1

New Theories / Re: Cathode rays are actually not cathode rays

« on: 10/12/2019 00:04:10 »

The assertion that every TV or oscilloscope uses a cathode ray tube of some sort is about 10 years out of date they have long since been superseded. 

2

That CAN'T be true! / Re: Does mobile phone tower radiation pose health problems?

« on: 06/12/2019 23:53:07 »

Ones impression of the sequence of events does not always coincide with their actual physical sequence your brain will sometimes work out a possible explanation for a stimulus before letting the actual stimulus thru. 

3

Geek Speak / How near random are national lottery winning numbers

« on: 06/12/2019 19:25:33 »

For theatrical effect the winning number is produced by a crude mechanical machine blowing out marked balls.
There are of course more subtle ways of producing near random numbers how does the method used compare with the best of them.

4

The Environment / Re: Do plastics in the ocean contribute to global warming?

« on: 05/12/2019 21:45:26 »

I feel confident that plastic eating microbes will soon evolve and deal with the problem.

5

Technology / Re: Have any useful results been produced by quantum computers yet?

« on: 01/12/2019 08:37:57 »

I remember the publicity about ENIAC in the 1940,s about how computers were going to change the world, well I suppose in a way they really have but it took 50 years or so to get going.

6

Technology / Have any useful results been produced by quantum computers yet?

« on: 30/11/2019 12:09:14 »

Quantum computers seem to be very good at calculating such things as how many factors has 15 albeit at vast expense but has any computation been done with them that could not have been done by a conventional computer.

7

New Theories / Re: Would a block of NAD+ to specifically only tumor cells kill them?

« on: 29/11/2019 22:23:57 »

My neighbours father survives after massive Metastasis with the aid of antibody treatment albeit at vast cost after three years it can be done but only if you live in the USA with generous insurence

8

General Science / Re: Are man-made things the nemesis of nature?

« on: 25/11/2019 18:50:19 »

When people live in a community and want to share out the tasks and benefits money is very useful think how much bookkeeping would be involved if we tried to work out what effort each has contributed and how each should be rewarded

9

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: What is the Bernoulli Principle?

« on: 23/11/2019 14:24:27 »

Take care to have some current limiting arrangement in the circuit or you may well destroy both wires and battery

10

Geek Speak / Re: How do you refill an empty laser printer cartridge with fresh toner?

« on: 20/11/2019 21:01:55 »

An interesting problem there must be something in the printer electronics that interrogates something on the cartridge and finding it empty or more likely just finds no printing is taking place and blames it on the cartridge which shuts down printing attempts with the error message empty cartridge until a commercially filled cartridge is put in that somehow resets it.
I would like to put your home filled cartridge in a working printer which would show from whence the shut down instruction is coming  but beware you might end up with two non working printers !
Does the cartridge have one of transparent spiral things stuck on it that supermarkets use to stop you sneaking a bottle of whisky out they are deactivated by a strong pulse that burns out a diode ?.
Does your printer have a battery in the electronics to retain the memory that it has sent out an empty cartridge warning and has not been reset.
does it have a small plug in 8 leg chip like motherboards have that could be replaced.
lots of things to try I would like to get my hands on it I hate anti piracy devices and suchlike.
See if you can borrow a working cartridge and put that in it might reset it.

 

11

Technology / Re: Is this a stunning breakthrough in petrol engine thermal efficiency?

« on: 18/11/2019 13:15:27 »

`Although this would seem to offer economic advantages we must look to the example of the A380 which proved to be a failure be cause it was to big to fill up.
How would the extra load carrying capacity be used I can only think for freight if there was a need which would surely slow down the turn round time for the aircraft with loss of revenue.
As for aircraft taking a polar route from Japan to the UK let me recount my experience flying in from Korea we were scheduled to make a refuelling stop at Frankfurt taking a more southerly route (probably due to the promise of a favourable jet stream ) which took us along at a ground speed of 750 mph and made a Frankfurt stop not needed.

12

Technology / Re: Is this a stunning breakthrough in petrol engine thermal efficiency?

« on: 17/11/2019 21:06:07 »

Maybe flying into London from Japan you could refuel over Iran if you could solve the political problems

13

Technology / Re: Is this a stunning breakthrough in petrol engine thermal efficiency?

« on: 16/11/2019 22:37:40 »

 "air-to-air refuelling of airliners" would make for a bit of excitement on an otherwise boring trip but I wonder about the economics.

14

Chemistry / Re: Help on how to prolong lava stage of thermite

« on: 15/11/2019 19:53:25 »

I have seen pictures of industrial plant where they store molten Iron in special insulated containers and transport it to a different part of the plant by rail.
I recall an accident when water got into one of the containers causing an explosion killing several workers

15

Technology / Re: Quantum computing and security?

« on: 12/11/2019 21:35:31 »

Cryptography is mostly done by low cunning or torture at least that was how it was done at Bletchley park when only pretty basic electromechanical computers were available ,you look for operating errors the encoders may have made   

16

That CAN'T be true! / Re: Do you weigh less when the moon is directly overhead?

« on: 10/11/2019 11:52:56 »

I expect there to be no shielding effect but would like to see it demonstrated with a high resolution gravity meter, negative results are as important as positive ones

17

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Charged metal plate blocks/absorbs gamma radiation bette then a uncharged plate?

« on: 09/11/2019 08:45:38 »

Sorry to be pedantic but arithmetic accuracy is important in scientific discussions so I will point out that 1 part in 3000 is 0.033%.

18

Chemistry / Re: Ice reaction to a specific unknown metal/alloy

« on: 09/11/2019 08:37:05 »

Can Sodium be alloyed with any other metals so that the reaction is not so violent ?

19

That CAN'T be true! / Re: Do you weigh less when the moon is directly overhead?

« on: 09/11/2019 08:29:46 »

As for the shielding effect I know of course when they are roughly in line there is enhanced gravity but is there any effect for the few minutes of the total eclipse, now that high resolution gravity meters are available this should be easy to check.
As matter is almost transparent to Neutrinos I would expect it to be even more so to the vastly less massive Gravitons but I would like to see experimental verification.

20

New Theories / Re: The theory of vortex gravity, cosmology

« on: 09/11/2019 08:16:35 »

Although I am in agreement with the explanation for the superluminal speed of the Neutrinos in the quoted experiment I see no reason why Neutrinos should not travel faster than light (by a tiny amount) in inter galactic space.
inter galactic space is not completely empty and Photons interact far more with matter than Neutrinos.