Startup Genome - The Growth cycle of Startup companies
Since February we've amassed a dataset of over 3200 high growth technology startups. Our latest research found that the primary cause of failure is premature scaling, an affliction that 70% of startups in our dataset possess.
The difference in performance between startups that scale prematurely and startups that scale properly is pretty striking. We found that:
- No startup that scaled prematurely passed the 100,000 user mark.
- 93% of startups that scale prematurely never break the $100k revenue per month threshold.
- Startups that scale properly grow about 20 times faster than startups that scale prematurely.
World GDP & Freight correlation
World GDP % change* has a strong correlation to Suez canal cargo by weight % change*
* on a year earlier.
Link: Economist
Link: Economist
Distribution of prosperity
THE 5 percent of Americans with the highest incomes now account for 37 percent of all consumer purchases, according to the latest research from Moody’s Analytics. ...
Continue to read
Continue to read
...and how Taxes has changed...
Link: Tax article
08 August 2011
Household debt to income ratio by country
Link: texterity
07 August 2011
Chart chooser from Extreme presentations
Link: extremepresentation, pdf, old post
Congressional Conversation Index (CCI)
Link: kstreetcafe
02 August 2011
Sensory Mapping
Source: Here
01 August 2011
28 July 2011
27 July 2011
Tipping Point for the Spread of Ideas, just 10%
Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of the society.
The finding has implications for the study and influence of societal interactions ranging from the spread of innovations to the movement of political ideals. As an example, the ongoing events in Tunisia and Egypt appear to exhibit a similar process, according to Szymanski. "In those countries, dictators who were in power for decades were suddenly overthrown in just a few weeks."
"In general, people do not like to have an unpopular opinion and are always seeking to try locally to come to consensus. each of the individuals in the models "talked" to each other about their opinion. If the listener held the same opinions as the speaker, it reinforced the listener's belief. If the opinion was different, the listener considered it and moved on to talk to another person. If that person also held this new belief, the listener then adopted that belief.
Source: Science Daily
How do you measure wellbeing and happiness
The Office for National Statistics in UK was asked by the Prime Minister David Cameron last November to find out - or at least to work out how to find out.
After a six month-long consultation the wellbeing project came to the conclusion of a crucial difference:
* happiness is one intangible thing.
* wellbeing is - they say - measurable in the same way our economy is.
The project leader said:
It is essential that the set of measures of well-being is relevant and well-based in what matters to people, both as individuals and for the UK as a whole
So, how will they do it? The study has been split into a search for two types of indicators - subjective ones about how we feel and objective measures of things that affect our wellbeing.
On top on 4 extra questions in the Integrated Household Survey (IHS), they plan to investigate four major areas:
* Childhood
* Economy and inequality
* Health
* Work/life balance
The first results are expected back in July 2012.
Source: The Guardian
03 June 2011
Google statistics
"I guess Google Correlate [googlelabs.com] is a dream come true for any person appreciating statistics and social science (or just likes to explore which line graphs match up). It is Google's newest addition to its already rich and powerful collection of data tools, which already include Google Data Explorer, Google Trends, Google Insights for Search, Google Fusion Tables, Google Visualization API, Google Chart API, or Google Wonder Wheel."
Link: Infosthetics
Best Expat country
Link: Expat explorer
02 March 2011
Microsoft ExcelWebApp - Online Slicer Graph
Source file: ferrero consulting
Also upgrade from Excel 2003 to Excel 2010, with an Excellent free pdf book. Learn a bit more PowerPivot, at powerpivotpro.
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