Saturday, December 27, 2025
Anti-tremor engineering
https://youtu.be/SiWKmoLqlRg?si=wiAMEY1X98So36CP
Desperately trying all kinds of engineering to offset a hand tremor. Very challenging to make it lightweight, portable, durable, and waterproof.
Friday, December 26, 2025
Water-jet loom
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DPAVfxKHa/
A modern loom is a jet of water to send the yarn across the fabric. Cool! And probably a lot now efficient.
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Murder confession
https://youtu.be/jJZv3z7FOt0?si=1Y5kEdybcOdfCiR-
I find it morbidly fascinating how well this man disguises his guilt during the questioning, into he's confirming with incontrovertible evidence.
Monday, December 22, 2025
Sunday, December 21, 2025
Pet peeves with Tesla
There used to be an on-screen "gear-icon" button to ignore navigation directions but continue FSD; navigation often insists on a route that saves only a few minutes but has more intersections and side-roads, or insists on a lane change for no apparent reason consistently at the same location. Being able to negate these consistent nuisance navigation deviations without stopping FSD would be a huge relief and benefit.
Also, a small thing: Somewhere to place a grocery bag so it doesn't fall over.
During FSD, the necessity of turning the steering wheel every 30 sec or so is tiresome; I've decided pulling on the FSD control lever is easier. I just wish that pressing the accelerator briefly, or some other easier method of acknowledging you are actively supervising driving would be much more pleasant.
Also, better functioning of FSD during heavy rain (common in the Pacific NW) would be welcome. If some means of automated cleaning of the side cameras could be engineered, like a spinning glass cover that ship's bridges have, would be a huge improvement.
Can solar power the Tesla for a 30-mile commute?
This calculation assumes a lot of things about how much sunshine you get each day, and how efficiently you drive, but they calculate 11 panels of solar.
"If the Tesla's mileage is around 30 miles per day, it would consume 7.8 kWh every day according to the 0.26 kWh per mile range. The optimal DIY charger for this Tesla model would be a Level 2 AC charger (240V).
To achieve the 7.8 kWh or 10 kWh each day, 16.67 kWh is required in solar energy every day. In addition, +50% power requirements apply as well as 90% battery and inverter efficiency.
This goal requires 11 solar panels"
Low Cost Rainwater Harvesting: An Alternate Solution to Salinity-Affected Coastal Region of Bangladesh
"Bangladesh located in the same zone. The Satkhira district averages nearly 1,710 mm rainfall per year...minimum catchment area was assumed to be 6 m2 and storage tank of 2000 liter capacity...approximate cost was assumed to be $171 for building and operation of the whole system."
"a family consisting of five members having water demand of 5 l/capita/day for 3 months (for only drinking and cooking purpose) was considered...dry spell period in the region is around 45 days...So, sixty days demand is 2000 liter...storage tank is the most expensive component of rainwater harvesting system...plastic tanks are cheap...To reduce total coliform from the stored rainwater, locally made sand filter can be used." https://pubs.sciepub.com/ajwr/2/6/2/index.html
Efficient floating fish farm
Singapore floats high-tech fish farm up meet food demands.
Using 0:30 a closed-containment system that filters seawater, thus obviating the need for antibiotics in its tanks, this floating fish farm 1:36 produces 66,000 lb of fish a month, which is 20 x more per hectare than traditional open-net cage farms.
Similarly, automation has increased yield at shrimp farms, using 6:55 mangrove trees to recycle their waste water.
Advance Estate Planning for a Surviving Spouse - Schwab
in a community property state...all assets acquired during the marriage will transfer to the surviving spouse regardless of whether a will is in effect. However, for property acquired outside the marriage that isn't jointly owned—such as a home purchased by one spouse before being wed...spouse is entitled to only one-third to one-half of the property
To avoid the expense and delays of probate,
- Titled with rights of survivorship, meaning both spouses have equal ownership and the surviving spouse will inherit the deceased spouse's interest.
- Placed in a revocable trust—which isn't subject to probate—with your spouse as its beneficiary
- For bank accounts in one spouse's name, you can file a payable on death (POD) form to ensure the surviving spouse can access the account without going through probate.
In addition to your will and any trust documents, you might include a letter of intent in which you detail the recipients of particularly meaningful or valuable property.
US movies mapsplained
The first stronghold of movie production was NYC under Thomas Edison, but it moved to Hollywood because of better weather, more land to develop, and no antagonistic political backlash.
7:30 hours of sunshine
11:45 a variety of countries could be simulated by local topography.
Rabies on radiolab
Incredible that there's no cure.
"In terms of the percentage of people who come down with the symptoms of rabies, who die, it is the deadliest disease in the world."
"People just screaming and writhing with convulsions...from the virus's perspective, it's trying to drive its host to be more aggressive so that it bites somebody else and spreads more virus."
"they will get this fear of water, a really powerful fear of water...from the virus's perspective, why that would be advantageous. You are trying to transmit virus through biting. So, an animal who can't swallow his virus-filled saliva is gonna be like a loaded gun."
Induced coma (Milwaukee protocol) was thought to be a cure in 2004, but it turns out that particular survivor probably had previously developed antibodies enabling her survival, and "There have been at least 64 cases with failure of the protocol."
Improving plastic removal in the Ocean Cleanup project
https://youtu.be/OYrXldOVkn4?si=jT9JVlO6D1igMlkA
An indoor test model helps improve net design to prevent (4:23) "over-topping and underflow in different wave conditions," to improve retention efficiency.
2025 overview of the projects
Phone thief steals your life savings in minutes
https://youtu.be/gi96HKr2vo8?si=X6sAJZm7mIoeiq5f
Jail interview with a serial phone thief - explains how he exploited people's vulnerability.
Seeking deipnosophists
Do you consider yourself a deipnosophist? - "Someone who is an adept conversationalist, engaging in witty, knowledgeable, or interesting small talk at the table."
DEIPNOSOPHIST. dÄ«pˈnäsÉ™fÉ™̇st.
Still working in their 80's - because of financial mistakes
https://youtu.be/tN-6pT7nsx0?si=xl6XvnuTZbG_WzFG
A sad litany of common financial pitfalls -
Borrowed from retirement savings between jobs
Panicked and sold during stock market crash.
Loaned money to someone.
House failed to sell while in escrow.
Got in debt from traveling
Flaws in human design.
We are "fearfully and wonderfully made," but perhaps not perfectly designed. I remember my Dad commenting on this - things like the sinus drainage at the top instead of the bottom of the sinuses.
I decided to put this into Open Evidence AI search and it have an interesting answer. I had never heard the term "molecular debris" before, not imagined it could refer to the human genome.
What design flaws are there in the human body?
The human body exhibits numerous anatomically and physiologically suboptimal features that reflect evolutionary constraints, developmental tradeoffs, and mismatches between ancestral and modern environments rather than optimal design.[1-2]
Structural and Anatomical Imperfections
Musculoskeletal vulnerabilities are particularly evident. The transition to bipedalism created mechanical stresses that predispose humans to lower back pain, knee problems, and foot disorders—structures originally evolved for quadrupedal locomotion were repurposed rather than redesigned.[1]
The recurrent laryngeal nerve exemplifies poor routing, looping unnecessarily around the aortic arch before reaching the larynx, a consequence of developmental constraints from our fish ancestry.[1]
Complicated human birth results from the evolutionary compromise between bipedalism (requiring a narrow pelvis) and increasing brain size (requiring a large birth canal).[3] This obstetric dilemma makes human childbirth uniquely difficult and dangerous compared to other primates.
Genomic Imperfections
The human genome contains extensive "molecular debris" inconsistent with intelligent design.[4] Pseudogenes (nonfunctional gene remnants), parasitic mobile genetic elements, and needlessly complex regulatory pathways pervade every human genome.[4] De novo mutations collectively cause significant embryonic and fetal mortality, as well as genetic diseases in surviving individuals.[4]
Evolutionary Mismatch
Modern chronic diseases largely reflect mismatch between bodies adapted to ancestral environments and contemporary conditions.[5-7] Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease were rare historically but are now epidemic because traits advantageous in food-scarce environments (efficient energy storage, strong appetite) become maladaptive in calorie-abundant modern settings.[5][7]
The immune system shows both overreaction (autoimmune diseases) and underreaction (susceptibility to novel pathogens) when confronted with modern pathogen exposures, hygiene levels, and dietary patterns that differ radically from ancestral conditions.[7]
Tradeoffs and Constraints
Natural selection optimizes reproductive fitness, not health or longevity.[2][8] This explains why selection has not eliminated genes causing age-related diseases like Alzheimer's and atherosclerosis—which manifest after peak reproductive years when selection pressure weakens.[3][9] Similarly, the female reproductive tract's extensive oocyte atresia (>99.99% loss) and early embryonic loss represent quality-control mechanisms with significant biological costs.[9]
Human anatomy reflects six categories of apparent suboptimality: evolutionary mismatch, coevolutionary pressures, functional tradeoffs, developmental constraints, traits favoring reproduction over individual health, and defensive responses that are protective but uncomfortable.[2]
Christmas Island crabs
https://youtu.be/Zl4A9_SeQmg?si=9xws-OeUXIsMolMB
Arrival of humans in Christmas Island wreaks havoc on a stable ecosystem, one species after another - red crabs, ants, lac scale (think shellac) and ultimately the introduction of parasitic wasps restored the natural order.
Saturday, December 20, 2025
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Synthetic diamonds by DeBeers
3:34 diamonds are transparent to visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light, making them useful for optical windows in lasers or welding equipment. They excel at dissipating heat, which can help keep electronics from overheating, and they can handle extremely high voltages before breaking down, which is why some scientists are studying them as a material for semiconductors.
Monday, December 15, 2025
Sunday, December 14, 2025
Stop asking 'How was school today?' To raise successful kids, ask 7 questions instead
Questions to ask your kids after school and how each developed character and insight.
1. What was the best part of your day?'
This question encourages kids to scan their brains for positives.
2. 'What's a mistake you learned from today?'
This normalizes errors and celebrates healthy risk-taking. Talking openly about mistakes reduces shame.
3. 'Who were you proud of today?
This turns their attention to others and cultivates empathy.
4. 'What's one thing that would have made today better?'
Helps kids identify feelings like frustration and disappointment without dwelling on those experiences. It naturally opens the door to problem-solving and planning.
5. 'Who did you help today?'
Empowers kids to engage in prosocial behavior...kids begin to look for opportunities to be helpful and acts of kindness.
6. 'What was the most interesting thing you learned today?'
Emphasizes curiosity rather than just academic performance.
7. 'What's something new you'd like to try?'
This nudges kids to look outside their comfort zone and encourages them to be courageous.
Amy Morin is a psychotherapist, clinical social worker and instructor at Northeastern University.
Saturday, December 13, 2025
Monday, December 8, 2025
Ed Sheeran's tough year.
10:45 A good look at emotions of going through grief.
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Dextrous robotic manipulators
https://youtu.be/zwDXcNT6Zoc?si=DCozUAfdNrkDiNOG
Quite a breakthrough - silent fast actuators that don't generate heat.
Friday, December 5, 2025
Thursday, December 4, 2025
How the Chinese qwerty keyboard was developed
The Wubi effect - the story of Professor Wang Yongmin, and how he saved Chinese script from the brink of extinction.
Bioluminescence explained
https://radiolab.org/podcast/the-glow-below
At 24 minutes - why deep sea creatures flash back bioluminescence when you flash a light at them
Sunday, November 30, 2025
Thursday, November 27, 2025
Dendrochronology to determine the age of violins
Using photographs of tree-ring patterns on the wood to identify the source wood and date of manufacturer of a violin.
They used this method, and other clues, to prove that Ron Patterson's violin, which he was always told was by Stradivarius' son, was actually an original Strad - which skyrockets its value, especially because it was so well preserved. Heere's the video of presenting the evidence regarding his vollin.
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Do Mattresses Really Double in Weight?
Over years, mattresses can gain a few pounds due to the accumulation of dead skin and dust mites, but they won't double in weight.
A mattress can gain between 10% and 20% of its original weight over a period of 10 years, depending on factors such as the mattress type, the environment, and how well the mattress is maintained. ref
On 8 March 2015, popular Facebook user George Takei published a post...stating that the weight of mattresses doubles every 10 years...attributed to the "accumulation of dust mites and dust mite droppings"...I never quoted that statistic. I told [the reporter] that Internet web sites have statistics that try to strike fear in the consumer...She asked me if any of these statistics have any scientific merit and I told her that none of them are in the literature. To the layman that is NO! ref
Voice actor skills
https://youtube.com/shorts/f13q5O82ewY?si=205pAnAcby511VvN
Same voice actor, various voices for different sales pitches.
Take 2: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19rsTHrCVc/
Monday, November 24, 2025
Home robots
https://youtu.be/qDM5N_1QL9k?si=v-rffxGLf_huLsFt
This home robotics company starts by recording human movements previously with people wearing special gloves, then engineering their robots to copy the same movements.
Jet engine turbine design - pushing the limits
https://youtu.be/QtxVdC7pBQM?si=SMxCdPYqZf4-pIMU
6:12 a 300g turbine blade at full speed generates 20 tonnes of centripetal force.
8:57 great visualization of plastic deformation of a metal lattice using bubbles
13:48 turbine blades start as a wax mold
21:42 the optimal nickel alloy has enough blocks of gamma prime to block dislocations (fractures) but enough gamma structure to keep the metal ductile (resistant to cracking)
23:03 elements added to steel to impart various properties.
26:18 cooling of the molded blade is very gradual to tightly control the crystal structure - directionally solidified with grain crystals oriented in a favorable direction. 31:06 This gives incredible longevity to turbine engines and efficiency.
Thoughts on retiring gradually.
My contribution to the anesthesia discussion group today. For those of you already retired, what do you think?
I never thought I'd be the sterotypic physician that can't find things to do in retirement, because I have many interests.
Enjoying retirement is about finding happiness and purpose, and this video has really great advice about those. I would advise retirement well before their health and cognition mandates retirement, because all the hand-wringing over asking a colleague to quit because of declining function is one of the hardest things anesthesia chiefs have to do.
First, some financial points: A related question is "how much money do I need, and this video about striving for 7 figures may surprise you that it's less than most people think. Remember that every dollar you earn from part-time employment in early retirement allows your nest-egg to continue growing, so here's some advice on choosing a part-time job. Also, consider keeping a substantial part of your nest egg in stocks (the 100 minus age rule) so you keep up with inflation. And learn about the various types of Medicare coverage. Be careful to avoid permanent late-enrollment Medicare fees if you forget to sign up before age 65.
I semi-retired a year ago, now working 2 days a week. Filling those other days is surprisingly hard because of planning around my wife's schedule, I often find myself searching for same-day activities. Much as I'd love to travel, that doesn't work with her schedule easily.
Volunteering has been the most fulfilling activity, though various musculoskeletal problems act up if I overdo it. A local food bank has huge needs for labor and interacting with clients, and that has been good for me.
My interests in drone photography, sailing, and cycling are largely fair-weather activities, and weather is not Seattle's strong point!
So, gradual retirement has been useful for me to think about how to best enjoy my time, and ease into the "4 phases of retirement." I'm still in phase 1.
If I had retired "cold turkey," I think this would've been a challenge for me, and more of a burden on my spouse. (Then again, maybe I would've signed up for weekly volunteering and other activities and more easily filled my schedule, so it's hard to say.) If you and your spouse can retire at the same time, I think that changes the equation substantially.
Every situation is unique, but the resources mentioned above have been useful to me in planning for retirement. Hope this helps.
Novel method to get 3D views from satellites
https://youtu.be/VWdmXlRpL84?si=MLlYbGQAgQ9kRB2J
Using multiple satellite images from slightly off-vertical, they feed the messy combined image into a diffusion model to auto-complete its best guess, and use Gaussian splatting to find the best fit amongst multiple guesses - and the results are surprisingly good.
This effort is important because the alternative to obtain 3D views is flying aircraft at low altitude with multiple cameras and passes, which is expensive and can be impossible in restricted areas or conflict zones.
Sunday, November 23, 2025
The Streisand effect
"Attempts to suppress information sometimes invoke extensive publicity, becoming viral over the Internet or being distributed on file-sharing networks. Seeking or obtaining an injunction to prohibit something from being published or to remove something that is already published can lead to increased publicity of the published work.
The Streisand effect has been described as an example of psychological reactance, wherein once people are aware that some information is being kept from them, they are significantly more motivated to acquire and spread it.
Crows trained to pick up garbage in Sweden
https://youtu.be/TklOxbWfRDM?si=43PC59nC8B1s8SYS
Update: Sad to report that this experiment is probably false, according to Snopes. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/sweden-crows-cigarette-butts/
Crows are being recruited to pick up discarded cigarette butts from the streets and squares of a Swedish city as part of a cost-cutting drive. The wild birds carry out the task as they receive a little food for every butt that they deposit in a bespoke machine...[The town currently] spends 20m Swedish kronor (£1.6m) on street cleaning...He estimates his method could save at least 75% of costs involved with picking up cigarette butts in the city. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/01/swedish-crows-pick-up-cigarette-butts-litter
France is trying it too.
https://youtu.be/zk644QrklNE?si=EGQCX3e0HjYVVwse
Cigarette filters contain cellulose acetate, a plastic. Although it disintegrates within a few months, the chemicals that leach out to them are " acutely toxic to freshwater invertebrates, even at 1 butt per liter. ref
Friday, November 21, 2025
Robot fluidity
https://youtu.be/Ev_rBCTZHBw?si=VUuDPXg8njfSknYR
If this truly is not being tele-operated and is not time-lapse, that's impressive smoothness.
It would be interesting to know how autonomous this is or whether it was given very specific commands like "pick up the red package and take it to the nearest counter if the living room rug" vs "go get the package outside for the kids."
Aircraft collides with an object at 36,000 feet
https://www.facebook.com/share/1CmbzKtAyw/
I'm impressed with how thorough the investigation is, according to this report.
he noticed an object distant on the horizon. Before he could mention the object to the first officer (FO), there was a significant impact...data was requested for the position of weather balloons, any other aircraft, and for any known reentry objects that were large enough to have signification portions survive that might have been in the area of the collision. WindBorne Systems Inc. reported that they lost contact with one of their global sounding balloons...There was a Notice to Airman....for the balloon launch operations at Spokane that expired at 1700 MDT the same day...a balloon envelope [with] a ballast system for altitude control...designed with the intent to minimize harm in the event of an impact during flight or landing. No large metal or high-stiffness structural elements are employed...[the aircraft's] windshield consists of a thermally tempered glass pane, a conductive heating film for deice capabilities, a urethane interlayer, a vinyl interlayer, a urethane interlayer, and a thermally tempered glass pane... certified to withstand the impact of a four-pound bird without penetration...
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