Convergence Journalism

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What is the internet?

Lately, the FCC has given the internet a lot of attention. Two topics have been voted on, one considering Net Neutrality and the other changing the official definition of broadband. First off, Net Neutrality, to summarize what is it for those who do not know, can simply look at the video above provided by TechQuickie. This topic may not be important to most, to the people like me, who do, we are very passionate about topics such as this. The concept of slower access to content because of the content providers not paying enough money to ISP's to use internet fast lanes is enough to start arguments. The ruling for Net Neutrality is February 26, later this month.

Also, the FCC had voted to change the definition of broadband. Until recently, most US homes has access to broadband internet. The term broadband internet had the minimum speed of 4mbps/1mbps, that was until January 29. The two GOP members of the commission voted against the change, while the three Democrats, including FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, approved it. The new official definition for broadband is now 25mbps/4mbps. That is a big jump, considering most smaller towns or cities do not provide this speed to homes. According to the new definition,  20% of homes will not be able to access broadband internet, an enormous leap from the original 6.3%. It may be a sign for improved internet speeds for cheaper prices, it may also mean it will cost more for certain speeds.

Space X, a new step in space age technology?

A new space rocket was recently announced by Space X, Falcon Heavy. With 3.969 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and 4.5 million pounds in space, it will be the world's fastest rocket which equals roughly to the power of 15 Boeing 747 at full thrust. Set to launch later this year, it will be another special design by Space X. 

Source: Space X

Another interesting design they have tried to add in this project is the ability to reuse the boosters to dramatically lower costs per launch and lower waste in space. It will be meant to carry larger payloads in orbit and small spacecrafts. Though still a new company, Space X has been making a big name for themselves in the space industry.

Want to walk on mars in the comfort in of your living room? Now you can.

Holograms in real life, the idea of the technology may have sounded far fetched, but now, Microsoft has an idea of a product called HoloLens. Be ready to use such technology to create 3D objects and interact with the digital world in the real world. Microsoft announced their HoloLens in January 21st. Being a tech person (it should be obvious if you look at my other blogs), this is what gets me really excited about the future in store for us. 


Being able to interact with digital objects was science fiction, holograms were only in science fiction movies is now a possibility. There are many existent footage of the product, real or not, they had done a live demo of the holo creator that allowed them to create a 3D object live. We may not get hover boards or flying cars with in the next year, but the HoloLens should be coming out in the time frame of Windows 10 which is set before the end of 2015.

All the new tech and ideas for the new year

                CES (Consumer Electronics Show), an event held once a year to introduce the ideas of independent inventors and big companies in general. From a new generation of ars to laptops; this event holds most of the companies grand products. Numerous companies rush in order create such a product such that no one could forget  until it is in stores. In example; MSI has created a laptop that is sure to boost the increase in laptop performance. Recently at CES announced their laptop powerful enough to replace a full sized desktop.

                Following the trends of smart cars the past 2 years, BMW has announced their brand new car, the BMW I3; a unique smart car with the feature to come to you.Reminding anyone of any car featured in a movie? That's right, the BMW 750iL from James Bond- Tomorrow Never Dies. In the video to the right, Chris Ziegler with the Verge, had a test drive of the vehicle here.
                Technology, advancing at in incredible rate, and CES is a way for companies such as these to give a taste of what is to come in the following year. Cars practically driving themselves. to being powered by oxygen and hydrogen to only leave water as waste. This is the seemingly future which we see ahead of us.

Is a new form of renewable energy going to be underwater waves?

The United Kingdom; known for it's unique weather and the Queen,

Illustration of  the Turbines underwater.
Source: CNN

may not be able to create large amounts of renewable energy from the sun or from a wind farm, but there may be a new for of renewable energy. However, being a collection of islands, it does have thousands of miles of coastline which contains tides going up to 18 mph. An upside to using water instead of air, with the increased density compared that of air, it requires less surface area to create a spin with the blade, it will require less space per wheel. Another useful benefit is the turbines are underwater, and would not block the beautiful view outside into the ocean. 

NASA making history once again

Earlier this morning, at 7:05 a.m. PST, at the Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Orion was launched into space. The project costed NASA $350 million this week alone. Upon reentry to Earth's atmosphere, the capsule was going at an incredible rate of 20,000 mph while experiencing temperatures over 2204º Celsius (4,000º Fahrenheit).
The test flight took 4 hours and 24 mins stated NASA. The capsule had landed off the coast of Baja California in the Pacific Ocean at 10:29 a.m. EST. Reaching heights over 3,604.2 miles, 15 times the height of the International Space Station at 268 miles in orbit. During it's flight, it had encircled the Earth twice
.

Typing with your mind

                Ever wondered if we will be able to one day type without physically touching the keyboard? That is becoming a possibility due to the Brain- Computer Interface (BCI) created by Wadsworth Center in Albany, NY.

The BCI home system Source: http://www.wadsworth.org/

                The way it works is with a machine which takes readings of patterns when certain letters flashes, verifying the target letter. For now, it is extremely expensive and uses very complex programming. In hopes of this becoming a affordable way for anyone with disabilities limiting their abilities to type. While typing is a major point in this program, it is only a speck of the possibilities such programs can provide.

Are we closer to Back to the Future?

Source: Back to the Future

Source: inventist.com

Electric skateboards and magnetic skateboards with no wheels are becoming more common as 2015 is coming closer. In the 1985 movie, "Back to the Future" Marty McFly used a hover board. The truth is, we might not have that technology any time soon, so we have to make due with what we have now, motorized personal transportation. They are simple concepts, attaching motorized wheels anything transportation. Ranging from different sizes of small to large, from the size of a baseball to the size of a long board. They are often very versatile and fairly affordable. Many independent companies like Inventist have started to take on the challenge of creating a easy, safe, and effective way to commute to work, to the movies, to the park, or simply go down the street to a friend's house. They made a very compact and easy to control way of transportation such as their Orbit Wheel.

Water that is out of this world.

Artist's rendition by David A. Aguilar, CFA

A planet found in 2009 known as HAT-P-11b proven to host water recently. Found by Jonathan Fraine and his colleagues, its diameter is barely larger than 4 times the Earth's. Until recently, Neptune had been the only exoplanet to contain water. The temperature of the planet is roughly from 828° Kelvin to 928° Kelvin (1031° Fahrenheit to 1211° Fahrenheit). Its atmosphere's composition is primary hydrogen, hypothesized to have been drawn from nearby infant stars. Made primary of hydrogen the planet is found to have trace amounts of unidentified heavier elements. The atmosphere absorbs certain colors of light and filtering star light.

Deadly force against rocks

The US is stockpiling nuclear weapons to prevent asteroids from hitting the Earth when the time comes. Spending time envisioning such an event, the United Nations and NASA has an increasing favor towards nuclear  weapons. Stockpiling nuclear warheads, bombs, and more might seem useless to citizens, but not in the eyes of the UN. As stated in Wired.co.uk, Former NASA astronaut Ed Lu remarked that there are "100 times more asteroids lurking in space than have ever been located," and that our challenge is "to find them before they find us". A device called Sentinel Space Telescope (SST) is being created by the B612 Foundation, co-founded by Lu. A SST is a privately built infrared device allows the UN to accurately track asteroids on route to hit the Earth years ahead of time. The time estimated for the project to finish is told to be 2017.

Obama creates large marine reserve

MAGGIE SMITH, NG STAFF. SOURCES:
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE;
USGS; MARINE CONSERVATION INSTITUTE

Pacific Ocean reserve Photograph: Guim

Announced last Thursday, by existing monument around U.S. controlled islands, it will be the largest marine reserve ever.  Acting quickly, for the 12th time Obama has bypassed Congress and used the Antiquities Act for environmental protection. It will expand the reserve while some parts are untouched. Three times the size of California, 6 times it's original, at 490,000 square miles. Even with the enormous amount of expansion, it is nowhere near the size of 754,400 square miles that President Obama was hoping for. This will take effect in January of 2015. Protecting waters near a tiny island state of Kiribati, one of the last great tuna grounds left in the world.

How fast can humans run?

Source: NASA

After 40 years in the dark, this question was finally answered. Experiments to see how fast a human can run on the moon has taken place. Taking place on NASA's DC-9 aircraft. An aircraft capable of reducing its internal gravity to the match the moon's while in the swooping motion. There were eight participants, three being astronauts. Each astronaut was asked to run for 20 seconds long in the artificial lunar gravity.

Source: NASA

The theoretical average calculated by NASA was 1.8 miles per hour (2.89 km), was a dramatic difference to the average on Earth being 4.5 miles per hour (7.24 km). After the experiments, the results was an average of 3 miles per hour (5 km), a much closer calculation. The theory revolving around why their theoretical calculation is the boost created by the counter-swinging motion of the participants' arms and legs.

How 3D printing can change our lives.

Source: The Verge

Source: Space.com

The first 3D printed object was created in 1984 by Charles W. Hull. From the cost of $20,000 for a printer to only $1,000 in the course from 2010 to 2013 alone. Now this technology no less than 2 years has been growing in popularity and the uses of it. As in my last blog, NASA has made a rocket injector (fuel injector) using 3D printing. As more attention is attracted to this technology, more of the bigger companies are buying printers and coming up with cheaper and easier ways to innovate. As it began growing in popularity, their uses were only for creating small objects such as cups or decorations. Since then, now their uses range far and wide, ranging from a mere simple printed name to a working bicycle to a working weapon. Caused by the uses and possibilities this provides, are many risks and many dangers. The reliability and efficiency it provides even NASA has uses for it. Instead of sending a space ship to give simple tools to the space station, a new one can be printed on the station. As NASA plans to send 3D printers in space for use, a Boston hospital recently 3D printed a toddler's brain before his actual hemispherectomy to insure success. Hemispherectomy is one of the rarest and most challenging surgery which half of the brain is removed or disabled. The versatility is said to boost economies and help smaller businesses.

NASA creates sparks with 3D printing to push the limits

Image Credit: NASA photo/David Olive

NASA joins the 3D printing trend with a rocket part which survived a 6,000 degree test-firing. The test took place in NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama on August 28th. The idea of using 3D printing is to lower costs and raise efficiency without any compromises.

The rocket injector (fuel injectors) was made based on the process known as selective laser melting. Selective laser melting is printing each part by layering metal powder and fusing it together with a laser. This allows less errors to be made with improved performance and less prone to failures. With 3D printing, tests and improvements can be made faster and easier than ever.

The printed rocket injector was similar in size to a exploration class injector. During the two tests each 5 seconds long, two rockets injectors. Creating 20,000 pounds of pressure with 1,400 pounds per square inch and producing up to 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit.