Interstellar Space Travel

On Tuesday, April 12th, billionaire Yuri Milner and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking announced that they will be sending  small spacecraft to the Alpha Centauri Star System, which is about 4.3 light years from earth. These spacecraft will be powered by giant lasers that will be shot from earth. The estimated time it will take to get there is 20 years which is considered a very short period of time in the field of interstellar space travel. The speed the craft is travelling at is about 100 million miles, one of the fastest speeds at which a man made object has ever traveled. It would be one of the greatest breakthroughs in physics and engineering if it succeeded, but the question is, will it work? Don't get me wrong, I would love to see this mission succeed, but there are many obstacles they would have to consider before starting.

The giant laser beam puts satellites at risk of being obliterated by it. If that happens, communication systems might go out across the world.

Another big problem would be communicating with the craft. If the ship is 2 light years away from earth and has a problem, it would take 2 years for news of the problem to reach earth. And even if it reaches Alpha centauri, it would take another 4 years to get news of what it has found.

The project is a great idea and will revolutionize physics if it works but the chances of it doing so just aren't that much.
For more info visit 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/12/473960826/forget-starships-new-proposal-would-use-starchips-to-visit-alpha-centauri

Xbox one vs PS4

Microsoft and Sony came out with their newest consoles in 2013 and have constantly been improving them. It might be hard to choose which one to buy, so in this post, I will be giving you an overview of both the consoles so that you can choose whichever one is better for you

Sales

About 40 million PS4s have been sold while only about 20 million Xbox ones have been sold. Now, since the kinect motion sensor is optional with the Xbox, the price has significantly lowered and more people are buying the Xbox. Even though the PS4 sales are higher, the Xbox one is making a pretty good comeback

Price

The Xbox one bundle (Xbox with a game) comes at about $299 on amazon and with a kinect, it comes at about $350. The PS4 bundle (PS4 with one game) also comes at $350. the Xbox one is cheaper right now unless you wan't the kinect.

Exclusives

If you like games like Halo, Forza motorspot and geras of war, then the Xbox one is for you. On the other hand, if you like games like Bloodborne, Uncharted, and The Last Guradian, the PS4 will have to be the console you choose. Also, if you like Destiny, the PS4 has some exclusives for that game.

Graphics/Memory

You can't ague the fact that the graphics on the PS4 are better than those on the Xbox. For example a game can be played in 1080p at 60fps on the PS4 while it can only be played at 900p still at 60fps on the Xbox. Still, the slight decrease in quality is very hard to notice. Both the PS4 and the Xbox one have a 500gb hard drive. The only difference is that you can add memory to the Xbox using a usb while the PS4's hard drive will have to be swapped out to do that.

UI

The user interfaces on the PS4 and Xbox are very differernt. The PS4's interface consists of a line of games through which you can scroll. On the other hand, the Xbox's menu is more complex but user friendly. PC gamers usually prefer the Xbox interface as it uses Windows 10.

Entertainment 

Both Consoles have apps like Netflix and HBO Go, but the Xbox kinect makes watching TV much easier as you can hook up your cable service to your Xbox and control it through kinect. Microsoft is also thinking of introducing a DVR system. Microsoft's vision is to make the Xbox one the only box in your living room. (Both have dvd and blu-Ray players)

                                                            Controllers

The controllers for the Xbox one and PS4 are very different. The Xbox has a d pad on the bottom left and top right corners while the PS4 has them on the bottom next to each other. The PS4 controller also has a touch pad and developers are trying to make use of it. The PS4's dual shock is a great improvement from the previous dual shock 3 with much better vibrations. Thankfully, Microsoft hasn't changed the Xbox one controller that much and it is still like the Xbox 360's with a few improvements such as the new ruble motors and a more responsive d pad.

                                                             Conclusion 

If you are a hardcore gamer, the PS4 is for you, but if you want media and entertainment features, then the Xbox one should be your choice.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/xbox-one-vs-sony-ps4

http://www.gadgetreview.com/xbox-one-vs-ps4-which-is-better

http://www.cnet.com/news/xbox-one-vs-ps4-how-to-choose-the-best-game-console-for-you/

Supersonic Flight

The last commercial supersonic jet flew about thirteen years ago but the ideas for making a new one have not stopped. The Concorde jet was banned in 2003 due to it's price, accidents, and most importantly, it's sonic boom. While the passengers on the plane felt almost nothing when the plane crossed the sound barrier, the people living on the ground had to endure the full force of the shock wave when the jet passed by. Due to this, Concorde was banned from flying over populated areas and ultimately discontinued.

To build a new supersonic jet, the sonic boom it makes would have to be quietened, and NASA thinks they know how to do that. Due to the Concorde's structure, it would cut through the sound barrier in various places including it's nose, wing and tail creating a very loud sonic boom. The new jet, on the other hand, is much more aerodynamic therefore decreasing the noise made when crossing the sound barrier. However, there are still some drawbacks to this supersonic jet and supersonic flight overall. This plane is a single-seat, single engine jet and doesn't go as fast as Concorde which sped across the Atlantic ocean at Mach 2. This plane will also be very expensive just like commercial supersonic flight will be if it ever becomes a reality.

Unless supersonic flight becomes much cheaper, I don't think that it will be a success as not many people will be able to afford it. But on the other hand we could get to the other side of yhe world in less than 6 hours.

Super Tuesday Results

 In this post I will be giving you the results of super tuesday.

Georgia Winners

Republican- Trump with 39%
Democrat- Clinton with 71%

Vermont Winners

Republican- Trump with 33%
Democrat- Sanders with 86%

Virginia Winners

Republican- Trump with 35%
Democrat- Clinton with 64%

Alabama Winners

Republican- Trump with 43%
Democrat- Clinton with 78%

Massachusetts Winners

Republican- Trump with 49%
Democrat- Clinton with 50%

Oklahoma Winners

Republican- Trump with 39%
Democrat- Clinton with 66%

Alaska Winners

Republican- Trump with 33%

Texas Winners

Republican- Cruz with 44%
Democrat- Clinton with 65%

Arkansas Winners

Republican- Trump with 33%
Democrat- Clinton with 66%

Minnesota Winners

Republican- Rubio with 37%
Democrat- Sanders with 62%

Colorado Winners

Democrat- Sanders with 59%







             
             

State Primaries

In case you missed the results of any of the state primaries, here they are.

Iowa

                           Democrat-                                                    Republican-

                           1.Hillary Clinton- 49.9%                              1.Ted Cruz- 27.6%

                           2.Bernie Sanders- 49.6%                            2. Donald Trump- 24.3%

New Hampshire

                          Democrat-                                                     Republican-

                        1.Bernie Sanders- 60.4%                               1.Donald Trump- 35.3%

                        2.Hillary Clinton- 30.8%                                  2.John Kasich- 15.8%

South Carolina

                        Democrat-                                                      Republican-

                        Results Coming Tomorrow!                           1.Donald Trump- 32.5%

                                                                                               2.Marco Rubio- 22.5%   

Nevada

                    Democrat                                                         Republican-

                   1.Hillary Clinton- 52.6%                                   1.Donald Trump- 45.9%

                   2.Bernie Sanders- 47.3%                                 2.Marco Rubio- 23.9%

 

Gravitational Waves

Just yesterday, scientists at The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) discovered something that will change our understanding of the skies forever. Gravitational waves formed by two black holes colliding with each other.

Albert Einstein theorized a century ago in 1916 that Gravitational waves existed. His theory was that is space time is the fabric of space, then huge events like two black holes banging into each other should send ripples through the fabric. These ripples were called Gravitational waves. But, since no one could prove that Gravitational waves existed, the theory was dismissed. That is, until the 1960's when an engineering professor called Joe Weber tried to prove that Gravitational waves existed. he did this by setting up two aluminum poles in vacuums. One in Maryland and the other in Chicago. He reasoned that is Gravitational waves passed through the earth, both the bars would ring like bells. People thought that Weber had proved that Gravitational waves existed but when other laboratories didn't get the same result, people started doubting this. Even so, Weber kept on trying until his death in 2000.

A professor called Reiner Weiss who is a co founder of LIGO was working at MIT when he was inspired to study Gravitational waves. He had a unique way to prove that Gravitational waves existed. He made a vacuum sealed L shaped tube with the two legs of equal size. There was a protrusion at the joint from where a laser was fired. A mirror divides the laser to go to both the leags. If there were no Gravitational waves, the lasers would have come back to the mirror at the same time. But, if there were Gravitational waves, the lasers would come back at slightly different times. The scientists used audio to check when the lasers came back so when a Gravitational wave passed through earth, they  heard a chirping sound.

Since the black hole collision happened billions of years ago, the waves weren't that big. The waves took this long to come to the earth because it was many light years away. According to Einstein's theory, the space time continuum would be distorted in places that were close to the place the two black holes collided. That is to say that time would have no meaning. Well this is still a theory and there is still no way to prove it. Anyway, let's just hope that Earth doesn't come close enough to any black holes

Will we be in for quieter plane rides?

The first jet engine, the turbojet, made by British engineer Frank Whittle, worked something like this. The thrust came from the air that was pushed into the front of the engine. Then, the air travelled into the compressor where it was squeezed, mixed with fuel, and ignited.  This causes the air, now very hot, to shoot out of the back of the engine, causing thrust.(The compressor was turned by a turbine that used exhaust gases to power itself.) But, these engines had a problem. They were not very fuel efficient and were very loud.

Next, came the turbofan engine, the engines that we use today. These engines worked similar to the turbojet engines. A fan, powered by the turbine, directed some air to move around the compressor instead of through it. Even though this air is not moving as fast as the exhaust gases, the sheer volume of it gives it more thrust than the turbojet. This made the engine more fuel efficient and quieter. Some of the latest and biggest turbofans engine fans are so big that they have a bypass ratio of 9:1. To explain this, we have to get into  little math. Let's say that we have ten parts of air. The 9:1 ratio means that only 1 part of the air is going inside the compressor while the other 9 parts are going around. This is much more efficient and provides a lot more thrust. These fans are getting bigger and bigger, but there is  a limit to which they can grow. As these fans get bigger, they also get faster and some fans are getting close to the speed of sound. If these fans reach the speed of sound, they will produce shock waves that cause dangerous vibrations. To slow down the fans but still keep the turbine running at an optimal speed, we need gearboxes. This is where the Purepower by Pratt and Whitney that is a geared turbofan engine comes in.

The fan will have a gearbox behind it and the engine will be bigger

Geared turbofans have been used in small jets for quite a few years. The reason they haven't been used in bigger jets is that since the engine is so big, the forces acting on the gearbox will be so high that it will break. Pratt and Whitney has been working on this problem for more than 15 years and spent more than $10 billion. But, all this work has paid off. Pratt and Whitney have created the new engine which is called the Purepower. They have a strong gearbox made out of nickel based alloys. This engine has a bypass ratio of 12:1 and is quieter and more fuel efficient. Even though this engine is going to be used by many planes, it has a few drawbacks. The engine will take quite a while to cool down. This may cause delays and in busy airports, take away a plane's take off shot.



It is too early to say whether the Purepower will be a success or not, but one thing is for sure. it will revolutionize the process of  engine manufacturing.

Boeing 787-9/10 vs Airbus A350XWB

The two largest plane manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing have always been trying to top each other in a war of innovations. Now, both companies have come out with two planes that will take flying to a whole new level. The Boeing 787-9 and the Airbus A350XWB. So which one is better?

Click for full image

The maiden flight of the A350XWB

Boeing Launched it's Dreamliner program in 2009 and have come out with 3 types since. The 787-8, 787-9 and the 787-10. These planes were Boeing's idea to reduce fuel consumption and were made out of Carbon Fiber and other composite materials. They were created to be a direct competitor of the Airbus A330. This pushed the European based Airbus to come up with another plane that could rival the 787. So, they came out with the A350XWB which, like the 787, was created to be a fuel efficient plane used for long haul flights. The A350XWB also has 3 models. The A350-800, the A350-900 and the A350-1000.

Range and Dimensions

The new Boeing 787-10 on which Boeing says it will start construction on in 2017 has a seating capacity of 330 with 2 class configuration. The Airbus A350 on the other hand has only 225 seats but with 3 class configuration. According to the Boeing and Airbus websites, the older Boeing 787-9 has a superior range of 7,635 nautical miles while the A350 has a range of 7,600 nmi. Boeing says that the new 787-10 will have a range up to 8,200 nmi but we don't know for sure yet. The Airbus 

A350-900 beats the Boeing 787-10 in all dimensions except length. here is a table that shows the dimensions of both planes. 

Note: The width of the 787 is smaller, but it has an option of having 8 or 9 seats in a row while the A350 has 9. 

Fuel Efficiency

Boeing claims that the 787-10 is 25% more fuel efficient than similar sized planes but Airbus claims the same for the A350XWB. Both planes are made out of carbon fiber and other composite materials that make the plane lighter and thus more fuel efficient. The planes also have new and fuel efficient engines. Boeing has been working with two engines for the Dreamliner. The Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 and the  General Electric while Airbus has only been working with one engine for the A350. The Rolls-Royce TrentXWB

Interior

Windows

The windows of a 787

The windows on the Dreamliner are one of the first things that catch the passengers' eyes. These windows are 70% bigger than older aircraft and 30% bigger than it's contemporaries. The A350's windows are bigger than other Airbus aircrafts' but noticeably smaller than the Dreamliner windows.

Another difference between the windows' is how they shut out light. Boeing has dimmable windows that can be dimmed or brightened again by pressing buttons. The A350, on the other hand has the classic shut out blind windows.

Lighting

The interior of a 787

Both Airbus and Boeing have gone above and beyond to provide the best LED lighting. Both the 787 and the A350 have millions of shades of lighting! The cabin, using the LED lighting, is programmed to look like the day sky with the sun in the day and the night sky with the moon and stars at night. This lets the passengers sleep and adjust to the time zone shift, thus reducing jet lag

Passenger Comfort

Both planes use stronger but lighter carbon-fiber fuselages that make the cabin more comfortable. The cabins will be pressurized to 6000 ft instead of the standard 8000 ft to make the passengers more comfortable. Both planes also use air filters and cycle out air every few minutes. 

The winner? Well, the person who gains the most is the passenger! The competition between Airbus and Boeing forces both companies to innovate and create a more comfortable experience for the passenger.

Just a cool picture of the 787 and 747