SD Science Junction

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Scroll down for recent posts.  Check page menu at top of left column for more information about South Dakota Science Junction and posting and commenting here.  Suggestions welcome. Thanks for taking a look here and hope you find something interesting and maybe even useful for development of science and technology and related industries here in South Dakota.

*** College lectures archaic practice left over from Gutenberg Press days

I have sat through perhaps thousands of University course lectures and wondered since the first day if there couldn't be a better way to do this.  A professor or graduate assistant standing at the front of the room droning on with information that does not relate in a useful way to text material is something left over from 100s of  years ago when books were very scarce and very expensive.  That is not the case now and has not been for many years.

Right now (noon to 1PM, Jan 4, 2012) SDPB-Radio is running a program from American Radio Works titled "Don't Lecture Me".  The gist of it suggests that science and math lecture instruction is currently very ineffective uses of professors' and students' time. 

College instruction which is aimed primarily at sorting out unworthies such as that at SDSM&T prevents serious consideration of alternate instruction systems which might not waste the time and lives of 2/3 of the students who start at SDSM&T. 

If you want to get an idea of how science instruction/education must be changed if the US is not to languish in Science and technology becoming the equivalent of a third-world science country, listen to  "Don't Lecture Me". 

Systems based on scarcities of year 1440, do not make sense in 2012 and haven't made sense for many years.  Faculty administrators and professors have a cushy familiar system which benefits them primarily and their students only secondarily or thirdly or worsely {I know, but as my daughter used to say, "It could have been wuss, mommy.").

The South Dakota Board of Regents is failing nearly completely to seriously consider the time and resources of students.  The whole South Dakotahigher education system needs very fundamental re-working based on how humans actually learn.  But, don't hold your breath, this should have been obvious nearly 100 years ago.

by Doug Wiken opinion based Public Radio and enduring a score of years listening to lectures.

 

*** Exploit Ethanol advantages in engines designed for the high Octane Fuel

I suspect every real scientist is aware of the advantages of ethanol as a fuel, but also the disadvantage that by weight, ethanol has only about 66% as much energy as does gasoline. Alcohol does have the advantage of a 100 Octane however and that allows higher compression engines and relatively high turbo boost pressures.

Recently on Dakota Midday at SDPB-Radio, "Bob" the Caller, made it seem that ethanol was some kind of devil's plot because he could not run it in his old motorcycles or if he did he got reduced mileages.  He kept ranting until it appeared he was saying that ethanol had negative energy since he claimed more gasoline would be needed with the more alcohol used.  This is total nonsense even if alcohol used with lower compression ratios has only 66% of the energy of gasoline.

Yesterday, I read an article in CAR AND DRIVER titled too cutely "Driving under the Influence".  Even so, it has interesting information and history.  Take a look at an image of the page below.  Click on it for a larger version.

Click for larger more readable version.  Sized to print well on lettersize paper.

We in South Dakota already produce ethanol, and can produce methanol using our stranded wind energy.  Research and development or intelligent tinkering with existing engines to run optimally with alcohol would seem to be in the interests of the South Dakota economic development.  SDSM&T Mechanical Engineering and Chemistry Departments and the same at SDSU might think about some research projects for students using the ideas suggested in the CAR AND DRIVER article.  Get Car and Driver

-------- Written by Doug Wiken with information from Car and Driver Magazine.

*** Butanol, ethanol, methanol, etc

NPR Science Friday (Sept 2, 2011) just interviewed David Mullin of Tulane University concerning his research  on using biomass such as newspaper to produce butanol.

Wikipedia on Butanol fuel  has information comparing energy density of fuels and more information on producing such fuel.

Mullin discussed an idea which has seemed to make sense to me for sometime.  Oil refineries such as that planned by Hyperion in South Dakota should have adjacent facilities which might use some of the waste heat energy to speed production of ethanol or butanol.  Getting such arrangements worked out by competing energy systems might only occur if government regulation required it.  Don't hold you breath waiting for South Dakota regulators to do anything that sensible however.

I hope to have more information on this later.  Actually I had more information here and wonderful Typepad decided that it should be deleted.  It has taken to highlighting text by itself which makes a mess of trying to add information and then finding a paragraph of links has been deleted instead.

--- Written (partially finished even) by Douglas Wiken based on NPR Science Friday story

*** Pretty enough to be church windows

A Discovery site has a collection of images of prehistoric (40 million years or more old) feathers captured in amber. The images in the album almost look like photos of stained glass church windows.

Color Images of Dinosaur feathers in Amber  

All seriousness aside, I suspect these images are less likely to appear in church window art than images of St. George slaying dragons. 

Science work is a tool for slaying mythology.

--- written by Doug Wiken with information from DISCOVER and Wikipedia

*** What about 10,000 engineering internships in Obama Jobs speech?

In his recent speech to Congress concerning job growth in the USA, President Obama stated the following:

Already, we’ve mobilized business leaders to train 10,000 American engineers a year, by providing company internships and training. Other businesses are covering tuition for workers who learn new skills at community colleges. And we’re going to make sure the next generation of manufacturing takes root, not in China or Europe, but right here, in the United States of America. If we provide the right incentives and support — and if we make sure our trading partners play by the rules — we can be the ones to build everything from fuel-efficient cars to advanced biofuels to semiconductors that are sold all over the world. That’s how America can be number one again. That’s how America will be number one again.

I haven't searched for more information on that, but it would seem that might offer some extra opportunity for South Dakota engineering students at SDSM&T and SUSD and also perhaps for companies employing engineers in South Dakota.  If you have more information, let everybody know with a comment.

*** By Douglas Wiken

 

Double-Stranded RNA (dsRNA) Activated Caspase Oligomerizer (DRACO)

Some interesting news in the anti-virus world.  This appears to be very significant if it can be made to work with humans and made at a reasonable price. Read the whole article.

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) Activated Caspase Oligomerizer (DRACO)

Some more important research funded at least partly by what the GOP loons of the right wing fringes attack as evil big brother.

Below is the abstract of the article.  Not that I understand much of it.

Currently there are relatively few antiviral therapeutics, and most which do exist are highly pathogen-specific or have other disadvantages. We have developed a new broad-spectrum antiviral approach, dubbed Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) Activated Caspase Oligomerizer (DRACO) that selectively induces apoptosis in cells containing viral dsRNA, rapidly killing infected cells without harming uninfected cells. We have created DRACOs and shown that they are nontoxic in 11 mammalian cell types and effective against 15 different viruses, including dengue flavivirus, Amapari and Tacaribe arenaviruses, Guama bunyavirus, and H1N1 influenza. We have also demonstrated that DRACOs can rescue mice challenged with H1N1 influenza. DRACOs have the potential to be effective therapeutics or prophylactics for numerous clinical and priority viruses, due to the broad-spectrum sensitivity of the dsRNA detection domain, the potent activity of the apoptosis induction domain, and the novel direct linkage between the two which viruses have never encountered.

Not sure if any of this has significance for any South Dakota researchers, but I hope some find this interesting if they have missed the story so far.

**Post by Douglas Wiken with information from PLoS One originally found at DWS (Drive We Said) Forum.

 

Interesting Linux Distro. pinguyOS loaded with 50 applications

[Note:Several updates to this post at end]] Linux is used in all kinds of applications scientific and otherwise.  Some really powerful systems running dozens or hundreds of computers or processors are using Linux. Even so, I have not messed much with it.  A year or two ago, I ran a Mint version from a DVD, but did not install it to a hard drive.  Recently the CPU Magazine  pages 84 to 86 had an article on the PinguyOS Linux distro or distribution titled "Pinguy OS: Linux for Dummies".  It is based on Ubunto, but comes with 50 applications setup and ready to run.  As CPU indicates this is a bit ironical because it seems more Mac-like than traditional Linux.

The CPU Magazine writer seemed reasonably impressed, so I looked up The Pinguy Site and started the long download.  Despite Golden West Technology touting the new advanced speeds, the 1.3 gigabyte download took over 1 hour.  That got it onto a flash drive.  Getting the ISO file to a DVD so it would run from the DVD apparently required another program IMGBURN.  The Imgburn program was found via information at this Ask Leo about ISO files and Using them By the time I got done with all that and actually got PinguyOS to run from the DVD (put DVD in Drive,Turn off computer, restart), I was about convinced the $5.99  for a ready-made DVD offered via the pinguy site made some sense.

But, it did run and was definitely interesting.  I had another old computer circa 2002 purchased at a school auction with only 512k of memory.  The Boot-up program on the DVD allowed installation with another operating system or it would delete the existing OS and install PinguyOS.  What the heck, gone was Windows XP on that computer.  Another hour later and the OS was installed from the DVD running on a portable DVD drive connected via USB 2.0 which might be a slow way to do it.

About all that was required was to sit patiently and at some point enter a user name and password. Then wait.  Finally it was running after a reboot.  Frankly, I still don't know much about the system or even recognize all the programs that came with it, but if you have been waiting for a Linux system that is Windows or Maclike, this may be it.  Using one of the programs already installed, I got a screen capture which is below.  You will need the System options for date and time and your password to set the computer date and time incidentally.

Once installed on a computer with 512K of RAM, and a 1.8mh Celeron, from turning computer on to pinguyOS being completely loaded required something between 2.5 and 3.0 minutes.

Click on image for a larger version.

Above is the resulting screen image after clicking on the blue ball icon at top left of the menu.  Apparently Dockey and Mint-Menu are used to get the reasonably intuitive interface set up.  If you are familiar with Windows versions, the icons at bottom for Mozzilla Firefox broweer and Thunderbird mail program should be familiar.  The cone shaped icon is for the VLS video viewer and converter which will run just about anykind of video and is also a Windows program.

Below is a jpg showing a file or application list that was copied from the CPU magazine article:

Click on image for larger version.

I don't yet know what all these programs actually do, but it appears that with the included Open Office database, spreadsheet, word processor, presentation programs, plus the video and media related programs and utilities that this is a pretty comprehensive system.  Your perspectives on this are welcome of course.

The builder of the PinguyOS is a guy named Antoni Norman.  It looks like he has put together the system he aimed at; ie, a Linux system his friends and family could use without a lot of handholding and yet find nearly everything they would expect to find in a modern easy-to-use operating system.

Let me know what you think of this essentially free system.  South Dakota schools and Universities could do worse than adopt LINUX systems like this one and save themselves and their students some significant money.  If you want to try it with essentially zero hassle let me know and I may be able to make a few DVD copies essentially for the cost of the DVD, Envelope, and postage...likely a buck or two.   For more information, email Part_A@Part_B.Part_C  where "Part_A" is "wikenaxs" , and "Part_B is "gwtc", and "Part_C" is "net".

[[Note of Dec 19, 2010 by Doug Wiken: I just noticed this blog post was noted by a site devoted to Linux distributions..   Distro Watch  If Linux interests you, Distrowatch may be a good site to check for most recent news. ]]]

[[Added Note Dec 23, 2010 by Doug Wiken: I downloaded the list of installed "packages" from the pinguyOS site.  The txt file expanded from the TAR file listed over 1800 packages as being installed when the pinguy distro is installed.  No wonder it takes awhile to install.]]]]

[[ Note by DougW added Jan 2.2011: While sorting through some computer magazines, I stumbled onto an article in a recent Maximum PC that discussed a  program which allowed ISO files to be converted so they would run off a flash drive.  Versions of UNetbooin for Windows and Linux are available.  I have downloaded these, but have not tried either.  Your mileage may vary, etc.  Homepage and Download of UNetbooin   More information on UNetbootin at Wikipedia  and a how-to article at PenDriveLinux .   If you use GuypinOS or UNetbootin, add a comment or two here. ]]]

--- Written by Douglas Wiken with information from CPU Magazine by Sandhills Press and PinguyOS and other sites in story above. (CPUMAG is worth subscription price.  Almost every issue has useful or interesting information).

 

Fund both research on science and engineering, but also on teaching these courses effectively

At the same time we are hearing calls for balancing the US budget by slashing the budget for research and education, a lot of magazines are ending the year with reports on the top 50 inventions, science developments, etc. Some great ideas come from people with no formal engineering or science experience, but most require advanced study. The complexity of modern devices, computers, communications, medicine, biology, botany, cancer research, genetics research, etc all require years of preparation.

The position of the US in the world literally depends on greatly increased research rather than on reducing government aid for research. Some government money never produces anything obviously, but it may also almost never be obvious at the start of research whether it will result in just another needless consumer gadget or become the basis for whole new industries and profit centers which then can and should be taxed.

Anybody watching something besides Fox News and reading more than TEA “Party” propaganda will be aware of the current concern for lagging US science and math education and research. The sheer number of researchers and scientists in India and China by themselves requires the US do a much better job of science education by funding better teaching at both K-12 levels, but also in colleges and universities as well as research at those institutions..both in the sciences themselves, but also in best methods of instruction which don't grossly waste student's time and resources.

The education of scientists and engineers will fall far short of needs if professors intent on research consider students only as necessary evils who don’t warrant maintaining published office hours or worth consultation…or even good teaching or relevant fair testing.. let alone providing relevant relations to current engineering and science questions and work.

--- Doug Wiken...still looking for others to add relevant posts here.

Dreams, real and virtual reality and Charlie Rose "Brain" series

I seldom think much about my boring dreams and seldom remember any until morning coffee.  But this morning was a bit different.   I remembered in a dream  trying to use Krazy Glue to repair broken software.  Something needed to be literally glued into place in the program.

That struck me this morning as being a wonderful confusion of real and virtual reality but which may have also have had something to do with my wife requesting me to glue a ceramic handle onto a brass center of a faucet on a bathroom vanity.

More seriously, over the past year, Charlie Rose has been running programs about once a month on the wonders of the human brain and the also wonderful research that brain allows scientists to do.

I have seen most of the programs, but my ability to remember information from TV shows seems to be nearly fatally flawed compared to what I can read on the pages of a book.  I think the series warrants a book, and it also warrants a collection for sale for $5 or so to all schools and colleges. Unfortunately, Charlie Rose and most of the public TV programs think they must get $24.95 or some such absurd price for something that costs about 15 cents to manufacture.  I can understand they also want to make some money for production of future programs, but they might also consider seriously reducing the prices in the interests of getting more of it into schools and libraries.

But, I guess that may also be just a dream.  If you want to learn more about the series, check the following link   Charlie Rose "Brain" Series 

--Written by Douglas Wiken with contributions from too late in the night public TV and indigestion-driven dreams.

Popular Science and Google team up...archive now open

Back in the middle 1950's, I had a pile of Popular Science magazines about 3 feet high.  These were complete with "Model Garage" stories about "Gus Wilson" by Martin Bunn, hints from the model garage, etc.  Unfortunately, my family mostly discarded all old magazines including one of the first LIFE magazines and a computer magazine with the first personal computer.  I suspect both those issues would be worth a chunk of money now.

But fortunately, Google and Popular Science have partnered.  I found the link in Golden Wests E-mail newsletter.  One of the first there that seemed interesting.  Anyway, below is text explaining the site and a link.  Sometimes "popular science" is "popular hokum", but you can stroll back through the memory lanes of "science".

We've partnered with Google to offer our entire 137-year archive for free browsing. Each issue appears just as it did at its original time of publication, complete with period advertisements. It's an amazing resource that beautifully encapsulates our ongoing fascination with the future, and science and technology's incredible potential to improve our lives. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. In the future, we'll be adding more advanced features for searching and browsing, but for now, enter any keyword into the box below and dive in.

Popular Science Archives

Hope you find it interesting and amusing...even if it might not be otherwise strictly "useful". Prepare to spend some time scrolling through page after page of old ads just as you did if you ever read the magazine. Also, it appears that something like a random ten issues turn up rather than every issue related to your search.

--- By Douglas Wiken with information from Golden West Technology and Popular Science --