Adventure Ausrama Blog

Australia has made a new world record in "supercritical" steam. This involves the use of solar panels to generate heat that boils water and generates steam. The steam could be used instead of coal in power plants. Pressure reached 3,400 psi at a heat of 1,058°F. This is peak performance "stuff". It rivals coal in its efficiency. The first time a non-carbon source has at least equalled the efficiency of coal. Six hundred mirrors (heliostats) were used and their beams were directed at two towers housing solar receivers and turbines. In the future power generation could be virtually free from the sun during daylight hours. This technology is new and supersedes older "subcritical" steam production. More work has to be done but there is no doubt power generation will eventually not need coal. It is not good news for Australian exports. It is good for the world though. Science by Ty Buchanan http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.c

Superman or indeed cyberman could soon be with us. Artificial muscles that can hold thousands of times their own weight have been invented. The breakthrough has been made by a team from four nations: Australia, Canada, the US and Korea. Carbon nanotubes were first wound into yarn in Australia. This super strong material far exceeds the flexibility of other artificial muscles. This is not strictly new. It was done several years ago but now work is under way to apply the technology. The yarn is does not yet have enough mass to be used for arm or leg muscles. Ideally, better heart valves, pumps, and positioners could be developed. The yarn has an interesting property: it can be made into a helical structure that will rotate right or left. Applying an electric charge causes it to spin. This makes it easy to propel a tiny object along in the bloodstream for example. This new discovery could revolutionize medicine. http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/ http://www.tysaustral