Sunday 17 August 2014

Comfortable climate indoors with porous glass

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Proper humidity and temperature play a key role in indoor climate. In the future, establishing a comfortable indoor environment may rely on porous glass incorporated into plaster, as this regulates moisture particularly well and keeps mold at bay. Almost nothing worries tenants and homeowners more than mildewed or moldy walls. The black spots are not just ugly; they also pose a danger to people’s health. More than anything else, stringent insulation standards governing living spaces can lead to more moisture, which is the main cause of mildew or mold. In 2002, the German federal government brought in energy saving regulations stating that the external components of new and renovated buildings must be made air-tight to ensure that as little heat as possible escapes. The flip side is that excess moisture becomes trapped inside. “That’s why humidity-regulating materials are becoming increasingly important,” says Ferdinand Somorowksy, researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg.Particularly fast water absorptionIn collaboration with Bayreuth University and the company Keimfarben GmbH, the researcher and his team are developing supplements for paint and plaster that have a compensating effect on indoor climate and humidity in particular. The project partners have selected artificially manufactured porous glass

The post Comfortable climate indoors with porous glass has been published on Technology Org.

 
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Vintage Astronomy Star Chart ~ Canis Major - Lepus Poster

Here's a great poster featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: astrology, zodiac, constellations, decor, fine art, art, universe, old, world, star maps, signs, space, map, maps, world maps, vintage maps, antique map, antique maps, ancient, ancient maps, history, ancient history, artwork, vintage artwork, vintage art, unique, unusual, neat, cool, room decor, wall decor, den decor, framed prints, framed posters, framed art, canvas, the vintage vamp, thevintagevamp

A wonderful antique star chart depicting the constellation of Canis Major, Lepus, Columba Noachi and Cela Sculptoris. Canis Major is a constellation, included in the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy's 48 constellations, and still included among the 88 modern constellations. Its name is Latin for 'greater dog', and is commonly represented as one of the dogs following Orion. Lepus is a constellation lying just south of the celestial equator. Its name is Latin for hare. Lepus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations; although the hare does not represent any particular figure in Greek mythology. This wonderful old constellation chart would be perfect for your home wall decor. Add a frame and it would make the perfect retro decoration in your bar, cafe, restaurant, home theater, office or kitchen. Framed canvas prints also make an exceptional gift for any occasion or holiday.

At The Vintage Vamp we obtain high quality images of vintage artwork. Then we use state of the art technology and editing to bring back to life the most compelling images from the past. Unlike a lot of reproductions sold on the Internet, ours have been refurbished to bring out the original colors and fix as many imperfections as possible. We use only PNG format and the largest PPI (pixels per inch) possible, which is the very best for printing. This assures that your image will print with the highest quality possible, no matter what size you choose. Credit: Library of Congress & Wikipedia




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Water and air are all you need to make one of world’s most important chemicals

Science Focus

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Researchers have developed a method to produce ammonia starting only with air and water. Not only is it more energy efficient than the century-old Haber-Bosch process that’s currently in use, but it’s also greener.

The ability to mass produce Ammonia—made up of three parts hydrogen and one part nitrogen (or NH3)—has had a momentous impact on society. Without the ready availability of this chemical, it is estimated that as many as a third of us won't be alive. This is because its main use is in fertilizer production, which has helped improve crop yields and sustain a large population.

Developed in 1909, the Haber-Bosch process—often cited as the most important invention of the 20th century—involves heating nitrogen and hydrogen gas at very high temperature and pressure in presence of an iron catalyst. The presence of the catalyst, which doesn't take part in the reaction but lowers its energy threshold, is vital. Haber-Bosch was used to produce about 140 million tons of ammonia in 2012, but it consumes nearly two percent of the world's energy supply.

Read 10 remaining paragraphs | Comments

 
#science 
 » see original post http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/science/~3/Urp6jiGlfzI/
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Mathematicians formalize a method to measure how wrong we are

Science Focus

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Statistical analysis is an indispensable tool in most of today’s science. John Turkey, one of the most important statisticians of the second part of the 20th century and a person who coined the term “software” once said that “’the best thing about being a statistician is that you get to play in everyone’s backyard.” Despite being used in almost every field of research ranging from quantum mechanics to sociology and meteorology, conceptually it can easily regress into a kind of argumentative loop, for given a statistical account of the way things are, one may ask what is the probability that this particular account is true? Although it is a question of great philosophical depth, pondered by thinkers working in the field of epistemology, it is a priori impossible to provide a probability that any model is true, because the model itself is an attempt at truth or its possibly successful approximation. But, doing what is available, scientists have devised methods to measure the possible distance between true (statistical) state of the world and the description that is assigned to it via some measurement process. One of such methods is called Kullback-Leibler divergence and it measures the amount of information gained

The post Mathematicians formalize a method to measure how wrong we are has been published on Technology Org.

 
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 » see original post http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TechnologyOrgPhysicsNews/~3/IAF3dgugT4s/
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Rosetta: Comet probe starts work

Science Focus

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A week after arriving at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Europe's Rosetta probe is busy acquiring the information needed to select a landing site. 
#science 
 » see original post http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28741244#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
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Orion Nebula and Trapezium Stars Sticker

Here's a great sheet of stickers featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: envelope sealers, ornebcsfr, awesome astronomy images, orion nebula, emission nebula, trapezium stars, emission nebulae, dust clouds, hot young stars, star nursery, new born stars

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series A gorgeous picture from the deep universe featuring the bubbling, seething mass of gas and dust that is the Orion Nebula, 1500 light years away and the closest star-forming region to us. The nebula is a star nursery in which there are birthing, new-born, young and adult stars. Look carefully in the brightest central region and you'll see the Trapezium, four of the most massive stars in Orion.

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image code: ornebcsfr

Image credit: NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team

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Jupiter and Venus from Earth

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Zazzle Space Gifts for young and old

Helix Nebula Hubble Wall Graphics

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: helix nebula, planetary nebula, eye of god, astronomy, milky way, nebula photo, nasa, universe, nature, cool space, nebula photograph, nebula, esa, outer space, hubble telescope, hubble space telescope, hubble photo, cosmos, astronomical, astrophotography, cosmology, space photo, ngc 7293, space picture, space image, deep space, space, natural, science, abstract, eye, cool astronomy

Hubble photograph of the Helix Nebula

This eye-like composite photograph of the Helix Nebula is created from images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and Chile's Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. It shows orange-coloured gaseous clouds around a blue central area.

Credit: NASA, ESA, C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt University), and M. Meixner, P. McCullough, and G. Bacon ( Space Telescope Science Institute)

You can personalise the design further if you'd prefer, such as by adding your name or other text, or adjusting the image - just click 'Customize it' to see all the options. IMPORTANT: If you choose a different sized version of the product, it's important to click Customize and check the image in the Design view to ensure it fills the area to the edge of the product, otherwise white edges may be visible.

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Spiral Galaxy NGC 1672 by the Hubble Telescope iPad Mini Case

Here's a great iPad case from Zazzle featuring a Hubble-related design. Maybe you'd like to see your name on it? Click to personalize and see what it's like!


tagged with: galaxy, ngc, 1672, astronomy, space, ngc 1672, spiral galaxy, outer space, hubble, hubble telescope, hubble space telescope

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope view of the nearby barred spiral galaxy NGC 1672 unveils details in the galaxy’s star-forming clouds and dark bands of interstellar dust. NGC 1672 is more than 60 million light-years away in the direction of the southern constellation Dorado. These observations of NGC 1672 were taken with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys in August of 2005. Sign up to Mr. Rebates for FREE and save 12% on any zazzle order in addition to a $5.00 sign up bonus All Rights Reserved; without: prejudice, recourse or notice (U.C.C. 1-308) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NGC_1672_HST.jpg galaxy ngc 1672 astronomy space "ngc 1672" "spiral galaxy" "outer space" hubble "hubble telescope" "hubble space telescope"

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Biosynthesis of natural products with unique structures

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The oxazoline ring (C₃H₅NO) with a methyl group at position 4 is rarely found in natural products; almost all of the methyloxazoline moieties observed in natural products are 5-methyloxazoline. Although 5-methyloxazoline has been shown to be derived from threonine, an amino acid, the means by which the 4-methyloxazoline moiety is produced is unknown. Researchers of the University of Tokyo and AIST have been studying the biosynthesis pathway of JBIR-34 and -35 in Streptomyces sp. Sp080513GE-23, which are nonribosomal peptides containing a 4-methyloxazoline moiety. Here, they showed that the biosynthetic origin of the unusual 4-methyloxazoline moiety is alpha-methylserine and identified JBIR-34 and -35 biosynthetic enzymes, including the alpha-methylserine synthase FmoH and the nonribosomal peptide synthetase FmoA3 that utilizes alpha-methylserine to synthesize 4-methyloxazoline by cyclization. Many nonribosomal peptides, for example vancomycin and daptomycin, have antibiotic properties and are used as pharmaceuticals, and therefore many researchers all over the world aim to produce unnatural nonribosomal peptides by combinatorial biosynthesis, a genetic engineering method. The results from the University of Tokyo and AIST will expand the variety of nonribosomal peptides synthesized by this method and contribute to the development of new drugs. Source: University of Tokyo

The post Biosynthesis of natural products with unique structures has been published on Technology Org.

 
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Vintage Astronomy Star Chart Planisphaeri Coeleste Posters

Here's a great poster featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: historian, maps, travel, old, world, decor, fine art, art, history, geography, panoramic, vintage map, vintage maps, antique map, antique maps, ancient, ancient maps, old world, historic, historical, ancient history, artwork, vintage artwork, vintage art, framed prints, framed posters, framed art, canvas, travel posters, vintage travel, antique travel, room decor, wall decor, den decor, vamp, the vintage vamp, thevintagevamp

A wonderful antique star chart depicting the constellations titled Planispaeri Coeleste This wonderful old constellation chart would be perfect for your home wall decor. Add a frame and it would make the perfect retro decoration in your bar, cafe, restaurant, home theater, office or kitchen. Framed canvas prints also make an exceptional gift for any occasion or holiday.

At The Vintage Vamp we obtain high quality images of vintage artwork. Then we use state of the art technology and editing to bring back to life the most compelling images from the past. Unlike a lot of reproductions sold on the Internet, ours have been refurbished to bring out the original colors and fix as many imperfections as possible. We use only PNG format and the largest PPI (pixels per inch) possible, which is the very best for printing. This assures that your image will print with the highest quality possible, no matter what size you choose. Credit: Library of Congress & Wikipedia




»visit the TheVintageVamp store for more designs and products like this
Click to customize with size, paper type etc.
via Zazzle Astronomy market place

Helix Nebula Hubble Wall Decor

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: helix nebula, planetary nebula, eye of god, astronomy, milky way, nebula photo, nasa, universe, nature, cool space, nebula photograph, nebula, esa, outer space, hubble telescope, hubble space telescope, hubble photo, cosmos, astronomical, astrophotography, cosmology, space photo, ngc 7293, space picture, space image, deep space, space, natural, science, abstract, eye, cool astronomy

Hubble photograph of the Helix Nebula

This eye-like composite photograph of the Helix Nebula is created from images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and Chile's Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. It shows orange-coloured gaseous clouds around a blue central area.

Credit: NASA, ESA, C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt University), and M. Meixner, P. McCullough, and G. Bacon ( Space Telescope Science Institute)

You can personalise the design further if you'd prefer, such as by adding your name or other text, or adjusting the image - just click 'Customize it' to see all the options. IMPORTANT: If you choose a different sized version of the product, it's important to click Customize and check the image in the Design view to ensure it fills the area to the edge of the product, otherwise white edges may be visible.

See more in my shop
If you like this product, you can find more like it in my store:

Click here to view all the other items with this design.

Click here to see a wide range of other astronomy & space designs.

»visit the AstronomyGiftShop store for more designs and products like this
Click to customize.
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Hubble stirs up galactic soup

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A new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows a whole host of colorful and differently shaped galaxies; some bright and nearby, some fuzzy, and some so far from us they appear as small specks in the background sky. Together they appear as kind of galactic soup.

via Science Daily

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Students see world from station crew's point of view

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NASA is helping students examine their home planet from space without ever leaving the ground, giving them a global perspective by going beyond a map attached to a sphere on a pedestal. The Sally Ride Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (Sally Ride EarthKAM) program provides a unique educational opportunity for thousands of students multiple times a year.

via Science Daily

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U.S. commercial cargo ship delivery mission ends as Canadarm2 releases Cygnus

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Orbital Sciences Cygnus commercial cargo craft completed a month-long delivery mission to the International Space Station Friday when it was released from the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm at 6:40 a.m. EDT. Cygnus is now orbiting on its own, separating from the station and heading for a deorbit and a fiery entry over the Pacific Ocean on Sunday.

via Science Daily

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Curiosity Mars rover prepares for fourth rock drilling

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The team operating NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has chosen a rock that looks like a pale paving stone as the mission's fourth drilling target, if it passes engineers' evaluation. They call it "Bonanza King."

via Science Daily

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NASA's Chandra Observatory searches for trigger of nearby supernova

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New data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory offer a glimpse into the environment of a star before it exploded earlier this year, and insight into what triggered one of the closest supernovas witnessed in decades.

via Science Daily

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As seen by Rosetta: Comet surface variations

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A new image of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko shows the diversity of surface structures on the comet's nucleus. It was taken by the Rosetta spacecraft's OSIRIS narrow-angle camera on August 7, 2014. At the time, the spacecraft was 65 miles (104 kilometers) away from the 2.5-mile-wide (4-kilometer) nucleus.

via Science Daily

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Ring Nebula Hubble Space Room Graphics

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space


tagged with: ring nebula, planetary nebula, hubble, astronomy, nebula photo, nasa, outer space, hubble space telescope, nature, cool space, nebula, nebulae, m57, esa, universe, hubble telescope, hubble photo, cosmos, astronomical, astrophotography, cosmology, space photo, space picture, space image, deep space, space, natural, science, abstract, orange, ring, oval, round, cool astronomy

Hubble photograph of the Ring Nebula

This is an image of the oval-shaped Ring Nebula, situated around 2000 light years from Earth. It was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1998, and shows orange and yellow outer areas around a blue-green centre.

Credit: Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI/NASA/ESA)

You can personalise the design further if you'd prefer, such as by adding your name or other text, or adjusting the image - just click 'Customize it' to see all the options. IMPORTANT: If you choose a different sized version of the product, it's important to click Customize and check the image in the Design view to ensure it fills the area to the edge of the product, otherwise white edges may be visible.

See more in my shop
If you like this product, you can find more like it in my store:

Click here to view all the other items with this design.

Click here to see a wide range of other astronomy & space designs.

»visit the AstronomyGiftShop store for more designs and products like this
Click to customize.
via Zazzle Astronomy market place

Hubble IPad Cover

Here's a great iPad case from Zazzle featuring a Hubble-related design. Maybe you'd like to see your name on it? Click to personalize and see what it's like!


tagged with: hubble

Hubble

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