background preloader

Spacewalking cosmonauts heave a 20-pound metal ball into Earth orbit

Spacewalking cosmonauts heave a 20-pound metal ball into Earth orbit
Related:  Débris spatiaux

Énorme nuage de débris après l’explosion d’une fusée dans l’espace - Sciences et Un énorme nuage de débris spatiaux qui s’est formé après l’explosion mi-octobre du bloc d’accélération d’une fusée Proton-M pourrait menacer la Station spatiale internationale (ISS), a indiqué jeudi une source dans le secteur spatial. 500 débris « On suit actuellement environ 500 débris formés après la destruction du bloc d’accélération Briz-M », a précisé cette source, ajoutant que la quantité de débris pouvait encore augmenter. « Dans la liste des objets potentiellement dangereux [pour l’ISS] sont apparus de nouveaux éléments », selon la même source. Il s’agit de l’un des plus gros nuages de débris formés ces dernières années, s’ajoutant à la myriade d’autres débris déjà dans l’orbite de la Terre, un phénomène qui constitue une menace potentielle pour les satellites et la Station spatiale internationale. Vitesse orbitale très élevée L’explosion de ce bloc s’est produite le 16 octobre, selon Interfax. Des millions dans l’espace

How data, cheap sensors and Android could be a game changer for rural farmers Over the past four years as Jason Aramburu sold kilns, which turn plant waste into bio charcoal, to Kenyan farmers, he became something of an expert on one of the key things that Kenyan farmers lack: data. “There’s very little data anywhere,” says Aramburu, founder and CEO of startup Re:char, over a breakfast interview on Thursday, as Re:char chief technology and resident Maker Luke Iseman nods in agreement. For example, rural Kenyan farmers can easily spend 30 percent of their income on fertilizer, but 80 percent of that fertilizer can be wasted because there is little data collected about the best places and times to use it. The lack of info isn’t just from the farmer’s perspective. Aramburu says when he met the CEO of a major fertilizer company recently, he asked him what he knew about his customers — his response: “very little.” Re:char CTO Luke Iseman (L) and founder/CEO Jason Aramburu (R) showing off an early prototype of SoilIQ A soil data cloud in the sky Orange interest

Use Your Hands to Easily Plan Proper Meal Portions Yeah, that seems off to me and more than a bit concerning in terms of what it implies about the site's perception of women and/or communication to women. Women don't weight half of what men weigh on average, so why are they allocated half the food by this chart? It's not like the average calories for men is 2000 and the average for women is supposed to be 1000. Also, isn't the whole point of the "hand measure" supposed to be that your hands are the right size for your body, negating the need to reduce it to one hand? That amount is what your body needs unless you are an athlete or manual laborer. Desk jockeys that just work out a bit don't need much food. Simply put, the best way to lose weight is to: EAT LESS, MOVE MORE. I lost 20lbs in about 6 months follow the hand concept with no exercise. Protein dense does not necessarily mean meat. Anyways, I guess it only works for average circumstances. I'm 5'8" and have (relative to my height/size) tiny hands.

L'ESA veut remédier au problème des débris qui peuplent l'espace Depuis deux jours se tient la 6ème conférence des débris de l'espace de l'Agence spatiale européenne (ESA). Toutes les avancées de la recherche et les solutions techniques disponibles pour prévenir les risques grandissants liés aux débris spatiaux y sont actuellement évoqués. Ce n'est plus un secret aujourd'hui : des millions de débris peuplent l’espace. Les scientifiques estiment ainsi que 29.000 objets d’au moins 10 centimètres, 670.000 pièces d’au moins un centimètre et plus de 170 millions mesurant moins d’un millimètre orbitent autour de la Terre. Des chiffres qui permettent d'évaluer à quelque 6.500 tonnes la quantité de "déchets de l’espace", en 2013. D'après les spécialistes, ces déchets sont essentiellement composés de satellites abandonnés et de morceaux de fusées. Avez-vous déjà partagé cet article? Partager sur Facebook Partager sur Twitter Toutefois, leur nombre grandissant est sujet de nombreuses préoccupations. Des régions orbitales devenues inutilisables

How Biochar Will Help Kenya Go Green And Save Money Re:char is a pioneering company that sells kilns to farmers in Kenya that allow them to convert their farm waste into what's known as biochar, which can then be used for cooking. As an enterprise, Re:char seeks to deliver a "triple bottom line," expanding the uses of sustainable alternatives for energy, providing a cost-effective solution for farmers in an effort to combat poverty, and stemming deforestation in Africa by encouraging use of biochar as cooking fuel instead of cutting down trees for firewood. Jason Aramburu, the CEO of re:char who works in Bungoma, in the Western Province of Kenya, spoke to us about the emerging area of biochar and a grant that re:char just received from the Gates Foundation to develop a system to transform human waste into biochar. Fast Company: Where did you get the idea for re:char? Jason Aramburu: I was doing due diligence for a clean energy investor in New York. After the 2008 financial crisis, the investor I was working for was hit hard. It's tricky.

We live 'longer but sicker' as chronic diseases rise 13 December 2012Last updated at 12:00 ET By Jane Dreaper Health correspondent, BBC News Smoking is one of the top health risks in the developing world People around the world are living longer but with higher levels of sickness, according to the largest ever study of the global burden of disease. The Lancet analysis shows high blood pressure, smoking and drinking alcohol have become the highest risk factors for ill health. They replace child malnourishment, which topped the list in 1990. But some researchers have criticised the way the data was put together, and suggested it is based on poor evidence. The five-year project, involving almost 500 authors, found heart disease and stroke caused around one in four deaths - almost 13 million - worldwide in 2010. The burden of HIV/Aids remains high - accounting for 1.5 million deaths that year. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to have a high rate of early death. He said: "There's been a progressive shift from early death to chronic disability.

Une sonde russe devrait plonger vers la Terre dimanche La sonde russe Phobos-Grunt, qui devait gagner Mars mais est restée en orbite autour de la Terre après son lancement raté le 8 novembre, devrait plonger vers la Terre dimanche, mais les scientifiques déclaraient vendredi ignorer où, et à quelle heure, elle va tomber. La sonde était censée initialement gagner la banlieue de la planète rouge et prélever des échantillons de roche à la surface de Phobos, l'une des deux lunes de Mars. Depuis l'échec de son lancement, l'engin perd lentement de l'altitude, en raison de l'attraction terrestre. En raison des constantes fluctuations de la haute atmosphère, fortement influencée par l'activité solaire, le moment exact du retour de la sonde, et le lieu vers lequel elle plongera demeurent inconnus. Vendredi, cependant, certaines prévisions tablaient sur une rentrée de Phobos-Grunt dans l'atmosphère au-dessus de l'Atlantique Sud, à l'est de l'Argentine. Cette sonde sera le troisième gros satellite à chuter dans l'atmosphère terrestre depuis septembre.

Diet: Weight Loss and Metabolism The last time it happened, it was the girl who cuts my hair. "So, what kind of diet are you on?" she asked. Since I'm a nutritional biochemist, it's a question I'm used to. My instinct was to skip the scientific details, spit out a four-word answer, and hope she'd move on to the neck shaving. There are plenty of experts who claim that all that matters is the number of calories you eat: If you want to lose weight, eat fewer calories than you burn. Case in point: carbohydrates. But here's what's surprising: High-sugar carbohydrates aren't always bad. Lose weight around the clock with The 8-Hour Diet! Time Zone 1: Right after You Wake In a study of 2,831 people, researchers at Harvard University found that those who ate breakfast every day were 44 percent less likely to be overweight and 41 percent less likely to suffer from insulin resistance—a precursor to diabetes—than those who had no a.m. meal. Time Zone 2: Every 3 Hours after Breakfast Time Zone 3: After Your Workout 1. 2.

Sciences : Une sphère métallique de six kilos tombe du ciel en Namibie L'objet, construit dans un alliage métallique connu, est tombé en Namibie provient probablement d'un vieil engin russe. La Nasa et l'ESA mènent l'enquête. Un objet non-identifié tombé du ciel en Namibie a surpris les habitants d'un village situé à 750 kilomètres de la capitale Windhoek. Les agences spatiales américaines et européenne ont donc été saisies par les autorités namibiennes pour tenter de découvrir la nature et l'origine du débris. 22.000 déchets spatiaux de plus de 10 centimètres recensés «Pour qu'un élément métallique de cette taille survive à la rentrée dans l'atmosphère, il faut que ce soit du solide», poursuit-il. «Il tombe environ un gros satellite par semaine», précise Xavier Passot. Tous les engins spatiaux devenus inutiles ou obsolètes, sans parler des restes de fusée, continuent à dériver dans le vide. » Un satellite de la taille d'un bus va tomber sur Terre » Une «boule de feu» traverse le ciel breton » Vers un satellite nettoyeur de débris spatiaux

Fast and furious: intensity is the key to health and fitness Less than 40% of Australians achieve the minimum amount of physical activity recommended by government and professional organisations. This contributes to the fact 60% of Australians are overweight or obese. Exercise and Sports Science Australia (and similar organisations overseas) recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week, adding up to 150 minutes a week. The most commonly reported barrier to reaching these targets is a perceived lack of time. So it’s important to maximise the benefits of exercise in what little spare time we have. But how can we get the most out of our exercise sessions? HIIT it Over the past few years, a number of laboratories have shown that High Intensity Interval Training (commonly known as HIIT) can provide similar – if not greater – health and fitness benefits as traditional exercise approaches. Most HIIT studies are performed on a bike, although some of the aerobic studies have been performed on a treadmill. Aerobic HIIT

Related: