Not much cooler than. . .

Not much cooler than. . .


'Living Fossil' Discovered In Pacific Ocean.  Of course it isn't a chunk-of-rock-fossil.  The term was coined by Darwin (THAT Darwin) refering to a species that is practically unchanged over geologic eras.  This recent find was a tiny eel in a deep sea cave near Palau, and was appropriately named Protoanguilla palau.  Basically, we've discovered a dinosaur.  


Thorium Powered Cars: A Million Miles Without Refuelling.  In the 1950s thorium was researched as a power source for mega-bombers.  The concept was dropped, maybe because folks wanted uranium for nuclear bombs more than thorium for cheap power back then.  Thorium only emits alpha radiation, which is weak enough that it can't penetrate human skin, much less the container for a reactor.  A single gram of thorium equals the energy of 7,500 gallons of gasoline and it's as common as lead and far more abundant than uranium in the Earth's crust. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the U.S. has reserves of 440,900 tons of thorium.  Using new techniques, Laser Power Systems in Connecticut wants to build a 400lb thorium powered generator that will power a car 'til the wheels fall off.


Life on Mars? Fossil Find Shows It's Possible.  Recent findings suggests early Earth life was sulphur-based.  Micro-organisms metabolized sulphur rather than oxygen for energy, which supports the idea that similar life forms could exist on other planets where oxygen levels are low or non-existent.  Fossils in Australia and say their microscopic discovery is convincing evidence that cells and bacteria were able to thrive in an oxygen-free world more than 3.4 billion years ago.


Diamond Particles Found in Candle Flames, Scottish Scientists Say.  You thought candles were romantic, but never knew why, right?  Turns out nano-particles of diamond are formed by the millions in the center of a candle's flame.  In fact, several other special forms of carbon were found there as well.  Dr. Wuzong Zhou, from the University of St. Andrews in eastern Scotland, began the study of candle flames when a friend from another university pointed out during a discussion that science didn't know what was going on in a candle's flame.


I love being here, now.  Don't you?